Saturday, April 20, 2019

St. Joseph 'Offerus' 2015 Jean Louis Chave



100% Syrah from the Northern Rhone, this wine showcases a classic bouquet of dark and blue fruits, meaty and peppery notes, purple flowers, and a quite distinctive black olive aroma.

Medium to full body, the wine has firm tannins and a pronounced freshness. The finish is quite persistent with lots of spicy notes and iron-like character coming through.

Certainly worth aging in bottle a while longer, it drinks well now.

Suggested pairing? Roasted lamb with dried herbs and a black olive tapenade.

Friday, April 19, 2019

Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2013


Designation

Brunello di Montalcino

Grapes

Sangiovese

Alcohol

12.8

Vintage

2013

Winery

This historic estate is situated on the south west side of Montalcino. The name Col d'Orcia literally means 'hill overlooking the Orcia river.'

Considered to be one of the traditional producers of Brunello, they're still aging their wine in large Slavonian oak casks for a minimum of 3 years before bottling.

Winery website: http://www.coldorcia.com/

Review

Certified organic, they practice winter pruning and green harvesting to produce low yields, hand picking every single bunch at harvest.

This 2013 was a little tight at first. After a 2 hour decant, it started expressing itself in a wide array of aromas: red forest fruit, porcini mushrooms, dried herbs such as rosemary and thyme, and pronounced spices such as clove and black pepper.

On the palate the wine is smooth and balanced. The tannins are polished and integrated, the acidity provides a backbone to stand up to the full body of the wine. The finish is long and refined, with an aftertaste of red fruit and some dried tobacco. Excellent food wine.

It drinks well now, but I would buy another bottle and revisit in a few years. It definitely has good aging potential.

Food pairings


  • Red meats (beef, lamb, deer)
  • Poultry