Calvados, Port, Red, Vermouth
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Alto Alto Rosso 2022Mostly Sangiovese with 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot.
Medium-bodied, pomegranate-themed juice but with depth and a vermouth tang, bitter herbs and some nice supple softness to it all, black cherry and bitter almond with a black olive twist. Chalky texture. Goodie. KASIA SOBIESIAK, The Wine Front
This release of Alto! Alto!! is right in the zone of where we want it to be. Fruit, deliciousness, and aromatic intrigue balanced by structure and unravelling layers of savoury complexity. Also made by one of our great fiends and somm about town Liam O'Brien. Thanks for this delicious drop Liam!
Bright purple/ruby. Medium weight, juicy, smashable palate, just the right amount of sour cherry and fine tannins. Sangiovese leads the way with red cherries and terracotta dust; Cab Sauv follows with blackcurrant, blackberry and a hint of cedar; Merlot fills out the finish with persistent fruit and an attractive tea leaf character.
2022Red, sangioveseAustralia426$23.00 As low as $20.70 -
Dolin Vermouth Rouge 16%Dolin Vermouths are notably lighter, drier and less pungent than their larger commercial counterparts. The particular mixture of plants found near Chambéry give a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet palate. Even the Blanc and Rouge retain great balance, with the sugar never cloying, and just enough bitterness to whet the appetite. Each can be enjoyed as aperitif on ice, with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of traditional cocktails.VermouthFrance$26.00 -
Quinta de Chocapalha Mar de Lisboa Tinto 2020Chocapalha is the family-owned winery of well-known winemaker Sandra Tavares da Silva, who, with husband Jorges Borges, makes things like Pintas up North. The line-up offers lots of value and immediately rewarding wine.
40% Tinta Roriz, 29% Touriga Nacional, 20% Touriga Franca & 11% Syrah - An intriguing blend from Lisboa region, the Mar de Lisboa wines are a fun range made by the talented Sandra Tavares da Silva. Lovely upfont forest fruit aromas, fine soft tannin integrated with black fruit on the palate. Great to share with friends and you can enjoy this red with or without food.
2022RedPortugal$26.00 As low as $23.40 -
Dolin Vermouth Blanc 16%Dolin Vermouths are notably lighter, drier and less pungent than their larger commercial counterparts. The particular mixture of plants found near Chambéry give a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet palate. Even the Blanc and Rouge retain great balance, with the sugar never cloying, and just enough bitterness to whet the appetite. Each can be enjoyed as aperitif on ice, with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of traditional cocktails.VermouthFrance$28.00 As low as $25.20 -
Turin Vermouth Drapo Vermouth Dry 18% alcA dry vermouth of exceptional quality and refined organoleptic characteristics achieved through the harmonization of a selection of fine wines, fortified with alcohol, sweetened with sugar and reinvigorated with a select blend of herbs and spices. An intense, lingering taste with fresh, fruity characteristics. This dry vermouth is extremely complex yet pleasing and elegant with notes of Iris Florentina and bitter orange. An excellent base for creative cocktails. DRAPOVermouthItaly457$28.00 As low as $25.20 -
Drapo Vermouth BiancoSTAGE 3 - FLAT MON - PLAISANCE > TURIN 230.8 KM
Born in Turin, the city where the deep roots of Vermouth originated back in 1786. The name "TURIN VERMOUTH" takes inspiration from the historicity of the fine products produced from secret family recipes and the liqueur tradition of the Piedmont capital.The production comes exclusively from Piedmontese territory with the main raw material of Artemisia Absinthium grown or harvested in Piedmont, moreover, only sugar, grape must, caramelized sugar or honey can be used as a sweetener. Composed of at least 50% of wines produced in Piedmont and flavored, even if not exclusively, with herbs grown or harvested in Piedmont. It's pretty special stuff and an obvious choice for Stage 3.
Now, the question is do you want to just enjoy it on ice with a slice of lemon or do you want something with a little more oomph? Either way, you will love it and while we would prefer the former if we were sitting in some summer Italian sun we might be up for a white Negroni here in the middle of winter. So if that's your bag check out the recipe below. WE've made sure to include Lillet here too so it's the perfect Tour combo of French & Italian!
30ml gin - Haymans is our choice
30ml Turin Vermouth Drapo Vermouth Bianco 16% alc
20ml Lillet Blanc
15ml grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
1 grapefruit peel, for garnishCombine and stir gently but patiently in a rock glass then garnish with citrus peel
VermouthItaly457$28.00 As low as $25.20 -
Dolin Dry Vermouth 16% (700ml)Dolin Vermouths are notably lighter, drier and less pungent than their larger commercial counterparts. The particular mixture of plants found near Chambéry give a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet palate. Even the Blanc and Rouge retain great balance, with the sugar never cloying, and just enough bitterness to whet the appetite. Each can be enjoyed as aperitif on ice, with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of traditional cocktails.VermouthFrance$29.00 -
PWS Thank You Fortified 500mlFor those of you who may remember we used to have 3 big barrels of fortified wines out the back of the store where you could re-fill your own bottles, or buy from us, a selection of Stanton & Kileen Muscat, Topaque and Ruby Fortified. After many years these bottlings fell out of favour and with room growing to a premium at the store we got rid of them.
But what to do with all that wonderful sticky goodness? The juice was too good to just pour away and we really had a bit of a soft-spot in our heart for these wines. In jumps crew at Stanton & Kileen help us out with our little conundrum. They expertly blended the 3 fortifieds together with a little fresh stock from their own holdings and worked a little magic at the same time. The result is the PWS Thank You Fortified.
This is such a magical combo or red fruits blended with spicy muscat florals and a hint of earl grey tea. It's beautifully luscious and sweet like a muscat but a dollop of strawberry and raspberry fruit elevate the nose with a little twist on the traditional fortified. Delicious!
PortAustralia476$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Stanton & Killeen Rutherglen Muscat 500mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
PortAustralia476$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Unico Zelo Yuzu Sweet Vermouth 750ML
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
VermouthAustralia500$33.00 As low as $29.70 -
Papagiannakos Old Vines Savatiano 2023Attica, Greece. Bright gold and clear in colour, delicate bouquet, aroma of citrus. Medium acidity, long and pleasant aftertaste. A fine accompaniment to Mediterranean dishes, seafood, fish, white meat. PRODUCER2022RedGreece$34.00 As low as $30.60 -
Proud Up The Mountain Fresh Red 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022RedAustralia506$34.00 As low as $30.60 -
Cantina Furlani Rosso 2020Towering over the alpine city of Trento, at over 700 meters are the biodynamic vineyards of Cantina Furlani. A dynamic producer in the Dolomites, crafting detailed & serious sparkling and still wines. Vines are planted on limestone using the traditional Trentino pergola method. (Biodynamic)
True Mountain Still red from a 60 year old parcel at 770m. Field blend of rare varieties Pavana della Valsugana, Negrara, Marzemino, Teroldego & Lagrein all spontaneously co-fermented w/ 10 days of maceration. Aged in steel.2020RedItaly$41.00 As low as $36.90 -
Tenuta Aglaea Vermouth BiancoMade from a mix of local white grapes grown at high altitude, this has been infused with local organic spices and herbs, the main herb ingredient is Artemisia absinthium. With 125gm residual sugar, this rounds out a Vesper nicely! GABRIELLE POY, PWS2017VermouthItaly482$42.00 As low as $37.80 -
Tenuta Aglaea Vermouth DryMade from a field blend of white grapes; carricante, cataratto, inzolia, greganico and minella at high altitude, this has been infused with local organic spices and herbs, the main herb ingredient is Artemisia absinthium.This finishes drier than the Bianco with 40gm residual sugar. Pour this over ice with soda and a olive to garnish for a lovely aperitif. GABRIELLE POY, PWS2017VermouthItaly482$42.00 As low as $37.80 -
Suertes del Marques 7 Fuentes Tinto 2020Village wine. Suertes del Marqués village red is a blend of Listán Negro and Tintilia. The style of García’s entry-level red has evolved considerably since the early days. Today it’s a prettier, lighter-bodied and more thirst-quenching wine. The main component remains the wildly aromatic Listán Negro with a small portion of Tintilia, entirely fermented in small tanks with indigenous yeast and a short, gentle maceration.
The name refers to the seven climats in the D.O. of Valle de la Orotava. Today Suertes draws the raw materials from 35 separate plots, from vines ranging from 10 to 100 years old, at a range of altitudes (up to 800 metres) on the slopes of Mount Teide. The Listán Negro is grown mainly in cordón trenzado, while the Tintilia (from the Bocanegra plot) is trellised to the espaldera system. Each parcel begins vinification separately in stainless steel before blending and aging in small concrete tanks (70%) and mature French demi-muids (30%).
2020RedSpain$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Fonseca Tawny Port NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
PortPortugal450$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Domaine Plageoles Gaillac Contre Pied 2019Red. Organic. To be contre-pied is to be diametrically opposed to something. In this case, this carbonic Duras is the opposite of the rustic, sleepy wines associated with this variety (and plenty of Gaillac rouge in general). This wine originates from a block of clay/limestone soil in Cahuzac-sur-Vère. The winemaking takes in a short carbonic maceration followed by six months aging in concrete tank.
Florent Plageoles told us that he felt that Duras grapes would take to the Beaujolais treatment, et voila, Contre Pied has now become a mainstay of the Plageoles roster. Expect crunchy acidity and thirst-quenching satisfaction—sappy red fruits, invigorating and tensile acid and soft grainy tannins surround a plump, cherry-like weight. Hints of dark chocolate and spice round out the steely skeleton. In short, a super delicious and unique carbo-styled red.
2019RedFrance392$45.00 As low as $40.50 -
Warres Warrior Port 750mLMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2011PortPortugal450$45.00 As low as $40.50 -
Maria Vespolina Francesco Brigatti 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022RedItaly457$48.00 As low as $43.20 -
Canonita Aperitivo de Mallorca 750mlCanonita! What is it? Think Aperol but better. Ok. Bold statement but this stuff is absolutely delicious. It's made from the best organic Canoneta oranges from Mallorca's Sóller Valley.
The Valley is located on Mallorca's northwest coast and sheltered by the Tramuntana mountains is a magic place. Thanks to its unique terroir it is the centre of citrus cultivation in Mallorca for over a 1000 years and the valley is theoriginal home of the highly aromatic Canoneta orange, considered the "queen of oranges".
Carefully crafted by Antonio Nadal, Mallorca's oldest and most renown distillery, the Canoneta essence is blended with white wine and refined with a secret selection of herbs from our beautiful island.
Its beautifully fragrant with fresh crushed orange, citrus peel, delicate sweet floral notes and a gentle bitterness of fresh cut herbs. This is perfect as a spritz or even with tonic but honestly we would happily drink it with ice and a dash soda as an apertif all summer long.
NVVermouthSpain$49.00 As low as $44.10 -
Maidenii Roselle Bitter 750mlRoselle is the common name for Hibiscus Sabdariffa. It has a bright red calyx which adds colour and flavour along with 23 other botanicals including Australian natives – strawberry gum, Tasmanian pepperberry and salt bush. Its important bitterness comes from various roots, in particular gentian from Aubrac in the Centre of France. The wine base is from Heathcote grapes fermented as rosé, which is fortified with the unique blend of botanical tinctures . The residual sugar, from grapes only, is around 100 g/l, indicating a more Aperitivo style but it is very well suited as a Bitter, to the growing category of low sugar/low alcohol cocktail.VermouthAustralia$50.00 As low as $45.00 -
Suertes del Marques La Floridita Tinto 2021Previously this wine was only available to the Canary Island distributor however after some convincing Jonatan has released some of this light red for us to play with. It is pure Listán Negro from old vines in the Paraje Las Suertes. It fermented destemmed in concrete vats and was pressed after four days to finish fermenting without skins in 500 litre used oak barrels, where the wine was kept for three months.
Beautifully ruby hued showing a spicy cinnamon and dried herb edge with tangy red raspberry, cherry and summer plum fruits with super light tannins, a stony element and subtle floral notes. It is supple, but with some nice zesty notes and great depth, should be served with a slight chill. STUART NORTHEY, ANONYMOUS WINE
2021RedSpain$50.00 As low as $45.00 -
Petroni Vermouth White 1000mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
VermouthFrance$52.00 As low as $46.80 -
Fonseca Bin No.27 Finest Reserve PortMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
PortPortugal450$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Maidenii Dry Vermouth 750mlDry is the lightest in colour and is slightly alpine on the nose, you can taste the citrus apples, apricot from the viognier (at least I told myself I could) and there is an intense cardamom and cinnamon spice element. You can add this to a martini, but I want this chilled over ice with a wad of orange and that’s about it. BEN KNIGHT, The Guardian2016VermouthAustralia500$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Maidenii Yuzu Vermouth 750mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVVermouthAustralia500$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Stanton & Killeen Vintage Fortified 2015 750mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2015PortAustralia476$56.00 As low as $50.40 -
Maidenii Classic Vermouth 750mlClassic is red in colour with a much warmer spice range. It has loads more orange-peel flavour, again, cinnamon before cardamom and a sweet, almost strawberry, smell. It has a fuller mouth feel owing to more sugar, rich exotic elixir with a note of toffee. I also want this just on ice – maybe with some ginger beer thrown in. BEN KNIGHT, The Guardian
The Apertif Vermouth uses fully fermented shiraz grapes. Prominent botanicals include orange zest, bay leaf and gentian root. This mix is designed to be savoured solo pre or post dinner, served over ice or chilled with a slice of orange. For a twist, it also works beautifully with Calvados.VermouthAustralia$58.00 As low as $52.20 -
Saison Spring Rhubarb Vermouth
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
VermouthAustralia$58.00 As low as $52.20 -
Outlandish Claims Red Vermouth 700ML
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
VermouthAustralia500$59.00 As low as $53.10 -
Pioneiro Moscatel Roxo NVMy love of fortified wines is no secret, in fact I am loudly proclaiming it to any and all who are willing to listen (usually that's a small group admittedly). This is a new one for me and it is one hell of a wine. Burnt fig, orange peel, walnut, black tea and a hint of fish oil all intermingle on the really complex and decidedly enticing nose. The palate pretty much follows the same line as the nose and has an expansive, detailed and surprisingly lively finish. This little ripper is a contender for my new wine of the year. ROSCOENVPortPortugal458$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Taylors LBV 2017More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2017PortPortugal450$61.00 As low as $54.90 -
Franz Haas Lagrein 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022RedItaly344$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Allies Cinq a Sept Vermouth 700mlCinq a Sept is French vernacular for the aperitif time of day. For the uninitiated, Vermouth is a wine based fortified aperitif typically having elements of herb, spice, citrus and bitterness. Most often the wine plays second fiddle to the recipe but with Cinq a Sept it shares equal billing. Expect fresh raspberry fruit laced with refreshing herbs, exotic spice and mild bitterness. Great on ice with a slice of orange or grapefruit, longer with a dash of soda or as a bit player in cocktails like Negroni. ALLIES
I am totally in love with this product! Why? Because its flippin delicious! Pinot Based vermouth from the man behind Allies David 'Chappy' Chappman. He has just nailed it with this bright, bitter, summery drink. The subtle sweetness is beautifully balanced against the bitter citrus notes and the whole thing just sings. Of course, it's begging for a Negroni but this is so good I would just splash it on some ice with a citrus twist of your choice and a dash of soda. Enough said. MYLES, PWSVermouthAustralia441$68.00 -
Stanton & Killeen Vintage Fortified 2007 375mlWhile this is beautifully fresh, it has morphed into a very fine aged fortified. Woodsy, earthy tones with coffee and vanilla, blackberry essence and brandy-esque flavours to the spirit. Lovely balance, clean with tannins adding a raw-silk texture. A lot of emotion infused into this: a fitting tribute to Chris Killeen's skill as a fortified winemaker. (95) JANE FAULKNER, Halliday Wine Companion
Deep, rich, burnished red colour with a tawny rim; the bouquet mellow, complex, rich and sweet. Licorice and blackberry aromas with star anise and spicy notes from the brandy spirit. The palate is still remarkably firm and structured, but also rich and sweet, the finish drying it off cleanly with well-balanced tannin, acid and spirit. Blackberry and espresso coffee flavours. It's drinking in its prime at 12 years of age. (Durif, touriga, tinta roriz, shiraz, tinta cão, tinta barroca) HUON HOOKE, The Real Review2007PortAustralia476$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
Thymiopoulos Earth and Sky Xinomavro 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Red, XinomavroGreece$73.00 As low as $65.70 -
Saison Artichoke Amaro
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
VermouthAustralia$74.00 As low as $66.60 -
4 Kilos Motor Callet 2021The most impressive 2021 Motor Callet was produced with 70% Callet and 30% Fogoneu at only 12% alcohol and with mellow acidity and lovely fragility. This comes from younger vines (15 years old on average) on red soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in 225-liter tinajas and a brick vat, all built with red clay from Mallorca. It matured in the brick vat for some three months, and no sulfur was added to the wine at any point of its fermentation, élevage or bottling. It's young, perfumed, expressive and captivating, with intense floral aromas, great purity and elegance. The palate is light to medium-bodied with flavors of acid berries and a piquant finish. 10,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in March 2022. LUIS GUTIERREZ, The Wine Advocate2021RedSpain$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
4 Kilos 'Motor' Callet 20204 Kilos, the project created by Francesc Grimalt and Sergio Caballero as a scion of Ànima Negra in Mallorca in 2006 is the quality leader of the island. They have around 15 hectares of vineyards on the island, and many of the vines grow in what is locally known as "call vermell" soil (ferrous red clay with limestone and small to medium-size rocks). 2019 was a ripe and low-yielding vintage that delivered concentrated wines, while 2018 was more balanced and typically Mediterranean. 2019 was quite concentrated, a year with a lot of color and powerful wines. 2018 was much cooler, and the wines are fresher and transparent. In fact, 2018 seems like a superb vintage here, possibly the best they have produced to date. 2020 looks like a very good vintage, a year without much heat, wet and with some challenges and an early vintage. Luis Gutierrez, ROBERT PARKER2020RedSpain$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Troupis Route 111 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020RedGreece445$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Puro Rofe "Rofe" Tinto 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022RedSpain$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Taylor's 10 Year Old Tawny PortMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
PortPortugal450$82.00 As low as $73.80 -
Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny PortReddish-tawny color. Slightly roasted aromas of bonfire, toffee and almond; slight hint of maderization. Sweet and smooth, but rather powerful, with youthful red berry flavor and a bit of heat. Smoke and nutskin on the lingering finish. STEPHEN TANZER, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Portuguese paradox. Old and rich nut, tobacco and toffee flavors yet fresh, thick and fruity, adding a slight tannin bite. WINE SPECTATOR
PortPortugal450$82.00 As low as $73.80 -
Pedro Parra y Familia 'Monk' Cinsault 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022RedChile$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Mancino Vermouth Secco 750mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
VermouthItaly$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Warres Quinta Da Cavadinha Port 2006 750mlThe Quinta da Cavadinha has a lifted bouquet with more red cherry fruit. It is lighter and more airy that Symington’s other single quintas, with fine delineation with more expressive minerality compared to the Quinta do Bomfim 2006, for example. The palate is ripe and sweet on the entry and displays filigree tannins, a wonderful edginess and poise, plus a sense of completeness that is very attractive. This is not a powerhouse single quinta, but it has life-affirming tension and purity towards the long, sensual finish. Wonderful. Drink 2016-2040. Tasted October 2011. NEAL MARTIN, The Wine Advocate2006PortPortugal450$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Sara i Rene Viticultors 'Dido' Garnatxa Tinto Blend 2021Sara’s tribute to “youth, tenacity, love and Grenache”. Who can argue …?
Organically grown on a 10 hectare plot of degraded granite (Montsant’s only gravel patch), Dido has been in production since 2005. The blend is 86% co-fermented Garnatxa-Syrah (1/5 is Syrah, which helps the local Garnatxa ferment better), with 7% each Cabernet and Merlot. It’s picked early, and needs to be largely de-stemmed, so the fermentation takes place in two parts. A 15% portion is used as a starter – whole bunches take wild yeast and are covered with sulphur for 8 days. This is then released into the balance of the fruit, de-stemmed and un-sulphured, and away we go. After fermentation in old hogsheads, the wines are long-aged, more than 18 months – a first year in large raw concrete and then a further 6 months or so in large Foudre of 5000 litres.Bright and fresh red cherry fruit marked by mint and other local herbs, the wine shows the clear crunch of granite soil. Juicy and direct with macerated herbs, licorice and briar in lovely pastille fruit. Good concentration, rich-but-not-sweet country wine, it's all briar-herb-cane-brambly, with a nice little nudge of spice, allspice husk and leather in the soft savoury juice and a touch of chocolate in the soft leathery tannin. Clear and direct, with absolutely no wine-making clutter, it is delicately structured and savoury. A smasher!
2020Grenache, RedSpain459$89.00 As low as $80.10