Winter Reds at Generator Waring Taylor 18th of July 3:30pm
Notes on the lineup…
Château Musar Jeune Red 2021
Region - Bekaa Valley, Lebannon
Grapes - Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon
Gaston Hochar planted his first vineyards after returning from Bordeaux in 1930 and established Château Musar working closely with Major Ronald Barton (of Château Langoa-Barton and Leoville-Barton).
Made from the fruit of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, vines planted in 2000 at around 1,000m above sea level in the Bekaa Valley. The altitude is the key to the freshness that the wine displays ad stops them over heating.
Musar Jeune Red is fermented in cement-lined vats and bottled a year after harvest and released a year later.
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Vina Valoria Rioja Reserva 2014
Region - Rioja, Spain
Grape - Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha
Reserva definition - a minimum of 3 years ageing prior to release - with a minimum of 1 full year spent in oak.
Rioja is famous for its big reds aged for long periods of time in (typically) American oak. The big vanilla and coconut flavours of the oak marry well with the robust flavours of the Tempranillo grape. The region is found in the north of Spain, and is divided into three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental which span the Ebro river.
Vina Valloria is found in Rioja Alta where soils include clay-limestone, clay-ferrous and alluvial deposits and the climate is dictated to by the Atlantic and is thus cooler and wetter.
Temperature controlled fermentation and maceration is carried out in stainless steel to preserve fruit intensity before maturation for 30 months in American oak barrels and 24 months bottle-age before release.
The winery was established in 1860 and is the region’s 5th oldest.
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Les Haut de Tousquiron Medoc 2015
Region - Médoc, Bordeaux
Grapes - 47% Cabernet, 45% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc and 3% Petit Verdot
A lovely traditionally styled left bank Bordeaux from a Cru Bourgeois property in the north of the Médoc.
The Médoc is located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, northwest of Bordeaux near to where the river meets the sea and benefits from a maritime climate which helps moderate temperatures.
It is famous for its gravelly soils, which are well-draining and retain heat, contributing to the ripening of the grapes. The terroir also includes clay and limestone, adding complexity to the wines.
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Colossal Reserva Casa Santos Lima 2017
Region - Lisboa, Portugal
Grape - Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Tinta Roriz (Portugal's name for Tempranillo) and a dash of 10% Alicante Bouschet
Casa Santos Lima is a family owned company making wine from Portugal’s Lisboa, Algarve, Alentejo, Vinho Verde and Douro regions - and exports to over 50 countries.
The wine spends 8 months in oak.
The Lisboa region stretches along the Atlantic coast, north and west of Lisbon and the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean creates a maritime climate, providing cool breezes that help moderate temperatures. The soils in Lisboa are diverse, including clay-limestone, sand, and alluvial deposits, which contribute to the complexity of the wines.
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Sons Of Eden Shiraz Zephyrus 2021
Region - Eden Valley, Barossa, Australia
Grape - Shiraz (Syrah)
Eden Valley born, Barossa winemaker Corey Ryan cut his teeth at Henschke before moving to Villa Maria in Auckland, New Zealand, and then returning home to create the Sons of Eden brand with an old buddy.
Zephyrus Shiraz is named after the Greek God of the west wind, depicted as a majestic horse on the label. Its made from grapes grown in both the Eden Valley (45%) and the Barossa Valley (55%), which combine their, respectively, cooler and warmer climate attributes, which gives this wine its lively acidity and full bodied power.
The wine was fermented using varying proportions of whole bunch clusters from 10% to 60% with 20 to 25 days on skins followed by pressing into French oak barrels, 45% new and 55% seasoned. It spent 15 months in oak and was bottled without fining or filtration.
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Man O' War Ironclad Bordeaux Blend Waiheke 2021
Region - Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Grapes - Cabernet Franc 50%, Merlot 26%, Petit Verdot 14%, Cabernet Sauvignon 9%, Malbec 1%
Ironclad is a full bodied red blend made from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties which are grown on Waiheke Island.
The vineyards are dry farmed, hand harvested and each parcel fermented and aged separately for an extended period, 30 days in vat and two years in barrel - 30% new French oak barriques, 70% seasoned.
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