We’re back to the fun of the fair tonight, with another mystery box of goodness delivered from those wine experts at Laithwaites. You’ll remember back in May this year when I took a box around to a friend’s house and worked our way through it with a gourmet meal – www.winefolio.co.nz/?p=5469. I enjoyed it so much, I got another two – one reviewed now, and another to enjoy in a couple of weeks time!
I can’t tell you how many times I get passed the wine list at a restaurant and have the expectation of being able to pick out a stunner from what is, sadly, often fairly thin pickings. So there is a certain joy to be had at having someone else deliver you wines that you’ve not had to pick out, or guess what might be better than average from a pile of things you’ve never had before. I’m also finding that a lot of the wines in the Laithwaites range are a little left of centre – the last box had a Susumaniello and a Roussillon Carignan-Grenache blend. You’ll see from the list below that this was also a pick and mix, with a white blend amongst the surprises.
We started off with what I thought would be the lightest of the bunch – Zonte’s Footstep ‘Shades of Gris’ 2021, opened to go with olives and bruschetta of feta and fresh tomato. From the Adelaide Hills, and labelled as ‘Pinot Grigio’, this is an intriguing take on Pinot Gris. Intended to sit between the Italian and Alsace style – when I tasted this blind – with my eyes closed – I would not have been surprised if it was a rosé.
The aromatics are demure and ethereal, showing nashi pear, blanched almond, white cherry, dried pineapple and lemon blossom. Off-dry, with a crunch of crisp acidity, a fuzzy peach-skin tannin, and defined fruit flavours that do develop nicely across the palate. A touch of viscosity to the texture, ending in a more-ish, clean finish. A great food matching wine. 88pts
As we polished off the nibbles and moved over to the table, the RedHeads ‘Moonlighters’ 2021 from the Barossa and Langhorne Creek was next in our glasses. A white blend of Viognier, Chardonnay and Fiano – not something you’ll find very often, but I am a sucker for these wines that you’ll often only find at the Cellar Door. A pale gold in the glass, and with an intriguing perfume taking something from all varieties – stonefruit, lemon peel, flint, apricot and a bit of spice, maybe a hint of honeysuckle floral. Dry, with some weight (and alcohol warmth) to the palate that’s filled with personality. Good, well-balanced acidity and a lees-influenced, granola-like texture adds depth and richness. More spice, marmalade and almond flavours at the persistant finish. A super food wine – by now we were onto a starter of roast pork belly and fennel salad – a winner! 90pts
Also cracked open at this point was a spanish red – Artiga Old Vines Granacha 2021. Now the grenache grape can come in lots of different styles, and if you’re more accustomed to having Aussie grenache, then the 15% alcohol in this may blindside you. It has those lovely ‘lighter’ grenache flavours and aromas of raspberry and strawberry, green herbs, cherry cola and cinnamon bun.
But also look out for a little more muscle and weight. Dry, with a stony earthiness and black olive savoury nip to it. It was a good, silky wine to move us onto a meaty winter main course, and although it is a little rustic and easy-going, it is still a pleasurable drop. 86pts
Whilst we were on the spanish styles, another Laithwaites exclusive from RedHeads, RedHeads Vin’Atus Tempranillo Graciano Garnacha 2021 seemed the logical choice, to contrast with it’s european alternative. Taking your traditional Spanish red varietals and adding some of their Aussie magic. A bloody depth of blackened red colour in the glass, and matching aromas of brooding, boysenberry, cinnamon, damson, pepper, bramble, tobacco and vanilla, Sweet-fruited and dense, with inky, jammy berries soaking the palate. Smooth, supple with nicely integrated tannins, a bunch of oak, lots of roasted spice notes – seamless and plush. A great, simple, Saturday night, food-friendly big red to go with our slow-cooked beef. 87pts
The last bottle opened at the table, was The Black Pig McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021. I’m an unashamed fan of these bold antipodean stunners. from back in my days as student in the UK, we’d drink these teeth-stainingly black wines with big raspy alcohol, succulent ripeness and bigger than big oak.
Things are a little calmer all round these days, but Laithwaites do a nice line in ‘classic’ South Australian reds, and why not? Built to please the crowd, this particular Shiraz delivers your full bodied but smooth ‘pleasure in a glass’. Oozing dark richness, cedar and that McLaren Vale chocolate and boysenberry signature note. 88pts
The Catch-22 Vineyards Red Blend 2017 is also from the Barossa in South Australia. A chunky red blend of what I’m guessing is mostly Shiraz, but the nose shows a touch of eucalypt as well, plus bags of spice to sit around that intense, dark boysenberry and plum fruit. Ripe, fleshy with bloody black berries; a smooth balance of supple tannin and juicy acidity, and a savoury edge that starts with pepper, before diving into tapenade and smoked salami, then coming out the end at dessert with dark chocolate fudge! As inkily black as a very dark night, the finish is succulent and flowing. At five years in bottle, the cellar-ageing has been done for you – it possibly won’t get any better than it is right now, but tonight it’s a great end of the day. One we sat and sipped by the fireside. 88pts
