brunello do montalcino 2018
Drink now or cellar for up to 20 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona estate is set in the southeastern corner of Montalcino close to the Orcia river which helps to moderate temperatures during the hot summers. The palazzo on the property was built by the Bishop of Montalcino in the 17th century. The modern story of the estate begins in 1985 when Countess Elda Ciacci gave it to her estate manager. Today the property is looked after by his two children and two grandchildren who are creating their own family legacy here. This single vineyard Brunello comes from a 11.7 hectare plot which sits at up to 360 metres of altitude and features top quality marl soils. The terroir here helps to craft elegant yet structured wines with plenty of balancing acidity and aromatics. Once in the winery the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks and glass-lined vats before being aged for 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks. As soon as you pour out a glass of this charming Brunello you’ll notice the enticing notes of ripe cherries, leather, cedar and cinnamon from the lengthy time in oak. On the palate there is plenty of power and firm tannins balanced by acidity which gives this wine great ageing potential in the cellar. Open alongside seasonal game like venison or wild boar or keep for a decade or more in the cellar.
Olivia Helps With Christmas
Olivia is getting into the Christmas spirit. There are presents to wrap, ornaments to hang on the tree, snowpigs to build... But what mischief and mayhem will she get up to this time? This delightfully told and beautifully illustrated festive Oliv...
Rocky the Robot Helps Out
Mum burnt a cake - again. She is just too busy, but her son Dylan thinks he can help. When Rocky the Robot arrives at the door, he obeys all of Mum's commands. However, Rocky isn't very good at his jobs with all his robot parts. He tries to give u...
Naughtiest Girl: Naughtiest Girl Helps A Friend
In Enid Blyton's bestselling school series Elizabeth Allen is sent away to boarding school and makes up her mind to be the naughtiest pupil there's ever been. In book six, the school goes camping and the Naughtiest Girl means to be well-behaved. B...
Olivia Helps with Christmas
This lavishly illustrated board book makes the perfect stocking stuffer Everyone's favorite Caldecott Honor-winning pig and number-one Santa Claus enthusiast, Olivia, helps to make the season brighter than ever in this lovingly told and lavishly illustrated picture book. Christmas is coming, and Olivia is incredibly busy. She has to wait for Santa Claus, make sure dad sets up the tree, wait for Santa, watch mom make the Christmas dinner, wait for Santa, oversee the care with which the stockings are hung and, of course, OPEN HER PRESENTS Do you see how hard it is to be so helpful during the holidays?
What Really Helps
What Really Helps
Open markets : how trade helps humans cooperate, create and destroy
Why do we obsess about money? Are products made to break? Why do we work so hard? How do we help the poor? Why do humans create markets everywhere they go? A fact-filled, research-based, graphic non-fiction by Ph.D Andreas Berg, Swedish economist ...
I Hope This Helps
From the first person many aspiring women want to hear from every morning, a collection of curated quotes, poems, and indelible messages that will help you heal and grow, daily. Known for delivering 'pep-talks you didn't know you needed,' Nakeia lends her story, her wisdom, and her voice to women all over the world working, daily, to meet the next best version of themselves. 'Don't let life cause you to believe that you can't be anyone other than who you were in the past. You can always begin again.' I Hope This Helps is truth, warmth, conviction, and poetry for the soul- on every single page. * Words to start your day- and words to help you sleep at night. * Words to remind you who you are- and words to help you find out why you're here. This book of mini lessons will inspire the major breakthroughs you've been waiting for. 'You can have the desires of your heart, but you gotta heal first.' I hope this helps...
Isadora Moon Helps Out
Half vampire, half fairy, totally unique! Isadora is special because she is different. Her mum is a fairy and her dad is a vampire and she's a bit of both. When Isadora's mum comes down with the fairy flu, Isadora wants to be the best nurse that s...
Helps for Counselors - A mini-manual for Christian Counseling
A collection of helpful hints and how-tos, covering all aspects of counseling, what to look for, and how to proceed. A Scripture reference guide is included.
Cuvée de Purcari
Cellar for up to 5 years. Serve chilled. Chateau Purcari is Moldova’s oldest winery with a noble history that dates back to a special decree issued by Tsar Nicholas I in 1827. Although during the years of the Soviet Union Moldova was primarily known for producing huge quantities of everyday wines, today Chateau Purcari has developed a reputation for excellence and unbeatable value for money. Purcari is located in the southeastern corner of Moldova where conditions are ideal for premium winemaking. The terroir here is actually reminiscent of terroir, since it sits at the same latitude and has similar rubidium-rich soils. The nearby Black Sea also works in its favour, helping to cool the vines during the summer and lock in plenty of aromatics and freshness. This stunning sparkling wine is made from two of the classic varieties used to make Champagne, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as well as some Pinot Blanc. The wine spends an extended period maturing on the lees which helps to add enticing hints of spice and toast to the bright citrus and orchard fruit notes. The delicate bubbles and mouthwatering freshness make this a great option to serve to guests as an unusual aperitif or to pair with fresh seafood, sushi, salads, or spicy Asian dishes.
11 Minutes
Cellar for up to 4 years. Serve chilled. This delicate Italian rosé is named after the very brief 11 minutes that the grape skins spend in contact with the juice. The short maceration helps extract the gorgeous pale pink hue as well as enticing aromas and floral hints. The juice is then cooled and fermented in stainless steel tanks to lock in plenty of freshness and pure varietal character. It’s left to age on the lees for 3-4 months and then bottled in early spring. Crafted from the local Corvina and Trebbiano grapes along with Syrah and Carmenere, this is an elegant and balanced rosé that’s ideal for enjoying as an aperitif or pairing with leafy summer salads, fresh seafood, sushi and grilled fish. On the nose there are attractive notes of citrus, cherry, and ripe berries while the palate offers plenty of ripe red fruit and a pure, clean finish. The creators of this rosé are the Pasqua family who have been involved in the Italian wine trade for three generations. The winery was first founded in 1925 in Verona, and since then the family have dedicated themselves to creating delicious and great value wines from both local and international grape varieties.
Zlatan Plavac
Cellar for up to 9 years. Decant 2 hours before serving. Winemaker Zlatan Plenkovic’s family have been making wine for generations, so it seems only natural that in 1985 he decided to set up his own winery. Based on the southern coast idyllic island of Hvar, he owns a series of vineyards set on slopes with an incline of up to 60%. The delicate combination of abundant sunshine, steep slopes and cooling sea breezes helps to create warm, intense wines with powerful personalities. This impressive bottling is a single varietal Plavac Mali, an indigenous grape that is thought to be an ancestor of California’s popular Zinfandel. Zlatan ages this wine in a combination of large oak casks and stainless steel tanks for about a year until he decides it is ready to be bottled. He then ages the wine in the bottles for a further four months before release to the market. On the nose there’s a seductive core of rich blackberries and plums which is complemented by black pepper and wild herbs. Take a sip and you’ll immediately notice the full body, ripe tannins and warming spices and dark chocolate flavours. The finely-tuned balance between fresh acidity, intense flavours and firm structure mean this wine is a great candidate for extended cellar ageing.
Vermentino
Cellar for up to 7 years. Serve chilled. The Antinori family are regarded as winemaking royalty in Italy thanks to their early involvement in the pioneering Super Tuscan movement in the early 1970s. They first produced their famous Tignanello in 1971, controversially adding Cabernet Sauvignon to the Sangiovese base. Over the years their reputation has spread around the globe and they have numerous wineries including their Guado al Tasso property in Bolgheri near the Tuscan coast where this wine is made. The Antinori’s Bolgheri estate is particularly impressive thanks to the stunning setting on a beautiful plain surrounded by hills which form a natural protective amphitheatre. The first vintage of this Vermentino was made in 1996 and was inspired by a desire to showcase the indigenous varieties that thrive in these coastal conditions. The local microclimate here is ideally suited to the variety since cooling breezes from the nearby sea helps to preserve plenty of freshness and aromatics in the wine. To give maximum control over the winemaking, each parcel is harvested and vinified separately in stainless steel tanks. The final blend is then composed and the young wine is bottled at the start of the new year. This creates an elegant and refined white wine that’s bursting with zingy citrus freshness, salty minerality, and hints of ripe stone fruit on the pure, clean finish.
Viña Alberdi D. o. Rioja
Cellar for up to 11 years. No need to decant before serving. La Rioja Alta is one of Spain’s most venerable producers with a reputation for producing exceptional traditional-style Rioja reds. The estate was founded in 1890 by five local families including the Aranas, Ardanzas and the Alberdis who wanted to seek a wider market for their quality-driven wines. The winery was headquartered right by the Haro train station, enabling La Rioja Alta to export wines to neighbouring France and beyond. Their Vina Alberdi Reserva celebrates one of the original founding families, using 100% Tempranillo grapes sourced from 40 year old vines planted on chalky clay soils at 500-600 metres above sea level. The terroir helps to create an elegant yet youthful red which is crafted according to traditional winemaking techniques followed by two years of ageing in American oak barrels which are made by La Rioja Alta itself. Prior to bottling the wine is manually racked four times using candlelight to allow the removal of sediment without compromising the flavour of the wine. Rich plum and cherry notes are the first to spring out of the glass followed by deeper undertones of baked earth, leather and spice from the ageing process. A fantastic partner for charcuterie and mature cheeses, although it can also be kept in the cellar for a few more years.
GRANDE CUVEE
Cellar for up to 5 years. Serve chilled. The Sieur d’Arques cooperative was created in 1946 by a group of local winemakers who wanted to pool their expertise and resources to create the best possible wines from their exceptional vines. Their Grand Cuvee 1531 is named after the famous year when the monks of the nearby Abbey of Saint Hilaire transformed the region’s winemaking traditions by making the world’s very first sparkling wine in their cellars. Today the cooperative focuses on producing delicious sparkling and still red and white wines using local grape varieties. This Grand Cuvee Cremant de Limoux is a dry rosé sparkling wine which is made from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc as well as a touch of Pinot Noir to give the gorgeous subtle pink hue. Enticing aromas of crushed raspberries, strawberries and ripe peaches characterise the nose, while the palate offers a refreshing acidity, smooth bubbles and delicious berry flavours. Cremant de Limoux is made according to the traditional method which is the same process used for making Champagne. After a first fermentation the wine is bottled and a second fermentation takes place in the bottle to create the bubbles. The wine is then aged for 12 months in the bottle with the yeast cells which helps to give a well-rounded texture and delicious hints of pastry and toasted nuts.
Decoy Zinfandel 2019
Cellar for up to 7 years Sourced from the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley regions in Sonoma County, well known for their old vine Zinfandel, the Duckhorn Decoy Zinfandel is a slightly more restrained and rustic version than many big, fruit bomb California Zin’s. Beginning with a boysenberry, leather, and mocha nose, this wine continues to a palate of velvety layers of chocolate, blueberry, and dark plum. A lingering smoky finish has nice acidity that helps to balance out the fruit character. Slow cooked beef brisket, barbecued ribs, or a grilled steak would be great paired with this wine. A rich, dark chocolate dessert would be a good match as well, with the fruit character rounding out the richness of a chocolate cake or mousse. Decoy chooses to highlight Sonoma County grapes in all of its wines, and has supported the appellation since its founding. The majority of the grapes for this wine come from 30-80 year old wines in the Alexander Valley and Dry Creek regions. Due to the old vines, the yields are fairly low, and as such more concentration of flavor is put into each grape. This leads to the incredibly luscious and vivid flavor that this Zinfandel has. To soften Zinfandel’s sometimes intense tannins, the team at Decoy also ages this wine for 10 months in 40% new, 60% neutral French Oak barrels.
Rosé de purcari
Cellar for up to 3 years. Serve well chilled. Reminiscent of a vibrant spring day, this vivacious and aromatic Moldovan rosé is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon along with a smaller amount of Merlot and the local Rara Neagra grape. The fruit grows close to the Black Sea where the cooling impact of the water helps to preserve plenty of freshness and fragrance in the grapes. To ensure they reach the winery in perfect condition all the grapes are harvested by hand and are vinified using traditional local winemaking techniques. In the glass this charming rosé has a delicate pink hue and enticing aromas of ripe peaches, apricot blossom, lemon zest and crushed raspberries. On the palate there’s plenty of mouthwatering freshness complemented by rich orchard fruit flavours and dark berry notes which end in a pure, clean finish. Chateau Purcari is Moldova’s oldest winery, dating back to 1827 when Tsar Nicholas I issued a special decree confirming its official status. The estate enjoyed a golden age in the 19th century when the winery gained an international reputation for excellence and won gold medals both at home and at the Paris World Exhibition. More recently Purcari has experienced a revival and recently gave an outstanding performance at the Decanter World Wine Awards winning a slew of top medals including a silver medal for this elegant rosé.