Tag Archives: alcohol

Domaine Muré Clos St. Landelin Gewürztraminer, Alsace, France

Mure Gewurztraminer

‘‘Signature’s’’ wines from the Muré’s family express completely the grape-variety character. They are marked by the pureness of the fruit taste.

Average age of vines: 35 years

Vinification: Slow fermentation and maturation on fine lees

Harvest: By hand in 20-kg-boxes

Alcohol: 13,5 %/volume

Ageing potential: Until 2021

Tasting notes:

Notes of russet-pear peel, ripe peach and earth are pervaded by citrus zestiness on the nose. The palate frames these in gentle sweetness but the concentrated fruit and zestiness provide a backdrop of firm freshness. This wine has lovely balance, great concentration and an extended, off-dry finish

Delas Saint-Espirit Côtes du Rhône Blanc, Rhône, France

Delas St. Espirit White

The “Saint-Esprit” is a blend of wines whose fruits mainly come from the right bank of the Rhône. Average production: 15,000 bottles (75 cl.) per year.

Grape variety: Grenache blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Viognier are the main varieties of the blend.

Winemaking: After pressing and cold settling for a period of 24 hours, the musts are racked and fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at maximum temperature of 64°F (18°C).

Malolactic fermentation is avoided, in order to preserve natural balance and freshness in the wine, so to enhance its finesse. The wine is then stored in stainless steel tanks until bottling. Prior to bottling, the wine is lightly fined and filtered, in order to provide it with the perfect stability.

Tasting notes: The colour has a golden straw hue with green tinges. The main aromas are reminiscent of white flowers and yellow fruit, enhanced by touches of exotic and citrus fruit. On the palate, the wine is alert, seductively suave and fresh.

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey Chambertin

APPELLATION DESCRIPTION

By royal ordinance from Louis-Philippe, the name “Chambertin” was added to the name of the village and it officially became “Gevrey-Chambertin” in 1847. Our parcel selection of old vines aged over 35 years old produces an exceptionally intense and aromatic wine.

Exposition: East, South-east

SoilClay marls with a high iron content

Grape Variety

Pinot Noir

WINEMAKING

The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand. The proportion of de-stemmed grapes and whole clusters varies depending on the vintage. The wines are punched down daily in order to extract colour, tannins and aromas from the skin of the grapes. After a 19 day vatting period, the alcoholic fermentation is complete. The free-run wine is run off using a gravity system whilst the marc is pressed slowly and gently in order to extract an exceptionally pure press wine. The wines are aged for 14 months in French oak barrels (20-30% new oak) which have been selected for their fine grain and moderate toast. The wines are left to age in our hygrometry-controlled cellars at consistent, natural temperatures.The wines are aged in vats for 2 months at the end of the ageing process.

TASTING

Our old vines are over 35 years old and produce an exceptionally intense and aromatic wine  that reflects the unique character of its terroir. With its deep, clear ruby red hue, it reveals notes of black fruits and excellent strength and concentration. As with all Gevrey-Chambertin, it requires a few years of patience before reaching its full potential.

Serve at 14°C to 16°C

Cellaring Potential 4 to 6 years

 

Domaine Hamelin Chablis, Burgundy, France

Domaine Hamelin Chablis

This wine is made from grapes from the plots next to the ‘premier crus’. It has the same elegance and bouquet as the premier crus, but to a lesser degree. Dry and fruity, this is a clear and light wine with aromas and flavour that develop rapidly.

It can easily be kept for 5 to 8 years.

Tasting notes:

Colour: vivid yellow with a hint of green.

Nose: still discreet with a touch of hawthorn blossom and freshness.

Palate: round, fresh and mineral. It has good length and a powerful finish.

The Chablis is served chilled (10 to 12°C) with oysters, seafood, charcuterie pâtés and deli meats, pork dishes or snails. It also goes well with goats’ cheeses and gruyere cheese.

Château d’Esclans Rock Angel Provence Rosé, Provence, France

Rock Angel provence rose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grapes : grown from Château d’Esclans vineyards, consisting primarily of Grenache and Rolle.

Vinification: Harvesting at sunrise to noon

Grapes are sorted by optical eye electronically and manually three times.

No maceration, free run and pressed juice partially vinified in demi-muids and stainless steel, both temperature controlled.

Tasting notes: Open-knit, featuring a fun ball of white cherry and peach fruit flavours, lined with a subtle verbena note. Breezy finish.

Eat Stay Love | A Brave New World by Nikhil Agarwal

This is a fascinating time for whisky enthusiasts. Gone are the days when the entire world of whisky would be broken up into what the folks in Scotland made or what the Americans drank. In fact, even in Scotland and America, people are choosing rebellious artisanal brands over well-known commercial labels. Malt lovers are wandering off the beaten path to explore the more exotic and the unknown. And they haven’t been disappointed. Stellar quality whisky is currently being produced across the world from Japanese brands that have taken the world by storm ever since the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 won the title of ‘World’s Best Whisky 2015’, granting it a cult status; to its neighbour, Taiwan, who has introduced Kavalan, an instant favourite amongst collectors since its launch in 2008. India too has had its own tryst with whisky. Some distilleries have gone and done what would have been considered impossible—making single malts that are truly world-class using local ingredients. And then there is Australia’s island state of Tasmania where several distilleries have started creating magic, taking advantage of the gifts given to them by nature. A word of advice to venture capitalists looking to invest, put your money here. As for whisky lovers, they can now explore this sacred water of life from different parts of the world just like wine connoisseurs have been doing for decades. I, for one, am eager to see what we discover on this journey. Here are some labels that have caught my attention in the last year or so from my travels around the world.

The Quiet Man 8 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Ireland Recently launched in India, this coveted bottle is for the collection. It offers sweet and crisp floral fragrances with notes of vanilla and oak. On the palate, it leaves a hint of honey, warm vanilla and spicy oak, and ends with a smooth finish.
$53.00

Woodford Reserve, USA Woodford Reserve is a Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey crafted from 51 percent malt. It is aged in charred oak barrels, which lends it a rich flavour and amplifies its nutty characteristics found in the original Woodford Reserve.
$43.00

Amrut Rye Single Malt, India
Amrut Rye Single Malt is the first Indian whisky to be elaborated exclusively with European rye. With this, Amrut has become one of the few distilleries to be producing with rye. Aged for five years in American oak casks, this is a fruity and delicate dram. On the nose, it is white peach, caramel, roses, bread dough and cassia buds, while on the palate, it leaves notes of cherry, papaya, sauerbraten, cocoa, lemon and caramel bite candies. The finish is refreshing with subtle flavours of lemon, melon, dry sand, quince, honey, wood shavings and lime.
$190.00

Kavalan Soloist, Taiwan
Owned by King Car Group and named after the indigenous group that inhabited the region, Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength is a delightfully complex, multidimensional single malt whisky with vanilla, fruit and coconut highlights. Matured in hand-selected fresh American ex-Bourbon casks, the whisky is available at cask strength. Unlike some distillers, Kavalan does not control the climate during maturation and adds no colouring for consistency, which leads to greater evaporation, giving a lower yield and making the final product even more valuable.
$98.00

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old – Scotland
A personal favourite, this 14-year-old single malt is matured in traditional oak casks for 14 years, and then ‘finished’ in barrels that previously held Caribbean rum. Rich, sweet and creamy toffee on the nose combines with fresh fruit notes. On the palate, the malt is rounded with vanilla and sweet oak essence with a fruity character that develops with time.
$75.00

Yamazaki 18 Years Old, Japan
The award-winning Japanese single malt features a rich flavour of mature autumn fruit. The nose has raisin, apricot, café au lait, Mizunara (Japanese oak) with blackberry, strawberry jam and dark chocolate. The finish is long, spicy and smooth. We suggest you savour this exquisite elixir by itself, either neat, or with a splash of water or ice.
$1230.00

Lark Single Malt Whisky Classic Cask, Australia
Celebrating the distillery’s use of quarter sized casks, this complex tipple is distilled with Tasmanian (Franklin) barley and malted at the Cascade Brewery. The lightly-peated brew resembles a Scottish Speyside or Highland whisky in flavour. It is double distilled in locally-crafted copper-pot stills and aged in small, 100-litre oak casks. The spirit is matured for five to eight years in these small barrels, which have a much larger surface area-to volume of liquid. This allows a faster rate of evaporative losses and a considerably shorter maturation period than that required by the larger barrels commonly used in Scotland.
$145.00

Rampur Vintage Select Casks, India
Distilled in traditional copper pot stills, Rampur is a non-chill filtered single malt, refined and matured in the foothills of the Himalayas. It features rich fruity top notes, which are toffeeflavoured in the background with hints of honey, dried fruits and balanced spices. This handcrafted potion offers an all round balanced taste with malty and creamy vanilla. Shining in all its glory in beautiful golden amber, Rampur will leave your taste buds with a rich and long finish.
$60.00

Longmorn 16 Year Old, Scotland
The master distillers have used the perfect balance of first, second and third fill ex American oak and ex-sherry casks aged 16 years or more to infuse this premium malt with natural ingredients, including local spring water, barley from Moray and peat from nearby sources. It is fresh and green on the nose with notes of ripe pears and sweet vanilla, as well as hints of creamy chocolate. On the palate, the whisky is rich and compact thanks to the high level of tannins that develop with a vinous character and spice.
$110.00