True to its Marlborough origins, Duck ’n’ Pheasant is a crisp, ‘jump from the glass’ aromatic Sauvignon. Quality in 2022 was so good, the team were able to make us more passion fruit zing, using top grapes from individual growers.
For lovers of big, smooth reds, El Bombero is a top choice. It comes from Cariñena, a hot, arid region of Spain where sun-loving grapes like Garnacha (same as Châteauneuf’s Grenache) achieve amazing ripeness. Ancient vines, hot summers and a lack of rain mean fewer grapes, which in turn means superb flavour intensity. Hence mouthfilling El Bombero. There are no fancy châteaux around Cariñena, but, as Decanter magazine notes, that doesn’t stop it from being home to some of the best-value reds in the world.
From award-winning winemaker Javier Domeque, El Bombero is packed with spicy black fruit power and a warm glow. Great on its own and a tasty choice for casseroles, full-flavoured pasta dishes, herby roast sausages and mash, and barbecues.
Critic Tim Atkin declared, "For wine lovers, South Africa offers something special," while the Press Association wrote, "South African winemakers are producing an abundance of world-class wines". Excelsior Estate has been doing just that for 150 years, since its foundation in Robertson in 1870. It's still owned today by the De Wet family, with Freddie and his son Peter running the show. Their philosophy is that great wine is made in the vineyard, so they put much work into tending their vines.
Their Heritage Reserve wines use their finest grapes from the lowest yielding vines on the region's premium limestone soils, all to ensure intense flavour. Ripe, but with zesty freshness, this white is great with ginger-spiced pork or noodle soup.
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With many wines ranked over 90 points, Bodegas La Emperatriz is one of Rioja's finest estates. This is their seductively long, complex 7-year-old Gran Reserva from a remarkably single vineyard, just beginning to show at its best. Savour slowly.
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Muga is a byword for quality in Rioja. It's a family estate founded in 1932 and still housed in the historic Barrio de La Estación in Haro. It prides itself on some of the most traditional of red winemaking, as well as the most modern and fresh. As you might imagine Flor de Muga is in the latter camp. The grapes are pure Garnacha, taken from various plots, all planted at 600-750 metres high. In addition, the vines are aged between 70-90 years old, so produce fruit of fabulous intensity.
Couple that with the coolness of the vintage and you can imagine the wine's amazing mineral freshness. Using free-run juice, all lees aged for creamy roundness, it's very citrusy with delicate summer berries. "Possibly the finest vintage to date" (WA).
