Red Wine Felsina Chianti Classico Reserva 2017. This stunning Chianti Classico Riserva opens with seductive aromas of red cherries, dried flowers, and hints of pencil lead. The first sip reveals a firm structure, smooth tannins and intense red berry and sweet baking spice flavours that linger long on the tongue. Widely regarded as one of the finest Chianti Classico producers, the Felsina estate began life in 1966 when Domenico Poggiali Fèlsina purchased the property with the dream of producing fabulous traditional Tuscan wines. In the 1980s Domenico’s son-in-law, Giuseppe Mazzocolin, took a leading role in the family business and sought the help of legendary enologist Franco Bernabei to modernise the winemaking and replant many of the estate’s vineyards. The Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva is crafted with grapes sourced from the estate’s vineyards in Castelnuovo Berardenga in the southeastern corner of the Chianti Classico appellation. The grapes are carefully selected at harvest time and fermented in stainless steel tanks for around 16 days. The wine is then aged in Slavonian oak barrels for up to 16 months before the final blend is made. The wine spends a further three to six months maturing in the bottle before it is deemed ready for release.
2017
Red Wine Felsina Chianti Classico Reserva 2017
Red Wine Inama Carmenere Piu 2017. Decant for 30 minutes prior to serving. An interesting rarity coming from the Colli Berici in Italy’s Northeast corner, the Inama Carmenere Piu is a Carmenere-Merlot blend with a vivid ruby core and a lightly blue-purple rim. The nose is intense, complex, and pronounced, with black cherry, cocoa, pepper, violet, and smoke aromas. On the palate, the wine shows its broad shouldered but well-balanced character: dry with fresh acidity, firm but integrated tannins, and confirmation of the dark fruit scents, with a black pepper laced finish. For a perfect pairing, this wine would be eaten with salumi local to the area it is from, namely sopressa with garlic or Val Liona DOP ham. However, a strongly flavored country style pate would also be delicious. This wine would also do well with a gamey stew or pasta dish, using boar, duck, or bison meat. The name of this wine, Piu, means ‘more’ in Italian, and there’s definitely a lot ‘more’ to this wine than meets the eye. The Carmenere for this blend comes from vineyards dating back to the 1800’s, and the region they are planted in, the Colli Berici, is Italy’s oldest DOC for Bordeaux Varietals. A 70% Carmenere, 30% Merlot blend, this wine macerates for 12 days in stainless steel, after which the wine is racked and fermentation occurs in the same steel tanks. Following fermentation, the wine is aged in small French oak barriques for 12 months, giving it time to soften its rich and structured tannins.
2017
Red Wine Acustic Celler Brao 2017. Opening with enchanting aromas of crushed plums and cherries, dried fruit and hints of violets, this seductive red wine immediately reminds of the sun-baked Spanish slopes which gave it life. Named after the local word for courage”, Brao is the kind of wine which strengthens and nourishes both the soul and the body with its the harmonious combination of sensuous dark fruit, silky smooth texture and gentle tannins. Winemaker Albert Jané carefully sources the grapes for Brao from 30 to 40 year old vines in some of Montsant’s finest sub-regions. Here the poor, arid soils force the vines to dig deep for nutrients and water which helps to create wines with deep, intense flavours and breathtaking complexity. To craft the best possible wines from this tough terrain, Albert practices organic farming and hand harvests all of the Garnacha and Carinena grapes which go into this bottle. After the grape must has been vinified Albert ages the wine in new French oak barrels to add hints of toast and sweet spices. Try serving Brao alongside duck magret, a delicate quail dish or grilled mushrooms to enhance the earthy, savoury character of the wine.
2017