European Reds Lineup 9.0
- 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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- Red Blend
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- Tuscany
- Red Blend
- Tuscany
When the Tuscan winemakers decided to blend in cabernet and merlot with their sangiovese, minds were blown and the Supertuscan was born. Sounds like a superhero origin story, I know. But it’s really the tale of a very traditional wine region doing something entirely unconventional. And it worked a charm. This one is half sangio and a quarter each cab and merlot. It’s given six months in older oak to build structure yet still let the fruit sing. Look for cherries, raspberries, chocolate and a touch of vanillin. And at this price with a 98 point review, this is a Supertuscan at a super deal!
Red
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- Grenache Blend
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- Côtes du Rhône
- Grenache Blend
- Côtes du Rhône
Straight from the Rhône Valley comes this spicy mix of grenache, syrah and mourvèdre. Each grape contributing its own magic to make a ripe and juicy red-berried, medium-bodied bottle of delicious vin rouge. Syrah gives attractive plum and cherry aromatics and a finely polished tannic structure, while the grenache leads with a juicy ripeness and generous texture, and mourvèdre chimes in with earthy and subtle meaty notes. Classic, dry, vin rouge.
Red
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- Red Blend
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- Rioja
- Red Blend
- Rioja
This Crianza, crafted with 90% tempranillo and 10% graciano walks and talks Rioja. From the slightly warmer Rioja Oriental subregion, it is classic on the nose with coffee, dark chocolate and spice. The palate mirrors the nose, with the addition of juicy plums, caramel and cedar. A year in American oak gives the wine abundant, grippy tannin and toasty notes of vanilla. Still in a youthful phase, I see this wine mellowing in texture and gaining complexity over the next decade as fruit gives way to more herbaceous characteristics. Fans of old school Rioja will be very pleased with this wine.
Red
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- Red Blend
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- 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
Before you ask, yes you read that right. We’ve found you a Chianti that won’t break the bank, and promises not to break your heart. 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.
Red
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- Grenache Blend
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- France
- Grenache Blend
- France
Domaine Gayda is one of our favourite wineries in France. Started as a staging post for weary travellers and their horses all the way back in 1749. In 2004, the property was converted into a winery, accommodation and restaurant. The winery source grapes from throughout the Languedoc region to make wines in both traditional and modern styles - and look, we love them both. ‘Flying Solo’ is an epically delicious wine, a 60/40 blend of grenache and syrah, from the little village of Minervois, that happens to also be one of the top places for wine growing in southern France. A wine of medium-body, with soft tannins, a smooth palate and an energetic burst of bright red fruits. Simply enjoyable, gluggable and relax-on-the-deck-able wine. Yum.