Red Wine Podere Forte Guardiavigna 2016. Decant for 2 hours. Deep ruby in colour, this superb blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot (depending on the vintage) delivers aromas of dark, ripe fruit, blueberry and spice. The flavours include strawberry, blackcurrant, eucalyptus and hints of toasty spices. The full bodied wine has fine, well integrated tannins, balanced perfectly with the high alcohol and acidity. This wine will age very well and open up further as time goes on. The finish is long with hints of balsamic and herbs at the end. This is a great food wine and will match perfectly with roast meats, game, venison, rich pate and strong cheese. Fermentation in oak vats lasts for 18-20 days. Maturation in French oak barriques for 18 months followed by 15 months in bottle ensures the very best from the wine. This is the very best wine from the very best vineyard. Podere Forte has been said to have an obsessive attention to detail” – but they see it as respecting nature’s gifts. The organic and biodynamic processes are testament to this attention to detail, with an overriding view that the minimum intervention in the growing and fermentation processes leads to the best wines. Although there is some disagreement about biodynamic and organic statuses, the underlying care and prosperity of the vineyard and its terroir are improved immeasurably by the care with which the winery displays in its winemaking. The resulting wines show that the minimal contact and interference ensures fantastic quality wines with unique characteristics.
2016
Red Wine Podere Forte Guardiavigna 2016
Red Wine Polkura Syrah 2016. The inspiration for Polkura came while two university friends, Gonzalo Muñoz and winemaker Sven Bruchfeld, met while working and studying in southwestern France and had an eye-opening wine tasting close to Narbonne. The experience prompted them to wonder if they could make wine this good in Chile. In 2002 the pair found the perfect property on the western side of the Colchagua Valley in Marchigüewhere conditions were ideal for growing top quality wine. In 2004 they planted their first 12 hectares of Syrah on Polkura hill which is named after the local Mapuche word for the yellow granite soils found in the area. Here the granitic soils help to add elegance and a touch of minerality while the clay also found here adds power and fruit. This bottling is made from grapes grown on the south and west-facing slopes which enjoy cooler temperatures, producing elegant and refined Syrah wines. The young wine is aged in French oak barrels for 15 months before bottling. Dark and brooding on the nose, the wine opens with luscious crushed dark berries, hints of black olives, wild herbs and cigar box spice. On the palate there is a medium body, firm yet graceful tannins and a very long finish. A great partner for fillet mignon, hearty beef stews, or pasta served with a rich ragu sauce.
2016
Red Wine Querciabella Palafreno 2016. Decant 1 hour before serving. Querciabella or beautiful oak” is considered one of Chianti’s top producers, with a reputation for both magnificent Super Tuscans and stunning Chianti Classico wines. This is largely thanks to visionary owner Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni who was an early adopter of both organic and biodynamic viticulture in the 1980s and 1990s. Today the estate is one of Italy’s largest organic and biodynamic wineries with 74 hectares of vines in Chianti and a further 32 hectares in Tuscany’s coastal Maremma region. Palafreno is one of the estate’s most iconic and rarest Super Tuscan wines since it is only produced when growing conditions are perfect. Composed of 100% Merlot from the very best estate vineyards in Greve, this is a monumental wine that has tremendous ageing capabilities. Its sheer power and presence are reflected in the name which refers to a medieval knight’s parade horse. The fruit for this wine comes from just two vineyards, Cipresso and Marrone, which sit at around 350 to 400 metres of altitude. In the winery the fruit is micro-vinified in small batches and matured for 18 months in French oak barrels. Typically the winery produces just 2,500 bottles when the Merlot fruit from a particular vintage is deemed to be of exceptional quality. Dark, brooding and handsome with luscious plum, cassis, and wild berry notes, this blockbuster red will grow even more beautiful with a few more years in the cellar. If you’d prefer to enjoy it now, try pairing with hearty wild game or beef dishes to soften the firm tannins.
2016