Spring has finally arrived and we can start to enjoy the longer days and hopefully a little more sunshine. We hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend and enjoyed some excellent food and wine whilst spending time with your loved ones! Here are our top recommendations for the month of April. Once again, our selection will take you on a vinous journey through a range of different countries and grape varieties, showcasing four superb producers. Enjoy!
Catena Alta Historic Rows Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina 2019
Mendoza is Argentina’s most important wine growing region. The completion of the Mendoza to Buenos Aires rail link in 1885 stimulated demand to the point where Argentina became the 5th largest producer in the world. Until the mid-19th Century, production was focussed on bulk wine from Criolla Grande grapes but by 1910 80% of production had switched to French varieties, with Malbec in particular finding favour.
Nicolas Catena planted the Adrianna Vineyard in the Uco valley, at the unprecedented altitude of 5000ft. There were no roads, no electricity or running water at the time, but what it did have was intense sunshine, low temperatures and poor soil…perfect for grape cultivation. This historic vineyard is the source of fruit for this amazing Chardonnay.
Taste: Bright, vibrant aromas of lemon, white peach, and apricot verging toward tropical fruit with flinty undertones. Excellent, pure, luscious, and juicy mid-palate balanced by creamy texture and uplifting acidity. There's wonderful drive and precision here that flows into a core of further exotic fruit and white pepper spice.
Try: Especially good with Vitello Tonnato, a Piedmontese dish of Veal with a tuna dressing. A mid-week supper of a chicken breast with a creamy mushroom and tarragon sauce is another good match.
£23.04 APRIL OFFER £19.50
Castello Banfi, Fumaio Toscana IGT, Italy 2021
Tuscany is one of Italy’s most famous regions. Cities such as Florence and Siena attract millions of visitors drawn by fantastic architecture and bustling atmosphere, while smaller towns such as Lucca and Pitigliano are a magnet or those seeking a less frenetic pace. Due to the influence of the wine makers guild, or Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri, who controlled production, sales and prices, the Tuscan wine trade enjoyed a sustained period of economic success as its reputation spread.
Unfortunately, this came to an end in the 1850’s. The arrival of Oidium, or grey mildew, decimated vineyards and led to an exodus of winemakers to the new world. Though wine continued to be made, it was mostly for local consumption and Tuscany was largely forgotten as a premium growing area. The arrival of Banfi in 1978 kickstarted a recovery to its status as Italy’s most prestigious wine producing area.
Taste: Fumaio IGT is an exciting Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc blend from Montalcino. Bright and attractive aromas of lemon, green apple and hints of peach and apricot. Crisp, clean and lively on the palate with racy, vibrant acidity that underpins a further core of citrus and white stone fruit with a nice mineral-infused finish.
Try: Perfect with salmon Sashimi or a ceviche. Alternatively blitz up some edamame beans with olive oil, lemon, Greek yoghurt and garlic into a rough past to spread on grilled sourdough. Serve with a little crumbled goat’s cheese and a pea shoot salad.
£14.52 APRIL OFFER £12.00
Kilikanoon, Prodigal Grenache, Clare Valley, Australia 2019
The Kilikanoon winery is in the town of Penwortham, around 100km north of Adelaide and with a population of just over 160 souls. The town was founded in the 1839 by John Horrocks, a famous explorer, who planted Clare Valley’s first vines here in 1842, the same time as it’s near neighbour, the Barossa Valley.
With an altitude that varies between 400 and 600m, the region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with cool winters and warm summers. Sea breezes coming from the west help to produce finely structured wines with elegance, power and balance. The Prodigal Grenache comes from a single-vineyard in Leasingham where vines are old and low-yielding, in turn producing concentrated and complex wines.
Taste: Delightful aromas of raspberry, red cherry, red plum and Asian spice fill the glass. Multi-layered core of further red as well as black berry fruit fuse with liquorice spice that are supported by silky, smooth tannins and wonderful elegance and finesse.
Try: Enjoy with Polpette. Meatballs made of minced beef and pork or veal, seasoned with chilli, mint and lemon, baked in delicious tomato sauce and serve with malfadine pasta or spaghetti (get our recipe here).
£19.80 APRIL OFFER £17.40
Finca Moncloa Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah, Andalucia, Spain 2017
Situated between Cadiz and Seville in the Province of Andalucia and just 30km from Jerez de la Frontera, Finca Moncloa is a 42-acre estate, near the town of Arcos de la Frontera in Andalucía. The grapes benefit from a Mediterranean climate, producing red grapes with great intensity. The area is generally associated with sherry production, but in fact has a long-forgotten tradition of making red wines, with records dating back to the 14th century. This wine is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Tintilla de Rota and Cabernet Franc which has spent 11 months aging in American and French oak barrels.
2017 was a very warm vintage in Andalucia with most of the harvest around 3 weeks earlier than usual. The high temperatures and low rainfall particularly suited the Tintilla Rota and gave wines of remarkable intensity.
Taste: Intense aromas of ripe red and black fruits such as blackberry, blueberry and plum. It also displays floral notes, black pepper, clove, vanilla, and balsamic which intensify in the glass. The palate is well balanced with rounded tannins, good acidity and a long smooth finish with notes of cedar and spice.
Try: Great match for Salt aged Thirkleby Duck breast, roasted and served with Puy lentils and red wine. You could keep to the same wine when you move on to a little cheese. Also, an excellent partner to tapas such as albondingas and Morcilla de Burgos.
£21.56 APRIL OFFER £18.95
All of these wines will be open to taste in our Cellar 21 shop throughout April. Pop in and have a taste!
We would love to see your pictures of you enjoying our wines or if you have made any delicious food pairings, please join the conversation and tag us on Instagram @boncoeurfinewines.
