That time of year is approaching when we start getting the request "when will you be releasing your Christmas Cases?" Well, here they are!
The cases each contain twelve superb wines to suit all your seasonal drinking. They also make ideal presents, which can be collected from the shop or can be delivered to any address in mainland UK in time for Christmas. The cases also make excellent corporate gifts, please call us for details.
So whether you want to send a gift, thank a loved one, turn up with something special at a house party or simply light the fire, put your feet up and indulge, we have something for you. Each case comes complete with a set of tasting notes.
Please note that due to the sheer quantity of wines being sold in our cases over the Christmas period, we reserve the right to substitute a wine or vintage for one of an equal quality if necessary.
For orders or enquiries about any of the cases or wines in this newsletter, please contact us by phone at the shop on 01200 422281 or 01200 423152, thank you.
We would also like to express our thanks to all who joined us for our annual Tasting of Wines for Christmas and hope that you enjoyed yourself as much as we did. The feedback from the tasting has been very interesting, and after the Cases we have included our Top Five Whites and Top Ten Reds (and a couple of extras) of the event.
Thank you to The Lancashire Life Magazine for the fabulous article about us in their recent issue:
http://www.lancashirelife.co.uk/food-drink/d_byrne_co_family_wine_merchants_in_clitheroe_1_3833638
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| Tim, Philip and Andrew tasting the Christmas Case choices. |
White Wines
Diez Siglos Verdejo - Rueda - Spain
D. Byrne & Co. White Wine of the Year 2014/15
This really is a wonderful wine, and one which we simply couldn't resist naming as our new White Wine of the Year. Very clean and filled with tangy citrus fruits, this is an amazingly fine flavourful wine. The perfect modern dry white which is unashamedly fruity, elegant and lengthy.
Terrazze della Luna Nosiola - Trentino - Italy
The relatively undiscovered Nosiola grape is definitely one to watch, and this is a particularly fine example from the excellent Cavit Co-operative. Juicy fruited and textural in the mouth with ripe pear and apple notes leading to a slightly nutty finish.
Cher et Tendre Vouvray Sec - France
It may seem slightly risky throwing an old fashioned medium dry white into the mix, but with a joint of gammon or some smoked fish this is absolutely lovely. Smooth and round with fresh green apples and a delicately balancing acidity, wonderfully fruity and off-dry.
Catalan Eagle Garnacha Blanc/Viognier - Terra Alta - Spain
A delicate floral nose with white stone fruit and grapefruit. The palate displays plenty of citrus character coupled with flavours of pear and melon, minerality and spice. Rich and textural, this is a wonderfully integrated wine.
Adobe Sauvignon Blanc - Casablanca Valley - Chile
Fresh lime zest and green pepper aromas on the nose are carried through to the palate which is alive with crunchy green fruits. Organic and Fair Trade, this is a fine and zesty Sauvignon which is long and zippy.
Red Wines
Juan Gil Pedrera Monastrell - Jumilla - Spain
D. Byrne & Co. Red Wine of the Year 2014/15
The excellent Bodegas Juan Gill produce some of Jumilla's finest wines and they are an absolute genius with the local Monastrell grape. This is a wonderfully pure and open example of the Monastrell, with ripe and juicy bramble and plum fruit flavours, just a hint of fresh spice and a supple, juicy finish.
Caves Alianca Dao Tinto - Portugal
An open fruity nose, with ripe cherry and plum characters. Similarly ripe and full-flavoured on the palate with blackberry and plum notes. Soft tannins and spice on the finish. The perfect winter warmer.
Les Cepages Oublies Cinsault Grenache Vieilles Vignes - Pays d'Oc - France
Old vines, and consequently low yields produce grapes packed with intense perfumes and flavours. The rugged, aromatic intensity of Cinsault is complimented perfectly here by the rich, sweet spiciness of Grenache to produce a refreshingly different but charming wine.
Giardinelli Salice Salentino - Puglia - Italy
Ripe and openly fruity on the nose with liquorice and raisins. The palate shows a wonderful balance of sweet and sour so typical of the Negro Amaro grape with pure black fruits, fresh acidity and a touch of oak spice.
Pablo y Walter Malbec - Mendoza - Argentina
A really pure expression of Malbec which is bright red and juicy fruited, rich in chocolate flavours with just a touch of oak to soften the edges. Rich, vibrant and velveteen.
The Charge Tempranillo Garnacha - Rioja - Spain
Aromas of berries and warm spices lead onto a palate which has beautifully complex dark and spicy fruit flavours and some fine vanilla notes on the finish. A thoroughly satisfying and fruit forward Rioja.
Peacock Ridge Merlot - Western Cape - South Africa
Deep and dense on the nose with aromas of cassis, cedar wood, smoke and herbal notes. Elegant and evolved on the palate with black fruits, mocha, liquorice and tar all perfectly balanced by fine tannins.
£79.95 if collected from the shop
£88 delivered anywhere in mainland UK
Connoisseur Case 2014
Fromm Estate La Strada Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
A hand bitingly pretty wine. Intense pure lemon and wonderfully uplifting stony minerality. Very Sancerre like, the palate is zippy, zesty and fresh, held together by creamy minerality, with tight white peach and a tiny tint of pink grapefruit.
The Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc - Piekernierskloof - South Africa
Complex sandy stone fruit nose with plenty of minerality. The palate has firm, high-key fruit, a broad texture and plenty of persistence. Ultimately this is a deeply satisfying single vineyard wine from an ancient vine block with a genuinely unique terroir feel and character.
Agricola Pra Soave 'Otto' - Italy
Fresh, flowery and subtly tropical nose with ripe pears and a touch of wood smoke. The palate is attractively textured and juicy, showing zesty 'leesy' intensity and a hint of almonds. Richly flavoured and concentrated with a crisp, incisive and mineral finish.
Domaine de la Motte Chablis Premier Cru Vau - Ligneau - France
A full and rich style of Chablis. The nose is a blend of caramel and butterscotch married with ripe mango and other tropical fruits along with apple tones. The palate shows a steely, linear, mineral style with citrus characters. The richness is nicely balanced with good acidity and freshness.
Vallet Freres Bourgogne Blanc - France
This beautifully balanced and classic white Burgundy has a savoury, salty biscuit nose with a restrained, mineral palate. The oak is well-integrated on both the nose and palate giving texture and broadness of style and a long, intense finish.
Red Wines
Nerube Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva, Abruzzo - Italy
A powerful, rich and hedonistic Montepulciano with sensational black fruit aromas that leap from the glass. Full and ripe on the palate with a complex mixture of dried fruits, chocolate and Asian spices. This would be a lovely wine to serve with a seasonal cheese board.
Jealous Sisters Pinot Noir - Wairarapa - New Zealand
Black Cherry and dark plum notes aplenty in this deliciously fruity Pinot. With a softness and suppleness of ripe tannins giving a rounded structure and a long lasting aftertaste, this is rich and elegant.
Boutinot Cairanne 'Les Six' - Cotes du Rhone Villages - France
Silky, peppery, elegant and very long on the palate, this is just such a lovely wine that oozes finesse and is perfumed with eau de Cairanne. Although young, it screams out "drink me!".....and how can you resist?
Alvaro Castro Dao Tinto - Portugal
Alvaro Castro is widely regarded as one of Portugal's finest wine makers, and most certainly crafts the finest wines in his native region the Dao. This is a lovely wine filled with sweet, fresh red fruits and fine minerality, all of which amount to an unmistakable feeling of grace and elegance.
Chateau Valade St Emilion Grand Cru - Bordeaux - France
This is a very classy Claret from the wonderfully rich and exotic 2009 vintage. There is plenty of structure here, but the fruit is ripe and succulent, decant for an hour and serve with a roast of beef or lamb.
Emiliana Coyam Colchagua - Chile
Amongst the first Chilean blends to champion the Carmenere grape. Rich and sumptuous on the nose with Morello cherries, mulberries and more berries! The palate contains the same berry intensity, plus a wonderful warm dusty character, reminiscent of its location, together with hints of mint and some minerality.
Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha - Campo de Borja - Spain
Deep cherry red in colour with a hint of purple. A bouquet of mature red fruits with floral notes that are typical of the best Garnachas. The palate is rich and well-structured showing flavours of blackberries, strawberries and tones of leather, vanilla and a smoky burnt treacle tang.
£149.99 if collected from the shop
£158 delivered anywhere in mainland UK
Top Wines of the Annual Tasting of Wines for Christmas
Whites
1. Seriously Cool Chenin £8.99
2. Sileni Straights Sauvignon Blanc £8.99
3. Domaine des Perserons Saint Veran £10.99
4. Domaine de la Motte Chablis £11.99
5. Le Fusil de Chasse, Pouilly Fume £8.99
Reds
1. Wishbone Shiraz/Grenache £7.99
2. Domaine de la Haute Marone Gigondas £12.99
3. Caberet Frank Old Vine Cabernet Franc £6.99
4. Castello della Paneretta Chianti Classico £10.99
5. Novas Gran Reserva Merlot £8.59
6. Domaine Chante Cigale Chateauneuf du Pape £18.59
7. Dona Paula Malbec £6.99
8. Niepoort Drink Me Tinto £10.59
9. Juan Gill 4 Meses Monastrell £6.99
10. Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz £11.99
Little Stars - Sweet Wine & Port
1. Pellegrino Passito do Pantelleria - luscious raisins £8.99
2. Grahams Late Bottled Vintage Port - Christmas in a glass £9.99
