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“Late Harvest” Riesling 2007

Mr Whirly says:

This “ Oh so delicate wine” arrived in  November 2009 to take over from the very successful 2002 LH Riesling.  Its an incredibly delicate wine with a smokey feel and again hints of Lychee and Elderflower. Very much a wine for the Spring and Summer with Acidic puddings. Not at all sticky which is a plus in so many ways.”

Winemakers tasting notes:

“The 2007 Late Harvest Riesling shows both aromas and flavours consisting of lime and lemon zest, ripe stone fruits such as apricots and nectarines, mineral notes of wet rock and flint, with hints of honey, petrol, and savoury spices like tarragon and lemon thyme.”

Alcohol: 9.0%

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Amity “ Willamette Valley” Pinot Noir 2008

2008 “ Willamette Valley” Pinot noir 2008

Mr Whirly says:

“ I tasted this wine in March 2012, having felt it needed a little time in the bottle and its full of Kirsch and marinated cherries, which I first found in the 2002 Schouten single vineyard wine. Yet its also very subtle and refined. I think this wine is just at the beginning of it’s life and ascendancy.”

Alcohol: 13.0%

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Amity Gewurtztraminer, “Willamette Valley”, 2008

2008″ Willamette Valley” Gewurtztraminer, Single Vineyard, “ Sunnyside”

Mr Whirly says:

“This grape is only found in certain regions of the world other than Alsace and the Willamette valley.   Amity send this grape to the press with a little added extra spice. As always with Myron Redford’s and Darcy Pendergrass’s winemaking skills, this wine has finesse and class. It is a far more complex wine than the 2006. Quite honestly I think it ranks up there with a Rolly Gassmann, this wine exudes class.  A little Elderflower and hint of cinnamon and five spice round it off.  This wine is dry on the finish but with some lovely Conference pear added too.”

Alcohol: 13.0%

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Amity Pinot Blanc 2007

Mr Whirly says,

“This wine was tasted at the end of August 2009 on my last trip to Oregon. It was the first wine I have had the joy of tasting with the winemakers from Amity and Bethel Heights. We were on the deck of Myron’s house in Amity, a lovely wooden structure surrounded by woods and rolling hills, on a beautiful late summer’s evening with the wonderful echo of the tree frog, underneath the decking, waltzing around the amphitheatre of our little party. It really was a special night and this wine kicked off the show so admirably! I was taken with it immediately, loving the fact that this “ workhorse of Alsace ” was so clean, fresh and vibrant with hints of Lemon sherbet on the nose and pear drops too. It really is a very uplifting wine, very much a special Pinot Blanc to be drunk as an aperitif or with food throughout the year and for many years to come ( it will get better with a little age.)

Review: Wine Enthusiast, December 15th 2009, Paul Gregutt

“ This Pinot Blanc threads honeycomb highlights into juicy, ripe fruit flavours of yellow apples and Asian Pear. Dry with  a good grip, it’s another wine that is showing that Oregon winemakers have an opportunity to claim this under-appreciated grape as their own.”

Alcohol 13.0%

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Casal Garcia Rose 2010

Casal Garcia Rose NV

New stock of this delightfully fresh rose has just arrived in July 2013

Mr Whirly says:

“I tasted this wine in San Francisco in April 2010 and fell in love with it. It’s Strawberry cheese cake in a glass!  Although a little strawberry sweetness on the middle palate it finishes dry and steely which is a positive attribute. This wine bubbles with intensity and flavour and with a freshness that is simply so wonderful for the summer. So at 10% alcohol I truly think it’s the perfect rose for all year round. Pomegranate in appearance this wine is made from three grapes: Vinhao, Azal Tinto and Borracal.”

Alcohol: 10.5%

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Ribas Blanc 2012

New wine arrival!!  November 2013

I tasted this wine in April 2013  when the weather was wet and changeable in Mallorca. I loved the wines depth and integrity: it has a real worthiness and direction to it.

This wine is made from 85% Prensal Blanc and 15% of the lovely Viognier grapes that they have here in Mallorca.

Mr Whirly says:

“ This wine has its own identity, which I like. Its full and rich with some lovely expressive fruit. The Prensal Blanc provides the fruit and the Viognier the depth. I think this would be a lovely bottle of wine for Christmas day morning to get you in the mood. It has a hint of Christmas spice to it, and all things nice! Once I have tasted the wine with clients in the next few weeks I shall add more detailed notes.

Alc vol: 13%

Winemakers tasting notes: ( to follow shortly)

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Ribas Sio Negre 2009

Ribas Sio Negre 2009

Sió wine was conceived in 2000 as a tribute to our grandmother Sió (the Majorcan diminutive of Concepció). An elegant, fresh, fruity wine with a mineral base owing to the predominantly calcareous soils of our vineyard

Winemakers Notes:

Vino de la Tierra Mallorca

Grape varieties:

50% Manto negro

25% Cabernet Sauvignon

15% Syrah

10% Merlot

Aging: 12 months

Barrel type: 50% new French oak and 50% second year French oak from Ribas de Cabrera.

Elaboration:

The grapes are harvested by hand before being selected, grape by grape, and carefully prepared at the winery´s facilities. The grapes had to be scrupulously selected from the oldest Manto negro vine stocks, a Majorcan variety with amazing aromatic potential that adds a fruity aroma and warmth. It is complemented with 25-year-old vines of more structured varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Alcoholic Strength: 14.5%

Life: 8-10 years

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Ribas Negre 2009

New Arrival!

The new 2011 vintage arrived, November 2013….a little sweeter and subtler than the 2009. More tasting notes  to follow early in 2014.

On the 17th June 2011, I tasted this wine with Araceli and she told me:

“ The player in the team gives the fruit.”

She is refering to the grape, Mantonegra, which is an indigenous grape to this Mediterranean island. Its a lovely grape, it really gives this wine some wonderful fruit and intensity.

50-60% Mantonegra, 30% Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot make up the last 10%.

Mr Whirly says:

“ Plums, lovely fresh fruit, tabacco, great balance, intricate details, very exciting wine. A lovely sweet middle to the wine acquired from the Mantonegra grape, a berry found on this island.”

Winemaker’s tasting notes:

“ Since the beginning, our main concern when making this wine has been to capture the primary, fruity features of the Manto Negro grape.

And so, with a clear objective and after manually selecting the grapes (to overcome any variability in ripening of the young plants), the wine is fermented at moderate temperatures (~27º C) to avoid over-maceration. We then age some of the wine in 3 to 4- year-old casks, which enables us to prevent the excessive liberation of tertiary aromas or a hardening that the wine would not be able to survive. Blending this aged wine with another part of the wine that has been stored in stainless steel tanks intensifies its primary aromatic potential

The result can be found in its varietal aromas such as fresh red fruit (like blackberries or strawberries) and its mineral and spicy touches. A balanced palate once again emphasises the freshness of the fruit and the wine has a pleasant finish.

Alc vol: 14.5%

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Soma 2009

Ok. Ok Ok….

A fabulous most spectacular new wine that has been so popular its sold out! New vintage of the 2010, yet only managed to secure 200 bottles, arrives into the UK in October 2012.

Mr Whirly says:

“ This is a very exciting wine. And I know, I always say this you are saying to yourself but if you are going to buy one bottle of wine this year then its this one! This is a Viognier of epic proportions, really gorgeous fruit and  aroma’s leap out to you from the glass, not at all dried peaches like normally with this grape but tropical peaches, round and flat! I have yet to really assess this wine correctly, but will be tasting it in the next few weeks with clients around the country and shall come back to you with more thoughts!”

Winemakers Tasting notes:

“ This wine is the result of collaboration between Bodega Ribas and Sioneta Oliver who, in addition to forming part of the Ribas family, also owns a Viognier vineyard in the town of Consell.

The aim is to achieve the utmost offered by Viognier, a variety with great aromatic potential. The must is fermented at very low temperatures for over sixty days, ensuring a more delicate and selective extraction of the aromatic compounds.

Part of the wine is then put into new casks, where it spends 6 months, the rest being transferred to a tank where it is kept on its lees, becoming enhanced with mannoproteins and other components of the remains of yeast, making the wine more consistent and oily. “

Alc vol: 13.5%

Price: ( SOLD OUT)

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Fairbourne, “Two Tails”, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2011

Mr Whirly says:

I have to admit something here. I am not responsible for sourcing this wine! This is a terrible admission, since this goes against my religion of wine sourcing! But its a great wine and I met the winemaker, Russell Hooper in 2011 and decided to help him out with a little marketing of his wines.

Its a little bit different from the normal NZ Sauvignon Blanc! So thats why its here. The wine is different for the following reasons:

  1. Grown solely on clay gravel soils, therefore site specific and different from the traditional multi sub regional blends.
  2. Made from only free run juice, determined by the winemaker on taste, therefore less aggressive phenolics.
  3. Fuller mid palate than traditional MSB and finishing drier therefore more food friendly than those made for price points.

Alc vol: 13.0%