Tasting Notes

Carmenère at its best with bags of fruit balanced by impressive structure.

Colour 

Purplish-red colour

Nose

Intensely fruity nose, with standout plum and redcurrant aromas and hints of toast and blackcurrants.

Palate

Smooth, ripe, velvety tannins and good density. An enjoyable and persistent finish.

Production

The Colchagua Valley extends from San Fernando in the north to Chimbarongo in the south. The climate is Mediterranean, and the area receives winds from the south and morning fog. Springs are frost-free, and summers are very warm, which encourages proper ripening. Summers are hot but with cool night temperatures. The soils are medium to very deep, of alluvial origin, and have a silty-loam texture that allows for good vine development. The grapes were handpicked in late April and early May and submitted to a week-long pre-fermentation cold treatment at 8ºC (46ºF) to extract more fruit characteristics. Alcoholic fermentation took place at 25º–28ºC (77º–82ºF) with pump-overs determined by daily tastings through the end of the process. A post-fermentation maceration followed, and then the wine was de-vatted, separating the free-run wine from the skins. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally. 20% of the wine was aged in French oak for 6 months and then blended for a more complex character.

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017, and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

• Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 (2017 vintage)
• Silver -  Sommelier Wine Awards 2016 (2015 vintage)

Specifications

"It’s got to be one of the best NZ sauvvies I’ve ever tasted. As expected - dry, fresh and clean - it’s the fruit flavours that are exquisite - a mix of pineapple & passion fruit - exquisite! Beautifully crafted and at £16.99 its well worth it. Loads of character!"

Alan December 2022

Tasting Notes 

Aromas of white peach and melon, along with the more traditional nuances of citrus and tropical. There is also an intriguing 'funk' and lanolin note that brings all the aromas together and provides a wonderful transition through to the palate.

A fantastic lean yet supple long mid-palate with chewy white blossom and a richness of character, almost salty. The wine is understated and has length and a mouth-watering succulence with wonderful persistence to it. 

Producer

When it comes to professional wine people, Ben Glover is about as top-of the-tree as it gets. Ben’s role call includes almost too many accolades: previously a Wine Marlborough committee member, chair of the Bragato Wine Show (New Zealand’s only single vineyard wine show) and was chair of Pinot Noir 2017 New Zealand, the world’s largest and most prestigious Pinot Noir event. He was an inaugural Len Evans scholar in 2001 and has over 25 years of experience as a national and international wine judge. This is all to say that, when you open a bottle of Bob/short for Kate, you are in safe hands.

Nicknamed ‘Bob’ by her family (some of you may recognize the Blackadder reference), Bob /short for Kate is a tribute to Kate Glover, an amazing young drama teacher and Ben’s sister, who heartbreakingly passed away in 2018. Ben explains that he has looked to produce a wine that characterises the honesty, purity and confidence of Kate. These are organic, Marlborough wines, small-batch Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, reliant on selected block from the family’s vines and exceptional fruit selection. Not to mention the skill of one of the region’s most well-regarded winemakers.

Vinification Notes

Both vineyards were kept separate during the winemaking fermentation process with the Kennedys Rd parcel treated traditionally with 100% machine harvested, stainless steel fermentation with cool temperatures to retain supple pure Sauvignon Blanc characters. Once fermentation finished we left the wine on light lees to gain some mouthfeel while holding onto the brights of this variety. The Brink parcel, though, was handpicked and split into a further two parcels, and was a co-fermentation with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with 10% spending fermentation in old French barriques. This enhanced the mouthfeel and drew in the Semillon to provide interest and intrigue to the resulting final blend.

 Specifications

Chile does Provence minus the £££'s!

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

Tasting Notes

A lovely pale and delicate rosé.

Colour 

Pale almost Provencal-pink in colour.

Nose

Gentle strawberry and red cherry aromas.

Palate

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

Production

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

Producers

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

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

Sustainability

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017, and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Sumptuous organic Malbec!

Colour 

Deep ruby-red in colour

Nose

Vibrant aromas of redcurrant and blackberries, elegantly combined with mild notes of white pepper.

Palate

Medium-bodied on the palate with silky ripe tannins and a long, broad finish. An elegant wine that is easy to drink.

Production

The Rapel Valley lies with the Pacific Ocean to the West, to the east the Andes Mountains, and to the south the province of Colchagua. The climatic characteristics of this valley include frost-free springs and warm summers that allow the grapes to ripen well. Riverbed associated soils, deep alluvial clay loam. Clay provides water retention, which contributes to good grape ripening. 20% in French oak barrels for 6 months.

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

• Bronze - Sommelier Wine Awards 2017 (2016 vintage)

Specifications

Vibrant and fresh, a perfect Picpoul!

Tasting Notes

Gently perfumed ripe melon fruit on the nose. The palate is ripe but retains excellent freshness, balanced by a touch of white pepper spice that is very typical of its grape variety. Deliciously long, the finish shows bright fruit and a clean, saline/mineral edge.

Production

Producer

Cave de l'Ormarine is an award-winning co-operative which produces wines from the tiny Pinet de Picpoul appellation in the Hérault. The l'Ormarine cellar was established in 1922 when vignerons from Pinet joined forces and formed a winegrowers' association.

Today, the Cave de l'Ormarine is a conglomeration of five separate co-operatives from across the Hérault, each with their own specific terroirs and styles of wine. It is proud to have 470 members farming more than 2,500 hectares of vines.Its flagship Picpoul wines are fresh and terroir-driven, and hugely influenced by both the Mediterranean Sea and the Etang de Thau, which act as a thermal regulator for the vineyards. In fact, it is said of Picpoul that, "Son terroir, c'est la mer (Its terroir is the sea)."Cave de l'Ormarine has made significant investment in its winery, and prides itself on the high-quality standard and traceability of its grapes.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Spot on - clean, fresh as a daisy, lovely melon fruit titillated with a touch of pepper and a delightful, saline finish. Perfectly balanced and great for salads, shellfish, and chicken dishes. A bottle of this and a dozen oysters s’il vous plait. Bang on for a tenner - great value - over delivers and proves that coming off the well-worn path pays dividends." September 2022

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Straw yellow with greenish reflections.

Nose

Delicate scents of acacia flowers and golden apple.

Palate

It is fresh, aromatic and sparkles with a light and delicate foam.

Terroir: The Land of Prosecco and of the river Piave

Organic – for the Love of this Soil

History 

The vineyards here have been passed down through the generations since 1891. The 'Jara' name comes from the gravel that covers the vineyards and provides heat to the vines overnight – as they do in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 

Awards

• 2020 - Wine Enthusiast Tasting: 89 points – Prosecco DOC Frizzante

Specifications

An appealing appassimento style red from the Veneto - produced from classic Amarone and Valpolicella grapes.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright berry and black cherry aromas, and a touch of spice.

Palate

The palate has all of Valpolicella's appealing fresh cherry and ripe bramble fruit, along with added weight and complexity from maturation in oak. Supple tannins lead to a finish of delicate sweetness, offset by fresh acidity.

Producer

The illustrious Montresor family moved from France to Italy at the start of the 19th Century and settled in the Veneto region near Lake Garda. In 1892 Cantina Giacomo Montresor was established in Verona, and remains family-owned to this day.

Giorgio Montresor produces a portfolio of wines which increasingly rival the offerings of the region's more fashionable names - harnessing modern technology to craft the best wines from each site, across their 100ha of vineyard, in Valpolicella and Garda.

Production Method

Produced from Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes harvested from hillside vineyards north of Verona. 'Appassimento' refers to the process by which the grapes are dried for a few months before being pressed and vinified - this technique is more common in the Veneto than elsewhere in Italy. In this instance the grapes are dried for 30 days before vinification, and the wine spends 6 months in oak. The resulting red is rich with some residual sweetness.

A Note on Sustainability

At the end of 2019, Montresor received its organic certification. Some of its wines are already bottled in a lighter weight glass bottle (less than 420g) to reduce carbon dioxide emissions during transport, with the added benefit of reducing the amount of glass to be manufactured.

Over the next two years, solar panels will be installed at the winery to provide some of the electricity required in the production process. Alongside this, Montresor is about to install a water purification system to recover and recycle the water used at the winery.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Cabernet Franc is much under-rated and rarely cultivated outside its traditional habitats of Bordeaux and Loire. At Domaine Mas Barrau in the Gard region of Southern Rhône, Boutinot’s Guillaume (Letang ) and Samantha (Bailey) have worked together with the family of this organic estate near Nîmes to produce a wine that sets new standards for Cabernet Franc.

Textured and luxurious this is a sophisticated Cabernet Franc from Gard. There is a wild 'after the rain' woodland perfume. The palate is incredibly long and layered with bramble fruit, bay and a touch of sweet prune on the finish.

Production Method

Guillaume Letang looked specifically for vines that are south-facing and can achieve the most sunlight to source the Cabernet Franc grapes for this wine. The terroir is full of limestone which gives rich yet soft and lightly acidic wine – this, in turn, gives the drinker a pleasantly sweet sensation on the palate.

Producer

Like all good stories, Boutinot France's is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. After 10 years, the business had grown and Samantha Bailey packed her bags to set up an office in Burgundy. Today, Boutinot has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and rosés from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. We don't use any single 'model' to source our wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Véran. Drawing on the expertise of our 4 winemakers and network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality to price ratio possible at every price point.

Specifications

"Amazingly delicious organic Riesling from Chile. Fresh limes with a mineral and saline undertones with a hint of developed Riesling kerosene - stunningly complex and a real steal at this price!" Alan's personal notes.

Tasting Notes

Expressive Chilean Riesling with a broad appeal.

Nose

Quietly complex on the nose with fresh lime notes combining with a steely minerality and gentle honeysuckle flora.

Palate

The palate is mid-weight and off-dry with persistent flavours of lime, there is a natural salinity which gives contrast yet lovely balance. It finishes clean with a lingering flinty character.

Production

Vines were planted in 1993 at the Fundo Quitralman, Mulchén vineyard in the Bio-Bio Valley, 500km south of Santiago. Grapes are handpicked then placed in a pneumatic press to obtain the different musts, which were kept separate. Once ferment was complete, the wine was left in contact with its fine lees in stainless steel tanks for 5 months, with periodic stirring (batonnage) before being fined and bottled.

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

• Bronze - Sommelier Wine Awards 2018 (2016 vintage)

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Unoaked, sunkissed Chardonnay made from organically grown grapes.

Colour 

A clear, bright pale yellow incolour.

Nose

Refreshing citrus aromas of grapefruit and lime that intermingle with subtle tropical fruit aromas, especially pineapple, and a touch of herbs. 

Palate

On the palate, it is a balanced, fresh and fruity wine, with velvety texture and a persistent, enjoyable finish.

Production

Casablanca Valley can be identified by its closeness to the Pacific Ocean, influenced by the coastal breeze, which moderates temperatures. The land is basically formed by hills that increase in height as it goes east towards the Coastal Mountain Range. It has an alluvial origin, with sandy textures of high permeability, poor and shallow, which causes the valley to have low yields, compared to others. The temperatures are colder and templates, causing a slower ripening in the fruit and, in consequence, great character in flavour and aroma, for white varieties like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

The grapes come from vineyards that are approximately 12 years old in the Casablanca estate, trellised in simple vertical shoot position, with an average yield of 12 tons/ha. They were hand-picked into bins during the first week of March when they had reached the ideal state of ripeness. The grapes were transported to our Nancagua winery for vinification in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures with selected yeasts, pumpovers, and delicate lees stirring to reach the desired final result. Prior to bottling the wine was fined with adjusted doses of bentonite and cold stabilized to prevent tartaric precipitations in the bottle.

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

Specifications

Campo de Borja is considered the 'Empire of Garnacha' - the most prevalent grape in the region, which just thrives here. Borsao have years of experience crafting ripe and appealing wines, such as this, from the variety.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright plum and berry fruit aromas

Palate

The palate is rich and welcoming with ripe cassis and bramble characters and soft, approachable tannins on the finish.

Production

Garnacha grown on alluvial soils in the foothills of the Moncayo mountain. Grapes are typically harvested in the first two weeks of October. Temperature controlled fermentation takes place in stainless steel at 22ºC - 25ºC, with a 15 day maceration period.

Producers

The winery was established as a co-operative in 1959. In 2001 it joined with two other progressive, co-operative, cellars in the Campo de Borja region to become the Bodegas Borsao that we know today.

Grapes are sourced from over 375 member growers covering 2,400 hectares - nearly a third of the region's total. Vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo mountain, ranging from around 350m to 800m above sea level. At lower altitudes, vines are younger and may require some irrigation, but higher up the slopes the vines are older, unirrigated bush vines.

The climate is rather severe and arid, with hot dry days, and cool nights - which allow optimum acidity levels to be maintained within the grapes. Garnacha thrives in these conditions and represents 65% of total production. The Cierzo wind from the Moncayo sweeps across the foothills of the mountain. This cold, dry wind reduces humidity levels and allows grapes to be picked a couple of weeks later in the harvest, at full maturity.

Borsao has access to a large number of vineyard plots at different altitudes, and hence to a wide selection of fantastic quality grapes. They are recognised for their entry-level varietals - as outstanding examples of easy-to-drink inexpensive wines - as they are for their premium wines, in particular the iconic, multi award-winning Tres Picos.

Sustainability

With 2,400 hectares of vineyards, Bodegas Borsao is a substantially sized operation in a warm, dry region and as a result the availability and usage of water is a major issue. Much of its vineyard area is planted with Garnacha which traditionally has been bush trained. Until recently, newer plantings were wire trained for easier harvesting, but because of the greater exposure to sunlight of this training method the vines can require up to 50% more water. As a result, all new plantings have reverted to the traditional style of bush training to preserve water.

Inter-row plantings are used to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil and protect it from erosion; they contribute to a better soil structure, increasing its organic, nutrient and nitrogen content; they improve biodiversity in the vineyard since organic matter is a food source for several macro- and micro-organisms; they often increase the population of earthworms which are good indicators of soil fertility; they improve fauna above the soil, providing habitat and food for beneficial insects; they regulate vine growth, helping to control the yield and quality of grapes and wine; and they reduce the vegetative vigour of vines and thus their susceptibility to grey mould and downy mildew. These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

The new cellar is well insulated to reduce the need for cooling systems and to minimise energy consumption; all the chambers are equipped with automatic LED lighting; all of the bottling lines have been designed to reduce noise and to minimise the need to move dry goods and floor stock items; all hot water installations are solar powered; the greater part of the electricity used for illumination is produced by solar panels; and every single drop of rain water from the vast roof is collected and recycled. Planned new offices will also be equipped with solar panels and other energy saving mechanisms.

Awards

• Silver - IWC 2020 (2019 vintage)
• Silver -  Sommelier Wine Awards 2018 (2017 vintage)

Specifications

Classic fruit-driven Maipo Cabernet sourced from some of the best organic vineyards in the valley.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Ruby red in colour. 

Nose

The nose is intense, with a pronounced presence of blackcurrant backed up with notes of cherries and strawberries as well as a hint of chocolate.

Palate

Medium-bodied and well balanced with ripe black fruits, smooth tannins and refreshing acidity, resulting in a juicy and approachable Cabernet.

Production

Producer

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

• Silver - 2018 International Wine Challenge (2015 vintage)

Alan's Personal Notes

"Full-on classy damson and cherry fruit - beautifully balanced with a touch of oak. Such a good glass of wine for £9.95 a bottle - organic & vegan to boot!"

Specifications

Wild ferment' organic and high altitude Verdejo - another beautiful example from Menade.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh stone fruit aromas with notes of fennel and thyme.

Palate

The palate is ripe and textural with white peach and herbal characters, balanced by crisp acidity and minerality.

Production

The Verdejo grapes are selected from parcels of vines, 20-25 years old, grown in pebbly, clay and chalky soils at between 700 and 800m altitude. Harvesting takes place by 3 different processes: part green daytime harvest by hand, part mechanised and part night-time harvest. Each parcel is vinified separately using wild yeasts in stainless steel. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 18-22ºC, and the wine remains on lees for a short period.

Producer

Bodegas Menade was established in 2005 by Alejandra, Marco and Richard Sanz - the 6th generation of this wine-producing family - just a kilometre west of the village of Rueda. Their winery incorporates a cellar hewn out of the solid rock of La Seca at the beginning of the 19th century. Richard is the winemaker at the estate, whilst his brother Marco is the viticulturalist, and sister Alejandra looks after exports and communications.

Their philosophy is grounded in nature, and respect for the vineyards and terroir. All wines are certified organic, no sulphur or copper sulphate is used in their vineyards, and fermentation is with only natural yeasts present on the grape skins. This is a producer of seriously interesting and innovative Rueda wines; their portfolio focuses predominantly on Verdejo and includes the stunning 'La Mision', which is part fermented in tinajas (traditional clay fermenting vessels) made from clay from their own vineyards, and a (non-Jerez) Palomino Verdejo flor aged wine.

Sustainability

Menade’s by-line is ‘Made by Nature’ – the winery doesn’t use chemical treatments, opting instead for a natural approach using plant-based infusions (for example using nettles, cinnamon) which are kinder on the soil, plants and naturally occurring yeasts. All wines are certified organic, and no sulphur or copper sulphate is used in their vineyards. They use green harvesting to control yields.

Their ecosystem includes mobile trees and bushes – to allow them to understand which are the most beneficial across their different vineyard parcels. They also have a garden boasting more than 40 species, many of the plants indigenous to Castilla y Leon, and pollination gardens with aromatic plants. These micro-systems, together with insect ‘hotels’, have created ideal habitats for insects and other wildlife - increasing biodiversity in their vineyards.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

'Delivering loads of flavour for an organic offer. Incredibly fresh, good peach fruit flavours, lively acidity and fine layers of texture with an underlying minerality. And Histamine free - so good for allergy sufferers as well! First time I’ve seen that on a label! Does that mean no headaches?!'

Specifications

A perfect pale pink that screams Provence!

Tasting Notes

This is a perfect, pale, raspberry-pink wine that is very drinkable. Delicate aromas are followed by lovely sweet fruit from Grenache grapes. Clean and well balanced with good depth.

Production Method

The Domaine's vineyards are situated in the best area of the AC Côtes de Provence with a very particular micro-climate and sandstone clay soils. A classic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, the grapes are picked by hand. This is a rosé de presse produced in an ultra-modern gravity-fed winery.

Producer

Domaine de la Vieille Tour is a 22-hectare estate in the Côtes de Provence, situated between Pierrefeu and Cuers and not far from Château Gairoird. The Domaine's vineyards benefit from lying in a slight geographical depression which has a particular microclimate, encouraging the long and even ripening of the grapes. Grapes for the rosé, Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, are cultivated on sandstone clay soils and harvested by hand, before being transported to a very modern, gravity-fed winery.

A Note on Sustainability

As a négociant, Gilardi is very keen to minimize its own environmental impact and to work with sustainably-minded growers. For example, on its bottling line, Gilardi has switched from a traditional sediment filtration system to a more efficient cross-flow filtration system and chooses eco-friendly dry goods such as Normacorc’s carbon neutral "Select Green" corks which are made from plant-based polymers from renewable resources and which are recyclable. Gilardi is expanding its collaboration with HVE Level 3 certified winemakers and currently, two of the wines it offers are organic.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

High-quality organic fruit is sourced from Emiliana's growers in Casablanca and Colchagua. A delicious, fresh, spicy and aromatic Viognier.

Colour 

Pale yellow in colour.

Nose

A nose that presents fruity aromas recalling orange, nectarine and white peach with honeysuckle and jasmine notes.

Palate

The refreshing palate shows this is a wine full of character, with good concentration and balance.

Production

With an average temperature of 22°C and ow rainfall (600mm per year). During summer, this valley presents high-temperature range, having low temperature at night. Alluvial, medium-high depth soil, uniform loamy-muddy texture. Good drainage, moderate permeability and high fertility. Mediterranean with rainy winters, warm, dry summers and a broad oscillation between day and night temperatures, all of which contribute to a good vine development. The soil presents good drainage, high fertility, and tremendous agricultural aptitude. The soils tend to be alluvial in origin of medium depth. The grapes that went into this wine were picked by hand at early-April when the fruit had reached its optimal degree of ripeness. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks, in our Las Palmeras winery. During this stage, the temperature was carefully managed to remain cool (around 15ºC) without pump-overs and with delicate lees stirring, in order to reach the desired results. Finally, the wine was fined with bentonite and cold-stabilized before bottling to prevent tartaric precipitations in the bottle.

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Alan's Personal Notes

"Immediately attractive, this organic dry white from Chile has attractive stone fruit aromas on the nose, which follow through to the palate and combine with a rich mouth-filling creaminess and mouth cleansing acidity. Fabulously well balanced and absolutely delicious!"

Specifications

Powerful and jammy with refreshing acidity. Each mouthful is redolent of raspberries, strawberries, cherries, watermelon and blackberries laced with vanilla, caramel and hazelnuts. Delicious but not for the faint-hearted!

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Medium-dark purple

Palate

Pleasant ripe red currants and fresh Strawberry immediately come to mind. While after some contemplation caramelized sugar and toast become incontrovertible. The savoury bright red fruits are enveloped in the succulent, juicy wine which possesses soft, supple tannins.

Production

The grapes for our Lodi Appellation 2018 Zinfandel were harvested in September 2018, with an average Brix of 26.2. After 7-9 days of stainless steel fermentation on the skins, the must was pressed and the wine finished fermentation. The wine was then aged, on average, for 4-6 months with a combination of new and used, French and American Oak.

History

In 1990 Ron and his wife Jamie, bought their first vineyard and in 1995 McManis Family Vineyards was formed with the purpose-built winery arriving by the end of the Millennium. Now the McManis family own over 2,600 acres between the Ripon area and Lodi in California’s northern interior region.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

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

Nose

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

Palate

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

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

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

Producer

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

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

A Note on Sustainability

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

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

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

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

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

Production Method

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

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

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

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

Producer

When it comes to professional wine people, Ben Glover is about as top-of the-tree as it gets. Ben’s role call includes almost too many accolades: previously a Wine Marlborough committee member, chair of the Bragato Wine Show (New Zealand’s only single vineyard wine show) and was chair of Pinot Noir 2017 New Zealand, the world’s largest and most prestigious pinot noir event. He was an inaugural Len Evans scholar in 2001 and has over 25 years of experience as a national and international wine judge. This is all to say that, when you open a bottle of Bob/short for Kate, you are in safe hands.

Nicknamed ‘Bob’ by her family (some of you may recognize the Blackadder reference), Bob /short for Kate is a tribute to Kate Glover, an amazing young drama teacher and Ben’s sister, who heartbreakingly passed away in 2018. Ben explains that he has looked to produce a wine that characterises the honesty, purity and confidence of Kate. These are organic, Marlborough wines, small-batch Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, reliant on selected blocks from the family’s vines and exceptional fruit selection. Not to mention the skill of one of the region’s most well-regarded winemakers.

 Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour 

Light yellow, clean and bright.

Nose

The nose offers floral aromas of jasmine, lychee, and honey notes. 

Palate

The floral notes reappear on the palate, along with apricot, and mandarin orange. Medium-bodied with good concentration and a refreshing ripe fruit finish. A Thai fighting delight!

Producers

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

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

Awards

• 2017 Bronze at the Sommelier Wine Awards (2016 Vintage)

Production

The Rapel Valley lies with the Pacific Ocean to the West, to the east the Andes Mountains, and to the south the province of Colchagua. The climatic characteristics of this valley include frost-free springs and warm summers that allow the grapes to ripen well. The Rapel Valley viticultural zone is located in Chile’s 6th Region, approximately 160 km (100 mi) south of Santiago and includes the sub-valleys of Cachapoal and Colchagua. The entire zone presents good drainage, high fertility, and tremendous agricultural aptitude. Its climate is sub-humid Mediterranean because the low, even hills of the Coastal Mountain Range to the west allow the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean to penetrate the valley and moderate temperatures. It is highly influenced by the Pacific anticyclone, which results in a concentration of rainfall during the winter months. Precipitation averages 710 mm (28 in) per year. During the summer, the southern and south-western winds result in an ample temperature variation between daytime highs and night time lows. The maximum temperature in January reaches 32ºC (90ºF) and the annual average is 14ºC (57ºF). The grapes that went into this wine were handpicked in April, when the fruit had reached the desired level of ripeness. The fruit came from vineyards that are more than 22 years old the Totihue estate in Alto Cachapoal and the Los Pretiles estate in Alto Colchagua. The vines at both estates are vertically positioned and yield an average yield of 9 tons per hectare. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts in our Maipo Valley winery. The process was carefully managed to maintain temperatures at 15º–17ºC (59º–63º), with gentle aeration and delicate lees stirring to reach the desired results. The wine was fined with bentonite and cold-stabilized before bottling to prevent tartaric precipitations in the bottle.

Sustainability

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017, and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Specifications

Classic Picpoul - appealing ripe fruit with a fresh saline lift on the finish.

A crowd-pleaser and a very well-made one!

Tasting Notes

Nose

Delicately perfumed, ripe melon fruit on the nose.

Palate

The palate is weighty and ripe but remains fresh and saline. 

Production

Cave de l'Ormarine's vineyards lie at approximately 40 metres above sea level on a chalky clay plateau, rich in Cretaceous limestone and quartz. The vineyards lie to the North of the Lac de Thau and slope towards it. Cyril Payon oversees the production and grapes are carefully selected and picked at different times to capture different flavour profiles. They are de-stemmed and macerated on their skins followed by fermentation for approximately 2 weeks without malolactic fermentation.

Producer

Cave de l'Ormarine is an award-winning co-operative which produces wines from the tiny Pinet de Picpoul appellation in the Hérault. The l'Ormarine cellar was established in 1922 when vignerons from Pinet joined forces and formed a winegrowers' association. Today, the Cave de l'Ormarine is a conglomeration of five separate co-operatives from across the Hérault, each with their own specific terroirs and styles of wine. It is proud to have 470 members farming more than 2,500 hectares of vines.

Its flagship Picpoul wines are fresh and terroir-driven, and hugely influenced by both the Mediterranean Sea and the Etang de Thau, which act as a thermal regulator for the vineyards. In fact, it is said of Picpoul that, "Son terroir, c'est la mer (Its terroir is the sea)."

Cave de l'Ormarine has made significant investment in its winery, and prides itself on the high quality standard and traceability of its grapes.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes 

Colour

Pale salmon colour

Nose

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

Palate

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

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

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

Awards

The Wine Merchant Top 100 2016 - 2015 Vintage

A delightful fizz in a handy pocket-sized bottle - perfect picnic wine!

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of stone fruits, particularly peach, and also hints of apple.

Palate

A crisp, light, and well-balanced wine with creamy mousse and delicate apple and pear characters.

Production Method

The Glera grape variety pre-dates Roman times. The grapes for Lunetta are sourced from the hills above Treviso, a traditional growing area for Prosecco. Hillsides with cool, loose soils are favourable. The grapes are harvested by hand in the second half of September. The must from the first soft pressing of the grapes is used - left for 10-12 hours for any sediment to settle. It then ferments in stainless steel for around 10 days. The second fermentation takes place by the Charmat method.

Producer

Cavit is a leading co-operative in the mountainous Trentino region of northeast Italy. The winery began as a consortium of associated grape growers in 1950, with a dedicated winery at Ravina di Trento built in 1964. Today It unites 11 separate cellars and their combined 4,500 grape growers across 7,000 hectares of vineyard, to produce an impressively broad portfolio from an intriguing palette of indigenous and international grape varieties. Trentino has a much higher proportion of wines produced as DOC than any other region in Italy - an average of 80% of the region's wines have a DOC classification, compared to around 30% elsewhere in the country. Remarkably, Cavit accounts for 60% of this region's wine production and they advise and supervise all aspects of this production from the vineyard to the bottle. Their site at Maso Toresella on the shores of Lake Toblino was the historic residence of the Prince Bishops of Trento, surrounded by 6.5 hectares of vineyard. It is one of the most significant 'masi' (rural estates) in the whole of Trentino. They have worked with the San Michele all’Adige Oenological Institute, since 1988, to develop wines of the highest quality. In 1993 Cantina Altemasi was established, also at Ravina, not far from the region's capital of Trento - for the production and maturation of Classic Trentodoc and Charmat Method sparkling wines. Trento Doc was the first Classical Method sparkling wine DOC to be established anywhere in the world after Champagne, and the first in Italy.

A Note on Sustainability

For more than two decades Cavit has adhered to the “Protocol for the Production of High-Quality Wines in Trentino”, marking its commitment to fully sustainable agriculture. It is also a member of SEDEX and is working towards SNQPI (Sistema di Qualità Nazionale Produzione Integrata) certification for its commitment to sustainable agriculture. In addition to using only green energy, Cavit has made major investments aimed at reducing energy consumption. Specifically, it has built three photovoltaic generators that produce part of its energy requirements from renewable sources (more than 800 Megawatts per year), significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

PICA (Integrated Agricultural and Wine-producing Cartographic Platform), is the result of a five-year research project conducted by Cavit in collaboration with MPA Solutions and leading research centers in Trentino: the Edmund Mach Foundation (FEM) and the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK).

The PICA platform is a complex system, but it works in a simple way. By networking the 4,500 vine growers of the 11 Cavit wine producers’ co-operatives it collects information and gives advice. The main purpose of this platform is to help the grower to achieve total sustainability. The project comprises of two main areas.

The first defines the choice of the most suitable grape varieties, on the basis of the technical and environmental parameters of the soil; the second involves the creation of an avant-garde system with which agronomists and winemakers can receive specific information concerning each vineyard and the various phases in the cultivation of the vines. In practice, waste is eliminated and the grower has total control. For example, it is possible to regulate the water supply according to the characteristics of the soil and the weather conditions.

Specifications

 Gruner Veltliner is every bit as Austrian as the Blue Danube waltz!

Tasting Notes

Colour

Pale lemon yellow with green tinges.

Nose

Delicate aromas of pear, kiwi, apricot and white spice. 

Palate

On the palate stone fruit flavours and white pepper lead to a gently textured, mineral and citrus finish.

Producer

The Sepp Moser Estate was founded by the famous Austrian wine producing pioneer, Lenz Moser. Lenz Moser's son, Sepp Moser, began operating under his own name in 1987, and handed over the direction of this family-owned estate to his own son Nikolaus in the year 2000.

The Sepp Moser Estate comprises of 50 acres of vineyards in two prominent wine regions; Kremstal (22 ha) and Neusiedlersee (28 ha). In the Kremstal, Nikolaus produces an international range of varieties as well as the ever more important local varieties of Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. The reds are produced on the gravelly soils of the warm southern Neusiederslee village of Apetlon. All Sepp Moser wines have been organic (and all estate wines biodynamic) since 2007.

Production Method

The majority of the Gruner Veltliner grapes for this dry white were grown on the steep, rocky terraces of Rohrendorf in Kremstal and the surrounding area. The löss soil on these steep terraces is rich in lime and sediments from the last ice age, and can be up to 35 metres thick! Vines are trained on high trellises, with grapes organically produced and hand harvested. Grapes are destemmed and crushed and the must left to settle for 3-4 hours before pressing. Fermented and aged in stainless steel.

A Note on Sustainability

The Sepp Moser estate produces a wide range of wines every year thanks to its vineyards in two diverse regions. There is one main aim in the cellar: the quality of the grapes shall be brought with as little influence as possible to the bottle. The grapes in the Sepp Moser vineyards are harvested by hand and at the cellar of the Atrium House Nikolaus Moser emphasises gentle vinification and tries to interfere as little as possible with the process so that each wine can develop its own individual style. The fermentation starts spontaneously, and the maturing of the wine takes place on its own.

In 2006, Nikolaus officially moved the estate to biodynamic viticulture – one of the first to do so in Austria – and became Demeter certified. 2009 saw the release of Sepp Moser’s first certified organic wines. Nikolaus is very keen to reduce the amount of copper and sulphur used in the vineyards, and this year saw a reduction of two thirds over what was sprayed previously. He composts all the estates pomace and vine trimmings, and there is an ongoing effort to plant trees around the vineyards.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour 

Deep violet-red.

Nose

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

Palate

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

Production

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

Producers

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

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

Awards 

Specifications

A fruity, spice Portuguese red - generous, fresh and approachable!

Tasting Notes

Nose

Lifted aromas of blackcurrant and blueberries.

Palate

The palate is bright and well-defined with layers of black cherry, plum, and dark spice, overripe tannins.

Production

A combination of hand and machine-picked grapes are sourced from Alianca's own vineyards in the Alentejo region in the south-east, not far from the Spanish border. Here low yielding, old vines are tended traditionally from plantings on clay soils. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats controlled at 30 degrees for 6 days with extended maceration on the skins to extract sufficient colour, fruit and tannins. The wine is matured in tank for a few months before bottling.

Producer

One of Portugal's largest and most progressive producers with 600 hectares spread across estates in five regions from Douro in the north to Alentejo in the south. Winemaker Francisco Antunes oversees what must be one of the most diverse ranges in Europe, from the 3rd largest Portuguese rose brand (Casal Mendes) to some of the country's most impressive premium reds from estates in Douro, Dao, Bairrada and Alentejo. Arguably, Francisco's greatest achievements lie between these extremes, a range of mid-priced wines from native varieties, full of character, quite distinctly Portuguese, but at the same time approachable and with fresh, modern fruit.

Sustainability

Although not accredited, since 2015 the Bacalhôa group is regularly audited for the scope of its ethical, social and environmental work, always with a green result. In 2020, it is planning a SEDEX Membership Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) audit of its labour and health and safety policies. It is also planning to fully convert one its vineyards to organic viticulture as soon as possible.

Awards

Specifications

Tasting Notes

A beautifully fresh and dry sparkling rosé from the foothills of the Trentino mountains - now in a handy 'single-serve' size too!

A fresh and dry sparkling rosé with persistent mousse, beautifully salmon pink in colour. Red berry characters on the nose and palate leading to a fresh, delicate and incisive finish.

Production Method

The grapes are sourced from the hills of the Adige and Vallagarina valleys in Trentino. Grapes were hand-harvested at the start of September. Chardonnay grapes were soft pressed to yield the best portion of must - after decanting for 10-12 hours this goes into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The red grapes are harvested early to maintain good acidity levels and are vinified as for rosé wines. After stabilisation and clarification, the wine undergoes a second fermentation (Charmat method).

Producer

Cavit is a leading co-operative in the mountainous Trentino region of northeast Italy. The winery began as a consortium of associated grape growers in 1950, with a dedicated winery at Ravina di Trento built in 1964. Today It unites 11 separate cellars and their combined 4,500 grape growers across 7,000 hectares of vineyard, to produce an impressively broad portfolio from an intriguing palette of indigenous and international grape varieties. Trentino has a much higher proportion of wines produced as DOC than any other region in Italy - an average of 80% of the region's wines have a DOC classification, compared to around 30% elsewhere in the country. Remarkably, Cavit accounts for 60% of this region's wine production and they advise and supervise all aspects of this production from the vineyard to the bottle. Their site at Maso Toresella on the shores of Lake Toblino was the historic residence of the Prince Bishops of Trento, surrounded by 6.5 hectares of vineyard. It is one of the most significant 'masi' (rural estates) in the whole of Trentino. They have worked with the San Michele all’Adige Oenological Institute, since 1988, to develop wines of the highest quality. In 1993 Cantina Altemasi was established, also at Ravina, not far from the region's capital of Trento - for the production and maturation of Classic Trentodoc and Charmat Method sparkling wines. Trento Doc was the first Classical Method sparkling wine DOC to be established anywhere in the world after Champagne, and the first in Italy.

A Note on Sustainability

For more than two decades Cavit has adhered to the “Protocol for the Production of High-Quality Wines in Trentino”, marking its commitment to fully sustainable agriculture. It is also a member of SEDEX and is working towards SNQPI (Sistema di Qualità Nazionale Produzione Integrata) certification for its commitment to sustainable agriculture. In addition to using only green energy, Cavit has made major investments aimed at reducing energy consumption. Specifically, it has built three photovoltaic generators that produce part of its energy requirements from renewable sources (more than 800 Megawatts per year), significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

PICA (Integrated Agricultural and Wine-producing Cartographic Platform), is the result of a five-year research project conducted by Cavit in collaboration with MPA Solutions and leading research centers in Trentino: the Edmund Mach Foundation (FEM) and the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK).

The PICA platform is a complex system, but it works in a simple way. By networking the 4,500 vine growers of the 11 Cavit wine producers’ co-operatives it collects information and gives advice. The main purpose of this platform is to help the grower to achieve total sustainability. The project comprises of two main areas.

The first defines the choice of the most suitable grape varieties, on the basis of the technical and environmental parameters of the soil; the second involves the creation of an avant-garde system with which agronomists and winemakers can receive specific information concerning each vineyard and the various phases in the cultivation of the vines. In practice, waste is eliminated and the grower has total control. For example, it is possible to regulate the water supply according to the characteristics of the soil and the weather conditions.

Awards

• Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019
• Siver at the Sommelier Wine Awards 2018
• Bronze at the IWC 2017
• Silver at the Sommelier Wine Awards 2017
• Bronze at the IWSC 2017
• Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2016

Specifications

Specifications

Classic Cabernet from Chiles pioneering organic producer.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Attractive aromas of blackberry accompanied by spicy notes.

Palate

The palate is concentrated and smooth with vibrant plum, red fruit and a delicate herbal note. Tannins are ripe and provide welcome grip and structure.

Production

The Central Valley vitivinicultural zone extends from the Maipo Valley in the north to the Maule Valley in the south. The entire zone has good drainage, high fertility, and tremendous agricultural aptitude, especially for red grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and others. The Mediterranean climate has warm summers with broad daily oscillations between daytime and night time temperatures, and cold, rainy winters that allow for good vine development. The soils are of alluvial origin with moderate depth. The grapes were hand picked in mid-April and undergo a week-long pre-fermentation cold soak at 8ºC (46ºF) to extract fresh fruit characteristics. Alcoholic fermentation took place at 25º–28ºC with daily pumpovers. The wine remained on its skins for a period, after which the free run wine was separated from its skins and allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation naturally. 20% of this wine was aged in oak barrels for 6 months and later reblended to achieve a more complex character.

Producer

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

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

Awards

• Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2019 vintage)

Specifications

A juicy characterful Mourvèdre which comes from Cline’s original Contra Costa ranch. It’s here where the 100-year-old bush vines thrive on the sandy soils.

Tasting Notes

Distinct and luscious. Flavours of dark plum and chocolate leads to a medley of integrated oak spice and a smooth and juicy finish. A blockbuster of a wine that has plenty of earthy soul and character.

Producer

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

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

Production Method

The Ancient Vines Mourvèdre draws from some of our oldest, most historic and shyest-bearing vineyards. These blocks produce fruit of stunning concentration as a result of sensitive farming practices, the singular Oakley terroir, and a unique cooling band of air that flows in from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. By naturally restricting yields to only 2 to 3 tonnes per acre, we achieve a sublime expression of the Mourvèdre fruit. These grapes hold characteristics of dark, dusty berry fruit that makes their Ancient Vines Mourvèdre so lustrous. Individual lots of grapes were harvested separately according to ripeness and balance of acidity. Grapes undergo total de-stemming and a very gentle crushing to ensure a large proportion of whole berries in the must. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks with select cultured yeasts. It was then maintained at the ideal temperature to aid in the extraction of flavor and colour. The wine was pressed off its skins at dryness before being racked to dark toasted American Oak (approximately 30% new) where it was gently aged for 10 months and then stored in neutral cooperage.

A Note on Sustainability

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

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

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

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

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

Awards

Specifications

Tasting Notes

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

Colour 

Ruby red in colour

Nose

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

Palate

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

Production

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

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Specifications

The Rooster, a symbol of pride, courage and honesty, watches over the vineyards. The ancient Greeks believed that the Rooster greeted the sun every morning with its cordial song, which symbolized the victory over the night but at the same time also serves as an alarm clock to mark the beginning of the day for both the animals and the winemakers! 

In Cortese, early morning is a key time to work in the vineyards thus avoiding the impetuousness of the Sicilian sun.

Tasting Notes

What is a wine with no added sulphites? 
Sulfur dioxide is naturally produced by wine during fermentation. In this case we do not add any further. This is possible because during the winemaking process we carry out all the operations meticulously so that it is not necessary to add sulphites.

Viticulture

The grapes are 100% Nero d’Avola from Azienda Agricola Cortese, our organic estate in Vittoria, south-eastern Sicily. The grapes are very carefully selected by hand in the middle of September, brought to the winery in small containers and processed immediately.

Vinification

The prime aim when producing a NSA wine is to keep everything in the winery meticulously clean in order to avoid any possible microbiological growth, except for yeast for the primary fermentation and bacteria for the malolactic fermentation. Fermentation is done in the usual way and we do the pumping over in the early stages of the process. After fermentation, we keen the wine in contact with the skins for 3-4 days, doing some pumping over in order to keep the cap wet. The wine is racked and then stored, with meticulous care not to allow any contact with oxygen.

Specifications

Emiliana have ventured into the world of orange wines, this being a Sauvignon Blanc fermented on skins. Really successful and has some Casablanca typicity to it.

Tasting Notes

Colour & Nose

Golden orange in colour and aromas of ripe stone fruits, figs and dried herbs on the nose.

Palate

Where as most Orange wines anonymise varietal, Animalia actually has a grassy Sauvignon tange beneath the Orange structure. Clever, tasty stuff from Emiliana.

Production

This Orange wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Casablanca Valley where the vineyards are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and the Humboldt Current. With high humidity rates, its average temperatures reach 25°C in summer and 14°C in winter. The grapes were destemmed and crushed, and left with their skins. They fermented in concrete tanks at approximately 18º C, soft punch downs obtained a subtle extraction. Once the fermentation was finished, the wine was aged in concrete eggs for five months with the skins. After that, it was prepared for bottling.

Producers

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

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

Accolades

• Silver at the IWC 2022 (for the 2021 Vintage)

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"After 40 years tasting wines there’s not many wines I taste now that gives me an instant buzz - but this does - fresh and clean with stone fruit flavours and a herbal touch. Most orange wines I’ve tasted have a very pure, anonymous edge to them but this is different - great flavour, huge intensity and a texture to die for. It’s a Boutinot wine from Emiliana Wines in Chile. A stunning intro to orange wine at an affordable price point - defo worth a try!" August 2022

Specifications

Pure, fruit-forward and fine.

Tasting Notes

Vibrant aromas of green apple and citrus. The palate is complex with ripe citrus and pear fruit, pithy grapefruit notes and an appealing stony edge to the long finish. The grapes were picked early to maintain their freshness.

Method of Production

Produced from the family's 19 hectares of vines growing in 'terres blanches' - chalky clay - soil. Vineyards are worked sustainably, organically where possible. It was cool-fermented in stainless steel and aged upon its lees for 5 to 6 months.

Producer

The small village of Maimbray, just to the north of Sancerre itself, is home to both Domaine Roblin and to Domaine du Pré Semelé. In fact the Roblins are just across the road from the Raimbaults and share a similar story of two brothers – 4th generation Matthias and Emile in this case – taking over from their father and implementing new ideas to move the family domaine forward.

They have a total of 19 hectares of vines with a terroir made up of Kimmeridgian and Portlandian chalky clay (Terres Blanches) soils, spread across 45 separate parcels of vines, on the slopes around the villages of Maimbray and Sury-en-Vaux. Their vineyards are planted with 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Pinot Noir, and in the winery their intervention is minimal: gravity does the work of pumps, and the wines see long lees ageing. The wine style is very pure, fruit-forward yet fine, and really top quality.

Sustainability

Vineyards are worked with the greatest of respect to the environment; no chemical pesticides or herbicides are used; carbon dioxide emissions are kept as low as possible; there is crop cover between rows of vines to help combat soil erosion, and green harvesting is practised to restrain yields and improve ripeness. Although not yet HVE accredited or certified organic, the Roblins employ many of the practices of both.

Awards

Gold Sommelier Wine Awards 2017 - for the 2015 vintage 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Nose

The Estate

Established in 2000 the Vinecol estate is located in La Paz at the eastern end of Mendoza. Their 60 hectares adjoin the UNESCO protected biosphere at Nacunan and thus benefits from its unpolluted waters. At around 1000m, their 100 hectares are all hand-harvested and are planted mostly with Malbec, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Torrontes. They've invested in their local environment with a reforestation programme and have a vegetable garden for their staff and sponsor local schools!

Why Organic?

- Because as from the production of the grapes up to the winemaking process, it is based on the application of a set of techniques that do not allow the use of chemical products.

- Because in order to produce the raw material, the ecosystem's biological balance is intensified by favoring the presence of microorganisms that are typical of the fauna and of the environment to enhance fertility in the long run.

- Because spices and varieties are chosen according to their adaptation to the environment and to the resistance to plagues and diseases.

- Because the control carried out by the certifying organization lets anyone find the origin, nature, and quantities of supplies, additives and other substances involved in the whole wine-making process.

- Because it is produced in a clean and neat environment avoiding any contamination whatsoever.

- Because it is intended for a healthy diet pursuant to IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement) regulations worldwide.

Did you know?

The province of Mendoza is larger than England! 

Specifications

This is the fundamental organic South American Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting Notes

Colour 

A clear, bright pale yellow in colour

Nose

The complex nose presents citrusy notes of grapefruit and lime with a subtle touch of freshly crushed bay leaf

Palate

The smooth palate bursts with citrus freshness balanced by good volume and persistence

Production

Casablanca Valley is hugely influenced by its proximity to the cool breezes which blow in of the chilly Pacific Ocean. The vineyard soils are alluvial in origin, with sandy textures, high permeability, whose shallow depth restricts yield. These cooler temperatures and poor soils, in consequence, give great character in both flavour and aroma, especially for aromatic white varieties like Sauvignon Blanc. The landscape generally consists of rolling hills that rise toward the east and the Coastal Mountains. The poor, shallow soils are alluvial in origin with sandy loam textures, good permeability, and relatively low yields with respect to other Chilean wine regions. Cool climate conditions allow the fruit to ripen more slowly, resulting in grapes with a tremendous concentration off aromas and flavours in white varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and others. The grapes that went into this wine were hand picked during the first week of March, when the fruit had reached the desired level of ripeness. The fruit came from the Casablanca estate, where the vertically positioned vines produce an average yield of 11 tons per hectare. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts in our Maipo Valley winery. Temperatures were carefully managed to remain cool, with pumpovers and delicate lees stirring to reach the desired results. The wine was fined with bentonite and cold-stabilized before bottling to prevent tartaric precipitations in the bottle.

Producers

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

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

Sustainable

Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.

Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.

Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.

Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.

Awards

Specifications

Tasting Notes

A juicy, fruity organic red from Utiel-Requena, showcasing the region's increasingly fashionable, indigenous, Bobal variety.

Nose

Vibrant aromas of blueberry and blackberry

Palate

The palate has juicy plum and spice notes wrapped in supple tannins, offering a smooth, harmonious finish.

Producer

The 67 hectare Finca Fuenteseca estate lies in Utiel Requena, a high, rugged plateau, nearly 1,000 meters above sea level just inland from Valencia. The combination of hot, dry summers, cold nights and poor, limestone soil make the area relatively free of vine diseases and so ideal for organic farming. The entire estate is now dedicated to organic production and producing blends combining indigenous and international varieties.

Production Method

Vineyards are located in the north-west corner of Utiel Requena, 900 meters above sea level. Wines are made from organically grown grapes in vineyards cultivated using natural fertilisers, cover crops, biological control of pests and not using any chemical products that may damage the health of the environment. Grapes are cooled and undergo pre ferment whole bunch maceration before temperature-controlled tank fermentation.

A Note on Sustainability

Along with all its wines being certified organic and vegan, Sierra Norte is keenly involved in projects run by its D.O. that benefit local people and which defend the products of its region. In a wider environmental sense, Sierra Norte is developing a wastewater project by installing a treatment system plant to reuse water, as well as being involved in a photovoltaic solar panel installation project.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich and vibrant with notes of blueberry and blackberry on the nose.

Palate

This Malbec is well-balanced with lush fruit flavours of boysenberry and brambles, complimented by hints of dark chocolate, vanilla and spice with a long, spicy finish.

Production

Grapes are hand-harvested at the beginning of March and delivered to the winery in the same day. Stems are removed, then traditional fermentation at 22-24C for 6 - 10 days. Grapes are crushed using gentle pneumatic bag presses. Malolactic fermentation takes place to give organoleptic complexity to the wine. 50% of the wine is aged in new inner-staves for 5 months (70% French Oak and 30% American Oak) and micro-oxygenation.

Did you know?

The province of Mendoza is larger than England! 

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Wow - this is stunning - I bought it because it hits a price point between entry toro Pintado/ steakmaket and the more premium la Linda/quinde etc. if ever a wine was needed to demonstrate ‘bang for buck’ - this is it!! Delicious red and black fruits with great balance, complexity and length - this is close to knocking quinde off my ‘best Malbec’ trophy in our range - Almost but not quite but it is much better value!! 17/20 for taste/flavour but 20/20 for value!!" November 2022

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

A young wine with a pale straw colour.

Nose

Lightly floral aromas with peach and citrus.

Palate

The palate has stone fruit and textural, savoury characters with a fresh and fruity finish.

Production

100% Macabeo grown on alluvial soils in the foothills of the Moncayo mountain. After harvesting, pressing and chilling the must - a short period of skin contact is followed by long slow fermentation at controlled temperature of 22ºC - 26ºC in stainless steel tanks.

Producers

The winery was established as a co-operative in 1959. In 2001 it joined with two other progressive, co-operative, cellars in the Campo de Borja region to become the Bodegas Borsao that we know today.

Grapes are sourced from over 375 member growers covering 2,400 hectares - nearly a third of the region's total. Vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo mountain, ranging from around 350m to 800m above sea level. At lower altitudes, vines are younger and may require some irrigation, but higher up the slopes the vines are older, unirrigated bush vines.

The climate is rather severe and arid, with hot dry days, and cool nights - which allow optimum acidity levels to be maintained within the grapes. Garnacha thrives in these conditions and represents 65% of total production. The Cierzo wind from the Moncayo sweeps across the foothills of the mountain. This cold, dry wind reduces humidity levels and allows grapes to be picked a couple of weeks later in the harvest, at full maturity.

Borsao has access to a large number of vineyard plots at different altitudes, and hence to a wide selection of fantastic quality grapes. They are recognised for their entry-level varietals - as outstanding examples of easy-to-drink inexpensive wines - as they are for their premium wines, in particular the iconic, multi-award-winning Tres Picos.

Sustainability

With 2,400 hectares of vineyards, Bodegas Borsao is a substantially sized operation in a warm, dry region and as a result the availability and usage of water is a major issue. Much of its vineyard area is planted with Garnacha which traditionally has been bush trained. Until recently, newer plantings were wire trained for easier harvesting, but because of the greater exposure to sunlight of this training method the vines can require up to 50% more water. As a result, all new plantings have reverted to the traditional style of bush training to preserve water.

Inter-row plantings are used to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil and protect it from erosion; they contribute to a better soil structure, increasing its organic, nutrient and nitrogen content; they improve biodiversity in the vineyard since organic matter is a food source for several macro- and micro-organisms; they often increase the population of earthworms which are good indicators of soil fertility; they improve fauna above the soil, providing habitat and food for beneficial insects; they regulate vine growth, helping to control the yield and quality of grapes and wine; and they reduce the vegetative vigour of vines and thus their susceptibility to grey mould and downy mildew. These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

The new cellar is well insulated to reduce the need for cooling systems and to minimise energy consumption; all the chambers are equipped with automatic LED lighting; all of the bottling lines have been designed to reduce noise and to minimise the need to move dry goods and floor stock items; all hot water installations are solar-powered; the greater part of the electricity used for illumination is produced by solar panels; and every single drop of rainwater from the vast roof is collected and recycled. Planned new offices will also be equipped with solar panels and other energy-saving mechanisms.

Specifications

A really pretty and perfumed example of the Frappato grape from south-eastern Sicily.

Tasting Notes

This organic red has delicious floral and red berry characters and is surprisingly fresh and delicate given the hot climate.

Nose

Delicate and lightly floral aromas of strawberry, redcurrant and wild berries, with hints of aromatic herbs.

Palate

The palate has vibrant red berry characters balancing fresh acidity.

Producer

Is there a more dynamic place to make wine in Italy than on Mount Etna in Sicily? Cantine Nicosia is based at the foot of Etna, on the east coast of Sicily, where Carmelo Nicosia, along with his sons Franceso and Graziano (5th generation), have developed their family business into one of the area's most important wine producers. Their Trecastagni winery is where tradition meets ultra-modern technology.

Trecastagni, at the base of one of the extinguished craters dotting Mount Etna and at an altitude of around 700m, is home to the ancient vineyards of Monte Gorna, with their distinctive lava terraces. The vineyards have been completely restructured and replanted, focusing on the native varieties used for Etna DOC wines: Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for the red, and Catarratto and Carricante for the whites. The extraordinary wealth of minerals found in Etna's volcanic soils can be credited with the very rich flavour and unique character of the wines produced here.

Just a few miles from the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula is the lively agricultural center of Vittoria and the Contrada Bonincontro district - home to the large and impeccably groomed Cerasuolo di Vittoria vineyards planted exclusively with Nero d’Avola, Frappato and Syrah.

Production Method

Frappato grapes are grown on sandy soil situated at approximately 200m above sea level. Grapes are hand-picked in September. The grapes undergo maceration and fermentation for approximately 10-15 at a controlled temperature of between 22-24°C. The wine is aged in stainless steel vats and 2 months in the bottle.

A Note on Sustainability

A proportion of Cantine Nicosia’s vineyards are certified organic by SIDEL, and its wines are certified as vegan by the Istituto Certificazione Etica e Ambiente.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

A richly flavoured and approachable Amarone with layers of ripe plum and cherry fruit, mocha and spice.

Nose

Ripe, warm and generous on the nose with abundant plum and cherry aromas, roasted coffee beans and hints of dried fruits. 

Palate

Full-bodied and richly flavoured with rich berry and plum fruit, supple tannins and a spicy finish, with the characteristic dry bite of good Amarone. A balanced and very approachable style.

Producer

The illustrious Montresor family moved from France to Italy at the start of the 19th Century and settled in the Veneto region near Lake Garda. In 1892 Cantina Giacomo Montresor was established in Verona, and remains family-owned to this day.

Giorgio Montresor produces a portfolio of wines which increasingly rival the offerings of the region's more fashionable names - harnessing modern technology to craft the best wines from each site, across their 100ha of vineyard, in Valpolicella and Garda.

Production Method

Made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. The grapes are hand-harvested at the end of October. The late harvested grapes are dried for four months (until January following the vintage) and then crushed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel for four months followed by maturation in Slavonian oak casks and small barrels for 2 years.

A Note on Sustainability

At the end of 2019, Montresor received its organic certification. Some of its wines are already bottled in a lighter weight glass bottle (less than 420g) to reduce carbon dioxide emissions during transport, with the added benefit of reducing the amount of glass to be manufactured.

Over the next two years, solar panels will be installed at the winery to provide some of the electricity required in the production process. Alongside this, Montresor is about to install a water purification system to recover and recycle the water used at the winery.

Specifications