What's In Our Glasses: November

Fresh & Juicy

The Cortonesi family has owned the La Mannella farm in Montalcino for decades and are devoted to the production of Brunello di Montalcino. This wine, Lèonus, is a humble but mighty Toscana IGT made from grapes that are in fact grapes cultivated to be Brunello, from vineyards in Montalcino.

One of the best value wines from the area, this Rosso Toscano is juicy and fresh. Full of red cherries and dark berries on the nose, with a delicate astringency on the palate. It has such great balance and it drinks so well that it's the perfect everyday wine.

This wine pairs brilliantly with dishes prepared with tomato sauce and herbs, such as lasagna or pizza. It's also great with antipasti (olives, cured meats, pecorino cheese), and simply roasted meats or chicken.

Intense & Rich

Established in 2001 by Julien Montagné and his family. Clos del Rey is located in the heart of the Maury appellation in the Roussillon. Although Maury is best known for its sweet, port-like wines, Clos del Rey only produces dry red wines now produced as AOC Maury Sec.

Le Sabina is an old bush vine cuvée of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah grown on very stony, black schist soils. This engaging red is a concentrated, aromatic, flavourful wine, with a pure essence of blackberry and blueberry fruit, sweet and resinous wild herbs, scorched earth and liquorice. A highly satisfying and bold ensemble. Tannins are abundant but coated and softened by highly intense fruit extract. Great length as noted by Master Sommelier John Szabo.

This wine is great with BBQ meats, lamb, beef, you name it.

Floral & Subtle

Cascina Castlèt has belonged to the Borio family for generations; Mariuccia, the current owner, inherited it from her father in 1970. Mariuccia focuses on her terroir and the local varieties.

The vineyards of the estate are spread over 31 hectares, and are all located in Costigliole d'Asti. The clusters of Barbera were hand-harvested and unveil a rather aromatic wine with a crunchy fruitiness. The wine evokes blackberry and cherry on a delicately floral background. Balanced and delectable, there is even a subtle note of minerality.

A wine that will pair perfectly with white and red grilled meats, salami and young cheeses.

Spicy & Bold

Finca Aylés is located in the northeast of Spain, near the city of Zaragoza, halfway between Madrid and Barcelona.  The wine project of the Ramón Reula family began its journey in the 1980s and ended with the reunification of various properties that had belonged to the Finca Aylés since the Middle Ages. Today, Aylés is one of the largest private historical farms in Aragón.  

Expect the unexpected with this delicious Garnacha from Aragón! It exhibits a dense ruby/purple-tinged colour as well as delicious, crunchy black cherry and raspberry fruit with notions of cocoa & vanilla thanks to a slight stay in oak barrels. It's medium to full bodied, pure, fruity and savoury. 

It's the perfect wine to pair with rich meats and anything on the BBQ. For something really special, try it with Smoked Pork Carnitas.

Classy & Complex

Château Les Paruades is located in Macau en Médoc, on the foothills of the Margaux appellation and on the edge of the Gironde. The estate covers an area of 3.5 hectares with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc planted on clayey palus soil.  The vinification process follows the traditional methods of the Médoc, with total destemming and fermentation in stainless steel and concrete vats.

Classy and complex, this wine opens with delicate aromas of rose petals, black fruits, and subtle mineral nuances. The palate is rich and layered, revealing concentrated notes of ripe blueberries, blackberries, and black cherries. Well-structured and balanced, it is supported by firm tannins and medium acidity, leading to a smooth, elegant finish with good persistence.

Try pairing with beef, lamb, or other grilled meats, or a variety of vegetable-based preparations.

Silky & Rich

Ca del Monte is situated on the hillsides overlooking the village of Negrar, in the heart of Valpolicella. This Ripasso shows a pure red-berry and black-cherry bouquet with notes of grilled herbs, iris, violet and almond. With a great depth of flavour, the wine is silky and warm with a surprisingly elegant mid-weight mouth feel that finishes with plump fruit and a well integrated spicy/oak kiss. 

Pair this rich wine with game meats, roast chicken, wood oven pizza and pasta with full flavoured sauces. It is also amazing when served with aged cheeses.

Fruity & Bright

Château de La Chaize is among the oldest, most historic estates in Burgundy’s Beaujolais region. Cared for by the same family for nearly three and a half centuries, the estate has been passed on to new owners, the Gruy family, who are equally committed to managing the estate with the utmost care, while implementing an ambitious environmental plan.

Brouilly is the southernmost appellation in Beaujolais. This cru site specifically - but apparent in the entire Beaujolais region – are hills more pronounced than you will find in Burgundy. Some are rolling while some are steeper, and this topography has a direct influence on the way the vine rows are planted, how they are tended (by hand or machine), and how the vines are pruned. Château de La Chaize estate is located on a natural amphitheater with south/southeast exposure, on steep hillsides of sandy pink granite that allow for excellent drainage.

For this wine, fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts with semi-carbonic maceration - 50% Burgundian (destemmed) and 50% whole cluster. Pumping-over is practiced without punching down, to preserve the fruit and freshness of the wine. 70% of the wine is aged in stainless steel, 30% in foudres for 12 months.

Delectable, fruity nose underscored with aromas of red fruits and notes of nutmeg spice. Generous and aromatic on the palate, with supple, mellow tannins. Notes of red fruit and spice offer depth and lively acidity. Expressive, generous and enjoyable right now, this is a perfect wine to enjoy with a slight chill.

Pair with all meats, chicken, wild mushrooms, and strong cheeses.

Domaine de la Garenne's Sancerre Rouge, made from 100% Pinot Noir, is sourced from two hectares of vineyards in the commune of Verdigny, where the soil is primarily clay-limestone marl. The vines, averaging 30 years in age, are cultivated using organic methods, with careful attention to tillage, yield control, and manual leaf thinning—without the use of herbicides or insecticides. 

Part of the production is aged in 500-litre oak barrels which allows the Domaine to obtain a balanced wine, with small red fruits (cherry, sour cherry) aromatics and subtle oaked notes. The colour is garnet with purple undertones, and the palate is delicious. 

Suggested pairings include red mullet or monkfish; the Sancerre Rouge would also work with a well-ripened Brie or Camembert. 

Juicy & Fresh

While the vineyards that form Punset have been farmed by the Marcarino family for generations, it is truly thanks to Marina and her incredible energy that the estate is how it is nowadays. Her passion for the soil and the environment led her to embrace biodynamics and the agronomic philosophy of Manasobu Fukuoka. From one of the healthiest vineyards in Italy, Marina crafts wines that brim with life, energy, and pure terroir. 

The Barbera d'Alba stands as Punset's flagship wine, exemplifying the esteemed traditional style that defines the Piedmont region. This Barbera is characterized by its authenticity and a desirable touch of rusticity. 

The fermentation process occurs in small batches to prevent elevated temperatures and the emergence of overly jammy aromas. A crucial aspect of the winemaking process is achieving a harmonious balance between alcohol content and acidity, with freshness being the paramount objective.

The resulting ruby red wine presents delightful aromas of fresh red berries that are both intense and harmonious. On the palate, the fruity notes shine through, characterized by an energetic acidity and a dry, clean finish. Its appeal lies in its authentic character and distinctiveness, made even more evident by the complete absence of oak aging.

Thanks to its high acidity, Barbera pairs wonderfully with rich, fatty foods.

Full-Bodied & Smooth

Mas Carlot sits on 76 hectares of classic Costières de Nîmes terroir, where the Rhône meets the Mediterranean. Originally a 17th-century farm, the estate was brought back to life by the Blanc family in the 1960s and is now in the hands of Cyril Mares of Mas Bressades.

Named for the winemaker’s four children, Les Enfants Terribles is a bold, characterful red made from 80% old-vine Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah. Aged for 12 months in oak, it’s rich and layered, with blackberry, blueberry and cherry alongside savoury notes of truffle, tobacco and spice.

Full-bodied but beautifully balanced, this is the kind of Rhône red that wants something equally generous on the table. Pour it with slow-roasted lamb, steak frites, wild mushroom dishes or smoky roasted vegetables.

Fresh & Balanced

In 2010, Joana and António founded Maçanita Vinhos after an invitation from a local Douro family who had read about these playful and ambitious sibling winemakers. Both siblings contribute to Maçanita Vinhos, but the challenging Douro Valley has been Joana’s passion project since the start, and Joana and her children even moved to the Porto area to be closer to the winery and vineyards. Setting down roots in the region has allowed her to focus her famous energy into expanding the rising star that is her Douro career.

This is a fresh, balanced rendition of a classic Douro red. Preserving the intrinsic bent toward the richness and power of the Douro, all while showcasing balance, minerality and elegance. Some of the vines tended at an altitude of 200m to 540 m altitude in schist soils, and others at 600m altitude in granitic soils elevation, both in Cima Corgo, Douro. This is a subregion that experiences extreme highs and lows from a temperature standpoint, with some of the greatest day-night temperature delta in Portugal. As such the fruit experiences extended hangtime.

Deep violet. On the nose, redolent of black and blue fruit tinged with violets and wet stone. On the palate, rich but balanced, with fresh acidity coupling the dark blueberry and plum fruit. Finishes long and spicy, with a big dose of flowers and minerals.

Complex & Powerful

Julien Bonneau, (Château Haut Grelot in the Blayais), and his friend Alexandre Lavigne, restaurateur in Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, created in 2014 a range of wines, Grains d'Estuaire, from a 10 ha vineyard located in Saint-Bonnet-sur-Gironde, in the south of Charente-Maritime.

Crafted from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and produced at a yield of 40 hectoliters per hectare. The vines thrive in gravelly-sandy loam soils on the Agrières hillsides, near the estuary, which contribute to the wine’s distinctive character and structure. Vinification is carried out entirely in barrels, ensuring a meticulous expression of the grape and terroir. Following fermentation, the wine is aged for 16 months in 225-liter barrels, allowing it to develop depth, complexity, and refined balance. On the nose, it reveals woody, vanilla, and toasty aromas complemented by the freshness of red fruits. The palate is powerful and full-bodied, with enveloping tannins and a long, aromatic finish.

Enjoy with red or game meats.

Big & Bold

Cordero Mario marks the return of one of Barolo's most storied winemaking families to their roots in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of the Langhe. Mario Cordero set out to build a new winery close to the family's original vineyards. Guided by his decades of experience shaping modern Barolo, Cordero Mario carries forward the family's deep respect for terroir into a new generation of wines. The estate farms 11 hectares of organically-managed vineyards, focusing on minimal intervention with hand- harvesting, partial whole-bunch fermentation and ageing in French oak tonneaux to build structure while preserving freshness.