Charlotte Dalton What A Ride Red 2022
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Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
Blend: 46% Shiraz, 35% Carignan, 19% Graciano
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 What a Ride Red is a blend of Shiraz (46%), Carignan (35%) and Graciano (1%), all sourced from Langhorne Creek. This is a delicious, fresh, crunchy, bouncy little wine, with enough complexity and exoticism courtesy of whole bunch (or perhaps it's just the cepage, either way, I'm into it) to keep one well engaged for a second and third sip. It gives the feeling that a slight chill would not go astray, either.
Other Vintages
2021-
Wine
Enthusiast
A native New Zealander, Charlotte Hardy started her wine career at Craggy Range working under Doug Wisor while she studied for her Bachelor of Wine Science. From there she went on to work at Chateau Giscours in Bordeaux and then on to California to work for David Abreu in Napa Valley. She moved to Australia to work for The Lane Vineyard, but left shortly after to create her own mobile analysis laboratory, as Adelaide Hills was desperately in need of it at the time. Her work in and around Adelaide Hills gave her an intimate look at the growers and vineyards there. In 2015, with the blessings of these growers, she launched Charlotte Dalton Wines.
In 2019, Charlotte and family moved to the Fleurieu Peninsula to open their own cellar door and winery in Port Elliot. In 2021, Charlotte was awarded the prestigious Young Gun of Wine Award.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
South Australia is the historic heart of Australian wine, a great wine capital of the world, and home to some of the most famous regions. It produces more than 80% of Australia’s premium wine from some of the oldest vines in the world. There is an abundance of varieties and wide spectrum of styles to explore. From the rogue to refined, discover Australian wines that are far from ordinary.