One of the most ICONIC wines: Torres 2016 Mas La Plana (Spain)

Today it's one of the most iconic wines in the world from Spain and the Family Torres : 

Familia Torres 2016 Mas La Plana

 

 

The Wine Note ... Lots of dark fruit like black cherry, kicks the wine off and continues to be at the heart of each sip – hits of mocha and spice also make an appearance with notes of violet on the finish. There's a nice purity and freshness to the wine with good acidity, while the cedar and tannins fight it out on the finish where a dichotomy of silky and gritty battle for supremacy.  Rating: ****

 

Romain Moreau 2021 Coteaux D'Ancenis Malvoisie (Loire, France)

Looking today at a "Malvoisie" from the Loire Valley, 

a white with character and personality - 

from a grape that rarely possesses such attributes : 

Romain Moreau 2021 Coteaux D'Ancenis Malvoisie

 

 

Domaine Romain Moreau 2021 Malvoisie

A little on the sweet side, but with a good fruit core: peach and white peach with nice hint of minerality ... the name has been around for over a century, denotes Pinot Gris harvested late and with some sweetness – so this is bang on what it should be.  (****)

Hinterbrook 2017 Cabernet Franc (Limited Release) - Ontario Wine

This wine might be sold out, but it does deserve to be looked at, 

especially because it was in such limited release; 

and quite possibly the best wine to come out of this winery in a long time : 

Hinterbrook 2017 Cabernet Franc (Limited Release)

 

 

This isn't the usual blank label, on-descript wine from Hinterbrook - this one has Cabernet Franc scrawled across the front, in what looks like the handwriting of someone using a fountain pen and being chased by a bear. This is from their reserve series, but it does not proclaim it's reserve status anywhere on the bottle – it’s just the price that that tells us the winery believes this is something special. 100% French oak, 75% new, bottled unfiltered and resting in oak for a whopping 34 months. There's lots of hidden dark fruit that weaves its way between tobacco, cigar box, cinnamon and there’s even a lovely layer of spiced raspberry on the finish. Not much of this wine was made: 966 bottles, and each is numbered; get it while it's around.  (****+)

 

Banfi 2017 Brunello di Montalcino - Vigna Marrucheto (Italy)

Something new from Banfi, another single vineyard Brunello, 

let the debate about Reserve vs Cru begin

 

Castello Banfi 

2017 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Marrucheto

 

 

 

 

WRITTEN REVIEW

If at first you succeed, try and replicate what you did - not exactly the old saying, but this “new version” is exactly what should and did happen with Vigna Marucheto ... But this time with even better results. The nose is identical to the 2016 offering with its cherry, kirsch, dried cherry notes, but the palate is richer and fruitier, and the acidity hides behind some pretty robust tannins. This is a delightful version of a single vineyard wine and shows why they decided to make wine from this specific plot.  (****+)