The wines of April 2025

    Another month has gone by - times fun while your having flies! Here is a group of wines I tasted in April.

2023 Backsberg Chenin Blanc, South Africa

 The juicy peach, citrus blossom and mango aromas are perfectly balanced by a refreshing acidity

Chenin Blanc is exceptionally versatile. It pairs well with salads, vegetables, fish and chicken. Hints of sweetness and a slightly fuller body ensure it complements both spicy and creamier dishes.

A combination of trellised and bush vines from both Wellington and Paarl regions. Grapes are picked over time between 21 and 23 degrees Balling. They are then crushed, chilled and settled overnight. Fermented warmer at 16° Celsius in stainless steel to yield a simple, clean but slightly fuller wine.

Pretty nice little South African Chenin Blanc (they used to call it “Steen”). Decent minerality, drinks easily and cost about $13.

 

2022 Maipe Malbec Reserve, Gualtallary, Argentina

Maipe Malbec Reserve is made from 100 percent Malbec.

Maipe was the Lord of the Winds for the ancient Andean Indians. He is still called upon to clear the skies after heavy rain, or to temper the summer heat.

The nose reveals dried plum and dark fruits, exotic spices, with hints of violet and chocolate. Round and fleshy, with enticing crushed plum and boysenberry fruit enlivened by a liquorice snap note. Fresh acidity lies buried on the medium-weight, juicy finish.

The grapes are carefully chosen and fermented in small lots to preserve the vineyard identity. Alcoholic fermentation for 12 days with indigenous and selected yeasts, at temperatures of 26 and 30°C, combining, remontage, pigage and delestage in order to obtain the best quality of tannins and structure.

I enjoy this malbec – have had several vintages over the years. Good dark fruits with good acidity to go with foods, especially something grilled. Priced under $20, a real gem.

 

2021 Stolpman Vineyards Crunchy Roastie Syrah, Santa Barbara County, Calilfornia

Superfresh aromas of strawberry, carnation, rose and flaky pastry make for a very approachable nose on this “So Fresh” bottling, which includes 5% Viognier. There's a firm if quick tannic edge to the palate, where an angular structure cuts across the fresh strawberry paste, pomegranate and white-pepper flavors. — Matt Kettmann  91 Pts WE

“Drink chilled” – the bottle says and it is better that way. It is beginning to fade a little bit, but has decent red and black fruit flavors, with a bit of acidity. Drink soon, not something to keep for long – good summer drinking. Priced at about $20.

2018 Rassi Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, California

Blended with 15% Merlot, this affordable red is nutty and herbal in cedar, with strong elements of toasted oak. Dark fruit presents as full bodied and deeply concentrated, with moderate structure giving it a supple foundation of power.                           88pts WE

This beautifully blended 2018 Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon is exquisitely balanced with excellent fruit concentration. On the nose, this wine offers bing cherries, cassis, dried cranberries, black cherry cola, mixed berry jam, and a touch of brioche. The palate offers plush but delicate tannins, sweet black plums, strawberry rhubarb pie, red raspberry coulis, toasted bread, and cocoa dust that lingers on the finish.

This wine is hitting its stride right now. Great dark fruits with underlyingherbs; nice acidity with a moderate long finish. Really well made wine, could hold for several years, as well. Priced at $30, a real bargain.

 

2020 Stefania Mezzetti Annibale Rosso IGT, Cortona, Italy

Color: Intense ruby red with light garnet reflections.

Winemaking: Vinification in steel at a controlled temperature between 26° and 28° C, leaving it to macerate with the skins for 25 days.

80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Umbria, just east of Tuscany and the only wine region of Italy without a coastline is known for deep colored, antioxidant rich reds. This Tuscan inspired blend was matured for 4 months in oak barriques and aged another 4 months in bottle before release.

Aromas of dark berries, dried herbs, cigar box and similar flavors with a hint of spices and toast. Full-Bodied and warm with grippy tannins.

Food pairings: Roasted meats, hearty appetizers, great with cold cuts and aged cheeses

A close-out in the store for about $13, it was a decent Italian wine. Moderate dark fruits with good acidity, it just seemed a little blah to me. OK for the price, but I wouldn’t pursue it.

2019 CUNE Rioja Reserva, Spain

Garnet in color with some cherry red hints. Aromas of forest fruits, blackberries, cherries, strawberries... and licorice being well integrated with notes from aging in barrel such as spices, vanilla and anise. The palate is soft due to a friendly tannin that gives it balance and roundness. The final note of acidity gives us a long wine with a fruity aftertaste.

Perfect pairing with fish, meat, cheese and stews.

90           Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2019 Cune Reserva was produced with a blend of Tempranillo with 15% Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo from Haro. 2018 was a warm and healthy year that delivered a wine with 14% alcohol and good balance. It fermented in 20,000-liter stainless steel vats and matured in French and American oak barrels for 18 months. It's a classical warm year in the style of 2009, or 2015, already with some tertiary notes, hints of earth and leather, spicy and with abundant tannins that call for food.     Rating: 90+

A gift for working for my buddy Matt, this is an awesome Rioja – wonderful black and red fruits with an undertone of spice. Moderate long finish – nice acidity for food, but nice just sipping. Priced in the mid-20’s on the internet, a really nice bottle for that price.

 

2020 Thelema Mountain Red, Western Cape, South Africa

This wine shows inviting aromas of juicy black fruit, mulberries, plums and hints of warm  spice. After  spending 18 months in barrel, the palate is soft and juicy with well rounded  tannins and a long,  delicious finish

Blend    41% Shiraz, 36% Petit Verdot & 23% Grenache

Thelema Mountain Red wine is a tantalising indulgence hailing from the esteemed vineyards in South Africa's Stellenbosch region. It exudes a refined complexity, composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot grapes. This rich red wine arrests the senses with vibrant aromas of dark berries, clove, and subtle hints of tobacco. On the palate, it offers a unique blend of spiced plums, black cherries, and undercurrents of dark chocolate, culminating in a velvety finish. Thelema Mountain Red is truly a testament to dedicated winemaking, making it an ideal companion for hearty meals or contemplative evening soirees.

A nice smooth blend from South Africa, with nice red fruits and a smooth finish. Not tannic, but nicely built for food – lighter than a Bordeaux blend, but a good sipper that goes with grilled fare. Priced around $19, you cannot go wrong with this wine.

 

2021 Tait ‘The Ball Buster’, Barossa Valley, Australia

This 2021 vintage starts out with brooding black plum jam on the nose, followed by a trace of black cherry pie, bitter dark chocolate and cardamom & clove. This vintage is particularly broad-shouldered with tightly wound, ripe tannins. It stays lively through the mid-palate and maintains its rich mouthfeel which is nicely framed until it finishes with textbook silkiness and a lingering spiciness.

Varietal Composition: 77% Shiraz, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot

Used to be Australia was all GSM, but now they are using Cab and Merlot to add to the Shiraz. Brooding is a good word for how this wine first comes off on the nose and palate.  Very full bodied with dark fruits and spices, yet not overpowering in tannins. Moderate finish, a very nice bottle for heavier fare and priced in the upper 20’s, so not a “bank buster”.

 

2020 Donati Family Vineyards Claret, Paso Robles, California

Rounded aromas of berry sauce are coated in mesquite smoke on the nose of this blend of all five primary Bordeaux grapes. The woodspice takes on a hickory flavor on the palate, giving a smoky sense to the soft strawberry fruits. — Matt Kettmann 88 Pts WE

Deep, dense, well extracted, with a solid core, and wonderful lifted black and red fruit. Cocoa powder aromas are framed with well-integrated smokey oak. Full, weighty, very well balanced, possessing good acidity and harmonious, excellent intensity on the palate.​ 90 Points - Tasting Panel Magazine

Based on the Bordeaux model, the wine comes of similar to the French wines.  Black fruit and hints of red, with a bit of herbs and oak. It could age five years, easily. Has fair acidity for heavier fare – slabs of steak – a tasty bottle from the Donati Family in Paso Robles. Priced around $25.

Hope all is well ! Until next month, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.