PR invite // All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.
This Monday evening I walked up to Le Di-Vin to take part in an event with South African winemaker Bruce Jack to explore his range of wines from South Africa, Chile and Spain.
Bruce makes wines which you will be able to find in Sainsbury’s and Coop but also more experimental expressions. He prefers making his wines without adding unnecessary sugar and want the flavour of the well-looked-after grapes to shine. It’s incredible to listen to his stories and his passion for wine and the wine industry really shines through when he speaks – and it was just such a pleasure to listen to him talk about his wines.
We got to try a variety of white, rosé and red wines and learn more about why Bruce plays the bagpipes to the casks, why he is the only winemaker who is allowed to put Highland on his bottles, his name-struggles with Jack Daniels and his winemaking ethos.
Some of my favourites from the evening
Ghost in the Machine – Sauvignon Blanc 2021
This Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first during the evening that wow-ed me. It had a very saline character from using grapes that had grown near the ocean so that the skins had low levels of salt on them. The flavours and aromas reminded me of peach sweeties and oysters. Quite rich in it’s texture as well as flavours and for me it would be a slow sipper to really savour its character.
Bruce Jack Reserve – Chardonnay 2021
A wonderful Chardonnay with mature fruits of pear, clementine and peach along with a chalky vanilla oak character that lifts the other aromas to a new complexity.
Mary Le Bow – Viognier 2019
I’ve not tried a lot of Viognier wine before but this expression was crisp with ripe honeydew melon, sweet zesty citrus and floral notes. Will definitely explore more Viognier in the future, as per Bruce Jack’s recommendation. A grape variety to keep an eye on.
Heritage Heartbreak Grape – Pinot Noir 2019
I’m already quite weak for Pinot Noirs and this spoke directly to my heart. I’ve previously had German Pinot Noir as a favourite, but will keep an eye on South African expressions moving forward as well. Reminded me of the previous Chardonnay in its oak character and had such a lovely elegance, yet rich with complex flavours.
The Berrio – Sauvignon Blanc 2021
We tried The Berrio whilst eating charcuteries and cheese as a relaxed post-tasting glass and it was perfect for the occasion: refreshing, fruity and elegant.
You can find some of the wines in places like Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Coop but also here directly from Wine Event Scotland.
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