Classically bright and vibrant Marlborough Sauvignon.

Tasting Notes 

Perfumed with nettle & ripe tropical fruits which are also evident on the palate along with limey flavours and a rich minerality - classic Marlborough Sauvignon. The wine is sappy fresh, clean and delicious.

Production

Judiciously sourced from 3 vineyard sites between the Waihopai, Wairau and Awatere Valleys. Fruit for this wine comes from vineyards throughout Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. From the coastal vineyard of Rarangi (coastal pea gravels, sand and silts, cooler coastal site) up through the central (old river bed gravels with think fertile top soil) and southern valley vineyards (clay loams over silts and gravels, warm sheltered site ) to the Rapaura area vineyards (stoney river bed soils).

The vines are grown on the VSP trellis system to give optimal cropping to gain maximum flavour during the growing season. Grapes are picked and immediately pressed to tanks for clarification. The fruit was gently pressed, cold settled, racked and cool fermented with selected yeast strains to enhance the unique aromatics & flavours. Each individual parcel was then racked, before being blended together to create this generous full-textured style. The wine was then filtered, and bottled to retain & capture the remarkable freshness of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Producer

Boutinot's New Zealand wines are sourced from vineyards in each sub-regions of Marlborough - the Awatere, Waihopai and Wairau Valleys, as well as the breezier region of Waipara. These valleys have their own micro-climates and terroir which give a unique personality to the vineyards, grapes and finished wines.

Samantha Bailey brings her blending expertise and experienced palate to the fore in expressing the loveliest Boutinot wines from The Land of the Long White Cloud.

Awards

• 2016 Vintage - Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards 2017

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"The flavours were very warm and ripe – taking any harsh edge off the acidity – and also giving a lovely, creamy mouthfeel. It is fairly weighty with good body rather different from the last vintage (2021) which was a lot leaner and more mineral/steely in style. As an everyday style, this hits all the right notes!" July 2023

"It’s got to be one of the best NZ sauvvies I’ve ever tasted. As expected - dry, fresh and clean - it’s the fruit flavours that are exquisite - a mix of pineapple & passion fruit - exquisite! Beautifully crafted and at £16.99 its well worth it. Loads of character!"

Alan December 2022

Tasting Notes 

Aromas of white peach and melon, along with the more traditional nuances of citrus and tropical. There is also an intriguing 'funk' and lanolin note that brings all the aromas together and provides a wonderful transition through to the palate.

A fantastic lean yet supple long mid-palate with chewy white blossom and a richness of character, almost salty. The wine is understated and has length and a mouth-watering succulence with wonderful persistence to it. 

Producer

When it comes to professional wine people, Ben Glover is about as top-of the-tree as it gets. Ben’s role call includes almost too many accolades: previously a Wine Marlborough committee member, chair of the Bragato Wine Show (New Zealand’s only single vineyard wine show) and was chair of Pinot Noir 2017 New Zealand, the world’s largest and most prestigious Pinot Noir event. He was an inaugural Len Evans scholar in 2001 and has over 25 years of experience as a national and international wine judge. This is all to say that, when you open a bottle of Bob/short for Kate, you are in safe hands.

Nicknamed ‘Bob’ by her family (some of you may recognize the Blackadder reference), Bob /short for Kate is a tribute to Kate Glover, an amazing young drama teacher and Ben’s sister, who heartbreakingly passed away in 2018. Ben explains that he has looked to produce a wine that characterises the honesty, purity and confidence of Kate. These are organic, Marlborough wines, small-batch Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, reliant on selected block from the family’s vines and exceptional fruit selection. Not to mention the skill of one of the region’s most well-regarded winemakers.

Vinification Notes

Both vineyards were kept separate during the winemaking fermentation process with the Kennedys Rd parcel treated traditionally with 100% machine harvested, stainless steel fermentation with cool temperatures to retain supple pure Sauvignon Blanc characters. Once fermentation finished we left the wine on light lees to gain some mouthfeel while holding onto the brights of this variety. The Brink parcel, though, was handpicked and split into a further two parcels, and was a co-fermentation with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with 10% spending fermentation in old French barriques. This enhanced the mouthfeel and drew in the Semillon to provide interest and intrigue to the resulting final blend.

 Specifications

Tasting Notes 

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

This wine possesses fine aromatics, pure citrus fruit expression fresh acidity, varietal character and above all, a persistent finish.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Very expressive with herbaceous aromas 

Palate

Crisp green apples on the palate. 

Producer

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

This label celebrates Chile’s farthest-flung outpost, Motu Nui, the tiny islet (or motu) just off the coast of Easter Island.

Adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and rich in Polynesian mythology, Motu Nui was the essential location for Easter Island’s legendary bird-man cult Tangata manu. Representatives from each island clan would wait for the visiting sooty terns to lay their first egg on Motu Nui, then swim across the shark-infested bay bearing that egg and climb the mainland cliffs of the Orongo volcano to claim rights of power and privilege for their clan for the following year. Many of the protagonists were devoured by sharks or fell to their deaths in this visceral trial of courage. These rituals have long since passed but their history is imprinted in the island’s history and archaeology. Today the sooty tern, depicted on our label, is protected and thrives peacefully on the island’s shore.

Tasting Notes 

The wine is sourced from grapes equally shaped by the Pacific Ocean that grow in the Aconcagua region’s coastal Leyda Valley, grapes that achieve a pungency and aromatic profile redolent of New Zealand’s Marlborough region on the other side of the Pacific Rim. Bright, aromatic and crisply textural. The Myth of Motu Nui is a delightfully aromatic Sauvignon Blanc as rich as the myths that inspire the name.

Production

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are grown in three excellent sites across the Leyda and San Antonio D.O. The proximity of the vineyards to the Pacific Ocean (only 10km’s away) and its fresh coastal breezes ensures grapes ripen slowly. This allows the grapes to retain their natural citrus flavours and freshness but also to develop great aromatics. Sauvignon Blanc grapes in Leyda are some of the first to be harvested in Chile, and winemaking is simple to preserve this crunchy, bright fruit. Cool fermentation in stainless steel is followed by a couple of months on their fine lees which adds texture and depth. We bottle early to retain the primary characteristics, flavours and freshness of this enchanting fruit.

Producer

Our winemaking team has been building relationships across Chile over the past two decades, sourcing fruit and wine from across the Central Valleys. We work with a number of small family growers who pay particular attention to quality and ensure that our winemaking team has the best possible fruit to work with. Freshness and purity are the preferred hallmarks of Boutinot's Chilean wines.

Each vintage Boutinot winemaker Guillaume Letang travels the vineyards of our grower partners, blending that year's truest expression's of Chile's unique terroirs.

Specifications

An elegant, well-balanced Sauvignon Blanc - Iona's Wine Making Philosophy - 'The Winemaker is the Custodian of the fruit'

Tasting Notes 

Beautiful purity of limes and ripe gooseberry, with tropical, floral and fine herbal notes, ruby grapefruit and white pear drop on the finish. This is cool climate Sauvignon Blanc – vibrant, mineral, elegant, balanced and delicate, with a long, layered and complex finish.

Producer

At 420m above sea-level, set high above the picturesque Elgin Valley Andrew Gunn founded Iona. It is here overlooking the Atlantic ocean that he has secured some of the coolest vineyards in the Cape.  In a country where cool climate vineyards are like gold dust, these vineyards are veritable nuggets. There is an extremely long growing season, allowing Andrew to create wines with complex flavours and a fresh, elegant style. The approach is hands off and the land is farmed according to organic and biodynamic practices with a particular focus on ensuring the health of the soils whilst pests are kept under control by the resident flock of geese that roam the vineyards.

Production

"We aim for elegance, balance and to express the unique terroir of the Elgin Highlands. Grapes were hand-picked into crates early in the morning to ensure that the grapes stayed cool. Each of the 9 blocks are harvested and vinified separately. After gentle pressing, the must was settled, maintaining a temperature of 6-8°C. Fermentation occurred at 14-16°C, using different commercial yeast strains particularly suited to Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was kept on the gross lees for 5 months and stirred regularly to enhance the richness of the mid-palate. The Sémillon component was fermented naturally in 2nd and 3rd fill 500L French oak barrels to enhance the mid palate weight and to add complexity to the wine. A selection of different Sauvignon Blanc vineyard sites were naturally fermented in 500L French oak barrels. The barrel fermentation component made up 4% of the final blend. 

Accolades & Awards

Tim Atkin South Africa Report 2024 91 Points
Iona's spectacularly sited parcels are some of the highest and most dramatic in Elgin, producing a quintessential cool climate Sauvignon Blanc. Perfumed, salty and stony, this has layers of lime and grapefruit, a touch of vanilla and a briney finish. 2024-27. 91 Points, TA, 2024.

Specifications

Specifications

Pure, fruit-forward and fine.

Tasting Notes

Vibrant aromas of green apple and citrus. The palate is complex with ripe citrus and pear fruit, pithy grapefruit notes and an appealing stony edge to the long finish. The grapes were picked early to maintain their freshness.

Method of Production

Produced from the family's 19 hectares of vines growing in 'terres blanches' - chalky clay - soil. Vineyards are worked sustainably, organically where possible. It was cool-fermented in stainless steel and aged upon its lees for 5 to 6 months.

Producer

The small village of Maimbray, just to the north of Sancerre itself, is home to both Domaine Roblin and to Domaine du Pré Semelé. In fact the Roblins are just across the road from the Raimbaults and share a similar story of two brothers – 4th generation Matthias and Emile in this case – taking over from their father and implementing new ideas to move the family domaine forward.

They have a total of 19 hectares of vines with a terroir made up of Kimmeridgian and Portlandian chalky clay (Terres Blanches) soils, spread across 45 separate parcels of vines, on the slopes around the villages of Maimbray and Sury-en-Vaux. Their vineyards are planted with 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Pinot Noir, and in the winery their intervention is minimal: gravity does the work of pumps, and the wines see long lees ageing. The wine style is very pure, fruit-forward yet fine, and really top quality.

Sustainability

Vineyards are worked with the greatest of respect to the environment; no chemical pesticides or herbicides are used; carbon dioxide emissions are kept as low as possible; there is crop cover between rows of vines to help combat soil erosion, and green harvesting is practised to restrain yields and improve ripeness. Although not yet HVE accredited or certified organic, the Roblins employ many of the practices of both.

Awards

Gold Sommelier Wine Awards 2017 - for the 2015 vintage 

Specifications

Emiliana have ventured into the world of orange wines, this being a Sauvignon Blanc fermented on skins. Really successful and has some Casablanca typicity to it.

Tasting Notes

Colour & Nose

Golden orange in colour and aromas of ripe stone fruits, figs and dried herbs on the nose.

Palate

Where as most Orange wines anonymise varietal, Animalia actually has a grassy Sauvignon tange beneath the Orange structure. Clever, tasty stuff from Emiliana.

Production

This Orange wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Casablanca Valley where the vineyards are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and the Humboldt Current. With high humidity rates, its average temperatures reach 25°C in summer and 14°C in winter. The grapes were destemmed and crushed, and left with their skins. They fermented in concrete tanks at approximately 18º C, soft punch downs obtained a subtle extraction. Once the fermentation was finished, the wine was aged in concrete eggs for five months with the skins. After that, it was prepared for bottling.

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.

Accolades

• Silver at the IWC 2022 (for the 2021 Vintage)

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"After 40 years tasting wines there’s not many wines I taste now that gives me an instant buzz - but this does - fresh and clean with stone fruit flavours and a herbal touch. Most orange wines I’ve tasted have a very pure, anonymous edge to them but this is different - great flavour, huge intensity and a texture to die for. It’s a Boutinot wine from Emiliana Wines in Chile. A stunning intro to orange wine at an affordable price point - defo worth a try!" August 2022

Specifications

With more texture than aromatics alone, this is a food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright, crisp and aromatic, with generous aromas of cut grass, tomato leaf and asparagus. 

Palate

A tangy palate of citrus, bell-pepper, and bay leaves.

Producer

Boutinot's New Zealand wines are sourced from vineyards in each sub-regions of Marlborough - the Awatere, Waihopai and Wairau Valleys, as well as the breezier region of Waipara. These valleys have their own micro-climates and terroir which give a unique personality to the vineyards, grapes and finished wines.

Samantha Bailey brings her blending expertise and experienced palate to the fore in expressing the loveliest Boutinot wines from The Land of the Long White Cloud.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Bright and fresh with good acidity and great texture. It’s more kumquat & guava/passion fruit than light and mineral in style. It says it’s sourced from Nelson on the back label but with this opulent fruit profile, it reminds me more of Marlborough! Either way, it’s a cracking wine and not too harsh on the wallet!" May 2023

This is the fundamental organic South American Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting Notes

Colour 

A clear, bright pale yellow in colour

Nose

The complex nose presents citrusy notes of grapefruit and lime with a subtle touch of freshly crushed bay leaf

Palate

The smooth palate bursts with citrus freshness balanced by good volume and persistence

Production

Casablanca Valley is hugely influenced by its proximity to the cool breezes which blow in of the chilly Pacific Ocean. The vineyard soils are alluvial in origin, with sandy textures, high permeability, whose shallow depth restricts yield. These cooler temperatures and poor soils, in consequence, give great character in both flavour and aroma, especially for aromatic white varieties like Sauvignon Blanc. The landscape generally consists of rolling hills that rise toward the east and the Coastal Mountains. The poor, shallow soils are alluvial in origin with sandy loam textures, good permeability, and relatively low yields with respect to other Chilean wine regions. Cool climate conditions allow the fruit to ripen more slowly, resulting in grapes with a tremendous concentration off aromas and flavours in white varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and others. The grapes that went into this wine were hand picked during the first week of March, when the fruit had reached the desired level of ripeness. The fruit came from the Casablanca estate, where the vertically positioned vines produce an average yield of 11 tons per hectare. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts in our Maipo Valley winery. Temperatures were carefully managed to remain cool, with pumpovers and delicate lees stirring to reach the desired results. The wine was fined with bentonite and cold-stabilized before bottling to prevent tartaric precipitations in the bottle.

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.

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

Specifications

Circle of Life celebrates farming in harmony with nature, telling a story of preserving and regenerating biodiversity. This harmonious combination of 3 classic grape varieties captures the essence of Waterkloof's biodynamic viticultural amphitheatre. 94 points, Decanter July 2023.

Tasting notes

A fine and seamless blend of 3 classic white grapes. Sauvignon Blanc aromas are prominent on the nose, with lime and prickly pear notes. A tight mineral core and creamy mid palate from the Chenin Blanc gives complexity and a persistent finish while a small proportion of Semillon adds texture and depth.

Where tropical brightness meets herbal elegance, crafted to refresh and delight every sip!

Tasting Notes : 

Bright and aromatic bursting with tropical fruits with underlying herbal notes on the nose. On the palate the full refreshing punch of the herbal notes shines through.

Production

Machine Harvested, Juice cold settled or floated to clarify, cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks

Colour

A delicate, pale green/gold.

Nose

Passionfruit driven on the nose, this wine presents with soft acidity across the palate, showing tropical notes of lemongrass and grassy flavours. 

Palate 

A rich and complex wine with a lovely balanced finish, range of flavour and length.

Vintage

The La Niña weather pattern was the dominating influence of our 2023 growing season, which brought less hot North-westerly winds, normally a mainstay of our season, and replaced them with regular cooling Easterly winds. The start to spring was cool with temperatures below average. Despite that, as the season progressed, temperatures picked up and we experienced good flowering conditions, resulting in a healthy and balanced crop. Summer saw us experience 30+ degree days mixed in with considerably colder spells. Over Autumn we experienced more of the same, with temperatures fluctuating between spells of beautiful warm sunny days, followed regularly by cold southerlies.

These weather patterns, while presenting a challenge, meant the team started picking later allowing for sugar levels to rise. Minimal rain over this time meant the fruit could be held on the vine allowing it to reach our desired levels of ripeness.

Winemaking

The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as assessed through frequent tasting in the vineyard by the winemaker. We picked across the vineyard at different times and degrees of ripeness to allow the individual cuvees a range of site expression. Extended skin contact time was used prior to crushing to enhance extraction of the aromatic compounds. The fruit was then very gently pressed to avoid harsh phenolic extraction and the juice allowed to cold settle. The clear juice was fermented at low temperatures using a range of yeast renowned for their ability to enhance the Sauvignon Blanc aromas. A balanced amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the acidity and to add palate weight and structure.

Awards & Accolades

• 17/20 Jancis Robinson
• 5 Stars (94 points) | Sam Kim Wine Orbit

Specifications

Classic single domain Pouilly-Fumé.

Tasting Notes

Floral and herbaceous, this is a concentrated wine with great elegance, complexity and power. Really special!

Production Method

The grapes are sourced from 30-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines grown on the hill of St Andelain in a mix of Silex and Kimmerigian clay soils. The individual parcels are vinified separately. The grapes are gently pressed pneumatically. Prior to fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the must is naturally clarified by cold stabilisation and some of the grapes are macerated on the skins for a short period to maximise flavour complexity. Either wild or selected yeasts are used, depending upon the conditions - indigenous yeasts are believed to add more character. The fermentation is cool and slow over 3 weeks and the wine remains on the fine lees. The gravity-fed cellar is on two levels and is fully temperature controlled.

Producer

Robert Poirier established the La Renardière domaine close to a small wood with a healthy population of foxes ('renardière' translates as foxhole). He was a pioneer with a passion for modernism; he cleared the hillsides, planted vines in the Kimmeridgian marl, introduced new pruning methods, and won the estate’s first medals. A firm believer in the potential of Pouilly-Fumé, he expanded the estate over the years and even opened a wine bar named "Au Pouilly" in Nevers.

Eugene Bouchie bought a vineyard from the neighbouring château, on the same Saint Andelain hill as La Renardière, where the soils are composed of flinty clay and limestone. In the early 1900s, the marriage of the children of these two producers created the domaine as it stands today and it is the blending of the two terroirs which gives the La Renardière cuvées their complexity.

A Note on Sustainability

The estate undertakes disease and pest control measures by maintaining natural balance ("lutte raisonnée") and works the soil in a traditional way.

Awards

• Silver in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 - (2018 vintage)
• Silver in the IWSC 2018 - (2017 vintage)

The classic dessert wine - elegant, fresh and very moreish.

Tasting Notes

A classic botrytis nose; rich in honey and sweet floral tones with hints of citrus marmalade. The palate is rich and smooth with similar sweet floral and honeyed apricot flavours but with a faintly citrus note in the finish which makes it very moreish.

Production

Grapes are sourced from vineyards within the Graves district of Bordeaux. Botrytis (noble rot) is allowed to affect the grapes, concentrating their sweetness and flavour. The grapes are hand-picked late in the vintage and, on average, it takes 3 passes through the vineyard to ensure that the maximum quantity of grapes has been beneficially affected by botrytis. The grapes are treated very carefully during pressing so as not to damage them and to maintain their delicate characteristics.

Producer

For over a decade Boutinot has been in partnership with leading Bordeaux négociant Ginestet, to offer high-quality wines from a selection of châteaux in key appellations as well as consistently fine, benchmark Bordeaux wines.

Sustainability

As both a négociant and a producer of its own wines, Maison Ginestet has long been convinced of the need to work the land in a viable manner and it places substantial emphasis on partnerships with sustainable agriculture-accredited winegrowing estates. Some growers are fully organic, and Ginestet is certified to bottle wines made from organically grown grapes.

In 2006, Maison Ginestet set up an international wine school at its Carignan-de-Bordeaux site. Through the Ginestet Wine Academy, Maison Ginestet shares with its commercial partners the expertise it has gained over more than a century of producing and marketing Bordeaux wines.

Awards

• Silver at the 2017 International Wine Challenge - 2016 Vintage

Specifications

Cicada takes its name from the famed ‘singing cicadas’ of Provence and the wine too sings of the warm vineyards of the south.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Easy-drinking, unoaked and a classic french-style table wine. Citrus and pear aromas on the nose.

Palate

Citrus flesh and nice weight on the palate, quite a ripe, round finish.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

Production

An unusual blend of Viognier (30%), Picpoul Blanc (30%) and Grenache Blanc (40%). Sourced from clay limestone soils in Richerenes in the Vaucluse for the Grenache Blanc and Picpoul, with the Viognier sourced in the Northern Rhône (so the wine is classified as Vin de France). Vinified in stainless steel, with a short maceration of one week. Alex Favier then puts the final blend together.

Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

Alan's Tasting Notes

'This is a beautiful find.  Loaded with aromas and flavours.  Fresh, unoaked but unctous fresh fruit with a persistent and compelling palate.  A great value alternative to more expensive Chateauneuf Blanc or Condrieu.'

Vintage

Accolade

• National Wine Challenge 2020 - Double Gold Award

Specifications

Specifications

From cool, windswept, coastal vineyards which yield naturally balanced grapes giving a wine with pure varietal charters and vibrant acidity.

Tasting Notes

Fresh and zesty with grassy and dry bay leaf aromatics, mineral notes, with hints of richness. This is a restrained Sauvignon Blanc with a palate that has lots of minerality and citrus with lightly herbal notes. The finish is ripe and gently honeyed with crisp green apple fruit and fresh acidity.

Production

False Bay Windswept Sauvignon Blanc stems from vineyards in Stellenbosch, some of which are a mere 3 miles from The Atlantic Ocean. These vineyards allow for low yields, slower ripening, natural acidity and a greater concentration of flavours. If one wants to make sauvignon blanc naturally, these are just the type of grapes required. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, then a portion of the juice is fermented spontaneously with wild yeast and the rest is inocculated. The wine spends a minimum of 6 months on lees before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa. Vegan friendly, sustainably farmed and naturally crafted

Producer

An independent company, owned by Waterkloof founder Paul Boutinot, False Bay Vineyards aims to make 'real' wine affordable. These are sustainable certified wines bottled in South Africa and naturally crafted from mature and often old vineyards that, crucially, are naturally in balance. This means that, unusually at the price, the grapes from these coastal gems can be transformed into wine with wild yeast and an absolute minimum of intervention.

False Bay Vineyards is proud to be a WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Biodiversity Champion and certified by WIETA (Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association). All of their wines are Vegan friendly.

Alan's Personal Notes

"Fresh and dry with zest citric fruit and an interesting juxtaposition between maritime salinity (proximity of vineyards to the ocean) and mountainous minerality from the granitic souls - both giving great length, complexity and balance. A real snip @£9 a bottle - it delivers a great deal of flavour for little money giving incredible bang for bucks!"

Specifications

Sourced from a vineyard nestled into the Andes in the Curico region, this Sauvignon Blanc displays the vibrant fruit of Chile's Central Valley but with elegance from its mountain terroir.

Tasting Notes

A fresh and crisp wine with ripe citrus fruit. Packed with lime zest, lemon and kiwi fruit flavours. Think of cool glacial streams and enjoy the refreshing, racy acidity on the finish. 

Producer

Our long-standing working relationships with growers enable us to source premium fruit, with the ultimate aim of making excellent quality Chilean entry-level wines with true style and character.

For the Sauvignon Blanc, we work with two families in two different locations for a blend with huge appeal. The first is the Martin Family who are nestled into the Andes Mountains in a western corner of Curico. Their vineyards sit around 500 metres above sea level (masl), a far higher altitude than the majority of Curico’s main valley which lies around 250masl. The higher altitude and proximity to the mountains means evening temperatures drop significantly, allowing Sauvignon Blanc grapes to retain crucial acidity as they ripen. This altitude also ensures there is minimal intervention in the vineyards ie. no chemical sprays or irrigation - only pure glacial streams.

Their old established vines planted on steep slopes means grapes can only be harvested by hand. Once the grapes are picked then crushed, cool fermentation is used to preserve the freshness and fruit aromas. We blend this wine from Curico with Sauvignon Blanc from the German Family in Cachapoal. Here, in a warmer location, the variety gains great aromatic expression and typically we see great varietal character thanks to the correct clones being used along with early harvesting. Wines from this warmer spot usually have a little more body, making the blend with the Martin Family wines a great combination of aromatics, fresh acidity and weight. Possibly the biggest strength of this blend is our ability to balance out warmer and cooler vintages with these two different profiles. The wine is settled in tank for a short period before being bottled early to preserve the wines youthful vibrancy.

Specifications

Colour

Pale green in color

Nose

A good intensity aroma where citrus and tropical fruits are mixed, such as lime, grapefruit, pineapple and pear. 

Palate

With vibrant acidity and medium body, it maintains the variety's own freshness, where citrus fruits reappear.

Viticulture

The harvest was carried out from March 28 to April 4, when the grape showed its greatest aromatic potential. The clusters were harvested overnight and then transported to the winery, preserving the quality and character of the variety.

Background

Head Winemaker Felipe Tosso joined Vina Ventisquero in 2000. After seriously considering alternate careers as a tennis pro and classical guitarist, he elected to enter the wine business, describing it as one of his big passions because its more than work its a lifestyle. Winemaking travels have taken him to Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, back to Concha Y Toro in Chile and then finally to Vina Ventisquero. In 2003, Felipe began a close collaboration with John Duval in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Specifications

A very ripe and unusually rich example of Loire Sauvignon Blanc.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A honeyed and gently aromatic nose with a savoury, toasted fennel seed note.

Palate

The palate is a rich and ripe reflection of this warm vintage, balanced by smoky, grassy flavours typical of Sauvignon Blanc.

Production

The vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgian soil (fossilised clay-chalk, superb for low yields and mineral content) and face south-southwest, giving increased exposure to the sun. They are fertilised organically. Harvesting is done partly by hand and partly by machine, depending on the vintage. Vinification is old fashioned and hands-off. Fermentation is done by indigenous yeasts and is followed by naturally occurring malolactic fermentation. This helps to soften the wines by converting the harsher acids to more palatable ones. Most unusually for a producer of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, winemaker Gilles Maudry believes in allowing full malolactic fermentation to run its natural course. The wine remains on its fine lees for 15 months after harvest, intensifying and enriching the flavours to balance the incredible freshness.

Producer

Domaine de Maltaverne is one of the few producers in the Loire that allows full malolactic fermentation to run its natural course. The owner, Gilles Maudry, is a former biologist who returned to his family’s Tracy-sur-Loire estate in 1984 when his father retired. Now working with his son Matthieu, who finished his viticultural and oenological studies in 2015, Gilles is a firm believer in minimal intervention: as long as his vineyards produce healthy grapes, picked at optimum maturity and vinified with care, then the wine can be left to determine its own evolution. The beautiful label features an illustration of the fossilised ammonite shells found in the vineyard, sketched by an artistic wine lover following a tasting to represent what he visualised upon tasting this wonderful wine.

Specifications

Zesty, light-bodied Spanish white - with an eye-catching label and name inspired by the 'paper dolls' of the Las Falles de Valencia festival.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Lightly floral, citrus aromas. 

Palate

The palate is gently fruity with citrus and green apple characters, and fresh acidity on the finish.

Production

Grapes are sourced from Murviedro's 300 hectares of vineyard, and a further 1500 that they control in the surrounding area. Produced predominantly from Viura grapes, blended with Sauvignon Blanc. The wine undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel.

Specifications

Juicily tropical Sauvignon Blanc judiciously sourced from breezy coastal vineyards.

Tasting Notes

This Sauvignon Blanc from the Western Cape displays fresh, ripe yellow fruit flavours with a hint of waxy lime, as well as some leafy herbal notes which make for a zippy, racy and deeply quaffable drop.

Production

Boutinot has been refining and redefining its Sauvignon Blanc vineyards over many years and works with numerous Coastal growers to best express the specific terroirs of this region that is influenced by that cooling Atlantic Ocean breeze. The soil type is a variety of decomposed granite, shale, and limestone and the plots are all unirrigated. The winery receives the grapes before midday. They are destemmed and crushed and go into strainers where the free-run is pumped gently to tank. The Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks between 11C and 13C. The ferment is likely to last around 10 days. The wine is racked after ferment and then kept on fine lees right up until bottling.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Not the honeyed fruit salad fruits of the wild house Chenin - this is much more citric fruit and searing acidity. Really crisp and fresh and bone dry. It’s got a good balance though for a cheapie - and length isn’t compromised either. A great example of entry-level Sauvignon Blanc." February 2022

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Nose

The Seasalter is wonderfully expressive on the nose and the palate with captivating notes of black current, stone fruit and green apple together with hints of fynbos and kelp, sea-breeze and a touch of oak. 

Palate

Rich, layered and long, this subtly powerful blend is intense but not weighty: an elegant well-balanced wine showing typical Darling minerality, vibrant acidity and some leesy complexity before a saline finish.

In the cellar

30% of the Sauvignon Blanc was fermented and aged for 8 months in a 300-litre French Oak barrels. The remaining components were fermented in stainless steel tanks and left on the fine lees.

Accolades

• 2022 Michelangelo Awards - Gold
• 2021 Veritas Awards - Silver
• 2021 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show - Bronze
• 2021 Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge - Gold
• 2020 Michael Angelo - Gold
• 2020 Sauvignon Blanc – Winemag Awards - Top 10 Award

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"It’s good, in fact, it’s very good and very moreish. On entry, it’s more like a Loire Sauv Blanc than a Marlborough SB - good acidity and with a flinty/mineral streak running through it - so I presume early picking cool climate terroir with maritime influence? The only thing that gives it away as Southern Hemisphere is a sweet, almost sherbet edge to the finish. Very well-balanced, elegant, classy, and moreish. It’s certainly got complexity and a few layers to delve into." January 2023.

Nose

Zesty citrus with white stone fruits. 

Palate

Luscious, abundant gooseberry aromas follow through onto the palate where it explodes with a full on citrus zing that is balanced by fantastic texture. The finish is clean, crisp and refreshing. 

Production

The wine is dominated by 50% Awatere Valley fruit, with vineyards located on both sides of the river in three sub-regions. Soils on the south bank are deep silt loams and fertile, while the north bank sites are stony, shallow silt loams, and lighter in structure.

A dry and windy climate in this valley leads to small, thick-skinned berries with an emphasis on herbal intensity. Wairau Valley sites in the Rapaura district and the Southern Valleys make up much of the rest of the blend. These are warmer areas, and the soils vary between deep fertile loams, gravelly alluvium and clays. Fruit from these sites is often more tropical, with some ripe citrus characters.

Vines are all managed with vertical shoot positioning, and pruned to leave balanced bud numbers and crop levels consistent with individual site capacity. Picking decisions are made entirely on flavour, skin-contact is minimised and cool fermentations with neutral yeast in stainless steel tanks preserve the crisp, fresh varietal nature of the fruit.

Specifications

No Tricks, Just Wine

This Sauvignon-Pinot Gris blend is a revelation! A truly sophisticated wine, full of finesse and soft tones, with Burgundy elegance and reserved coolness. A fascinating, sensuous palate, with fully mature flavours, which impresses from the first sip. The herbaceous tang of Sauvignon creates a fine balance of sweet fruitiness and crisp acidity.

Tasting Notes

Producer

Organic, Biodynamic, young, trendy, and Austrian! Michael Opitz is part of the new generation of wine growers, no longer producing mainstream but rather, distinctive, confident wines. The personality of this winegrower is reflected in the style of the wines, which are considered and confident without excessive inclination towards the dramatic. Michael Opitz also particularly values sustainability in the winery. This includes improvements in the vineyard and in the cellar as well as considerations concerning transport, packaging materials and many other aspects.

Alan's Personal Notes

"This one was labelled 'natural' not orange but still a decent colour extracted. With Sauv Blanc being the lead varietal - it’s certainly the more commercial of the two whites he produces. Equally magnificent but still difficult to recognise any particular fruit aromas or flavours - but again multi-layered, complex, and with great length - and again that saline finish. Just shades it to be my favourite of the two - but Di preferred last night. Definitely a winemaker to watch." January 2022

Specifications

A stunning wine from the star of Menetou.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of ripe white peach and blackcurrant leaf, with hints of super-ripe fruit and lime notes.

Palate

The palate has lots of refreshing citrus zest, nettle and grassy characters, lovely minerality and a slightly creamy, honeyed finish. Refreshing acidity and good balance.

Production

The grapes are sourced from seven different parcels of vines in the commune of Morogues, all planted in Kimmeridgian limestone-clay marl soil which imparts elegant mineral tones. The vineyards face south-west, south or south-east and gain the maximum benefit of the morning sun to fully ripen the grapes. The individual parcels of grapes are vinified separately to allow the fullest expression of their unique terroirs and each parcel adds a different dimension to the whole. The wines are left on their fine lees until bottling to enhance complex flavours and regularly stirred to gain richness.

Producer

Straddling the Loire appellations of Sancerre and Menetou-Salon, Domaine Pellé produces world-renowned, terroir-expressive wines from its family-owned vineyards. Fourth-generation winemaker Paul-Henry Pellé pays meticulous attention to viticulture and winemaking, ensuring that the pure varietal flavours and aromas of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir and the natural characteristics of the Kimmeridgian vineyards are expressed in your glass.

A Note on Sustainability

Domaine Henry Pellé began its sustainable approach to viticulture in 2007, by using no weed killers, chemical insecticides nor anti-rot products. The 10-hectare domaine is cultivated using methods that maintain natural balance and that work the soil in the traditional way, for example weeding, clearing and grape thinning by hand. This year, the company is taking a further leap towards sustainability, aiming to become carbon neutral and seeking to develop geothermal and solar panel projects. As of 2020, the domaine will be certified as organic by ECOCERT.

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

Discover a wine that embodies the essence of nature's touch, meticulously balanced and structured, yet exuding a purity and freshness that is simply captivating.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Dark straw in colour with orange hints. 

Nose

The nose is a delicate mélange of quince, poire william and a hint of vanilla. 

Palate

A complex and structured wine, with elegant but discreet fruit flavours of stone fruits, backed up with a powerful tannin structure and long finish.

Production

Refreshing like a white wine, with the complexity of red wine. This orange wine is made by leaving the grape skins and seeds in contact with the pressed juice, creating a deep orange-hued finish. The wine ferments naturally without the addition of yeasts, sulphur or any other additions. The different varieties are then blended and before a natural cold stabilisation, and bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Producer

Back in 1988, three families decided to invest in a winery in Romania, starting with 650 hectares of slightly unloved vineyards and a rusty, once state-owned winery.

Yet Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira, have turned the Cramele Recas Estate into the most successful winery in Romania. Recas are now recognised globally for their impressive scale and breadth of fascinating wines, including natural and orange wine from organic grapes. Despite the scale the emphasis is on making good wines that over-deliver, and as a result they’ve struck on a magic formula that has seen sales and demand boom. Vineyards are a combination of evolved plantings from 1447 and more recent planting, whilst the winery has seen significant investment and boasts state of the art facilities where innovation thrives. Recas are in every way a modern, dynamic winery, whose open minded approach and quality sets them apart … a winery you really can’t ignore.

Specifications

Dominio de Punctum Pomelado Orange is a fantastic example of natural wine, providing an exciting and unique wine experience.

Tasting Notes

On the nose, it offers a bouquet of citrus fruits, floral notes, and a hint of herbaceous freshness. The wine’s skin contact fermentation gives it a beautiful amber hue and adds complexity to its flavor profile. On the palate, Pomelado Orange is vibrant and well-structured, with flavors of ripe orange peel, tropical fruits, and subtle spice notes. The wine’s slight tannins and natural acidity provide balance, leading to a crisp and refreshing finish.

Producer

Dominio de Punctum Pomelado Orange is a lively and aromatic orange wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Produced by the family-owned Dominio de Punctum winery in Spain, this wine is a prime example of the emerging trend of natural winemaking, offering a fresh and expressive take on the orange wine style.

Specifications

A richly flavoured yet very proper Sauvignon Blanc from a single Domaine in the south of France.

Tasting Notes

A wonderfully sunny style of Sauvignon Blanc, broad and quite tropical with delicate smokey notes, ripe citrus acidity and a richly-textured finish

Production

Domaine de Vedilhan (pronounced 'Domaine de Ved-ee-ohn') is the estate of the Fayet family based in the village of Moussan, close to Narbonne. Uniquely, a brook runs around the estate which provides much needed water in this very hot climate, giving the wines their freshness and appeal. Vines are managed using the 'lutte raisonnée' method and terroir is a combination of limestone, sand and sea shale, meaning the vines dig deep for their nutrients and thus produce excellent quality grapes. 50% of the production from this Domaine is used for Boutinot wines. Since 1999, our winemakers have been working closely with the Fayets on all aspects of the production, from when to harvest to the exact blend or style of wines.

Producer

Like all good stories, that of Boutinot France is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. Paul Boutinot himself began by personally selecting the wines from France, back in the UK he would unload the trailer by hand. And deliver the crates of wines to customers himself. But good things grow and by the end of the decade we had become a bigger and better company. A company that not only sought out great wines but made them too. After 10 years later, Boutinot France started in January 1990. The first office was in the middle of the vines in Julienas; perfectly located to navigate the Beaujolais and Macon regions on the quest to make beautiful wines.

Samantha Bailey, who started as a wine enthusiast, was there at the beginning of this adventure. Since then, she has grown into our Master Blender and has key responsibilities: building long-standing relationships, tasting, understanding the terroir and appellations, and pushing the boundaries. She is at the heart of the whole process from blending to quality assessment, making sure there is always a Boutinot touch in every cuvée. We are proud to also count Guillaume Letang and Julien Dugas in our winemaking team. Guillaume oversees the South of France and Languedoc, whilst Julien looks after our property in Cairanne. Together they have the local knowledge to select and blend the very best wines from throughout. Eric Monnin oversees every aspect of production and makes sure everything our winemakers blend and source is top quality.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Single domaine Sauv Blanc from the South of France. More depth, complexity and texture than Bellefontaine - but with the same citric acidity and ripe fruit flavours. A good step up from Bellefontaine and bang on the money at under a tenner." Tasted June 2024

Specifications

A well-crafted and pure Sancerre. Expressive and enjoyable.

Tasting Notes

A ripe and generous style of Sancerre with a real depth of fruit; the crunchy, herbaceous aromatic notes often found in Sauvignon Blanc have been skilfully restrained, allowing fruity layers of green apples and lemons as well as a sweeter note of dried apple rings and a hint of peach to show through.

Method of Production

Terroir plays such an important role at this estate. The Girards are fortunate enough to be able to blend grapes from each of Sancerre's three key soil types, Terres Blanches (limestone), Caillottes (chalky limestone) and Silex (flint). The grapes are hand-picked and gently pressed, fermented at 18°C by indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats - all to preserve natural aromas, elegance and complexity. The final blend brings together the different elements of the three terroirs to create a balanced, complete wine.

Producer

Domaine Michel Girard comprises of 12 hectares of vineyards, made up of 30 parcels of vines with an average age of 15 years. Terroir plays an important role at this estate. Michel, Philippe and Benoît Girard's vines are planted on each of Sancerre's three different soil types: Terres Blanches (clay and limestone), Caillottes (chalky limestone) and Silex (flint). The brothers favour judicious blending of the separately-vinified cuvées to create wines with real complexity and balance.

Specifications

No Tricks, Just Wine

Buddy Talk White is a wine for every occasion. Unobtrusive, adaptable and flattering. Organic.

Tasting Notes

The quintessence of the Seewinkel region. Combines the typical white grape varieties of the region in one harmonious, fruity, charming cuvée. A companion for hot summer days, which also gives pleasure in the winter. Simply casual.

Buddy Talk is made from a unique combination of Muskat Ottonel, Muskateller and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It is made with minimal intervention and is the quintessence of the Seewinkel region, combining the typical white grape varieties of the region in one harmonious, fruity, charming cuvée. Tart, crisp and nice citrus and tropical fruit.

Producer

Modest Michael Opitz feels passionately about sustainability and quality and so decided to take the small family winery into being organic and as natural as possible on every level. All the wines are defined by their environment. The Neusiedlersee or Seewinkel is a saltwater lake that, in this flat, warm part of Austria, brings tempering breezes, freshness and protection from disease. The wines as a result are tremendously pure, fresh, fragrant and yet salty.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

Specifications