European Reds Lineup 10.0
- Mixed
- Various
Fire up the old 2CV or Fiat 500 and let’s hit the road, mofos. This dozen takes us through the sights, smells and tastes of the old world. Soak up the history, and the unmistakable flavour, of the classic styles that defined wine for centuries. We’ve got the big three covered in this case with entries from France, Spain and Italy. Take a trip of a lifetime from the comfort of your living room.
Each case contains TWO bottles of the following:
Red
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- Gamay
-
- Burgundy
- Gamay
- Burgundy
Few wines are as unabashedly, beautifully, boisterously fun as the Beaujolais. This is absolutely no exception. But don’t be fooled by the ‘Villages’ designation. While wines from this tier of the region can be fantastic, this one tends toward exceptional. The vineyards are hilly, and of higher altitude than even the Brouilly cru. That height gives cooler nights, greater complexity, driving acidity and plenty of daytime sunshine to boot. Look for classic gamay notes: jubilant berries, potting soil, slatey minerality and lighter, quaffable body. This is beyond perfect with roast turkey, though chicken will do just fine, too. Otherwise, it is THE red picnic wine - think terrine, cold cuts, cheeses and sunshine.
Red
-
- Red Blend
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- Piedmont
- Red Blend
- Piedmont
This organic Langhe Rosso from the boutique winery of the Giribaldi family has the typical components of dolcetto, barbera and nebbiolo, but there’s also a surprising touch of pinot noir in the blend. It’s medium-bodied, ruby red in colour and bursting with aromas of cherry, redcurrant and tobacco. On the palate the fruit carries through, but is accompanied by hints of vanilla and licorice undoubtedly drawn from the wine’s generous time in seasoned oak. It’s easygoing enough to enjoy a glass on its own, but the acid structure is plenty apparent for pairing with savoury, meaty dishes. Try it with carne cruda, agnolotti del Plin or brasato. You’ll feel like your sitting under the shadow of the Italian Alps.
Red
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- Tempranillo
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- Rioja
- Tempranillo
- Rioja
This is the fun side of Rioja. Somewhere between the vacuous berry-laden boppers and the leather-armchair-and-cigar-smoke intensity of the Gran Reservas. Arrestingly bright, but not lacking for complexity, this is a cracking wine to pull out for dinner at your place. Blueberries, black plum, red cherries, a tickle of oak and a titter of black tea. Charming as hell and doubly delicious.
Red
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- Red Blend
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- Alentejo
- Red Blend
- Alentejo
James Suckling doesn’t just hand out scores willy-nilly, so for a value driven red like this to get his stamp of approval, it’s a pretty big deal. From Spain’s Cariñena region (also the Spanish name for the carignan grape) this grenache blend is all about texture, longevity, and more fruit focus than you can poke a stick at. This is the juicy number that you’ll never have to think about. Chuck it in the fridge for half an hour before drinking and thank us later.
Red
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- Red Blend
-
- Jumilla
- Red Blend
- Jumilla
Bodegas Olivares are a family-run winery in the sunny region of Jumilla in the south-east of Spain that we’re always proud to work with. We’ve always received some of our best value wines from them, vintage after vintage. This is a rework of the popular GSM, with the local monastrell (or ‘mataro’ to Aussies) taking the lead role to make an MGS. The wine has sun-drenched summer fruit with a fresh, breezy acidity from the high altitude in which it’s grown. With sweet, swarthy berries and an exotically spiced finish, we can attest that it’s bloody hard to turn down a second (or third) glass.
Red
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- Sangiovese
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- Tuscany
- Sangiovese
- Tuscany
Bright and crunchy, this is the cheeky upstart Chianti that could. Loads of red cherry and plum, juicy and lifted. This is on the lighter side for a Chianti, and sings all the right tunes: a little chalkiness, fruit fullness and the right amount of indifferent, upstart attitude. But unlike that adorable train from the classic children’s story, this is for adults only.