This month’s selection is about comparing wines from the New World (countries outside of Europe producing wines in the last 1-200 years of so) versus the Old World (Countries of Europe, where wines have been produced for centuries). This relates to wines 2 & 3 and wines 4 & 5. Wines 1 and 6 are Sherry and Port which offer interesting, dynamic wines over a range of styles. Now that Christmas is near, they are a must.
Osborne Fino Sherry
Country: Spain
Region: Jerez
Variety: Palamino (white neutral grape variety)
Taste: Smoky, grapefruit and slight burnt match aromas, with lemon peel, almonds and olive flavours on the palate. Rich, full, dry palate with a nutty, firm finish
Food: Perfect aperitif served with toasted almonds, olives, salami or other tapas
Style: Delicious dry, white fortified wine (spirit has been added) but only 15%, so not too high in alcohol. Fino Sherry is about drinking fresh and slightly chilled. Once opened the bottle is best stored in the fridge and drunk over the next couple of weeks. Sherry is one of the classic wine styles that is mis-understood, there are many styles of Sherry, the best are dry and really warrant tasting as they are exciting and offer great value for money. They may take a few mouthfuls to get use to, but like olives, once you like them, you love them. View here.
Taste wine 2 (New World) against wine 3 (Old World)...
Madam Sass Pinot Noir 2018
Country:NZ
Region: Central Otago
Variety: Pinot Noir
Taste: A classic example of Pinot Noir from Central Otago. Sweet lifted, spicy aromas with generous rounded fruit initially on the palate, soft tannins with obvious acidity giving freshness and drinkability.
Food: Pork or vegetarian dishes
Style: Madam Sass is all about primary fruity aromas and flavours with forward fruit making the wine almost seem sweet. There is no sugar but the generous fruit in the wine is typical of NZ and gives the illusion of sweetness. A light bodied red wine which clearly speaks of NZ with its upfront fruity style. View here.
Marette Langhe Rosso 2016
Country: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Variety: Nebbiolo 25%, Barbera 75%
Taste: Dark colour, blackberry fruit aromas with a meaty, earthy, savoury complexity. Rich, generous palate with salivating tannins and acid. Great drinking
Food: Hearty stew.
Style: A classic wine from the Old World in that this wine is more savoury, meaty and complex than the Madam Sass. The structure of the Marette is very different to the Madam Sass, compare and see the difference. This wine shows the classic high tannin and acid levels which speaks of Italian red wines. View here.
Taste wine 4 (Old World) against Wine 5 (New World)...
Alexis Lichine Noblesse St Emilion 2017
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux, the home of two halves. Some of the most expensive wines of the world come from Bordeaux, yet there are a lot of producers who struggle to sell their wine at all. These wines can offer excellent value for money.
Variety: Merlot dominant
Taste: Sweet lifted leafy, tobacco aromas with a simple, juicy wine in the mouth. Moderate soft tannins (Merlot has softer tannins), and acid, not a big wine, elegant but very drinkable.
Food: Lighter meat dishes, pasta
Style: A lighter style red wine made almost in a New World style, fruity and easy drinking but with the savoury complexity of the Old World. View here.
Mischa Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Country: South Africa
Region: Wellington, a more inland region, relatively warm.
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon.
Taste: Intense blackcurrant, earthy, liquorice and tar aromas, sweet generous round fruit balanced by good acidity. Smooth, rich and easy drinking.
Food: Rare roasted beef.
Style: A ripe, full bodied New World styled wine; sweet juicy, rounded fruit initially on the palate with intense fruit flavours. View here.
Port, One of the Seven Wonders of the Wine World...
Osborne 10 Year Old Tawny Port
Country: Portugal
Region: The Douro Valley
Variety: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cao, (native varieties of Portugal which typically give a lot of colour and tannins.
Taste: Smells like raisins soaked in rum with toasty and nutty hints. Delicious, rich, rounded and warm with fruit cake and caramel flavours which linger forever.
Food: Cheese, chocolate cake, in fact all chocolate.
Style: An age indicated Tawny Port, the age indicates the average age of the components rather than the age of the youngest component of the blend. This is a fortified (spirit added, and for this wine it was taken up to 20%) red wine which has been aged in big old barrels. The long period in large barrels has softened the colour and hence the tawny colour. View here.
We've enlisted the help of Lynnette Hudson, an experienced winemaker and wine advisor, to pull together a Reserve Selection of wines.
Lynnette has worked in numerous wineries across the world, and is not only experienced in making wine, but knows a thing or two about how it tastes.
