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Hints of forest fruit flavours, subtile citrus aromas on the nose which continue onto the palate.  Dry to taste, this rosé is lively, well balanced and mineral on the palate with a crisp finish.

“Pinot Noir can be quite a temperamental grape but thrives on limestone soils in cool climates. This Pinot Noir Rosé vom Kalkstein is the palest of pale pinks reflecting the brief period of skin contact with the red Pinot Noir grapes to extract this delicate colour. There are hints of raspberry, watermelon and pomegranate on the nose which continue onto the palate. Dry to taste, this rosé is elegant, bright and racy on the palate with a crisp finish. Its fruitiness comes best to the fore by not chilling too much.’’

Alison Flemming MW

Producer

This wine comes from the Pfalz, one of Germany's key wine-producing regions, situated in the southwest, across the border from Alsace. The weather here is generally dry and sunny as the Pfalz wine region lies in the rain shadow of the mountains. The vineyards for this rosé are located in the north of the Pfalz and are in a valley basin, making it a cool area because of the fog and thermal currents. This cool climate, together with the limestone soils, makes for lean, long-lived wines. 

Specifications

Chateau Montelena shot to fame in 1976 at the iconic Judgement of Paris that shook the wine world to its core when their 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay won first place against an enviable line-up of top French Burgundies. The result was a shock to the wine trade all over the world and changed the history of California wine - and Chateau Montelena - forever.

Tasting Notes

Zinfandel is California’s heritage grape, and as anyone who has tasted long-lived examples from the 1970s, it can produce wines of tremendous quality, both immediate pleasure and age-worthiness, and all in a rich and spicy berry profile that is unique in the world of wine. Like every wine they produce, Montelena looks first and foremost to take the tremendous fruit they work with and transmit it in a complex, balanced package.

Colour

Beautiful and dark garnet in colour.

Nose

This Zinfandel opens with aromas of bright raspberry and floral top notes; followed by cedar, dried berries, dried plums, and the classic Zinfandel briar-berry along with hints of pipe tobacco and dusty cocoa.

Palate

The palate opens softly, with exceptional balance, and builds nicely into a good full finish. Dried fruit notes are perfectly complemented by fresh, red currant and mature black fruit flavors. Very juicy on the palate, it is ripe and sweet, with good length and just a hint of herbs on the finish. It shows good weight and velvety tannins throughout – very fleshy without being overbearing.

Vintage Weather

Not a hot or incredibly early vintage like ‘96 or ‘87, respectively, the weather cooperated and helped us produce wines of finesse, elegance, and balance – aspects that are critical for wines that exhibit a purity of expression and our wonderfully unique growing site.

Producer

Established in 1882 and located in Calistoga, California– the Montelena Estate is one of the oldest and most notable wine-producing properties in the Napa Valley. Click below to explore our beautiful grounds and see for yourself.

Chateau Montelena Winery, originally called A.L. Tubbs winery after its founder Alfred Tubbs, was constructed in 1888 and intended as a barrel-aging facility. The Chateau was unique in materials, plan, size, and style for its era. In nineteenth-century Napa Valley, the majority of wineries were constructed of wood. Instead, the Chateau is made of stone with walls three to twelve feet thick, which provides natural insulation against outside heat or cold. Similarly, the structure built into a hillside, to further regulate temperature - something necessary for producing quality wines but uncommon at the time. Also rare among Napa Valley wineries, the Chateau resembles an English Gothic castle gatehouse complete with rusticated stone walls, battlement with crenels and merlons, narrow arched windows, large arched door in the place of a portcullis, and bartizans with faux arrow slits.

Accounts of the stone winery’s designer, masons and source of materials vary. The design has been attributed to Hamden McIntyre, the well-known local winery designer; however, McIntyre relocated to Vina in 1887 where he took charge of the vineyard and winery of Leland Stanford. The building is unlike McIntyre's other wineries, none of which were designed in a Gothic style. Some sources also suggest that while in Europe, Tubbs hired a French architect to draw plans for the building, brought back French masons to build it, and imported European stone for the walls. Other accounts suggest the design was inspired by the Cellar of Chateau Lafite in France.

Originally, the interior was one large space with a second-story crushing floor, but in 1960, a second-floor apartment was inserted so the Chateau could be used as a home. The space was then converted into our current Tasting room though parts of the private residence remain and are used on occasion today for family guests and private events.

Vineyards

Outstanding value Pinot Noir from one of the Yarra Valley's most loved small producers.

Tasting Notes

A stunning vintage with near-perfect conditions during flowering and fruit set.

Colour

Semi-translucent red colour with a light red hue.

Nose

Fragrant violet, red cherry, strawberry and subtle anise aromas are intermeshed with dried herbs, forest floor and spice.

Palate

Fresh and light in weight the palate has a savoury profile of red cherries and delicate rhubarb over forest floor, infusions of fresh herbs and spice. Bright finish with polished tannins and an elegant aftertaste.

"Our philosophy towards pinot is to look after the detail, keep it simple and respect the fruit. The onus is on fruit quality and balance and not on winemaking solutions or corrections. For us winemaking is an extension of the vineyard where we aim to capture the fruit expression and carry this through to bottle. We pick when the fruit is ripe but still crunchy to taste. The Yarra Valley Pinot is a blend of our declassified barrels from each of our single-vineyard wine." Mac Forbes, Owner/Winemaker 

About the Wine

Mac Forbes is passionate about Pinot Noir, and his 'Yarra Valley' release is the perfect way to get to know his unique style. It comes from declassified portions of Mac's six single-vineyard Pinots, taking on characters of each to present a beautifully balanced wine that reflects what quality Yarra Pinot is all about.

This gives the drinker an immediate insight into what Mac Forbes Pinot Noir is all about. He stands for quality, and this characterful Pinot this is sensational value. Tiny volumes were made so get in quick!

About Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, Chardonnays are loved by those who look for fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice in the variety, his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are some of the country's most unique.

And his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure-trove for the curious drinker and he is honestly one of the most genuine and affable winemakers you'll ever meet!

Specifications

Nose

Intense ripe dark fruit aromas, underlined with bright florals and harmonious spicy oak notes.

Palate

Flavours of red and dark fruits balanced with soft, silky tannins. Long, lingering and mouth-filling finish.

Vineyard

Awatere Valley Marlborough, New Zealand. Blocks: Araroa, Moana, Rotokaro, Taumauri & Tohu. Planted 2002. 19.22 ha. Loam soils varying from shallow to deep silt, and fine sand.

Viticulture

A relatively frost-free spring resulted in good early shoot growth. Leaf plucking facilitated bunch exposure and promoted fruit flavour development. Slightly lower than normal brix levels resulted in clean, concentrated flavours.

Winemaking

Hand-harvested grapes gently destemmed then chilled for seven days in open top vessels. Warmed for a fast ferment; the wine was pressed directly into dedicated Pinot Noir French oak barriques for the winter. Malolactic fermentation once the temperatures started to warm again in spring. Rigorous blending and barrel section, with the final blend left to settle a few more months before being bottled without the need for fining or filtration.

Bottled May 2018 – 3276 bottles produced

Awards

• Gold - 2020 IWC
• 91 points James Suckling

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 prides themselves on producing consistent and good quality wines. After harvest, our wine buyer traveled to Australia to specially select these wines for this range.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Light straw in colour

Nose

Dry River Chardonnay displays an enticing nose of peach, citrus and lemon aromas. 

Palate

The tropical fruit flavours and luscious mouth feel mid-palate complement each other to deliver a deliciously rounded wine with a crisp and clean finish, balanced nicely by acidity.

Oak Treatment - Aged with French and American Oak Chips

Specifications

The modern era has brought us to a point where we live in an over-stimulated, demanding, success-oriented whirlwind, with no time to enjoy the everyday pleasures of life. That is why Vistmar wines were created, wines that offer a new approach to life, a new mood, an attitude that will lead you to venture out and enjoy the simple things that surround us every day. 

Tasting Notes

Colour

A straw-yellow wine with golden highlights

Nose

It has great aromatic intensity, with hints of white flowers, white peaches, apricots and quinces.

Palate

In the mouth, it is silky, juicy and fresh. Its flavour is reminiscent of recently picked grapes, blended with figs and dried peaches. It has a long, pleasant and persistent finish, excellently balanced by its natural acidity.

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Vibrant black cherry and plum aromas with a hint of tomato plant and dark chocolate. The wines has instant appeal with soft, squish, succulent dark fruit with a light tobacco leaf edge. Ample plum and cherry with spice highlights and deeper earth- and cocoa notes below. Softly textured but with a supportive structure and frame. Lovely, generous ripe-fruited finish.

In the Vineyard 

After de-stemming and crushing the wine is transferred to 10 000 French oak tanks and 10 000 L stainless steel tanks. Fermentation on the skins takes place at 26°C for about 15 days. The wine is drained from the skins and pressed. The free-run juice and press juice are aged separately and blended after 8 months. Maturation takes place in 225 L 2nd- and 3rd –fill French oak barrels and also on new French oak staves in tanks for about 8 months.

History

Anthonij Rupert Wyne was founded on the farm, L`Ormarins in Franschhoek. Originally owned by the late Anthonij Rupert, who passed away in 2001, the farm was eventually taken over by his brother Johann Rupert in 2003 and the brand named after him. It was Johann Rupert who constructed a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, catapulting the farm into a prestigious wine estate and the beginnings of what is now a sprawling enterprise.

The focus is on terroir specific wines and therefore it would seem obvious that the brand is made up of an impressive portfolio of farms representing the best in grape producing locations. The portfolio is made up of L`Ormarins situated in Franschhoek, Rooderust in Darling, Riebeeksrivier in the Swartland and Altima in isolated Elandskloof. Individually each site offers optimum varietal specific growing conditions, allowing Anthonij Rupert Wyne to adhere to the requirements of their different brands.

Specifications

Electric Spirit Co is distiller-owned and run. Started in 2015 by James Porteous, and award-winning graduate from the Heriot Watt Brewing & Distilling MSc, every drop is distilled and packaged by James at our shared Tower Street Stillhouse. 

Tasting Notes

Achroous is carefully designed to be different while maintaining the distinct character of gin. Juniper and coriander, as well as orris, liquorice and angelica roots, make up the gin's backbone, with fennel seed and Sichuan peppercorn rounding out the short bill. The result is a gin with a resinous juniper base, and earthy floral aroma and a rich, spiced sweetness on the palate. 

Not only is it tasty, but the Electric Spirit Co. has also gone to great effort to make the packaging for Achroous Gin be infinitely recyclable or biodegradable!

Awards 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

It is bright, red/amber in colour with a light young sweet raisin nose. 

Palate

The palate shows nutty raisin apricot flavours, very full and sweet but not cloying. The finish is lingering – very smooth and liqueur-like!

Vinification

This fortified wine is made in the same way that tawny port is made. It is a blend of different vintages all made from fruit growing on Skillogalee vineyards.  These separate wines are fermented and fortified and left to age in oak puncheons (500L).  The current blend is made from 1992 and 1993 vintages predominantly, with a little older material to contribute some aged, rancio character and some younger wine to give freshness and lift.

Around 2000 litres are made each year depending on the vintage.

Winery

A family-owned and operated winery located in the heart of the Clare Valley in South Australia, Skillogalee is known for the exceptional quality of their red and white wines and is widely recognised as one of the region’s top estates. They also lead the way in responsible farming, having practised sustainable methodologies in the vineyard and the winery for many years. The original Skillogalee vineyards were planted in the early 1970’s on stony soils and steep, eastern-facing slopes at almost 500 metres above sea level.

The first wines were released in 1976 and quickly gained acclaim: the 1978 Dry Riesling won major trophies at the Adelaide Wine Show and the National Wine Show, putting Skillogalee firmly on the Australian winemaking map. Aware of the exceptional quality of the vineyards and their potential to produce world-class wines, current owners David and Diana Palmer acquired the property in 1989. In 2002 they purchased next-door neighbour Waninga Vineyards, with 30 hectares of 30-year-old vines, bringing the size of the estate to 60 hectares.

While production increased, the Palmers have taken great care to maintain the quality and characteristic style of the wines. Deciding to avoid the bureaucracy of organic or biodynamic certification does not stop a producer from holding soil health and sustainability as a top priority, and this is the case at Skillogalee. Every effort is taken to ensure the best quality grapes are harvested each year, the vines are hand-pruned, and the fruit is mainly hand-picked, with yields kept extremely low. All wines are produced exclusively from estate-owned vineyards.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Our signature Brut harmonises an average of 32 skillfully selected reserve wines, for an elegant expression that sings with subtle intrigue.

Colour

Pale gold in colour

Nose

The Brut has a generous nose and a bright lemony character with notes of passion fruit and honey.

Palate

Minerality in the mouth indicates a good, balanced structure, with an intense backbone and a lengthy finish with a whisper of white pepper.

The Winery

Exton Park is a Hampshire sparkling wine producer with a 60-acre single vineyard planted on a south-facing slope in the South Downs National Park. Their first vines were planted in 2003, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier and their state-of-the-art winery was built in 2011. A luxurious, private event space overlooking the vineyard is also under construction and will be opening later this year. With a 60-acre single vineyard, a bespoke winery and a breath-taking promotional facility all on one estate, Exton Park will be able to offer guests an unrivalled English wine experience.

2021 marks the release of their Reserve Blend range. These are traditional method sparkling wines that challenge classic winemaking conventions. They do not rely on a base vintage like other English sparkling wine producers. Over 80% of each blend is composed from their extensive archive or reserve wines.

The number of reserves in each blend is reflected in the name of each wine. For example, Exton Park RB28 Blanc de Noirs is created from a blend of 28 wines. This unique approach has been pioneered by Head Winemaker Corinne Seeling to ensure consistency, quality and complexity with each bottling. 

Specifications

"A joyful wine! " ..." A very refreshing style, low alcohol (12%) and it is unbelievably bright on both nose and palate", David Crossley's Wide World of Wine.

Tasting Notes

Unusually for an RS this was a blend of first and second pick. First pick went straight to concrete for ferment which is so vivid and riveting, blended with some second pick fermented in large oak, bringing a fine supple texture that veers from the highly recognisable RS style we know to a structural clarity that seems just a little more amplified than normal.

Mac has chosen not to provide traditional tasting notes for any of his wines. His aim is that his wines hopefully capture vineyard life and vitality. As such the wines are constantly evolving. He believes that the only tasting notes that matter are yours!

The Vineyard

"Over the past 15 years, we have always been overwhelmed by the presence of our Caveat vineyard in the Strathbogie Ranges. A supposedly sealed road that wanders north from Yea climbing to the elevated granite soils that sit 600m above sea level. Generally 5 degrees cooler than the valley floor, this small vineyard is surrounded not by other vineyards but rather unforgiving grazing land."  

The Vintage

A hot and exceptionally dry growing season, yields were low in 2019, but produced grapes with an intense and complex fruit profile different to what we had seen from this site previously. The RS3 is a blend of two harvest days - March 6th and 14th. It was fermented and matured mainly in neutral French oak barriques, with a small component being drawn from our brand new 2000L concrete tank. "

About Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, Chardonnays are loved by those who look for fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice in the variety, his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are some of the country's most unique.

And his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure-trove for the curious drinker and he is honestly one of the most genuine and affable winemakers you'll ever meet!

Specifications

"Neither white nor rosé"

Tasting Notes

(Italian) Copper Pinot Grigio is red onion coloured, with a dry, fresh and balanced taste. It is very fragrant, elegant and fruity but at the same time full-bodied and powerful. Notes of fruit salad, sage, almond. With this method of vinification it is better suited to aging. 

Production

Harvest strictly by hand and in crates. The must remains in contact with the skins for 36 hours, after which it is passed and put back in stainless steel until bottling.

Maturation for 6 months in stainless steel and refinement in bottle for 3 months before being marketed.

Specifications

Biodynamically Farmed & Vegan Approved

Our lively wines have subtle corners and edges. And it’s good this way, because we love natural, authentic wines. Each one has a characteristic soul, which develops from the natural flavours of the grapes and the terroir. All this comes to fruition thanks to our biodynamic cultivation. We also work gently and reductively in the wine cellar.

Tasting Notes

The grapes for this Natural Zweigelt come from two particularly old vineyards in Ried Weisleiten on Vienna`s Nussberg. This bright, polished Zweigelt is quite dark and intense, with aromas of black cherries and plum fruit, as well as a subtle touch of herbs and spices. Fine texture and freshness on the palate with an engaging spiciness that leads to a fruity, cool finish.

In the Cellar

Zweigelt from old vines on the Nussberg forms the basis, maceration and longer storage on the skin (9 weeks) leads to an intense and dark berry fruit, as well as a lively tannin structure.

The wine is then not aged in wood, but in concrete eggs, which can breathe in the same way as wooden barrels, but do not bring those typical oak tones nor toasty aromas. Of course, the wine is neither fined, nor filtered, nor sulfurized, just as we do with the mash-fermented white wines of the NATURAL series. After about 6 months of storage, the wine is put together and bottled, and after several months of aging in the bottle, the NATURAL Zweigelt goes on sale in September immediately before the next harvest.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Salmon pink, with fine and persistent perlage.

Nose

Fresh and mineral, with notes of red berries and brioche.

Palate

Elegant, clean and juicy, with savory aromas.

History

The Moncuit family has been making superb champagne in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, for more than 100 years. Pierre Moncuit had recognised the intrinsic quality of his terroir and, together with his wife Odile, strove to make the best possible champagnes from his grapes. Nicole Moncuit and her brother Yves, along with her daughter Valérie, are now in charge of the domaine and make sublimely complex, delicate wines from 20 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards. The palate of the Cuvée Pierre Moncuit Delos Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs is delicate and refined with citrus fruit and yeasty notes. It is perfect as an apéritif. The vintage Cuvée Millésimée Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs is an outstanding wine, truly representative of the perfect vintage conditions and expressing the full potential of the terroir and the grapes. The Vintage wines are always aged for between 5-10 years. The Grand Cru Brut Rosé is made from 75% Chardonnay from Le Mesnil and 25% Vin Rouge d’Ambonnay

Awards

• The Champagne Brut Rosé Grand Cru by Pierre Moncuit won the Silver Medal at the Concours Mondial du Rosé 2015

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Appealing plum-, black fruit- and spice aromas with a soft smoky nuance. Bright, juicy entry to the mouth with the same black fruit, plum and spice flavours apparent. The subtle brush of smoke is also discernible. Easy drinking and soft-textured, the wine is medium-bodied and eminently quaffable.

In the Vineyard 

The Shiraz grapes were harvested by hand at 24,5 Balling.

In the Cellar

After de-stemming and crushing, the wine is transferred into 10 000L French oak tanks and 10 000L stainless steel tanks. Fermentation on the skins takes place at 26°C for about 15 days. The wine is drained from the skins and the skins pressed. The free-run and press-wine are aged separately and blended after 8 months. Maturation takes place in tanks with tight-grain French oak staves and 3rd-fill barrels for about 10 months.

History

Anthonij Rupert Wyne was founded on the farm, L`Ormarins in Franschhoek. Originally owned by the late Anthonij Rupert, who passed away in 2001, the farm was eventually taken over by his brother Johann Rupert in 2003 and the brand named after him. It was Johann Rupert who constructed a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, catapulting the farm into a prestigious wine estate and the beginnings of what is now a sprawling enterprise.

The focus is on terroir specific wines and therefore it would seem obvious that the brand is made up of an impressive portfolio of farms representing the best in grape producing locations. The portfolio is made up of L`Ormarins situated in Franschhoek, Rooderust in Darling, Riebeeksrivier in the Swartland and Altima in isolated Elandskloof. Individually each site offers optimum varietal specific growing conditions, allowing Anthonij Rupert Wyne to adhere to the requirements of their different brands.

Specifications

This wine showcases the strength of Margaret River for Chardonnay with a restrained, modern, elegantly structured wine from one of the great Margaret River vineyards.

Tasting Notes

Colour

The wine displays fresh green tinges on a pale straw colour. 

Nose

The nose exhibits aromas of fresh-cut pear and honeydew melon with some zesty citric notes. There are no overt woody or buttery aromas with the primary fruit characters expressed with clarity and definition. 

Palate

The palate is fresh and lively with clean crisp acidity complementing the vibrant fruity flavours. The palate has very good extension and ends clean and bright. This is a restrained style of Australian Chardonnay and highlights how far we have come with this style of wine over the last decade.

Producer

We have worked with Michael Kerrigan for more than 25 years, and we are continually impressed with his talent and capacity for reinvention. Former winemaker at Howard Park and Madfish, Michael struck out on his own when his dream vineyards in the key quality region of Wilyabrup came up for sale. With more than 30 years of winemaking under his belt, and 12 years going solo with Hay Shed Hill, this man is one of the most experienced, respected and revered winemakers in Australia - and rightly so. He is also a strong purveyor of classically blunt Aussie pearls of wisdom: “It’s all in the detail - you quite simply visit the vineyard every day. I’m not interested in being epic, I just want to make wine I like to drink”. He likens Margaret River’s climate to “Bordeaux in a perfect year”, and attributes the region’s success to its maritime climate, meaning a low diurnal range, very important in a country that is known for its extremes in temperature, and pretty much everything else!

Michael produces wines under two labels - the entry-level ‘Pitchfork’ range and the estate, single vineyard ‘Hay Shed Hill’ wines. The Pitchfork range represents unprecedentedly good value considering that all of the grapes are grown in Margaret River – very unusual for a wine at the entry-level from this region, and yet another example of Michael’s commitment to quality over all else.

There are 4 lip smackingly good, everyday wines in this range. Everything under the Hay Shed Hill label is single-vineyard, which Michael explains: “I make single vineyard and single block wines because they express a particular character – otherwise what’s the point?” All of the vines are dry farmed and made from free run juice only. The vineyards are around 20 years old and they are all farmed organically, but without certification. The Chardonnay sees 25% new oak and represents the ‘modern Australian Chardonnay’, in the words of its maker.

Reviews

95 Points | James Halliday Estate-grown. The bouquet is very pure, pointing to the restraint of the palate, where white stone fruit, apple and grapefruit do the talking. It was barrel-fermented, which has left its imprint on both the bouquet and palate. The way the wine has developed to date makes me certain it will grow old with grace a long way down the track. Great value.

93 Points | Ray Jordan, Wine Guide 2020 Great fruit from this vintage has pumped some seriuos quality into this excellent chardonnay. Retains a bright and lively mouthfeel, but with layers of complex meal and grapefruit character. Oak is neatly judged, with the 11 months maturation adding further complexity. Rich middle palate with a fine edge of melon and pear to finish. Nice wine.

92 Points | Sam Kim, Wine Orbit Delightfully fruited and elegantly expressed, the wine shows white flesh nectarine, rockmelon, nougat and lemon zest aromas on the nose, leading to a beautifully rounded palate that’s succulent and creamy. It’s splendidly composed and styled, offering lovely drinking.

91 Points | James Suckling, UK This has an array of lemons, lime juice, pears and melon with quite a fine, pared-back and taut textural stance.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Straw-yellow color with light green reflections.

Nose

Intense aroma of blossom and ripen fruit. 

Mouth

It is dry, full, soft, very intense, hazelnut, scents of sweet almonds, pear, green apple, fresh, in a beautiful bedrock minerality.

Background

Specifications

Select fruit from our Awa Block, Awatere Valley, fermented in 500L French oak puncheons to create integrated body and complexity. Flinty, fruity and generous.

Nose

Aromas of juicy ripe stonefruit, pink grapefruit and soft smoky oak.

Palate 

Richly textured palate of citrus, summer fruits and subtle mealy characteristics. Seamless balance, refinement and length.

Vineyard

Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand. Awa (River) Block. Planted 2010. 1.10ha. Silt-loam terraced block renowned for its long, cool ripening period.

Vinification

The 2016/2017 growing season began with a frost-free spring and good early shoot growth. Warm still dry conditions in the late summer, unaffected by early autumn rains in other parts of the region. Warm and settled weather in the latter part of the harvest period allowed extra ripening time.

Winemaking

Hand-harvested grapes, gently whole-bunch pressed • unsettled juice then moved to old French oak barriques for fermentation. Fermentation with natural ‘wild’ yeasts, with a cultivated yeast added partway through fermentation to assist the wine to dryness . Post-fermentation, each barrel underwent twice-weekly batonage (yeast stirring). Malo-lactic fermentation occurred once the weather warmed in the spring. Individual barrel assessment, with only the best deemed exceptional enough to make the final blend.

Bottled March 2018 - 4140 bottles produced

Accolades

• Gold - International Wine Challange 2020 - 95 points

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Palate

Production Method

Specifications

This wine represents outstanding value. The red “Prieler Classic”: a typical Blaufränkisch vinified in large wooden cask. 

Tasting Notes

Colour

Brilliant cherry to ruby ​​red

Nose

Classic varietal bouquet with lush fruit aromas (juicy blackberries), fine notes of pepper and elegant spice

Palate

Robust on the palate with a strong structure and fullness, the clear blackberry fruit is juicy the entire palate and lingers on for a long time in the finale!

From the Producer

Blaufränkisch is in our genes. By “our”, I mean my family and the vintners of Leithaberg. We know this variety’s moods and demands. Blaufränkisch in not an easy variety – whether for us or for you. It is capricious, challenging and stubborn. Rooted in limestone, it wants the sun; growing on schist, it requires refreshing winds. It rests preferably in wood, yet the barrels shouldn’t be too small. Of you, it demands patience. Blaufränkisch needs time. If you yield yourself to Blaufränkisch, you will understand why we fulfil all of this variety’s desires. For me, it is one of the few varieties in the world that perfectly balances two elements: energy and clarity.

In the Cellar & Vineyards

The grapes are carefully crushed and fermented at closely controlled temperatures in steel tanks or wooden casks. The character of the variety and the vineyard determines where the wine will mature. For example, the Seeberg pinot blanc will remain in stainless steel to maximize freshness and clarity, the blaufränkisch from Johanneshöhe will be raised in large oak casks, and top crus like Goldberg will mature in barrique.

Prieler’s meticulous work in the vineyard and in the cellar has earned them awards from Falstaff Magazine (2009 “Vintner of the Year”), Vinaria Magazine (“Best wines of Austria” 2012/2013) and was among Jancis Robinson’s top picks for Austrian red wines. Peter Moser, editor-in-chief of Falstaff wrote, “We were extremely impressed by the Prieler family’s high standards in all wine categories and by their sensitive approach to the specific properties of the respective types of vine and the selection of just the right terroir.”

Accolades

91 points James Suckling

"A very attractive blaufrankisch that shows wild cherries, dark plums and a light touch of mocha and coffee. Full-bodied with grippy, chewy tannins and lots of bright blueberries and roasted herbs. Drink now." (12/2019)

91 points Wine Enthusiast

"A hint of tar clings to the plummy and dark-fruit notes on the nose. The palate is laced with freshness that tames that dark dense juicy fruit while peppery hints add interest. It is a very juicy, compact but layered wine with a dry finish. (AK) " (7/2019)

Wine Spectator

"Light- to medium-bodied, with a juicy core of dark berry fruit, blood orange and rooibos tea hints. Sufficient tannins impart a slight grip on the moderately long finish. (AZ, Web Only-2020) "

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Fresh enticing aromas of apple, white pear and summer fruits are supported by gentle floral notes that invite you in for more. The palate is clean and refreshing, with succulent flavours of white peach and kiwi fruit vying for dominance. Crispy apple, pear and nectarine flavours are also present and beautifully balanced with a firm, fresh acidity which lingers seamlessly in a long finish

In the Vineyard 

The wine spent time on the lees in stainless steel tanks, before being blended and bottled.

In the Cellar

The grapes were handpicked during the early morning hours at optimal ripeness and transported to the cellar. The fruit was both de-stemmed and whole bunch pressed and the juice was settled overnight. All parcels were kept separate and racked into fermentation with selected yeast strain cultures.

History

Anthonij Rupert Wyne was founded on the farm, L`Ormarins in Franschhoek. Originally owned by the late Anthonij Rupert, who passed away in 2001, the farm was eventually taken over by his brother Johann Rupert in 2003 and the brand named after him. It was Johann Rupert who constructed a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, catapulting the farm into a prestigious wine estate and the beginnings of what is now a sprawling enterprise.

The focus is on terroir specific wines and therefore it would seem obvious that the brand is made up of an impressive portfolio of farms representing the best in grape producing locations. The portfolio is made up of L`Ormarins situated in Franschhoek, Rooderust in Darling, Riebeeksrivier in the Swartland and Altima in isolated Elandskloof. Individually each site offers optimum varietal specific growing conditions, allowing Anthonij Rupert Wyne to adhere to the requirements of their different brands.

Specifications

Utterly charming and generous wine from Mac's warmest Pinot site. 

An understated, elegant Pinot with fine ripe red fruit well balanced with freshness and hints of spicy oak. Subtle and long, hints of minerality with great purity.

Tasting Notes

Mac has chosen not to provide traditional tasting notes for any of his wines. His aim is that his wines hopefully capture vineyard life and vitality. As such the wines are constantly evolving. He believes that the only tasting notes that matter are yours!

The Wine

"This is our warmest Pinot vineyard," says Mac, "so we are conscious of protecting the fruit from hot prevailing winds and high temperatures. The soils hold much of the afternoon heat so this is usually the first vineyard picked. Due to the increased exposure, this wine displays greater fruit punctuation supported by a firm yet dense tannin bed."

Critical Acclaim

"Mac Forbes’s pinot noirs – not to mention his gorgeous rieslings – are the epitome of elegant freshness, with this equivalent of a Burgundy village all about purity and clarity of red fruit and subtle savouriness."
David Williams, The Observer Magazine, 14th April 2019

About Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, Chardonnays are loved by those who look for fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice in the variety, his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are some of the country's most unique.

And his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure-trove for the curious drinker and he is honestly one of the most genuine and affable winemakers you'll ever meet!

Alan's Personal Notes

"This is delicious!! Not many times I reach for a second bottle but I did tonight!! Delicate soft berry fruit, fresh acidity but not overwhelming, soft, supple tannins. Light bodied but with great length, structure and complexity- a true masterpiece!!"

Specifications

Pinot Meunier made for smashing in the sunshine. Such a gluggable delight from Mac Forbes!

Tasting Notes

Mac has chosen not to provide traditional tasting notes for any of his wines. His aim is that his wines hopefully capture vineyard life and vitality. As such the wines are constantly evolving. He believes that the only tasting notes that matter are yours!

"This is our second go at a Pinot Meunier. Like its predecessor (EB26) this light red is best served chilled on a balmy day….because sometimes, all you want is a refreshing thirst quenching red." says Mac.

Mac's had a few digs at Pinot Meunier over the last few years, it's as light as a feather. A crunchy nouveau light red that loves a little chill before being served.

Mac's got great feel when crafting Pinot Noir, same deal here with the cousin variety. Chill it down and drink in the warmer months! 

About Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, Chardonnays are loved by those who look for fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice in the variety, his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are some of the country's most unique.

And his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure-trove for the curious drinker and he is honestly one of the most genuine and affable winemakers you'll ever meet!

Specifications

A newcomer to the Artisanal Gin Market, named after Saint Amans, a small village in the department of Tarn-et-Garonne in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France and home to its producers. A gin that is smooth, fruity, floral and with a touch of spices.

Tasting Notes

From our own garden and the region of Saint Amans, we have selected the very best ingredients and botanicals for our gin. Grown from the same loving earth as the grapes themselves. Our gin is comprised of 18 different botanicals, including classic Juniper and, a French specialty, Espelette Pepper. Each of these components adds their special touch to the blend, truly defining the taste and character of our beloved Saint Amans.

This floral gin is best served neat or paired with the following premium Indian tonic waters: Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light, Artonic or London Essence.

Producer

The South of France is a haven for winemakers; the climate producing some of the world's finest grapes. It is the love of these grapes that have formed the basis for our precious gin. Proudly named after the small hamlet in which we live, our gin is the result of a long-lived dream to create something sustainable and with purpose. Something to bring people together. Equally complex as it is balanced, we hope you will enjoy drinking it as much as we have enjoyed making it!

A Labour of love

In France, respecting the land and its produce is of great value. It seeps into everything we do and instills pride in what we create. For us, the botanical garden we have grown embodies all of this. Nestled between vineyards in the heart of Saint Amans, it is the home of our gin and a source of its ingredients.

The Perfect Match

Our partnership has brought together two very complementary interests; Anne's love of growing fruits, flowers and herbs alongside Jean-Louis' life long fascination with 'marc de raisin' (a winemaking derivative - spirit of the grape). It's this harmony of skills that has laid the perfect foundation to create our gin.

Specifications

Expressive, tropical fruit, white pepper & a touch of richness. A limited production wine, with only small amounts produced each year.

Tasting Notes

Our iconic Blanc de Noirs masters an average of 28 Pinot Noir reserve wines from our library, many from our very earliest plantings, to create a complex and sophisticated sparkling wine. Favoured by gourmets and gastronomes, Exton Park’s Blanc de Noirs is a true showcase for the precision of sparkling Pinot Noir.

Colour

Pale gold in the glass

Nose & Palate

The Blanc de Noirs opens with notes of freshly baked brioche and a touch of lime tree blossom, moving to rich rounded fruit and a long, delicately spiced finish.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir from our single vineyard, this expressive and fruity wine is precise, charming and English to its core.

The Winery

Exton Park is a Hampshire sparkling wine producer with a 60-acre single vineyard planted on a south-facing slope in the South Downs National Park. Their first vines were planted in 2003, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier and their state-of-the-art winery was built in 2011. A luxurious, private event space overlooking the vineyard is also under construction and will be opening later this year. With a 60-acre single vineyard, a bespoke winery and a breath-taking promotional facility all on one estate, Exton Park will be able to offer guests an unrivalled English wine experience.

2021 marks the release of their Reserve Blend range. These are traditional method sparkling wines that challenge classic winemaking conventions. They do not rely on a base vintage like other English sparkling wine producers. Over 80% of each blend is composed from their extensive archive or reserve wines.

The number of reserves in each blend is reflected in the name of each wine. For example, Exton Park RB28 Blanc de Noirs is created from a blend of 28 wines. This unique approach has been pioneered by Head Winemaker Corinne Seeling to ensure consistency, quality and complexity with each bottling. 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Accolades

• Chardonnay BA 2016
  • IWC London: Bronze medal (86 Points)
  Chardonnay BA 2015
  • IWC London: Silver medal (92 Points)
  Chardonnay BA 2010
  • IWC London: Gold medal (95 Points)

Specifications

It is a lively and easy-going red wine, with fine-grained tannins that give it a smooth mouthfeel.

4,800 bottles produced

Tasting Notes

The Casa Cabernet Sauvignon is lively and easy-going on the palate, with fine-grained tannins that give it a smooth mouthfeel. It delivers aromas of delicious juicy red and black fruit notes and an underlayer of grilled green pepper. It offers a clean fruit profile and bright acidity, making it an approachable and enjoyable unoaked red wine for any occasion.

Vintage

2022 was a long and dry growing season of outstanding quality. Veering on the cooler side of average temperatures, yields were still plentiful, and grapes achieved ideal ripeness throughout a very long cycle. Rainfall was limited, but abundant glacial water and sporadic showers were timed perfectly to help the vine’s balance. After cooler autumn and ideal growing conditions in February and March, we were able to produce wines with remarkable quality.

History

It was the year 2002 when a group of friends decided to invest in Argentina. They knew little about wine production, but all were passionate wine lovers and excited about the vision of bringing Argentine wines to the world stage. They bought the land that would become Finca Ambrosia and set about turning their idea into reality. At this time, the Gualtallary district began to attract the interest of wine producers, primarily because of its outstanding soil and climate characteristics. Encouraged by the positive forecasts, the friends bought 3 more plots over the years, from which the current winery emerged. Today, Gualtallary is considered the best terroir for producing premium wines in the province of Mendoza.

Specifications

This stretch of glorious sunshine has everyone out in their gardens, firing up the BBQs and planning alfresco gatherings with friends and family. To make it even better, we’re excited to introduce our Sizzling Summer Mixed Case, featuring a selection of fantastic wines!

Each case contains the following wines -

• 2023 Fontessa Prosecco Rosé - A fresh and delicately fruity Prosecco Rosé with red berry and floral aromas. Lively on the palate with ripe strawberry and raspberry notes and a clean, refreshing finish.
• 2023 Beykush Artania Rose - A light playful Rose Wine - Just have time to watch what is happening in the glass and cut the cheese or ham.
• 2022 Dornier Cocoa Hills Sauvignon Blanc - This Sauvignon Blanc is made from grapes from the Stellenbosch and Elgin area. The wine has an attractive green tinge in the glass with intense aromas of gooseberry, ripe passion fruit and lime. The mouthfeel is lively with tastes of green melon and lemon with a lingering aftertaste.
• 2023 Smalltown Vineyards The Black Craft Shiraz - 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.  As the name implies, black is the key - anything chargrilled would be superb here, so think griddle pans and barbecues!
• 2023 Brotte Baies Dorees Viognier - 

  The bouquet offers a unique aromatic range including citrus flowers, exotic fruits, apricots, white-fleshed stone fruit and jasmine.  Intensely fruity and well balanced this wine is mouth-filling which works in harmony with the flavours of exotic fruit and toasted brioche.  Serve as an aperitif or enjoy with toasted goat’s cheese, carpaccio of tuna, white asparagus with hollandaise sauce, brandade de morue, fillet of sole in lemon butter, chicken and green olive ragout, a cheese platter.

• 2019 Armigero Sangiovese Riserva "What a big, bold, rustic beast. Full bodied and smooth with cherry fruits followed by some Mediterranean garrigue and a slab of vanilla to finish - a big wine with big flavours no matter how you look at it - it’s not shy!!" Alan's note

Raise a glass to Summer and save 18%! | Double the fun and you'll score free delivery too!

Please note that no further discount applies on this special offer.

A great intro to cool climate Syrah from the cool climate master Mac Forbes.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Vivid purple

Nose

Fresh fruit scent.

Palate

Very intense, bittersweet, with crunchy blackcurrant flavours. Pepper and spice on the finish. 

Is this a look-alike for Hermitage? Whatever, it’s very convincing. One of Matthew Jukes’ 100 best Australian Wines 2018/19. 

The Vintage

In 2017, the warmer conditions offered fruit ripeness with plenty of flavour from the fruit grown on his home block near Healesville. This Syrah is filled with spice and plenty of juicy fruit. It sits well and truly in the cool-climate style, however, there is no shortage of flavour. Lovers of the spicy side of Syrah will find plenty of joy here. Very high quality Yarra Syrah for a modest price.

Alan's Tasting Notes

Such a wolf in sheep’s clothing, iron fist in velvet glove kinda wine, very attractive, super smooth with lots of supple fruit and no real tannins or rough edges. But it’s complex and packs a real punch at the same time!! Stupendous from young Mac - maybe he should spend more time on Syrah/Shiraz!!

About Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, Chardonnays are loved by those who look for fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice in the variety, his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are some of the country's most unique.

And his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure-trove for the curious drinker and he is honestly one of the most genuine and affable winemakers you'll ever meet!

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Medium yellow-green, silver reflections. 

Nose

Inviting bouquet with fine herbal savouriness, fine blossom honey and delicate yellow tropical fruit.

Palate

Complex, juicy palate with fine notes of honeydew melon, well balanced with dark minerality on the finish and good length. 

Producer

The Wachau valley is one of the most beautiful historic landscapes in the world and has been included, since 2000, as part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Here in between the Danube on the one side and the mountains on the other side is the of the village of Spitz located

Five generations of Hirtzbergers have lived here, tending the vines which have been planted in the Wachau Valley the 13th Century. Today wine is produced with all the modern know-how at our disposal, but still following the tradition of the Wachau valley and our family.

Accolades

• 91 points Stephen Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (March 2020)

Specifications

Rainer Wess wines have been synonymous with high quality wines from the Kremstal. He started studying wine in the 1980's and working in Bordeaux. He moved back to Austria in the 90's and worked with some of the top wineries in the area before setting up his own winery in 2003. 

Tasting Notes

2011 was a ripe vintage, producing generous powerful wines. Loibenberg has gneiss soil on top of granite rock, which helps aid minerality in the wine. 

Herbs, stone fruit, multi-layered aroma, papaya, full-bodied wine, harmonious drinking flow, slightly peppery notes in the finish, long reverberation

100% Bonbino Bianco grown in Adria in Castel del Monte, the wine is delicious, aromatic and refreshing.

The advanced degree of ripeness of the grapes is balanced by the good acidity typical of this variety, resulting in a wine with intense and complex aromas and excellent drinkability and freshness.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Pale straw yellow colour 

Nose

On the nose emerge hints of white flowers such as jasmine, and fruity white peach and green apple 

Palate

On the palate it is full, fresh and fruity, well balanced by a pleasant acidic note.

Producer

Marese  Rivera is produced from native Bombino bianco grapes in the territories included in the Castel del Monte Docg recognized in 2011, to seal the great quality of the wines that are produced there. The grapes are harvested at the end of September with an advanced degree of ripeness, in order to balance their natural acidity and express the varietal character to the maximum. The aromas are fresh and fruity with notes of rennet apple and the same sensations are found on the palate where the acidic note makes the sip very pleasant.

Specifications