No Tricks, Just Wine

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

Tasting Notes

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

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

Producer

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

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

Specifications

Nose

Untouched by oak, this richly textured Marlborough Chardonnay displays aromas of ripe nectarine, melon and bright citrus underpinned by complex nutty butterscotch gained from both extended time on lees and malolactic fermentation.

Palate

On the palate fresh flavours of peach and tropical fruit are balanced with subtle creaminess and great length; leading to a smooth, fresh and focused finish.

Viticulture

Vinification

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

Colour

A bright ruby hue in the glass

Nose

Aromatic layers of red fruit and spicy florals with hints of crushed herbs.

Palate

The palate is smoothly textured with flavours of bright cherry, red berries and finely integrated French oak. Mid-weight on the palate, this wine is balanced with refined silky tannins that lead to a long and elegant finish.

Vinification

Grapes for this wine are handpicked at optimal ripeness before being transported back to the winery for processing. Once at the winery the fruit is gently destemmed and then lightly crushed using state of the art processing equipment. Batch fermented according to block and clone in small open-top fermenters, the must undergo a cold soak lasting around 7 days before being warmed and inoculated either with selected yeasts or left to undergo a ‘wild’ ferment using indigenous yeasts found naturally on the grapes.

Once fermentation is complete the wine undergoes a short period of post-fermentation maturation on skins before being pressed directly to a combination old and new French barriques. These barrels are kept cool in a temperature controlled cellar over the winter months, before being warmed in spring, allowing the wine to undergo a secondary malolactic fermentation. Barrels are carefully monitored over this period and once the malolactic fermentation is determined to be 100% complete the final blend is carefully put together before being filtered and bottled in late March

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

What strikes us is the beautiful lifted floral notes and a lovely punchy mouthful of fruit and earth on the palate. Bright and vibrant in colour, with aromas of raspberries , violets and nutmeg. The palate is silky with great balance and a fine structure. A wine styled for approachability.

Vinification

From a mix of French clones the Syrah was handled similarily to the Wildflower Organic Pinot Noir with a cold soak and hot ferment.

Viticulture

Our Maraekakaho Vineyard is planted on an ancient river terrace that was formed by the Ngaruroro River which now flows around 60 meters below the vineyard. With its headwaters in the Kaweka Ranges to the west of Hawkes Bay, the river has created the landscapes through glacial melts, floods and droughts over the last few hundred thousand years. The old terraces that remain are made up of greywacke (a compressed sandstone) boulders and gravels from the ranges, and a topsoil borne of windblown loess, volcanic ash and humus created by ancient forests and vegetation.

The arrival of the New Year brought with it the long, hot, sunny summer days with moderate-cool nights for perfect ripening conditions, whilst preserving fresh acidity. Superb harvest climatic conditions provided the luxury of optimal picking decisions not hurried by the threat of rain. The result is an outstanding year for our Hawke’s Bay wines. Yields are slightly down, but with exceptional quality across all varieties. Full flavour and tannin ripeness in reds, with moderate alcohol levels. Acid retention and exciting flavour spectrums in whites.

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

We can't recommend this enough. A beautifully balanced dessert wine, lovingly crafted, and an absolute steal!

Tasting Notes

Nose

A nose of intense lemon curd, marmalade, and orange peel with fragrant honeysuckle notes.

Palate

The palate has lots of ripe apricot and acacia honey characters with honeyed sweetness, well-balanced by a fresh citrus zest bite on the lingering finish.

Production Method

Palazzina vineyard is on the Il Cascinone estate. Vine yield is 3000 liters per hectare. The fruit is hand-harvested in the second half of October (about one month later than the usual Moscato harvest). The grapes are dried on 'graticci' - a traditional Italian rush mat. During this time 40% of the fruit's weight is lost by water evaporation. In mid-December, the whole bunches are pressed and then a slow fermentation is undertaken in oak barrels for 2 months followed by 12 months ageing prior to bottling.

Producer

Il Cascinone was acquired by leading Piemonte producer Araldica in 1999 - an exceptional estate in the Monferrato hills which has undergone extensive restoration and replanting. Now around 70ha of the total 102ha are in full production, with the warmer, southwest-facing slopes used to grow Barbera, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - whilst the northeast slopes are ideal for more aromatic varieties Brachetto and Moscato, along with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

The 'Il Cascinone' range (and part of the Alasia range) is produced with grapes sourced from Araldica’s most prized vineyards, both on the estate itself and from other selected sites. This includes the further d'Annona vineyard in the village of Fontanile - purchased by Claudio Manera in 1998. This south-west facing vineyard is a source of premium quality Barbera, from vines over 60 years old. Grapes from d'Annona are brought to Il Cascinone for vinification.

All harvesting at Il Cascinone and d'Annona is by hand. The Araldica winemaking team of Claudio Manera, Lella Burdese and Carlo Manera oversee all production.

Awards

Specifications

Specifications

a

A vibrant red blend of Mendoza's favourite red varieties, the label is equally animated, depicting Mendozancontempoary and classic culture.

Tasting Notes

With lifted aromatics and a bright, brambly palate this is a really appealling expression of a classic Mendozan blend. Bonarda is dark and juicy, freshened by the gently tart Cab with the aromatic lift of Malbec all making for a deliciously vibrant wine.

Production

This wine marries the best of Mendoza’s widely planted cultivars. Grapes such as Bonarda, Cabernet and Malbec have long been favored in the Barrancas region and have been well suited to the warm dry climate. Whilst Malbec stole the limelight, lots of these vineyards have become older and produce excellent fruit. These grapes are co fermented in stainless steel and then spend time in concrete where it’s tannin and acidity softens before the wines’ release.

Producers

Boutinot has been working with growers in Argentina for over 15 years, constantly sourcing the best value from vintage to vintage. Winemaker Eric Monnin has been working tirelessly over the last few years to secure the best long term contracts for these important wines sourced from specific old vine estates in Mendoza. Recent vintages have really started to show the results of this long-term vision with regards to quality and value.

Specifications

A delightful, fresh, and crisp example of Sauvignon Blanc.

Tasting Notes

Bright lemon-green in colour. Intense and fruity, with lovely aromas of green apple and grapefruit. Very refreshing on the palate

Viticulture

Gascony is both wild and beautiful all at the same time... With its rolling countryside dotted with maritime pine and cypress trees, its luxurious vineyards and medieval hilltop towns, the area is one of the most preserved French treasures. Home to viticulture since Roman times, the IGP Côtes de Gascogne shares the same area of production as the Armagnac appellation. Gascony is also famous for its rich gastronomy and its “douceur de vivre” or easy-living atmosphere. The Colombard and Sauvignon Blanc grapes are predominantly produced in the Côte de Gascogne area of the South-West of France. The region has a fantastic reputation for fresh white wines. Capable of adapting to the hot climate, it provides nice acidity with lovely flavours. The resulting wines are crisp and fresh, with very intense aromas of lime, nectarine and grapefruit.

Production

The winemaking process is designed to preserve freshness and to enhance the aromatic potential of the wine. The berries are harvested at night, when temperatures are low, as soon as they have reached optimal maturity. The crop is then pneumatically pressed in order to extract only the premium juices. The fermentation process is carried out at a low temperature to preserve aromatic intensity. All these steps create a fragrant and refreshing white wine!

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

'This is an interesting wee find from a very good wine co-operative in the s of France. Dry, fresh and crisp with a dollop of citric & tropical fruit giving great mouthfeel, complexity and balance without breaking the bank. I reckon this will become a successful crowd pleaser for our community - so get your order in quick as stocks are limited - so says the wine doctor.

 A delightful easy drinking little number - perfect with any seafood or chicken dish - or salads.'  November 2024

A rich and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon from the very first sip!

Tasting Notes

 Aromas of blackberry and raspberry are accompanied by notes of fragrant lilac and vanilla. Rich and expressive from first sip, this is a food friendly Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts with flavors of juicy plum, black cherry and strawberry, along with a hint of 
sweet baking spices. 

Background

Cycles Gladiator was founded in 2005 with the mission to create high quality, affordable wines that honour the iconic artwork on the label by empowering and inspiring women. Proudly sourced from some of California’s top wine growing regions , award-  winning winemaker Adam LaZarre crafts each wine with passion and care from grape to glass.

Specifications

Textbook Alsace Gewurztraminer - elegant and harmonious.

Tasting Notes

A fantastic balance of ripeness, varietal character and finesse, with a fragrant rose water and lychee nose, lemon aromas and a slight steely character. The palate is the ideal balance of richness and freshness, with notes of rose petal, honey and faint hints of lemon.

Production

Produced traditionally by winemaker Michel Lihrmann - pneumatic pressing, temperature controlled fermentation, no fining and light filtration before bottling - to preserve the fruit, aroma and elegance of the grapes. His philosophy is to make wines with good acidity and fruit balance whilst retaining freshness and harmony.

Producer

Widely regarded as one of the best co-operatives in the world, Cave de Turckheim lies at the mouth of the Munster Valley. Working closely with 180 partners, its vineyards span the full breadth of Alsatian terroir and grape varieties. Cave de Turckheim only produces wine from the grapes of its member growers, it is a récoltant not a négociant.

Substantial investment in the winery has enabled the team to vinify many parcels of grapes separately, offering Michel Lihrmann (senior winemaker for 25 years) the chance to highlight each wine's nuances in his signature dry, yet fruit forward, style.

Committed to producing the highest quality wines, growers are encouraged to keep yields low - for example, Cave de Turckheim voluntarily caps yields for its Grands Crus vineyards at 45hl/ha rather than the permitted 55hl/ha - and to pick the grapes by hand. This is part of a long term and innovative strategy of sustainability that includes developing the largest holdings of organic vineyards in Alsace, using natural alternatives to chemical treatments, and a green overview of all vineyard practices. Alongside some great organic wines, the extensive range runs from the excellent value Tradition wines right through to individual Grand Cru bottlings, plus fantastic Crémants d’Alsace and Vendange Tardive dessert wines.

Sustainability

An awareness of social and environmental concerns has always been high on the agenda for the Cave de Turckheim’s growers. They were among the first in France to practice integrated agriculture, an approach that combines the best of modern tools and technologies with traditional practices, lowering the consumption of energy and other resources, reducing environmental pollution, conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainability. In 2014, all the members of the co-operative obtained Agri Confiance Volet Vert (Green Section) certification and in 2015, they all obtained High Environmental Value Level 2 certification. The growers are aiming for HVE Level 3 certification in late 2019.

In 2008, a number of growers decided to commit to the rigorous standards of organic viticulture. As part of Alliance Alsace, approximately 70 hectares of vines are now cultivated organically, having obtained organic certification in 2011, with a further 30 hectares in transition. These vignerons have revived ancestral practices, tilling the soil and undertaking work that facilitates the elimination of weeds and the combat against the two major diseases: powdery mildew which is tackled with sulphur and mildew which is treated with copper sulphate. Natural fertilisers are also used (nettle, horsetail, comfrey, and dandelion), fortifying the vines and increasing their natural resistance. Organic winegrowers meticulously observe their vines, enabling them to intervene in the right place and at the right time, rather than treating the plants systematically.

Turckheim’s commitment to the environment extends to the winery where it strives to conserve natural resources. Sorting waste for recycling, reducing its carbon footprint, using solar panels, and preventing pollution are just some examples of how environmental considerations are present in every aspect of its daily work. Committed to both the environment and its customers, Cave de Turckheim also plays an important role in the local economy.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes 

Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value!

Tasting Notes 

Tasting Notes 

This Chardonnay showcases the richness and complexity of its terroir.

Tasting Notes

Colour

The golden colour in the glass

Nose

Bright aromas of stone fruit and golden apple, underscored by rich, toasted oak.

Palate

Ripe, round tropical flavours of pineapple and mango are complimented by notes of vanilla and butter.

Winemaking Notes

The 2021 vintage saw a late harvest with great quality fruit. All grapes were taken directly to press as whole clusters, gently pressed into tanks, cold-settled, racked as clean juice, and fermented over a two-month period at very cool temperatures. Once primary fermentation was completed, select lots ofthe wine went through a complete secondary fermentation to add a rich, buttery component.

Background

Cycles Gladiator was founded in 2005 with the mission to create high quality, affordable wines that honour the iconic artwork on the label by empowering and inspiring women. Proudly sourced from some of California’s top wine growing regions , award-  winning winemaker Adam LaZarre crafts each wine with passion and care from grape to glass.

Accolades

• Top 25 Best Buy Ratings by Wine Enthusiast

Specifications

This is Gamay Noir with white juice. The vines resulting from massal and clonal selections are between between 10 and 30 years old. Planting density is 6500 vines per hectare. Average yields are 50 to 55 Hl/Ha, barely a liter of grape juice per vine. 

Tasting Notes

Colour

Ruby-red colour, bold, garnet red highlights.

Nose

Aromatic, elegant, subtle violet aromas, intense fresh fruit aromas, subtle strawberry aromas, generous raspberry aromas, subtle cinnamon aromas.

Palate

Elegant, delicate, smooth, violet overtones, generous fresh fruit hints, vanilla hints, fresh tannin, round, slightly mineral, light body, good intensity, long length.

Soil

Vinification

Accolades

• Silver Medal - Concours des vins des Vignerons Indépendants 2023 
• Gold Medal - Concours international Gilbert et Gaillard 2023 

Specifications

The label reflects the wine's provenance high up on the Piekenierskloof plateau, where stumpy bush-vines appear frozen in poses of agony. Their meagre yield gives a wine that's bright, tangy, textural and distinctly salty on the finish. Drink slowly to take all this in!

Tasting Notes

Fresh and zesty aromas with notes of almond skin, fennel and even a little jasmine. A bright natural acidity on the palate with a teasing top note of grassy fennel, almond nuttiness and the residual salinity of an old dry grown vineyard. Drink slowly to take all this in.

Production

On the fecund plateau of Piekenierskloof there exists some extraordinary bush. Dwarfish, seemingly petrified stumps punctuate a high rolling landscape of rye-grass and rooibos. Amongst these are old plantings of Grenache Noir, Chenin Blanc and, here and there, Palomino. Strange Kompanjie has isolated one such block for a teeny release of old vine Palomino, planted in 1977.

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

‘Kaalvoet Meisie’ is the Afrikaans word for ‘Barefoot Girl’, which alludes to this wine being the lighter style of Sauvignon Blanc from HPF.

"She’s the Soul of Sondagskloof. She gets a thrill kissing the earth with the souls of her feet and loves wriggling her toes in the soils of Sondagskloof.. Known for her natural freshness and mouthfeel, she offers European minerality with nuances of fresh fynbos spice and green apple. Single varietal Sauvignon blanc. Wine of Origin Sondagskloof."

Tasting Notes 

Nose

Dominant yellow fruit (peaches) with undertones of pacific fruit (star fruit, dragon fruit and white pear). Also shows fresh fynbos and buchu.

Palate

Characterised by freshness and minerality. Good texture, consistency, and length.

Vinification

A lighter style of Sauvignon blanc including components from three different vinification processes. The early ripening blocks (25-35%) are subjected to a hyper-oxidation treatment. The biggest part of the blend (50-65%) undergoes skin contact for 2 days at 10 degrees C, while the last (latest ripening or final) riper blocks (10%) are treated reductively. We use small percentages of varietals such as Nouvelle and Viognier to add the proverbial ‘sugar and spice’, while the smidgeon of Sémillon adds fullness to the blend.

The earlier vintages are more in a linear style and will start to showcase some tertiary flavours, where the younger vintages will have dominant yellow fruit aromas (peaches and pineapple), with undertones of pacific fruit (star fruit, dragon fruit and white pear) and fresh fynbos/buchu. On the palate we strive to create a fine balance between freshness and minerality, supported by good texture and length. 

History

You’ve probably heard of the quaint beach town of Hermanus, situated on South Africa’s famous Whale Coast. Between 1855 and 1902, it was called Hermanuspietersfontein. In 1902, the local postmaster decided to shorten the name of the town to make addressing letters to the locals easier.

150 years later, the wine farm Hermanuspietersfontein, or HPF for short, craft outstanding wines with a serious sense of place. Their grapes come from Sondagskloof, which competes with Elgin and the Ceres Plateau for South Africa’s coolest wine growing region.

Crisp, unoaked, naturally fermented Chardonnay with purity of fruit and good depth of flavour from extended lees ageing.

Tasting Notes

Classy Chardonnay with flinty minerality and great purity and restraint. A citrus core with ripe apple, pear and delicate tropical notes, produces a wine with great poise. Extended time on the lees adds nutty and toasty notes. Intense yet delicate right through to the finish.

Production

The grapes for False Bay Crystalline Chardonnay stem primarily from a single vineyard in Stellenbosch located next door to one of the region's most lauded proponents of this noble cultivar. This coastal vineyard, gives lower yields, smaller berries which maintain their own natural acidity, thus obviating the need to add acid during the winemaking process. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, fermented spontaneously with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks and then left on lees for a minimum of six months before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa.

Producer

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

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

Specifications

Tasting Notes

It starts with cassis, a nose full of promise. Clove and black pepper spice. The palate is dark and sultry with a dried fruit appeal. It finishes with a gentle lick of oak from the time the wine spends in oak.

Deliciously juicy, forward style of Shiraz from cool Coastal vineyards.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A vibrant juicy style of Shiraz with ripe bramble and black cherry on the nose.

Palate

Fresh summer pudding fruits and gentle spice on the palate lead to a mellow and satisfyingly rich finish.

Production

The vineyards for this Shiraz clamber up the foothills of the Swartland mountains which are comprised of sandstone and alluvial soils. This region is hot and dry which forces these unirrigated vines to work hard to produce low yields and small berries. Produced from only free-run juice and fermented on skins in stainless steel tanks, a portion of the grapes are whole bunch fermented as the ripe stems add to the overall tannin quality of the wine. The remainder of the grapes are destemmed and pressed. After a third of the sugar has fermented, delestage is done once per day. The wine is drawn off at the bottom of the tank and transferred into a separate tank. Once complete, it is then transferred back into the fermentation tank onto the skins and stems. This method ensures more air is incorporated into the wine which helps to release the fresh, fruity, and spicy aromas known so well in this wine. When the final blend has been made, it is aged on fine lees for an extended period in French oak barrels along with around 15% from the previous vintage. This ensures a more complex wine with greater palate weight and mouthfeel.

Producer

Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.

Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, and terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules, and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature, and science to create versatile, expressive, and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.

Specifications

Winery

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

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

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes 

"Great wine makes one dream. Please take care of this wine as it is exceptional. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into producing this stellar wine. 2012 is our best vintage since the infamous 2009 vintage."

Vineyards

Planted in 2003 in rows running in an east-west direction. Clone 163 – fruit-driven and upfront and Clone 46 – structured and serious. Trellised in a VSP system with plantings 1.2 x 2.4m. Canopy height of approximately 1.4m with vines height of 40cm off the ground. Leaf removal on Clone 163 is done on both sides of the bunches, whilst leaf removal on Clone 46 is only done on the morning side to increase light intensity and fruit concentration. Picking dates are determined by sugar loading and berry aromatic sequence. Irrigation is done via Leaf Water Potential and determined by a pressure chamber. ‘Koffieklip’ soil of approximately 1m in depth at the bottom of the Helderberg Mountain, 8km from False Bay. All this adds to premium quality.

Vinification

Picked by hand. Berry sorting. Cold soaking of up to 14 days. Long slow natural fermentation with one punch down by hand per day. Fermentation took up to 40 days. Natural malolactic fermentation in barrels. Matured in custom-made barrels – by our suppliers: Bruno Lorenzon (Burgundy), Chassin (Burgundy) and Boutes (Bordeaux) – for for up to 16 months. The different blocks and clones were then blended and bottled with minimum filtration.

Winery

Situated in the “Golden Triangle” of wine growing, at the foot of the Helderberg mountains, Eikendal vineyards flourish in a mountain and maritime microclimate, ideal for the production of quality wine.

Accolades

• 92pts | Tim Atkin

• 90pts | Christian Eedes (Winemag) 2015

Dark fruit, violets and attractive oak on the nose. Massive fruit concentration – despite a relatively low alcohol by volume of 14.27%. Good freshness and optimally ripe tannins. Neither green nor sweet but curiously not that approachable at the moment. Almost too good to be true but will surely benefit from time in bottle.

• 4.5 Platter Stars | 2015 Platter's

2012 restrained yet compelling, as is whole range. As with previous, expressive yet refined in its silkily fresh texture, ripe, pure fruit. Crafted to last; should achieve a grand maturity.”

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Now this is interesting. The current release will be '19 or '20 so this has a good bit of bottle age. Rich, concentrated blackcurrant fruit - which either comes from old vines or as in this case bottle maturity - with fine grain tannins, great length and tremendously smooth. Didn’t throw much sediment. A cracking premium quality wine at an amazing price - this back/museum vintage is exclusive to us because we’re a top customer of our supplier." Tasted 31 Dec 2023

Specifications

From the heart of the River Dão - a classic profile, colour and flavour of the region.

Only 6823 bottles produced

Tasting Notes

A full-bodied and elegant wine, extremely well-balanced with red fruit aromas. Ripe red fruits, such as cherries and raspberries, floral and earthy notes, in addition to menthol and spice touches. Fruit forward backed up by a good core of moderate tannins. It’s a lip-smacking, delicious wine with a finish that lingers in the mouth. 

Production

Quinta Vale das Escadinhas is also known as Quinta da Falorca. In the hands of the fifth generation of the Figueiredo family, the winery is located in the heart of Dão - Silgueiros - and is essentially dedicated to the production of DOC wines using principles of sustainable agriculture. There are thirteen hectares of vineyards that produce red varieties, such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Afrocheiro, Tinta Pinheira and Jaen, and white varieties, such as Encruzado and Malvasia. Since 2000 the winery has been producing its Premium wine, Quinta da Falorca, and has several wines with 95 points on the Robert Parker scale

They are among the secret heroes of the international wine world. In his wines, wine lovers will find the individuality that is often lost in times of increasing globalization of wine taste: authentic, traditionally prepared wines with a radiant regional character, made from indigenous grape varieties in a small edition.

At Falorca, they always bring the Traditional Blend to the market after 4-5 years. This is purposefully kept off the market until they start drinking at their best especially as the Touriga is a grape with great aging potential and needs time to mature. The vineyards are on average 40-year-old vines with some vineyards over 70 years old. These contain over 30 different Touriga clones and this important genetic strain is carefully preserved by grafting cuttings from existing old vines onto new roots.

One of the reasons Quinta da Falorca wines are among the very best Portuguese wines is because the Falorca vineyards are able to produce ripe tannins and sugar levels in Touriga Nacional at 13-13.5% alcohol so the wines remain unprecedentedly elegant and don't become alcoholic bombs. 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Nose

Generous aromas of wild berries and gentle creamy notes. 

Palate

Full, fruity and concentrated on the palate with persistent bubbles and delicate red fruit on the finish.

Production Method

Made predominantly from the indigenous Trepat red variety on the 35 hectares of vineyard at the Can Macia estate, in the Anoia river basin in Odena. Made using the traditional method with secondary fermentation in bottle. The wine is matured for an extended period of 18 months before disgorgement to enhance the complex, fruity aromas.

The Estate

At 450m in altitude, the estate is the second-highest winery in the region and at the very limit of Cava production. Some of their vines are over 50 years old.

Mas Macià’s vineyards are now certified organic and the Bohigas family is planning to produce organic still wines initially before focusing upon organic Cava production.

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 

Grown in pure limestone soil with extremely high mineral content, results in a lively wine layered with fine, saline-like structure.

A crisp Chardonnay with elderflower and lime blossom aromas, almond biscotti and light oak flavours on the palate. Natural salts found in the soils present a delicate sensation of minerality in Baleia’s food-driven wines and prepares the palate beautifully.

Winemaking Philosophy

"As a winemaker, when you are fortunate enough to plant in almost pure limestone soils, with extremely high pH, you can only start to dream of the possibilities. The incredibly high mineral content in the soils reveals itself after a few years in the bottle, provided we respect the fruit and treat the wine carefully." says Gunter Schultz

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. 

A very classy St Emilion Grand Cru.

Tasting Notes

Juicy red and black fruits with some drier cedary streaks on the palate. A classy, complex wine with fantastic structure and a long-lingering finish.

Producer

Domaines Bouyer was a group of two top Bordeaux estates that by 2008 covered 18 hectares in Saint-Emilion. The Saint-Emilion properties Château Milon Grand Cru and Clos de la Cure Grand Cru have been in the Bouyer family for over seven generations, before being joined in 2010 by the newly purchased 56 are (0.56 hectare) Clos 56 in Pomerol. In the capable hands of Alexia and Pierre Bouyer, the domaine takes an ecological approach to the running of the estates aiming to bring out the best of their terroir marked by the fullness of ripe Merlot with intense red fruit aromas underpinned by delicate tannins.

Production

A portion of the vines are situated on the Saint Christophe des Bardes plateau and the rest are situated on the plateau of Saint Etienne de Lisse, covering a total area of 7.5 hectares. The vineyard has clay topsoil over limestone sub-soil. Vines are 25-30 years old with a vine density of 6600-9000 vines per hectare. Grapes are harvested both by hand and machine, yielding 35-40 hl per hectare. Vines are pruned in single guyot and leaf thinning and green harvesting is carried out. Prefermentation cold soaking. Vinification in tank with punching down and 3-4 weeks post-fermentation maceration in temperature controlled tanks. The wine was then matured between 12 - 15 months in barrel (new). Cellar potential between 10 - 15 years.

Specifications

Good value satellite Saint-Émilion.

Tasting Notes

A very classy Claret nose leads on to a ripe, flavoursome Merlot palate, smooth with a pleasingly long finish for such a good value wine.

Producer

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

Production

Lussac is a village to the North West of Saint-Émilion, granted appellation status in 1936. Predominately Merlot vines averaging 25 years of age grown on gravelly/clay soil. Grapes are carefully harvested before being destemmed and crushed and transfered to temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Fermentation last around 10-15 days, with 7 days maceration.

Sustainability

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

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

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Appealing with lots of depth of fruit and concentrated aromas of ripe raspberry and soft summer fruits.

Production Method

Château de Belleverne is owned by the Bataillard family – Didier, his brother Alain and nephew Michael. Founded on just 8ha in 1969, the family’s vineyards now total 36ha with plots in four of the ten Beaujolais Cru - Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent and Saint-Amour. Belleverne’s Beaujolais Villages vines are planted on light, sandy soils surrounding the domaine and village of La Chapelle de Guinchay, 3km east of Chénas. Viticulture conforms to the ‘High Environmental Value’ (HVE) principles; a certification Belleverne gained in 2018 to ‘a guarantee that the pressure applied to the environment by farming practices (on air, water, soil, climate, biodiversity and landscape) is kept to a minimum.’

In Beaujolais vinification traditionally includes carbonic maceration, where the weight of the grapes naturally crushes the thin-skinned Gamay. Didier and Alain prefer a semi-carbonic maceration and have mastered the technique of cooling the grapes in each tank to slow the process down. This slower fermentation, of 8-9 days for their Beaujolais Village parcels (they vinify each separately), achieves a greater expression of fruit character in the final wine. Their relationship with Boutinot’s Samantha Bailey stretches back to 2014 and now they allow her exclusive ‘first’ access to their cellar to taste each cuvée and create the blend for the fresh and approachable style she seeks for Château de Belleverne Beaujolais Villages.

Producer

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

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

Specifications

A plush and appealing, classic Saint-Émilion Grand Cru from this progressive Château.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Complex aromas of bramble fruit with herbal notes and a touch of spice.

Palate

The palate is plush with ripe plum and berry characters, fine tannins, well-integrated oak, and fresh acidity giving balance on the long and elegant finish.

Producer

Nestled in the far eastern reaches of the Saint-Émilion appellation, Château Mangot consists of 37 hectares with a diversity of clay-limestone soils. Whilst vines are naturally the star of the show for the estate’s current guardians, the Todeschini family, 15% of the estate consists of hedges, woods and embankments, which contribute to a rich biodiversity. Brothers Yann and Karl look after the vineyard management and winemaking themselves and are committed to following sound ecological practises.

A lightness of touch and genuine care flows through everything they do; from protecting the soils using only natural fertilisers, to the use of native yeasts and only the very tiniest amount of SO2 in the winery. They do not “make” the wines, but rather guide them into fulfilling their potential as pure, precise and quality expressions of the terroir. The estate was promoted to Grand Cru Classé status in 2022 in recognition of their consistently well-made, polished wines and their commitment to biodiversity and the environment.

Production

The grapes - predominantly Merlot with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon - are cultivated on a selection of different soil types and aspects, from clay-limestone hillsides to a limestone plateau, at 35-90 m altitude. Average age of the vines is 40 years - and the vineyard is maintained according to environmental principles. At harvest time the grapes are selected, de-stemmed and undergo a cold pre-fermentation maceration before gentle vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for 4 weeks. The wine is then aged for 13-15 months in barrels of diffferent ages - with 10% remaining in stainless steel. The wine is then blended and bottled, 18-20 months following the harvest.

Specifications

A 50/50 blend of Merweh and Obeidi - indigenous Lebanese varieties from low yielding old vines. The Merweh vineyards are over 100 years old and have not been pruned for the last two decades, resulting in extremely low yields and concentrated flavours.

Tasting Notes

Colour

This blend of Merweh and Obeidi is golden in colour.

Nose

The nose has natural aromas of ripened grapes, apple skin and a mix of herbs and spices. 

Palate

Mineral and savoury on the palate, the wine shows notes of dried figs and fresh almonds on the finish.

Production

A blend of two indigenous Lebanese varieties that likey trace their lineage back to the Phoenicians, this wine is made from very old vines grown in altitude. Merweh vineyards are spread over the mountians of Bsharreh to the west of the Bekaa Valley at 1,400m altitude, in amongst the famous cedars of Mount Lebanon. Merweh is a resistant variety which has adpated very well to the Mediterranean mountain climate and ecosystem. Due to the wild nature of the Merweh vines, the ripening was uneven abd required several passes and a skilled team to select only perectly ripe grapes. Obeidi vineyards are grown on the hills of Zahleh - the capital of Bekaa Valley - at 1,100m altitude. These 50 year old vines are trained using a pergola system to ensure they enjoy the best sun exposure to reach maximum ripeness an balance on this late-ripening grape. Obeidi is a reliable and very resitant grape, considered to be the backbone of Behaa Valley's vines throughout its winemaking history. Both varieties were cold fermented separately, using wild yeast widely present in the winery. Once fermentation was complete, the wines we blended and stored for a short period of time in stainless steel tanks to keep the original freshness of the blend.

Producer

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

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

Specifications

The bouquet has hints of blueberries, cherries, violets, tobacco leaf and spicy cedar wood. The mouthfeel is opulent with a generous lingering aftertaste. 

Accolades

• 90pts | Platter’s

  Weighty & serious Bordeaux blend, 70% cab with merlot & petit verdot in 2018, showing quintessential black-fruit aromas/flavours of cherry, currant & berry. 15% alcohol & 80% new oak deftly handled, as in 2015 (93 pts), though shade less freshness because of intense fruit-sweet finish. Also in 1.5L, as Teano. No 2016, 2017 untasted.

  Platter’s 2022

Specifications

“It’s not enough for Roland Velich of Moric to be the premier producer of Blaufränkisch—his “Reserve” bottling elevates Blaufränkisch, and the Burgenland, to a new level of international importance.”
David Lynch, Sommelier & Editorial Director

Tasting Notes

Colour

In the glass, it is a deep ruby leaning to purple/black, reminiscent of Northern Rhône Syrah.

Nose

The aromas also summon the Northern Rhône a bit, with scents of blackberry, pomegranate, grilled herbs, violets, and licorice.

Palate

Because of its appearance, you’ll be expecting a “big” wine, but while the fruit is dark, even black, the wine is balanced, medium-plus in body, and firmly structured. Younger expressions have a nice saturation of fruit and earth without an overabundance of tannin (making them approachable on release), and with time, the exotic spices and minerality emerge more fully, as the texture softens to Burgundy-like silkiness.

Producer

Roland Velich has become an internationally recognized wine celebrity for his work with old-vine Blaufränkisch in Austria’s Burgenland DAC. His assortment of reds, including several single-vineyard bottlings of the variety, are widely considered to be the Gold Standard in the zone. 

The Burgenland appellation, running along Austria’s border with Hungary southeast of Vienna, has a diverse topography and a mix of soils, with more primary rock and slate at higher locations and dense loams in the rolling hills that extend toward the Pannonian plain (a warming influence that is important in getting the late-ripening Blaufränkisch fully mature). Moric’s organically farmed vineyards—Velich has farmed organically since he founded the brand but has not sought certifications—with significant (50-100 years) age, are situated primarily in the Mittelburgenland sub-region; Velich describes the soils as varied, with some limestone and slate mixed in with loam, with vine age for this entry-level bottling ranging from eight to 50 years. 

Moric’s “Reserve” represents a selection of the very best old-vine fruit from the vineyards in Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg. It underwent a native yeast fermentation in open-topped oak and steel vats, followed by 24 months of aging in barrels ranging in size from 500 to 3,600 liters. Bottled without fining and filtration and with only a minimal sulfur addition, the wine is soulful, pure and soil-expressive, with a structure reminiscent of Grand Cru Burgundy (even if the fruit skews much darker). This isn’t a merely “unique,” or “unusual” red—it’s an international benchmark!

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