The southern hemisphere is now home to some of the most popular wine regions in the world. Some of the oldest grape vines on Earth are now being grown in the isolated regions of Australia, Chile and Argentina. Even though many of these regions have wine making traditions dating back to the 1850s when immigrant families brought with them vines from Europe these areas are still considered the “New World” of wine making today.
Stop by for a flight of these southern swigs, only $5!
Featured Wines:
2018 Swartland Winery Sauvignon Blanc – Western Cape, South Africa; $7.99
Swartland winery was started in 1948 as a farming co-op. The chairman of the newly formed co-op donated 4 hectares of his own farm to be used to build the winery. In the past 70ish years they now manage nearly 10,000 acres of vineyards and sell their wines throughout the world.
I was really impressed with this wine. As a lover of Sauvignon Blanc I typically am skeptical of South African ones, but such a southern latitude with coastal sunshine really offers a lot of the circumstances for them to thrive. Unoaked and released extremely fresh to show off a great vibrancy. I get a nose of tropical fruits like guava and passion fruit along with peaches, lime and some white flowers. A great crisp acidity on the palate where that lime shines. This is a perfect summer sip. - $1.00 Sample
2016 Calina Reserva Chardonnay – Casablanca Valley, Chile; $9.99
Wines from Casablanca have quickly put this region on the map, with wine production beginning as late as the mid-1980's. With warm, dry afternoons and cool evenings the area shows great similarities to the Mediterranean.
Fermented in all stainless steel, but aged in a mixture of French and American oak this Chardonnay has a bit of creaminess and oak spice on the finish, but the aromas of lemons, peaches, and apples carry through. A soft style that is very smooth and easy to drink. - $1.00 Sample
2017 “1907” Malbec – Mendoza, Argentina; $13.99
This comes from Mendoza Vineyards who was one of the first Fair Trade producers in Argentina to be certified by the World Fair Trade Organization. Located in Mendoza, the winery does not own any estate vineyards, for their 1907 Selection, the vineyards are 100+ years old and have been cared by generations of family farmers.
“A rich nose in this Mlabec with dried flowers, strawberries and orange skins. Medium body, firm tannins and vibrant finish.” 91 Points, James Suckling - $1.50 Sample
2018 Chakana Nuna Cabernet Sauvignon – Mendoza, Argentina; $14.99
The Chakana winery was founded in 2002 with a focus on sustainable agriculture and tradition. Nuna means “ soul of the land” and the wines of this series feature 100% organically grown hand harvested estate fruit produced in a more “Old World” style. This vision is a collaborative effort of the Italian immigrant founder Juan Pelizzatti, a young adventurous winemaker Gabriel Bloise, under the guidance of world renowned consultant Alberto Antonini.
The vineyard is located in the Lujan de Cuyo, the western edge of Mendoza at an incredible 3000ft elevation. Fermented in small batches and then aged in French oak for a full year. The result is a fruit forward wine with lots of dense cherry and blackberry aromas and nuances of vanilla and spice. - $1.50 Sample