A sommelier I am not (yet). But what I can call myself is an avid lover of red wine, with a passion for popping corks that could rival the very best pin-lapeled experts around the globe. My journeys have constantly included bringing home a wine bottle– a type of keepsake that might not last long but still forever connects me to a place. Through this collection, and a continuous desire to read more about the terroirs around the globe where vines grow, I’ve established numerous bottle rotations that I always return to, whether I’m hosting a gathering, seeking to pair my dinner with a glass, or just sentimental for a location across oceans.
A recap of every bottle I’ve enjoyed would be longer than any sensible time licenses, however in my newbie knowledge of unforgettable bottles that highlight the world’s wine areas, I’ll begin with these promising picks.
South Africa
The Region: Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Varietal: pinotage
I’m ashamed to confess that though I have actually been to Stellenbosch, South Africa’s acclaimed red wine area, I did not check out one vineyard due to time constraints. I have actually more than offseted that, nevertheless, by exploring the region’s wines over the past two years from the convenience of my own sofa.
2018 Beeslaar Pinotage($45) I just recently signed up with a virtual tasting with One&& Just Cape Town’s head sommelier, Luvo Ntezo, where I discovered more about South Africa’s well known grape, pinotage, a mix of pinot noir and cinsault grapes. This one from Beeslaar is a great example of what pinotage is capable of: complete bodied, luscious, and oak-driven, with a symphony of dark cherry and chocolate notes. This is the kind of red you’ll wish to appreciate in a robe by a fireplace.
Varietals: pinot noir and chardonnay
Boschendal Grande Cuvée Brut($20) Get a taste of South Africa’s approach to creating sparkling wine, called méthode cap classique, with this bottle of bubbly. Made from pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, it’s vibrant with citrus and brioche flavors.
Argentina
The Area: Mendoza
Varietal: malbec blend
Malbec and Argentina are associated, with the grape comprising almost half of the country’s white wine exports. Grapes are grown in high-yielding farmlands and rocky, raised surface to produce a red wine that is creamy and fruit forward.
Trapiche Iscay Malbec-Cabernet Franc($70) There will never ever be a more reliable red that I return to, whether it be to couple with a juicy steak or just relish in its unified blend. It looks like dark purple ink in the glass, with aromas of blueberry and violets. The taste of plum and a subtle vanilla is intricate, restrained, and remaining. The family-owned Trapiche brand likewise has a Finca Coletto malbec that’s a faithful good friend in my white wine cabinet.
Germany
Germany is home to 13 white wine regions with a number of grapes and designs, including spätburgunder (aka pinot noir), dornfelder, silvaner, and, of course, riesling produced along the winding banks of the Mosel River. There is an universe of shimmering (sekt) German red wines, too, made from pinot noir and riesling varieties.
The Area: Rheingau
Varietal: riesling
Rheingau: 2019 Spreitzer Riesling Trocken (dry) Rheingau($17)I was shocked by excessively sweet rieslings so early on in my red wine journey that I didn’t provide another go until just recently. I’m pleased I did, since this dry riesling from Spreitzer is not only a great cost point but likewise dry enough for a finish that remains, with an intense minerality and on the palate, green apples and peach.
The Area: Ahr
Varietal: spätburgunder
Ahr: 2019 Meyer-Näkel “Estate” Pinot Noir Ahr($37)Sis wine makers Meike and Dörte Näkel count on the deep slopes of Germany’s northern most Ahrn terrain to produce this red fruit-forward pinot noir, with tastes of thyme and black plum and an elegant minerality. The Näkels are among the couple of ladies winemakers in the area and are producing a number of extraordinary varietals, including a pinot noir– based rosé.
The Area: Rheinhessen
Varietal: Dornfelder
2018 Freitag “Naked Friday” Rot (Dornfelder) Rheinhessen($27)If you’ve never ever tasted dornfelder white wine, let this bottle be your factor. After pinot noir, the grape is the second most grown grape in Germany, and has a silky, black fruit flavor that is normally oaked. This bottle is produced by Philipp Freitag, who is often described as one of the best natural winemaking producers in the area. This specific red wine serves up black fruits with great deals of grip. Enjoy with tapas, specifically salted cured meats and cheeses.
Austria
The Region: Burgenland, Austria
Varietal: blaufränkisch, zweigelt
Austria is best-known for its rejuvenating gewurztraminers made from riesling and grüner veltliner, but red white wine fans must also keep in mind the earthy reds produced from zweigelt and blaufränkisch grapes in the area. A lot of vineyards in the country are located east of the Alps, along the borders of Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia, with a topography that consists of steep mountainsides and fertile valleys.
Weingut Pittnauer “Pitti” ($19) I first found this natural red wine by method of Austria from Vine Drop, a company that deals with sommeliers to offer natural, organic, and biodynamic wines for purchase by means of everyday text messages. Winemakers Brigit and Gerhard Pittnauer tend about 40 acres of vineyards in Austria’s and all work is done by hand. This delicious red is ripe with intricate tastes of blackberries and mint, with medium level of acidity and tannins with a bite.
The Region: Napa Valley, California
Varietal: cabernet sauvignon
Taub Household Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon ($70) Another cold winter season night choice, this taxi comes from the heart of Napa Valley’s Rutherford region, well-known for its gravelly and sandy soil that produces focused red wines with fine, dusty tannins. Taub Household’s cab is a real expression of the area’s surface with fragrances of blueberries and plum, and an intricate mouthfeel and lengthy surface.
France
I’m not here to argue which red wine region in France is the best, dear reader, only that the country definitely has much to provide. Bordeaux, the Rhone and Loire Valleys, Provence, Burgundy, and even the far insufficient well known Jura region have pleased my mouth, once again and again. Which is why this list is far-flung (but delicious).
The Region: Burgundy
Varietals: chardonnay and pinot noir
The motherland of pinot noir (bourgogne rouge) and chardonnay (bourgogne blanc), this is where you go when you want to dance with more coy tastes of red, instead of a heavy bodied cabernet sauvignon or syrah. The terroir in Burgundy is the most vital aspect that affects its white wine, and many viogniers (wine makers) permit the land to lead the way– from the environment to the different clay and limestone soils that make the area’s varietals so complicated and memorable.
Domaine Matrot Bourgogne Chardonnay 2019 ($29) This fruity chardonnay, produced on 30-year-old vines near the appellation of Meursault, is an excellent accompaniment to oysters, grilled fish, or chicken.
Vincent Girardin Pommard Vieilles Vignes 2018($67) Grapes originate from the village of Pommard in the south of the Côte de Beaune, between Beaune and Volnay. The dark garnet color is a precursor to its black currant scents. Pair this appeal with game or tough cheeses, and let it breathe initially for a couple of hours.
Albert Bichot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé($36) This velvety champagne is a blend of gamay, chardonnay, and pinot noir. It pops, actually, with juicy strawberries on the nose and palate that set the tone for a summertime picnic.
The Region: Alsace
Varietal: pinot noir
This region in northeastern France that borders Germany and Switzerland is best-known for flower white wines that include dry riesling, pinot gris, and gewürztraminer.
Domaine Marcel Deiss Alsace Rouge($25)Referred to as a bit of a troublemaker in the best method possible, vigneron Jean-Michel Deiss transfers to his own rhythm in wine making by using the old Alsatian-wine growing custom that lets the terroir– rather than grape-cloning– blaze a trail. The outcome is unforgettable, low-yield white wines from the area. This pinot noir expresses Alsace’s clay-limestone terroir with smooth tannins and tastes of dried red fruits. Pair it with a grilled steak and your mouth will thank you.
The Area: Northern Rhône
Varietals: syrah, viognier, roussanne
Jean-Baptiste Souillard Saint-Joseph Janoune($98) Calling all syrah enthusiasts: this one’s for you. Souillard is a vigneron who uses low intervention in the production of reds and whites. A number of his vines in the Northern Rhône are grown on granite-based hillsides that will permit the environment to provide it structure and intense level of acidity. This syrah is jammy, with gravelly tastes of plum and earth. Enjoy it with gouda, grilled veggies, or slow-roasted pork shoulder.
The Region: Morgon/Beaujolais
Varietal: gamay
Albert Bichot Morgon “Les Charmes” ($30) If you’ve seen the film Uncorked on Netflix, then you also saw how enamored the main character– a master sommelier in training– was with Bichot’s chablis. Though I have yet to get my hands on that very same bottle, I have actually tried Bichot’s stunning Les Charmes a Beaujolais, made from the gamay grape. The deep purple red wine exhibits the sophistication of a fleshy, fruity beaujolais with tips of smoke and clove. Chill it for half an hour first and serve it with a hearty plate of barbecued ribs or roasted duck.
The Region: Provence
Varietal: rosé
Château Miraval Rosé 2020($28) Yes, rosé has actually rapidly ended up being enormously produced and as fashionable as avocado toast and goat milk, however there are still tasty, standard bottles of it, and this is among them. Made from cinsault, grenache, syrah, and rolle grapes grown at a high altitude on clay and limestone soils, Miraval has flavors of red berries and lemon. I like to combine its light minerality with oysters and a flaky crust of bread.
The Region: Champagne
Varietal: champagne
Champagne Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV ($91) Located in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, among the most prized Grand Cru Towns of the Côté des Blancs, this champagne is made with an extremely restrained dose so that the purity of the chardonnay grapes shines through. The result is a crisp acidity with flavors of lemon passion and green apples.
The Region: Sancerre
Varietal: sauvignon blanc, pinot noir
Saget La Perrière Sancerre($40) With six homes spread out throughout the Loire Valley, Saget La Perrière has a variety of varied terroirs to choose from. The La Perrière Sancerre uses a harmony of mineral and grassy fragrances from the area’s flinty soils, with the tastes of grapefruit and honey. Pair with a light salad or grilled fish.
Domaine Delaporte Sancerre Rouge 2016 ($43) I lucked out and had a glass of this at a restaurant in Burgundy, which caused a mad dash to find bottles to take house. Domaine Delaporte is a family-owned producer situated in Sancerre’s charming Chavignol village. This red is crafted for pinot noir vines grown in clay, sandy flint, and limestone soil. Each sip uses ripe red fruits like cherry and raspberry, with aromas of coffee bean and even cinnamon. Roasted meats and aged cheeses are its ideal accompaniments.
U.S.A.
The Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Varietal: pinot noir, chardonnay
If you’re a fan of pinot noir, you’ve likely become aware of the significant wines that Oregon’s Willamette Valley is producing, much of which are getting worldwide honor (and cost less than a bottle of burgundy). This is due to the fact that the valley’s cool environment enables the fragile pinot noir grape to take its time to turn into softer, fruit-forward and earthy white wines. That cooler environment and rocky volcanic soil also produces leaner chardonnays that veer away from some of the excessively oaky bottles coming out of California.
Penner-Ash Pinot Noir 2018($80) A cumulative “whoa” was the action I received when I shared this wine with my family, and I felt bad for any bottle that was to come afterward. A remarkable reflection of Willamette Valley’s terroir, with aromas of chamomile tea and earth, and on the taste buds, delicate boysenberries and orange peel. Sublime, really.
Gran Moraine Chardonnay Yamhill-Carlton 2018($80) This vintage was hand-harvested throughout a crisp fall, producing whole cluster grapes that were settled then transferred to French oak barrels. The result is a red wine that tastes of tangerine and starfruit, with an acidity on the surface that pairs completely with a roasted chicken and veggies.
Source: https://www.afar.com/magazine/wines-from-around-the-world-for-every-palate