Red Wine Scarpa Bricchi Barbera d’Asti 2014. This striking single vineyard Barbera d’Asti is the work of the venerable Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa which has been producing excellent Piemontese wines in the Monferrato hills since 1854. Scarpa specialises in using a traditional approach to winemaking and chooses to age its Barbera in large casks for several years just as Nebbiolo is traditionally made. The grapes for this Barbera d’Asti are all sourced from the Poderi Bricchi vineyard in Castel Rocchero which is planted on clay, helping to give a powerful structure and flavour profile to the wine. The grape must is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then the new wine is transferred to 2000 to 10,000 litre casks for two years.
2014
Red Wine Scarpa Bricchi Barbera d’Asti 2014
Red Wine Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 2014. Decant 1 hour before serving. Only produced in the finest vintages, this elegant Brunello is made with top quality fruit from four exceptional vineyards, its namesake Caparzo, La Caduta, Il Cassero and San Piero Caselle. The grapes are given a long maceration and fermentation to extract plenty of flavour and tannins from the skins followed by 3 years of ageing in large Slavonian and French oak casks. The final touch is another year of ageing in the bottle before it’s deemed ready for release. The result is a classic style Brunello with an almost brick red hue thanks to the long ageing process and maturity of the wine. On the nose there are seductive hints of wild berries, sunbaked earth, dried violets and woodsmoke from the oak ageing. The silky smooth tannins and well-built structure are complemented by a medium body and a long finish seasoned with spice and tobacco leaf. Cellar for a few more years or enjoy now with hearty dishes like venison, rabbit, porcini mushrooms and meat stews. The producer Caparzo is one of Montalcino’s 30 historic wineries which have helped put the region on the map for top quality wine. In 1998 the estate was acquired by Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini who has invested heavily in restoring the vineyards and modernising the winery facilities to return Caparzo to its former glory.
2014
Red Wine Tikal Amorio Malbec 2014. Sure to delight lovers of big, bold reds, this charming Malbec is named Amorio” or love affair” after the deep passion the Argentinian people have for this versatile grape variety. The fruit used for this bottling is sourced from two vineyards in Altamira in Mendoza where the high altitude conditions help to produce incredibly concentrated and flavoursome fruit. The grapes are carefully harvested by hand to maximise quality and the young wine is aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 12 months before bottling. Heady notes of woodsmoke, ripe berries, plums and cherries define the nose while the palate offers firm yet smooth tannins, a generous full body and an elegant structure which will respond well to further ageing in the cellar. A great match for typical Argentinian fare like a hearty steak, barbecued chorizo sausages, ribs, or simply a generous platter of charcuterie. Tikal is a natural winery set in Mendoza’s high altitude Uco Valley which was founded by Ernesto Catena, a fourth generation winemaker whose ancestors emigrated from Italy to Argentina bringing their love of the vine with them. Inspired by the way the Incans and Mayans designed their cities to be seen from the sky and enjoyed by their gods, Ernesto and his team have designed their winery to honour nature. The estate is both organically and biodynamically-certified, and even uses sheep to remove weeds between the vines.
2014