Red Wine Santadi Carignano del Sulcis Terre Brune 2017. Decant 1 hour before serving. Located on the Sulcis peninsula in southern Sardinia just a few kilometres from the coast, Santadi was founded in 1960 by a group of local winemakers. Although originally conceived as a cooperative to produce and sell bulk wine around the world, in 1970 the visionary Antonello Pilloni took over the management of Santadi and pioneered a new approach of producing quality bottled wines which express the unique terroir of the region. Santadi’s flagship wine is their Terre Brune which is crafted from old vineyards in the lower part of Sulcis. Here the vines are ungrafted and grow as untrained bush vines in the traditional local style. Once ripe the grapes are harvested by hand in late September or October and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Following vinification the wine is transferred to new French oak barrels for 16-18 months of maturation. The wine then ages for another 12 months in the bottle before it is ready for release. Rich plums, blueberries and baking spice notes define the nose while the first sip reveals a smooth texture, generous full body, and well-rounded tannins. Intense dark fruit, chocolate and sweet spice notes linger on the tongue, making this a great match for red meat dishes or game.
2017
Red Wine Santadi Carignano del Sulcis Terre Brune 2017
Red Wine Santa Ema Amplus Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. The Pavone family have been making wine in Chile’s Maipo Valley since 1917 when they first arrived in the region. Now run by the third generation of the family, Santa Ema is regarded as one of Chile’s leading wineries for quality and value for money. The winery was previously named one of Wine Spectator’s Top 20 World’s Finest Value Brands thanks to their delicious and easy-going wines which are bursting with character and juicy fruit flavours. Their Amplus” series takes its name from the Latin word which means honourable” or distinguished” and is a nod to the Pavone family’s Italian roots. These are serious and refined wines like this charming Cabernet Sauvignon which is sourced from very old vines in the Cachapoal Valley. The vineyards here benefit from hot sunny days during the growing season as well as cooling breezes which are channeled along the Cachapoal River from the nearby Andes Mountains. Once in the winery the grapes are carefully vinified and the young wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 12 months before bottling. Bursting with ripe cherries, blueberries and plums on the nose, the aromas give way to intense crushed wild berries, dried herbs and bitter chocolate on the palate. A firm structure and ripe tannins make this very easy to drink alongside a generous platter of charcuterie, hard cheeses or a hot pepperoni pizza.
2017
Red Wine Santa Ema Catalina 2017. Regularly named one of Chile’s finest wineries in terms of value for money and quality, Santa Ema was founded by the Pavone family who have over three generations of experience of making wine in the local area. The family can trace their history in the Maipo Valley back to 1917 when they first arrived here to grow grapes. Today they use their intimate knowledge of the land and terroir to produce excellent wines from classic international varieties. Catalina is one of their flagship bottlings and was inspired by Catalina Moreno-Rodillo, the wife of Santa Ema’s founder, Félix Pavone. It’s an elegant Bordeaux-style blend composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Cabernet Franc. The grapes are sourced from prime estate vineyards in the Cachapoal Valley where conditions are ideal for crafting top quality reds thanks to the sunny summer days and cooling breezes from the nearby Andes Mountains. Once in the winery the grapes are vinified separately by variety and aged in new French oak barrels for 10 months followed by a further 4 months after the blending process is complete. The wine is then allowed to rest in the bottle for a year before it is ready for release. The result is a richly-layered, full bodied wine with powerful dark fruit flavours and a muscular structure and tannins which will respond well to additional cellaring.
2017