Tag: Merlot

Opinion

A Trio of Classy Clarets

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In the winter months – and with C*****mas looming on the horizon – many wine drinkers turn to the classics such as Bordeaux and Chablis.  Although Claret isn’t the best match for the traditional turkey, many disregard that and drink it simply because they like it – or like me, drink it with something other than turkey!

First, a quick refresher on the AOCs of the Médoc, the left bank peninsula which is home to many of Bordeaux’s world-famous Châteaux:

Medoc

As a generalisation, the AOCs of the Médoc are considered to be ranked as follows:

  • Pauillac & Margaux
  • Saint-Julien & Saint-Estèphe
  • Listrac-Médoc & Moulis-en-Médoc
  • Haut Médoc
  • Médoc

Of course, the quality of any wine is heavily dependent on the producer and vintage.

Here is a trio of Bordeaux reds that are drinking superbly right now and won’t break the bank:

Disclosure: samples were kindly provided, opinions remain my own

Château Monteil d’Arsac, Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois 2014 (13.0%, RRP €18.95 at Molloys)

monteil_d_arsac

The Cru Bourgeois label is for the “Best of the Rest”, i.e. those Médoc estates not included in the 1855 classification.  It was introduced in 1932 covering 444 estates, but between 2003 and 2007 it was altered, updated, split, reversed, and finally annulled – phasing in and out of the space-time continuum like transport ships caught in the nexus.  In 2010 a completely new version was published for the 2008 vintage, and it is revised annually based on the quality of the wines submitted.

If drinking this wine makes me bourgeois then that’s all right with me!  It’s quite smooth with oodles of black fruit and tangy red fruit.  There’s also a spicy element then pencil shavings and plums on the finish.  This is an excellent wine for the price, probably the best Bordeaux under €20 I’ve tasted for years!

Château Moulin-Borie, Listrac-Médoc 2015 (13.5%, RRP €24.95 at Molloys)

moulin_borie

Château Moulin-Borie is owned and run by Bruno-Eugène Borie who is also the proprietor of Saint-Julien’s Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, a Second Growth in the 1855 Classification.  Moulin-Borie is located in the appellation of Listrac-Médoc which is humbler than the big guns of Pauillac and co but is nevertheless capable of producing very good wines.

Despite coming from a ripe year, this is very classic left bank Bordeaux.  it shows lots of black fruit and a touch of vanilla, but also quite savoury, with cedar and black olive notes just starting to appear.  It’s mid weight, not a wine that weighs you down, and very classy.  I would definitely be interested in trying this wine after another five years of maturation – time to buy a few for the cellar I think!

Château Castelbruck Margaux 2014 (13.0%, RRP €32.00 at Molloys)

castelbruck_margaux

Margaux is seen as the most feminine of the big four AOCs and often shows an ethereal quality which eludes the others.  This 2014 is still quite young but very approachable and dangerously drinkable!  It has ripe, juicy blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry and plum – so ripe that you almost feel like you are biting into actual fruit!  Fine cocoa powder and a touch of pencil shavings are part of a wonderful finish.

It’s sometimes said that Cabernet-based wines are a good match for chocolate and it doesn’t usually do much for me, but in this case a few squares of high cocoa-content black chocolate went down a treat with the wine!  For me, a big glass and a warm fire would be perfection.

Tasting Events

A few treats from SuperValu (part 1)

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The wine market in Irish supermarkets is a tough one to get right, balancing what consumers think they want, what they actually want, and trying to stock better and/or more different wines in a low margin, competitive environment.

One key trend – which is not unique to the Irish market – is the preference among many consumers for richer red wines.  At the lower end of the market, many of these wines contain significant amounts of residual sugar, but consumers think they only like dry wines – and what they don’t know can’t hurt them, I suppose.  It’s not for me to tell people their tastes are wrong, it’s just that I don’t share them.

Here are some of the delicious reds that I tasted recently at SuperValu’s Secret Garden Party:

 

Trisquel Family Collection Magnum 2013 (14.0%, RRP €49.99, currently €20, at SuperValu)

Aresti Family Collection

This is top of the bill for a very good reason – the special offer!  Unlike many wines with such significant reductions (Hardy’s Crest, I’m looking at you), this is actually worth the full price and isn’t a label that just exists to be discounted.  The wine is built on Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (20%) and Petit Verdot (8%), with a little Rhône included for interest in Syrah (12%) and Petite Sirah (10%).  The nose is just amazing, luscious black fruit, chocolate, coffee and exotic spice.  On the palate it is a little restrained, so it could play a good role with food as well as on its own.  I’m dropping a few hints to the family about a bottle for myself!

 

Albert Glas Pfalz Pinot Noir Black Label 2014 (13.5%, RRP €19.99 at SuperValu from 20th August)

Riesling BL 2017

Like the equivalent Riesling (see part 2) the Black Label Pinot Noir from Albert Glas is made with  premium fruit and fermented in local oak barrels.  Thankfully, the oak isn’t overdone so there is only a little noticeable on the palate.  Instead, the oak adds textures and depth to the plush red fruit.  For my money this is nicer than most Burgundy at the same price.

 

Dona Ermelinda Reserve Palmela Red 2015 (14.5%, RRP €85 for 6 at SuperValu, will be on offer at €50 for 6 from 20th August)

dona ermelinda palmela

The Palmela region is close to Lisbon and best known for its reds.  Here local grape Castelão is the mainstay with 70% of the blend, and the international Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon make up the balance with 20% and 10% respectively.  This is a proper Portuguese red, with rich and powerful black fruit framed by tobacco notes and soft tannins.  An excellent wine for a barbecue!

 

Nugan Estate Langhorne Creek Single Vineyard Zinfandel 2015 (15.0%, RRP €16.99 at SuperValu from 20th August)

Single Vineyard Zinfandel - bottle shot 1

California’s Zinfandel is of course also known as Primitivo in Puglia and (the harder to say) Tribidrag and (the even harder to say) Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatia.  All of these are warm climate areas, so why not also in South Australia?  It’s a big and bold wine, lots of fun and nicely straddling the red and black fruit border.  There’s a touch of sweetness on the finish but the tannin stops it becoming too jammy.

Opinion

Wines at Xmas #15 – Barbara Boyle MW [Guest Post]

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For winelovers, Christmas is a time when we look forward to drinking – and even sharing – a special bottle or two.  This might be a classic wine with traditional fare or just something different we’ve wanted to try for a while.  I asked some wine loving friends what they were looking forward to and they have kindly agreed to write a blog post for me.

Barbara Boyle is an Irish MW and half of the dynamic husband and wife team WineMason, a specialist wine importer.  Regular readers might recognise that name from the numerous reviews of their wines I have posted this year! 

We did not drink wine at home when I was growing up.  Not an unusual statement for an Irish person growing up in the 1970s and 80s.  The very first time I drank wine with my family was Christmas Day 1985.  My Christmas eve induced hangover was hard to hide. My ever-sharp father looked into my sleep deprived eyes and instead of greeting me on Christmas day with scorn or an anecdote of the dangers of drinking, I was greeted with a glass of wine at dinner.  My father and I have enjoyed a glass of wine or two together every Christmas since.

BLANKbottle Moment of SilenceSeveral years before (1980) I had given my father a bottle of wine which I had purchased while in France on a school trip (I did not drink then for the record).  It was a Chenin Blanc from the Loire and he said that this Christmas day seemed like a fitting time to open it.  I am often surprised that we don’t yet represent any Loire wineries but this something I hope to fix over the next year.

Every year since that I have been working in the wine trade, my father asks me to assemble a case of something nice for him that we can enjoy together over the holiday period.  So, this year going into my father’s Christmas box are some wines that I am keen to open with him.

Moment of Silence 2015 Blank Bottle: this is a blend which includes that wonderful grape Chenin Blanc together with Grenache Blanc and Viognier. A soothing wine, perfect to shape a cold night in around. It’s made by Pieter Walser of BlankBottle Winery who I think it something of a genius and very good company to boot.  This cape white is a great example of the thrilling and delicious  wines that are being made in South Africa. And at Christmas who does not need a moment of silence.

Moment of Silence 2015 Blank Bottle, Wellington, South Africa (14.0%): available at around €24.95 from Baggot Street Wines, Blackrock Cellar, Corkscrew, Sweeneys and Green Man Wines.

PUY14Emilien Château le Puy 2014: “Fabulous, powerful, inky, floral, perfumed, fruity and earthy, iron, edgy acidity.”  This is the note I made in June at a dinner in Chapter One of several vintages of this wine.  I am looking forward to returning to it at Christmas and this time from magnum.  The estate is situated at the second highest point of the Gironde which makes for later ripening and higher levels of acidity.  Predominantly Merlot and from an uncompromising bio-dynamic estate. To me this is Bordeaux as it should be.

Emilien Château le Puy 2014, Côtes de Francs, Bordeaux, France (13.0%): available for €38-40 (€81-85 for 150cl format) from Blackrock Cellar, Redmonds of Ranelagh, Greenman Wines, Kellys Off LIcence, and Clontarf Wines.

 

 

 

 

The full series of Wines at Xmas:

 

Opinion

Wines at Xmas #14 – Richie Magnier [Guest Post]

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For winelovers, Christmas is a time when we look forward to drinking – and even sharing – a special bottle or two.  This might be a classic wine with traditional fare or just something different we’ve wanted to try for a while.  I asked some wine loving friends what they were looking forward to and they have kindly agreed to write a blog post for me.

Richie Magnier blogs under the alias of The Motley Cru and is the longest serving wine writer for thetaste.ie.

gere_kopar_2013 2Fear is the reason I’ll be drinking this wine this Christmas.

I received this unusual-looking Hungarian red as a birthday present four years ago, and even at that time this 2002 vintage was mature. It was stashed away to be enjoyed on a special occasion and – as is often the case with special wines – soon forgotten.

I only remembered it again last month, and in a blind panic I Coravined a glass of it in full expectation that it was by now dead and gone.  Thankfully, my fears were misjudged. What I experienced in the small glass I poured myself was a wine only now entering the tertiary stage, and still brimming with blowsy, big fruit.

It just screams ‘winter wine’: it’s big, full and round, with lush black and red fruit; lots of smoke, clove and tobacco, with some leather creeping in; concentrated and long with baking spice, pepper and much more going on. I  can see it opening up over the course of a night, ideally in front of a fire, turning tricks and metamorphosing in the glass.

The Gere Attila winery endearingly calls Kopar its “emblematic top wine” that is “made only in the best years”.  Grapes are sourced from vineyard around the town of Villány in southern Hungary, near the Croatian border.

It’s a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon – what many will call a “Bordeaux Blend” – and is aged for 16-18 months in barriques.  So this is essentially a “Hungarian Super Tuscan”.  However you want to label it, it’s damn good stuff.  It will be enjoyed slowly over the course of an evening, ideally on Christmas Day, where its Christmas cake flavours will feel right at home.

Gere Kopar 2002 (14.5%): RSP €50 from The Corkscrew

The full series of Wines at Xmas:

 

Opinion

Wines at Xmas #4 – Phil Green [Guest Post]

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For winelovers, Christmas is a time when we look forward to drinking – and even sharing – a special bottle or two.  This might be a classic wine with traditional fare or just something different we’ve wanted to try for a while.  I asked some wine loving friends what they were looking forward to and they have kindly agreed to write a blog post for me.

Phil Green is a wine blogger in his spare time under the moniker Phil My Glass, but spends his weekdays as a wine consultant to restaurants and is also currently representing Champagne Perrier-Jouët.

Dreaming of a Red Christmas

Christmas is my favourite time of year.  Not only because of visiting family, time off work and eating more food than you could fit in a supermarket trolley, but also because it’s a great excuse to open one of my bottles of wine that I’ve been keeping stored away.  This year I’ll be cracking into one of my Château Phélan-Ségur 2010 bottles that has been giving me the glad eye all year.

Phelan Segur 2010Château Phélan-Ségur takes its name from original owner, Irishman Bernard Phelan, who acquired Domaine le Clos de Garamey in 1805 and Ségur de Cabernac in 1810. These estates were combined to create Château Ségur de Garamey.  The estate was passed on to Bernard’s son, Frank Phelan in 1841 when Bernard passed away, and Frank renamed the estate as Chateau Phelan Segur.

The reputation of this château exceeds its placing in Bordeaux’s rankings.  Not included in the original classification of 1855, the wine was classified as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels in 2003 and has been rated highly by critics such as Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson.

Situated in the commune of St Estèphe on Bordeaux’s left bank, the wine shows the trademark power of a Cabernet Sauvignon blend from this area of Bordeaux. The style of the chateau is to be fruit forward and have a good balance of oak.  The last time I tasted this was about 2 years ago and I’m very interested to see how it has developed in a couple of years in the bottle, especially from a great vintage such as 2010.

Wines such as this deserve to be enjoyed with friends and family and be enjoyed slowly over the course of the evening and I will be looking forward to enjoying my bottle on Christmas day!

Château Phélan-Ségur 2010: available from McHughs at €70 (14.0%)

The full series of Wines at Xmas:

 

Make Mine A Double

A Pair of Old Friends [Make Mine a Double #31]

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While very privileged to regularly taste new wines that expand the boundaries of my wine knowledge, it’s also nice once in a while to pop the cork on an old favourite; pleasure can come from familiarity as well as discovery.  Here are two old friends of mine:

 

Loosen Dr L Riesling 2015 (8.5%, €14.00 at Morton’s Ranelagh, Jus de Vine Portmarknock, Nolan’s Clontarf)

Dr L Mosel Riesling 2015

Ernst Loosen is one of the bigger producers in Germany’s Mosel, a strong candidate for the best place in the world to make Riesling.  He makes a wide range of wines from different vineyards, up to and including Grosses Gëwachs.  The Dr L wines are blends from different sites designed to make an approachable, everyday style.  There is a dry version but this is the off-dry to medium one with only 8.5% and a fair bit of residual sugar (43.2 g/L).  Of course there’s plenty of acidity in the wine’s backbone so the sweetness enhances the racy lime and lemon fruit rather than being just sugary.  The perfect introduction to Mosel Riesling!

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Peter Lehmann Clancy’s Barossa Red Blend 2013 (14.5%, €12.99 at Londis Malahide, Morton’s Ranelagh, O’ Donoghues O/L Cork, The Drink Store Manor Street, Nolan’s Clontarf)

Peter Lehmann Clancy's Barossa Red Blend 2013

I’m a long-time admirer of Peter Lehmann wines as their varietal Barossa range were a treat for me when I got into Aussie wine in the mid to late 90s.  More recently I’ve been lucky to taste the premium wines in the range, but this entry level red blend is still an enjoyable pour.   The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Merlot – all from the Barossa Valley, and the relative proportions I’m sure change depending on the vintage.

While Cabernet is a slight favourite of mine ahead of Shiraz, the later does a good job of filling the hole in the mid palate which Cab can sometimes have (it’s not called the “doughnut grape” for nothing!)  There’s lots of juicy blackcurrant and blackberry with spice and a mocha finish.  This is a very appealing wine with a price that means you wouldn’t mind sharing it with “red wine drinkers” (people who say they love red wine but can’t name more than a handful!)

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Disclosure: both bottles were kindly given as samples, but opinions remain my own

 

**Click here to see more posts in the Make Mine a Double Series**

Tasting Events

Another Brick In The Wall – Part 6

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Château Tayet is a 10 hectare estate located at the south east corner of the Médoc peninsula, in the commune of Macau.  As it’s just south of the Margaux appellation it is simply AOC Bordeaux, or AOC Bordeaux Supérieur (which is not that meaningful in itself).  However, the potential of the property is definitely greater than its simple appellation would indicate.

The name itself only dates back to 1994 when it was taken over by the people behind Château Haut Breton Larigaudière in Margaux itself; it was previously known as Cru de Noë and then Château Les Charmilles.  1994 was also the start of the Cuvée Prestige, made with the best fruit and matured in a mixture of new and old oak for six months.

The vineyards are planted to Merlot (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Petit Verdot (5%).  While the Médoc is though of as Cabernet country, it tends to be the Crus Classés of Pauillac which are very Cabernet dominated (over 80% in some vintages); Margaux is less so, and Haut-Médoc wines are often a 50% Cabernet – 50% Merlot blend.  That perspective shows that Château Tayet is aiming for a certain style and quality of wine.

At the WineMasons tasting earlier in the year I had the opportunity to taste two vintages back to back:

Château Tayet Cuvée Prestige Bordeaux Supérieur 2009 (13.0%, €21 at The Corkscrew, Blackrock Cellar, D-Six, Green Man Wines & McHughs)

Tayet 2009

2009 was a fabulous year for Bordeaux, so much so that some commentators said it was hard to make a bad wine in such a vintage.  The richness that is so typical of 2009 really comes through, with soft, velvety fruit that’s very approachable and rewarding.  There’s still power there, even eight years after vintage – in fact I’d say this is at peak drinking right now.

Château Tayet Cuvée Prestige Bordeaux Supérieur 2011 (13.5%, €19 at Drinkstore)

Tayet 2011

2011 was a cooler vintage in Bordeaux and in general was rated a few notches below 2009.  The cooler year means that richness is dialed back a little, and savoury characters fill in the gap.  Black fruit is joined by black olive and tobacco notes, and prominent acidity gives freshness.  In other words, this is more of a classic claret.

Decisions, Decisions

So which is better?  At the tasting I wrote “you pays your money, you take your choice” as these are both very good wines, though different in style.  If all depends what you like, and particularly if you plan to drink the wine on its own (go for 2009) or with food (go for 2011.  My personal preference is for the 2009, so grab it while you can!

 

Another Brick in the Wall series:

 

Tasting Events

10 Top Reds from O’Briens

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Ranging from €14 to €49, here are some of my favourite reds from the recent O’Briens Wine Fair:

Viña Chocálan Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (14.5%, €13.95 at O’Briens)

Cab Sauv

Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is usually pretty good, even when inexpensive, as Chile has enough sunshine to fully ripen the fruit but the temperatures aren’t so high that it becomes jammy and unbalanced.  This is full of juicy blackcurrant but also has a little bit of cedar wood and graphite which adds interest.

Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza 2013 (14.0%, €17.95 down to €15.95 for May at O’Briens)

Sierra-Cantabria-Rioja-Crianza

Particularly at Crianza level, Rioja is known for red fruit flavours (strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant, red cherry) with a good helping of vanilla from American oak.  Sierra Cantabria doesn’t follow this plan at all – it’s all about black fruit and intensity of flavour, much more akin to a good Ribera del Duero than most Riojas.  Why not try it back to back with the Reserva?

Urlar Gladstone Pinot Noir 2014 (14.5%, €23.95 at O’Briens)

Urlar-Pinot-Noir_1

At the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island is the Wairarapa wine region (not to be confused with Waipara near Christchurch).  The oldest part is probably Martinborough (not to be confused with Marlborough at the top of the South Island) but there are other notable areas within the Wairarapa such as Gladstone.  Urlar (from the Gaelic for “Earth”) is an organic and practicing biodynamic producer which makes fantastic Pinot Noir.  While full of fruit it has a savoury, umami edge, and will undoubtedly continue to develop complexity over the coming years.

Viña Chocálan Vitrum Blend 2013 (14.5%, €24.95 down to €22.95 for May at O’Briens)

Vitrium Blend

Sitting just below their icon wine Alexia, Vitrum is Chocalan’s premium range, so named as the owners Toro family have been in the glass bottle making business for over 80 years.  As stated it this wine is a blend, and the grapes aren’t named on the front label as there are so many of them! (for reference the 2013 is: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Syrah, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec, 4% Carmenère, 2% Petit Verdot).  All these different varieties make for an interesting wine – quite full bodied and with considerable structure, but balanced and drinkable.

Domaine Olivier Santenay Temps des C(e)rises 2014 (13.0%, €28.95 down to €23.16 for May at O’Briens)

Domaine-Olivier-Sant-Temps-des-Crises_1

If you don’t speak French then you’d be forgiven for missing the jeu de mot in the name of this wine: temps des crises is the time of crises and temps des cerises is the time of cherries – and also the name of a famous French revolutionary song.  Anyway, on to the wine itself: this is a mid weight Pinot Noir from Santenay in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune.  It has delightful red currant and red cherry with a touch of smokiness from barrel ageing.  It’s a food friendly wine which could also be drunk on its own.  While ready to drink now I would (try to!) keep this for a few more years before drinking.  Great Burgundy for the €€!

Château Fourcas Hosten Listrac-Médoc 2009 (13.0%, €29.95 down to €23.95 for May at O’Briens)

Ch_teau-Fourcas-Hosten-2009_1

Listrac is one of the two villages (with Moulis) in Bordeaux’s Médoc peninsula outside of the famous four that have their name on an appellation, but is rarely seen in Ireland. Château Fourcas Hosten was bought by the family behind the Hermès luxury goods group around a decade ago and they have invested significantly in quality since then.  As 2009 was an excellent vintage in Bordeaux this is a fairly ripe and accessible wine.

Unusually for a warm vintage it has quite a bias towards Merlot (65%) versus Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), even though they make up 45% each of the vineyard area (and Cabernet Franc being the final 10%).  This wine shows fresh and dried black fruit with some pencil shavings and tobacco – classy, accessible Bordeaux!

Cambria “Julia’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2012 (13.5%, €29.95 at O’Briens)

Cambria-Julias-Vineyard-P-Noir

The spotlight on US Pinot Noir mainly falls on Oregon and its Willamette Valley, but California shouldn’t be ignored – especially Santa Barbara County, which was of course the setting for Sideways.  The cool climate here, especially in Santa Mary Valley, helps Pinot Noir develop fully, keeping acidity and light to medium tannins to frame the fresh red fruit.   One of my favourite American Pinots!

Man O’War Waiheke Island Ironclad 2012 (14.5%, €34.45 at O’Briens)

Man-O_War-Ironclad-Bordeaux

I’m a big fan of Man O’War’s premium range, all nautically named and great examples of their type (I’m just gutted that demand for their Julia sparkling wine at their winery restaurant means that it won’t be exported anymore).  Ironclad is the Bordeaux blend; the blend changes from year to year depending on how each variety fared, with any fruit that doesn’t make the grade being declassified into the next tier down.

The current release is the 2012 which is 45% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 13% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon – only Carménère misses out from Bordeaux’s black grapes, and hardly anyone grows that in Bordeaux nowadays anyway. It’s full of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant and blueberry fruit with some graphite.  It would pair well with red meat, but being a bit riper in style than most Bordeaux means it drinks well on its own.

Frank Phélan 2012 (13.0%, €34.95 down to €27.95 for May at O’Briens)

Frank-Phelan

Back to Bordeaux proper again with the second wine of Château Phélan Ségur, named after the son of the original Irish founder Bernard Phelan.  As a second wine it mainly uses younger fruit than the Grand Vin, a shorter time in barrel and a higher proportion of Merlot (this is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon).  All these lead to it being a more supple wine, and more approachable in its youth.  For me this was quite similar to the Fourcas Hosten – dark black fruit in particular – but younger and with a little more tannin and graphite notes.  Steak anyone?

Torbreck The Struie 2014 (14.5%, €49.00 down to €42 for May at O’Briens)

Torbreck-Struie

It’s fair to say that Barossa Shiraz is one of Australia’s most well-recognised wine styles, but there are actually significant differences within the Barossa.  The most notable difference is that there are actually two distinct valleys – the Barossa Valley itself and the Eden Valley which is at a higher altitude and hence has a cooler climate (there’s some great Riesling grown in the latter but very little in the former!)

The Struie is a blend of fruit from both valleys: 77% Barossa (for power and richness) and 23% Eden (for acidity and elegance), all aged in a mix of old and new French oak barrels.  There’s intense blackberry and plum fruit with a twist of spice.

This is a fairly monumental wine which actually deserves a bit more time before drinking, so buy a few and lay them down…but if you can’t wait, decant!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opinion

Frankly Wines Top 10 Reds of 2016

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The turn of the year means a chance to look forward to some excellent tastings coming up, but also a chance to look back at some great wines tasted over the previous twelve months.  Here are ten of the many reds which caught my attention in 2016:

10. Cicero Alto Reben AOC Graubünden Pinot Noir 2012

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In Europe the country most well known for Pinot Noir is of course France, with examples from Burgundy still being among the most expensive wines in the world.  After that it’s probably Germany for Spätburgunder and then perhaps Italy for Pinot Nero, but don’t forget Switzerland – hillside vineyards can be perfect for Pinot, and although Swiss wines are never cheap they can offer good value for money.  See here for the full review.

9. Mas St Louis Châteauneuf du Pape 2012

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CNDP can often be a blockbuster wine with loads of mouthfeel and 15.0% or more alcohol. Wines which don’t measure up to this are often inferior lightweight versions not worthy of the appellation or the price tag – better to go for a Gigondas or Vacqueras instead.  But just occasionally you might come across a wine which is not typical of the area but transcends it – and this is the one.  A high proportion of Grenache and sandy soil are apparently the reason for its lightness – but you will have to try it yourself.

8. Paul Osicka Heathcote Shiraz 2004

paul-osicka-shiraz-500x500-cropped

My favourite hotel in Ireland is The Twelve in Barna near Galway City, and luckily it’s also my wife’s favourite.  The rooms, the service and the food are all excellent – and so is the wine!  When last there some months ago for a weekend (kid-free) break I spied this mature Heathcote Shiraz on the wine list and had to give it a try with the côte de boeuf for two (and although I was tempted to have both to myself I did of course share them with my wife).  I will definitely look out for this wine again!

7. Atalon Napa Merlot 2004

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Quality Californian Merlot isn’t an oxymoron, though there is plenty mediocre Merlot made in the Central Valley.  When it’s good, it can be great, and this nicely mature 2004 is probably the best Merlot I’ve ever tasted from California, and definitely the best I’ve tasted from any region this year.  See here for the full review.

6. Niepoort Clos de Crappe Douro 2013

clos-de-crappe

“A wine that asks more questions than it answers” is a fair summary of this unusual Douro red – and perhaps that’s why it’s so interesting.  It’s not a wine for everyone, with higher than average acidity and body more akin to Burgundy than the Douro, but it brings the funk!  See here for the full review.

5. Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir 2014

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Time and time again, the 20 Barrels Pinot has impressed me with its silky smooth berrytastic goodness.  It’s possibly the closest thing to a red wine for all men (and women) – without being a lowest common denominator compromise.  Most notably it shone in an all-star Pinot Noir tasting arranged by importers Findlaters, beating off competition from Burgundy, California, Marlborough and elsewhere – in fact the only real competition was the big brother Cono Sur Ocio, though that is around twice the price.

4. Wolf Blass Black Label 1998

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Wolfgang Blass is something of a legend in Australian wine, and while his eponymous wines range down to everyday drinking level, his multi-award winning Black Label has been one of the top Aussie wines since its creation in 1973 – it won the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for an amazing three consecutive years with the 73 – 74 – 75 vintages, and then an unprecedented fourth time with this 1998 release.  Tasting the 1998 was a real privilege!

3. Vajra Barolo Ravera 2011

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I’ve had some nice Barolos over the years but, to be honest, the tannin and acidity have often put me off – not to mention the price.  Many need a good decade to even start being drinkable, and, while I’m not advocating fruit bombs, Barolo can be somewhat lacking on the primary flavour side.   But, as Erasure said, it doesn’t have to be like that – this is a wonderful, complex, accessible Barolo.  See here for the full review.

2. Penfolds Grange 2010

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If Spinal Tap’s amps went up to 11, then wine critics should surely have awarded this wine 102 points, as it betters even the excellent 100-pointer from 2008.  It’s still tightly wound compared to the lighter 2011 and more easy-going 2009, but it will be a legendary vintage when it reaches its peak in another decade or two.

1. Cascina Garitina Nizza 900

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A wine to show that Barbera can make excellent wines, not just something to sup waiting for Barolos and Barbarescos to mature.  Made around the town of Nizza Montferrato in Piedmont, Nizza wine was a subregion of Barbera d’Asti until gaining full DOCG status in 2014.  Gianluca Morino of Cascina Garitina is an innovative producer who makes some very good Barbera d’Asti but an amazing Nizza – a truly excellent wine with more depth and poise than I’ve witnessed in any other Barbera.

 

 

Opinion

SuperValu Christmas Wine Selection Reds

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One of the best things about wine retail – from the customer’s point of view – is that the bargains are available before rather than after Xmas, so if you want to choose a few nice bottles for yourself, buy a few gifts or just stock up in anticipation of thirsty visitors, now is a great time to do it.

Here are some of the SuperValu reds which I’d be very happy to sup this yuletide.

Disclosure: samples were provided for review

André Goichot Mercurey 2013 (12.5%, €22.99 down to €15.00)

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I’m a fan of the André Goichot range, which is predominantly white Burgundy, but also includes this Pinot Noir from Mercurey in the Côte Chalonnaise.  It’s a light wine (for NZ fans think Marlborough rather than Central Otago) than needs a bit of air to come out of its shell, but once it does the aromas are stunning.  Relatively high acidity and moderate tannins mean that this might well be the crowd pleaser to go with most dishes at the Xmas table.

Castellani Arbos Sangiovese 2013 (13.5%, €12.99 down to €10.00)

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Cheap Chianti is rarely a bargain as it tends to have the tannin and acidity typical of the area without its usual bright cherry fruit and hence being unbalanced or even unpleasant. If you’re on a budget and like the flavour of Chianti’s Sangiovese grape then far better to avoid paying a premium for the Chianti label and go for a less fancy one with lots of tasty wine behind it!

Nugan Estate Alfredo Dry Grape Shiraz 2013 (15.0%, €19.99 down to €15.00)

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Drying grapes before pressing to increase flavour and sugar concentration isn’t a new technique (it’s the secret behind Amarone afterall) but it is still less than common in Australia.  Here it’s used to add extra berry-tastic richness to supercharge this Shiraz named after the winery’s founder, Spanish emigré Alfredo Nugan.  Like many Amarone wines there is a hint of sweetness on the finish but it works well with the rich character of the wine.  For those of you who like blue cheese I reckon this would be a real treat!

Lady de Mour Margaux 2012 (13.0%, €34.99 down to €20.00)

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Margaux is one of the most famous parts of Bordeaux, helped by having one of the top ranked producers with the same name (Château Margaux) and being easy for English speakers to pronounce (I’m only half-joking there).  Margaux wines are typical left bank blends but with generally a bit less Cabernet Sauvignon than the other famous villages such as St-Estephe and Pauillac.  They are considered to be somewhat feminine and elegant, so a wine called “Lady” is definitely on the right track!  This is a refined, classy wine with dark berry fruit and complex layers of graphite, tobacco and cedar – and a steal at €20!