Hosted by master sommelier Carlos Santos and radio host (and novice wine enthusiast) Angus O’Loughlin, Got Somme is a podcast for wine lovers who know nothing about wine. The series aims to educate listeners on everything from types, tannins and taste to producers, appellations and age, ultimately empowering them with the skills to confidently choose a bottle for the dinner table.
01. 1995 Krug Clos d’Ambonnay Pinot Noir
Champagne, France
Carlos: I tried this Champagne on a visit to Krug in 2014 when I worked in London. It was a very special visit because I was with my mentor, master sommelier Joao Pires, in what they call a VIP trip. We were taken to the 0.68ha vineyard, 100 per cent planted to pinot noir, where they make only blanc de noirs style (with a super-premium price tag). It was a clear-skied day (rare in Champagne), the vineyard was bright green and covered with spring flowers, and you could hear the birds singing of happiness…as were we as we enjoyed the first ever Clos d’Ambonnay (1995) with oysters.
02. 1989 Casa Ferreirinha Reserva Especial Touriga Nacional
Douro, Portugal
Carlos: I enjoyed this special bottle to celebrate passing the master sommelier exams. Casa Ferreirinha makes the best Portuguese red wine (like Grange or Hill of Grace is for Australia), called Barca Velha. Since its first release in 1952 it has been produced fewer than 20 times. In other years, they release it as Reserva Especial instead. I purchased some bottles many years ago only to find out later that this wine was supposed to be a Barca Velha but the owners misjudged it, labelling it to the lesser label and for a fraction of the price. It was AWESOME!
03. 2019 Château De La Tour Grand Cru Clos Vougeot Cuvée Classique
Burgundy, France
Angus: I haven’t actually drunk this wine yet, but it was the first bottle I ever stored in my wine fridge. I was always a ‘purchase and pour’ person, but after starting the podcast and developing a deeper love for wine, my partner gave me the fridge as a birthday present and the pinot not long after. It represents a profound step forward in my wine journey and although it doesn’t have a certain occasion in mind to be opened, perhaps doing so will qualify as a special enough occasion.
04. 2020 Sons of Eden Marschall Shiraz
Barossa Valley, South Australia
Angus: This is the wine that got me through Melbourne’s lockdown. We found sanity in selecting bottles from a Blackhearts & Sparrows around the corner from our home in Windsor. That once-a-day walk, which ended in choosing something new from the store, was something to look forward to in the insane monotony of everyday. I found a liking to this wine, as it pairs well with steak and has everything you want a Barossa shiraz to have: warming high alcohol, super concentrated flavours and well-structured tannins to balance it out.
2017 Château Haut-Madrac, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Bordeaux, France
Got Somme: In season one of our podcast we aimed to find the best bottle of wine available in Australia under $30. We tasted more than 70 bottles over 50 episodes and one stood out from the rest. It was the nose that really captured Angus’ attention and it was the complexity of the bottle at this price range that caught Carlos’. Being sold with five years under cork allowed tertiary flavours to be imparted, and although labelled ‘Baby Bordeaux’ by Carlos it still claimed the number one wine for the year. We still get tagged in people opening bottles of it weekly!
This article appears in issue #71 of Halliday magazine. Become a member to receive the print publication as well as digital access.
