Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Wolf Blass from Barossa Valley, Australia. Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz is the ultimate expression of their winemakers' masterful skills, showcasing a blend of the finest parcels of fruit from selected South Australian vineyards. Made in extremely limited quantities from low yielding vines, Wolf Blass Platinum Label is, quite literally, the pick of the crop, a wine crafted to epitomize the best of vintage, variety and vineyard. Wolf Blass Platinum Label 2003 Shiraz is deep purple in color. The lifted, fragrant nose shows spicy, ripe berry and dark chocolate characters. The palate is elegant, rich and concentrated, with complex layers of blackberry, freshly ground coffee and spice supported by integrated, smoky oak, a seamless, balanced structure and long, fine tannins. Enjoy with rare-roasted eye filet of beef, venison or kangaroo. This wine's aromas may well draw you in, black and electric with mineral tension. Then the flavor delivers with sliver-thin layers of earthy complexity. This is a wine for the long haul, its gritty Barossa power restricted by French oak aging. The potential is there, as is the polish to decant it now for lamb. -Wines & Spirits

Red Wine by Paolo Scavino from Piedmont, Italy. The Bric del Fiasc is noticeably deeper and richer, with notes of sweet dark fruit, tar and scorched earth. Made in a big, bold style, this is a powerhouse of a wine that has enough fruit to balance the tannins, although it is not for the faint of heart. As opposed to Cannubi which has loosely packed, sandy soils, at Bric del Fiasc the soils are more compact and thus retain water better, which helps give this wine a little more freshness, says Scavino. (90-93), 11/05 With his boyish enthusiasm it is hard to believe Enrico Scavino has a full 50 vintages under his belt. I started working at the family estate when I was a young boy, says Scavino. I remember the 1958 vintage in particular. We had a very cool spring and many vineyards were affected by peronospora (a fungal disease that can affect the vines). Flowering was irregular and the plants carried very little fruit. We made a rich, concentrated Barolo that year that was a huge hit with our customers. It was a great way to start, and I've been hooked ever since. -Wine Advocate 90-93

Red Wine by Beaulieu - BV from Napa Valley, California. Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot Georges de Latour is the classic, original Reserve California wine, reflecting many decades of experience with some of Napa Valley's most historic vineyards. This wine was aged for 21 months in oak. Hand-harvested fruit, whole berries, careful but vigorous extraction during fermentation and gentle handling throughout the winemaking process yield a stunning wine for the ages. The 2004 vintage of this extraordinary wine offers intense aromas of black fruits, mocha, toast and briar. It is full bodied, with rich, mouth-filling tannins and deeply concentrated black currant, vanilla and anise flavors. This vintage will require seven to nine years of aging to reach maturity, yet tastes fine now - an excellent example of the vintage.

Red Wine by Ernie Els from South Africa. Producing a wine made up of five Bordeaux varieties to reflect the unique diversity of the Stellenbosch terroir. This wine, made by cellarmaster Louis Strydom, is Ernie Els and Jean Engelbrecht's vision to produce an exceptional wine, reflecting their respective commitment to quality. Mediterranean with the rainfall ? 650mm per annum, the EE vineyards are located high up on the northern slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. This contribution imparts warmer fruit flavours to the wine. In summer, the vineyards' close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean result in cool sea breezes that keeps temperatures lower, extending the ripening period. Earthy and mineral, wild berries, mocha, this wine is forever changing in the glass. Firm tannins and French Oak seamlessly integrated, with dried fruit flavours that linger nicely on the slightly dry finish. Larger than life tannins will ensure good ageing. Decant! 2002 Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon (61%) Merlot (24%) Malbec (5%) Cabernet Franc(5%) Petit Verdot (5%)

Red Wine by Dom. de Beaurenard from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone. Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2006 - #19! Parcels of old vines 60-100 years in age, planted in soils of great character and complexity, provide the grapes for this wine. They are picked when fully mature and meticulously sorted by hand to further enhance concentration. These old parcels, in which different varieties are planted together, embody the symphony of 13 varieties, though Grenache predominates. Loaded with rich, dark layers of black currant, blackberry, truffle, tar, mocha and bittersweet cocoa, this pumps out both fruit and terroir on the gripping finish. Immense in scale and depth, this is hard to lay off now, but should be even more impressive when it drops its muscle to show more elegance (that will take a while though). Best from 2008 through 2030. 1,665 cases made. - Wine Spectator

Red Wine by Clarendon Hills from McLaren Vale, Australia. Planted on quite sandy soil with a flatter gradient, the wine is early to ripen and always shows its characteristic raspberry/plum, blackberry fruits intertwined with mint and other herbs. A very voluptuous wine which is always a real crowd pleaser.

Red Wine by Yalumba from Barossa Valley, Australia. Yalumba The Octavius has established a reputation as one of Australia's icon Shiraz wines, an amazing feat considering the first release was the 1990 vintage. The 2002 vintage was exemplary. The weather remained mild and dry over the long ripening period - in fact the month of January experienced the lowest day temperatures on record. The end result was wines with great color, varietal flavors and intensity. Yalumba The Octavius Barossa Shiraz 2002 is vibrant deep ruby red in colour. Deep, dark, brooding aromas of plum, blackberry and chocolates are lifted by nuances of ground coffee, licorice, violets and cassis. Soft, velvety and sumptuous, the palate is a voluptuous concoction of blackberries, cherries, dark chocolates and creamy vanilla oak, all framed by tight knit tannins. The length is remarkable and the balance exceptional.

Red Wine by Giaconda from Victoria, Australia. The 2004 vintage was an exceptional year for reds; dry, cool weather produced wines that delivered power, finesse and complexity at much lower alcohol levels. In short, ripeness without sweetness, power without the heavy cloying hand of overripe fruit and alcohol. Warner Vineyard Shiraz is the outstanding red wine of the vintage. Superior in every way to those trail blazing shirazes from 2001 and 2002. This wine breaks new ground. Color: Deep, intense, vibrant with magenta to black hue. Bouquet: Brooding; aromas of black cherry. Sechzuan pepper, spices, smoked meats, briary forest floor notes and graphite erupt from the glass. Aromatically stunning. Palate: Powerful and savory; tightly coiled with fine savory tannins and acidity working in with the graphite characters to produce a tensile wine. An explosion of flavors at the end; black cherry, pepper, smoked meats and briar notes concluding with a lone dry savory finish. Bright-hued violet color. Explosive and utterly captivating on the nose, showing pure cassis, blueberry, wild strawberry, cola, sassafras, espresso, mace violet and magnolia. The palate displays a full range of shiraz (or syrah) flavors: blackcurrant, blackberry, candied cherry and plum, cured tobacco, smoked meat, roasted coffee-you name it. Sweet as can be but there's superb focus and energy, too. Finishes sweet, lush and long, with fine-grained tannins slowly emerging to provide grip and structure. -International Wine Cellar

Red Wine by Tua Rita from Tuscany, Italy. Stunning nose of rose petal, berries, sandalwood and licorice. Full-bodied, with ripe, rich tannins and a long, long finish. All there, and very exciting. 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot, 15 percent Cabernet Franc and 5 percent Petit Verdot. Best after 2007. 2,300 cases made. -JS, Wine Spectator

Red Wine by Bialla Vineyards from Napa Valley, California. The label depicts an old stone structure which is believed to be the oldest house in Tiburon, CA. It is referred to in history books as the Castle. The house sits a few hundred feet above the San Francisco bay and commands a 180 degree view of the bay. In its golden days it was a distribution center for alcoholic libations during prohibition. It is complete with tunnels, hidden caves, and has been the home of actors, authors and entrepreneurs. Today, slightly improved for today's lifestyle, it is the residence of the Bialla family. All fruit in this fine Cabernet Sauvignon is estate grown. Bialla's goal is to spare no expense in making the finest wine possible, with a maximum production limit of 500 cases per year. This is a rich Cabernet true to Napa's world famous style. Look for dark fruits and hints of tobacco, with a nice long finish.

Red Wine by Grant Burge from Barossa Valley, Australia. With Meshach I am seeking the epitome of the Barossa shiraz style - a big, powerful, intensely rich and robust dry red with the potential to age for 20-25 years and develop enormous complexity. I regard this as the most complete Meshach I have yet released. It shows great length and huge intensity on the mid-palate, with a dry finish but not any sign at all of harshness. Made from vines in Burge's Filsell Vineyard that are nearly 100 years old, this is one of Barossa's gems. In this warm vintage it's ripe and gooey, dense with delicious cherry pie, blackberry and licorice flavors that persist through a long, glorious finish. Has depth and presence, a real candidate for triumph after long-term cellaring. Best after 2011. -Wine Spectator

Red Wine by Allegrini from Veneto, Italy. Blend: 80% Corvina Veronese, 15% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta Allegrini Amarone is deep purple in color with a rich bouquet of dried fruit. Modern in style and very polished, it offers jammy aromas of ripe wild berries, candied fruit, chocolate, charcoal and cinnamon. Intense and super-rich, with chewy tannins, this wine is traditionally enjoyed with game, roasted and grilled meats, casseroles and well matured cheeses, but it is also recommended with Asian and Middle-Eastern dishes.