Red Wine Avignonesi Nobile de Montepulciano Oceano 2016. The stunning Avignonesi estate with its 16th century classical-style villa, rolling vineyards and ancient wine cellars is located near the village of Valiano a few kilometres from Montepulciano. Avignonesi played a key role in elevating the region’s iconic wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, to the global stage in the 1980s and is today regarded as one of the finest local producers. Oceano takes its name from the single vineyard plot where the fruit is grown for this wine which was planted with bush vines at the turn of the millennium after extensive research identified this as a top future cru for Avignonesi. The vineyard is named after the soils which are of maritime origin with a thick layer of mattaione clay topped by a calcareous top layer. This provides ideal growing conditions for the Sangiovese grape, with the clay holding and releasing just enough water to the vines over the spring and summer months. Once in the winery the grapes were fermented and macerated for 35 days on the skins followed by 22 months of ageing in oak barrels. The unique terroir and lengthy ageing help to craft a voluptuous and opulent Sangiovese with plenty of structure and power. The nose is bursting with Mediterranean herbs, sandalwood, violets and ripe cherries while the first sip reveals a generous full body, firm tannins and a persistent finish seasoned with cigar box spice and hints of sunbaked earth.
2016
Red Wine Avignonesi Nobile de Montepulciano Oceano 2016
Red Wine Angels wboys Proprietary Red 2016. Luscious crushed berries and hints of baking spice and dark chocolate rise up to greet you as soon as you pour out a glass of the Angel & Cowboys Proprietary Red. This big and beautiful wine offers a firm structure, smooth tannins, and plenty of ripe fruit flavours which linger long on the tongue and include figs, dark plums, cherries, and raspberries. The intense, concentrated flavour profile of this generous wine make it an excellent match for hearty dishes like beef stew, a prime steak, or fresh pasta accompanied by a rich tomato ragu. This is also an excellent wine for savouring by the fire on a cold winter’s evening as you unwind and enjoy the company of family and friends. Made predominantly with Zinfandel along with smaller amounts of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah, this Californian beauty is the work of Cannonball wines founder Yoav Gilat who carefully sources his grapes from some of Sonoma County’s top growers. This insistence on premium quality raw ingredients ensures that the wines Yoav produces always give an authentic taste of their constituent varietals and reflect the excellent grape growing conditions enjoyed in Sonoma.
2016
Red Wine Ciabot Berton Barolo 2016. Decant two hours before serving. This gorgeous Barolo exudes tart red cherries, sweet spices and rose petals on the nose, while the first sip reveals a firm structure, vibrant acidity and generous plum, strawberry and raspberry flavours. The wine undergoes a lengthy period of maceration before spending at least two years in Slovenian oak casks to soften and integrate the Nebbiolo grape’s characteristically high tannins. The balance between freshness and well-developed tannins make this bottle an excellent choice to complement a wintry game stew or a grilled fillet steak. While this Barolo is surprisingly accessible now, several patient years spent resting in the cellar will allow this wine to reveal its full glory. With 12 hectares of vineyards in La Morra, Ciabot Berton is a relatively small Barolo producer located in the heart of the renowned appellation. The Oberto family who own the estate have a noble Barolo heritage with a recorded presence in La Morra since 1200. Although the family planted vineyards here in 1876, the Obertos sold their grapes on to local wine producers until the 1960s when Luigi Oberto decided to produce his own wine from the family’s fine Barolo grapes. The estate is now managed by Luigi’s children, enologist Marco and agronomist Paolo.
2016