Halfpenny Green Vineyard: Rondo
Well, this blog was all about the beer in January so it’s only fair that I level it up in February with plenty of wine, no?This week I’ve been hanging out with Halfpenny Green Vineyards and managed to catch them just after a tasting, so I’ve bagged myself a few open samples to have a go at and share with your good selves. Today, I’m reflecting on the experience of their 2014 Rondo.
2014 was a particularly good year for English wine growers, and it was no exception for Halfpenny Green. This has led to an excellent Rondo with plenty of body and structure. At 15% ABV, this wine is exactly what you’d expect – full of flavour and tannic structure. You can tell by the deep, intense colour straight away that you can hope for something big from this wine, but that said it is still young, fresh looking. I’ve no doubt it will age well if you can bear to put a bottle away for a few years.
On the nose, there is a hint of the tannins to come, with brooding dark fruit rising up from the glass. In the mouth it has a black cherry flavour which comes through the initial tannin punch – which then quickly, and gently, rounds off in the mouth because of the excellent balance of the wine. The tannins give that familiar slight drying in the mouth, which helps to accentuate the light spice note within the wine as well as complementing the fuller body really nicely.
This is a tasty wine and would pair well with all the tasty foods – in particular the bold and rich flavours of game meats and no doubt spicy, grilled meats as well. I think smoked duck in particular would be a winner here. A solid 8 out of 10 from me, and I was debating whether to give a 9. As we’ve seen time and time before, big hitting reds are a particular favourite of both myself and The Boy, so this one settles down very nicely with us. Bravo.
