Mixed Case – Red Explorer 3

Tasting Notes

Mixed Case – Red Explorer #3
~ Old World: Italy, France, Greece
~ New World: California, Argentina, Australia
The Red Explorer #3 provides a great opportunity to compare the styles of Old and New World reds. Some familiar varieties; some more obscure. From medium- to full-bodied wines with varying degrees of oak use, fruitiness, and earthiness.

2 bottles of each – avg. $26.95/btl,
$323.40 cs of 12 x 750ml

Luigi Righetti, Valpolicella Classico Ripasso “Campolieti” 2021 (Veneto, Italy):
Medium ruby, intensely aromatic nose with strawberry, dried cherry, currants and hints of leather, autumn leaves and Asian spice. The wine is dry, medium-bodied with classic Ripasso flavours, a ripe, round palate and some wood tannins bringing complexity to a long and satisfying finish. (13.5% Alc.)

Dowie Doole, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (McLaren Vale, Australia):
The wine is left to rest in a combination of 90% French (16% new) and 10% older American oak for 20 months. The finished wine shows a deep red colour with hues of vibrant crimson. Aromas of blue and black fruit are framed by notes of eucalyptus, Chinese five spice, cloves and cedar. The palate is classic McLaren Vale with fine chalky tannins and a subtle leafy note on the finish. Grapes are organically grown in four estate properties in McLaren Vale. (14.4% alc.)

Storyteller, Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (Sonoma County, California):
Produced from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon firmly rooted in Sonoma (40% Sonoma Valley, 45% Sonoma County and 15% Paso Robles), the wine spends 12 months in medium toast French oak barrels. A classic Sonoma Cab, that is a rich, dark purple/ruby in the glass. The bouquet is marked by cassis, black cherry and crushed violet aromas along with hints of pipe tobacco and toasty vanilla oak. Flavours of juicy damson plum and dark chocolate compliment a round and chewy palate. (14.1% alc.)

Domaine de la Guicharde, Massif d’Uchaux “Cuvée Geneste” 2019 (Rhone Valley, France):
A 70/30 blend of Grenache and Syrah grapes that are grown organically, the Cuvée Genest shows a deep ruby red colour, with an almost purple hue. A complex and rich mix of aromas, including black cherry, tapenade (black olive puree) crab apple, plum, cranberry and stewed strawberry fruit, with subtle licorice and mint. On the palate, the wine mirrors the nose, although the fruits tend to show a little more of a black nature than the pretty nose would imply. Some salty, black licorice notes on the finish, as well as a bit of alcoholic weight. (14.5% alc.)

Gaia, Agiorgitiko 2022 (Nemea, Greece):
The wine is aged in 500 L French oak barrels for 6 to 8 months and is then refined in bottle for an additional 3-6 months before release. This is a well-structured wine which shows a medium ruby colour. The bouquet displays ripe red fruit notes such as raspberry and cherry coupled with a nice spiciness. A medium bodied wine with well integrated oak it finishes with a lively fruit/spice flavour. (14% alc.)

Septima, Malbec 2022 (Mendoza, Argentina):
Matured in stainless steel tanks, 10% of the wine is aged for 8 months in new French and American oak barrels. The 2022 Malbec is fruit forward offering black plum, cherry and blackberry along with subtle vanilla notes. It shows an optimal balance of acidity and alcohol delivering silky and elegant tannins with a long finish. (14% alc.)