Easter is this weekend, I know, it’s still March and it feels as though its crept up on us this year. Especially seen as this marks the welcoming of April, which as you probably know, is our vary vague moving date… it’s just as well there’s 30 days in April (I wish there was 31 for a little extra wiggle room). While our moving date might not be certain I can tell you it’s now officially Spring and the clocks go forward on Sunday, meaning that it won’t be dark before 7pm again until the end of September in 6 months’ time, Yipee!
So, grab your jet wash and clean the patio, remove leaves from the BBQ, find the shorts at the back of your wardrobe, dust the cobwebs from the camping chairs and get ready for the incoming endorphins and serotonin. Also, while you’re at it, why not grab some lovely wine to welcome the warmer seasons back into your life. Here’s what we’ll be enjoying:
The indigenous Georgian varietal, Saperavi, has been turning a few heads recently. The most notable nod I’ve seen is Julia Harding MW picking the Teliani Valley Unfiltered Saperavi as their Wine of the Week (we stock this one too, it’s also worth trying).
Bedoba’s Saperavi vines are organic and average 30 years of age. The aspect and terroir give the grapes fresh acidity and soft tannins. The savoury and spicy flavours found in the Saperavi varietal are balanced in this wine by the late harvesting of the grapes. Pickers hold out until November (brrrrr) which means that the grapes begin to dry on the vines, subsequently the juice of these grapes has a higher sugar content and results in a wine that is as spicy and herbaceous as it is warm and welcoming. Would pair perfectly with Merguez sausage or other such North African Delights.
On the South Western coast of Tuscany lies the IGT of Maremma. It’s an exciting area for three reasons. Firstly, as a relatively contemporary IGT, viticulture here is not bogged down by bureaucracy and rules. Secondly, it’s still relatively unknown so you can bag some serious bang for your buck. Thirdly, the terroir of this part of the Tuscan coast has been likened to Bordeaux, which is why varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have all taken to the area. But Maremma has one thing that Bordeaux does not, Tuscan Sunshine. That extra hit of UV means that these varietals can achieve something on a yearly basis that is only seen in Bordeaux in very good vintages. Now I’ve said that I’m going to have to sleep with one eye open.
We have two Maremma wines on the shelves right now. The Monte Antico is the most affordable of the two and is an absolute steal (find the more premium on here). It’s 85% Sangiovese topped up with Cab Sav and Merlot. Take this to dinner if for any tomato-based pasta dishes, pizza, or just a bowl of olive oil and a wedge of bread.
I was pretty much sold on this wine before I even tried it because there are two names on the bottle that hold high esteem with me. One is my name, Max, always nice to see your name on a bottle. The other name is Errazuriz, the vineyard found in the Aconcagua Valley, Chile.
The Max VIII is fresh of the pallet this week and we’re excited very about it. It’s a raucous blend of (takes deep breath) 40% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec, 10% Carmenere, 8% Grenache, 6% Mourvedre. As you would expect from such an assortment is a deep and complex wine. Red fruit and pomegranate is accompanied by floral notes and a nougat like aroma on the nose. While the palate is juicy, rounded and goes on for days. This is a bottle that will only get better too. Buy one to drink and one to sit on.
Jose Maria da Fonseca Setubal Tinta Reserva
It didn't take long for this wine to earn itself a nickname in the shop. The Jose Maria da Fonseca Reserva comes from the oldest wine producer in Portugal. But they are in no way stuck in the past, on the contrary they boast a state-of-the-art winery.
The JMF is a delightful blend of Castelão & Touriga Nacional, two famously juicy grapes that gives the wine and abundance of fruity fun. Six months on oak finishes the wine off with a ripe strawberry and spice element. It's delightful.
Oh, you want to know the nickname? Well, it can only be one thing. Juicy Mother F***** (Sung to the tune of Prince's Sexy M.F of course).
Here’s something a little different from the Grenache obsessed lads from Thistledown Wines. This is their benchmark Chardonnay and, of course, it’s a gudden. This is what can de described as a contemporary cool climate chardonnay and the aim of the game with this wine is to produce a wine that exhibits freshness and vibrancy.
Grapes are picked from elevated sites, allowing for a longer ripening period and giving the wine a magnificent balance of acidity and natural sugars. The winemaking process is calm and calculated with the intention of preserving the freshness of the fruit, which it does perfectly. There is a subtle hint of oak, but nothing too scary, it’s all about the crisp citrus fruit in the one.
This screams for shellfish!
San Lorenzo Di Gino Marche Bianco
We’re back in the central belt of Italy but this time we’re watching the sun rise on the east coast in the region of Marche (I wish). Marche produces one of my favourite white wines, Verdicchio. A sentiment I share with one writer from Forbes who stated “Verdicchio is arguably the greatest white varietal in Italy”, so there. (Side note, if had to live the rest of my life only drinking reds from Tuscany and Whites from Marche I would not be sad about it)
Genetics tell us that Verdicchio is actually Trebbiano which at some point in ancient history decided to up sticks wonder from Soave in the North and settle in Marche. Whatever it is, its delicious, its slightly salty, it tastes like sun dried fruits, jasmine flower and roasted almonds.
I once paired this one with a vegetarian lasagne and its safe to say I nailed it.
You can of course grab these wines in-store or click on the bottle images above and go straight to the product page and order online. Equally, we are currently packing these, along with many other delights, in our Latitude Selects Wine Cases.
Enjoy your long weekend folks.
All the best from Max & the Gang.
