Red Wine 689 Cellars Master and Servant Cabernet Sauvignon 2020. 689 Cellars is named after three numbers which are considered especially lucky in Chinese culture. The number six represents flow, helping us to move through our lives with happiness, energy and success. The number eight is linked with prosperity and unlimited potential thanks to its symmetrical form, while the number nine signifies longevity and permanence. The founders of 689 Cellars chose the auspicious name of their winery after a trip to Asia, and it certainly seems to have inspired them to create some delicious wines. This rich and robust Cabernet is made with quality fruit from selected vineyards in Napa Valley. It’s vinified in neutral temperature-controlled tanks and aged in oak before bottling to add complexity and polish. The result is an effortless and easy-going Cabernet that’s bursting with ripe berries, plums and dark cherries along with hints of dark chocolate, dried herbs and violets. On the palate there’s a smooth texture, full body and firm yet gentle tannins leading on to a long finish with notes of toasty oak and spice. Pair with hearty dishes like lasagne, aubergine parmigiana, roast beef, or a fine ribeye steak with French fries.
2020
Red Wine 689 Cellars Master and Servant Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Red Wine Casanova di Neri Rosso di Montalcino 2020. Drink now through to 2030. Decant two hours before serving. Although only founded by Giovanni Neri in 1971, Casanova di Neri has swiftly established a reputation as one of Tuscany’s finest producers. Now in the hands of Giovanni’s son, Giacomo, the estate has won a slew of awards and accolades from wine critics around the world thanks to the Neri family’s insistence on using the latest technology to unlock the potential of their prime vineyard sites. Giacomo’s racy Rosso di Montalcino exudes aromas of bright cherries, juicy wild berries and sweet liquorice. Reminders of the 15 months spent ageing in oak casks come through on the palate with hints of vanilla, toast and baking spice. The distinctive earthy character, deep flavours and balancing freshness makes this bottle an ideal partner for classic Italian pasta dishes made with a rich tomato ragout or a robust venison stew. Considered more vivacious and approachable than its big brother, Brunello di Montalcino, the two share many characteristics since both must be made with 100% Sangiovese Grosso grapes grown on slopes around the picturesque hilltop town of Montalcino. The Neri family have spent years perfecting their baby Brunello” to create a wine which can equally be enjoyed soon after release or cellared for several years.
2020
Red Wine Domaine de la Grand’Cour JL Dutraive Fleurie Clos de la Grand’Cour 2020. This tiny family-run domaine produces sensational Beaujolais on just 11.5 hectares of prime vineyards in the villages of Fleurie and Brouilly. To produce the very best raw ingredients for their wines, the Dutraive family insist on working their vines in the traditional way without chemical fertilizers or weed killers and harvest their grapes by hand. In the winery the enologist Jean-Louis Dutraive uses a light touch with limited use of oak barrels to allow the brilliance of the local terroir to shine through. The magnificent Clos de la Grand’Cour is produced with top quality grapes from the family’s 1.8 hectares of vines planted in the Chapelle de Bois” or Chapel of the Woods” area of Fleurie. The vines here are between 20 and 70 years of age which helps to produce incredibly concentrated and intense wines. Ideal to be drunk young or over the next couple of years, this exuberant and youthful Fleurie opens with an explosion of red cherry, crushed wild berry, and dried herb aromas. On the palate there’s a vigorous freshness which is complemented by the light body and fresh red fruit flavours. This lively wine is perfectly at home alongside charcuterie and cheese, and can even be served slightly chilled as an aperitif in the warmer summer months.
2020