SIZE

12 PACK, 375ml BOTTLES, $17.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Speri

VINTAGE

2023

COLOUR

Red

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy

GRAPE

Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara

 

This is a young, immediate red which retains the essence of the earth from which it was cultivated. It is characterised by fragrant scents and fresh flavours and is the ideal accompaniment for any kind of dish. While molinara is no longer mandatory in the blend, it is prized here for its capacity to impart freshness. Sour red mountain fruit doused with mint, bitter herb and anise. There is a crunchy sense of compression to the wine, too, thanks to the peppery tannins sewing up the seams. Textbook freshness. Delicious drinking. Drink now.

 

91 Points, James Suckling (2021 vintage)

This is packed tight with a concentrated, silky bead of ripe red berries and red cherries that drives through the palate, until fine, quite firm tannins block its path right at the end. Medium-bodied, but the concentration of fruit makes it feel heavier. Lots of energy here, but balance, too. Delicious now. Even better after another year in bottle. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

SIZE

12 PACK, 375ml BOTTLES, $37.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Schug Carneros Estate

VINTAGE

2021

COLOUR

red

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

CARNEROS AVA, United States

GRAPE

pinot noir

This classic Carneros region Pinot Noir offers a wide range of flavours and aromas, in the tradition of the finest red Burgundies of France. “Clonal diversity” is achieved by carefully blending several vineyard lots, each retaining its own unique clonal signature in the blend. The result is a complex wine with a rich bouquet of cherries, berries and hints of spicy new oak. It has flavors reminiscent of black cherry, currant and strawberry, followed by a rich, spicy texture and a long silky finish. This wine pairs nicely with lamb, duck, even grilled fish, and will improve with additional cellaring for 2 to 5 years.

 

93 Points, James Suckling

Dried strawberries with bark and fresh-mushroom undertones. Black-tea notes, too. Full-bodied, yet tightly wound with firm tannins that frame the wine nicely. Soft, creamy tannins. Drink or hold.

SIZE

12 PACK, 375ml BOTTLES, $43.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Tenuta Il Poggione

VINTAGE

2019

COLOUR

Red

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

GRAPE

Sangiovese

 

An evolved bouquet with aromas of dried fruit, forest floor, crushed flower and autumnal leaf. On a second nose, you get dark licorice, wet slate, cola and grilled rosemary. The tannins are powdery and dry.

 

96 Points, Vinuous

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino pulls the taster close to the glass with its dark and earthy blend of crushed ashen stones, giving way to rosemary, cedar, exotic spice and a core of raspberry preserves. Enveloping and serene, this flows across the palate like pure silk, steadily building in tension as tart wild berries and orange hints give way to a sweet herbal thrust. The 2019 finishes with tremendous length and is classically structured, as crunchy tannins resonate and violet inner florals slowly fade over a tactile coating of minerality. Il Poggione has captured the radiance of the vintage, yet this is just a baby today.