Nugan Estate Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz 2014

The exceptional, mature 2014 Nugan Estate Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz sports a deep and nearly impenetrable purple robe and exhibits the lusty power of a traditional Amarone. With only a few minutes of aeration, Nugan’s 2014 Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz offers up an intoxicating aroma of blackcurrant, plum, rose petal, and forest woodlands. And, time in the bottle has further added to the wine’s suavity and rich, polished flavors, which fill the mouth with layer upon layer of deep, juicy, liqueur-like flavors that satiate the senses. Smooth and rich, the 2014 Nugan Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz is a profound wine of spectacular fruit, velvety tannins, and a long satisfying finish that just won’t quit. Not surprisingly, the 2014 Nugan Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz has garnered high praise from critics, including 92 Points from Stephen Tanzer at Vinous. Enjoy this Amarone-style wine cool (55°-60° F) now and over the next several years. For optimum enjoyment, allow the 2014 Nugan Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz 10-15 minutes of aeration before serving. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2026. Enjoy!

Like the finest Amarone, the 2014 Nugan Estate Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz is a wine to accompany a hearty meal or the very wine to end a special meal along with good conversation and a few flavorful crumbles of cheese and cracked nuts. Grilled spicy Italian sausages and peppers and pulled pork barbecue make fine companions. Beef and game provide more traditional pairings to serve with this wine. Short ribs braised in Amarone or Nugan’s Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz is a perennial favorite that always warrants two thumbs up. Wagyu Beef is also a fine accompaniment, but one need not be beholden to beef to enjoy the 2014 Nugan Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz. Mushroom or truffle-laced risottos make tasty companions to the 2014 Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz, as do hearty pasta dishes. Roast Duck served with a rich fruit and balsamic reduction of authentic 18-year-old Modena balsamic vinegar provides another tasty and satisfying companion to Nugan’s most exciting wine. Herb encrusted roast chicken served with wild rice or an onion, sage and sausage stuffing offers another fine choice with Nugan’s Dried Grape Shiraz. And, one shouldn’t forget pairing the finest cheeses with this wine. Enjoy!

For the Love of Cheese: Who can resist pairing the world’s finest cheeses with Nugan’s 2014 Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz? Not us! A host of cheeses from around the world, including Double Gloucester, Iberico, Manchego, Reblochon, Stilton, and of course Italy’s inimitable Gorgonzola and aged Parmigiano Reggiano make splendid accompaniments to Nugan’s Appassimento or Amarone-style red, especially when served at the end of a meal. For more expert pairings or to procure the finest gourmet cheeses, join us at www.cheesemonthclub.com to enjoy all the best in life.

Nugan Estate is the 18th largest winery in Australia with more than 2,500 acres of vines, but only a minute fraction of the very finest Shiraz grapes is deemed worthy of the estate’s 2014 Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz (this month’s feature). The Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz pays tribute to Nugan’s founder, Alfredo Nugan, who emigrated from Spain to Australia in 1940 with a clear vision of his family’s new life in the Land Down Under. He built a legacy through innovation and strict quality control to become a pre-eminent supplier of superior produce, first to Australia and then to the world.

The Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz is sourced from the Nugan Family’s premium vineyards in McLaren Vale and Riverina. It is a very limited release that is made with the Appassimento method, much like Amarone, one of Italy’s most illustrious wines, which requires the harvesting of select grapes that are then dried on specialized racks to concentrate their flavor and intensity. The dried grapes are then pressed, fermented, and finally allowed to mature in American and French oak barrels for 12 months. The result is a very labor intensive, handcrafted wine of both power and grace with 15% alcohol – a robust red wine of superior complexity and depth of flavor.

Amarone is one of Italy’s most prized wines. It is a special red wine made near Verona in the Valpolicella area of Italy’s Veneto using the Appassimento method. Appassimento requires extensive air drying of select physiologically ripe grapes before pressing and extensive barrel ageing. The dehydration of the grapes results in concentrated, complex wines with a higher than average alcohol content and an illusion of sweetness in good vintages that is balanced by strong ripe tannins. Appassimento-style wines such Amarone and Nugan’s Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz are especially age-worthy red wines that can easily offer outstanding drinking pleasure for 10-20 years or more. In their youth, these wines are best consumed with food, while mature versions are often enjoyed on their own or with a few crumbles of the finest aged cheese.