Complex and full-flavoured expression of Chablis from vines averaging over 50 years of age.

Tasting Notes

More full-bodied, complex, and intense than the regular Chablis from Domaine de la Motte. The nose is very much Chablis with an earthy, chalky element. The palate is rounder, however, with ripe fruit and herbs - the small amount of oak influence in this cuvée gives the wine a rounded aspect with old vines bringing depth and complexity.

Production Method

Low-yielding vines grow on north-facing kimmeridgian and chalky clay soils surrounding the village of Beine. From here Adrien selects parcels from vines approaching a minimum age of 50 years for his Chablis Vieilles Vignes. Harvesting is both by hand and machine 50/50. After a short cold maceration and gentle pneumatic pressing, the wine is racked and fermented in stainless steel for 15 days at 21ºC. Around 10% is fermented in large (600l) oak barrels for 15 days and remains in oak for 8-12 months - the rest in stainless steel. Malo follows the alcoholic fermentation in early January.

Producer

Domaine de la Motte is a 25 hectare, family-run winery handed down from father to son since 1950. Now under the stewardship of Bernard Michaut, an ex-chef, who works with his son Adrien. Their winemaking is meticulous and the wines are benchmarks for the region. They are fastidious about producing concentrated, mineral and very precise wines that reflect the particular terroirs of Chablis, with vines on both Portlandian and Kimmeridgian soils. Motte's wines are regularly chosen for the Tastevinage label, a rigorous selection by the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin of wines they regard as offering the best of the region in terms of quality and style.

Awards

• 2022 IWSC Silver Medal (2020 Vintage)

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are blended to create this complex and balanced wine of a deep violet color. In the nose, it has floral aromas – such as violet and rosehip – typical of the Malbec variety.  The Syrah contributes spicy notes, good volume in the mouth and silky tannins, whereas the Cabernet Sauvignon complements the blend with a great structure.

Vineyards

Doña Paula 1100 comes from 3 blocks in our Los Indios Vineyard, which is located in El Cepillo, San Carlos, Uco Valley, at 1,100 meters (3,610 feet) above sea level. The sandy loam soil here has great drainage; in some sectors, there are gravel and stone deposits of colluvial origin, always bound by a thick, 70 cm (27.5 in) deep layer of black caliche. Days are warm and nights cold; the average temperature variation is 16 °C (60.8°F), and the average annual rainfall reaches 300 mm (11.8 in).      The vines yield 7 to 9 tons per hectare. At Doña Paula, our vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices.

Vinification

The harvest starts with Syrah in the first week of April, it continues with Malbec by mid-April, and it finishes with Cabernet Sauvignon at the end of the same month. The grapes are hand-picked and then they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Each variety undergoes cold maceration separately, in stainless steel tanks, to extract the primary aromas. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the blend is made, and the aging process is carried out in 20% new French oak barrels, for 16 months.

Awards

• 92 points in the Tim Atkin Argentina Report
• 92 points James Suckling

Specifications

Its name derives from the average height of the selected parcels for this Blend.

Tasting Notes

Cabernet Franc 50%, Malbec 45%, Casavecchia 5%. Three are the varieties that compose this complex and balanced wine of intense purple colour. Cabernet Franc provides spicy and floral notes, while Malbec provides berries notes. It presents a good length and it is very persistent due to its tannins. It is an elegant blend with a great structure.

Vineyards

Doña Paula 1350 comes from 2 quarters (N° 10 and N° 7) from Finca Alluvia, Gualtallary, located at 1350 meters above sea level. The ground is sandy, with alluvial and calcareous stones. The weather of Valle de Uco represents mild days and cold nights, with a thermal amplitude of 12,5°C, and an annual rain average of 280 mm. The vines are planted in ESPALDERO, and they are watered by drip feed. The performance per hectare is of 10 tons. In Doña Paula, we have always been practicing sustainable agriculture methods

Vinification

The harvest starts with Malbec and Casavecchia by mid-April, and it finishes with Cabernet Franc at the end of the same month. The grapes are hand-picked and then they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Each variety undergoes cold maceration separately, in stainless steel tanks, to extract the primary aromas. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the blend is made, and the aging process is carried out in 20% new French oak barrels, for 16 months.

Awards

• 93 points Tim Atkins MW Argentina Report
• 93 points James Suckling

Specifications

Its name derives from the average height of the selected parcels for this Blend.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Petit Verdot, Bonarda and Malbec compose this wine that has an intense violet color with black tint.

Nose

In the nose, Petit Verdot brings aromas of blueberries and jasmine while Bonarda adds intense aromas of blackberries and raspberries.

Palate

It stands out for its firm tannins and good volume in the mouth, Malbec offers an attractive structure and a long finish. 

Vineyards

In our Finca El Alto in Ugarteche, Luján de Cuyo, we chose the stoniest plots that have the presence of Calcium carbonate, to plant the Petit Verdot at 1030 meters above sea level. In the lowest part of the same vineyard, at about 908 meters of height we have Bonarda, it has the most clay dominate soil with gravel and pebbles. The yield per hectare is 7 to 10 tons, and the irrigation is by drip. The climate of this is farm characterized by its warm days and cool nights, with a thermal amplitude of 14 ° C and an average annual rainfall of 250 mm. The training system used is double cordon. At Doña Paula we have always managed our vineyards with sustainable farming practices.

Vinification

The harvest begins with Malbec at the end of March, then the Petit Verdot in the first week of April and Bonarda in the middle of the same month. A manual harvest and a destemming without breaking grains is carried out. Traditional elaboration of each variety is carried out separately we call it of minimal intervention in cement eggs. After the alcoholic fermentation, the blend is made to begin the short aging in the same cement egg and immediately after malolactic fermentation has finished, the wine is bottled to keep the fruity and floral aromas in their freshest possible state.

Awards

• 91 points - Robert Parker
• 92 points - Tim Atkins Argentia Report

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

De Bortoli has an extensive collection of aged wine stocks maturing in barrel. Old Boys has been selected from the finest barrels of this aged Tawny and blended to an average age of 21 Years. This Tawny is a luscious wine with complex nut and wood aged flavours making it the perfect accompaniment for fine coffee, rich cheeses or dark chocolate.

HIghly awarded and certified 21 years old.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Classic tawny colour with streaks of amber.

Nose

An array of aromas are on display with dark raisined fruits, mocha, hints of vanillin oak and nutty aged barrel characters.

Palate

Initially luscious, nuances of mocha and coffee have integrated over time, barrel-aged flavours in harmony resulting in a smooth, lingering drying finish.

Winemaking

Producer

The De Bortoli family story is one of determination and triumph that started 90 years ago in war-torn Europe and is now told, generations later, across Australia.

Their heritage encompasses the universal story of immigrants making good in an adopted land, the rise and rise of the Australian wine industry and the tale of a hardworking and innovative family who considers good wine, good food and good friends to be among the true pleasures in life.

Reviews

"Fine aromas brimming with the aged complexity of a mediaeval souk: mahogany, date, walnut, cedar, tamarind, sandalwood and bitter orange. A volatile rancio riff services lift and freshness. This is a compelling wine on many levels. I wish the acidity was not so shrill, but there is plenty of nourishing warmth to placate it." 94 points. Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion 2023, Aug 2022

"Full rancio bouquet with aged, honeyed nuances. Ageing brandy complexity to the dry palate showing nice sweetness and soft spiciness." 97 Points. Winestate Magazine, Aug 2021

"Gold and brown tawny. Dense, rich and complex. The concentration and luscious texture from age evident in the liquored fruit, flavours, dried fig and nutty rancio oak characters. More physical than finessed in style." 95 Points. David Bicknell, Halliday Wine Companion 2020, Aug 2019

"A complex, nicely ageing, drier style with an elegance of lingering dried fruit characters and nutty rancio layered with chocolate/coffee-like elements and finishing quite dry." 5 Stars. Winestate Magazine, Aug 2019

"A very rich and luscious release: toffee, coffee grounds, chocolate, Christmas cake, spirit no issue. The extra age has brought an element of finesse with it." Rating: 95 James Halliday, Wine Companion 2019, Aug 2018

"Tawny or tawny port as it used to be called, is Australia's most popular fortified wine style, and De Bortoli's Old Boys Tawny is a classic. It has an average age of 21 years, which is achieved by drawing on the family's extensive collection of old wines. It is matured in oak casks, deriving vanillin oak and nutty aged barrel characters on the nose and palate." Hannah Sparks and Nick Blair, Drinks Trade, Aug 2017

"Deep, reddish tawny. Nutty, caramelised figs and raisins. Terrific piercing intensity and freshness and an intensely sweet wine. Much more grapey than a port but equal in complexity. Bitter toffee aftertaste and amazing length." Julia Harding MW, Dec 2016

"Utterly superb and moreish port-a-like from Australia" Jonathan Ray, The Field (UK), Jan 2016

Specifications

Specifications

 It's a delightful journey to discover wines that stand out, providing a taste experience that's as rare as it is enchanting. 

Tasting Notes

Gold in colour with an intense perfume of apricot, violets and almond. A well rounded and complex palate, full of stone fruits such as apricot giving this wine an ample mouthfeel.

Production

Planted on calcium rich soils in small south facing plots in Chignin, Francin and Montmélian, the grapes are manually harvested.  Vinified at 20 °C over a period of three weeks with native yeasts. When alcoholic fermentation ends, malolactic fermentation begins, creating a round wine and long finish on the palate and decent ageing potential.

Producer

Tradition is hardly sufficient a word to sum up the Perrier family who have lived and worked in the Alps for more than seven generations. They seem to be hewn from the very rock that surrounds them.

The wine style and dedication to local varieties such as Jacquère has not wavered and like their mountains, they remain resolute. And all the better for it. These are wines are stunning, different and enthralling creating flavour and palates that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Embodying their landscape and being resistant to change has made these wines special, delightful and truly regional.

Specifications

Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value! Freshness and Harmony are two words that can sum up this wine.

Tasting Notes 

Sabuci is the name of the contrada or hamlet where Cortese has been situated since 1930. It is an historical area, perfectly suited to the production of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, which is the reason why we have given the name “Sabuci” to this wine.

Sabuci has a very limited production of about 7.000 bottles per year.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Palate

The palate is elegant and complex. Hugely concentrated, the tannins are at the same time firm and persistent.

Vineyards& Vinification

The area around Cortese, in the region of Vittoria, was strongly influenced by Greek culture and the very important ancient Greek site of Kamarina is located nearby.

We have been inspired by ancient Greek culture in the way we have chosen to make our Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico.

Sabuci is made with the best selection of grapes – Nero d’Avola (60%) and Frappato (40%). The grapes carefully hand-harvested at the end of September and beginning of October. The grapes are put into small containers and we lower the temperature to around 10°C.

The two grape varieties are vinified separately, in different ways: the Nero d’Avola is fermented in open top barriques, enabling us to follow a really scrupulous process. We carry out “follatura” (immersion of the skins) by hand and extremely delicately. The Frappato, on the other hand, is fermented in 7hl terracotta amphorae. The natural porosity of terracotta allows the ideal oxygen exchange during the fermentation process. At the same time it also allows the wine to remain in contact with the skins for an extended period of up to 12 months. The wines are blended together and are aged for six months in barriques and botti of various sizes. The wine remains in bottle for at least 3 months before being introduced to the market

Awards

• 17/20 points - Jancis Robinson

Specifications

The Drinks Business Gold Medal Winner

'Aged on the lees for 3-to-5 years in cellars dug out of ancient Gallo-Roman chalk pits, this rosé Champagne is serious, and seriously delicious. Displaying a medium ‘vieux rose’ hue and narrow cordon, the wine exudes summer pudding fruits and fresh bread notes. On the palate, the wine shows finesse in its light body, zippy acidity and ‘crackling’ mousse texture. Nicely balanced with good length. Quite vinous, this wine is a lovely aperitif but will also work well with wild salmon or even light desserts.' Patricia Stefanowicz MW

Tasting Notes

This champagne has a special place in the history of the House. It is from a family plot of Pinot Noir in Cumières that this precious red wine comes, giving our blend a unique personality.

Colour

An elegant light pink colour with shards of gold. Extremely delicate, lively and regular bubbles.

Nose

The first aroma reveals gourmet aromas of cherries and red currents, followed by notes of blood orange after aeration.

Palate

Delicately straightforward in the mouth. Flavours of wild strawberries enhanced by notes of mint produce a freshness combined with a very pleasant sweetness.

History

Founded in 1825, Joseph Perrier has been owned and run by the same family since 1888. Current director Benjamin Fourmon represents the 6th generation. Champagne Joseph Perrier owns 21 hectares of vineyards, situated in the heart of the region on the right bank of the River Marne, around Hautvillers and Cumières – two villages classed 93% in the ‘échelle des crus’.

They are mostly planted with Pinot Noir but include 2 hectares of Chardonnay. The cellars stretch over three kilometers and date back to the Gallo-Roman period. The chosen name for these cuvées is no accident, nor any false claim to grandeur - ‘Cuvée Royale’ alludes to the historic relationship between Joseph Perrier and Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, as the royals’ Champagne of choice - probably the highest honour any Champagne House can hope to earn.

All the wines are made with a keen focus on freshness and purity, a theme which runs right through the range and really shows its worth in the vintage cuvées which show impressive energy and poise and remarkable ageing potential. Aside from the royal connection, Joseph Perrier has been associated with some pivotal events, which represent great human achievements, from the celebrations around Concorde’s inauguration in 1976 to, more recently, the Noble Prize in Medicine.

Aged for 3 years, the Cuvée Royale Brut of Maison Joseph Perrier brings together more than 20 different vintages with great terroirs such as Cumières, Damery, Hautvillers and Verneuil.

 Accolades

• Gold Medal - The Drinks Business
• Vinum: 17/20
• The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Silver

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

A bright, brambly, seductive cherry red hue with aromas of wild berries, cherries, raspberry, sous bois and a hint of green spice.

The flow through to the palate is sublime with a continuation of these precise red fruits with some green olive notes, wound up with a sinewy tautness. This provides a chewy supple elegant warmth to the palate with an elegant deportment providing a long and intelligent finish.

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 blocks from the family’s vines and exceptional fruit selection. Not to mention the skill of one of the region’s most well-regarded winemakers.

 Specifications

The second Vielles Vignes project from enigmatic winemaker Faouzi Issa.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose has an exotic mix of ripe fig, bright cranberry and rasberry fruit with notes of liquorice , it’s lifted and pronounced.

Palate

The palate had more beautifully ripe red fruit characters, along side lively fig and date notes, the acidity perfectly balances the generous flavours and leaves a pure, clean finish.

Production

Domaine des Tourelles have a 50 year old block of Carignan in their Amik vineyard in the Bekka Valley. The fruit from here provides an excellent component for the acclaimed Domaine des Tourelles Red, but winemaker Faouzi believed it could produce great wine in it’s own right. This first vintage highlights his belief in the project. The wine only sees concrete during production, being both fermented and aged for 24 months in his old but perfectly formed tanks.

Producer

Domaine des Tourelles was founded in 1868 by French adventurer François-Eugène Brun and is one of the most highly acclaimed and oldest wineries still operating in Lebanon. It was also the first commercial cellar in 'modern' Lebanon to produce wines, arak and other spirits. This place has history! The Brun family owned and ran the winery up until the last descendant died in 2003 but luckily two local families - the Issa and Issa el-Khoury families - joined forces to buy the property and continue the fine tradition of winemaking.

Today, this Bekaa Valley estate is run by the three Issa children - twins Faouzi and Johanne and their sister Christiane, alongside Emile Issa-el Khoury, son of one of the co-owners. This young and dynamic combination have introduced a handful of practices in the vineyards and cellar including the use of indigenous natural yeasts, no fining or filtering, and only very small amounts of sulphur. These techniques along with fruit from 40 hectares of ancient, organically cultivated and dry-farmed vineyards (among the oldest in the valley) and a winery perfect for hands-off winemaking, make Domaine des Tourelles one of the finest boutique wineries in the Middle East.

Specifications

An impressive take on an orange wine from one of Lebanon's oldest wineries. The average age of the vines are 150 years old! Produced from Merweh, an indigenous Lebanese grape variety, given a dose of skin contact followed by maturation in qvevri, this is something different and with real character.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Light amber in colour

Nose

The nose rises up out to the glass to greet, with waves of spice, sweet clementine-infused fruit, and what can only be described as a sense of warmth. 

Palate

The palate opens up fresh and breezy, with the ripe apple and orange fruit coming through to fill up the mid-palate.  While nothing like as grippy as some orange wine there's also a pleasing hit of tannins, helping give the wine real structure and definition.

Production

The grapes were harvested in October. 100% manually with intensive selection in 20kg boxes. Several rounds are needed to obtain perfect ripeness. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in 19th-century made Amphoras for 7 days on skin contact, then followed by malolactic fermentation

Producer

Domaine des Tourelles was founded in 1868 by French adventurer François-Eugène Brun and is one of the most highly acclaimed and oldest wineries still operating in Lebanon. It was also the first commercial cellar in 'modern' Lebanon to produce wines, arak and other spirits. This place has history! The Brun family owned and ran the winery up until the last descendant died in 2003 but luckily two local families - the Issa and Issa el-Khoury families - joined forces to buy the property and continue the fine tradition of winemaking.

Today, this Bekaa Valley estate is run by the three Issa children - twins Faouzi and Johanne and their sister Christiane, alongside Emile Issa-el Khoury, son of one of the co-owners. This young and dynamic combination have introduced a handful of practices in the vineyards and cellar including the use of indigenous natural yeasts, no fining or filtering, and only very small amounts of sulphur. These techniques along with fruit from 40 hectares of ancient, organically cultivated and dry-farmed vineyards (among the oldest in the valley) and a winery perfect for hands-off winemaking, make Domaine des Tourelles one of the finest boutique wineries in the Middle East.

Specifications

East India Solera is a sweetened Oloroso. The name refers to the East India Company, a British trading company that transported cotton, silk, spices, tea, saltpetre and other commodities from the East Indies. As a fortified wine (which lasted longer), sherry was taken along as ballast and to serve the ship’s crew on its transatlantic journey.

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Dark mahogany in colour with green-amber edge.

Nose

It offers vibrant notes of maple syrup, brown sugar, shoe polish, raisin and chocolate beer nuts, all very well integrated. 

Palate

On the palate, it is smooth and rich at the beginning, full of prune and burned oranges peel flavours. Provocative spicy notes appear just before the nuttiness and terrific acidity cuts through the sweetness. With a truly unforgettable finish.

Production

Each wine (Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez) is matured, separately in its own solera for 12 years. Once blended together, the resulting sherry is returned to a 45-cask solera for a further 3 years ageing. In centuries gone by, casks with sherry were lashed to ships sailing for the Indies and were found to develop an extraordinary smoothness and complexity. Lustau has revived this style of sherry in the East India wine.

Producers

Taking on other Cinsault's throughout the world! This extraordinary old vine wine comes from 50-year-old vines in the Bekaa valley and is wonderfully unique.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose has an exotic mix of ripe fig, bright red cherry and plum fruit with star anise spice, it’s lifted and pronounced.

Palate

The palate has beautifully ripe red fruit characters alongside fig and spice notes. The acidity and tannin perfectly balances the generous flavours and leaves a pure, clean finish.

Production

Cinsault has been farmed in the Bekaa Valley since the mid-19th century before ceding the way to new imported varieties. In 2014, Domaine des Tourelles decided to revive this grape by searching out very old Cinsault vines, over 50 years of age and located in Western Bekaa. The grapes are handpicked and fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats for ten days. Malolactic fermentation begins spontaneously. The wine is then aged for 1 year in concrete and then spends a further 6 months in used French oak barrels to round out the tannins. The result is a supple wine that beautifully reflects the terroir of the Bekaa Valley, with an ageing potential of several years.

Producer

Domaine des Tourelles was founded in 1868 by French adventurer François-Eugène Brun and is one of the most highly acclaimed and oldest wineries still operating in Lebanon. It was also the first commercial cellar in 'modern' Lebanon to produce wines, arak and other spirits. This place has history! The Brun family owned and ran the winery up until the last descendant died in 2003 but luckily two local families - the Issa and Issa el-Khoury families - joined forces to buy the property and continue the fine tradition of winemaking.

Today, this Bekaa Valley estate is run by the three Issa children - twins Faouzi and Johanne and their sister Christiane, alongside Emile Issa-el Khoury, son of one of the co-owners. This young and dynamic combination have introduced a handful of practices in the vineyards and cellar including the use of indigenous natural yeasts, no fining or filtering, and only very small amounts of sulphur. These techniques along with fruit from 40 hectares of ancient, organically cultivated and dry-farmed vineyards (among the oldest in the valley) and a winery perfect for hands-off winemaking, make Domaine des Tourelles one of the finest boutique wineries in the Middle East.

Awards

• Top 100 2019 The Wine Merchant (2017 Vintage)
• Silver - Sommelier Wine Awards 2018 (2015 Vintage)

Specifications

Villa La Pagliaia is the sister estate of neighbouring San Felice. It produces a similarly full-flavoured and spicy style of Chianti Classico Riserva but in a slightly more traditional style - and offers exceptional value.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Archetypal Chianti with bramble fruit notes as well as cedar and spice aromas.

Palate

The palate is richly-flavoured and complex with black cherry, plum and dried fruit characters, along with notes of spice, leather, pepper and liquorice. Supple tannins and bright acidity lead to a rich, savoury and satisfying finish.

Production

The grapes come from Villa la Pagliaia's 350-400m altitude vineyards around Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the south of the Chianti Classico zone, and are hand-picked. The vines are on average 25 years old - yielding about 1.5kg of fruit per vine - 'guyot' trained and planted in pliocene soil with 25% rocky clay. Fermentation and maceration on the skins is carried out at a controlled temperature of 28 to 30 degrees Centigrade and lasts for 18 to 20 days. This helps to extract the required amount of fruit, colour and tannins. This is followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is matured for 24 months in Slavonian oak barrels.

Producer

The Villa La Pagliaia property in Castelnuovo Berardenga, around 15km from Siena, has a long and aristocratic history. The elegant 18th Century villa is amidst a striking landscape of vines, olive groves and cypress trees. Their vineyards, here in the south of the Chianti Classico region, are at 300-450m altitude, with clay and limestone soils.

Fruit from these, predominantly Sangiovese, low-yielding mature vines (over 25 years old) - combined with traditional vinification methods overseen by neighbouring property (and sister estate) San Felice - ensures consistent production of very classic and quietly impressive wines.

Specifications

"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

A classic Chablis from vines grown on the famous Kimmeridgian clay, and from the2013 IWSC French Wine Producer of the Year.

Tasting Notes

From a warmer vintage, this shows riper yet still mineral fruit with added depth from a small (around 10%) addition of oak-aged wine into the blend. This is very typical of the Motte style and gives richness and balance to the wine. A deliciously precise expression of classic chalky Chablis terroir.

Production Method

Grapes are machine harvested to preserve the freshness and purity of flavour. Pneumatic pressing immediately after harvest is then followed by a gravity settling period of 24 hours in stainless steel vats. Fermentation takes place in thermo-regulating stainless steel tanks for approximately 15 days at 21 degrees Celcius. The wine then undergoes malolactic fermentation in stainless for approximately 5 weeks at 20 degrees. Following this, the wine is racked between December to January, and it is fined between February and March. Cold stabilization at -3 degrees for 5 days before filtration and finally bottling.

Producer

Domaine de la Motte is a 25-hectare, family-run winery handed down from father to son since 1950. Now under the stewardship of Bernard Michaut, an ex-chef, who works with his son Adrien. Their winemaking is meticulous and the wines are benchmarks for the region. They are fastidious about producing concentrated, mineral and very precise wines that reflect the particular terroirs of Chablis, with vines on both Portlandian and Kimmeridgian soils. Motte's wines are regularly chosen for the Tastevinage label, a rigorous selection by the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin of wines they regard as offering the best of the region in terms of quality and style.

Specifications

Specifications

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Tasting Notes 

Colour

The wine has an attractive pale straw colour. 

Nose

The nose leads with appealing citrus notes, which unfold onto the palate with a rich, creamy mouthfeel.

Palate

The broad spectrum of citrus, underlying minerality and gentle wooding have contributed to the complexity of this Chenin Blanc and culminate in a long lingering finish.

Background

The Uncensored Version – a project of heart, and a collaboration between brothers, Mark and Bobby Wallace.

Vinification

Wild ferment and barrel aged for 10 months in 2nd , 3rd & 4th fill barriques. The wine underwent partial Malolactic fermentation in barrel. No added enzymes, yeast and fining agents were used in the making of this wine.

Accolades

• 92pts | Tim Atkin

Bobby Wallace, son of Elgin producer Paul, is an exciting new face on the South Africa wine scene. This cool climate Chenin Blanc – one of the few produced in the region – is flinty, fresh and almost Pouilly-Fumé like. Aniseed, nettle and wet stone notes are complemented by underlying grip and some leesy weight. 2023-26 | Tim Atkin 2022 SA Report

Specifications

Winery

The grapes all originate for the Elgin region, a high-lying basin surrounded by mountain ranges. Naturally the Malbec hails from Paul and Nicky’s farm, Wallovale Vineyards, whilst the other three grape varieties were bought in from Elgin grape producers with whom Paul has a direct involvement. A Cabernet Franc vineyard has been planted on Paul and Nicky’s farm but the first commercial harvest is only expected in 2020.

Each parcel of grapes was harvested at its own optimum ripeness and vinified separately at Eikendal Winery, Somerset West. Each wine was inoculated with Zymalore Xpure, a yeast recommended for wines with high aromatic purity, enhanced expression of black fruit notes and a great smoothness of mouthfeel. Post fermentation the wine was left for 14 days on the skins. Thereafter each wine was transferred to barrel where they completed Malolactic fermentation. The wines spent a minimum of 24 months in 225 lit French oak barriques prior to blending. The wine received a light filtration before bottling on 8th July 2021.

Specifications

Château Ka is the only winery in Lebanon to produce wine entirely from its own vineyards. Akram creates both rich, concentrated reds and beautifully fresh, fruity and crisp whites that rank among the finest in the country.

Tasting Notes

This unusual blend of grape varieties creates this exceptionally satisfying wine. Floral and citrusy with great depth of character.

Production

The vineyard is located at 1000m above sea level at the Eastern end of the Bekaa valley. There is very little annual rainfall so drip irrigation is used as necessary. The vineyard was planted in 2006/2010 with all harvesting done by hand in the cool of the morning into 20KG boxes.  Upon reception grapes are destemmed and crushed, then pressed in a pneumatic press. Fermentation is carried out at 18 degrees. The wine is then stored on lees in stainless steel vats. Filtered and bottled.

Producer

Behind Château Ka is an extraordinary story of determination and resolve.

Akram Kassatly built his winery in the Bekaa Valley in 1973, but shortly after the first wines were made, Lebanon was engulfed by war. The winery was subsequently forced to close and Akram turned his attention to other businesses, but in 2005 he resolved to try again. Today, Château Ka is the only winery in Lebanon to produce wine entirely from its own vineyards. Akram creates both rich, concentrated reds and beautifully fresh, fruity and crisp whites that rank among the finest in the country.

Specifications

This Cuvee, named after Francoise, honors the strong character of the family's sixth-generation daughter. It celebrates her role in guarding her heritage and shaping their future.

Tasting Notes

Producer

For over five centuries, Maison Antech has tamed the magical terroir of Limoux to make fine sparkling wines.

The secret of their character lies in the combination of Limoux's three terroirs, which form the backbone of the cuvées: freshness from the Pyrenees, vinousness from the ocean, and roundness from the Mediterranean. From these terroirs, Mauzac and other grapes are cultivated, each bringing their own complexity and purity to the wines. This Cuvee, named after Francoise, daughter of the family and a member of the sixth generation celebrates her strong character and the part she plays in guarding her heritage and shaping their future.

Production

Antech produce high-quality, authentic sparkling wines under the sustainability philosophy of Terra Vitis since 2013. Adopting the most sympathetic approach to viticulture, they also work to recover any waste, reduce energy consumption and work with like-minded sustainable suppliers across all aspects of production.  Exclusively hand-harvested grapes are immediately pressed and the finest juice is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. After blending and second fermentation, the wine is stored sur lattes for 18 months to develop additional complexity and character.

Specifications

This Cuvee, named after Francoise, honors the strong character of the family's sixth-generation daughter. It celebrates her role in guarding her heritage and shaping their future.

Tasting Notes

Producer

For over five centuries, Maison Antech has tamed the magical terroir of Limoux to make fine sparkling wines.

The secret of their character lies in the combination of Limoux's three terroirs, which form the backbone of the cuvées: freshness from the Pyrenees, vinousness from the ocean, and roundness from the Mediterranean. From these terroirs, Mauzac and other grapes are cultivated, each bringing their own complexity and purity to the wines. This Cuvee, named after Francoise, daughter of the family and a member of the sixth generation celebrates her strong character and the part she plays in guarding her heritage and shaping their future.

Production

Grapes are handpicked and go directly into the press. The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats. The various parcels are then blended and the wine goes into bottle for secondary fermentation, where it ages on the lees for at least 30 months. Finally, a dosage is added using reserve wine to balance the wine.

Awards

Specifications

Specifications

Fernando de Castilla have added another vermouth to their portfolio - made from Palomino and Moscatel grapes and produced in Jerez.

Tasting Notes 

The nose has pronounced moscatel grape and spice aromas. Semi-sweet and persistent on the palate, with characteristic wormwood notes alongside clove and thyme.

Production

Specifications

A fantastic Jerez vermouth made from old Pedro Ximenez and oloroso sherry combined with 27 botanicals. Vermut has been brought back to life!

Tasting Notes 

Marvellously mahogany in colour with rich aromas of dried fruit, nuts and herbal notes. Full-flavoured, silky and sweet with a characteristic, refreshing, yet bitter bite from the wormwood.

Production

Specifications

Crisp, aromatic and organically alive — Zephyr Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting Notes 

Bright, tangy and bursting with Marlborough freshness. Aromas of green apple, nettle, lemongrass and a touch of juniper lead into a medium‑bodied palate with sharp, lively acidity. A flinty, mineral edge adds tension and drive, finishing clean and refreshing. 

Producer

Established in 1985, the Glover Family Vineyards have inspired the family’s 
passion for wine. This family-owned Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 
expresses the ethereal, aromatic, and structural flair of the Dillons Point 
Sub-Region in Marlborough, New Zealand.  
10 years after launching the wine brand Zephyr, Ben and his wife Susie have 
transitioned 17Ha of the family vineyard to organic farming practices.  By carrying the bio-bro certified organic logo - we are continuing Zephyr’s journey to express the true flavours of our family farm, while having an emphasis on wine growing through soil health, biodiversity, regenerative farming, and ultimately mindful consumption. 

Production

Crafted from organically farmed vineyards in Marlborough’s Dillon’s Point, where cool coastal breezes and long sunshine hours shape intensely aromatic fruit. The grapes are harvested in the cool of night to preserve freshness, then gently pressed to protect purity and aromatics. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel using selected yeasts to enhance vibrancy, with a small portion matured on fine lees to add texture and subtle complexity. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc that balances bright, zesty fruit with a clean, mineral‑driven profile.

 Specifications

A fine, distinctive blend of 90% Syrah with 10% Cabernet Franc, each from a single vineyard parcel in the Franschhoek valley. A natural approach to winemaking gives a fresh, expressive style with attractively wild berry fruit characters.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Warm and spicy on the nose, aromas of fresh crushed raspberries and black cherry mingle with black pepper, allspice and woodsmoke. 

Palate

The palate has breadth and natural juiciness combining fresh cranberry and red berry fruit with spicy, peppercorn flavours. Best served at cool room temperature.

Production

Wildeberg is our small farm in Franschhoek. Only 10ha can be planted to vines, the rest is wild. The fruit for the Wildeberg wines comes from the Franschhoek Valley only, hand-harvested, naturally-fermented and gently matured in our mountain barrel hall on the farm. A blend of roughly 90% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Franc, both parcels of fruit were hand-harvested then allowed to macerate carbonically without press. These wild ferments were left to themselves with just one daily manual punchdown followed by 12 months ageing in 600 ltr French oak barrels.

Producer

The Earth’s mantle thrusts up above the gentle town of Franschhoek, a wild slice of untamed mountain on which sits a farm named Wildeberg. An established wine region for some 350 years, sensible generations never thought to plant a vine here until a happy band of idealists recently craned their necks up at this hillside and, dizzy with hope, decided to give it a go. Franschhoek is on the very edge of the south-eastern corner of the Cape’s venerable Coastal Region, indeed Wildeberg’s property border runs over the top of the mountain where the Coastal Region gives way to the baboon-strewn road to Grabouw and the wider Western Cape.

The Wildeberg wines express the most captivating Franschhoek Valley fruit. In our Wildeberg Terroirs bottlings we look beyond our home to a clutch of exceptional sites of other origin.

A mountain rich in metaphor with the visual heft to flatter any wine, releases of Wildeberg and Terroirs express our continued purpose – exceptional wines of place, however humble the origin. If the abiding memory of our wines remains a textural sense of place then we are portraying the Cape as hoped.

Sustainability

Wildeberg is a 144ha wine farm set against the backdrop of the dramatic Franschhoek mountains, on the very edge of viticultural possibilities. To farm here you have to be in tune with nature, respecting the earth and the elements, creating wines which truly express the terroir with minimal intervention.

This special area is home to 4 endangered Fynbos species, and a key mission of Wildeberg is to conserve this vegetation type as they are critical to the biodiversity of the Western Cape. This work entails clearing invasive alien trees which can overwhelm the Fynbos and contribute to the threat of forest fires. Fynbos covered mountains like those at Wildeberg are thought to be responsible for delivering one glass of water in five in South Africa, due to the plants allowing up to 80% of rainwater to run off into rivers and reservoirs rather than being absorbed into the soil.

Water is precious in South Africa, and waste water from the winery passes through a natural wetland with indigenous reeds and plants before being pumped into our irrigation dam. We then use this water to irrigate the vines.

All Wildeberg wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.

Wildeberg is also a proud member of the Cape’s Old Vine Project (OVP), which preserves blocks of vines which are 35 years and older. The project encourages producers to farm as close to nature as possible whilst raising awareness of the inherent potential of old vines to produce outstanding and expressive wines.

Specifications

A proper baby Chablis!

Tasting Notes

Aromatic fruit with the tiniest hint of sandalwood smoke on the nose. The palate has lovely weight with ripe, fleshy cooked lemons, a touch of stone fruit and a good mineral backbone. Far superior than the name "Petit" might suggest.

Production Method

Vineyards are in the Hautes Côtes, at the top of the slopes just above Domaine de la Motte's Chablis classified plots and so achieve good ripeness. The soil is Portlandian, which is less chalky than Kimmeridgian, and typically produces wines which are less mineral and more fruity, well suited to earlier drinking. Having said that, Motte’s wine has real finesse with good fruit character – very much their house style. Cool-fermented in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation is also in stainless steel and the wine is unoaked.

Producer

Domaine de la Motte is a 25 hectare, family-run winery handed down from father to son since 1950. Now under the stewardship of Bernard Michaut, an ex-chef, who works with his son Adrien. Their winemaking is meticulous and the wines are benchmarks for the region. They are fastidious about producing concentrated, mineral and very precise wines which reflect the particular terroirs of Chablis, with vines on both Portlandian and Kimmeridgian soils. Motte's wines are regularly chosen for the Tastevinage label, a rigorous selection by the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin of wines they regard as offering the best of the region in terms of quality and style.

Sustainability

Having been already committed to sustainable viticulture, Domaine de la Motte are HVE Level 3 certified. This underlines the quality of the work carried out by the teams to support the ripening grapes, whilst protecting the biodiversity of the vineyard.

Specifications

 Mr P, is a "Pinot for the people", showing all the characteristics of classic, high quality Pinot Noir at an affordable price.  Iona's Wine Making Philosophy - 'The Winemaker is the Custodian of the fruit'

Tasting Notes 

Elegant, fresh cherry and red berry nose with undergrowth melange. The palate is pure with lovely texture and sweet cherry fruit dominates with spicy undertones. The wine is fresh and intense with real vibrancy.

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

The Pinot grapes for this wine come from Langrug, one of Iona's small farms in the Elgin Valley, with a unique terroir. Here diverse soils, fanned by cooling ocean breezes ensure perfect conditions for slow ripening, allowing the grapes to develop their intense flavours, complexity and finesse. Grapes are hand harvested, de-stemmed and not crushed. 10% whole bunch fermented for complexity. The must is fermented in stainless steel tanks at 28’C with regular punch downs during fermentation. Once pressed off, the wine were racked to 2nd , 3rd and 4th fill French barrels; Matured for 11 months.

Accolades & Award

TIM ATKIN MW 2023 SOUTH AFRICA SPECIAL REPORT  [ 90/100 ]

"From Langrug farm in Elgin. Lively red fruit mingles with plum and savoury notes from pre- and post-ferment macerations. Older oak, 11 months, polishes sappy tannins. Respectable and dapper, already approachable with a few years in store.”
PLATTER’S WINE GUIDE  [4 stars – 87/100]

Specifications

For moments when good food and wine
are at the heart of a gathering.

Tasting Notes

Production

The grapes are hand-harvested and processed using a pneumatic press in whole bunches, followed by juice fractionation. The pure cuvée is then selected, and cold static sludge removal is carried out. Selected yeasts are used for alcoholic fermentation at low temperatures, with grape varieties fermented separately. The wine is grown on full lees until December, when the first racking is done without sulfites. Blend tasting takes place in December, and bottling occurs from January to June.

Producer

Over 150 years of History! Founded in 1859, this independent and family run Maison Louis de Grenelle has passed down its expertise through the generations. It continues the tradition of making sparkling wines in the depths of its cellars burrowed underneath Saumur in the heart of the Valley of Kings, the Val de Loire.

Specifications

Winery

The 2019 Paul Wallace Brave Heart Pinot Noir is our seventh vintage. The name is a tribute to William Wallace, a man of great principle and heart, who we would like to believe is one of our ancestors. It is also a play on the Pinot Noir cultivar’s nickname – the Heart Break grape. Fortunately, our 2019 Pinot Noir offering has once again captured our hearts and is anything but a disappointment. Production was very limited – only 10 barrels / 2400 liters of this vintage were vinified.

Pristine grapes (Clone PN115, Guyot pruned) selected from three different slopes on our farm Wallovale Vineyards, were vinified with much love and gentle attention at the Almenkerk Wine Estate. Whole berry fermented in open fermenters, basket pressed and taken to barrel where it completes malolactic fermentation. After 10 months on wood (20% new wood, 45% second fill, 35% third and fourth fill), the wine was prepared for bottling. Bottling date: 7th February 2020.

Accolade

• National Wine Challenge 2020 - Double Silver
• IWSC 2020 - Bronze Medal
• Michelangelo International Wine Awards – Bronze
• Platter Wine Guide 2021 – 4*

Specifications

Tasting Notes

The finest Tinta Barocca and Touriga Nacional is selected by the winemaker from specific low-yielding vineyards in order to craft an inky black wine, that is then barrel-matured for a decade or more.

All the fruit is hand-harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagars, barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for a minimum of 8 years, blended meticulously to craft the distinctive colour and flavour profile of a fine Boplaas Cape Tawny.

Producers

It would be impossible to think of South African ‘Port’-style wines and Brandies without Boplaas (‘top farm’ in Afrikaans) springing to mind. Boplaas, in far flung Calitzdorp, has been in the Nel family since 1880 so they have had many a year to perfect their craft. This is evidenced through frequently being awarded ‘Port’ of the year by both Tim Atkin and numerous Platter 5 star awards.

Boplaas ‘Port’ wines are crafted just like they are in the Douro Valley. Only Portuguese varietals are utilised, picked at full-ripeness and fermented in large open fermenters (known as lagares), intense manual pigeage, fortifying the wine at the correct time, using the finest grape spirit, and appropriate barrel ageing.

Accolades

• 93pts | Platter's 2023

Specifications