Gift Guide #1: Five Serious Reds

We’re going to make this Primary Gifting Window easy for you, and in addition to the festive cases we’ve carefully picked out, we’ll be making suggestive gift guides for your lucky friends and family.

First up, serious reds. Bill Murray serious. He’s wearing a dinner jacket, he’s talking in dulcet tones but- at his core he’s full of fun. Doesn’t mean he’s not classy though. Keep it classy Bill. Here’s 5 reds all perfectly suitable from your black tie getup through to Elvis Costello karaoke in an inside out t-shirt.

‘Serious Reds’

Syrah farmed biodynamically by Jean Delobre in the esteemed appellation of St Joseph. A treacherous 350mThis is lifted and aromatic with violets & blackberry. Broader shoulders than their entry level reds with velvet tannins.

Sean O’Callaghan- originally from Somerset- moved to Tuscany in 1991 after studying winemaking in Germany. Though not a native, Sean has an unsurpassed knowledge of the terroir, and a unique affinity with Sangiovese. One of our favourite expressions; blackberry, a little dip of balsamic, black olive core & forest floor.

Xaviere Hardy willed her domaine into existence. The only winemaker in her region for miles around, Xaviere lobbied the local council who finally granted her permission to plant her own vineyard. She uses biodynamic practices, and herbal teas made from local flowers & honey to treat the vines. Her Cab Franc is pure, bright, and supple. We have raspberry & cherries here, with the ground still wet & humming with yesterday’s storm.

Michael & Melanie Voelker returned home to slowly take over Michael’s family vineyards in 2013, they are now at the helm and making exceptionally expressive wines. Here we’ve got cherries like one might find a little drunk at the bottom of a black forest gateau, bright with herbs and a wet-rock minerality. Also, no wreath required if you just hang a few of these over your front door.

Another young winemaker who has taken over the family vines; Vincent Alexis is working wonders in an area otherwise a little set in it’s ways. Hecate is from the top Cru in the area. A fresh, bright yet classic take on a wine traditionally so dense it could fuel cruise liners. We don’t drink enough in this style, but December is the season. With elegant secondary dried fruit and tertiary spice flavours coming through, this is like a bottled sense memory of mixing the christmas cake as a kid.