Red Wine Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel 2019. Decant 1 hour before serving. A true emblem of American wine history, Zinfandel arrived in California during the Gold Rush and quickly developed a reputation for making delicious jammy reds. This classic big Zin from family-owned Rombauer Vineyards is made as a modern tribute to the grape that fueled the Golden State for so many decades. To capture the pure varietal character of the Zinfandel, Rombauer insists on selecting grapes from California’s finest vineyards which include sites planted over 100 years ago in Napa Valley, El Dorado and Amador County. The family insists on using sustainable agricultural practices in the vineyard and the grapes for this wine are handpicked at night to ensure they arrive at the winery in perfect condition. All this attention to detail creates a gorgeous Zinfandel with a tiny dash of Petite Sirah which exudes rich aromas of blackberries, dark plums and delicate touches of cloves and licorice from the 14 months of ageing in oak barrels. The robust dark fruit flavours, full body and ripe tannins make this an excellent partner for a summer barbecue or a hearty beef stew. Or for a real taste of America, try this big Zin with a classic hamburger and fries!
2019
Red Wine Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel 2019
Red Wine Zuccardi Serie A Torrontes 2019. Zuccardi is today considered one of Argentina’s most successful family-run wineries, but few people know that it was actually started as an irrigation experiment by founder Alberto Zuccardi. In 1963 the young irrigation engineer decided to plant a vineyard in the Maipu area of Mendoza to show off a new irrigation method being used in California. The experiment was a success and despite his lack of winemaking knowledge, five years later Alberto built his very own winery on the same site. These days the property is still run by the same family with Alberto’s son, José, working alongside his grandson, Sebastian. As well as their Mendoza wines, the family also make sensational white wines in Cafayate which is home to the world’s highest altitude vineyards. The Zuccardi vineyards sit at over 1800 metres above sea level with plenty of warm sunshine during the day and much cooler nights. These conditions help to produce very ripe grapes with a perfect balance of luscious fruit flavours, aromatics, and freshness. To highlight the varietal character and the terroir the fruit is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged on the lees for 6 months. This adds a subtle creaminess to the fruit-forward flavour profile, creating a crisp and elegant wine that’s bursting with ripe mango, peaches, honeysuckle and hints of zesty lemon. It makes a great aperitif and also pairs beautifully with spicy Asian dishes, summer salads, sushi, and fresh seafood.
2019
Red Wine Domaine du Castel La Vie Rouge 2020. Domaine du Castel was founded by Eli Ben Zaken who emigrated from Milan to Israel with his family in the 1970s and bought a small farm close to Jerusalem. Despite not training as a winemaker, Eli decided to plant the first modern vineyard in the Judean Hills in 1988 and started to produce tiny quantities of wine using the books of Emile Peynaud as a guide. Before long word got out and he sent a bottle to the head of the wine department at Sotheby’s auction house, Serena Sutcliffe, who was very impressed with Eli’s Grand Vin. Today the estate is widely regarded as one of Israel’s finest boutique wineries and it produces a range of styles. The La Vie Rouge is an exuberant fruit-forward red made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Syrah all grown in the Judean Hills. Here the sunny summer days and cool nights are ideal for producing red wines with great complexity and depth. Eli crafts this wine in concrete tanks where it is aged for a year before bottling in order to preserve the natural freshness and aromatics. The ripe dark fruit, medium body, and soft tannins make this an excellent wine to serve with casual dinners and it can even be served slightly chilled during the summer.
2020