Red Wine Ventisquero Pangea Syrah 2014. Named after one of Chile’s most enigmatic Patagonian glaciers, Ventisquero’s wines are made with a real passion for the country’s rugged terroir and pristine wine regions. The winery first started producing wine in 2000 in the Maipo Valley and later expanded into the Casablanca and Apalta Valleys. Today they have prime vineyards in Chile’s most prestigious terroirs including Colchagua, Coastal Maipo, Lolol and Leyda. Ventisquero is one of Chile’s future superstar wineries, and this is a great opportunity to enjoy one of their top wines at a very reasonable price tag. Their remarkable Pangea Syrah is made in collaboration with winemaker John Duval who was only the third person to be entrusted with making Australia’s legendary Penfolds Grange wine. For this bottling top quality fruit is selected from Ventisquero’s Apalta vineyards which are planted on granitic soils rich in quartz and iron. Once in the winery the grape are slowly fermented at a cool temperature to emphasize the natural beauty and complexity of aromas in the wine. The young wine then undergoes a lengthy maturation period with 10 months in French oak barrels and another 18 months in the bottle. Pour out a glass and you’ll immediately notice the inky dark red hue and seductive notes of cherry, cassis, dried violets and hints of woodsmoke mingling on the nose.
2014
Red Wine Ventisquero Pangea Syrah 2014
Red Wine Vina Vik 2014. Decant 2 hours before serving. Set in Chile’s remote Millahue Valley, Vina Vik is named after its billionaire Norwegian founder, Alexander Vik, who came here to start this true labour of love in 2004. Alexander had long dreamed of founding a world-class winery in this stunning corner of Chile, and decided to team up with Patrick Valette whose family own the iconic Chateau Pavie estate in Bordeaux. The team of talented winemakers here now produce a growing range of premium wines from the property’s 900 acres of vineyards as well as selling their sought-after grapes to other local wineries. Vina Vik is their flagship wine which is made in strictly limited quantities each vintage. The cuvee is predominantly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon along with some Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, and Merlot. Dried violets and luscious cassis, blackberry and ripe plum immediately burst out of the glass followed by deeper undertones of cigar box spice and leather from the 23 months of maturation in oak barrels. On the palate there’s a generous full body, robust tannins, and an intense core of dark berries which lingers on the tongue. The power and opulence of this cuvee make it a great choice to cellar for a few more years or to enjoy now alongside a prime steak, barbecued ribs, or hearty game dishes.
2014
Red Wine Woodlands Matthew Cabernet Sauvignon 2014. Named one of Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of the Year in 2021, Woodlands Wines is considered one of the top wineries in Australia’s Margaret River region. When it was founded in 1973 by David and Heather Watson it became one of the very first wineries to be planted in Margaret River, and over the intervening years Woodlands has established a stellar reputation for ageworthy Bordeaux-style Cabernet blends. This magnificent cuvee is made from the first Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines planted by David and Heather. The gravelly loam soils and east-west orientation of the vines are ideal for creating top quality wines, helping to create a long ripening season for the fruit. Once in the winery the grapes are carefully sorted and vinified with the final blend aged in new French oak barrels for 19 months. In the glass you’ll immediately notice the rich deep crimson hue and enticing hints of cassis, dark cherry and mulberry seasoned with hints of woodsmoke and spice from the oak. The first sip reveals firm tannins, a solid full body, and a finely-balanced finish with plenty of luscious berry flavours and savoury herbal notes of bay leaf and fresh mint. This is a great red to cellar for a few more years or to serve now alongside hearty red meat dishes.
2014