Happy New Year to all! We have picked out a new selection of wines to help you ease your way into the new year, and try something different. All the wines are on special offer this month and available to taste in our Cellar 21 Shop, if you are local to North Yorkshire.
Kilikanoon Killerman's Run GSM, Clare Valley, Australia 2020
History: 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 & 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.
Kilikanoon started in 1997 when winemaker Kevin Mitchell purchased a small property of the same name in Penwortham, Clare Valley. This Grenache/Syrah/Mataro (Mourvedre) blend is an Aussie take on the classic Cotes du Rhone style with lots of fruit, without being too heavy and is becoming extremely popular.
Taste: Charming nose of strawberry, raspberry as well as red and black cherry with a touch of savoury spice. Bright and vibrant on the palate with ripe, rounded tannins and delicate fruit purity that is juicy and generous. A touch more black and bramble fruit on the finish with a generous dollop of liquorice spice for good measure.
Enjoy: It’s a good pairing for a Stichelton, an unpasteurised blue cheese made to a traditional stilton recipe or with a traditional dish of Polpette - small meatballs of beef and veal and/or pork seasoned with garlic, sage and often Parmesan, baked in a rich tomato sauce and served with mash, pasta or garlic bread.
£17.05 JANUARY OFFER £14.95
Left Field Malbec, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand 2020
History: This wine is made from fruit grown in the Gimblett Gravels area of Hawkes Bay. Gimblett Gravels has been formed from gravel beds left behind when the Ngaruroro River changed its course in the 1860’s following floods. These gravels form a similar soil structure to that found at various points in the Rhone valley and in Bordeaux with deep gravel beds, loam and silt. Comprising a total area of around 800 ha, it’s average temperature roughly 2 to 3 degrees warmer than the rest of Hawkes Bay allowing better ripening conditions for many varieties such as this Malbec.
Straight Malbec is a rarity from New Zealand. The Leftfield Malbec is a lighter style, grown on the Te Awa vineyard located in the Gimblett Gravels. The 2020 harvest conditions were ideal, and the vintage is highly regarded.
Taste: A lighter style of Malbec than its Argentine counterpart. Loads of fresh black berry fruit character underpinned with notes of liquorice, dark chocolate and Christmas cake spice.
Enjoy: Pair with highly flavoured cured meats such as Chorizo, Bressaola and air-dried hams, or chunks of a 36-month aged parmesan with a piece of ripe pear. Any food rich in umami will work well…think simple pizza with a couple of anchovies and some good black olives or a Greek Stifado.
£19.75 JANUARY OFFER £17.10
Cave Talmard Macon-Montbellet 'La Bergerie', France 2022
History: Macon is at the southern end of Burgundy. Wine has been made here since before the arrival of the Romans and production was encouraged by the Church who held sway over the area throughout the Dark ages. The geography is similar to that of the Cote d’Or with rolling limestone hills producing a variety of crops including grapes. The weather is warmer here giving wines that are generally a little riper and less lean than those from further north, but with powerful flavour and freshness.
Cave Talmard is one of the most well-respected names in Burgundy, today run by dynamic husband-and-wife duo: Benjamin and Mallory Talmard. The property is located just outside the village of Uchizy, in the southern region of the Mâconnais AOC where the couple own 30 hectares of vineyards on gently sloping hillsides that face the Saône River producing vibrant wines with great purity and energy.
Taste: Concentrated aromas of ripe apple and lemon citrus fuse together added peach, apricot, and a touch of honeysuckle. Round, generous, and multi-layered mid-palate, yet balanced by bright, racy acidity and a wonderful mineral streak that cuts through a core of further citrus and white stone fruit. Impressive length with a sprinkling of white pepper spice that seals the deal.
Enjoy: A perfect match for light, creamy textured dishes such as sweetbreads and white risottos, it is also perfect with oysters, razor clams and scallops.
£16.39 JANUARY OFFER £13.85
Viu Manent Secret Viognier, Chile 2020
History: The Viu Manent winery is in Colchagua, which, together with Cachapoal, is one of the sub-regions that form Rapel Valley Wine growing area of Central Chile, on the other side of the Andes to Mendoza in Argentina. Situated in the southwest of Rapel, Colchagua enjoys a warm climate with low humidity and benefits from breezes from the Pacific which help to temper high summer temperatures and giving cold crisp nights. With a near total lack of frost, all these conditions add up to excellent conditions for the cultivation of grapes. A fact recognised by the many European settlers to the area in the 1800’s who brought vine cuttings with them.
Taste: This is a white with structure and tremendous personality from vines with an average age of 14 years. Pale, bright yellow colour with aromas of ripe, exotic stone-fruit and pears, hints of citrus and notes of white flowers. Well-rounded palate, fresh with very good balance leading to a long attractive finish.
Enjoy: Pair with a classic Blanquette de veau, a stew of veal in a creamy white sauce often served with fragrant basmati rice and those who prefer a white wine with Roast pork for Sunday lunch need look no further.
£13.75 JANUARY OFFER £11.10
All of these wines will be open to taste in our Cellar 21 shop throughout January. 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.
