Red Wine Beaumont Pinotage 2018. Although best known for their deliciously vibrant and full-flavoured whites made from Chenin Blanc, the Beaumont estate also produces limited quantities of red wines from the Pinotage grape. Pinotage was actually the first wine made at Beaumont and this bottling is a stunning example of cool climate Pinotage made from 45 year old vines. The grapes are vinified in concrete tanks and then aged in oak barrels for 18 months to soften Pinotage’s notoriously firm tannins. The result is a well-built, intensely fruited red wine with ample dark berry and cherry character which lingers on the tongue. The structure, fine balance, and subtle freshness of this wine make it an excellent match for red meat and it will continue to develop and evolve if cellared over the next decade or so. Beaumont was founded in 1994 when Jayne and her late husband Raoul decided to leave the local co-operative system to produce their own wines from start to finish. The couple renovated the stunning property at Compagnes Drift which had formerly been an 18th century outpost for the Dutch East India Company and began to bottle their wines here. Recently the running of the estate has passed to Sebastian, the couple’s son, who has worked tirelessly to establish a reputation for crafting exceptional wines.
2018
Red Wine Beaumont Pinotage 2018
Red Wine Monteraponi Chianti Classico 2018. Located close to the village of Radda, the Monteraponi estate is set around a stunning 10th century villa which was once owned by the Marquis of Tuscany, Baron Ugo. In 2003 the current owner Michele Braganti began to bottle the estate’s own wines with fruit from family vineyards that had previously been sold to local wineries. Today the estate has around 10 hectares of vineyards which include some of the highest plots in Chianti planted at up to 570 metres above sea level on limestone soils. Michele follows a traditional minimal intervention approach in the winery with hand harvesting and fermentation in cement vats. For the Chianti Classico maturation is carried out in large Slavonian and French oak casks for 16 months and the wine is bottled without fining or filtration to preserve the natural flavour profile. The result is a fresh and elegant Chianti with plenty of vibrancy that will age well over the next five or six years in the cellar. On the nose there are classic Chianti notes of red cherry, plum and savoury herbal hints while the first sip reveals a medium body, refreshing acidity and a long, clean finish. This beautiful Chianti is a perfect match for tomato-based pasta dishes or hunter’s chicken thanks to the bright freshness on the palate.
2018
Red Wine Agricola Punica Barrua 2018. Decanting time: 1 hour. Vivid, deep ruby red in color. This hearty, full-bodied wine from a new Sardinian vineyard delivers a complex, intense if still young nose of ripe red fruits, dry herb with smoky hints of licorice and myrtle. Full, harmonious mouthfeel opening to reveal elegant chocolate and cassis flavors which follow a consistent line, exposing balanced, juicy tannins that extend through to a long, nutty finish underscored by subtle notes of caramel. Muted oak flavor displays the vintner’s success at producing a wine that is enjoyable both young and mature. Very sophisticated, yet extremely drinkable with a lasting impression of its soft, dark and balanced craftsmanship. Aged in 30% new French oak barriques for 18 months. Deliberate, expert workmanship underscore this vintage, which can be enjoyed on its own or paired with stews, lamb or game. An ambitious offering by winemaker Sebastiano Rosa, this wine benefits from the proximity to the ocean for its cool breezes to moderate the hot, southwestern dry summers. The vintage is made from 85% Carignano, 10% Cabernet and 5% Merlot, cultivated in the blended calcareous, clay and sandy soil of the winemaker’s old Narcao and Barrua vineyards. The reliably low acidity of the Carignano grape cultivated in the Sulcis region lends to a distinct, refined smoothness.
2018