Red Wine Ciabot Berton Barolo Roggeri 2016. Decant two hours before serving. This eloquent single vineyard wine comes to life on the gentle rolling hill of Roggeri close to the small town of La Morra. Home to some of the Oberto family’s oldest Nebbiolo vines which have an average age of forty years, the prestigious vineyard sits at 300 metres of altitude on a bed of deep clay. This helps to give this stellar Barolo a firm structure and lively freshness to balance the rich flavours and generous full body. In keeping with traditional winemaking methods of the region, Ciabot Berton uses long macerations and ageing in large Slovenian oak botti to enhance the pure varietal character of the Nebbiolo. The Roggeri spends six months ageing in used French oak barrels before transferring to the botti for a further 18 months. Red cherry, plum jam and prune aromas are the first to emerge, evolving slowly into warming festive spices, violets and leather once the wine has been decanted for a couple of hours. Well-rounded and powerful on the palate, this bottle is a fantastic candidate for extended cellar ageing up to at least 2030. If you prefer a firmer wine, the Roggeri can also be enjoyed now alongside another luxurious local delicacy from the Piemonte, white truffles lavishly shaved over fresh tagliatelle.
2016
Red Wine Ciabot Berton Barolo Roggeri 2016
Red Wine Korlat Merlot 2016. Benkovac Winery’s Korlat Vineyard Merlot is a ripe, plush wine, with a ruby color and aromas of red cherry and raspberry. On the palate these flavors continue, with bing cherry, lingonberry, and light baking spice notes, with bright acidity throughout. Soft, ripe tannins lead to a smooth texture and finish, with a hint of vanilla and mouthwatering acidity lingering on the tongue and making you want to pour another glass. Serve this bright Merlot with dishes like pasta and pesto, strongly flavored fish such as mackerel or herring, roasted duck breast, tuna steaks, or dark chocolate desserts. Planted on stony, mineral poor soils next to the Adriatic Sea in 2005, the Korlat Vineyard grapevines struggle to get enough water and nutrients to survive. This, however, leads to excellent quality winegrapes, with each berry bursting with flavor and complexity, as the vines put more energy into making less grapes. The Benkovac Winery first harvested the Korlat Vineyard in 2007, and with each passing vintage the quality and character of the wines grows. The area, which has been known as a viticultural area since the time of the Romans, has only recently been getting attention internationally, with the Benkovac Winery specifically winning multiple Decanter Awards and getting rave reviews from many European wine publications.
2016
Red Wine Stark Conde Cabernet Sauvignon 2016. Set in the picturesque and rugged Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch, Stark Conde is a family-run winery with some 85 acres currently under vine. The valley is characterised by steep changes in elevation with vineyards varying between 150-600 metres above sea level. This helps to create complex, multi-faceted wines which are crafted using traditional techniques and precise methods including hand-sorting of the grapes and small-batch fermentation. This robust Cabernet is made in a powerful yet approachable style from fruit sourced from four Stellenbosch mountain vineyards planted on the region’s characteristic iron-rich granite soils. The grapes are typically harvested in mid-March at optimum maturity and are carefully sorted manually to ensure only top quality fruit goes into this bottling. Following vinification the young wine is aged in French oak barrels for 20 months before being bottled and released. Crushed blackberries, cedar and tea leaf notes characterise the nose while the palate offers intense dark berry notes seasoned with dried herbs, mocha and cigar box spice. The powerful flavour profile is complemented by firm tannins and a well-built structure which will mellow over the next few years in the cellar. A great partner for typical South African braai or barbecue or roasted red meats.
2016