latest landings from laithwaites!

Latest landings from Laithwaites!

 

Schild Estate Reserve Single Vineyard Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021

From the Angus Brae vineyard in the Barossa is a Shiraz comes a wine that Laithwaites have discovered that is step above the average. It has the dark, brooding purple colour you’d expect - but the palate has a different tale to tell. There’s a lightness of touch here that never strays into over-ripe. Soft extraction leads to smooth, long tannins, and the fruit is juicy, not jammy. Oak frames the boysenberry, cherry and plum flavours that radiate across the tongue. The finish is dry, peppery and seamless. 93pts

 

Sevenhill Cellars Inigo Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

A Cabernet from the first winery in Clare Valley - named in honour of Inigo of Loyola who was co-founder of the Jesuit Order whose members built Sevenhill. On the nose you’ll get an elegant mix of blackberry, plum, cassis, green herbals, vanilla, graphite and a lavender floral note. Densely juicy on the palate, with very silky tannins and a playful acidity. A warm note of oak peeks through discretely. Some savoury elements - bay leaf, sandalwood and cigar box are there too, slowly emerging deeper in. The finish sweetens and has good length. 91pts

 

Monasterio de Santa Cruz Jumilla 2023

The grape variety here is Monastrell (also known as Mataro or Mourvèdre elsewhere) with a touch of Tempranillo in the mix. The wine comes from the sun-drenched southern plains of Spain. Black cherry, strawberry, elderberry, toasted spices and pepper, plus a savoury note of pumpkin and smoked meats on the nose. A velvet smooth mouthfeel is offset by some bright acidity, whilst the tannin is substantial and grippy. Put that together and you have a wine with great personality and primary appeal. Will be a great one to match with robust winter-warming meals.

 

Trentham Estate Chardonnay 2024

Trentham Estate’s vineyards sit on a winding riverbank in the Murray Darling region in New South Wales. Their Chardonnay is a pale green-golden colour in the glass, with peach, lemon peel, mandarin, cashew nut and baking spices on the nose. A generous style, with plenty of weight and texture in the palate. Oak is well-judged, adding depth, and there is enough acidity to carry those plush fruit flavours along. A straightforward, varietally-pure, expression that offers great food-matching possibilities - roast chicken, pork belly anyone?

 

Lobo e Falcao Reserva 2022

From the 17th century Quinto do Casal Branco estate north of Lisbon, in Portugal, comes Lobo e Falcao (it translates as Wolf and Falcon). Perfumed with plum, mocha, mulberry, blackberry and a smoky spice note. However, the palate is lighter than that boisterous bouquet might lead you to think, with a glossy smoothness too. Tannin plays a part in the core structure, and there are equal parts of acidity and oak, adding up to a very palatable sum. Some herbal flavours mingle with the ripe fruit in the deep, juicy finish. A good - exotic, even - alternative to what is produced in our part of the world. 90pts

 

Redman ‘Bill & Arthur’ Coonawarra Shiraz 2022

Harvested from vines over 100 years old that were planted by the legendary Bill Redman - and now made by the 4th generation of the family. An intriguing mixture of sweet and savoury aromas rises from the glass. Give it a good swirl and find bramble, damson, clove, bitter chocolate, redcurrant and mint in the complex perfume. Medium-bodied and quite tightly structured (for now) - there is finesse and generosity aplenty in the balanced palate. A glossy, ripe finish with plenty of promise of more to come with a few years cellaring. 92pts

 

McPherson Aquarius Sangiovese 2021

Backed by the migrants from Europe, looking for a taste of home, varietals like Sangiovese have found a good following in Victoria. This example comes from the McPherson winery in Nagambie, Central Victoria. A New World take on an Old World classic - this is a medium-bodied dry red with that lovely un-polished rustic edge (and energy) so typical of the grape. A fine balance of acidity and tannin form the core. Flavours of cherry, blackcurrant and plum meet more savoury hints of woody herbs and baked earth, which flow into a dry, lingering finish. 90pts

 

Pikes Wilfred’s Block Clare Valley Cabernet Shiraz 2021

A bright dark ruby colour in the glass. The bouquet shows redcurrant, cherry, blueberry and cassis, with a bon-bon sweetness and jewel-like quality. The palate is medium bodied, driven by a keen line of acidity that brings the lovely, glossy fruit flavours to the fore. A fine balance of toasty oak and ripe tannin also gives a firm spine to the wine. Four years old, it is drinking well now, but you could certainly expect this to develop more complexity if cellared for a few more years. 91pts

 

Angove Bin 273 Pinot Grigio 2024

Angove Family Winemakers is a fifth-generation family owned and operated winery with organic vineyards in McLaren Vale, South Australia. A light straw-coloured wine with bags of crisp lime, satsuma, pear, ginger and freshly cut grass in the perfume. Quite light to taste, with a vibrant energy and juice on the palate. Lively acidity punches those citrus flavours forward. A fuzzy viscosity in the texture adds personality and interest towards the back of the palate.The finish is clean and mouth-watering. A solid lunchtime wine or aperitif option.

 

Il Papavero Primitivo 2023

The south of Italy is a goldmine of big, bruising reds, with Primitivo (which means ‘early ripening’) as the pin-up poster star. This is an Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) level wine from Puglia, down in the ‘heel’ of Italy. IGT designates a wine produced within a specific geographical area, to specific regulations. A deep, inky ruby colour in the glass. The bouquet has blueberry, blackberry, liquorice, black pepper and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, with smooth tannins and a richness to the palate. Relatively spicy - that pepper is quite obvious - but the texture keeps things in a warm swaddle. Another great winter warmer. 90pts

 

Thistledown Gorgeous Old Vine Grenache 2022

Grenache is THE on-trend varietal coming out of South Australia at the moment, with producers like Thistledown championing the grape. The wine is a very pale, translucent magenta colour in the glass, but packs a vivid aromatic punch. Raspberry, pomegranete and strawberry fruits shine in a palate that is light and agile, but has supple tannin and juicy acidity. Further in, through layers of toasted spice and a wisp of tannin, you’ll find a smooth, soft texture that coats the tongue. Crisp, dry and with a good length on the finish. 91pts

 

Edizione Limitata Numerata Numero 3 Particella 21 Chianti 2022

It has a bouquet filled with raspberry, morello cherry, redcurrant, thyme, clove and a floral lift of dried rose petal and fresh violets. Medium-bodied and with a mouthwatering line of crisp acidity, the flavours in the palate are a reflection of the perfume. Both expressive and elegantly structured, the tannins are supple and chalky, giving the wine a firm spine. The red fruits are ripe and plush, but you’ll also find a little tomato leaf, tart cranberry and toasted spice as accents towards the back of the palate. There is a sneaky length to the dry finish, with pepper and cinnamon also showing. 91pts