Walsh & Sons Lola Red Blend 2019
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Winemaker Notes
Redcurrants, raspberries and violets on the nose with vibrant, fresh fruit. The palate is fresh, bright and juicy with cassis and blackberries in a drinkable style.
Walsh & Sons is a family-owned winery creating small batches of wine with big personalities. By using traditional methods in the vineyard and natural winemaking techniques, the aim is to make expressive styles that are fun, youthful and different to the mainstream. The winemaking relies on the intangible senses of inspiration, intuition and innovation. By using these, they seek out a more informed expression of the vineyard whilst respecting the purity of its natural ingredients.
Ryan Walsh and Freya Hohnen have been involved in winemaking at the vineyard and winery level since childhood, having both come from wine and farming families in WA. They have traveled the globe to further our knowledge in places such as France, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. However, they agreed that home will always be Margaret River. In creating the style of wines that they do, they rely largely on technique over technology so their wines retain their raw personalities. Much is yet to be discovered in style and soil and so they make wine from grapes and label them on locality as opposed to the generalized sub regions. All of the fruit comes from family-owned vineyards in two locations; Burnside and Osmington.
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.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.