Red Wine Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Clos de Luz is an exceptional family-run winery located in Chile’s Almahue Valley some 70 miles to the south-east of Santiago. Founded in 1892, the winery is now in the capable hands of the fourth generation of the same family with some 33 acres of prime vineyards mostly planted with Carmenere and smaller quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are all sourced from estate vineyards and are fermented using indigenous yeasts. The Cabernet is then aged for 12 months in a combination of large 7000 litre casks and standard small French oak barrels as well as a few 600 litre oak barrels. The result is a harmonious and muscular Cabernet with plenty of ripe fruit character along with hints of toasted oak and cigar box spice from the ageing process. There is a generous full body along with firm tannins and a well-built structure that will respond well to additional time in the cellar. For those who prefer to enjoy it now, it is also an ideal choice to drink now alongside hearty red meat dishes such as steak, beef stews, or fresh pasta served with a rich ragu sauce.
2017
Red Wine Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Red Wine Collemattoni Brunello di Montalcino 2017. It is recommended to decant it for an hour. Founded in 1983, the Collemattoni winery, led by Marcello Bucci since 1998, is located in Sant’Angelo in Colle, in the southwest quadrant of the Brunello appellation. The company owns 11 hectares planted with vineyards, conducted organically. The vineyard plots are distributed in various areas of the Montalcino appellation, at different heights and with different exposures. Sangiovese grapes grow on sandy-clayey soil with fossils and marls. After a soft pressing of the grapes, the must is fermented in steel at a controlled temperature and then left to macerate on the skins for about 20-25 days to favor maximum extraction. The finished wine is aged for a minimum of 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels and then refined for another 4 months in the bottle. Collemattoni’s Brunello di Montalcino has a bright red color with typical garnet red reflections. Aged in large wooden barrels, it reveals an intense aromatic profile of blackberries and morello cherry accompanied by hints of spices and tobacco. In the mouth, the wine reveals a solid structure and a strong tannic texture. The fruity flavors are concentrated and show considerable length. Perfect with red meat and pasta with game sauces.
2017
Red Wine Colome Altura Maxima Malbec 2017. Decant 2 hours before serving. Founded in 1831, the venerable Colome winery is one of Argentina’s top producers of high altitude Malbec wines. It was chosen by Tim Atkin MW as a First Growth” in his 2020 Argentina Report. The estate is located in the Calchaquí Valleys in the province of Salta where the dry, desert-like conditions and elevation help to produce intense and powerful red wines with a nice balance between complexity, luscious fruit flavours, and elegance. This charming expression is a single vineyard wine from Colome’s Altura Maxima” or Maximum Altitude” plot which lies in the Upper Calchaquí Valleys at 3100 metres above sea level. The very high elevation here creates unique winegrowing conditions thanks to the increased exposure to UV and cooler temperature during the hot summer months. This helps to produce perfectly ripe grapes with plenty of aromatic complexity and ripe tannins. After vinification the young wine is aged in used French oak barrels for 24 months before bottling. The result is a luscious, dark fruited red wine that’s bursting with cassis, blackberry, and dark cherry on the nose along with hints of spice, leather, and rich chocolate. A magnificent bottle to cellar for a decade or so more, although it can also be enjoyed now alongside a prime ribeye steak and fries.
2017