Curious Case - November 2021 - Private
The Curious Case Selection
Coupon Code (for 10% off all of the below wines) - Curious1121
expires 01/12/2021
The Sunday roast is an institution so we’ve put together a mixed case of 6 bottles that will work perfectly with your beef, lamb, chicken, pork, or nut roast… However as you might expect from us we have gone a little off-piste, so no Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja or South Australian Shiraz here, but six fantastic wines that will do the job just as well!
Let's explore!
Zorgvliet Silver Myn Argentum 2020
In a nutshell: A delicious, fruit-forward South African red blend from the eastern part of Stellenbosch.
The lowdown: Zorgvliet are something of a Bordelaise specialist and this blend of Merlot and Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc is a cracking expression of their craft. The fruit for this is hand-harvested and after fermentation went into a mix of small French oak barrels and large 4,500 litre 'foudre' to complete maturation, prior to blending and bottling after 12 months. The result is a dark and brambly wine with a rich palate of ripe plums and an even touch of fruitcake. However, it retains a pleasingly dry feel and doesn't cloy. For a relatively inexpensive wine, this has bags of character.
When to drink: Its richness and ripe flavours make it just great with barbecues red meats or spicy south-east Asian dishes.
Bodegas Murviedro 'Sericis' Bobal Cepas Viejas 2017
In a nutshell: A complex, yet approachable old vine, low yielding Bobal from eastern Spain.
The lowdown: A cracking example of Valencia's local grape. The soils of the area are poor quality chalk and clay and this, combined with the long hours of sunshine and low night-time temperatures result in low quantity, but high-quality yields. It has dark fruit and spice on the nose followed by bright red fruits, cedar and pepper spice and good, grippy tannins.
When to drink: A wine to go with hearty red meat dishes, game, and cold meats.
Boulevard Napoleon 'l'Aberadou' Pur Cinsault des Schistes 2018
In a nutshell: A nicely light yet brambly and juicy Languedoc Cinsault from a small scale producer.
The lowdown: London restaurateur Trevor Gulliver is the man behind this small estate and his winemaker Benjamin Darlaut turns out some seriously impressive wines even though they style it merely 'Vin Artisan'. The only trouble is they're only made in small quantities. This, their Cinsault is lighter bodied than some but with plenty of red fruit character and purple florality on the nose. Underneath the juiciness there are attractive dark fruit flavours with a hint of spiciness and black pepper. The tannins give a good grip and give it a real finesse on the finish.
When to drink: If the weather's right this is a great picnic red that's a treat if slightly chilled.
Domaine Desire Petit 'Les Grandes Gardes' Trousseau, Arbois 2019
In a nutshell: A bright and distinctive red full of cherry fruit flavours made from a rarely seen variety in the rolling hills of the Jura in eastern France.
The lowdown: This is made from the Jura's own grape variety, Trousseau, only a small amount of which is still grown in its native region It's a variety that sometimes struggles to ripen sufficiently so yields have to be kept low - think of it as a country cousin to Pinot Noir. It's fermented in large ancient oak barrels which add character, but without imparting excessively dominant oak flavours. Here it displays perfectly much of its true varietal personality, characteristically perfumed and fragrant it has an enticing soft and honeyed fruit feel which envelops the bright red cherry core. There's a slight gamey quality too which sits well alongside the bright acidity and long, tasty finish.
When to drink: A good food partner to feathered game dishes like roasted partridge and grilled lamb also works well.
La Fleur Solitaire Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Domaine Boutinot 2020
In a nutshell: Fresh and medium-bodied with a nose that is pretty and delicate, just hints of hedgerow flowers.
The lowdown: The flavours are nuanced and refined rather than overt. Careful use of oak adds texture and viscosity to this very drinkable white.Following an experiment with a micro cuvée crafted from seven barrels back in 2009, Boutinot now source grapes from selected vineyards in the southern Rhône. Each parcel is picked separately in the cooler early daylight hours for gentle pressing that same morning, and each is fermented at a low temperature.
When to drink: A lovely apéritif, or with light starters and grilled fish.
Bodegas Ximenez-Spinola Exceptional Harvest 2019
In a nutshell: An incredible and different off-dry white wine from Jerez made entirely from Pedro Ximenez.
The lowdown: Bodegas Ximenez-Spinola are unique in only making wines from the Pedro Ximenez grape, which they have been doing for 300 years. The grapes for this wine have been left on the vine for an extra 21 days and therefore acquire a natural sweetness without becoming overly so. After fermentation, the wine is then aged for 4 months on its lees in old American oak barrels before bottling with no more than 25,000 bottles produced a year. Intense aromas of figs raisins and prunes with pastry notes lead onto a rich and weighty palate but with great natural acidity and sweetness with ripe stone fruit flavours. A long and elegant finish.
When to drink: An intriguing and individual wine this would pair well with rich pork and seafood dishes.
