ANDY’S PICKS
Andy Gerry is the Product Buyer for Bayfield’s with over 26 years service to their Liquor Superstore!
Ever wanted to try an international drop and didn’t know where to start? You don’t need to head overseas to sample the very best wines from celebrated wine regions around the world, we’ve selected some of the best for you to choose from. Here’s our pick of 4 international wines we’d recommend, some new to Bayfield’s and easy on the pocket at under $30. Cheers, Andy!
Castilla La Mancha, home of Don Quixote, is a vast Spanish wine region that lies on the tableland around Spain’s capital Madrid. It has large plantings of white wines from the local grapes of Airén and Macabeo to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and remains today as Spain’s largest wine producing area. This vast region includes over 300 wineries which has reinvigorated itself in the last decade and now boasts a superior wine-production from appellations (wine appellations are legally defined and protected areas to conserve grape origins) once considered drab and unsavoury, now yield well-balanced, oak aged red wines celebrated around the globe.
BAYFIELD’S PICK: Elefante Primero Tampranillo 2015
Unveiling sweet ripe berries, spice, some cola and licorice allsorts, this Spanish Tempranillo offers easy drinking.
Marlborough has put New Zealand on the international wine map with its exquisite Sauvignon Blanc production first created in 1979. Wineries of the region offer a huge range of varieties, from elegant Pinot Noir to intense Chardonnay, and vivacious aromatics. The region is acclaimed for its vigirous sunshine levels, even though it is a relatively cool region with long, slow ripening periods. The diverse soils and meso-climates of the Marlborough region have helped shape New Zealand’s world-wine wine domination which it enjoys to this day.
BAYFIELD’S PICK: Dog Point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017
A light, elegant feel with a dry crisp finish and long aftertaste of gooseberries, passionfruit, herbaceous grassy characters and asparagus.
The Rhône Valley stretches from South of Lyon all the way to Avignon in France’s South East, and is generally divided into two sub-regions with distinct vinicultural traditions, the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. With over two millennium of winemaking expertise, (the Romans installed vineyards into some of its finest terroirs), this region also has the most diverse soils in France, allowing it to produce wine in a variety of styles. This Rhône Valley is highly acclaimed for its outstanding wine making contribution due to its Mediterranean climate of lingering warm summers and mild winters – the region is renowned for producing Viogner, Muscats, Grenache and Syrah’s for centuries.
BAYFIELD’S PICK”: Les Courtilles Cotes du Rhone Shiraz Grenache 2015
A bouquet of dark berried fruit, forest undergrowth, oak and sweet spice. The palate begins with a burst of supple red berry and sweet cherry flavours balanced by bright acidity and nicely textured tannins. Beautifully balanced and flavoursome.
Veneto, Italy is made up of three highly productive Italian regions collectively referred to as the Tre Venezie, this region is smaller in size than Italy’s other main wine-producing regions of Tuscany, Piedmont, and Sicily, but interestingly, it produces more wine that any of them and is very diverse in the type of wines it produces. This region in North-Eastern Italy remained quite driven during the 90’s when other regions began to weaken against the onslaught of fierce competition from many international rivals and New World wines. It gained acclaim for its varietals of Valpolicella, Prosecco and Soave. This region is celebrated for wines on opposite sides of the style spectrum from hearty reds to fragrant sparkling wines.
BAYFIELD’S PICK: Pasqua ’11 minute Rosé 2016
A blend of Corvina, Trebbiano di Lugana, Syrah, Carmenère. The grapes have been carefully chosen so that, when harvested at proper maturity, they express all the characteristics desired for its rosé. ‘11 Minutes’ refers to the duration of the skin contact, and the pressing of these grapes, which were very softly pressed. It is a light and refreshing rosé with an inviting nose – perfect on its own or with hor dóeuvres.
Cheers!