For wine connoisseurs finding unique and highly palatable wines is a favorite pastime. Nothing beats the moment you discover an extravaganza of flavors that dance around in the mouth bringing a smile to the most serious wine enthusiasts.
The lively and individuality of new world wines are fast becoming a popular choice so what distinctive wines are available and what is so special about them ?
California
2018 Occidental Pinot noir Freestone
This aromatic red wine is a delight to the senses. Made using young vines it’s fruity with a citrus overtone. The occidental property uses free run juice to make their wine lending itself to clarity of flavor.
The unique flavors burst through with easily detectable traces of bitter orange and tea leaves. It’s fresh with a layered finish and can be enjoyed immediately or left to mature for up to 8 years.
2019 Villa Paradiso Rose napa Valley
This easy drinking wine contains everything you look for in a good rose. Beautifully colored, and a joy for the taste buds, this wine is good value and irresistible.
It has a mild palette with detectable flavors of pear and melon. A fantastic summer drink and a great base for cocktails and spritzers.
2017 Opus One
The Opus One is the 5 star of wines. Enticing, glamorous and opulent this rare beauty is a unique vintage and has an amazing red fruit intense. A complete wine and one not to be missed.
2018 Ridge Lytton Springs
This vintage has bags of personality to offer and is the epitome of elegance. A distinct cacophony of flavors comes together to produce the perfect symphony. Blood orange, rose petals, spice, mint and plum create a symbiotic relationship that’s full of energy and delightful to the palate.
2018 Failla Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge vineyard
Another favorite from the Occidental estate, this rich full-bodied wine is to be enjoyed slowly with appreciation and awe. Exceptional and elegant, this wine is a party for the senses.
A ripe wine without heaviness and mid-palate depth that is both exciting and comforting. A highly enjoyable experience with a smooth finish and a touch of spice. Magnificent!
Washington
Spring Valley Vineyard Katherine Cockrum Estate Grown Cabernet Franc Walla Valley 2015
Remaining in the US the Spring valley vineyard is a popular choice for wine lovers. The wine is made from mature grapes and has the benefit of new oak barrels. The resulting flavor is a combination of cherry, peppers, and flowers.
The flavor is an acquired taste that’s intense yet light, textured with a smooth finish.
Justine Avennia 2018
Who says Washington can’t make great wine? This sophisticated seductive deep wine is full of character and has to be tasted to be appreciated. Dark fruit flavors permeate this dashingly handsome wine with hints of lavender, cocoa and citrus underpinning the main flavor.
Elegant, smooth and classy this is a wine to impress, so stock up.
Argentina
Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2015
The Argentinians have produced some fantastic new age wines and have earned their place in the wine specialists favorite lists. The delicious Malbec is grown in Argentina; a wine that has gained much popularity in recent years.
The Catena Zapata is a fantastic Malbec, more than 100 years old. This vintage is dense, sweet and full-bodied with vibrant flavors such as violet, mocha, spice, and berries. A delight to drink alone or with friends.
Pulenta Estate, La Flor malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, 2018
The Pulenta Estate produces a great selection of top tasting wines. This Malbec produced by the brothers who own the estate (Hugh and Eduaro Pulenta) has spent 12 months absorbing flavors from French oak and is well-structured and juicy.
This vintage is lively and boasts overtones of spicy vanilla with a touch of sweet tobacco for a highly enjoyable taste bud experience.
Achaval Ferrer Quimera
Another Malbec, this time from a popular wine making region (Mendoza). The wine is potent and full-bodied and is ideal served with a juicy steak and seasonal vegetables.
The wine’s bouquet is a complex mixture of detectable blackberry flavors, overtones of spice and a touch of licorice.
Chile
Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 Vina Cono Sur
Chiie are high up on the list of the best winemakers in the world. And quite rightly so. This cheeky little Pinot at 14.5 % isn’t for the faint-hearted. A sweet red wine, it’s lively and filled with personality. It flirts effortlessly with cherry blossom and rich red fruit to create an oral dance with a spicy finish.
Aresi Trisquel Series Altitd 1,245 Merlot, Curico Valley 2016
The Curico region of Chile isn’t the most popular, but the producers have been working hard to get in on the map (as it were). Struggling to attain decent results due to the high altitude previous vintages haven’t been that great however, they have produced a winner in the 2016 vintage Merlot.
This structured and bold wine pairs wonderfully with red meat but can equally be enjoyed alone. It boasts a perfect balance of refreshing yet refined with an exquisite herbal trademark. Well worth indulging in due to its affordability and individual flavor.
Errazuriz Costa Sauvignon Blanc 2019
This crisp white is easy to drink and comes from the coastal area of Aconcagua. This Sauvignon Blanc is high quality and as good as other more popular areas of winemaking in the world. The herbal citrus flavors will delight white wine lovers, and it’s hard to ignore the crisp and light finish. Perfect!
Australia
2015 Domaine simha Rani TAS
Although not popular as a wine making country Australia has joined the gang of new world wine providers and is producing high quality sought after wines.
This lovely 2015 vintage is unique and produced by a pioneering winemaker who uses unusual techniques in his winemaking. This Riesling has gone through a wild fermentation process and is characterful and easy to drink. The lemon and floral overtones make it a perfect drink on a sunny day.
2017 Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc, adelaide hills SA
This is the 29th vintage for Adelaide Hill, an amazing feat and much deserved. This crisp fresh wine is perfect with seafood or a fragrant accompaniment to a BBQ in the garden. Versatile and accessible citrus with subtle lemon and grapefruit flavors is a great choice.
2017 Mewstone Sauvignon Blanc, D’ Entrecasteaux channel TAS
An unusual wine that has spent a substantial amount of time on dead yeast cells (or lees) that has produced a complex and appealing taste. Fresh crisp and dry and great wine for simplicity and easy drinking.
New Zealand
Sunshine Bay Sauvignon Blanc
This Sauvignon is an affordable top rate wine and best enjoyed chilled on a sun filled day. Grown in the sun-drenched Marlborough region the wine offers crisp and fresh acidity along with citrus flavors. A perfect accompaniment for cheese and seafood that will bring out the sweet flavors of passion fruit and guava.
Nobilo icon Pinot noir
A fantastic Pinot Noir from the Waihopai Valley has smashed it with this full-bodied and balanced wine. Twelve months in French oak makes this a real treat for the taste buds.
Clearly detectable are aromas of plum, chocolate and cherry leading to a smooth and oakey finish. Best served with red meat such as lamb or rich seafood dishes.
MT Beautiful North Canterbury Riesling
An up and coming new growing region in North canterbury has produced this delightful Riesling that’s pleasant and crisp. A dry wine with flavors such citrus, apple honeysuckle and lime it’s the perfectly balanced mix. There’s a hint of orange alongside sweet tropical fruit, a delicious and exceptional treat.
Bladen Marlborough Pinot Rose 2019
This enticing little Rose has an appealing light pink color and is light and refreshing. Aromas of watermelon, strawberries are apparent as the wine settles on the palate. The grapes are handpicked allowing for effective selection of the best grapes.
Dry and elegant this cheeky number is moorish and guaranteed to please any wine connoisseur.
South Africa
Nicolas Van Der Merwe Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Since the 1990s South Africa has produced intense and complex wines that have become popular worldwide.
This Cabernet Sauvignon rests wonderfully on the palate with oak and spice bustling through the senses. Also detectable are hints of blueberry, raspberry, and mint as well as notes of plum and cedar. A drink to be enjoyed slowly and steadily in order to appreciate the long balanced and smooth finish.
Royal Nymphomane 2015
A strong sophisticated wine, a dense, distinctive and outstanding flavor party that integrates complex flavors such as fruits, vanilla, and marzipan as well as hints of tobacco. Sexy and intriguing.
Syrah 2018
This special and outstanding wine is elegant and silky and combines several flavors that all complement each other. Fruit, yogurt, vanilla pepper, clay, and leather as well as exuberant spices pull together to make a delightful drinking experience with an intense finish. Try to believe it!
Weltevrede Turkish Delight
For the Rose lovers out there this refreshing and sweet wine is a wonderful feminine delight. Summary and light, it blends together shiraz and gewurztraminer for a wonderful combination that tastes like rose petals and candyfloss. What’s not to like!
The Perle de Jean pinot grigio 2018
This dry sparkling wine is low in alcohol and a refreshing and drinkable summer option. Hints of all the red fruits: it’s simple, juicy, refreshing and light.
Delheim pinotage Rose 2018
This vibrant pink Rose is sweet without being overly sweet. The palate will enjoy the sweetness of the fruit swiftly followed by the sharpness of the cranberry and pomegranate overtones. The crisp acidity is perfectly balanced with the berry character or rich red fruits. I must-try!
There you have it. List of 25 great wines to add to the bucket list.
