The Little Nell Wine Director, Master Sommelier Jonathan Pullis, is an avid explorer of wine from around the world. He shares his latest musings on what to drink now when the snow is starting to fall…
Photo courtesy of Jeremy Swanson, 11/2/11
As the weather gets colder and the snow begins to fly in Aspen (we just received another 8 or so inches last night), I find myself reaching for more red wine. Syrah, or shiraz, seems to have fallen out of favor with the general public, and that’s a shame, because there are so many delicious wines out there.
There is a silver lining to this trend, and that’s the great value of shiraz right now.
Here are two that I will be tasting frequently this winter:
2008 Penfolds Shiraz “Bin 128” Coonawarra, Australia
This is a great example of Aussie fruit with great balance.
Classic blueberry, blackberry and dark cherry fruit with hints of smoke and leather.
Medium-plus bodied, it goes great with all red meats.
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage
Do yourself (and your friends) a favor and find this wine!
The Chave family has been farming on the mountain of Hermitage for 800 years or so, and they produce stunning wine.
When I smell this, it reminds me of cherry crisp cooked over a campfire with bacon and pine notes. Insanely delicious and addictive.
Cheers! Jonathan
Have a question about wine? Leave it here, or post it on our Facebook page.
