Staff Picks November 2021
- Posted on
- By Murphy's Wine Shop
Here's what the Murphy's Wine Team is drinking this month...
2016 Chalmers 'Felicitas'
Look no further for your holiday bubbles! Elegant and refreshing, Chalmers ‘Felicitas’ sparkling Fiano reigns all the way from Southern Australia. Often seen in Italian white wines, the Fiano varietal has naturally high acidity and can withstand the warmer temperatures of Heathcote. This vegan friendly wine has zero dosage (no sugar adjustments) and an outstanding texture from spending over 2 years on the lees. 'Felicitas' is named after the Roman Goddess of fertility, happiness and good luck; a lovely sentiment for any celebration.
Hannah Myers
Wine Shop Manager
2020 Craven Wines Cinsault
Normally you wouldn’t find me singing the praises of a Cinsault from South Africa, but I can say unequivocally this is one of the best wines I’ve had this year. Craven Wines are the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Mick & Jeanine Craven who are part of a group of young and upcoming winemakers re-discovering some of the best vineyard sites in Stellenbosch. Their low-intervention approach delivers single-vineyard wines that highlight a true sense of place and vintage. The 2020 Cinsault is from the sandy soils of the Rustenhof vineyard, a scant 3 miles from the ocean. The grapes are destemmed before fermentation and the wine is aged briefly (7 months) in large neutral oak barrels before being bottled without fining or filtration. The result is a bright, juicy red with floral undertones; a perfect wine for your Thanksgiving table.
JR Smith
Wine Director
2019 Viña González Bastías 'Tierra Madre'
Named for Mother Earth herself, this stunning wine brings together fragrant Torontel and savory Sémillon to produce one of the most complex whites we've ever tasted. Take a canoe ride across the Maule river and then hike up the hillside to reach the town of González Bastías. This wine comes from a remote village in Chile: dry farmed vineyards with 200-year-old bush vines grown deep in the Maule Valley. This effort has intensity and complexity! The nose gives ripe orchard fruits and delicate white flowers. The wine is bright and fruit-focused, with refreshing acidity and a long salty finish.