(2024) An organic certified partner to the regular Roggiano Morellino, this is just redolent of ripe, juicy cherries. There's a savoury edge that emerges, slightly cedary, smoky and meaty, moving on to the palate where that plump cherry ripeness reasserts. There's a delightful axis of ripe tannins and pin-sharp acidity here, adding a bittersweet, grown-up firmness to the fleshy mid-palate fruit.
(2024) From a small, sustainably-run estate in Martinborough, this is absolutely the style I expect, with a bit of solidity and higher alcohol, but not without fragrance and elegance. At eight years of agethere's a mere hint of tawny on the rim, but aromas are immediately fresh, with wild strawberry meshing with a sizzle of bacon fat, some truffle and a deeper fruit character. The palate has a certain meatiness and there is a grounding of coffee-ish oak that gives a touch of char. But on top, the fruit is bright and sharply focused, with plenty of acidity and a smoothness to the tannins. I do feel the heat of the alcohol a little, which knocks it back a point or two, but a premium example of quite a serious Martinborough style.
(2024) With 13.8% alcohol this is just a bit lighter than the 2014, and for me, that's a marginal benefit. Colour is much the same with just a hint of amber on the rim as nine years old, but the nose seems to have just a touch more light and shade, floral and light, herbs and briarwood character showing through a little more. Delightfully sweet fruit on the palate, this gaining in sweet-fruited purity what the 2014 has in more muscular density. Very refined and elegant this, in both fruit, tannin, cherry-ripe acidity and a more background quality to the oak.
(2024) Made with 10% whole bunches, part wild-fermented. After 14 – 15 days maceration the juice was basket pressed into French oak barriques, 20% of which were new. Still that chestnutty character, but perhaps just a little more lift to this, a little more floral and raspberry fruit character, but the meaty, umami notes still there there, a cordial-like richness. In the mouth tannins are quite silky but edge the plummy fruit with a bit of liquorice or endive bite, accentuated by a firm acid structure. Oak is background component, perhaps adding just a touch of espresso darkness. Some more time in bottle would suit the wine I think.
(2024) This Reserve vintage from Dublin St. is in an absolutely perfect place. Basket pressed to French oak barriques (25% new) for 12 months, it is infused with a swirl of tobacco and coffee, a cedary elegance too. The fruit is intense but in an elegant, red-fruited style, floral notes flitting around raspberry and fat, ripe cherry. The palate caresses with silky tannins and more of that glossy, ripe and juicy fruit, but there's an edge here, between truffle and tapenade, giving a savoury, chewy balance to the opulence. Long, fruity, but serious and juicy with a keen orange acidity, it's a lovely Pinot.
(2024) 100% Tempranillo, this is a high quality Rioja which will appeal most to fans of the marzipan, coconut and espresso-slicked hedonistic and velvety style. The fruit comes from the best vineyards of the property where vines have an average age of 50 years. The wine spends 24 months in all new American oak barrels, where it remains for 24 months, followed by several year in bottle before release. After that intense, balsamic richness of the aromas, the palate shows sumptuous depths of black fruit and charry oak, but zipping cherry and plum skin acidity as well as edgy tannins bring freshness. Long, spicy finish.
(2024) A wine from this historic Languedoc appellation that is mostly 20-year-old-plus Syrah (60%), blended with Grenache and Carignan. There's a lovely fruit compote sweet impression on the nose, someAgen prune and plump sultana characters, and fresher red berries in the mix. On the palate it is vinous and medium-bodied, dark vine fruits have a bittersweet plum skin edge. Tannins are quite grippy, acidity balances, for a gastronomic wine with a bit of oomph.
(2024) From an organic estate just outside the Brunello di Montalcino appellation, this is 100% Sangiovese, fermented and aged in French oak for 24 months. I find the paler colour of this eight-year-old wine to be attractive, maybe just a hint of amber on the rim. On the nose there's a developed character, moving into an autumnal phase with dried leaves, truffle and a little chestnut. It's Sangiovese in a Burgundy mould, with a little sour cherry added. The palate has that same briary, mushroom and truffle softness, the tannins are resolved and elegant and the balance of the acidity is very good, giving this clarity into the gently spicy finish. The opposite of blockbuster, it's a lovely wine of individual style.
(2024) Winemaker Alessandra Casini Bindi Sergardi is the 24th generation at this Tuscan estate which is a long term favourite of FromVineyardsDirect. I have enjoyed various wines of theirs in the past. This is mostly Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot, and spent three months in French oak barriques. Deep crimson, the nose has a seductive creaminess and touch of fudge character, some sweet tobacco spice and hint of floral lift is lovely too. Medium-bodied, there's a real juiciness at the core of this, bursting-ripe black and red berries, with a nice firm cedar touch underpinning, but that juiciness combines with pert acidity and a light but gravelly tannin for real freshness in the finish. A little star.
(2024) A Vin de France, this pulls together Pinot from Burgundy, the Loire Valley and the Languedoc and is a fresh, unoaked expression. Medium density of colour, with aromas of raspberry and some floral/herbal hints, it has a pleasant red fruit character overall. In the mouth this walks a nice line between prettiness with its rose petal nuances, and a little bit of structure with firmer, darker fruit notes and a delicate spice and olive note adding a bit of extra interest.
