This wine is a different take on Syrah than you’ve tried from the Rhône or Barossa; dense purple in colour, it has a smoky, herbal, blackberry nose. It’s full-bodied and fruity but dry and savoury with white pepper, herbal blackberry flavours.
From the Pedernal Valley and sourced from Malbec at 1,350 m, this approachable Malbec spent 15 months in new American and French barrels, which is felt in the spiciness of this generous, big red. Cedar, cherries, raspberries, blackberries are framed with dense, sweet tannins that dry out quickly on the snappy, peppery finish. Up front and ready for consumption now, especially with grilled beef, pork or mushrooms.
A beautifully poised red Burgundy — ruby-coloured with a bouquet of raspberries, minerals and a light floral note; dry, lean and elegant and firmly structured.
Structured yet elegant with lovely bright, pure fruit, spice and savoury notes. Complex, refined and layered, with a firm core and powerful but velvety tannins. Lovely freshness on the long finish. One of the consistent high-quality producers of Brunello that tends to fly under the radar. Seek them out.
A new wine that’s hitting the shelves from the land Down Under, Lucky Penny bills its wines as “approachable, unpretentious and bursting with flavour.” The red is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and shows notes of blueberry, cherry-raspberry, bramble, plums, pepper and vanilla on the nose. It has some tannic structure on the palate with blackberry fruit, jammy red fruits, liquorice, spice and tar notes.
Heady pear, melon and green notes float above a base of toast in this simple Viognier from Languedoc. Stainless steel has kept the fruit clipped and clean until a warm (nearly 14%) and gingery finish.
Medium-deep yellow. Medium nose with oak forward followed by bread dough, apple and banana. Dry, and refined, a lady in a Chanel gown with, thankfully, less busty oak on the palate than the nose foreshadows. Peach and apple flavours lead to a long finish. Drink now.