Merlot

Concentrated and full-bodied, the Merlot is a study in contrasts. Subtle and silky, yet bright and intense, this deep red wine is multifaceted. Black raspberry and dark cherry greet the nose, while the brighter fruit of ripe summer plum dazzles the palate. The toast and spice of twelve months in American oak seamlessly integrate with the tannin structure of this wine, leaving a long, lingering finish.

They say that a good wine needs time to reveal its qualities, but it also needs dedication and constant commitment. Few products can embody so much expertise and thousands of years of history as those made by Botter. It has passed through the careful hands of three generations for whom wine was a passion as well as a trade. They have responded to the constantly evolving market over time, in a process of ongoing expansion.

After the grapes are harvested during the second half of September, this wine undergoes traditional red wine vinification at a controlled temperature between 25 and 27 °C.

This is an elegant, well-structured wine with typical ruby red colour. It has a clean bouquet with notes of currants and violets. The palate is balanced, delicate and persistent.

The four Cesconi brothers have transformed their family estate in the village of Pressano, in the past decade. Whereas they previously sold all their fruit to the co-op at Lavis, today they are making some of Italy's most exciting white wines. All their vineyards are now farmed organically and biodynamically. Stylistically, their whites are more intense and perfumed than those from Friuli and slightly lighter, without the weight or fat that some of the top Friuli wines have. Their reds, on the other hand, have more weight than their Friulian counterparts.

The maker says: "When Hollywood’s surprise hit Sideways suddenly spawned anti-Merlot sentiments everywhere, Charles set out to rebuff the movie’s unflattering depiction of this great varietal. One sip of this bold, sultry creation and you’ll know he succeeded at making Merlot sexy again".

More traditionally put: This wine is made by Charles Smith, a self–taught winemaker who brings his rock and roll spirit to the vineyards of Walla Walla, Washington. As a romantic young man, Charles Smith moved across the world to Denmark to follow his love for his girlfriend at the time. In Scandinavia, he became a recognized manager for rock bands such as The Raveonettes. While travelling on the road with these bands, he developed his passion for wine. In 1999, he moved back to Washington, opened a wine store and became friendly with a French winemaker, later convincing him to move to Walla Walla to make wine together.

94% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc make up this velvety rich wine from Charles Smith vineyards from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Washington is known for cooler temperatures and a misty climate. The Cascade mountains help to shield a lot of damaging weather to the vineyards. The soil is mostly sandy allowing for good drainage and the prevention of phylloxera.

The aromas are that of cherry, cedar and black cherry, with an intense cherry, blackberry and some tobacco on the finish which is clean and lingers for a full mouth feel.

Letting this wine sit in the glass for 10 to 15 minutes will help to enhance the flavors and bring out the aromas while burning off any surface alcohol. The best foods to pair with this wine are lamb chops, steaks, pork chops, beef stew and hearty soups. This wine can also be enjoyed by itself due to its rich velvety texture on the palate.

The Panis-Mialhe family has been passionate about wine production since the 15th century. Techniques have evolved through the generations to combine traditional values with modern methods. Jean Panis produced his first vintage in 1996 and since then his trademark has been the production of wines which are rich in fruit. He is a man that is dynamic and energetic and he always moves in an assured and precise manner. Managing his vineyard and winery is both a labour of love and his birthright.

The vines for this wine are grown in the Val de la Clamoux, which are gravelly alluvial fields that become very dry during the summer. The climate can be described as Mediterranean, hot and dry with oceanic influences.

There is traditional working of the soil in the vineyards of Chateau Donjon. They follow sustainable agriculture practices and are certified by the ‘Vitealys’ organization.

Traditional vinification takes place with with long tank fermentation. There is strict temperature control to ensure the best flavours are extracted from the grapes. The grapes undergo de-stemming in the cellar.

This wine has a dark ruby colour with garnet hues. There are red fruit and spices on the nose. It has an excellent balance in the mouth, with elegant tannins followed by a long finish which melts on the palate. It is a perfect match for regional dishes from the South of France. It will also pair well with red meats, grilled or with a sauce, as well as cheese. It is also a great accompaniement to a pork, chicken liver and prune terrine.

Chateau Los Boldos was founded in 1991 and is situated 100km south of Santiago in the foothills of the Cachapoal Andes. Working with a portion of old vines originally planted in 1948, their focus from an early stage has been on the production of premium wines. The estate has been transformed since being purchased by Sogrape in 2008. Renowned soil scientist and viticultural consultant Pedro Parra (of Clos des Fous) was brought in to assess the plots and match the right variety to the different soils around the estate. The type of rootstock, planting density, orientation and the frequency of irrigation were all within Pedro’s remit, and the results – significantly improved grapes – are now being seen in the wines, especially since Victor Arce, previously of Perez Cruz, joined as winemaker in 2015.

Château Los Boldos was founded in 1991 and is situated 100km south of Santiago in the foothills of the Cachapoal Andes. Working with a portion of old vines originally planted in 1948, the focus from the onset has been on the production of premium wines. The estate has been transformed since it was purchased by Sogrape in 2008. Renowned soil scientist and viticultural consultant Pedro Parra (of Clos des Fous) was brought in to assess the plots and match the right variety to the different soils around the estate. The type of rootstock, planting density, orientation and the frequency of irrigation were all within Pedro’s remit, and the results are now being seen in the wines, especially since Victor Arce, previously of Perez Cruz, joined as winemaker in 2015.

Chateau Los Boldos was founded in 1991 and is situated 100km south of Santiago in the foothills of the Cachapoal Andes. Working with a portion of old vines originally planted in 1948, their focus from an early stage has been on the production of premium wines. The estate has been transformed since being purchased by Sogrape in 2008. Renowned soil scientist and viticultural consultant Pedro Parra (of Clos des Fous) was brought in to assess the plots and match the right variety to the different soils around the estate. The type of rootstock, planting density, orientation and the frequency of irrigation were all within Pedro’s remit, and the results – significantly improved grapes – are now being seen in the wines, especially since Victor Arce, previously of Perez Cruz, joined as winemaker in 2015.

A powerful yet elegant red with ripe berried fruits enhanced by a subtle note of oak spice. Full bodied, with juicy fruit and an attractive savoury note on the finish.

Nestled in the unique region of Darling lies a place so wondrous, tranquil and enchanting that it's no surprise that Cloof are able to produce some exceptional wines including the Dusty Road range. Cloof Wine Estate is truly off the beaten track, but they are firm believers that it's often the road less travelled that leads you to places that will be etched in your mind forever and provide food for the soul. Each of their wines is created using Head Winemaker, Hennie Huskisson's passion for creating styles that reflect what this unique region has to offer and the high quality of grapes that are produced.

After harvesting the wine had 3 days of cold soak at 13ºC before innoculation with a French yeast. It then fermented for 2 weeks at 30 ºC until dry, before being pressed. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked of its lees and stored for a further 3 months before bottling.

Deep, dark red colour with purple tinge. Intense flavours of plums, blackcurrant and a hint of leather. This medium bodied red wine has a palate of ripe dark fruit, well supported by soft tannins.

Enjoy it with rosemary marinated lamb shank in buttered polenta or serve with a cold meat platter or grilled goat’s cheese salad.

The 2013 vintage was awarded 98 points and Outstanding status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) (see blue link below).

Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah 2013 - Dec 2017 Decanter review

Craggy Range produces a collection of iconic wines from multiple regions in New Zealand. Owner Terry Peabody and his family pursued the single vineyard approach to winemaking, planting on green fields and bare land ensuring a focus on quality from the very beginning. New Zealand, with its diversity of soils types offered the perfect location to plant the vines. From the stony, warm soils of the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke's Bay to the volcanic, clay soils of Te Muna Road in Martinborough these exceptional vineyards produce wines with amazing aromatics, purity and complexity.

Le Sol is born of the renowned Gimblett Gravels viticultural appellation with its gravelly soils attracting the sun in summer and insulating the vines in winter. The vines are planted in the stoniest parts of the vineyard to a heritage clone of Syrah brought to New Zealand in the 1840s.

The grapes for this wine were hand harvested and completely destemmed before fermentation was allowed to start. They used a combination of open top French oak cuves and open top stainless steel tanks for the fermentation process with yeast being added to the must. The wine was then allowed to mature in French oak barriques (30% new) for 17 months.

Le Sol has a colour of the deepest red with a vibrant purple hue. This is an expressive cool climate Syrah with lifted notes of violets, fresh boysenberries, sandalwood and a hint of dried, peppered meat. The palate has a dense core of dark fruits beautifully integrated by acidity and fine, dusty tannins giving the wine a long, elegant feel towards the dry finish.

To see Craggy Range's information sheet for this wine please click on the blue link below.

Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah 2015 - fiche technique

Brothers Hernán and Eduardo Gras, along with partner Cristián Hartwig gave life to the Mont Gras winery in 1993, combining state of the art technology with the talent and passion of a very special group of people. With the inspiration of Hernán, who had a long winemaking trajectory in Canada, along with the entrepreneurial vision of his brother Eduardo and Cristián's pragmatic businesses view, they made a perfect combination that has converted MontGras into one of the major wine groups of Chile, with presence in the main wine regions of the country – Colchagua, Maipo and Leyda-, along with a high participation in international markets.

To see a comprehensive information sheet for this wine, please click the blue link below.

De Gras Merlot 2017 - fiche technique

Brothers Hernán and Eduardo Gras, along with partner Cristián Hartwig gave life to the Mont Gras winery in 1993, combining state of the art technology with the talent and passion of a very special group of people. The De Gras “Star Man” reflects the magic, the sky and stars in the agricultural and winemaking cycles, giving life to wines that express the work done by the farmers who have close ties with the land.

Please click on the blue link below for the excellent, most recent fiche technique/technical note on this wine from the winemakers themselves.

De Gras Merlot Reserva 2017 - fiche technique

This wine is an intense ruby colour. On the nose, it has aromas of ripe raspberry, cherry, cassis, blackcurrant and redcurrant. On the palate, it is very intense but mellow, velvety, fruity and intense. Good body and structure, with hints of tobacco, chocolate and vanilla. It offers a long and layered finish.