County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month October 2023

Lidio Carraro Da’Divas Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage 2016

Moving into Autumn means a movement towards red wines.

As we come into autumn, I naturally gravitate towards more red wines. Although I typically enjoy French and Italian red wines, I do like to try wines from areas classed as the ‘New World’, including those from New Zealand, South Africa and South America. Because of the amount of sunshine in these regions, the wine can typically be fuller flavoured, richer bodied and with higher alcohol levels. Most wines from South America tend to come from Argentina (Malbec) and Chile (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot).

First review of a Brazilian Wine for Sussex Business Times

This month’s winemaker comes from the south part of Brazil in Encruzilhada do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, which is not far from the Atlantic Coast and its border with Uruguay (which is also making some very nice wines). This is a warm growing area, which rarely drops below zero degrees Celsius, and is similar in temperature to the east coast of Australia. 

Lidio Carraro’s Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Lidio Carraro is a boutique producer, making around 400,000 bottles per year and is well respected in Brazil. It exports wine to 28 countries. As the name suggests, Lidio Carraro has Italian heritage and is focused on producing natural wines. It takes a purist approach of winemaking with no additives, no filtration or even wood ageing giving very vibrant and fruity wines. The wine I have chosen is the Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon blend, which provides a richer wine to its French equivalent of wines from St Emilion.

Michael’s tasting notes and food pairing

This wine is bursting with character. It is very much fruit-forward with lots of strawberries and blackcurrant coming through. It has medium body and more delicate flavours of chocolate and coffee with slight savoury notes coming through in the background. 

Food pairing with the South American Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon blends

Because of the richness of South American wines, they work very well with roasted meats. Cabernet Sauvignon, in particular, works well with churrasco-roasted cuts; like Picanha which is top sirloin and a speciality from Brazil. These wines also work very well with barbeques and smoked foods which need a strong wine.

Where to buy

This wine is widely available from specialist South American vintners using winesearcher https://www.wine-searcher.com/ or at our stand at the popular Steyning, Shoreham and Arundel local farmers’ markets each month from £12 a bottle.

Written for County Business Club by Michael Yeoman, English Wine Specialist and producer of Spirit of the Downs, award winning local artisan Brandies and Grape spirit.