Fine Gift Ideas

After France, Italy is the second largest producer of wine with a huge variety of wines from the red wines of Barolo in Piedmont to the light fruity white wines of Pinot Grigio.

The huge variety in grapes is due to the geography of Italy as they have cold winters and hot summers in the North, and a more mediterranean feel in the south.

The white wines of Italy have a fresh lightness with the best variety being Pinot Grigio. The red wines include Tuscany’s Chianti Classico, Barbera d’Asti and Valpolicella Superiore and the finest wine Barolos, Chianti Classico Riservas.

In general Italian wines are great value for everyday drinking, and have reasonable mid-priced wines to drink with food.

Recommended Wines

Pinot Grigio Bacaro IGT Pavia 2008. Made using 100% Pinot Grigio this wine displays notes of citrus fruits, with a hint of floral aromas.

Chianti Classico San Leonino Tenimenti Angelini 2006. This is a very traditional style of Chianti made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo. It has all the violet and red cherry characters you’d expect, with vibrant acidity and sweet spice lingering on a sumptuous finish. This will be a fantastic partner to roasts, barbeques and pasta dishes.

New Zealand is relatively new to the wine world, however their climate is perfect for high quality wine making, and demand frequently outstrips supply. The cooler climate is perfect for making Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Like most countries different areas of the country produce different wines. Marlborough is famous for its Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines, Hawkes Bay for the smooth Bordeaux style Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, while Martinborough, Wairarapa and Central Otago for their Pinot Noir wines.

Recommended Wines

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008. Made from Sauvignon grapes that are cool fermented in stainless steel vats to retain the delicate fruit aromas and flavours. Showing pronounced aromas of gooseberry and tropical fruits, alongside a subtle herbaceousness. Crisp, elegant and refreshing, this is a classic aperitif wine from New Zealand’s famous Marlborough region.

Resolute Pinot Noir Winegrowers of Ara Marlborough 2006. This wine is from Ara, an ancient river terrace formed through unrelenting geological processes. Resolute wines are the culmination of a long and difficult journey; from bare land to fine wine. Enduring extremes of climate, both grapevine and winegrower have overcome the challenges of rock, dust and mud to forge a wine of great complexity and finesse. This magnificent Pinot Noir boasts ripe red cherry characters with underlying earth and spicy oak notes supported by a wonderfully firm structure and a long silky finish.

Portugal was made famous for its Port, a type of fortified sweet wine. Today Portugal is an untapped source for excellent indigenous grape varieties, and is yet to immerge as a large wine exporter.

Portugal are now trying to make a lighter, fruitier styles and even make white wines, moving away from the traditional heavier red wines.

As with many countries the wine making is split into two areas.

In the north Vinho Verde, a crisp, spritzy white wine is made together with some exciting red wines from the great Port grapes.

In the south in the Alentejo and Estremadura regions the wine is more modern with new fruiter wines being made.

Recommended Wine

Malvis Douro Reserva 2005. Made from a blend of traditional Douro grapes, this wine combines powerful ripe fruit with classy French oak nuances.

Traditionally Spanish wines have always been red, however due to modern technology high quality white wines are now starting to be exported.

Rioja and Ribera del Duero are the backbone of Spanish wines both using the native Tempranillo grape which is kept in wooden barrels for several years.

The new vibrant, citrussy whites are coming from Galicia in the north of Spain.

When thinking of Spanish wine you cannot forget their famous Cava, a sparkling wine, and also their Sherry, a fortified wine made in the Jerez region of Andalucia.

Recommended Wines

Torres Viña Sol Penedès 2008. Fourth generation grower Miguel Torres uses his experience well in the production of this dry, easy-quaffing white. This is a reliably fresh, fruity and dangerously drinkable white made from the Parellada grape (a variety also used in Spanish Cava). A wine suitable for drinking anytime – pre or post siesta! Superb with rice, fish and shellfish.

Rioja Crianza Marqués de la Concordia 2005. Marqués de la Concordia combines fresh New World style and traditional Old World terroir, resulting in a dark ruby-coloured wine brimming with ripe blackberry and strawberry fruit flavours. The palate shows lashings of vanilla and spicy oak, giving a rich, lingering finish. From an outstanding vintage, this is the perfect match to roasted red meats.

Although South Africa has one of the oldest wine making traditions in the New World the political turmoil it has suffered over the years has ment that the industry did not develop as fast as other countries.

Wine is made in the Mediterranean climate around the Western Cape and Cape Town where it was more famous for its white wines. In recent years they have developed some fantastic red wines made from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

South Africa’s signature grape is Pinotage a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault which has resulted in the best of the new and old world styles.

Recommended Wines

Robertson Winery Sauvignon Blanc Robertson 2008. A fresh, dry and intensely fruity varietal Sauvignon Blanc. Robertson Valley is situated further inland than most in South Africa, where the daytime climate is hot and dry, but the nights are cool. These growing conditions enhance the zesty gooseberry flavours so common in Sauvignon Blanc.

John X Merriman Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2006. This wine has a full, smooth palate with blackberry flavours and cigar-box aromas. The name commemorates John Xavier Merriman (1841 – 1926), who purchased a farm in 1892 which later became Rustenberg Wines. He was the last prime minister of the Cape Colony before the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

USA is the fourth largest wine producing country in the world with the majority of the wine coming from the sunny state of California.

Oregon, Washington and New York State also produce great wine.

Some of most exciting Pinot Noirs now come from Oregon, as well as high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

Washington produces mainly red wines including the intensely fruity Merlot and Cabernet.

Recommended Wines

Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2006. Intense aromas of white peach, baked apple and nectarine combine seamlessly with toasty oak and cedar. Flavours of melon, pineapple and lime leap forward on the palate, alongside more traditional lemon, apple and pear – the full array of Sonoma’s cornucopia of fruit joining a nutty, spicy, lightly oaky profile that is sure to please those who love Chardonnay.

Saintsbury Pinot Noir Carneros 2006. The Saintsbury Winery founded in 1981 is the leading producer of fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Carneros. Wild complex aromas exude fabulous redcurrant, red cherry, mocha and sandalwood characters alongside a perfectly balanced and seamless palate. This vintage in Carneros was excellent for Pinot Noir featuring a long cool growing season with good maturity, great balance and structure.