For piercing, ultra-fresh Sauvignon, Elqui Valley is a top spot. It’s an extraordinary region in the north of Chile next to the Atacama desert. Thanks to snowmelt from the Andes and the wonders of irrigation, green and flourishing vineyards stand out in contrast to their lunar-like surroundings. Alta Tierra is from Viña Falernia, owned by cousins Aldo Olivier and Giorgio Flessati. They have 135 hectares of beautifully manicured vineyards and an ultra-modern cellar. In 2005 their first vintage won a Trophy and put Elqui on the map. This dazzling Sauvignon Blanc displays classic varietal character of elderflower and freshly mown grass with ripe melon and citrus fruit. Enjoy on its own or partner with spicy Asian dishes or fish.
Altos de Bergasa is from Bodegas La Eralta, a family-owned winery founded in 1990. Quite young in terms of Rioja.
It proudly owns 360 hectares of vineyard throughout the three subregions, with this luscious Gran Reserva named after its first plots, planted in the village of Bergasa.
At their modern cellars, they boast 10,000 French and American oak barrels, within which they age their finest wines – from Crianza to this exceptional Gran Reserva.
For this wine, they only age their finest grapes, all Tempranillo, ageing the wine at least a year in barrel and the rest of the time in bottle.
Despite its 7 years' age, it is still fairly youthful. Delicious drinking now, we recommend early opening and decanting to release all the flavours.
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Finding a parcel of 2010 claret nine years after this 5-Star vintage was a coup for our Buyer Jean-Marc Sauboua. Critic Michael Schuster described the wines of 2010 on release as “massively elegant, fresher, firmer, more tannic”, Suckling praised them for being “very precise, focused and fresh to taste”, “dangerously good” said Jancis Robinson MW.
Médoc wines that year proved particularly good value too. The 40 hectare estate Château Carcanieux has very gravelly soils, hence its original name Carcanieux Les Graves. This encourages superb concentration and ripeness in the wines. Cabernet with Merlot, and aged in barrel, this silky claret has a fine balance of fruit and maturity, with spice from the oak. Decant and serve with steak au poivre.
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So we were delighted when we finally secured access to some nearby white vineyards with incredible fruit that has allowed us to create the prestigious La Clarière Blanc. This dazzling white Bordeaux combines bright, character-filled Sauvignon Blanc and richer, creamier Sauvignon Gris to create an extraordinarily sensuous wine. It has enjoyed all the same lavish, no-expense-spared treatment in the winery usually accorded to the red, and the result is a citrussy, complex, textured wine that is absolutely irresistible. Oak fermented, lees stirred, and then aged in partnew oak barrels, the richness and complexity is reminiscent of the grand wines of Pessac Léognan. Smooth, rich, long and lavish … it's simply magnificent – a very worthy partner to the red. It's a truly fine dining partner that really shines when served with luxury cuisine.
