Red Wine Mauro Vendimia Seleccionada 2017. Mariano García served as technical manager for thirty years at the world-famous Vega Sicilia winery in Ribera del Duero before beginning his own project in Tudela de Duero just 19 km north of Madrid. The region is one of Spain’s most important wine producers and is known for its full-flavoured red wines made from the classic Tempranillo grape. In total the estate has 80 hectares of vines in Tudela de Duero and Santibáñez de Valcorba where conditions are ideal for making full bodied reds thanks to the hot sunny days and cool nights which help preserve freshness and aromatic complexity. This bottling is made from the very best grapes from the estate sourced from old vines with the young wine aged in French and American oak for 32 months. This extended ageing creates a multi-layered and intense flavour profile with smooth tannins and a well-developed structure which will respond very well to cellaring for at least another decade or so. The nose opens with bold dark fruit along with hints of cigar box spice, vanilla and toast while the first sip reveals a generous full body, very smooth entry and long, lingering dark berry flavours.
2017
Red Wine Mauro Vendimia Seleccionada 2017
Red Wine Ramey Claret 2017. Widely regarded as one of the United States’ finest winemakers, David Ramey founded Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996 after stints working for top names like Chalk Hill and Dominus wineries. His benchmark style is rich, luscious wines with a silky smooth texture thanks to his work with lees ageing and indigenous yeasts. Ramey makes this majestic red according to the classic Bordeaux model of blending different quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The exact proportions depend on the vintage, with the winemaker acting as a master blender to produce the very best wine possible each year. In the winery the young wine is matured on the fine lees in French and American oak barrels for 12 months with regular stirring or battonage” to add extra texture and complexity. The wine is then bottled with filtration to preserve the natural character of the grapes and the terroir. On the nose there are enchanting aromas of dark cherries, and cassis seasoned with hints of dried herbs and baked earth. The generous full body, smooth tannins and juicy dark fruit character make this a great match for red meat dishes. It can also be cellared for another eight years or so where it will continue to evolve and develop.
2017
Red Wine Ridge Lytton Estate Petite Sirah 2017. Ridge Vineyards captured the attention of the wine world following the 1976 “Judgment of Paris” tasting where top French wines were tasted blind alongside leading Californian wines. The Monte Bello Cabernet was placed fifth, ahead of several top-rated French wines, proving the quality and winemaking talent of California’s fledgling wine industry. This elegant Petite Sirah is a perfect combination of rich, ripe dark fruit flavours balanced by freshness, a well-developed structure, and smooth tannins. The estate’s oldest Petite Sirah grapes were planted in 1901 and the youngest in 2008 which gives a tremendous complexity to the finished wine. On the nose there are rich dried fruit, fig and dark plum notes which deepen into cassis and crushed wild berry flavours on the palate. In the winery each of the vineyard’s seven plots are vinified separately and then tasted blind to decide the composition of the final blend. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for 12 months which adds sweet spiced hints and extra character. The result is an intense, multi-layered Petite Sirah which can be cellared for at least a decade or more or enjoyed now paired with hearty meat stews, game dishes, or a prime steak.
2017