This is Gabbiano’s finest expression of Sangiovese, with an interesting and complex nose of black cherry, plum, smoky spices and blackcurrant jam. It’s old-school Chianti with savoury fruit on the palate and touches of liquorice, tar and wood spices. Enjoy with roasted red meats rich in spices.
Chenin Blanc from an appellation near Vouvray. Pale silvery yellow. Seductive nose of apricot, honey and tangerine, with a hint of green olive. Full-bodied, almost thick on the palate, the acidity strikes first to ensure the sweetness does not overwhelm. Grapefruit and melon flavours predominate now, but this will last a long time and become more complex.
Simply the finest Sauvignon Blanc I have tasted from California. It reminded me of a richly concentrated version of Château La Louvière. Ripe flavours of grapefruit, peach and lanolin fill the mouth; a beautifully structured wine with a lovely mouth feel and well-integrated oak.
Salty, minerally, fresh and delicious with savoury herbs, acacia blossoms, citrus fruit, lovely texture and a bright finish. The 2016 was also tasted and showed even more citrus, saltiness and was quite intense and penetrating. In the hands of this winery, Torbato is definitely a grape variety that more wine drinkers need to discover.
Now a blend of exclusively Puerto Rican rums, this well-priced spirit reveals brandy-like aromatics with just a note of sugar cane, spice and dry oak. Very smooth on the palate with complex flavours of ripe banana, dried fruit, vanilla with an agreeable touch of fiery alcohol and dry oak on the finish.
Kellye Robertson, head brewer at Dartmouth’s all-lager brewery, Spindrift, has created a modern version of the German Schwarzbier. Using 7 specialty malts to amp up the body, the result is a complex nose and aroma: notes of dark bread crusts, dark fruit, toasted nuts, ash and cacao swirl together on a lean, light-bodied black brew. Overall, the crisp, clean sip is effortlessly integrated.
Clear, tawny gold. Fascinating, complex nose of peaches, bananas, guava, roses and a bit of Gewürz (spiciness). Dry, crisp and full-bodied, tasting of juicy tart apples, lemon, and a drop of rosewater. Respectably long finish. If you are looking for a white wine with your next roast turkey, this goes very well with a rich spicy stuffing.