It’s finally here! After months of winter, we’re getting ready to pack away our big coats and step out into the Spring sunshine. Peter Morrell get a taste of warm weather
Whether you’re dusting down the barbeque, brushing off those patio chairs or planning that first picnic in the park, here are just a few great wines perfect for celebrating the coming of Spring and the return of the sun (fingers crossed!).
Dark Horse Sauvignon Blanc
The long, warm Californian days allow grapes for this wine to reach their full juicy potential, delivering a wine full of citrus fruit with sweet melon notes and a balancing hint of fresh green flavours. Dark Horse Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect fit for grilled fish or a goat’s cheese tart.
RRP £9.00, available from Tesco
Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
This wine is bursting with the classic aromas of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc such as zingy citrus, melon and plush tropical fruit. Serve it with fresh sushi, shellfish, crisp spring salads or simply enjoy a glass on its own.
RRP £9.00, available from Tesco
Estancia Pinot Noir 2018
Peter Morrell, Editor comments “I have tasted the Estancia Pinot Noir 2018, and it is the perfect summer red. The wine pours a bright garnet colour, and on the bouquet there are strong aromas of cherries, ripe strawberries, and warming spices. In the mouth it is medium bodied but full of flavour. The bouquet fruit remains and is joined by raspberries and plums. There are notes of oak, vanilla, and tobacco in the background. The tannins are soft and smooth, it’s on the dry side of the spectrum with a good acidity that makes it an ideal wine to pair with food. The finish gives lingering fruit flavours
“Match it with slow roasted lamb shoulder and barbequed meats. One little tip, if you are drinking it on a hot day, you can chill it in a ice bucket.”
RRP £14.00, available from Tesco
Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon
This rich and fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon is classic Californian in profile. Layered notes of ripe blackberry, plum and dark fruit jam on the palate are complemented by well-integrated hints of caramel, mocha and hints of sweet oak. A velvety smooth finish makes this wine a perfect addition to ribeye steak or grilled mushroom burgers.
RRP £17.00, available from Ocado
About the producers:
Dark Horse
Working side-by-side with 400 of California’s finest grape growers to earn the first pick of their harvest, Dark Horse brings you exceptionally crafted and well-balanced wine that overdelivers on your expectations.
Nobilo
When Nikola Nobilo moved from his native Croatia to New Zealand in 1953, he brought 300 years of his family’s winemaking tradition to this pristine landscape, ideal for Sauvignon Blanc and creating its unique fresh and crisp signature style. With fruit from both the Wairau and Awatere Valleys, the wines blend layers of tropical fruit aromas with bright, citrus-driven notes. Harvesting at night allows the winemakers to preserve vibrancy, which is aided further by a long, slow fermentation at cool temperatures.
Estancia
With more than 30 years of experience, California based Estancia relies on the benefits of boutique-style winemaking techniques, including whole-cluster fermentation, gentle punch downs, and barrel fermentation, to deliver reliably consistent flavours across their portfolio.
Franciscan
Franciscan was founded in 1972 to pay tribute to the Friars that brought old world viticulture to California. The winery cemented its credentials in 1975 when purchased by the proprietors of renowned Cabernet Sauvignon house, Silver Oak, who instilled the ethos they still embody today: generosity of spirit, sustained innovation and over delivery on quality. Most Franciscan fruit comes from the southern half of the Napa and Monterey Counties, both of which lend a brightness and freshness to the fruit. The clay and gravel soil in these counties brings about grapes with unrivalled structure and minerality.
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