Sourced entirely from vineyards located in Marlborough’s stunning Awatere Valley, this vibrant wine displays aromas of ripe tropical fruit and passionfruit with lifted notes of currant and tomato leaf.

The concentrated palate is layered with flavours of sweet juicy pineapple, pink grapefruit, fresh green apple and hints of black olive. With herbal notes and a zesty minerality, this wine leads to a pure, lively and focused dry finish that has both freshness and length.

Viticulture

Grapes for this wine are sourced from blocks located in the upper, mid, and lower areas of the Awatere Valley. The Awatere Valley is cooler, drier and windier overall than other sub-regions of Marlborough, with a longer and cooler growing season. These climatic factors combined with vineyards located on young, fertile river terraces result in distinctive wines with a mineral drive and fruit-forward flavours. The 2018/2019 growing season in the Awatere began with unsettled weather resulting in lower yields overall, however a warm and dry summer with perfect growing conditions. grapes were able to be picked at optimal ripeness over harvest resulting in a wine with outstanding aromatics, palate weight and texture.

Vinification

Select blocks from the Awatere Valley are harvested using modern machine harvesters allowing ultimate extraction of flavour and aroma compounds from the skins of the grapes. Once at the winery the grapes are pressed into stainless steel tanks for cold settling, before being gently racked and inoculated with select yeasts chosen to naturally enhance the aromatic and flavour profiles of the wine.

Fermentation is carried out at cool temperatures allowing the wine to retain its bright aromas; with each batch fermentation typically lasting around 21 days. After fermentation is complete the wines are left to settle on their yeast lees for a short period before being racked again into stainless steel tanks for maturation. Meticulous classification of each batch results in a final blend that truly captures the exceptional characteristics of the vineyards. Once blended the resulting wine is stabilised and filtered without the need for fining, ready for bottling in mid-July 2019.

Producer

Tohu produces award-winning New Zealand wine crafted from grapes grown in our breathtakingly beautiful, Awatere Valley vineyard. When Tohu launched in 1998 we were the world's first Maori-owned wine company. Since then we’ve grown a reputation for producing premium wine in a range of varieties, winning awards for our Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Méthode Traditionnelle.

Alan's Tasting Notes

"I haven’t tasted this since it came in last year - and boy has it changed! Last year it was all fresh, clean, refreshing acidity and subdued fruit - but with some time in bottle all that citric acidity has died down and really lets the passion fruit and pineapple flavours we associate with Marlborough Sauvignon shine through - absolutely delicious.

I think this is now our best value New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Vegan & vegetarian too is a bonus!" March 2022

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Straw yellow with greenish reflections.

Nose

Delicate scents of acacia flowers and golden apple.

Palate

It is fresh, aromatic and sparkles with a light and delicate foam.

Terroir: The Land of Prosecco and of the river Piave

Organic – for the Love of this Soil

History 

The vineyards here have been passed down through the generations since 1891. The 'Jara' name comes from the gravel that covers the vineyards and provides heat to the vines overnight – as they do in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 

Awards

• 2020 - Wine Enthusiast Tasting: 89 points – Prosecco DOC Frizzante

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Nose

Crushed laurel on the nose with more than a nuance of residual seaside salt.

Palate

This has a big and textured palate with stone fruit and fennel hints – it is rich and minerally, showing even a slight rocky quality about it. As bracing as the wind through the vines at Waterkloof.

Production

Wild ferment' organic and high altitude Verdejo - another beautiful example from Menade.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh stone fruit aromas with notes of fennel and thyme.

Palate

The palate is ripe and textural with white peach and herbal characters, balanced by crisp acidity and minerality.

Production

The Verdejo grapes are selected from parcels of vines, 20-25 years old, grown in pebbly, clay and chalky soils at between 700 and 800m altitude. Harvesting takes place by 3 different processes: part green daytime harvest by hand, part mechanised and part night-time harvest. Each parcel is vinified separately using wild yeasts in stainless steel. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 18-22ºC, and the wine remains on lees for a short period.

Producer

Bodegas Menade was established in 2005 by Alejandra, Marco and Richard Sanz - the 6th generation of this wine-producing family - just a kilometre west of the village of Rueda. Their winery incorporates a cellar hewn out of the solid rock of La Seca at the beginning of the 19th century. Richard is the winemaker at the estate, whilst his brother Marco is the viticulturalist, and sister Alejandra looks after exports and communications.

Their philosophy is grounded in nature, and respect for the vineyards and terroir. All wines are certified organic, no sulphur or copper sulphate is used in their vineyards, and fermentation is with only natural yeasts present on the grape skins. This is a producer of seriously interesting and innovative Rueda wines; their portfolio focuses predominantly on Verdejo and includes the stunning 'La Mision', which is part fermented in tinajas (traditional clay fermenting vessels) made from clay from their own vineyards, and a (non-Jerez) Palomino Verdejo flor aged wine.

Sustainability

Menade’s by-line is ‘Made by Nature’ – the winery doesn’t use chemical treatments, opting instead for a natural approach using plant-based infusions (for example using nettles, cinnamon) which are kinder on the soil, plants and naturally occurring yeasts. All wines are certified organic, and no sulphur or copper sulphate is used in their vineyards. They use green harvesting to control yields.

Their ecosystem includes mobile trees and bushes – to allow them to understand which are the most beneficial across their different vineyard parcels. They also have a garden boasting more than 40 species, many of the plants indigenous to Castilla y Leon, and pollination gardens with aromatic plants. These micro-systems, together with insect ‘hotels’, have created ideal habitats for insects and other wildlife - increasing biodiversity in their vineyards.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Lovely peachy fruit, some minerality, good acidity and a little creaminess giving a lovely textural mouthfeel- all in all a very balanced and full mouthful. A delicious bottle of wine for the price - love it!!" June 2024

Specifications

Powerful yet approachable!

Tasting Notes

Palate

Classic fruit-driven Maipo Cabernet sourced from some of the best organic vineyards in the valley.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Ruby red in colour. 

Nose

The nose is intense, with a pronounced presence of blackcurrant backed up with notes of cherries and strawberries as well as a hint of chocolate.

Palate

Medium-bodied and well balanced with ripe black fruits, smooth tannins and refreshing acidity, resulting in a juicy and approachable Cabernet.

Production

Grapes for this wine are organically grown in very deep soils on terraces of alluvial origin with loam to clay-loam textures and abundant stones in the profile that provides excellent drainage. The Alto Maipo zone has ideal conditions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The Maipo River naturally regulates the temperatures and prevents extreme cold or frost as well as excessive summer heat. The absence of rainfall in the spring encouraged good fruit set and excellent plant health. It turned cloudy as summer began, however, and rainfall in early April forced an early harvest. The early harvest returned wines that are perfumed, expressive, and elegant. Vinification begins with a 4–5-day pre-fermentation cold soak at 8ºC followed by alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts at 26ºC and a pumpovers program determined by enological criteria. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in tanks and barrels, where the wine is aged at controlled temperatures for 12 months. It is neither fined nor stabilized; it is just lightly filtered prior to bottling. The wine is aged for 12 months, 60% in French oak barrels, 10% in a French foudre, and 30% in stainless steel.

Producer

Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.

Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

• Silver - 2018 International Wine Challenge (2015 vintage)

Alan's Personal Notes

"Full-on classy damson and cherry fruit - beautifully balanced with a touch of oak. Such a good glass of wine for £9.95 a bottle - organic & vegan to boot!"

Specifications

Mourvedre is perfect for Waterkloof, with its head in the sun and feet in the sea. So, not one to follow fashion, Paul Boutinot has made it the most planted red grape on this biodynamic farm. Cape Coral Rosé has vindicated that decision, promptly proving itself to be one of the finest rosés in The Southern Hemisphere, if not The World. Pale in colour and discreet of fragrance, yet with a palate weight and texture that makes it a decidedly gastronomic rosé.

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Pale salmon colour

Nose

Delicate aromas of peach, spice and herbs are prominent on the nose.

Palate

A fresh, yet broadly textured mouthfeel with a long, savoury and deeply satisfying finish. This rather grown-up wine makes a wonderful partner to almost any dish you care to prepare.

'Rooibos! Distinct terroir character here – whether it’s fynbos or tea or whatever, it certainly seems to reflect its home. Excellent softness and complexity. As valid a fine wine as many reds or whites – really shows what great rosé can do. Finishes with a long, mealy length.' – Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20

'A delightfully pale coloured Rosé. Delicate red berry aromas combined with a flinty note are prominent on the nose. The palate is soft with a lingering fresh acidity on the aftertaste. Traditionally the wine is served chilled on its own, but also marries well with spicy, tuna-based sushi.' – Nadia Barnard

Awards

The Wine Merchant Top 100 2016 - 2015 Vintage

Tasting Notes

Colour

Mora Mora is presented in the glass with a beautiful intense ruby ​​red color.

Nose

Palate

In the mouth, it is warm, juicy, fresh with a slightly hinted acidity. Final with a very light sweetish aftertaste given by the typical fruit of black malvasia.

Vinification

The harvest is carried out in the second decade of September with a manual harvest of the grapes completed in the early hours of the morning, in the coolest hours of the day. After harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and the crushed grapes ferments in stainless steel at a controlled temperature of 22-24 ° C for 8-10 days. The must is subjected to various pumping over and delestage that offer a technological extraction of color and tannins. Subsequently the wine is drawn off in a soft press. After the first racking, again in stainless steel, the malolactic fermentation takes place. Finally, the wine finishes its maturation for 3 months in second and third passage French oak barriques and is already ready to be drunk very young.

Specifications

The rationale behind this label is a quirky one! Our product manager found out that due to the tiny production of a particular wine, half the vineyard fruit was to be discarded....so he stepped in to say we would be interested to play with this other half given the quality of the wine over previous years. This lead to thinking about up-cycling the near-discarded, how one man’s trash is another man’s treasure etc and whilst humming over a potential moniker for the wine, God’s honest truth, a rag & bone van parked up outside his house calling for any old iron etc. Albeit a man in a white van, rather than horse & cart, the name stuck. The label reflects a collection of discarded items that together make up an eclectic assortment greater than the sum of its parts.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose classically expresses the vineyard... it's like having a fresh lime in your hand that you crush gently over minerals... literally lime on the rocks!!

Palate

The palate is bright, zingy, singing with natural acidity and really textural. It reflects the vineyard with its fine sandy texture with really bright, white pithy fruit. Just a cracking Eden Valley Riesling!

Awards

• The Wine Merchant Top 100 2019 - 2018 vintage
• Silver at the Sommelier Wine Awards 2019 - 2018 vintage
• Silver IWC 2018 - 2017 vintage
• Gold IWC 2017 - 2016 vintage
• Silver IWSC 2016 - 2015 vintage 

Tasting Notes

Very pretty indeed, a heady perfume of freshly picked irises and peonies drifts above the crushed berry fruit nose. Ripe tannins and fresh acidity support a palate of Morello cherries, strawberries with a wonderful savoury finish.

Production Method

'Arenite' is the terroir of pinky, crumbly sandstone of the La Madone vineyards, rated as one of the best vineyards in Fleurie. At up to 450m altitude and with soils still untouched by phylloxera, goblet trained vines on the east and southeast facing vineyards lie below the Chapel of the Madonna at the top of the hill. Gamay Noir vines range from 40 to 90 years of age. Grapes are hand-picked and whole-berry fermented for 8-10 days (traditional maceration carbonique) followed by a further 2 or 3 days on the skins to assist with aromas. No use of cultured yeasts. Pressed after an 8-10 day cuvaison. First press wine was returned to vat and left for 8 months before bottling.

Producer

Like all good stories, Boutinot France's is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. After 10 years, the business had grown and Samantha Bailey packed her bags to set up an office in Burgundy. Today, Boutinot has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and rosés from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. We don't use any single 'model' to source our wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Véran. Drawing on the expertise of our 4 winemakers and network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality to price ratio possible at every price point.

Specifications

Ripe cherry and black cherry, with spicy notes, smooth tannins and a finish of ripe forest fruits.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Palate

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour 

Deep violet-red.

Nose

The nose is very fruity with a predominance of black fruits such as blackberries and blueberries on the forefront followed by light notes of blackcurrants and violets.

Palate

The fruity intensity is present at all times and pairs with the very velvety, elegant palate to make this wine very easy to drink.

Production

The Syrah and Rousanne grapes were picked into bins, transported to the winery and immediately chilled. The reception process begins with a double selection system on conveyor belts both before and after being destemmed. The grapes are then crushed and deposited into stainless steel tanks, where they undergo a 3-day cold maceration at 6º–8ºC. The temperature was then raised for the alcoholic fermentation with native yeasts at temperatures controlled to 24º–27ºC with a pump over program managed according to enological criteria. The new wine remained on its skins for an additional 6–7-day post-fermentation maceration and a total vinification of approximately 20 days. Malolactic fermentation took placed naturally in stainless steel tanks, where the wine was aged for 12 months. The wine was the stabilized naturally without treatments. It was filtered with a 1-micron cartridge filter prior to bottling. The wine is aged for 5 months in stainless steel tanks.

Producers

Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.

Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.

Awards 

Specifications

 Gruner Veltliner is every bit as Austrian as the Blue Danube waltz!

Tasting Notes

Colour

Pale lemon yellow with green tinges.

Nose

Delicate aromas of pear, kiwi, apricot and white spice. 

Palate

On the palate stone fruit flavours and white pepper lead to a gently textured, mineral and citrus finish.

Producer

The Sepp Moser Estate was founded by the famous Austrian wine producing pioneer, Lenz Moser. Lenz Moser's son, Sepp Moser, began operating under his own name in 1987, and handed over the direction of this family-owned estate to his own son Nikolaus in the year 2000.

The Sepp Moser Estate comprises of 50 acres of vineyards in two prominent wine regions; Kremstal (22 ha) and Neusiedlersee (28 ha). In the Kremstal, Nikolaus produces an international range of varieties as well as the ever more important local varieties of Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. The reds are produced on the gravelly soils of the warm southern Neusiederslee village of Apetlon. All Sepp Moser wines have been organic (and all estate wines biodynamic) since 2007.

Production Method

The majority of the Gruner Veltliner grapes for this dry white were grown on the steep, rocky terraces of Rohrendorf in Kremstal and the surrounding area. The löss soil on these steep terraces is rich in lime and sediments from the last ice age, and can be up to 35 metres thick! Vines are trained on high trellises, with grapes organically produced and hand harvested. Grapes are destemmed and crushed and the must left to settle for 3-4 hours before pressing. Fermented and aged in stainless steel.

A Note on Sustainability

The Sepp Moser estate produces a wide range of wines every year thanks to its vineyards in two diverse regions. There is one main aim in the cellar: the quality of the grapes shall be brought with as little influence as possible to the bottle. The grapes in the Sepp Moser vineyards are harvested by hand and at the cellar of the Atrium House Nikolaus Moser emphasises gentle vinification and tries to interfere as little as possible with the process so that each wine can develop its own individual style. The fermentation starts spontaneously, and the maturing of the wine takes place on its own.

In 2006, Nikolaus officially moved the estate to biodynamic viticulture – one of the first to do so in Austria – and became Demeter certified. 2009 saw the release of Sepp Moser’s first certified organic wines. Nikolaus is very keen to reduce the amount of copper and sulphur used in the vineyards, and this year saw a reduction of two thirds over what was sprayed previously. He composts all the estates pomace and vine trimmings, and there is an ongoing effort to plant trees around the vineyards.

Specifications

Doña Paula is a winery that produces Premium wines, established in 1997 in Mendoza, Argentina. They own 100% of the vineyards used for the production of all their wines, planted in the best areas of the country, looking for the most faithful expression of each terroir.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Intense violet color.

Nose

Lovely notes of blackberry and plum along with a hint of violet and spice. 

Palate

This follows through into the palate which has a lovely play between the concentrated black fruit and the spices, along with a hint of minerality that really rounds out the palate. It is wonderfully balanced with a nice freshness that makes the wine seem not quite as heavy as it should be with an ABV of 14.5%.

Vinification

The grapes are hand-picked the first week of April. In the winery, they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Then, a cold pre-fermentative maceration is carried out to preserve the primary aromas. Fermentation takes place at low temperatures, and a post-fermentation maceration is later performed for 15 to 20 days. The wine is aged in first, second and third-use French oak barrels for 12 months.

The Estate Vineyards

90% of these grapes are sourced from our best vineyards in Alluvia, Gualtallary, at 1,350 meters (4,430 feet) above sea level and 10% from Los Indios, El Cepillo, at 1,100 meters (3,610 feet) above sea level. The soils are stony in the first location and sandy loam in the second one, and both have high calcareous content.

Doña Paula Estate Malbec displays the unique characteristics of the Uco Valley, a terroir where the climate is cold, with an average temperature variation of 16 °C (60.8°F) in Los Indios and 12.5 °C (54.5°F) in Alluvia, and an average annual rainfall of 280 mm (11 in) in El Cepillo and 300 mm (11.8 in) in Gualtallary. The vines yield an average of 8 tons per hectare, and they are grown in espaliers, using drip irrigation. At Doña Paula, our vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices.

Accolades

• 91 points - Tim Atkin 
• 91 points - Descorchados
• 90 points - Wine Enthusiast

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"As I thought - this is absolutely stunning. Lots of fresh black fruits with some spice. It’s big, full-bodied, complex, and long, but there’s a freshness to the fruit and silky tannins that can only come from high altitude, cool climate fruit.  Drinking exceptionally well now but it's got the power to last a few years yet. Certainly over-delivers at £10.99!!" 14 Dec 2023

Specifications

The Rooster, a symbol of pride, courage and honesty, watches over the vineyards. The ancient Greeks believed that the Rooster greeted the sun every morning with its cordial song, which symbolized the victory over the night but at the same time also serves as an alarm clock to mark the beginning of the day for both the animals and the winemakers! 

In Cortese, early morning is a key time to work in the vineyards thus avoiding the impetuousness of the Sicilian sun.

Tasting Notes

What is a wine with no added sulphites? 
Sulfur dioxide is naturally produced by wine during fermentation. In this case we do not add any further. This is possible because during the winemaking process we carry out all the operations meticulously so that it is not necessary to add sulphites.

Viticulture

The grapes are 100% Nero d’Avola from Azienda Agricola Cortese, our organic estate in Vittoria, south-eastern Sicily. The grapes are very carefully selected by hand in the middle of September, brought to the winery in small containers and processed immediately.

Vinification

The prime aim when producing a NSA wine is to keep everything in the winery meticulously clean in order to avoid any possible microbiological growth, except for yeast for the primary fermentation and bacteria for the malolactic fermentation. Fermentation is done in the usual way and we do the pumping over in the early stages of the process. After fermentation, we keen the wine in contact with the skins for 3-4 days, doing some pumping over in order to keep the cap wet. The wine is racked and then stored, with meticulous care not to allow any contact with oxygen.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Castel del Lupo’s impressive new release was made especially for Boutinot from grapes grown on the south-facing, chalky Ginestra vineyard. Like their Pinot Nero, this PG from the gently hilly Oltrepo Pavese DOC, the ‘Tuscany of Northern Italy’, has subtlety, depth and character. It’s a pure, gently aromatic style, crisp and lightly nutty, with fine citrus and peach fruit characters and savoury, textural finish from 4 months on fine lees.

Nose

A subtle, delicately aromatic and lightly floral nose with citrus and white peach notes.

Palate

The palate has fresh stone fruit and lemony characters leading to a gentle, textured mid-palate and an attractively crisp, saline finish.

Production Method

The Pinot Grigio grapes are organically grown, harvested by hand, and undergo careful selection. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature (17°C), and the wine is then kept on fine lees for at least four months.

Producer

Castel del Lupo, in the heart of Oltrepò Pavese, dates back centuries - and includes the eighteenth-century Palazzo Pegazzera. In 1974 three entrepreneurs took over this historic estate and began a regeneration process. Giovanni Doglio, whose father and grandfather were both Piemontese winemakers, has over 40 years of experience managing wineries. Recently joined by his daughter Federica, he has worked tirelessly to develop the estate. They have purchased more vineyards (to cover 100ha at around 300m altitude), planted new vines and built a new cellar. The vineyards are now certified organic. The winery's main focus is high quality bottle-fermented sparkling wine, and much of the vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir for this purpose. However, these vines are also the source of fine still red wines.

A Note on Sustainability

A proportion of the cantina’s vineyards are in conversion from sustainable to organic cultivation and will be certified as organic from 2020.

Awards

Specifications

Germans were the first free immigrants into Australia in the 1850s onwards. They planted Shiraz in Barossa. Germans also invented letterpress in the 1500s. The suspicion around the “magick” of a printing press coupled with the inky hands of the printers meant that the art became known as the Black Craft. The wine is an homage to both the German influence of the oldest wine-making in Australia, as well as the letterpress.

Tasting Notes 

A compelling, dark and rich chocolately beast. A classic Barossa Shiraz with intense savoury flavours of thick blackberry compote, black pepper and typical iron-rich beefy flavours. Not a hint of jam here, no sweetness, this is serious Shiraz for grown-ups with balanced acidity, a touch of cocao powder in the finish and tremendous length.

Production Method

This Shiraz is sourced from the finest available vineyard sites across the premium Northern Barossa Valley including for the most part Greenock, Western Ridge and Ebenezer. Aged 11 months in a variety of oaks, all American and French, new and old, around 35% new. All oaks were AP John, Barossa coopered. As usual withSmalltown, it was fermented in open fermenters. They don’t set the blades too close together during crushing so a fair bit of whole berry in the ferment which gives the wine generous fruit and soft tannins.

Specifications

Chill out, put your feet up, and welcome Fritz Willi - a deliciously irreverent modern Riesling.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fragrant aromas of ripe apricots, citrus and apple. 

Palate

Minerality and ripe, rounded stone fruit flavours are balanced by zesty lemon sherbert characters - giving an appealing off-dry style that retains a surprisingly crisp finish.

Producer

The Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium name originates from the Jesuit school founded in Trier in 1561. Through the centuries, wine production from the estate's vineyards helped to support the school. Today the estate consists of around 25 hectares on the steep slopes of the Middle Mosel and Saar - all exclusively dedicated to Riesling.

The cellars lie deep under the city of Trier - where a stone in the foundations bears the date 1593. Here fermentation takes place in stainless steel or in traditional Mosel 'Fuder' (1000 litre barrels.

The school itself changed names a number of times following its foundation, but an interesting note is that one of its more famous pupils was Trier-born Karl Marx!

Production Method

The Riesling grapes are sourced from the steep slatey soils of the Saar and Mosel. After careful picking and selection, the grapes are fermented in 100 litre oak Fuder and stainless steel - both parts blended later to add complexity. The wine rests on its fine lees before bottling.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Aroma

The elegant bouquet is a combination of peach, apple, citrus fruits and blossom.

Palate

The palate has a big structure, with excellent acidity, minerality and sapidity and these characteristics give Carricante a particularly long finish.

Viticulture

Our Carricante is cultivated at about 400 metres above sea level. As it is so prolific, it is essential to focus a lot of attention on training the vines – which we do using the Guillotmethod. Strict pruning is also absolutely key in order to limit production. Grapes are hand-picked in the early part of September.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand towards the beginning of September. A careful destemming is followed by soft pressing of the grapes. The decantation of the must at low temperature lasts about 48 hours before the start of the fermentation carried out at 17-19 ° C for about 20 days. After fermentation, the wine is decanted and kept on fine lees for about 5 months with frequent battonages.

Specifications

Leathery, resistant, attached to life: the Agave embodies the spirit of the territory that hosts it. Able to survive in all conditions, he never forgets to explode into the sky in a flowery tower.

An extremely versatile wine. Perfect with pasta, either with white meat or tomato-based sauces, but equally with roasted meats, tuna or swordfish cooked on the grill.

Tasting Notes

This lovely midweight red wine is made from Mount Etna's premium red grape.

Colour

Palate

In the mouth the Nerello Mascalese excels for its elegance thanks to silky tannins and contrasted by a marked minerality.

Vineyards

The name Nerello Mascalese derives from the small town of Mascali on the slopes of Etna, the area of ​​origin of the vine. It is a variety that in recent years has returned to production not only on Etna but also in other areas of Sicily with different expressions.

Our Nerello Mascalese grows at an altitude of about 400m above sea level, and is harvested entirely by hand in small boxes of 10-15 kg. After harvesting, the grapes are immediately separated from the stalk and vinified with an extremely soft pressing.

Vinification

The must is fermented on the skins with frequent remontage during the early stages of fermentation. Once fermentation is finished,we continue the skin contact for about 15 days with one very soft remontage a day. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally once separated from the skins. The wine is kept on its very fine lees for about 6-8 months before being bottled.

Awards

91 points - Luca Maroni - I MIGLIORI VINI ITALIANI (2019 Vintage)

Specifications

A vibrantly fruity, organically produced, red from this characterful indigenous Austrian variety.

Tasting Notes

Fruity and perfumed nose showing blackberries, white pepper and spice. Bright sappy palate with fresh acidity, crunchy redcurrant and raspberry fruit, and layers of spice, liquorice and herbs.

The wines of Deux Roches are in pure Mâconnais style – fresh, incisive, pure, and marked by minerality.

Tasting Notes

This wine represents the roots of its Mâconnaise lands. Dressed in a blond suit, the wine exhales toasted cereals and white peach wrapped in a creamy texture. On the palate, it is juicy, chewy and savoury with a good length for an intense pleasure.

In the Cellar

After harvest, the grapes are loaded by gravity into pneumatic presses. The presses are slow and long in order to delicately extract the juices and thus preserve the aromatic finesse. Then the musts are cooled and decanted. The vinification takes place in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature or in wood (20%, including less than 10% new barrels). Depending on the vintage, malolactic fermentation is desired or not. The aging takes place on fine lees until spring. From picking to bottling, we limit the use of inputs such as SO2 as much as possible.

Producer

The rugged terrain that is home to our vines is dominated by the limestone crags of Solutré and Vergisson, vestiges of a prehistoric era, and by Mont de Pouilly, more rounded but just as high, culminating at some 485 metres.

Our Domaine sits in the heart of the picturesque Mâconnais landscape, and our vines extend around the villages of Davayé, Prissé, Vergisson, Pierreclos, Charnay-lès-Mâcon, Chardonnay, Chevagny and Hurigny. A total of 63 hectares de vines, of which around 24 are in the Saint-Véran appellation, 25 in Mâcon-Villages, Mâcon or Mâcon Chardonnay, and Mâcon La Roche Vineuse, and 2,300 square metres in Pouilly-Fuissé, all producing white wines, plus a little under a hectare of Mâcon rouge.

Our white wines are all pure Chardonnay. The vines have the benefit of all the geological treasures to be found in these well-exposed limestone clay soils, as well as a favourable climate. The wines of Deux Roches are in pure Mâconnais style – fresh, incisive, pure, and marked by minerality.

They are created by blending different parcels, an art that we have been perfecting for 30 years. 

Alan's Tasting Notes

"Now I’m not a big Chardonnay fan but this is lovely. Lovely summer fruit salad flavours are wrapped up in a creamy aftertaste with lovely fresh acidity keeping it fresh from start to finish. Really interesting, fruity and well-balanced and a great starter white for people that say they don’t like white wine." January 2022

Specifications

A classic, fresh and approachable expression of Grüner Veltliner from its homeland.

Tasting Notes

Aromatic nose with notes of white spice. The palate has stone fruit, green apple and lightly exotic characters - fresh and appealing. 

Calm expression of an animal capable of enormous effort and equally stubbornness. The donkey represents the soul of working in the fields, a source of life and wealth.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Aroma

The characterful bouquet is a little spicy and reminiscent of jasmine, aromatic herbs and nutmeg, with delicate touches of white peach. 

Palate

On the palate, there is a strong mineral backbone, perfectly balanced with lively acidity. The finish is long and complex with delicious almond flavours.

Viticulture

Our Catarratto grapes are cultivated on slopes at around 400 metres above sea level. Grapes are hand-picked in mid-September in small baskets. Picking takes place in the cool early part of the morning in order to keep the grapes as fresh as possible.

Vinification

The vinification of Catarratto Lucido is carried out on the principle of minimum intervention in order to achieve maximum quality in the finished wine. Grapes are de-stemmed and very softly pressed with a pneumatic press. The must is decanted at a low temperature for about 48 hours before starting the fermentation, which takes place at 17-19C° for about 20 days. After the fermentation is finished the wine is racked and kept on fine lees for at least 5 months, with frequent battonages.

Specifications

An attractive, softly sparkling, organic Italian sparkling Rosé from Prosecco country. An irresistible bottle of bubbles - great to get the party started!

Tasting Notes

Colour

Soft light pale pink

Nose

The nose is delicate and fruity, led by aromas of ripe strawberries and raspberries. 

Palate

The palate is fresh and tart, full of gooseberry and redcurrant notes. 

Terroir: The Land of Prosecco and of the river Piave

Organic – for the Love of this Soil

History 

The vineyards here have been passed down through the generations since 1891. The 'Jara' name comes from the gravel that covers the vineyards and provides heat to the vines overnight – as they do in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

With the faintest whiff of biscuity oak this bright, tangy Barossa Chardonnay is an absolute delight. It has that classical Barossa charm, elegance, poise, tang and naggingly more-ish elusive something-or-other which makes one wonder why there isn't more Australian Chardonnay.  

Tasting Notes 

Salice Salentino is made from 90% Negroamaro, an indigenous grape of the region. A wine with body, spiciness, and light oak notes.  

Tasting Notes

Dense, purple-tinged ruby red; rich bouquet, with notes of dried plum and cherry; generous and complex in the mouth, with excellent structure, and a finish exhibiting the pleasant, bitterish note typical of the Negroamaro grape

About the Wine

Salice Salentino DOC rosso is the most typical red wine appellation of the Salento, the extreme south of Puglia. It is a blend of the area’s traditional grape varieties, the Negroamaro and a smaller part of Malvasia nera. State-of-the-art vinification and a few months ageing in oak barrels have given it its lively ruby hue, fragrances of dark berry fruit, full body, and lingering finish with a classic bitterish note.

Production

Vineyards trained in the “Salento gobelet” style, in Salento’s typical reddish clay soils; vines average 5,000 per hectare and yield 80-90 q./ha

Grapes are harvested between the first and the second week in September. The must macerates 8-9 days at 28°C in stainless steel; the vinification style is designed to bring out the freshness of the fruit and to highlight its varietal characteristics.

After a brief stay in glass-lined vats, the wine matures 3-4 months in one-year old small oak before being bottled.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"One of our wee crackers - dusty soft tannins with a touch of both smokiness and spice mingling round the plum & cherry fruit. It’s super soft and smooth but with an attractive cherry bitterness on the finish - a hallmark of the dominant Negroamaro grape in Puglia. Great flavours and mouthfeel for a paltry £13.99 - could easily pay a fiver more for this and it would still be great value. Great for everyday/school day drinking!" Tasted 1 January 2024

Specifications

A classic Vouvray, full of flavour and style.

Tasting Notes

Pale straw in colour, with distinctive stone fruit aromas of apricot and peach with a touch of honey. The fruit flavours follow through on the palate with a touch of minerality, leaving a delicate and lingering finish.

Producer

Formed in 1973, Pierre Chainier is both a négociant and the owner of some 250 hectares of vines in the heart of Touraine, from which it sources classic Loire varieties. Its eight Touraine estates include Domaine de la Bruyère in the newly established appellation of Touraine-Chenonceaux. Conversely, Clos de Nouys, its 25 acre Vouvray estate, is one of the oldest in the appellation. Here, vines average 35 years of age in vineyards that were already listed amongst the best sites on geological maps dating from 1907.

Note on Sustainability

For both its négociant arm and its own vineyards, Pierre Chainier seamlessly blends the principles of reasoned agriculture with the most modern winemaking techniques. It encourages sustainable development and official certification for its growers, it uses sugar cane-derived biodegradable “corks”, and it has a comprehensive waste recycling programme.

Specifications

Fronsac is a great value alternative to Saint-Émilion, but with a distinct character of its own.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A ripe and pure nose, offering creamy red and black fruit with some dark roast coffee.

Palate

Tannins are firm, and the palate is concentrated and already well-knit, if still a little youthful. Packed with intense black, mulberry-flavoured fruit, coffee and a twist of toast from the barrel, the ripeness makes this very drinkable now and it will continue to develop more complexity over the next 5 years.

Producer

History, family, and wine go hand in hand in Bordeaux and Château Mayne-Vieil's history can be traced back across three influential families to the 1500s. Descended from the original owners, the Equerry de Paty, Lord of Mayne-Vieil, built the large cellars in the 17th century. Libournais vintners, the Fontemoings, established a new Fronsac vineyard to rival Saint-Emilion, while the Sèze family, owners for the last 100 years, restored and expanded the estate after World War I. The Merlot vines of their Fronsac vineyard can be seen from the house in its entirety as it rolls across the beautiful hill overlooking the Dordogne River. The single-block vineyard covers 47 hectares (32 of which are in the Fronsac AOC) and is planted with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

Production

The vineyard is planted on fairly steep slopes of clay and silt soil. The 35-year-old Merlot vines are trained low and planted close together. Permanent grass cover and green harvesting keep yields low. 85% of the wine is matured in concrete vats and 15% in barrel for at least three years.

Sustainability

Château Mayne-Vieil uses permanent grass cover between the rows of vines to reduce the need for herbicide sprays and also to reduce the compaction of the soil as fewer passes by tractor are required. The increased competition for water and nutrients also reduces the vigour of the vines, thus reducing the need for green harvesting, reducing yields and increasing the concentration of the grapes. The château achieved HVE 3 accreditation at the end of 2022. This certification recognises a high level of commitment to protecting and enriching the environment with a focus on biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategy, management of fertiliser use and management of water.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

This spectacular Pinot captures all the vigour and character of the small plot of organically-grown 15 year old vines in the La Quercia vineyard where it is sourced. A correct and pure Pinot Noir with real soul and expression.

Nose

Pronounced, warm, ripe, black-fruited, spicy and complex aromas. 

Palate

Lively acidity offsets the ripe wild plum and bramble fruit and the palate combines concentration, delicacy and structure.

Production

The Pinot Noir vines are organically-grown in a combination of chalk, clay and silt soils on the rolling hills of Oltrepo Pavese. They are Guyot-trained at approximately 250m altitude, south / south-east facing. The grapes are harvested by hand and undergo careful selection. The grapes are macerated on skins for 8-10 days, then undergo malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is bottled in spring.

Producer

Castel del Lupo, in the heart of Oltrepò Pavese, dates back centuries - and includes the eighteenth-century Palazzo Pegazzera. In 1974 three entrepreneurs took over this historic estate and began a regeneration process. Giovanni Doglio, whose father and grandfather were both Piemontese winemakers, has over 40 years of experience managing wineries. Recently joined by his daughter Federica, he has worked tirelessly to develop the estate. They have purchased more vineyards (to cover 100ha at around 300m altitude), planted new vines and built a new cellar. The vineyards are now certified organic. The winery's main focus is high-quality bottle-fermented sparkling wine, and much of the vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir for this purpose. However, these vines are also the source of fine still red wines.

A Note on Sustainability

A proportion of the cantina’s vineyards are in conversion from sustainable to organic cultivation and will be certified as organic from 2020.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Bright light yellow in colour.

Nose

White flowers and tropical fruit aromas.

Palate

It is expressive and scented on the palate, with a fluid and refreshing touch. It is a graceful, vibrant and direct wine, with distinctive variety characteristics and a persistent nice citric finish.

Winemaking

Harvest, subsequent bunch selection and destemming at the wine cellar. After the grapes are cooled, they go through the pneumatic press for four hours. Subsequently, the grape juice goes to settling tanks, where it remains between 24 and 48 hours, and then ferments in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 15°C with selected yeasts. Finally, it is stabilized, mildly filtered, and bottled.

Specifications

Modern and appealing dry German Riesling at its best.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Delicately floral with citrus and light flinty aromas. 

Palate

The palate is pure with green apple, refreshing citrus acidity, stony minerality and good length.

Production

The grapes originate from the steep and slatey soils of the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer. After careful picking and selection, the grapes are fermented in 1000L oak Fuder and stainless steel tanks before blending. The wine rests for a few months on its fine lees to add complexity.

Producer

Bischöfliche Weinguter Trier cultivates approximately 95 hectares of vineyard, among them some of the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer's most legendary sites. Almost 90% of production is Riesling, with grapes crushed and pressed at Scharzhof on the Saar and Duisburger Hoffman on the Ruwer.

Wines are then aged in either traditional fuder or stainless steel in their vast vaulted cellars in the heart of Trier, which date back to Roman times.

Notes of Sustainability

The estate has implemented and maintains an integrated management system for quality, environmental, occupational, health and safety, and food safety that is certified by EcoStep. 

Awards

• Bronze Sommelier Wine Awards 2020 (2018 Vintage)

Alan's Personal Notes

"This is very good. A solid Riesling characteristics with an added touch of minerality and some herbal & spicy notes. Lovely fresh fruit, balancing acidity, great complexity and good length. All in all a really decent glass of wine 10/10." May 2023

Specifications.

85 Calories | Zero Sugar | 9% Alcohol | Gluten Free | Vegan Friendly | Certified Sustainable

Sunny with a Chance of Flowers is a healthy lifestyle wine created to make you feel good inside and out. Zero sugar, low calorie, low alcohol and flat-out delicious, it seems too good to be true. But Sunny is the real deal – better for you and mindfully made. Sustainably farmed and produced by a family-owned winery in Monterey County, California. 

Tasting Notes 

Sunny Pinot Noir is a riveting red wine full of juicy berry flavours and pure joy. Sweet black cherries kick off the palate, followed by luscious pomegranate and a hint of toasted oak. 

Winemaking 

Winemaker Casey Di Cesare likes to say that flavours are made in the vineyard. That’s why our grapes are left to hang on the vine to reach full maturity and flavor development before harvesting. Upon arrival at our estate winery, the grapes are crushed and fermented to dryness, resulting in zero residual sugar. Using proprietary technology, the alcohol is gently pulled from a portion of the wine. The result? A mindfully made wine that is zero sugar, 9% alcohol and 85 calories per serving (about 30% fewer calories than an average serving).

Specifications

Specifications

Colour

Pale yellow in color with light green hints.

Nose

This Ventisquero Reserva Sauvignon Blanc wine has complex and elegant nose offers up aromas of lime, grapefruit, pineapple and pear complemented by floral and mineral touches. 

Palate

In mouth it is fresh, well-balanced with a rich acidity and soft body, where citric and tropical fruits reappear with mineral finish that delivers complexity and elegance.

Background

Ventisquero began making wine in 2000. Today, the winery is led by a young, creative team of entrepreneurs who guide us to a single purpose: creating distinctive, high quality wines. They look for innovative ways to communicate with their target audience and to market our products around the world.

Under the guidance of head winemaker Felipe Tosso, the winery was built in the Coastal Maipo Valley, where grapes for their first wines were produced. Three years later, they ventured into the Casablanca Valley and the prestigious Apalta Valley, the source today for Vina Ventisquero's premium wines.

With estate-owned vineyards in Chile's top wine producing areas – Coastal Maipo, Casablanca, Leyda and Colchagua – and extensive research to uncover the secrets of the country's unique terroir, Vina Ventisquero seeks to produce wines of the highest quality and consistency.

Awards

• 2017 Vintage: Commended – International Wine Challenge
• 2016 Vintage: Bronze – International Wine Challenge
• 2007 Vintage: Commended – International Wine Challenge
• 2008 Vintage: Silver – Mundus Vini
• 2006 Vintage: Commended – Decanter World Wine Awards
• 2005 Vintage: Gold – Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

Specifications