Red Wine Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Decant 2 hours. Rich ruby in colour, this Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon certainly lives up to its name. The nose is pronounced with ripe blackcurrant, blackberry and strawberry interlaced with anise and liquorice. On the palate, the ripe fruit explodes with blackcurrant, plum, raspberry, while an earthiness is present along with the vanilla inflections from the oak aging. The wine is fantastically balanced with mature, well integrated tannins mixing perfectly with the high alcohol and great acid. The wine is complex, multi-faceted and a dream to enjoy. The finish is long, persistent and ends with a beautiful chocolate and mocha note. Fantastic on its own but even better with a joint of beef, venison, game, hoi sin ribs and sausages. Caymus Vineyards are renowned for their superb Cabernet Sauvignon (amongst other things) and they have developed new techniques that add richness, flavour and characteristics that can’t otherwise be achieved. Known as hang time”, the grapes are left unusually long on the vine – even risking the crop in the event of an early winter. This technique helps to increase colour, mature the tannins in the wine and develop rich and deep seated flavours, textures and complexity in the wines. Other vineyard management techniques used include crop thinning, thus allowing more sunlight to get to the grapes, and delayed harvest to allow ultimate ripening allows Caymus to produce superb, ultra premium wines.
2017
Red Wine Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Red Wine Ceretto Barbaresco 2017. Originally founded in the 1930s by Riccardo Ceretto, this excellent estate has played a key role in the modern history of Barolo and continues to make benchmark Barolo and Barbaresco to this day. Riccardo’s sons, Bruno and Marcello, were amongst the first to start making estate-bottled single vineyard wines in this part of the world. Now the 160-hectare estate is in the hands of the third generation of the family represented by Lisa, Roberto, Alessandro and Federico. This is the family’s classic Barbaresco, with fruit sourced from several parcels including the prized Asili and Treiso crus. Once in the winery the fruit is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve the natural character and aromatics of the Nebbiolo variety. The young wine is then transferred to oak barrels for 24 months prior to bottling. Fragrant notes of dried petals, cherry jam, and sweet spice immediately burst out of the glass, followed by deeper undertones of woodsmoke, tobacco leaf and leather. The robust full body is complemented by firm tannins and a solid core of luscious red fruit which lingers on the palate. It’s ideal to keep in the cellar for a few more years or pair with dishes like venison, roast beef, or a hearty wild boar ragu served with fresh pasta.
2017
Red Wine Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino 2017. This elegant Brunello comes from an estate that dates back to the 17th century and is set around a stunning palazzo built by the Bishop of Montalcino. In 1985 the then owner Elda Ciacci gave the property to Giuseppe Bianchini who had been farming the estate for many years since she had no children of her own. In 2004 Giuseppe passed away and left the property to his son and daughter, Paolo and Lucia. Today these siblings have been joined in the business by Paolo’s son and daughter who are leading this young family legacy into a new generation. The family focuses on crafting delicious and approachable Brunello wines which are capable of significant additional ageing in the cellar. This is their classic Brunello di Montalcino made from grapes grown on rolling Tuscan hillsides next to the Orcia riiver. The presence of the water helps to moderate the hot summers, locking in plenty of freshness and aromatics into the grapes. The nose is dominated by classic red cherry notes as well as delicate hints of spice and toast from the oak ageing in large Slavonian casks.
2017