Bethany Semillon 2010, Barossa Valley
€12.95
The Schrapel family are direct descendants of Silesian immigrants who landed up in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Along with excellent bakeries and pork butchers, these settlers began making the red wine that today is famous worldwide. Less familiar but equally good are the white wines. Riesling is the star of the show, but the Schrapels also produce a very tasty Semillon, a wine that ages wonderfully. This wine is now starting to take on some delicious mature toasty, nutty flavours that combine beautifully with the lime zest and tropical fruits. Very well priced. Perfect with all manner of seafood, but salmon in a buttery sauce sounds good.
Borie de Maurel 2014, Pays d'Oc Cuvée Luna
€10
Michel Escande was one of the pioneers of organic and biodynamic viticulture in the Languedoc. Today he is assisted by his son Gabriel in making a range of delightfully earthy wild dark fruits, laden with spice and herbs of the garrigue. Apparently this cuvée is made exclusively for O'Briens, and very good it is too, with concentrated ripe fruits, an attractive earthiness, wrapped around a mineral core. Very Languedoc and very seductive. A steal in the current sale at €10.
