5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE
A growing number of women are making their mark on the wine scene. Raise a glass with Sam Wylie-harris’ selection of four of the best
The Search Grenache Blanc Marsanne, Roussanne 2017, Voor Paardeberg, South Africa (£9.49, Waitrose)
As well as having her signature wine range – trizanne signature Wines – south African winemaker trizanne Barnard crafts wines under the search label, and this deftly blended white brings together three Rhone Valley grapes for a lively frame of floral, peachy, herby aromatics, with fresh minerality complementing attractive peach flavours and a stone fruit richness on the finish.
Craft 3 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018, New Zealand (£11, Marks & Spencer stores)
m&s has three female winemakers, one of whom has a passion for creating exceptional Kiwi sauvignon blanc. A collaboration between wine experts Jeneve Williams and Yves Fourcade to source the finest fruit from vineyards in marlborough’s Awatere and Wairau sub-regions, this is a fine example of their work. Leafy, grassy aromas, grapefruit, passion fruit and wild herbs mark this bright, zesty white, buoyed by a brilliantly fresh finish.
Peyrassol Rosé 2017, Cotes de Provence, France (£13.99, Majestic)
soon to be featured in their Winemaker series, this gorgeous rosé is one of the stars of majestic’s first female additions to the range, which focuses on “turning winemakers into heroes”. made by Hermine de Clermont-tonnerre, cellar master at peyrassol, the label will have her picture on the front with a little snapshot on the back about the wine and region. Beautifully fresh and balanced, we’re drawn to its peachy edge, hints of delicate summer berry fruits and crisp acidity.
Mcpherson The Full Fifteen 2017, South Eastern Australia (£9.99, Laithwaite’s)
Andrew mcpherson’s head winemaker, Jo Nash, has an armload of medals and has been cited as one of Australia’s most highly regarded young winemakers. A crowd-pleasing, lip-smacking red that packs a punch at 15 per cent abv, this cabernetbased blend is as velvety smooth as it is dense, with subtle oak, sweet spice and black forest fruits driving the long, satisfying finish.