Winter Warmers, Part 1.
The cold, frosty windows signal a returning appetite for rich, dark fruit laden, spicy red wines.
There are plenty available nowadays, from the sunny shores of the Southern Hemisphere to the classical Old World blends and single varietals that have time and again proven their worth.
The New World reds that would suit these sub-zero temperature spikes are somewhat fruitier, with a more polished and less rugged feel to them but nonetheless very warming, spicy and indeed rewarding. Such is the case for Shiraz, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon or Rhone blends that are emulated around the world.
We stock some great examples of these like: Mitolo’s ‘Jester’ Shiraz from McLaren Vale, Australia or its plumper and slightly spicier relative John Duval’s ‘Entity’ Shiraz from the Barossa, from the same sunny country.
Malbecs are well represented too. Altos las Hormigas Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina with its chocolate and coffee spice flavours compares with the more elegant approach and hauntingly warming of Atamisque Malbec, from the higher Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of New World warmers, Benegas’s Liberdad Estate Vineyard from Mendoza, Argentina is a gorgeous example of some 70 year old vines only to be rivalled by Ridge Estate’s Cabernet for a superb texture and elegant long finish.
From California, there are some big flavoured, rich and somewhat spicy old vine Zinfandels too: Peachy Canyon’s Zinfandel from Paso Robles is great and stands apart as a brash, burly type Zin. It differs from the more poised Easton’s Zinfandel from the Amador County, which not only sits at a higher altitude but, to a small degree, latitude too. We cannot walk away from the Zinfandel without mentioning the superb examples from Ridge: East Bench (100% Zinfandel) or the proprietary Zin blends Lytton Springs and Geyserville, all superb and exquisite.
All of the above wines are available in both of our shops, so come and warm your taste buds with one (or more).
To be continued … (Old world to come)
Razvan