Red Wine Domaine Nico Histoire d’A Pinot Noir 2020. Laura Catena first fell in love with the Pinot Noir grape when she travelled to France as a teenager. Today the esteemed enologist, who also happens to be the daughter of Argentina’s legendary winemaker Nicolas Catena, is pioneering high altitude Pinot Noir in Argentina’s Uco Valley. Domaine Nico’s vineyards sit at 1120-1500 metres above sea level which ensures the vines get plenty of strong UV light and warmth while also enjoying cooler nights. This helps to lock in plenty of freshness and delicate aromatics as well as ensuring the Pinot Noir grapes reach full ripeness. One in the winery the grapes are fermented in whole clusters to retain plenty of texture and tannins in the wine. The young wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. Luscious raspberries, strawberries and hints of cinnamon, dried herbs, black pepper and cloves define the nose while the first sip reveals a rich well-rounded texture and silky smooth tannins. This is a very elegant yet approachable New World-style Pinot Noir with juicy fruit flavours carefully balanced by a gentle streak of acidity on the finish. A great wine to enjoy with charcuterie, cheeses, or a big plate of fresh pasta served with a rich tomato sauce.
2020
Red Wine Domaine Nico Histoire d’A Pinot Noir 2020
Red Wine Domaine Nico La Savante Pinot Noir 2020. A great choice for Pinot lovers looking for something a little bit different, Domaine Nico is a relatively new project set up by Laura Catena who comes from Argentina’s most famous winemaking family. The winery is pioneering high altitude Pinot Noir, a grape that Laura first fell in love with while on a trip to France as a teenager. Grapes are planted at between 1120 to 1500 metres above sea level, ensuring plenty of warm sunshine as well as cooler nights to preserve plenty of freshness and aromatics in the fruit. La Savante” was created to honour female scholars, and Laura carefully selects the grapes that go into this cuvee from small parcels that are microvinified in 15 different lots using wild yeasts. This gives her maximum control over the final blend which is then aged in French oak for 18 months. Enticing hints of raspberry, red cherry and redcurrant immediately spring out of the glass followed by undertones of cedar, fresh mint, and dried violets. The first sip reveals a bright acidity, medium body and a solid core of ripe berry fruit which lingers on the tongue. It’s a great match for charcuterie, red meat dishes, or tomato-based pastas.
2020
Red Wine Domaine Pertuisane Pompier 2020. Domaine Pertuisane is set in the village of Maury in southern France, in the foothills of the Pyrennees mountains. It was here in 2002 that winemaker Richard Case and his wife Sarah found two hectares of ancient Grenache vines which form the basis of the winery. The remarkable terroir here is ideal for premium winemaking thanks to the stony schist soils and intense summer heat which produces vivid, intensely-flavoured grapes. Their Pompier cuvee is made from 100% Grenache vines which range from 20 to 100 years of age. The older vines produce a tiny yield of fruit and all of the vines are dry-farmed and harvested by hand to ensure quality. Part of this wine is aged in concrete tanks with a small amount matured in French oak barrels for extra complexity and polish. The nose is seductive and powerful with enticing notes of ripe red cherry, blackcurrant, plum and damsons, while the first sip reveals a solid full body, smooth tannins, and lingering notes of dark fruit on the long finish. Overall this is an intense and rich red wine that’s ideal for pairing with hearty red meat dishes.
2020