Bordeaux blends are wines made from at least two of the classic Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec – but the classic French region isn’t the only place you’ll find these popular wines. Winemakers the world over are crafting ’myriad versions of these versatile grapes, and for this week’s #HandpickedDrinks we’ve picked five of the highest scoring from the 2019 IWSC for you to try.
Our journey begins in the small Italian village of Bolgheri with Super Tuscan producer Ornellaia, before moving across to Mission Hill in Canada, where the estate’s Oculus is named after the circular window that provides natural light to the winery’s underground cellar.
In the southern hemisphere, try Kanonkop’s legendary Paul Sauer 2016 – named after the estate’s founder and deemed one of South Africa’s finest reds (read our profile of the estate here) – or an elegant Merlot-dominated blend from Corazon del Sol in Argentina. Finally, we conclude in New Zealand, with a powerful blend from Pask Winery in the renowned Gimblett Gravels region, which founder Chris Pask established when he first planted vines in 1981.
Ornellaia, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2016
Kanonkop, Paul Sauer 2016
Corazon del Sol, Soleado 2015
Mission Hill, Oculus 2016
Pask, Gimblett Gravels Declaration Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2014
