It has been hot this year all over Europe. Traditionally cooler regions for wine production are enjoying another year when there fruit ripens well and harvests start early whilst the historically hotter areas are wandering if and when the temperatures are going to stop climbing. Alongside the heat, it has been very dry once again in areas where rainfall has almost vanished during the summer. The Roussillon, Catalonia and much of Greece are once again struggling. Wild fires ravage the countryside all over Europe and vines are stressed to the limit, in some cases shutting down due to the lack of water. All pretty worrying for the future of the wine industry in southern Europe and the Mediterranean.
However, we still love the summer and we also love the wines from some of the these blisteringly hot areas. Wine producers are always resilient and able to adapt and as such, they are still mamaging to produce beautiful natural wines with balance and freshness in places like Portugal, Greece, the South of France and Catalonia. Sicily too is booming with natural wine makers and there are some great examples of new wave Nero d’Avola and Catarrato coming out of the hot hinter Island of the Island.
We have just returned from the stunningly beautiful Ardeche region of France, where we finally discovered an old vineyard of the illegal Jacquez variety, tried the characterful native grape Chatus and drank some very tasty if not a little rustic local bottles from natural growers.
So in celebration of all things summer and all those sweltering wine regions struggling under the beating sun and having to work in a daily oven, we have put together a mixed case of wines from the hot places. All of these wines are also recently new to our Portfolio with three great new wineries from Portugal, Pormenor from the Douro, Val Capucha from Lisbon and Monte Peceguina from Alentejo. These grapes are all grown in hot, hot places and so the wines are ripe, but that doesn’t mean jammy, cloying or lacking freshness. We think this is a diverse and delicious selection and you feel the heat of the terroir in every bottle. We hope you enjoy them, Cin Cin!
In the case
Vale da Capucha Arinto Branco 2019
Urano 159 Catarrato Viola 2024
Siccagno Nero d’Avola Occhipinti 2023
Xi-Ro Xinomavro Ktima Ligas 2022
| Is Vegan? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Production Method | Biodynamic, Natural, Organic |
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