Fine Wine List at Nico's Bistro, Inverness

OLD WORLD WHITE WINES

Pinot Grigio Ca'Lunghetta, IGT, Botter 2005 [Italy]
This light and refreshing wine is produced from vineyards in the beautiful Molise region in central Italy. The elegant bouquet displays hints of ripe fruits and flowers. The palate is dry, soft and well balanced with a full-bodied structure of ripe, refreshing fruit.

Sauvignon, Bouquet de la Porte, Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France 2004 [France]
The Bourgeois family has been cultivating wines in the heart of the Sancerre region for over ten generations. This is a dry and incisive wine, but at the same time it has a lot of fruit and a delicious long finish. It is very good to drink as an aperitif or with shellfish, fish and white meats as well as vegetarian foods.

Beronia Blanco, Rioja 2004/5 [Spain]
Delicate but vigorous, with good structure. To the palate, delightful and varied sensations of fresh fruit, notably quince and peach, with suggestions of fennel and medlar.

Chablis, Domaine St. Claire, J. M. Brocard 2004 [France]
Fruity, light and crisp, this fragrant, well balanced, wine displays finesse and length on the palate. Easy drinking, it is best drunk young. Ideal as an apéritif or with cold meats.

NEW WORLD WHITE WINES

Sauvignon/Colombard, Katherine Hills 2004/5 [Australia]
A unique combination especially selected to highlight the pungent, tropical freshness typical of both varieties. Sweet, lifted grassiness with passion fruit hints, lead to a crisp easy drinking palate of good length and persistence.

Chardonnay Riserva, Torreón de Paredes (Unoaked) 2004/5 [Chile]
2004 was an exceptional year for the Chardonnay grape at Torreón and based on the complexity of the crop, it was decided not to oak the wine in order to keep its natural flavours. The resultant wine has rich, tropical fruit aromas and is soft and long.

Riesling, Bin 7, Leasingham Wines 2004 [Australia]
A blend of Riesling from various sub-regions within the Clare Valley, the wine has been sourced primarily from Watervale and Neagles Rock. The limestone soils produce low vigour wines and grapes with an extraordinary concentration of fruit flavours. The nose exhibits intense fresh citrus and pineapple fruit characters and the palate is packed with juicy apple, lime and grapefruit flavours.

Sauvignon Blanc, Mount Cass Vineyard 2004/5 [New Zealand]
An intense and voluptuous wine, which is the product of a low yielding season. Selective harvest dates and long cool batch fermentation has produced a wine with a plethora of Sauvignon aromas and flavours - ripe passion fruit and capsicum flavours on the palate, filled out by a luscious creaminess, balanced by good structure and notes of tropical fruit and gooseberries to give a clean finish.

Viognier, De Waal Estate 2005 [South Africa]
The Viognier grape continues to grow in popularity. This wine has a rich, creamy texture and hints of honey and spice. The only unwooded Viognier in South Africa.

Chardonnay, Newton Johnson 2003 [South Africa]
A delicious example of what good value Chardonnay can be produced in South Africa. It is full bodied with masses of fruit and has long lingering flavours.

ROSE WINES

Felicité, Newton Johnson 2004/6 [South Africa]
An unassuming but serious food wine. A dry rosé that balances juicy strawberry and cherry red wine fruit flavours with the elegance and freshness of a white wine.

OLD WORLD RED WINES

Chateau La Tour St. Bonnet, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois 2001 [France]
Intense, deep, bright grenat robe. The nose has strong spicy notes which give the wine a lot of character. Well balanced, the wine has a full, round attack, followed by structured, soft tannins and a delicate luscious finish.

Gran Reserva, Tempranillo-Cabernet, Vallformosa 1999 [Spain]
This wine has had a minimum of 5 years ageing split between bottle and oak cask. It is released when ready for drinking and is very smooth and soft with oak character.

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, DOC, La Botte, Botter 2004/5 [Italy]
A full, fruity red from the Adriatic coast of Italy - a delicious, easy drinking wine.

Fleurie, le Roitelet, Henry Fessy 2003/4 [France]
Soft, silky, raspberry fruit and an attractive purpley red colour characterise this well made wine from the Gamay

NEW WORLD RED WINES

Merlot, Private Collection, Torreón de Paredes 2004 [Chile]
Made from the very best parcels of grapes and produced only in exceptional years this wine has concentrated fruit, soft rounded tannin and is rich and powerful on the finish.

Cabernet Franc Reserve, Catamayor 2001/2 [Uruguay]
An intense nose with good structure and tannins which all give a very good finish.

Pinotage, De Waal Estate 2002 [South Africa]
“Ripe, soft plum and cherry flavours and a hint of chocolate” comments Danie de Waal, who was awarded the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award for his Pinotage 2002.

Stonehaven Stepping Stone Shiraz 2002/3 [Australia]
Padthaway is becoming well-known for the quality of its Shiraz. The wine is dark crimson with rich, soft sweet fruit on the palate balanced by mouth filling tannins.

Harmony Merlot/Cabernet, Hanmer Junction 2002 [New Zealand]
Highly approachable New Zealand 50/50 grape mix, rich Blackcurrant and Mulberry with spicy oak

Zinfandel, Blackstone Winery 2002 [USA]
Rich in purple plum, smoky oak and vanilla aromas. The wine has intense flavours of fresh and stewed plums, with distinctive spice and black pepper overtones.

Willowood Merlot NV [USA]
California is becoming recognised for the high quality of the ripe merlot grapes that it produces. This example is a delicious soft rounded red with soft hints of ripe red berries.

SPARKLING & CHAMPAGNE

Extra Seco, Vallformosa NV [Spain]
Straw yellow with golden highlights. Aroma of fresh fruit, jovial, full and rounded. In the nose the fruity aromas (reminiscent of the vine flower) are outstanding, and in the mouth it is very well balanced, voluptuous and subtle.

Champagne Mansard Premier Cru NV [France]
This is a slightly richer style of champagne made up of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. While still being quite dry to the taste it is very elegant and remarkably good value.

Moët et Chandon NV [France]
Classic Champagne - blended from a third each of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Matured for at least 3 years in bottle, which helps give the wine its typical biscuity taste.