Fine Wines Direct Christmas wines

Oct 24, 21 Fine Wines Direct Christmas wines

Halloween is just round the corner but Fine Wines Direct already have Christmas in mind and invited me to participate in an online tasting earlier this week. They choose 10 wines that they think will be great for this holiday season.

Fine Wines Direct are a small, independent wine importer based in Cardiff. They have a huge selection of wines from around the world, including many of the most popular regions. They stock the classics as well as lesser known wines.

The Wineries

For the Christmas wine tasting, we had a selection of 3 whites and 7 reds. The wines were from the following wineries:

Alan Scott Vineyards – one of the pioneering producers of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and now with a second base in Central Otago

Familia Fernandez Rivera in Spain who own Pesquera Tinto and Condado de Haza in Ribera del Duero, Dehesa la Granja in Zamora and El Vinculo in La Mancha

Marques de Caceres Excellens range, which is entirely focused on independents and restaurants


Escorihuela Gascon, the oldest winery in Mendoza, Argentina

Thorn-Clarke Wines 170 hectare family run winery based in Barossa Valley

TASTING NOTES, THE WHITES:

Scott Base Terra Nova Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2020: Named after the ship that Capt. Scott sailed on when he left England for New Zealand, this Sauvignon Blanc is a classic, pungent and loaded with freshness, made from old vines, it has concentration and depth. RRP £19.99

Thorne Clarke Riesling, Eden Valley, Mt Crawford, Block 5, 2019: The grapes come from the oldest vineyard in Eden Valley. The producers were searching for a new type of wine and were looking for a fresh and easy style of Riesling. This one is nicely balanced with acidity and fruit. This is a low alcohol wine (11%) which makes it perfect as a light lunch wine. RRP £14.99

Marques de Caceres Excellens Verdejo 2020: The stand-out wine of the whites, the Verdejo had weight despite the fact that no oak was used in the production of this wines. Concrete eggs were used which gives loads of flavour and depth. I really liked this wine. RRP £10.99

Christmas white wines

TASTING NOTES, THE REDS:

Scott Base Terra Nova Pinot Noir, Central Otago 2020: 100% Pinot Noir, 14 months in oak. A ripe and medium bodied wine with cherry and red fruit notes, fresh with balanced acidity. Easy to drink and with a long finish. RRP £19.99

Thorne Clarke Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018: Fresh and easy to drink, rich fruit but balanced out with refreshing acidity. Sustainably produced with minimal intervention. A good wine that can be drunk on it’s own or with a meal. RRP £11.99

Marques de Caceres Excellens Crianza. Made from 100% Tempranillo and aged in French oak, this is a very approachable wine, drinking well now, nice and smooth with a very aromatic nose. A great wine to start dinner. RRP £11.99

Escorihuela Familia Gascon Malbec 2020: An elegant and fresh wine, not jammy but smooth and velvety with round tannins. A wine that would pair well with red meats or roasted vegetables. RRP £10.99

Escorihuela Gascon Organic Vineyard Malbec 2019: This is a unique wine from Escorihuela as they decided to make a minimal intervention wine, 100% organic and no oak. The idea is to challenge consumers perception of what Argentine Malbec is, here they are aiming for a wine with structure and fruit but also having the floral notes that Malbec is famous for – a unique wine. The wine was made in stainless steel vats which makes the fruit shine. I really enjoyed this wine, another great one to have with food. RRP £18.99

Bodegas Condado de Haza 20 Aldeas 2018: Certified organic, this wine was made to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Condado de Haza. 100% Tempranillo it is a well structured wine with blueberries and blackberries on the nose and a long, supple finish. RRP £34.99

Tinto Pesquera, Ribera del Duero Crianza 2018: Aged 14 months in American oak, this is a classic from Ribera del Duero, small production and available only by small allocation, this wine is a balanced blend of oak and dark red fruits with a persistant finish and silky tannins. This wine definitely needs to be decanted for an few hours but then it really opens up nicely. RRP £21.99

Christmas red wines

A lovely selection of wines to choose from for the holiday season. All wines are available from the Fine Wines Direct website or look for them in finer dinning establishments.

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