Vintages Release: April 1, 2021
90
Whitecliff Wines ‘Winemaker’s Selection’ Rosé 2020
Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand $14.95 (13297) 13.0% alcohol
This has an inviting light-salmon hue and lifted aromas of strawberry, watermelon and citrus. It’s creamy smooth with excellent mouthfeel and dishes up a delicious mouthful of fruit flavour—blood orange and ruby red grapefruit, spice—ginger and clove, and a boatload of tang-infused pizzazz. Not for sissies, this has verve and nerve throughout. Pour with prawn paella or a charcuterie board. (Vic Harradine)
Vintages Release: April 3, 2021
• The following excellent 2019 Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir is the result of them being pioneers, and now 3rd generation, winemakers, in the Okanagan Valley with this varietal. It’s sourced from different clones in premium sites and cold soaked for five days, fermented separately on skins for 10-20 days before being pressed off and placed into 100% French Burgundian oak barrels for nine months.
93
Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir 2019
VQA Okanagan Valley, B. C. $34.95 (585760) 13.0% alcohol
Lifted aromas of barnyard, beet root and earthy notes provide segue for a delightful mouthful of pure pinot noir ambrosia with red currant, passion fruit and lip-smacking tang and acidity to the fore. It envelops the palate with mixed spice and red currant jelly balanced nicely with mouth-watering tang. This is medium-weight with good mouthfeel, deft balance and a luxurious, lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour now alongside smoked duck breasts, pan-seared salmon fillet or a roast turkey with all the fixings or baked ham on the bone dotted with cloves. (Vic Harradine)
Vintages Release: April 3, 2021
• All fruit in the following 2017 Château Mont-Redon red blend was hand-harvested from vineyards sporting small and large rounded stones—‘galets’ in local terminology—that store heat from the sun during the daylight hours to waft up unto the vines during the cooler evenings and nights caused by the prevailing Mistral wind. After harvest the grapes are destemmed, macerated and punched down during two to three weeks then malolactic fermentation takes place. Half the wine is then matured in 228L Burgundian barrels while half is kept in vats. Following careful selection of the best wines in the cellar, it’s bottled about 18 months after harvest,
92
Château Mont-Redon 2017
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape $53.95 (959627) 15.0% alcohol
Aromas of dark cherry/berry fruit robed in spice and mocha precede a delicious stream of palate-bathing flavours of bramble berry and black plum interlaced with garrigue and exotic spice. This showcases firm structure and deft balance of fruit flavours, tangy acidity and ripe, soft tannin. It finishes with mouth-watering tang-infused palate flavours and a lengthy balanced and bountiful aftertaste. Pour alongside grilled rack of lamb or a striploin rubbed with © Hy’s Seasoning Salt. (Vic Harradine)
Vintages Release: April 17, 2021
• The following 2018 Domaine Agnés et Didier Dauvissat Petit Chablis was sourced from estate vineyards with rocky, fossil-rich and limestone-streaked soils.
93
Domaine Agnés et Didier Dauvissat Petit Chablis 2018
AOC Petit Chablis, France $25.95 (18675) 13.0% alcohol
This is the most expressive Chablis I’ve tasted—it leaps from the glass with alluring aromas of caramel, poached pear and wisps of minerality before dazzling the palate with a myriad of delicious flavours with baked apple and ripe pear juxtaposed and deftly balanced with a racy rendition of lemon pie filling and a boatload of lip-smacking, mouth-watering tang and pizzazz that runs from the first drop to the final stop. Pour this value-laden gem with mussels steamed in white wine, garlic and leeks or try breaded and grilled calamari. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2017 Parker Station Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from 100% cabernet sauvignon carefully selected in the AVA of Paso Robles, then aged six months in 100% French oak before bottling.
92
Parker Station Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Paso Robles, Central Coast, California $24.95 (17684) 14.0% alcohol
Intense aromas of black juicy cherry and bramble berry intertwine with exotic spice and black licorice. A medium-full weight, nicely textured river of crème de cassis and kirsch liqueur decorated with sweet vanilla, mouth-watering tang and savoury herbs that blanket the palate and infuse the balanced and beautiful finish and aftertaste. This sips well on its own and pours well with grilled steak, grilled burgers or pasta, tomato sauce and spiced Italian sausage. (Vic Harradine
Vintages Release: TBD, 2021
• The following 2018 Château Haut Bascla has accreditation for sustainability winegrowing. This red blend—80% merlot/20% cabernet sauvignon—was fermented by first separating the two grape varieties then fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats to 30 °C with a micro-oxygenation system.
89
Château Haut Bascla 2018
AOC Bordeaux, France $16.95 13.0% alcohol
A lifted nose of black licorice, dark berry fruit aromas and tarry notes precede a well-balanced flavourful stream of palate flavours with savoury herbs, tang-infused crunchy red fruit with pie cherry, red currant and wisps of soft tannin to the fore. This has good mouthfeel, persistent fruit flavour and racy tang throughout. It’s an uncomplicated red blend that’s easy on the credit card and easy drinking. Pour with burgers, grilled gourmet sausage or meat pies. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2018 Château Haut-Maziéres was sourced from 65% merlot/20% cabernet sauvignon/15% cabernet franc sourced from soils of clay and limestone. The winery has been sustainably accredited since 2014. After harvest, grapes were placed in stainless steel tanks with a micro-oxygenation system, then matured 12 months in oak barrels before bottling.
88
Château Haut-Maziéres 2018
AOC Bordeaux, France $16.95 (487546) 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of fresh and lively fruit—cherry, blueberry and floral notes waft easily from the glass. It blankets the palate with spine of acidity and pizzazz adorned with bramble berry and passion fruit and wisps of green savoury herbs. It’s medium bodied with good mouthfeel and hint of still-evolving tannin. It finishes with more of the same. Give this a go with a thick steak decorated with a chunk of blue cheese. (Vic Harradine)
• The Guinzano vineyard is 350 m above sea level and consists primarily of clay soils. This hand-harvested red blend is 70% sangiovese/15% cabernet sauvignon/15% merlot that was fermented on skins for 15 days in controlled-temperature concrete vats at 24 °C for two weeks followed by 12 months in French oak barrique then a further 12 months resting in bottle before release.
90
Fattoria La Torre ‘Guinzano Vineyard’ 2017
DOC San Gimignano Rosso, Italy $16.95 (480665) 14.0% alcohol
This is mellow and smooth from cork pop to last drop. Aromas of fennel, blackberry and mixed spice dominate the nose. It dishes up a stream of well-balanced, pleasingly delicious flavours—ripe mulberry, black currant and excellent tang and acidity—before replaying on the lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour alongside your favourite grilled meat, you won’t be disappointed. (Vic Harradine)
Vintages Release: September 14, 2021
• The following 2015 Aurelio Settimo ‘Rocche Dell’Annunziata’ Barolo was sourced from 100% picked-by-hand, careful-bunch selected, nebbiolo grapes from vines with a South – South-West exposure. It had a lengthy fermentation of 15 – 20 days on skins with submerged cap and frequent breaking of the cap and pump overs of the must followed by malolactic fermentation in concrete tanks then ageing 12 months in cement tanks and 18 months in used (12 – 18 years) large (2500 L – 3500 L) French oak casks and new large Austrian barrels followed by a further six months in bottle before release.
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Aurelio Settimo ‘Rocche Dell’Annunziata’ Barolo 2015
DOCG Barolo, Italy $55.95 (293761) 14.0% alcohol
This showcases complexity, balance, persistent purity of fruit and more than its share of gorgeous fruit flavours and excellent tang-laden pizzazz. It’s medium weight with good mouthfeel and a lengthy finish and aftertaste. Aromas of dark cherry, dried flowers and earthy bits abound interlaced with tarry notes and piquant spice. It flows over the palate with pleasing flavours of kirsch liqueur and plenty of tang. It finishes with more of the same through the lengthy and luxurious finish and aftertaste. Drink now after a three-hour aeration/decant with cassoulet or roast duck or tuck away for another three or four years of careful cellaring. (Vic Harradine)
New in Consignment: slated for late-spring arrival
Order online from the following link Profile Wine Group.
• The following 2018 Aurelio Settimo Dolcetto d’Alba was sourced from 100% hand-picked Dolcetto grapes growing in calcareous soil in the larger region of Piedmont, Italy, which is the spiritual home of Dolcetto. Fashioned in the traditional manner—brief fermentation of seven days on skins with submerged cap and frequent breaking of the cap and pump overs followed by malolactic fermentation in concrete tanks then a further maturation from six to nine months in concrete tank before bottling.
90
Aurelio Settimo Dolcetto d’Alba 2018
DOC Dolcetto d’Alba, Italy $39.99 12.5% alcohol
This shows an orange and brick-like hue on the edges when tipped to the side. Fresh, lively aromas reveal themselves with an easy swirl or two—dark cherry/berry decorated with floral notes. It washes over the palate, light on its feet with crunchy red fruit—currant, cranberry and passionfruit—framed by a lip-smacking good, tang-infused acidity. It finishes with more of the same. Pour alongside spicy tomato sauce over your favourite pasta or try pasta puttanesca. (Vic Harradine)
New in Consignment: slated for late-spring arrival
Order online from the following link Profile Wine Group.
• The following 2016 Aurelio Settimo Langhe – Nebbiolo was sourced from hand-harvested, bunch-selected younger nebbiolo vines facing the preferred South-East on calcareous soils. It was fashioned in the traditional method with a short fermentation of eight to ten days on the skins with submerged cap and frequent breaking of the cap and pump overs followed by malolactic fermentation in concrete tanks then a further maturation for 36 months in concrete tank then rested three months in bottle.
91
Aurelio Settimo Langhe - Nebbiolo 2016
DOC Langhe, Italy $39.99 14.0% alcohol
Ruby-hued when poured, aromas of violets and red and black berry fruit dominate the nose. A palate-pleasing, medium-bodied tangy river of racy red berry fruit and black Bing cherry emblazoned with drying tannin tugs lightly at the cheeks. It finishes with palate replays and a fairly lengthy, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. Aerate/decant for three or four hours before pouring. It should shine alongside prawn and sausage paella. (Vic Harradine)