A delightfully creamy and elegant Chardonnay!

Tasting Notes

The floral aromas and white peach flavours are complemented by vanilla, toasty notes, a lovely creamy texture and mineral tones through to a classy finish.

Producer

Over the last two decades we’ve been creating wines in the wilds of southern France

Embarking on adventures; exploring, discovering and rediscovering remarkable places and vineyard sites. From the foothills and valleys beneath the iconic Pyrénées, out through the gorges to the coastal areas of the Mediterranean. We’ve journeyed with our friends and exceptional growers, who excel at their craft and have an inherent respect for the land that they and theirs are a part of. It is these people and places that inspire our winemaking. The wines of Terres Fidèles are designed to express the spirit of this extraordinary place, old vine Grenache, Carignan, Malbec, Cinsault, Viognier and more, that are authentically crafted, small batch wines of the wilds.

Production

Montsablé Réserve represents the pinnacle of site selection within the Haute Vallée de l’Aude, the coolest of all the Mediterranean regions of France due to altitude and influence of the cool Atlantic wind, the Vent Cers. Altitude, climate and limestone rich soils combine to produce outstanding fruit, with which we create wines of elegance and freshness. The specific Haute Vallée sites are perfect for Chardonnay due to slower ripening and better levels of acidity. The vines are 20-30 years old and grow on Argilo Calcaires soils.

The wine is left on its lees to add complexity of flavour, texture and weight whilst retaining refreshing ripe fruit character. Critically, 30% of the wine is aged in French wood for 6 months adding further creamy complexity.

Baleia is Portuguese for whale and the striking labels are inspired by St Sebastian Bay, the Whale Nursery of South Africa.

Discover a place of whales and wonder, where wines are born from rocky limestone soil in a remote and unspoilt corner of the Cape South Coast.

Here vines overcome fierce elements to create fruit with singular character and depth of flavour. Beyond evocative wine, Baleia is also about finding harmony between self, others and nature in pursuit of life's perfect equilibrium. 

Tasting Notes 

Grown in pure limestone soil with extremely high mineral content, results in a lively wine layered with fine, saline-like structure.

A crisp Chardonnay with elderflower and lime blossom aromas, almond biscotti and light oak flavours on the palate. Natural salts found in the soils present a delicate sensation of minerality in Baleia’s food-driven wines and prepares the palate beautifully.

Winemaking Philosophy

"As a winemaker, when you are fortunate enough to plant in almost pure limestone soils, with extremely high pH, you can only start to dream of the possibilities. The incredibly high mineral content in the soils reveals itself after a few years in the bottle, provided we respect the fruit and treat the wine carefully." says Gunter Schultz

Vineyard Philosophy

Baleia believes that living soils = strong roots = healthy vines = perfectly ripened fruit. They believe that through science and meticulous farming with attention to detail, they can produce grapes that truly reflect the terroir in which they are grown. 

This Chardonnay showcases the richness and complexity of its terroir.

Tasting Notes

Colour

The golden colour in the glass

Nose

Bright aromas of stone fruit and golden apple, underscored by rich, toasted oak.

Palate

Ripe, round tropical flavours of pineapple and mango are complimented by notes of vanilla and butter.

Winemaking Notes

The 2021 vintage saw a late harvest with great quality fruit. All grapes were taken directly to press as whole clusters, gently pressed into tanks, cold-settled, racked as clean juice, and fermented over a two-month period at very cool temperatures. Once primary fermentation was completed, select lots ofthe wine went through a complete secondary fermentation to add a rich, buttery component.

Background

Cycles Gladiator was founded in 2005 with the mission to create high quality, affordable wines that honour the iconic artwork on the label by empowering and inspiring women. Proudly sourced from some of California’s top wine growing regions , award-  winning winemaker Adam LaZarre crafts each wine with passion and care from grape to glass.

Accolades

• Top 25 Best Buy Ratings by Wine Enthusiast

Specifications

Nose

Untouched by oak, this richly textured Marlborough Chardonnay displays aromas of ripe nectarine, melon and bright citrus underpinned by complex nutty butterscotch gained from both extended time on lees and malolactic fermentation.

Palate

On the palate fresh flavours of peach and tropical fruit are balanced with subtle creaminess and great length; leading to a smooth, fresh and focused finish.

Viticulture

Vinification

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.

Specifications

 A beautifully integrated oak aged Chardonnay which punches above it's weight for the price.

Tasting Notes

Bright straw-yellow colour. Floral scents with notes of acacia and orange blossoms accompanied by tropical fruit, peaches and vanilla. An elegant, full and savory palate, with a well-balanced acidity and a persistent finish.

Producer

The 40 hectare Tenuta Aquilaia estate in Maremma (southern Tuscany), close to Scansano, was acquired by Azienda Uggiano in 2019. Only 15ha are currently dedicated to vineyards - of average age 15 years - although they have recently added a further 1.5 hectares to bring this total nearer to 17ha. Here they produce five red grape varieties: Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Alicante, Merlot and Petit Verdot; plus white varieties Vermentino and Chardonnay.

The area was an old Etruscan settlement and site of ancient winemaking, and several mementos of the Etruscan era are still visible.

Production

Cold Maceration of the must for 12-15 hours at a temperature of 10-12 degrees. Soft pressing and fermentation of juice (free-run must) at a temperature of 18-22 degrees. Elevation in French oak barriques for 6 months and subsequent ageing in steel tanks.