From the 4th-generation De Martino family, this is a rich, ripe red using Chile's speciality grape, Carmenère. It shows what elegance and richness can be achieved in Chile's best sites. The family are Italian, but left their homeland for South America in 1934. They made the Cachapoal Valley their new home and now have the largest holdings of organic vineyards in Chile.
Their wines always show a great sense of "place, purity and balance". Twice named 'Chilean Winery of the Year', they specialise in using sustainable practices in the vineyard and carefully match each grape to its optimum region. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in cool Limari, while Carmenère excels in the warmer Maipo Valley. Silky solo, it's tasty too with chicken or veggie bake.
These wines kick started the region's renaissance and became some of the most exclusive and expensive in the world. Saracosa is from the Barbanera family estate, overlooked by the Saracosa hill near Montalcino. Half the vineyards are in the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, and the remainder just beyond. In the fine 2019 vintage Saracosa's old vines delivered exceptional concentration.
The fruit was then part-aged in French oak barriques to lend a toasty layer of complexity. Dense, dark cherry and chocolatey tones make this a serious choice for pasta with pork ragù or bistecca alla fiorentina (steak with cannellini beans in tomato sauce).
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Opi Sadler is behind many of our most popular Argentine reds. And for good reason - he is a magician of a winemaker. He learnt his skills from an early age in the dark cellars of his grandfather. His family had always made wine and Opi took a healthy interest. That was despite being a little spooked by the sleeping bats that always seemed to come to life as he crept down to the cellar with his candle. He remembers vividly how they'd knock into the it and leave wax prints all over his grandfather’s cellar, hence the name of this wine.
Spicy, liquorice-scented Shiraz, cassis-laden Cabernet and dense Malbec create a wine with bags of appealing ripe fruit. Smooth enough to drink solo and great with spare ribs or veggie wraps. Open early.
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A fear of heights is a non-starter for those working in the vineyards of Vallée du Paradis. They perch perilously on the slopes below Peyrepertuse, an ancient Cathar fortress some 800m high in the Pyrenees. So collecting the intensely fruity, aromatic grapes is not for the faint-hearted. Luckily, winemaker Benjamin Andrieu is willing to put fear aside to tend them.
?The result is a really appealing red, with bright fruit and seductively spiced notes. Syrah brings ripe blackberry, herbs and liquorice notes, while juicy Grenache and peppery Carignan add even more depth and body. A top choice for those who love smooth, silky reds with the warmth of southern France. Great with grilled meats, pasta with pesto, aubergine bake or on its own.
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