Red Wine Duckhorn Paraduxx 2017. Decant 1 hour prior to drinking. A blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel with Petite Syrah thrown into the mix as well, the Paraduxx Proprietary Red Blend is a dark ruby colored wine that opens with a vibrant red cherry and plum nose, with hints of vanilla spice. The palate shows smooth, velvety notes of pomegranate, spicecake, and blackberry jam with a medium body. A long and balanced finish with fine grained ripe tannins hints at black pepper and cinnamon. A wine with excellent juicy acidity, the Paraduxx Proprietary Red Blend would match well with Asian inspired hoisin or plum sauces on duck, harder aged cheese like cheddar or Manchego, or even baby back ribs, Osso Bucco, or Paella. With a wine of personality such as this, the possibilities are almost endless! Grown and vinified by the Duckhorn family of vintners in the Napa Valley, this particular wine is an incredibly complex project, with the winemaker using as many as 60 individual fermentations of various plots in differing blends for a single vintage. This is combined with an oak regimen of 18 months of aging in new and one-year-old French and American barrels to add additional layers to the wine. Uniquely for Napa Valley it is also a mix of two grapes not normally combined together, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, however that uniqueness has proven to be popular, and the Paraduxx Proprietary Red Blend is now their flagship wine.
2017
Red Wine Duckhorn Paraduxx 2017
Red Wine Buscemi Etna Rosso Tartaraci 2017. Bruscemi was created by Mirella Buscemi, the wife of famed Sicilian winemaker Alberto Graci who is also Vice President of the Consorzio covering the Etna DOC region. Mirella’s wines are crafted at the Graci winery and display the same spirit of authenticity and exceptional quality as Alberto’s excellent Etna wines. Mirella’s sole red wine is the Tartaraci which is produced in tiny quantities of just a few thousand bottles each year. Fruit is sourced from a stunning single vineyard high up on Etna’s north-eastern slopes which was once owned by the famed British admiral Lord Nelson. The plot sits at an altitude of 980 metres and is planted with 90 year old Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, and Grenache vines. In the winery Mirella adopts a very light touch, using only concrete vats and large botti or wooden casks to mature her wines. The nose is a complex perfume of wild rose, pomegranate and sour cherry while the first sip showcases finesse and freshness with plenty of mouthwatering acidity backed up by intense red fruit flavours. The smooth tannins and refined structure will help this wine develop well in the cellar, but it can also be served now alongside tomato-based pasta dishes or a generous platter of Italian charcuterie.
2017
Red Wine Domaine de Montille Bourgogne Rouge 2017. Domaine de Montille has been in the Montille family for generations, but it was only with the arrival of Hubert de Montille in the late 1940s that it has emerged as one of the Côte de Beaune’s finest domaines. Formerly a prominent lawyer in Dijon, Hubert took over the running of his family’s 2.5 hectares of Volnay 1er Cru vineyards and took the bold and pioneering decision to start bottling his own wines rather than selling them on to large negociants. Hubert also added to the domaine over the years, bringing the total vineyard area to 20 hectares with additional parcels in Volnay and Pommard. In the 2000s Hubert took a step back from running the domaine and today his son Etienne and his daughter Alix are responsible for carrying on his good work. Etienne is responsible for the red wines of the domaine while Alix crafts their white Burgundy wines. This vibrant and supple red Burgundy is bursting with bright red cherry, plum and subtle dried herb aromas. The first sip reveals a medium body, intense red fruit flavours and a very smooth texture with polished tannins. This delicious red is ideal to enjoy now with flavoursome red meat dishes, duck or game, and can also be kept for another 5-6 years in the cellar.
2017