Wine Club – October 2021
Joāo Tavares de Pina, 2020
Portugal
Made with two of the classic Portuguese red varieties commonly used for port wines and that make up the bulk of João’s production, this rosé is part of his Rufia collection, or wines that are meant to be drunk young and are more fresh and lively. This one’s light but earthy, with a decent structure and strong finish.
Les Abrigans, 2020
France
60% Syrah and 40% Grenache Noir from the southwest of France, macerated for three weeks, but far from heavy. Laura and Arthur, the couple behind Les Abrigans, have pushed the freshness as far as they can, with a few tannins to give the wine some texture, but mostly just very balanced spice and red fruit.
Carlania Celler, 2020
Spain
With citrus fruit, a little peachiness, and a long salty finish, Sant Pere d’Ambigats comes from the middle of Trepat territory near Tarragona, Catalonia, but leans in favour of the Macabeu, with an 80/20 split between the varieties, the former a red grape that received a direct press and adds structure rather than colour to the wine.
Bodega Clandestina, 2020
Spain
From a single parcel in the Penedès region but harvested on three separate occasions as the grapes ripened, with each batch of Xarel·lo vinified separately and undergoing increasing levels of maceration: none at all to a single day and three weeks. An orange that’s a little creamy and caramely, but soft around the edges.
Peluda Vinhos, 2020
Portugal
A final farewell to summer, and a sparkling rosé with big flavours of grapefruit both on the nose and in the mouth. Made with Espadeiro, a first for the wine club, the wine comes from the north of Portugal and a project recently started by friends of friends, where the granddaughter has picked up the low-intervention approach of her grandfather.
Le Clos des Grillons, 2019
France
95% Grenache with some freshness of the Cinsault, made with carbonic maceration: a medium-bodied red, very refined (as you’d expect from Nicolas Renaud, friend and neighbour of the winemaking great Eric Pffiferling in the south of France), and very smooth drinking. A burst of red fruit but with a more savoury finish.
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