Considered the highest expression of biodynamic agriculture in Emiliana - its name comes from the Greek root meaning 'Earth'. Biodynamic agriculture considers the farm to be a living organism. This is a unique wine with great personality that faithfully expresses the characteristics and attributes of its terroir.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A complex but delightfully varied nose showing a mix of herbaceous, fruit and spice notes. Green pepper, eucalyptus and rosemary combine with juicy blackcurrant and ripe blackberry fruit.

Palate

The palate is bright and assured with great intensity of weight and flavour. Bold blackcurrant and blackberry fruits are plentiful along with pepper spice, vanilla and gentle clove notes. Dark chocolate character is also evident which adds to the complexity. The wine has serious structure with firm yet ripe tannins and a long more-ish finish with good acidity. Wondrous stuff from Emiliana’s biodynamic Los Robles paradise.

Production

This wine is made from a blend of 53% Syrah 36% Carmenère, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The season in Colchagua presented average maximum temperatures that were higher than those of the previous season. Rainfall was lower than in other years, with a total of 395 mm, concentrated in the winter. The spring and summer were very dry, which benefitted fruit set. The harvest season arrived two weeks early, and despite being a hot and dry year, the decision to harvest early and a good selection of the bunches allowed us to make a Gê that is not overripe and remain faithful to its characteristic style.

The first stage of reception includes placing the fruit on a conveyor belt to select the fruit and eliminate any leaves or damaged bunches. The clean bunches are destemmed and placed on a second belt where the individual grapes are selected by size and then pass on to a vibrating table to achieve a perfect selection. The grapes then drop gently into the tanks by gravity and undergo an 8º pre-fermentation cold maceration for 5-7 days. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and begins spontaneously with native yeasts. Temperatures are maintained at 24º–26ºC and extraction is managed through pumpovers determined by enological criteria. The new wine then remains on its skins for a 10-day post-fermentation maceration at 22º–24ºC, for a total maceration time of 30–35 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in oak barrels, where the wine ages for 16 months, 80% in French oak barrels (50% new, 50% with one prior use), and the remaining 20% was gained in an egg-shaped concrete tank. The process concludes when the wine is fined and stabilized naturally without treatments and then prepared for bottling by lightly filtering.

Producer

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

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

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

The 2018 Aidan is a character of serious substance. A dry vintage has sculpted a wine with incredible structure, boasting flavours that lean towards the darker spectrum of fruit. This blend is predominantly Shiraz, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Malbec and Merlot used as well.

Nose

At first, aromas of blackcurrant and blackberries fill the nose, until a necessary swirl allows for spices such as star anise, five spice and mace to enter the conversation.

Palate

Olive tapenade and fresh leather hint in the distance, beautifully balanced by a serious salinity that pins this offering to its maritime environment, where the vines grow on steep slopes circled by the cold Atlantic Ocean. 

The Year by Winemaker Megan van der Merwe

"The 2018 vintage will long be remembered for its coolness and low disease pressure. It will also be remembered as the first real vintage to feel the effects of the famous Cape Drought that started in 2015 and worsened towards 2018. Our yields were down by 10%, but with our buffering cool climate conditions, the quality of the vintage was superlative."

Winery

Some two decades ago, raging wildfires swept through an area of forest high up on Constantia Nek, leaving the slopes scorched and bare. When the fire had subsided, what was left was a brilliant and unique spot for planting a vineyard; 350 metres above sea level, with cooling ocean breezes and steep sun-bathed hills and so, like a phoenix, Beau Constantia rose from the ashes.

Sensing opportunity, Pierre and Cecily Du Preez acquired the 22-hectare property in 2002. With thorough soil analysis guiding their efforts, the inaugural vineyards were planted in 2003 under the careful guidance of farm manager, Japie Bronn.

The journey to establish vineyards on these challenging slopes demanded patience and unwavering commitment. Today, Beau Constantia proudly boasts 11.47 hectares under vine, a testament to the perseverance and dedication of all involved. Within these vineyards thrive a diverse range of varietals, including Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz, and Petit Verdot, each meticulously nurtured to capture the unique essence of this extraordinary landscape.

This boutique wine farm with just over 11 hectares under vine has utterly spectacular views over the peninsula. Megan van der Merwe is the Head Winemaker, having taken over from Justin Van Wyk in 2021, after serving as Assistant Winemaker during his successful tenure. Megan believes in 'farming to perfection - just don't stuff it up in the cellar!'. This very talented winemaker is certainly one to watch.

Each of their releases is a tribute to a member of the family.

Accolades & Awards

• 94pts | IWSC 2021

Attractively spicy with aromas of oak and flora combining with fresh red fruit on the nose. Nicely concentrated with sweet spices interlacing the well-balanced, juicy palate.

• 90pts | Tim Atkin

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Excellent colour and mid-density.

Nose

Being 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Shiraz it is more of the classic Aussie blend Cabernet/Shiraz. Lifted dark fruit and cedar notes on the nose. Riper dark fruit aromas than previously vintages, due to a warm year in McLaren Vale.

Palate

The vanillin oak background adds extra lift to the dark cherry/plum aromas, and finishes with a ripe tannin mouthfeel. Turkish delight and dark chocolate from the Shiraz component, makes this a very enjoyable Cricket Pitch blend.

About Brokenwood Wines

Founded in 1970 as a hobby venture by three Sydney-based solicitors - Tony Albert, John Beeston and Australian wine critic James Halliday - Brokenwood is perhaps best known for their Cricket Pitch label, which was first sourced from a 4-hectare block at the foothills of the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback Ranges. The block was originally earmarked as the local cricket ground before they decided to plant a vineyard instead.

Similarly, Brokenwood purchased their neighbouring block, which was intended to be the local cemetery, and instead planted Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, becoming their critically acclaimed flagship wine, the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz. Chief Winemaker and Managing Director Iain Riggs joined Brokenwood in 1982 and introduced new winery equipment and facilities specifically for premium white wine production.

Since 1983, white wine makes up a significant part of total production and their Semillon is widely recognized as one of the finest in the world. Iain has also been the driving force behind Brokenwood’s expansion into the McLaren Vale in South Australia, Beechworth in Victoria, Margaret River in Western Australia, and Orange in New South Wales. Despite their expansion, they have managed to remain fiercely committed to producing unique and highquality expressions of Australian terroir.

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

Tasting Notes 

Aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of eucalyptus. The palate is full, fresh and lively with a subtle and well-balanced tannin structure.

History

Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.

Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.

Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity. 

Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.

Fermentation & Aging

All components of this blend were fermented separately in vineyard specific batches with pump-overs for colour and tannin extraction being performed five times daily. The wine was barrel matured for 12 months in French oak barrels and a small un-oaked component was used to provide a fresh and lively character.

Vintage Conditions

The vines are planted on our Groenkloof farm on the slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain. The soil is composed of coffee coloured decomposed granite. The vines get full sun which allows for optimum development of rich berry characters in the grapes.

Accolades

• 4.5 John Platter Stars
• TOP 100 SA Wines
• Veritas Silver Outstanding

Specifications

The rivers of Australia help to irrigate the vineyards. Although water is important; the drier the river the better the concentration of flavours in our wines. We are working in close partnership with a family owned winery, which pride themselves on producing consistent and good quality wines. After harvest our wine buyer travelled to Australia to specially select these wines for this range.

Tasting Notes

Colour 

A deep and inky red in colour

Nose

Dry River Shiraz displays a nose of smoky rich fruits with a touch of mint.

Palate

Smooth and rich on the palate with spicy flavours of luscious dark berry fruits, the balanced tannins help to deliver a tremendously concentrated finish.

Oak Treatment - aged with French and American oak chips

Specifications

"Home of the Worlds Best Shiraz"

The most sold wine in the Hartenberg portfolio, now celebrating 26 vintages. At a previous Classic Wine Trophy competition ten Gold medals were awarded by the French judges to the 385 red wines. Most estates entered their flagship wines. Due to Hartenbergs' uncompromising approach to standards they felt comfortable entering the pocket-friendly Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz. The wine won Gold.

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Vibrant red in colour.

Nose

An alluring blend of wild herbs and spices on the nose with hints of freshly picked dark fruits and berries on the palate, ending in a savoury finish. 

Palate 

Ripe, soft tannins balance well with the lingering finish.

The Estate

On the slopes of Bottelary Hills bordering Stellenbosch, is a family estate where nature provides the perfect backdrop to grow, produce and share award-winning wines. Summer at Hartenberg brings picnics on the lawns followed by buoyant games of boule. Winter invites you to intimate fireside lunches and sumptuous reds, smoky charcuterie and olives, and sensorial cellar tours. Our Wetland Conservation Area, alongside the vineyards, makes for a beautiful setting for walks and shared family fun.

Accolades

A distinctive wine with a personality in place!

Tasting Notes 

Nose

 This Grenache offers a vibrant bouquet of rhubarb, blood orange, and watermelon, with hints of cinnamon and star anise. 

Palate

On the palate, it presents a savoury sweetness, balanced by beetroot, red peppercorns, and earthy wet soil. The wine's vibrant acidity adds freshness, while elegant grainy tannins provide structure. It has excellent aging potential, with its character evolving over time. In its youth, the wine benefits from increased oxygen contact, so we 
recommend decanting it to fully appreciate its intricate layers.

Winery

Oldenburg; a hot topic from a cool climate. Anyone who knows anything about South African wine should have Oldenburg fully on their radar – they are producing outrageously good wine and have, very arguably, the most beautiful tasting room to visit in the Cape. Oldenburg, situated in the Banghoek Valley of Stellenbosch, has one of the coolest microclimates in the region. A combination of a mountain amphitheatre, high altitude and cooling winds result in growing conditions about 5 degrees cooler than the rest of Stellenbosch.

Oldenburg aims to best reflect their remarkable terroir through the Oldenburg Vineyards (OV) range of wines – a range of single cultivar wines. There is minimal intervention in the vineyards and the wines are made in an uncompromising manner.

Vintage Conditions

Stellenbosch, in general, played host to a perfect winter, with steady cold units being accumulated through to the end of August with even rainfall throughout the winter. The good winter cold led to a particularly even bud break. Spring was cool and dry, which favoured the flowering and fruit set for the vintage. Good summer rainfall meant the vigour needed to be kept in check. Despite a relatively hot and dry ripening period, temperatures were kept moderate due to our higher altitude and ultimately led to an exceptionally good harvest with great sugar accumulation

Winemaking & Maturation

Grapes were picked by hand from 15-year-old bush vines on granitic soil at 410m above sea level. Bunches and berries were meticulously sorted. 1/3rd whole bunch and 2/3rd whole berry fermentation. Wild fermented in a stainless-steel tank with punch-downs and pump-overs 1-2 times per day. The wine was basket pressed and malolactic 
conversion took place in barrels. The wine was then matured for 14 months in old 300L French oak barrels.

Specifications

Chile does Provence minus the £££'s!

Refreshing and delicious predominantly from Emiliana's organic vineyards in Colchagua and Cachoploal valleys.

Tasting Notes

A lovely pale and delicate rosé.

Colour 

Pale almost Provencal-pink in colour.

Nose

Gentle strawberry and red cherry aromas.

Palate

The palate is medium in weight with fresh summer fruits and a silky yet refreshing finish. Delicate and easy to drink.

Production

The Rapel Valley lies with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, and the province of Curicó to the south. This area is particularly well suited for growing Carmenère, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a transversal valley of Chile’s central zone with unique climatic conditions, including four clearly defined seasons and a unique blend of maritime breezes and Andean winds. The hand-picked grapes were transported to the winery and selected from a conveyor belt to ensure maximum quality. Vinification took place in stainless steel tanks for 3 months with selected yeasts. The finished wine was fined using bentonite and cold stabilized to prevent the formation of tartrate crystals and 1 and 0.45 micron cartridge filters were used at the time of 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.

Sustainability

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.

Specifications