D. Byrne & Co. Wine Jottings

SPRING NEWSLETTER 2017

In this newsletter:

The new Spring Case

Our ever popular Everyday Case

Wines of the month

New Tuscan Estate wines

Special offers on Chilean reds

Some new wines and old favourites

Sunday Times Magazine recommendations

Malt whisky of the month and offers

Gin of the month

Burgundy En Primeurs

D. Byrne & Co. Spring Case

WHITES

Sileni Cellar Selection Pinot Gris, Hawkes Bay

A lovely balance between fleshy fruit, aromatics & delicate spice. Aromas of yellow peach & nectarine with some musky floral & cinnamon spice notes. The palate is rich & rounded with juicy nectarine characters providing a feel of real fleshiness.   

Bodegas Borsao Seleccion Blanco, Campo de Borja

100% indigenous, characterful, Macabeo from this respected Campo de Borja producer.

This wine shows stone fruit and limey citrus aromas. The palate mirrors the nose with more nectarine and apple characters, ripe citrus and a creamy mouthfeel - backed by subtle and well integrated oak.

The Long Little Dog Blanc, Pays d’Oc

Understated with fresh lemon and floral notes, it has a fantastic palate weight with more citrus as well as apricot and a savoury, saline character very much true to its place. The finish is youthful and fresh with good acidity.

Chateau L’Ermitage Tradition Blanc, Costieres de Nimes

Aromas of orange blossom & a stony, flinty quality. The Viognier & Grenache Blanc add a natural richness of peach & ripe nectarine flavours which are balanced by the fresh grapefruit & citrus characters from the Roussanne. A classic white from the Rhone.

Adobe Reserva Organic Gewurztraminer, Rapel Valley

The nose has jasmine tea notes with white pepper held together by a fine sandy structure. On the palate there are bright floral and mineral nuances with a lingeringly spicy, ginger character. Full and just off-dry, this wine may be different but it is absolutely delicious with spicy Asian foods.

REDS

Kaiken Reserve Malbec, Mendoza

This is a lovely, modern and fruit driven Malbec.

Deep purple in colour. Ripe fruit aromas of strawberries and cherries are nicely complemented with spicy notes and menthol aromas. On the palate, this wine displays extraordinary balance, freshness and soft tannins.

Magpie Estate Wishbone Shiraz Grenache, Barossa Valley

Warm plum and raspberry fruit on the nose with hints of rocky earth, spice and violets. Lovely and ripe, medium to full bodied with juicy plum and raspberry on the palate. It’s a generous juicy mouthful with bags of fruit and spice.

Zorgvliet Silver Myn Argentum, Banghoek

This blend from the Bordelaise specialists of Banghoek Valley is brim full of dark, crunchy Cabernet-family fruit with dark curranty corners. The palate finishes long, textural with a touch of hoisin sauce. A fine and nicely structured wine.

Chateau L’Ermitage Tradition Rouge, Costieres de Nimes

A beefy wine that is dark and distinctive with lots of red ripe fruit, sweet and savoury characters and roasted coffee flavours. Warm, southern, spicy fruit that is warming and appealing yet still rustic.

Savoir-Fraire d’Autrefois Mourvedre, Pays d’Oc

An intriguing nose of tobacco, cloves and leather is followed by a luxuriant yet sleek and supple palate. Dark cherries and chocolate are interwoven with fine French oak and supported by firm tannins.

Conviviale Primitivo, Salento

A warm, richly flavoured red with aromas of plums, dried fruits & sweet spices. On the palate it is generous with impressive concentration of ripe plum & black cherry fruit & hints of dried figs -all balanced by a silky smooth mouthfeel & fresh acidity.

Fuenteseca Organic Bobal Cabernet, Utiel-Requena

Bright, juicy fruit aromas with appealing cassis and cherry characters. The palate has a silky texture with ripe, soft, plum and herbal notes. The mouthfeel is generous and rounded with gentle tannins and an appealing finish.

£89.99 If collected from the shop and £98 if delivered anywhere in mainland UK.

Free delivery within a 30 mile radius

Everyday Case

WHITES

Murviedro Fauno Viura/Sauvignon Blanc, Valencia

Medal-winning and fantastically fruity Viura Sauvignon Blanc blend from sunny Valencia.
Fresh peach and citrus aromas follow onto the bright and fresh palate. Here ripe stone fruit and gooseberry notes combine with mineral characters to add texture.

Sanvigilio Pinot Grigio, Pavia

Shows delicate, yet lifted, floral and fruity aromas on the nose. Crisp and fresh on the palate with a ripe lemon character, the wine has a good mouthfeel and clean finish. Very light and easy drinking.

Il Meridione Grillo, Sicilia

A honeyed, floral and spicy nose with hints of ginger and stone fruit. Ripe, sun-dried citrus characters on the palate with savoury notes and a creamy texture. Fresh balancing acidity on the lightly nutty finish.

Soldiers Block Chardonnay, Victoria

Pure elegance from the Southern Ocean. An elegant and easy drinking wine. This vibrant Chardonnay exhibits lifted fruit character, bright tangerine fleshiness, textural mouth-feel, a bright palate and a long and foodie finish.

Bellefontaine Sauvignon Blanc, Pays d’Oc

Classic Sauvignon Blanc nose with herbaceous notes, yet with underlying ripeness. Pretty elderflower aromas balanced with zesty grapefruit notes. Concentrated fruit and good acidity make this a very satisfying drop!

REDS

Murviedro Fauno GSM, Valencia

Appealing, award-winning, juicy Grenache Syrah Monastrell blend from Valencia
Bright nose with plums and blackberries. The palate is characterful with riper black fruit, supple tannins and fresh, juicy acidity. Finishing with a hint of pepper and spice.
Vega Piedra Tinto, Rioja

Great value classic House Rioja from Bodegas Carlos Serres in Haro.
Approachable, appealing and juicy in style with lifted red berry fruit and hints of spice. The palate is bright with bramble and cherry fruit and gently rounded tannins. Nicely-balanced with a long finish.

Conviviale Montepulciano, Abruzzo

An intense wine with cherry, ripe plum fruit aromas and warm, earthy spice. The palate is densely packed with Morello cherry, cassis and bramble fruit flavours. Tannins are ripe, giving structure to a substantial wine with a fresh sappy finish.

Les Oliviers Grenache, Pays d’Oc

Supple yet with underlying structure, it is quite lifted and vibrant on the nose moving on to a full and intense palate. A fresh and exciting wine that is lively and exuberant. Packed full of ripe, crunchy red berry fruit backed up with a hint of liquorice and touch of spice. Lovely.

Meerestein Shiraz/Mourvedre, Swartland

A perfumed nose with a delicious bright raspberry and crushed blackcurrant character and an almost savoury finish.

Tierra Alta Pinot Noir, Central Valley

Quite simply the best value Pinot Noir we have come across.
A delicate and elegant wine (as all good Pinot should be) showing ripe fruit flavours of plums and wild strawberries, balanced with subtle smoky notes and a deliciously lingering finish.

Soldiers Block Malbec, Victoria

Classically textured, violet in hue with an exotically perfumed nose. A great wine to serve with rich and flavoursome foods.
£65.99 if collected from the shop or £74 if delivered to any address in the UK

Free delivery within a 30 mile radius

Wines of the month

2015 Wishbone Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley Australia   £7.99

Warm plum and raspberry fruit on the nose with hints of rocky earth, spice and violets. Lovely and ripe, medium to full with more juicy plum and raspberry on the palate, black cherry and a lick of creamy oak. 

2016 Sileni Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand     £7.99

Reminds you of what made Marlborough Sauvignon famous, showing ripe tropical and gooseberry fruit flavours with a zingy finish and impeccable balance. Crisp yet full flavoured with a long finish.

Tuscan Estate Wines

 Azienda Uggiano was established in the early 1970s, eventually settling at San Vincenzo a Torri near the river Pesa - a beautiful site in the Tuscan countryside amongst monastries and villas - in 1976. These new additions to our list represent real value for money:

Montalcino           £21.99

Fantastic quality entry level Brunello. Forest fruits, violets, plum and sweet spice characters with toasty oak.

2012 Uggiano Chianti Riserva ‘Fagiano’        £10.59

The estates flagship barrique aged Riserva. Displaying black cherry, vanilla, berry and plum. Supple and long.

2013 Uggiano Chianti Classico Riserva          £8.99

Great value, classic Chianti Riserva. Plum and wild cherry fruit with supple tannins.

2015 Uggiano Chianti Colli Fiorentini            £6.99

Bitter cherry, vibrant spice and ripe black fruits.

2015 Uggiano Prestige Chianti                        £6.59

Bargain price Chianti with perfumed crunchy red cherry fruit.

Special offers on Caliterra Chilean Reds

2014 Caliterra Tributo ‘Single Vineyard’ Malbec, Colchagua Valley          £8.99

The Malbec grape, synonymous with Argentina, also flourishes on the western slopes of the Andes. Intense fruit, subtle oak and smooth tannins make this a fabulous winter warmer.

2016 Caliterra DSTNTO, Colchagua Valley             £8.99

Just as the name suggests, this wine is distinct and unique. One of the first wines in Chile to be made by carbonic maceration, it is deep in colour, intensely aromatic and fruity.

2014 Caliterra Edicion Limitada ‘A’, Colchagua Valley     £11.99

A harmonious pairing of the two signature grapes of South America; the spicy and savoury Carmenere expertly blended with the rich and fruity Malbec.

Some new wines and a few old favourites

2015 Burlesque Chardonnay, California, USA      £6.59

Bright and aromatic with clean citrus notes, layered with riper, tropical fruits. A pure, fruit driven expression. Mango and pineapple combine with green apple and lemon which is not masked by ugly oak.

2016 Adobe Reserva Gewurztraminer, Valle del Rapel, Chile     £6.99

Jasmine and tea notes with white pepper on the nose. Bright floral and mineral nuances with a lingeringly spicy, ginger and exotic finish. Hugely, broadly, appealing and accessible Gewurz.

2015 Monte Schiavo Coste del Molino Verdicchio Classico, Marche, Italy    £7.59

Stunning. 100% Verdicchio from the dynamic Monte Schiavo's 'Coste del Molino' vineyards. A stylish and concentrated Verdicchio with fresh intense aromas of grapefruit and lime, as well as honeyed stonefruit. The palate is fresh and fruity; very approachable, with apple, pear and ripe stone fruit. A mouthfilling minerality adds to the complexity and palate weight.

2015 Torre Terza Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy    £7.99

Tenute Toscane's Torre Terza estate produces limited quantity, but good quality wines - this Vernaccia is no exception. A dry, savoury white with apple and citrus aromas and a gently nutty, almond character. It has full, broad flavours typical of Vernaccia on the mid palate, leading to a dry, slightly spicy finish.

2015 La Val Orballo Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain     £8.99

Aromas of stone fruit, honey, and floral notes mingling with wild herbs, sweeter mandarin skin and apple. Generous and textural on the palate with hints of ripe gala melon, salinity, and fresh citrus.

2016 Amuata Absoluto Torrontes, Salta, Argentina          £8.99

Forget those awful soapy Torrontes you’ve tasted in the past. Alsatian in style, with lovely Eastern nuances of rose-petal, lemongrass and ginger. Rich and aromatic, fresh and beautifully structured.

2014 Ca N'Estruc Idoia Blanc, Catalunya, Spain     £12.99

Intriguing Spanish white blend from vineyards just a stone's throw from Barcelona. Complex and layered with aromas of tropical fruit and brioche . The palate is opulent with savoury, nutty characters balanced by apricot and a touch of vanilla. Weighty with mineral complexity and bright citrus acidity on the finish.

2013 Savoir-Faire d’Autrefois Mourvedre, Pays d’Oc, France    £7.99

Mourvedre currently enjoying a rebirth, possibly due to the quality and reasonably priced Monastrells coming from southern Spain. This example from southern France is intriguing, appealing and subtle. Nose of cloves and leather, followed by a complex mix of dark cherries chocolate and subtle French oak.

2015 Kaiken Malbec Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina         £7.99

Another great value red made by the Montes family from over the Andes in Chile. The wine displays hints of strawberry, spice and mint on the nose, with a lovely soft round texture and fruit character so typical of this variety in Argentina.

2015 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina       £7.99

Cracking value red that displays real varietal character. Typical blackcurrant fruit and spice, with subtle hints of tobacco leaf, leading to a complex and spicy finish.

2014 Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz Australia,    £10.99

Beautiful example of what well-made Barossa Shiraz has to offer, and a favourite of ours for quite some time. A deep red with hints of purple and a nose of blueberries, spice and dark chocolate. Palate delivers blackberry and plum fruit with spice and hints of chocolate. Deliciously long.

2015 Dandelion Vineyards Menagerie of the Barossa Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro, Australia     £12.99

Chateauneuf style blend from the Barossa with Grenache making up 80% of the mix. Red fruits and spice on the nose, while the palate offers a rich texture of red fruits, soft tannins and subtle oak.

2013 Borsao Zarihs Syrah, Campo de Borja, Spain     £13.99

A powerful high altitude Syrah from Spain. Ripe aromas of black fruits, blackcurrant pastilles and a hint of coffee and vanilla. The palate has wild blackberries, toasty oak and black pepper notes - all balanced by fresh acidity and a touch of dark chocolate.

2012 Bodegas Hispano+Suizas Bassus 'Finca Casilla Herrera', Utiel Requena, Spain      £19.99

A deep, dark and brooding blend from eastern Spain. Ripe red fruit aromas with toasty vanilla and balsamic notes. The palate is full and rich with more red berry and dense black fruit flavours. Poised and well structured with balancing acidity, light smoky notes and a long finish.

2009 Il Faggeto Pietranera Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, Tuscany, Italy      £20.69

A powerful, rich and elegant Tuscan wine. Intense and ripe nose with opulent plum and cherry fruit. The palate is powerful and richly-flavoured, with ripe black fruit flavours backed by pepper and spice. This evolves to spicy oak and liquorice - all followed by a firm, dry finish with ample ripe tannins.

Sunday Times Magazine recommendations

Les Six Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages £11.89

In an appellation often dominated by just two varieties, ‘Les Six’ is a new style of

Cairanne which, due to the ancient varieties of Carignan Noir (10%), Cinsault (10%)

and Counoise (10%) included in the assemblage, is also a Cairanne whose heart

holds dear the traditions of yesteryear. Les Six is all about elegance and the

expression of six different grape varieties; soft red fruits gently seasoned with a touch

of oak. This wine has a natural affinity with herby lamb dishes but would be superb with most grilled meats and roasted vegetable dishes.

‘Chateau L’Ermitage Cuvee Sainte-Cecile Rouge’ £11.69

This is a warm, herbal-scented southern French wine. Here the cautious, less-is-more approach to oak reveals itself in a wine which is immediately soft and developed, yet without overt oaky tones.

Château l'Ermitage was founded in the XIth Century by the hermits of Sainte Cécile d'Estagel Abbay. It is situated on the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostella. The estate's total surface covers 80 hectares of sunny south facing vineyards, which benefit from the airy Mediterranean climate. The domain's owners for the past 30 years have been Michel and Jérôme Castillon. The work they accomplish allows the grape to breathe out and the use of oak barrels for ageing is restricted as much as possible.

‘Domaine La Haute Marone Sablet Cotes du Rhone Villages’ £8.99

A hugely approachable wine, brimming with fruit compôte and olive tapenade flavours, this is a powerful wine with savoury complexity. The oak ageing has produced a smooth, supple finish.

Food recommendations for this would include juicy pink lamb, grilled red meat or succulent duck…..and of course, a fantastic cheese board.

2015 Burgundy En Primeurs

We will shortly be offering the brilliant 2015 Burgundy En Primeur. If this is of interest to you, please reply to this email with BURGUNDY EN PRIMEUR in the subject line and we will forward you a list in due course.

Malt of the Month

Glenfarclas 10 Year Old - Speyside £29.99

Delicately light, with a mouth-watering combination of maltiness, smokiness and sherry sweetness. Hints of dried fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Long, smooth and spicy finish.

Highly Recommended

The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve - Speyside £27.99

Fruity, then sweet, with toffee, a touch of anise, then into milk chocolate flakes, banoffee pie and apple turnovers. The finish has creamy toffee to the fore, now a little oak and sweet barley sugar warmth too. Milk chocolate raisins linger.

Aberlour 12 Year Old – Speyside £29.99

Heavily sherried character and fruity aromas balanced with a rich chocolate, toffee cinnamon and ginger spiciness. Warming and lingering finish. Sweet and very slightly spicy.

Highland Park 12 Year Old – Orkney £27.99

A uniquely smooth, balanced single malt, with a rich full flavour and gentle smoky finish. Starts off with syrup sweetness, quickly moving on to sour and creamy wood, with more tropical chews, pineapple and smoked orange rind. Smoky wood on the finish, with malt syrup, green pine cones and woody spice.

Gin Of The Month

Becketts - Kingston-upon-Thames £29.99

A small batch London dry gin distilled and bottled in London using the finest ingredients, most notably handpicked English juniper berries from Box Hill in Surrey and mint from the riverside at Kingston-upon-Thames. The result is a warm, aromatic and bittersweet character with the signature cool finish, an exquisite taste and wonderfully smooth.

Sherry Recommendation

Fernando de Castilla Classic Oloroso £11.29

Bring some Spanish warmth to the cold winter’s evenings with this classic, rich, Oloroso sherry.

A beautiful mahogany colour. Aromatic and dry with flavours of nuts and orange, with a very long aftertaste.

For orders or enquiries about any of the cases or wines in this newsletter, please contact us by phone at the shop on 01200 423152 or 01200 422281, thank you.