December is nearing its end - but better late than never! A few things to finish off the year with. And as a special end of year treat, this Winner's post is available to everyone!
Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir 2021, Central Otago, NZ
The good news is that not just can Sam Neil act (and look great in a bath-tub) - he knows a thing or two about pinot noir. This is the entry-level wine from his Central Otago vineyard and while he's not shy about using his celebrity to promote the wine - this is no vanity project. It is seriously good wine. Or maybe not so serious. The label implores you to drink this with friends, under a tree, at a table spread with a white table cloth and good food - and I tend to agree that it is perfect summer drinking. Lovely bright fresh cherries and a fruit forward style which you'd expect from the region. But complexity too - even though this is a very young wine. Apparently the bottles have been flying off the shelves so get in quick to enjoy in the sun this holidays.
Glekhuri Rkatsiteli Qvevri 2019, Teliani Valley, Georgia.
I love Georgian wines and while this qvevri Rkatsiteli is probably not for everyone I think its a good example of the style and a fantastic food wine. Made in the qvevri, the wine has a beautiful amber colour. It tastes of honey, melons and spice but still with enough acid to make it drinkable. There is high tannin - which I like. Most of all this wine loves food and its happy to stand up to some fairly strong flavours. This makes it a great summer wine - perfect for a grazing table - because it will go with everything from some nice cheese and salad, seafood and fish through to standing up to BBQed meat (though I'd probably grab its brother the saperavi if I was going full carnivore). Drink now or cellar for a few more years for those honey flavours to develop even more. (This wine is for sale in the Wilson shop.)
Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine Valpolicella, 2020, Venetto, Italy
There's nothing complex or demanding about this wine. Its all about the lovely wild cherries and black currants and sloshing it back in the sunshine with a snack platter close at hand. This is the entry level form of Valpolicella - drink it now, don't think about it too much and enjoy. We need to be drinking more of these delightful Italian wines which are designed to be enjoyed with a meal and friends. This is full-flavoured and with some tannin body to please the people who like that kind of thing in a red wine. And its perfect for the summer outdoor entertaining season.
Millton Libiamo Gewurztraminer 2020, Gisborne, NZ
Milton don't seem to have anymore of this on their website - so you might have to shop around for a bottle - but worth the effort. This is a Gewurztraminer lovers' Gewurz. Its got the lovely rose petals you'd expect but also cardamon and other spices more reminiscent of Morocco than one would normally expect. Unfined and unfiltered its also say on skins for half a year and has the colour and texture to suggest just that. For me these Libiamo wines (there are plenty more to try!) are such a true expression of what Millton are doing with their biodynamic, terroir focused wines. This wine speaks to you of the process that was used to make it and of the grapes and the soil it came from. Its also the kind of wine that should become a summer favourite - flavoursome, refreshing and so friendly to spicy, strongly flavoured food.
La Rosca Cava Roscado Brut NV, Spain
It would not be a summer holiday without a few glasses of sparkling rose. This was my Christmas Day tipple - perfect because its not too boozy and the strawberry flavours went down well with the salmon, and cheesy potatoes on my plate. Its also an absolute bargain - under $20 its a great alternative to similarly priced but rarely as good wines. Cava is made using the traditional method - just like a French champagne of methode traditionale from Marlborough or Tasmania. But its usually made from local Spanish grapes and therefore has different fruit flavours. This one has spent time on lees and has a satisfying biscuity note alongside the sparkly fruit. My summer recommendation - drink more cava!! (Watch this space...Wilson hopes to be selling this wine or one like it soon.)
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