La Cantina - Rose & Other Red

Gabriel Liogier Vacqueyras Montpezat

Gabriel Liogier Vacqueyras Montpezat — Tue, 10 Aug 10 18:38:01 +1200

This lovely Rhone Valley red comes from Vaucluse to the south of Gigondas. The soils here are yellow and red clay, and stony. The grapes that do best here are Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. This is a vigorous and ‘chewy’ wine of purple hue. Well-structured and long on the palate, it has a rich nose bouquet reminiscent of violets and spices. Serve this little treasure at 16°C with roast lamb or grilled meat with heavy red sauces.

Undurraga Carmenere 2007

Undurraga Carmenere 2007 — Thu, 08 Jul 10 15:20:12 +1200

Chile’s signature grape, carmenère (sometimes spelled carménère or carmenere), is the “lost grape of Bordeaux.” Known also as “grand vidure,” it was originally one of the major grapes of the Médoc region. Even under the best of circumstances, it was a difficult grape to grow in Bordeaux, since it needed more heat to ripen than other Bordeaux grapes and, worse, it often caught coulure, a disease that caused the grapes to drop long before they were ripe for harvest. An 1870s plague of phylloxerae (vine-munching, aphid-like insects) that destroyed several million acres of European vineyards finished off carmenère for good. Or so everyone thought.

This wine is made with selected Carmenere grapes grown in Chile's Central Valley. It has an intense violet colour and displays exuburant fruit aromas and a dominant varietal character. On the palate, ripe tannins make it soft and round. It is perfect with pasta, white meats and mild cheese.

Trentham Petit Verdot 2008

Trentham Petit Verdot 2008 — Thu, 03 Jun 10 19:41:25 +1200

Silver medal NZ International Wine Show 2009 and Silver medal NZ Top 100 2009.
This, a favourite for many of you has returned and the 2008 marks the fifth release of this wine. It has deep red purple colour with floral and berry aromas. These characters along with mocha and spice are present on the palate which is completed with supportive oak and a velvety tannin finish.

Kerr Farm P06 Kumeu Pinotage 2007 - New Vintage

Kerr Farm P06 Kumeu Pinotage 2007 - New Vintage — Thu, 05 Aug 10 16:51:16 +1200

This has been one of my favourites for a very long time. Very interesting flavours going on with this wine which is made from grapes from officially New Zealands oldest Pinotage vines, which are over 40 years old, influencing much of the complex flavours.

Bright in its ruby crimson colour, attractively scented, floral with hints of lavender and berry. Creamy oak fills the palate which is ripe, juicy and velvety textured with fruit intensity and oak complexity to the backbone. Well integrated acidity and a touch of Pinotage's signature rusticity to the finish together with a spicy flourish makes this a very good and utterly enjoyable red wine. Even better the next day. A real gem.

Corazon Rose 2009

Corazon Rose 2009 — Wed, 21 Apr 10 15:11:13 +1200

Summer in a bottle

This is my favourite wine at the moment. Even in the cooler months of the year, this is a favourite for many of you. The most appealing thing about this wine is that it is made from Syrah, which makes it more complex and flavoursome than most other Rose's which are made from Pinot Noir. I've had a lot of comments from people that this is one of the best they've had.

Armantes Old Bush Vine Rosé 2008

Armantes Old Bush Vine Rosé 2008 — Wed, 13 Jan 10 21:35:47 +1300

A Rosé For Wine Drinkers

At last - a serious rose that tastes like wine, not lolly water. Fully dry, with delicious, weighty fruit flavours, this is an intensely complex wine from a small, ancient block of vines in a forgotten (until recently) corner of Spain.

Rosé has always been a bit of an also-ran (unless it's rose Champagne of course which is an entirely different story), but this wine is a real eye-opener that will delight even the most hardened rose cynic. When you look at how this wine is made you will see why. It comes from garnacha vines that are more than fifty years old on a single slope vineyard in Catalayud, Northern Spain. Catalayud was until very recently an overlooked corner of Spain. However it has never been hit by the phylloxera bug which devastated most of the European vineyards in the 1800s. The old vines and very low yields give wines that are very intensely flavoured.

This is a superbly complex wine that will go well with virtually any meal. Serve only lightly chilled to bring out its complex flavours.