gndec13 thewinesociety.com/giants leaflet_n… · ripe black-cherry aromas and velvety palate. now...

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Key

- bone dry to intensely sweet new vintage screwcap

ARGENTINAREDS Zaha Malbec 2011 The maiden 2010 took the wine world by storm and the new 2011, in the hands of ex-Catena winemaker and viticulturist Alejandro Sejanovich, easily secures ‘giant’ status in our book. Perfectly ripe fruit (including a little cabernet franc and petit verdot for extra freshness, spice and complexity) further enhanced by its time in oak. Now to 2021. 14% ref GN-AR2891 £22 bottle £264 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Teho Altamira Malbec 2010A giant in the making, Teho is a new wine from the same stable as Zaha and impresses and seduces with its power and silky old-vine texture (it comes principally from a vineyard planted in 1955). High-altitude vineyards ensure its concentration is balanced with natural freshness, gentle tannins make it accessible now if decanted an hour before serving, but it will develop ever increasing complexity as it matures. Now to 2028. 14%ref GN-AR2751 £39 bottle £468 dozen

WHITES Catena Alta Historic Rows Chardonnay 2011 Catena has an unrivalled reputation in Argentina for the quality and finesse of its chardonnay. Vineyards at 1,450m bring poise and freshness to this classy barrel-fermented wine which will start to reveal its true worth with half an hour in a decanter. Now to 2017. 14% ref GN-AR2921 £17 bottle £204 dozen

‘Giant’ status is often aspired to but rarely achieved. For us, the showy combination of extravagant new oak, over-ripe fruit, high alcohol and big heavy bottles does not a giant make. Quality and balance are essential facets, as is cellaring potential; heritage is good but track record is better. Old vines often have a part to play but lovingly tended, well-sited and appropriately planted vineyards are key. Man’s hand in all this tends to lean towards the non-interventionist and some of the world’s greatest winemakers are the most modest … Ridge’s Paul Draper and Stephen Henschke spring immediately to mind. Both are represented below along with many of the great and the good of the new world wine industry.

Choose by the bottle – or in some cases the magnum – or by the case. Four limited-edition mixed cases should leave you spoilt for choice, from Australasian Icons and an exclusive first-release reds case, to Giant Reds and mixed magnums of Boekenhoutskloof’s Chocolate Block.

Joanna Locke MW Society Buyer

AUSTRALIAREDS NEW Plantagenet Mount Barker Cabernet Sauvignon 2009Plantagenet is an important part of the vinous history of Western Australia. It was the first winery in the Great Southern region, established and still run by an Englishman, and produces some of Australia’s finest wines. Harmony is the goal here and this was attained in 2009 with the addition of small amounts of cabernet franc, merlot and malbec, rounding and layering the palate. Now to 2022. 13.5% ref GN-AU15521 £19 bottle £228 dozen

NEW Henschke ‘Henry’s Seven’ Barossa Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvèdre-Viognier 2010 In just one generation, Stephen and Prue Henschke and their historic vineyards have earned legend status. Few vines in the world are cared for with such respect and meticulous attention to detail. This tribute to Henry Evans, who planted the first vineyard of seven acres at Keyneton in 1853, is 76% old-vine shiraz co-fermented with grenache and viognier blended with a little mourvèdre and matured in large French oak casks. Low yields enrich and enhance its generous, spiced black-fruit flavours. Now to 2016. 14.5% ref GN-AU15751 £20 bottle £240 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2010A giant in more ways than one, Penfolds produces some of Australia’s greatest reds. Originally sourced exclusively from the Barossa Valley Kalimna vineyard, bought by Penfolds in 1945 and still remembered on the label, Bin 28 today is the epitome of warm-climate Australian shiraz: a ripe and flavourful multi-regional blend matured in large American oak casks, generous in its youth but with the potential for long cellaring. 2014 to 2025. 14.5%ref GN-AU16071 £20 bottle £240 dozen

NEW Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2011A refined and pure cabernet-merlot with ripe, densely flavoured fruit and graceful balance. This second wine to Cullen’s great Diana Madeline is exclusive to The Wine Society in the UK. Cullen manage their vineyards biodynamically and take great care in harvesting fruit of exceptional health. 2014 to 2024. 12.5%ref GN-AU15871 £25 bottle £300 dozen

NEW John Duval ‘Entity’ Barossa Shiraz 2009Chief winemaker at Penfolds for many years, John Duval is in the limelight once again with his own wines. This 100% shiraz is dense and generous, thickly textured on the palate, with typical Barossa chocolate and pepper aromas, tempered by maturation in fine French oak hogsheads. Now to 2021. 14.5% ref GN-AU15561 £28 bottle £336 dozen


Lemelson Thea’s Selection Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010/2011Eric Lemelson farms organically and takes the same sensitive approach in the cellar, producing pure yet sensuous pinot noir. Thea’s Selection is his premium cuvée and consistently one of Oregon’s best. 2010 produced high-quality grapes with very even ripeness which is perfect for the production of fine pinot. A very lovely bottle. Now to 2016. 13.5% The 2011 follows. ref GN-US4961 £19.50 bottle £234 dozen

Magnum of Ridge Geyserville 2005The outstanding 2005 vintage marked the 40th anniversary of this single-vineyard Sonoma zinfandel, where vines of up to 120 years old are responsible for the structure, balance, complex expression and velvety texture that is the hallmark of Ridge’s wines. Now to 2017. 14.5% Low stock.ref GN-US3634 £50 magnum £300 per six

FIRST RELEASE Ridge Lytton Springs 2011Bottled only in February this year, this fine single-vineyard blend (mostly old zinfandel but with small amounts of co-planted complementary varieties) is released ready to drink yet has the structure and potential for positive bottle development. A cooler later vintage has produced a very elegant wine with fine tannins, gently rounded fruit and lovely balance. Now to 2021. 14.5%ref GN-US5411 £28 bottle £336 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010Formerly labelled ‘Santa Cruz’, this is effectively Monte Bello’s second wine, approachable earlier than the Ridge flagship red yet with tremendous cellaring potential of its own. Some merlot plus tiny quantities of petit verdot and cabernet franc add complexity; all grapes were carefully selected to ensure ripeness and balance in this late vintage. 2014 to 2023. 13%ref GN-US5431 £33 bottle £396 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Magnum of Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010Low stocks. ref GN-US5434 £70 magnum £420 per six

FIRST RELEASE Seresin ‘Tatou’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010Seresin is not only at the pinnacle of fine wine production in New Zealand but a model of environmental sustainability too. From the Tatou vineyard through to the cellar and bottling, every stage is managed with considered, minimal intervention, allowing the complex sweet and harmonious pinot fruit full expression. Now to 2018. 14% ref GN-NZ6591 £28 bottle £336 dozen

WHITES Greywacke Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013Born in England and raised in Australia, Kevin Judd has been making waves in New Zealand since he moved there in 1983. He helped put New Zealand sauvignon on the map as winemaker at Cloudy Bay, and cemented his credentials yet further at Dog Point, where he also makes Greywacke. Mature vines bring a lovely pure, mineral quality to naturally ripe sauvignon fruit. Now to 2015. 13.5%ref GN-NZ6971 £15.50 bottle £186 dozen

Kumeu River Estate Auckland Chardonnay 2010Kumeu’s wines are always worth seeking out but an outstanding vintage in the hands of thoughtful, highly intelligent Michael Brajkovich MW is not to be missed. A love of Burgundy has always been a big influence here and the wines have a subtlety and refinement enhanced by natural ripeness, and, in 2010, a tiny crop. Now to 2016. 13.5%ref GN-NZ6401 £17 bottle £204 dozen

Greywacke ‘Wild’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011Successful ‘wild’ fermentation with indigenous yeasts is a winemaking Holy Grail rarely risked in the new world. The benefits, especially using majority old oak barrels, are integrity and breadth of flavour and a greater sense of place. A complex and richly textured white with a lingering savoury finish. Now to 2016. 14% Low stock ref GN-NZ6761 £22.50 bottle £270 dozen

USA

NEW ZEALAND


CHILEREDS Santa Rita ‘Casa Real’ Alto Jahuel Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon 2008Viña Santa Rita is one of a number of aristocratic wineries dating back to the 19th century and Casa Real is the jewel in its crown. A fine, concentrated, age-worthy, cedary cabernet made from old vines and matured in new French oak for 18 months until the tannins are silky on the palate. Now to 2024. 14.5% ref GN-CE6611 £23 bottle £276 dozen

Ocio Pinot Noir 2010Ocio already has the reputation of being Chile’s best pinot noir and this is consistently supported by our own tastings. From a cooler vintage, this is concentrated yet fine-flavoured, with fresh but ripe black-cherry aromas and velvety palate. Now to 2018. 14.5%ref GN-CE6811 £31 bottle £372 dozen

WHITES Maycas ‘Quebrada Seca’ Chardonnay 2010 Limarí was quickly identified as a perfect spot for chardonnay and northerly Limarí in particular has three magic ingredients: cooling dawn fogs, brilliant afternoon light and very low rainfall, so the vines dig deep. With naturally low yields and a light hand in the cellar, Marcelo Papa coaxes fine floral aromas and a tense and vivid minerality to set this apart from most new world chardonnays. Now to 2018. 14% ref GN-CE7281 £20 bottle £240 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Amon Ra Barossa 2012Ben Glaetzer is one of the newer stars in the Australian firmament but he, and Amon Ra in particular, is already established among the greats of the industry. 100% shiraz from old, unirrigated vines, some up to 120 years old, in a great Barossa vintage, matured for 14 months in 100% new oak. Big, rich and bold with velvet texture. 2015 to 2024. 15%ref GN-AU16371 £45 bottle £540 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2009One of Australia’s greatest shiraz wines and perhaps its most elegant. St Henri is matured only in old oak vats, developing complex, classic fruit and secondary flavours. Very harmonious and well adjusted so will cellar well for years, or even decades if you can resist it. 2015 to 2035. 14.5% ref GN-AU16051 £59 bottle £708 dozen

WHITES Grosset ‘Polish Hill’ Clare Valley Riesling 2012Nothing in the new world has yet rivalled the purity, finesse, structure and cellaring potential of Australia’s Clare Valley rieslings. In a great vintage and in the hands of Jeffrey Grosset, this is fine wine indeed: concentrated yet steely, blossom-scented but mineral, to drink or keep. Now to 2025. 12.5%ref GN-AU15491 £24 bottle £288 dozen

Kooyong ‘Farrago’ Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2010Sandro Mosele has quickly established Kooyong as one of the world’s great chardonnay producers. This tiny vineyard produces a minute quantity of intense yet restrained, beautifully balanced cool-climate chardonnay. Gold dust. Now to 2017. 13.5% The 2011 follows.ref GN-AU15691 £38 bottle £456 dozen


SOUTH AFRICA REDS FIRST RELEASE Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block, Western Cape 2012The beautiful and iconic Boekenhoutskloof estate is in Franschhoek but many of their wines are made with grapes grown elsewhere, in this case largely warm Swartland vineyards. A richly aromatic complex but generous, come-hither blend of 70% syrah, 13% cabernet sauvignon, 10% grenache, 6% cinsault and 1% viognier. Now to 2018. 14.5% ref GN-SA9181 £18 bottle £216 dozen

FIRST RELEASE Magnum of Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block, Western Cape 2012See the back page for a special vertical mixed case of Chocolate Block magnums featuring the 2010, 2011 & 2012 vintages. ref GN-SA9184 £38 magnum £228 six magnums

FIRST RELEASE Warwick Estate Trilogy, Stellenbosch 2010A similar blend to the superb 2009, this is 56% cabernet sauvignon, 30% cabernet franc and 14% merlot, matured in (60% new) French oak. The Ratcliffes’ flagship red is approachable now if you enjoy your Bordeaux blends young – in which case decant a good hour before serving – but will reward cellaring with more complex, fine cedary character and refined tannins in time. Now to 2020. 14%ref GN-SA9221 £18.50 bottle £222 dozen

Magnum of Warwick Estate Trilogy, Stellenbosch 2009 Generous well-balanced fruit and velvety tannins were the hallmark of the universally acclaimed 2009 vintage. The percentage of cabernet franc has been growing since 2002 and in 2009 is 29%, adding fragrance and refinement. An irresistible treat in magnum, the ideal size for cellaring, if you can resist indulging in its ebullient youth. Now to 2020. 14.5%ref GN-SA7774 £45 magnum £270 per six

FIRST RELEASE Meerlust Estate Rubicon, Stellenbosch 2008 Cabernet sauvignon dominated as usual, with just a splash of petit verdot included in the blend for the first time. Approachable younger these days, thanks to cellarmaster Chris Williams’ considered evolution of the style, Rubicon is still happily a world away from the broader, more muscular styles achieved elsewhere in the Cape. Many will still prefer to follow Meerlust’s recommendation and cellar this wine for the extra finesse that will come with another six to eight years in bottle. Now to 2025. 14% ref GN-SA9171 £20 bottle £240 dozen

Magnum of Meerlust Estate Rubicon, Stellenbosch 2005From a widely acknowledged great red wine vintage, the 2005 Rubicon was dense and tannic in its youth, especially in magnum, but has now started to develop more complex rich secondary flavours with notes of cedar, graphite and tobacco: the tannins have softened, the palate is sleek. Now to 2020. 14%ref GN-SA6234 £45 magnum £270 per six

WHITES FIRST RELEASE Boekenhoutskloof Semillon, Franschhoek 2010Franschhoek is home to some of the oldest semillon vines anywhere, producing enormously complex well-structured wines with good ageing potential. Classically styled, barrel-fermented and matured in new French oak (though you wouldn’t know it, such is the density of the fruit), then barely touched in the cellar save for the back-blending of 7% sauvignon blanc from the 2011 vintage for greater natural freshness and balance. Now to 2016. 13.5% ref GN-SA8151 £18 bottle £216 dozen

The International Exhibition Co-operative Wine Society Limited. Registered Office: Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2BT Register Number: 1824R (IP)Website thewinesociety.comEnquiries 01438 741177Orders 01438 740222


Uncork with confidenceThe Wine Society is a mutual organisation, so our members’ satisfaction is paramount. If, for any reason, you haven’t enjoyed a wine we want to hear about it and will happily offer a credit, a replacement or a refund. thewinesociety.com/promise

A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following:

Zaha Malbec 2011 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2010Santa Rita ‘Casa Real’ Alto Jahuel Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon 2008Lemelson Thea’s Selection Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010/2011 Warwick Estate Trilogy, Stellenbosch 2010Henschke ‘Henry’s Seven’ Barossa Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvèdre-Viognier 2010

ref GN-MX13265 £119

A three-magnum case containing a 1.5-litre bottle each of the 2010, 2011 & 2012 vintages of Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block.

ref GN-MX13266 £109


REDS Henschke ‘Henry’s Seven’ Barossa Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvèdre-Viognier 2010 Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2011 Seresin ‘Tatou’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010

WHITES Grosset ‘Polish Hill’ Clare Valley Riesling 2012Kooyong ‘Farrago’ Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2010/2011Greywacke ‘Wild’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011

ref GN-MX13267 £149


Amon Ra Barossa 2012 Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block, Western Cape 2012 Meerlust Estate Rubicon, Stellenbosch 2008 Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010Ridge Lytton Springs 2011 Seresin ‘Tatou’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010

ref GN-MX13264 £169

This offer is open until Sunday 19th January, 2014 while stocks last.

gndec13 thewinesociety.com/giants leaflet_n… · ripe black-cherry aromas and velvety palate. now...

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