Impressive Rioja Alavesa from 100% Tempranillo from vines of average age 40 years, holding impressive vibrancy after maturation in French oak barrels for 24 months and a further two years bottle age. It’s an enticing and complex Reserva that retains its red cherry and cranberry primaries, overlaying them with immense complexity of aromatic herbs, dried […]
readThere is a wonderful interplay between sweetness, acidity and mineral texture in the great rieslings of the world, and Felton Road manages to achieve this with delightful finesse. 73g/L of residual sweetness meshes seamlessly with finely mineral texture and elegant lemon blossom notes. $44 at Winecave.
readA classy riesling from classy fruit, with the lowest level of sweetness yet (24g/L) thanks to a perfectly clean harvest. There’s a captivating contradiction at play here, on the one hand exotic in its impact of persimmon, lychee, nashi pear and exotic spice, yet at the same time gentle, understated and alluring. The palate is […]
readFrom a north-west facing patch on a terrace on a steep slope, Auburn’s Bendigo is always an exotic style. There are gorgeous aromas of pink grapefruit, lemonade and lily blossom, accented with a tropical complexity. The palate is appealing and impeccable, with succulent nectarine sweetness (56g/L) perfectly offset by focused acidity, mineral texture and long-lingering […]
readHarmonious, effortless, graceful and pretty, this organic vineyard has found perfect balance at 41g/L of sweetness. It projects impeccable aromatic focus of lime, grapefruit blossom, red apple and talc. The palate carries excellent intensity, presence and persistence of apple and lime fruit amidst impressive acidity, carrying long and even with fine, mineral texture. Just 884 […]
readAntinori’s Peppoli is a popular, affordable Chianti, and for a small price premium, there’s a real step up in depth and intensity to the Riserva. Its bouquet exudes lovely complexity of violet perfume, layers of spice shop complexity and notes of dark chocolate. The palate delivers great focus and solid tannin support, fine and textural, […]
readThe entry wine of this legendary estate, this is a well textured style, cleverly assembled to balance texture, complexity and fruit focus. It’s a beautifully textured Macon accented by lovely complexity of charcuterie and struck flint under nicely toned white peach and lemon fruit. $40 at Corkscrew Cellars.
read100% syrah of signature spicy and textural style, from vineyards at the southern end of St Joseph, where fruit richness is at its highest. Well-defined notes of black pepper and black plum fruit are lifted by violet perfume on the bouquet. The palate is fruit-focused and spicy, with attractively fine, textured tannin structure and good […]
readDespite the challenging, wet, cold summer and early harvest of 2011, Faiveley’s stringent fruit selection has delivered an appealing entry Burgundy in an approachable and medium-bodied guise. Pretty fragrance of rose petals, strawberries, raspberries and brambles is a prelude to a palate elegant in its fragrant red fruit appeal and finely structured in its tannin […]
readGran Reserva is Muriel’s Reserva with the volume turned up. 3 years in American and French barrels was followed by at least as long in bottle, infusing immense complexity, character and allure, yet, crucially, still very much alive in its core of berry compote fruit, surrounded in a flamboyant flurry of exotic spices, pipe smoke, […]
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