"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

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 my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle. ”

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep cherry red with violet hues.

Nose

The nose has black fruits with blackberries, blueberries and black cherries that are mixed with notes of pepper and spices, additionally damp earth with minerals such as graphite.

Palate

In the mouth, is a vibrant body, which is fresh and very tense. It starts soft with firm and velvety tannins, a fresh acidity with a long and persistent finish.

Oak treatment - 18 months Oaked

Vinification

Just 50% of the grapes were crushed. A pre-fermentative maceration was carried out at 8°C for 5 days. When the temperature began to increase, pumping-over started and the must fermented at between 22°C and 26°C. The wine was tasted daily to determine the level of pump-overs. The wine spent a total of 32 days in the tank and was then decanted into oak barrels, where the malolactic fermentation took place.

This is part of the ageing process for Grey and is key to achieving harmony between the fruit and the oak. 100% of this wine matured for 18 months in extra fine-grain French oak barrels, 34% of them first-use, 66% second- and third-use. Then the wine was aged in the bottle for 8 months. It was racked three times.

Winemaker

Tosso’s 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 (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Alans' Personal Tasting Notes

"Well – with the label showing 14% alc by volume you would expect this to be a big, brooding monster of a masculine wine – and it is – but it certainly shows it’s feminine side on the palate – where it slips down like silk knickers!!

Full flavoured and full-bodied with lots of rich, dark black fruits – think black cherries and blackberries – with lots of layers and textures of flavour!! Spending 18 months in oak has also given it some spice and creaminess – but more importantly – must help deliver the silky and velvety tannins that make this such a big, smooth, satisfying mouthful. Quite simply, one of the best reds I’ve tasted in a long time!"

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Pale salmon colour

Nose

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

Palate

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

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

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

Awards

The Wine Merchant Top 100 2016 - 2015 Vintage

Tasting Notes

It’s thought the Romans took Viognier to the Rhône 1700 years ago yet incredibly, as recently as the 1980’s, there were thought to be only 32 ha planted in the entire world. Now, Viognier, with its full-bodied richness and gentle acidity is an international superstar again. Fred Cline specializes in growing Rhône cultivars and giving them a modern twist whilst maintaining their original character... and this one is a beauty!

Nose

Wonderfully fragrant with notes of pithy stone fruits, bright jasmine and honeysuckle.

Palate

The palate follows through with a richness of fruit including ripe peach and apricot. The finish is given finesse by the refreshing acidity.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Absolutely delicious - lots of ripe peaches, apricot, and pineapple fruits with a lovely honeyed, creamy follow-through - from a small family business formed in 1982 - the year I started in the wine trade - and they have a real keen eye on sustainability and non-intervention winemaking - so ticking all my key objective boxes! And tasting delightfully into the bargain - absolutely love it!" May 2022

Producer

Cline Cellars is a family-owned vineyard and winery in Sonoma’s Carneros Valley. Established in 1982 by Fred Cline, a descendant of Italian US settlers, he originally founded the winery in Oakley, Contra Costa County, cultivating Rhône varieties and Zinfandel on vines dating back to 1906.

In the 1990s, the family moved their winemaking operation to a 350-acre ranch in Carneros Valley, adopting sustainable farming in 2000, and building the largest solar paneled winery in California. While others in California were focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Fred Cline saw the potential of Rhône varieties and Zinfandel in his vineyards and continues to produce focussed terroir-driven wines.

A Note on Sustainability

Cline is proud to be a Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery. The program acknowledges a long-term commitment to continual improvement in the field of sustainable winegrowing and business practices, from grape to glass. It is located in Sonoma County, which is committed to becoming the first 100% sustainable wine region in the US by 2019.

Fred Cline and Bob Cannard founded Green String Farm and the Green String method of sustainable farming in 2003. Green String Farm is a 57-hectare natural process, sustainable farm near Petaluma, California. The Green String method meets the highest standard of environmental sustainability practices, which is different from certified organic. The methods reduce soil erosion, pesticide dependency, and loss of biodiversity; and increase resistance to natural predators.

In 2005, Cline was one of the first wineries to fully adopt solar energy. In 2018 it upgraded the original array with the latest technology, designed to offset 100% of its winery’s electrical consumption.

Instead of herbicides, Cline has 1,500 sheep and 500 goats that roam its vineyards, tasked with removing invasive weeds and instead of harmful pesticides, Cline provides owl boxes and raptor perches in the vineyard. These birds of prey are the predators of gophers and mice and help to maintain ecological control.

Cline composts and re-uses all digestible organic waste and materials from its winery, including 3,000 tons of grape pomace per year, prunings from trees and vines, plus chipped materials from the landscape. This waste is turned into a biological stimulant and food for the soils. Cline also grinds its own volcanic rock and then spreads the crushed cinder onto the soil. Having a wide spectrum of mineralogy, these cinders provide the vineyards with a complex array of nutrients and trace minerals, ensuring that the vines have all the necessary components to build fullness of character in the wine.

Production Method

Viognier is a tricky grape to grow in that it buds out early and is susceptible to frost. Also, it's thick skins require patience to get the full flavour potential of the grape. The vines basked in the sun during the day and were cooled at night which contributes to this Viognier's full-body weight and nice acidity. This varietal comes from the Northern Rhône Valley in France. Presumed to have arrived from Dalmatia and transported to the Rhone 1,700 years ago by Romans. There are only 2,000 acres of this variety in California at this time. The grapes were handpicked and de-stemmed without being crushed then immediately pumped to the tank press where the juice was gently squeezed from the grapes. Juice was pumped to a stainless steel fermenting tank and the wine was chilled and settled overnight. The juice was then racked (decanted) off the grape solids and inoculated with a pure strain of wine yeast. Fermentation proceeded at a cool 50 degrees F to preserve the lovely fruit character and kept in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

A bright violet red wine

Nose

Highly expressive aromas that are reminiscent of red fruit and spices.

Palate

It is straightforward and flowing in the palate, with incipient tannins. An intense, gentle, juicy and full bodied wine, with a marked varietal typicity and a very pleasant finish, with everything that a young Malbec has to offer.

Winemaking

Handpicking, selection of clusters, destemming and grain selection. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 28°C with selected yeasts. When alcoholic fermentation is completed, it is aged in concrete and stainless steel tanks. Lightly filtered while bottled.

Specifications

"Home of the Worlds Best Shiraz"

As luck would have it, Shiraz grapes love poor,  gravelly soil - just the kind of soil Hartenberg has in abundance on parts of the farm. The kind you need to produce world-beating Shiraz.

Tasting Notes 

Nose

Initially the nose shows an abundance of black fruits and sweet spice aromas, later opening up to a more savoury, umami character. 

Palate 

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.

History

This was another excellent vintage for the growing of red wines in Stellenbosch, with hot, dry weather resulting in small and concentrated berries. Grapes were hand-picked and, after crushing, only 20% of the juice was drawn off for use in this wine. This juice was cold-soaked overnight, then two Rhone-sourced yeasts were inoculated. The oak component was made up of 100% French.

Once again, Nature has smiled upon us because the very same vineyards on Hartenberg with the perfect soils for Shiraz, also have the perfect weather for it.

All we have to do to make our award-winning Shiraz is harness what we already have, and stick it in a bottle. To be absolutely honest, it would be more difficult for us to produce a poor Shiraz on Hartenberg than a good one.

Accolades

‘Hartenberg's estate Shiraz is made with grapes from The Stork and Gravel Hill blocks that didn’t make it into the single-vineyard bottlings, so no wonder it's so impressive. Big and bold - what Carl Schultz calls a "lurker" - with iodine, cooked meat and spicy oak notes and plenty of grip. 2023-30.’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2021, 93/100

Specifications

Serious Merlot - think St Emilion with guts... and legs.

Tasting notes

A fine wine with persistence, complexity and great purity - dense black cassis and bramble fruit aromas combined with plums, spice and a creamy oak on the palate. Showing real character and personality, supreme poise and balance, Waterkloof's ability to express their unique terroir improves with each vintage.

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Awards

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

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour 

Deep violet-red.

Nose

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

Palate

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

Production

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

Producers

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

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

Awards 

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes 

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

Production Method

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

Specifications

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 my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep red color, with ruby color.

Nose

With a characteristic fruitiness characteristic of Maipo Costa, red fruits such as fruitllas, raspberries and cassis are mixed with aromas of black pepper, some moist soil and tobacco.

Palate

Of elegant and smooth body, of balanced structure, good acidity that increases the complexity. Tannins present and soft at the same time, ending with a
prolonged end-of-mouth sensation.

Vinification

A pre-fermentative maceration was carried out at low temperatures between 8°C and 10° C for 5 days in order to achieve greater extraction of color and aroma from the skins. The wort was then fermented in stainless steel tanks. Once the fermentation was finished, post-fermentation maceration was achieved, thus achieving a higher concentration and structure of the wine. 100% of this wine was allowed to stand for 18 months in French oak barrels of extra fine grain (33% new) to remain in the bottle for 8 months.

Winemaker

Tosso’s 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 (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day. 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Genuine non-interventionist winemaking from Emiliana, this matches up to all levels of the natural wine criteria. A lovely example of cabernet sauvignon with beautiful purity.

Colour 

Ruby red in colour

Nose

A bright nose that offers aromas of ripe blackcurrant and licorice along with cedarwood notes.

Palate

The palate recalls black currants and red cherry fruit with star anise spice, ripe tannins and a full juicy finish.

Production

Soils are alluvial with good porosity and drainage. The land is flat, rich in minerals with a loamy-clay and muddy texture, irrigated by water coming from snow thaw in the mountains. The season 2014-2015 in the Valley of Maipo was characterized by being warm. The spring was favourable as there were no rains in flowering, which gave rise to a healthy and good harvest. The few frosts that occurred did not affect cabernet sauvignon since they were prior to sprouting. The rains, following the trend, were and concentrated in winter with a total of 230 mm fallen. The temperatures during maturation were high with maximum averages of 30 ° C in January and February and averages of 12.5 ° C for the same months. This led to an early harvest, together the oscillation thermal helped maintain natural acidity. The reception included a triple selection using conveyor belts before and after passing through the destemmer-crusher. The grapes then dropped gently (by gravity) into the fermentation tanks, where they underwent a 5-day pre-fermentation cold soak at 8ºC. Alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks using only native yeasts at 24º–26ºC with a program of pump-overs determined by enological criteria. The new wine remained on its skins for an 8-day post-fermentation maceration at 22º–24ºC, for a total maceration (skin contact) time of 28–30 days. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally in barrels. The wine was then aged for 12 months. The wine is stabilized naturally, without treatments, and is only very lightly filtered at bottling with a 3–5 micron (absolute) cartridge. The wine was aged for 12 months, 48% in French oak barrels, 28% in concrete eggs, and 24% in a 2,000-liter French oak foudre.

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.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Summer pudding reaches from the glass, there is an abundance of blackberry and cassis fruit with a naughty creaminess of oak that marries on the palate for a bold pastiche of old vine Barossa Cabernet.

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 my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep ruby red with violet hues.

Nose

The nose initially reveals aromas of black and red berries, such as murtillas (commonly known as Chilean guava, or strawberry myrtle), cranberries, black plums and raspberries.

Palate

The palate has balanced acidity and flavours of juicy black fruit, along with smooth, well-rounded tannins sustained by the notes of soft French oak.

Vinification

The grapes first underwent a cold pre-fermentative maceration to extract their colour and aromas. They were then fermented in open stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of between 24°C and 26°C. Manual pump-overs were used for 100% of the extraction during fermentation. 100% of the wine was aged in 300lts French oak barrels for a period of 12 months. 15% of them were new, 30% second-use and 55% third-use.

Winemaker

Tosso’s 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 (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Alan's Tasting Notes

"Another Grey Glacier triumph- red and black fruits vye for your attention balanced by a fresh acidity - all framed in soft tannins from some subtle oak ageing. Incredible balance with an extended finish that stops you reaching for your glass - except that it’s so delicious that you want more. This really is an over-delivering range that demands tasting that will never disappoint. Try it once - any varietal - and you’ll be hooked. One of our fuller, richer, riper styles of Pinot noir."  Tasted July 2022

Specifications

Lovely red plum notes, hints of spice and smooth, silky tannins.

Tasting Notes

The Luigi Bosca Signature Malbec has the best of both worlds, with grapes from Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley. Lujan brings ripeness and sweet tannins to the wine, while Uco Valley ensures a lively freshness. 

Tasting Notes

Colour

A bright violet red wine.

Nose

It has intense and balanced aromas, with rather red fruit, spicy and florals notes. It is generous, smooth and expressive in the mouth, with incipient tannins.

Palate

Clean, refreshing and well-bodied in the palate, with attractive character. It has a deep and clear finish, with a fully integrated oak character and good ageing capacity. It is the flagship wine of its variety.

Vineyard

Produced with grapes grown in estate vineyards, located in Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, Mendoza.

Winemaking

Handpicking, selection of clusters and destemming. A pre-fermentation cold maceration process is conducted at a temperature of 8 °C. Fermentation is conducted in stainless-steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 28°C with selected yeasts. After the alcoholic fermentation is completed, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels where it rests for 12 months. Lightly filtered while bottled.

History

Established in 1901, the Luigi Bosca estate covers 700 hectares of land in Mendoza, across 7 vineyards. It continues to be one of the region’s leading wineries and was actively involved in the creation of the Luján de Cuyo D.O.C. Luigi Bosca remains in the Arizu family, where the 4th generation is now bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to their wine range.

Comments by the winemaker

Malbec is the winery’s emblem wine, which fully expresses the characteristics of the Malbec variety. Grapes grown in the best areas of Mendoza are selected for its making process, thus achieving the ripe character and typical sweet tannins from Luján de Cuyo, together with the freshness, color and vivacity of the Uco Valley. The ageing process in oak barrels adds complexity, structure and elegance, therefore providing a highly aromatic wine, with an elegant texture and great persistence of flavors.

Specifications

A complex and fruit-driven Pinot Gris from Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, this wine shows aromas of juicy pear and citrus blossom leading to a palate of fresh quince, golden apple, and hints of sweet spice. With integrated fine phenolics and smooth acidity this is a fresh and richly textured wine with a long and lingering finish.

Viticulture

The grapes from this wine are sourced from two vineyards located in the cool southern Awatere Valley region of Marlborough. The majority of the grapes come from a vineyard near the coastal planes of the Awatere, with a smaller portion of the grapes sourced from a vineyard located further inland on young fertile river terraces.

The 2018/2019 growing season in the Awatere began with some unsettled weather over the flowering period which resulted in lower yields throughout the vineyards. However, the warm and dry summer that followed provided a dream run for both the vineyard and winemaking teams. With no disease pressure in the vineyard and ideal weather over the harvest period, grapes were able to be picked at optimal ripeness, resulting in a wine with outstanding aromatics, palate weight and texture

Vinification

Grapes sourced from a number of prime sites in the Awatere Valley are gently pressed once at the winery to obtain beautifully clear free-run juice, with the harder pressings keep separate and allowed to oxidise and soften phenolics before being re-combined with the free-run. The juice is then settled and racked into stainless steel tanks for warming and inoculation with carefully selected yeasts.

Fermentation is carried out at cool temperatures of around 10-13°C to help preserve the fruity characters and lasts around 21 days until the balance of residual sugar and acidity/phenolics has reached the ideal point. Post-ferment the wine is held in tank and matured for a short period of time before being stabilised ready for bottling. With no additional finings judged necessary, this wine was ready for bottling in early 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.

Specifications

Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a modern way. 

Tasting Notes

Colour

Vibrant purple with bright red hues.

Nose

Wild cherries with a hint of blueberry and rose petal.

Palate

Upfront red berry fruit, midpalate richness and brightness from the Grenache. Finishes fresh and long.

Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a modern way. The Shiraz brings backbone, flesh and body to the wine with the Grenache adding a soft, vibrant juiciness. 

Vineyards

Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age 50—80 year old Shiraz and 50—100 year old Grenache. Yield 3.5 tonnes per hectare.

Vintage Conditions

A wet winter and spring coupled with cooler than average spring temperatures resulted in slower yet balanced canopy development and healthy flowering and fruit set. A mild summer with regular rainfall events followed allowing the fruit to be in no rush to mature, perfect for consistent ripening. Harvest commenced a few weeks later than recent years. The 2017 wines are of excellent quality exhibiting purity and lift with firm tannins and exceptional length.

Vinification

Old vine Barossa Grenache has a liveliness and structure that does not benefit from oak maturation—oak contact was thus minimised for the Grenache component to preserve the purity and animation of the fruit. The Shiraz was matured for 16 months in 2—3 year old oak hogshead barrels (80% French / 20% American).

About Glaetzer

This family-owned boutique winery was founded in 1995 and dedicates itself to the production of super-premium, sitespecific red wine made in small volumes. Originally from Germany, the Glaetzer family settled in Australia in the late 19th century and were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Today the winery is run by internationally acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer, who is responsible for driving the brand’s considerable loyal following. Ben sources all their fruit from the northern sub-region of the Barossa, Ebenezer, which is known for its ancient dry-grown vineyards. Glaetzer’s most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year-old, nongrafted bush vines. In the cellar, Ben believes in minimal intervention and treating musts as gently as possible.

Though only limited Glaetzer wines are produced every year, the winery is known for producing wines that are unique and intense. 

2018 Wallace from Glaetzer Wines on Vimeo.

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

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.

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 my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”

Tasting Notes

Colour

An intense red colour with violet hues.

Nose

Notes of fresh red fruits, such as raspberries and cassis, are very noticeable on the nose. It also has some earthy notes and a hint of black pepper.

Palate

This medium-bodied wine is highly expressive and very refreshing because of its high acidity, with lots of fruit, such as cherries. It has smooth tannins and is long in the finish.  This wine reflects its origins and, being a blend of three varieties, it is a complex wine. It has red fruit from the Garnacha, structure from the Cariñena and some animal notes from the Mataro. Unfiltered and unfined.

Vinification

First the clusters of grapes were selected and 50% of them were crushed. Next, the grapes were put into small open 400-kilo containers, where they underwent a pre-fermentative maceration for 3 to 5 days. en they were fermented gently and slowly, at a low temperature of between 22°C and 26°C (72°F and 79°F), with 2-3 pump-overs each day. Next came a post-fermentative maceration for one to two weeks to ensure balanced tannins. 100% of this wine is aged in 2,500-litre foudres for approximately 1 year

Winemaker

Tosso’s 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 (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Specifications

Gnarly Head Pinot Noir takes “the heartbreak grape” for a walk on the wild side.

This wine tastes ripe and generous, bursting with dark-berry and plum flavors that are uncomplicated by oak. The texture is mouth-filling and the wine is easy to sip. Jim Gordon

Tasting Notes

Nose 

Ripe cranberry, raspberry and cherry notes in these wines. 

Palate

This powerful Pinot Noir touts voluptuous aromas of red cherry, vanilla, earth and spice, followed by a rush of black cherry and plum with hints of toasted hazelnut, tobacco and cigar box on the palate.

Vineyards

Grapes for our Gnarly Head Pinot Noir came from California growing regions notorious for growing great Pinot Noir: Monterey, Lodi and the North Coast. Fruit from each area brought a different layer to the overall blend. Vineyards in the Lodi region—a little-known source of fruit for many sparkling wine houses—provided the bold backbone for Gnarly Head Pinot Noir. North Coast fruit brought a wild element of smoky, savory aromas and flavors, while the Monterey fruit added a pure, ripe Bing cherry characteristic made famous by the region.

Winemaking

Grapes for the Gnarly Head Pinot Noir were harvested in the cool hours around dawn, delivered immediately to the winery, and then destemmed into fermenters and allowed to rest for 24-36 hours before beginning fermentation. The fermentation temperature was adjusted slightly cooler than normal to allow for better control of extraction and to preserve the delicate fruit that is expected in a Pinot Noir. After primary fermentation, the wine was pressed and then immediately racked onto French and American oak for malolactic fermentation, as well as aging to both harmonize fruit flavors and add complexity. The resulting wine is a Pinot Noir that punches well above its weight, in true Gnarly Head fashion.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Delicious! Lush, generous soft red fruits with no oak influence or tannins - just pure red fruits and a touch of herby spice! So easy drinking with great balance and length but no complexity - simples! I defy people who say they don’t like red wine not to be blown away by this.' August 2021

Specifications

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Bright ruby red wine

Nose

Palate

It is voluptuous and warm in the mouth, with a smoked aftertaste and incipient tannins. It is clean and vivacious in the palate, featuring a well- defined character and an expressive finish with a floral touch. Having great potential to add complexity after storage, this is a wine that reflects the vineyard’s age and varietal purity.

Producer

The winery that today produces Luigi Bosca wines was founded in 1901 by Leoncio Arizu, a Spanish citizen from Navarra who settled in Mendoza in 1890. Located in the Vistalba valley, in the Luján de Cuyo region, an area that, due to its characteristics, achieved the first " Denomination of Controlled Origin "of America.  Luigi Bosca launched the first Malbec DOC in Argentina and Latin America.

Winemaking

Specifications

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 my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”

Tasting Notes

Complex and elegant, blend aromas of ripe tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango and papaya with soft mineral and citrus notes. The barrel brings soft notes of vanilla and nuts. Of good structure, it maintains the freshness from a crisp acidity giving a wide end of good persistence. In the aftertaste, you will feel the nuts and vanilla again.

Vinification

Initially, a cold maceration was carried out for a period between 12 to 14 hours. Throughout the process the wort was protected from contact with air. The fermentation was carried out slowly, maintaining a Constant control at low temperature between 13 and 16°C, which allowed to obtain a large number of aromas typical of the variety.

80% of the wine was fermented in French barrels with 10% new cask. The remaining 20% of the wine was fermented in stainless steel barrels to maintain a fruity component in the blend. Once the fermentation was finished, it was allowed to stand for 12 months on its lees, making smooth movements (bâtonnage) to maximize the contact and supply of fine lees to the wine and in this way increase the aromatic complexity.

Tosso’s 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 (ex-Penfolds Winemaker) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"A masterpiece this one ☝️ tropical fruits abound with a touch of citric lime acidity keeping it linear and balanced. Complex, long and with perfect balance! Love it!  Bit of a nutty, toasty aftertaste as well - probably from some new oak. Would love to taste this alongside some ‘named’ white burgundies - suggest it might wipe the floor with them?!" June 2022

"Still love it - colour a bit darker in the glass - but it’s still fresh as a daisy, with great balance and length. Fruit is a bit more developed on the palate but it’s still got a lot of life left in it yet. At £16.99 it really is an excellent option vs French Chardonnay at 2 or 3 times the price from Burgundy." 21 Dec 2023

Specifications

A naturally fermented old bush vine brew, Tea Leaf hails from vineyards where the vines grow amongst South Africa’s native rooibos (red tea) plants that grow wild alongside the vines.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of ripe citrus and peach with savoury, gently nutty notes. The palate combines firm, high-key fruit with a gentle, sandy texture true to the source vineyards’ soil leading to a long, lightly honeyed finish. A deeply satisfying wine, taut and concentrated, from a blend of high quality bush vine fruit.

Production

From selected coastal vineyards of Chenin, Grenache Gris and Marsanne where the indigenous rooibos tea plant grows wild. Grapes are harvested in the early hours and then a further selection is made by hand at the winery to select the best fruit. The wine is naturally fermented and aged a few months in older 600 litre French oak barrels. No fining and coarse filtered (above 1 micron).

Producer

What’s this then? SKU is a casual band of happy ferments. A circus tent of the Cape’s stranger grapes and blends. We will champion the unfashionable, experiment with the known and express the found before it gets lost. Mistakes are likely, fun certain. Welcome to Strange Kompanjie, a Kultivar Club for the Underdog.

Sustainability

Strange Kompanjie Unlimited 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.

Specifications

Redolent of roses and ripe-for-the-picking strawberries, the refreshing De Toren Délicate is an elegant red blend that combines red’s seductiveness with the undeniable drinkability of white.

Medium-bodied and immeasurably gentle, it offers up an abundance of juicy fruit and velvety, smooth tannins that lead to a sophisticated finish. Delicious on its own as an apéritif, it’s also the perfect consort to the lingering pleasures of Spanish tapas or a platter of the finest French charcuterie.

Tasting Notes

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Lime green hue.

Nose

Complex core, with notes of lemongrass and lime, grapefruit and white peach, blackcurrant leaf and even elderflower.

Palate

Richly textured mouthfeel balanced by a striking minerality, razor-sharp acidity and a long, lingering finish.

Vintage

Constantia Glen's Sauvignon is a complex, elegant, cool-climate style with great fruit weight, minerality and vibrant acidity. The 2020 vintage was yet another excellent one at Constantia Glen that saw cool temperatures and a long ripening season, which produced a classic Constantia wine, exemplifying elegance, texture and freshness.

History of the Cellar

Ideally located below Constantia Nek, just moments from the bustling Cape Town city centre, Constantia Glen is a picturesque wine estate producing ultra-premium, cool climate white and red wines. The 60-hectare property, situated 103-2790 meters above sea level, has a mere 29 hectares under vine with product of wines limited to 120, 000 bottles per annum. Although winemaking began in 1685, recent history begins with the Waibel family, who purchased the land in 1960. Although this land is difficult to farm - as evident by rapid change of ownership from 1813-1960 - the dedication, patience and passion of the Waibel family has proven reward.

Having used the land predominantly as a stud farm, it was in 2000 that the Waibel family planted their first grapes and they now produce four wines. Perhaps most unique about Constantia Glen is its location. Although this region is predominantly known for its white wines, Constantia Glen is situated between the mountains, providing red grapes with the conditions needed to mature. Dryland cultivation under these cool climatic conditions results in slow ripening, low yields with exceptional grape quality and flavour concentration, thereby producing elegant Bordeaux blends. In addition to Sauvignon Blanc and the `Two` (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Sémillion), Constantia Glen produces the `Three` - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon Franc and Merlot` and a `Five` - which includes the addition of Malbec and Petit Verdot.

Awards - 2020 Vintage

• 4½ stars (94 points) - Platter’s 2020 Guide
• SA Wine Guide | 91 points - Falstaff Magazine | 
• Platinum Award - SAWi 2021

Awards - 2019 Vintage

• 93 points in the 2020 Platter Guide
• Gold medal & Trophy for the best white wine from SA at the 2019 IWC
• Gold Medal at the 2017 International Wine & Spirits Competition

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"This is delish - much more structure, complexity and multi-layered than most kiwi Sauv blancs. Fully dry with a wonderful balance between fruit & acidity. A bit closed when over chilled but really showed well a couple of degrees warmer - 15/20" October 2022

Specifications

Vintage

Accolade

• National Wine Challenge 2020 - Double Gold Award

Specifications

Specifications

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 my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”

Tasting Notes

Colour

This wine is deep ruby in colour with violet hues at the rim.

Nose

Very intense nose predominated by red fruit, such as strawberries and subtle notes of ripe plums, intermingled with a touch of oak from the barrel-ageing and notes of chocolate which enhances the final complexity of the wine.

Palate

This is a full-bodied, boldly-structured wine, which fills the mouth thanks to its fine tannins. Smooth and persistent in the finish.

Vinification

A pre-fermentative maceration was carried out at low temperatures to extract more colour and aromas, then the must was fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures of between 24°C and 26°C. 100% of this wine matured for 18 months in extra fine-grain French oak barrels, 33% of them first-use, then the wine was aged in the bottle for 8 months.

Winemaker

Tosso’s 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 (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Specifications

Colour

A delicate, pale gold with hints of pink from the variety's skin colour.

Nose

A delightfully ripe and fragrant wine showing stonefruit, pear and floral aromas.

Palate 

Finishing long and comforting, this wine combines complex fruit flavours with a balance of acidity.

Vintage

The 2022 Vintage in Waipara, North Canterbury was notable for the changeable weather, as was the case throughout several of the wine regions around New Zealand. On par with previous years, we did see a higher than average number of small rain events towards the end of the growing season. Our Pinot Gris this year is rich in the traditional flavours this Tiki Single Vineyard wine has become known for.T

Winemaking

The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as determined by frequent tasting in the vineyard. It 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 yeasts renowned for their ability to enhance Pinot Gris aromas and to add complexity by the addition of fermentation esters. A small amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the palate weight and structure.

Awards

"Offering terrific fruit purity and fragrance, the bouquet shows honeydew melon, Nashi pear, lemon peel and white floral aromas. The palate displays excellent weight and youthful fruit intensity, beautifully complemented by rounded texture and vibrant acidity." 5 Stars Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2022

• 16.5/20 - Jancis Robinson
• 92 POINTS - Cameron Douglas, Aug 2022
• RECOMMENDED - Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review, Sept 2022
• SILVER - dish Magazine Pinot Gris Tasting Panel, Mar 2023
• 90 POINTS - NZ Wine Rater, Jan 2023
• COMMENDED - International Wine Challenge 2023 (IWC), May 2023

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"This is pure class. Beautiful ripe tropical  fruit flavours balanced by lovely fresh acidity. Add in layers of complexity, delicious textural mouthfeel, exceptional balance and a long long finish gives a perfect glass of white. Single vineyard Pinot Gris (not Grigio) from North Canterbury shows that it’s not all about Marlborough Sauv Blanc around these beautiful islands. Really proud to be representing these pure, sustainable wines in this country." August 2024

Specifications

Pinot Noir is a very selective grape. It does not like the heat but does like the sun. It likes to be on well-drained soils so not good on flat landscapes. It likes warm days but more important, cold summer nights. It is so demanding that only a few Australian regions can aspire to produce a Pinot Noir of any pedigree...the Yarra Valley being one of them.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright, cherry and raspberry aromas are supported by a palate of brooding dark fruit and deep earthy flavours. 

Palate

Elegantly balanced on the palate of soft tannins and subtle spice with a lengthy finish

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Producer

Soumah of the Yarra Valley is a producer of fine wines from the region. A hidden gem located down a country lane, in the dress circle of the cool Warramate foothills of Gruyere. Soumah set out to make wine with the charm of northern Italy but the provenance of the Yarra Valley. Situated an average of 120 meters above sea level, the vineyard is elevated above the valley floor. The ancient sandy-clay loams with broken sandstone shape the small yield and define the detail in these precise, focused expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Production Method

There are four clones of Pinot Noir on Hexham Vineyard and once combined they create a classic, cool climate style wine showing elegance and savoury spice. Fermentation is completed using indigenous yeasts followed by a lengthy maturation in premium French oak to add a layer of earthy complexity.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"More a savoury Pinot than a fruity one. There is good fruit but it’s dark and brooding and overlaid with a smoky oakiness - but it’s the savoury notes that shine through from start to finish. Very well made - smooth and with some complexity held together with soft tannins. Very good value! April 2023

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.

 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

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

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

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

Tasting Notes 

A Pinot Noir with a bouquet of ripe strawberry, cedar leaf and Cyprus with a palate of sour cherry and Turkish delight. Elegant white meat dishes and warm salads pair well with this wine.  Serve slightly chilled.  This wine will benefit from decanting.  

Winemaking Philosophy

When showcasing this wine amongst some of the top winemakers in South Africa, a comment emerged from the discussion: Baleia will have to re-write the Pinot Noir book with that terroir. Working with such extreme minerality, wind and hard, limestone-rich soils require a refined approach. This is a journey of discovery.

Inoculated with selected yeast strains from Burgundy, France. Primary fermentation in open fermenters with manual punch downs at 22-28 °C. After 8 days of skin contact; pressed directly to Foudre, 3rd fill, and 1 new 300L French oak barrel where malolactic fermentation completes naturally. Matured for 10 months in French oak.

Vineyard Philosophy

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

Vintage Notes

The 2022 Vintage was characterised by heavy winter rains and a wet Spring which resulted in optimum reserve build-up. A drier flowering and ripening period ensured for a decent crop size. 

Accolade

• Jancis Robinson 16.5 points