2015 Domenico Fraccaroli, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Regular price £103.90 Save £-103.90In 1958 Domenico Fraccaroli began producing wines on a small piece of paradise in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, producing wines from local varieties. In 2002, his son, Tiziano Fraccaroli, purchased an estate in Verona, in the town of Lavagno, the Grotta del Ninfeo, allowing the family to expand their range and produce the wines of Valpolicella. The third generation, Domenico and Luca, and now in charge of the estate, continuing their family tradition. Amarone della Valpolicella 2015 is quickly becoming one of the most favoured wines of the century, as stated on many websites online that
TASTING NOTES
Aged for 30 months in French oak barriques and 18 months in bottle before release. Intense aromas of ripe red fruit, framed by oak-spice and vanilla; the palate is full-bodied, rich and mellow, in classic Amarone style, beautifully balanced and expressive. The finish is long and engaging, with spice and mulled-fruit character.
FOOD PAIRING
Ideal with beef, game and other red meats. The power and structure of Amarone Della Valpolicella allows it to pair well with hard cheeses as well.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Amarone is produced by allowing the harvested grapes to dry out in specially-designed rooms before fermentation. The result is extremely low yields of intensely flavoursome, full-bodied wines with wonderful texture and extraordinary complexity.
2014 Domaine Antonin Guyon, Aloxe Corton 1er Cru 'Les Fournieres'
Regular price £66.40 Save £-66.40ABOUT THE WINE
The second generation now manages this domaine, founded by Antonin in the 1960s. Based in Savigny-les-Beaune, they own vines throughout the Cote d'Or, including parcels in some of the finest Premier and Grand cru vineyards. Harvest is by hand, with initial sorting in the vineyard; no more than 50% new oak is used, and the wines of the domaine have a classic freshness and purity to them.
TASTING NOTES
Delicate in colour, with wonderful minerality and fine tannins. Bright cherry fruit, very intense, with a touch of oak adding elegance. Exceptionally well-balanced.
FOOD PAIRING
Ideal very slightly chilled, with summer salads; or with pork dishes on colder evenings.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
A superb vintage for Burgundy, the 2014 Guyon is a delightful wine.
2015 Agriturismo Colognole, Chianti Vigna 'Rogaie'
Regular price £53.00 Save £-53.00ABOUT THE WINE
In 1892, Conte Vencesalao Spalletti, Senator to the Kingdom of Italy and owner of a fine agricultural estate in upper Emilia, purchased the Colognole and Lucciano (in Chianti Montalbano) estates. Colognole was initially utilised mainly for lumber production, thanks to its extensive forests, but in 1912, due to the interest shown from the Conte’s sons, Giambattista and Cesar, production focused on grapevines and olive trees. This development led, in the 1930s, to the construction of the Cantine Spalletti in the city of Rufina. Production significantly increased both in quantity and quality, and in the 1960s the name Spalletti had become synonymous with high-quality Tuscan wine, particularly for age-worthy reds. In the 1980s, with the addition to the shareholders of a large sparkling-wine producer, the owner gave up both the production cellar and the name Spattelli and concentrated their efforts on the Colognole Estate.
TASTING NOTES
A richer, more powerful wine than the Riserva; black cherry and bramble characterise the aromas, with red fruit on the palate. The finish shows a hint of barrel-ageing; long and promising, with grippy tannins suggesting a long life ahead.
FOOD PAIRING
Excellent with lamb loin chops and roast potatoes; or a roast butternut with trimmings.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
The Colognole estate spans 700 hectares in the Tuscan hills, of which only 27 hectares are planted to vines. In 2004 the estate embarked upon a project to find out which plots produced their finest Sangiovese grapes, the result of which is this exceptional single-vineyard release.
2018 Chateau Nouret Cru Bourgeois
Regular price £46.00 Save £-46.00A 21-hectare estate purchased by the current owners in 2012. Extensive investment in the winemaking facilities and vineyards has seen considerable improvements in the quality of the wines produced. An estate on the rise.
TASTING NOTES
Blackcurrant, blueberry, toast and leather, with a fresh, accessible palate and impressive structure. 12 months in oak, 30% of which is new oak, providing additional complexity and a plush refined mouthfeel.
FOOD PAIRING
Try it with a juicy burger or beef stroganoff.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
The more exposed terroir of Bas Medoc ('lower' Medoc) receives a greater amount of Atlantic weather than appellations further up the Gironde estuary; successful viticulture in this mild, humid climate is often very dependent on vintage-conditions. The late-summer heat of the 2018 vintage provided ideal conditions for this wine.