- Alicante Bouschet
- Bonarda
- Brunello
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carmenère
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Cinsault
- Corvina
- Gewürtztraminer
- Goldmuskateller
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Grüner Veltliner
- Malbec
- Malvasia Fine
- Merlot
- Molinara
- Mourvèdre / Mataró / Monastrell
- Muscat
- Nebbiolo
- Palomino
- Pedro Ximénez
- Petit Verdot
- Pinot Bianco/ Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Prieto Picudo
- Riesling
- Rondinella
- Roussanne
- Sangiovese
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Tempranillo
- Tinta Barroca
- Touriga Nacional
- Viognier
- Viura Blanco / Macabeu / Macabeo
- Zweigelt
- Alicante Bouschet
- Bonarda
- Brunello
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carmenère
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Cinsault
- Corvina
- Gewürtztraminer
- Goldmuskateller
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Grüner Veltliner
- Malbec
- Malvasia Fine
- Merlot
- Molinara
- Mourvèdre / Mataró / Monastrell
- Muscat
- Nebbiolo
- Palomino
- Pedro Ximénez
- Petit Verdot
- Pinot Bianco/ Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Prieto Picudo
- Riesling
- Rondinella
- Roussanne
- Sangiovese
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Tempranillo
- Tinta Barroca
- Touriga Nacional
- Viognier
- Viura Blanco / Macabeu / Macabeo
- Zweigelt
2016 Hartenberg 'The Megan'
Regular price £47.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%
A Southern Rhone styled red - juicy & bursting with flavour that finishes with a very moreish, lingering aftertaste.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Cherry, raspberry, perfumed fruit notes with subtle pepper and spice on the nose.
Palate
The elegant palate reveals dark choc and supple, cedary notes, underpinned by vanilla oak flavours. Incredibly soft on palate entry.
History
The Megan is a tribute to Megan Mackenzie, wife of Ken "Stork" Mackenzie whose family still owns Hartenberg Wine Estate. Megan met Ken whilst still at school and once time passed, they got married and so started a twenty-four year love story. Initially assisting in the family business, but also a celebrated harpist, Megan sowed the early seeds for the decision to later buy Hartenberg Wine Estate, whilst on their honeymoon vacation to the Cape in 1952. Megan sadly passed away in the prime of her life and Ken never remarried.
The Estate
On the slopes of Bottelary Hills bordering Stellenbosch, is a family estate where nature provides the perfect backdrop to grow, produce and share award-winning wines. Summer at Hartenberg brings picnics on the lawns followed by buoyant games of boule. Winter invites you to intimate fireside lunches and sumptuous reds, smoky charcuterie and olives, and sensorial cellar tours. Our Wetland Conservation Area, alongside the vineyards, makes for a beautiful setting for walks and shared family fun.
We are passionate about preserving our natural wealth as evidenced by our sustainable farming practices and conservation programs. We are proud members of Biodiversity and Wine (BWI) and Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), and the estate is home to plentiful wildlife and over 120 species of birds – inspiring us to combine the best of nature with fine wine. Our stated intention is for a pristine environment where nature thrives.
Specifications
Year | 2016 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvèdre Blend |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Cellaring Potential | Up to 10 years from vintage |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Slow roasted shoulder of pork, lamb rogan josh, caramelized roasted root vegetables, rib-eye steak or nutty hard cheeses
|
Origin | WO Western Cape |
Appellation | Stellenbosch |
2018/9 Domaine Berthelemot Meursault
Regular price £39.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%An elegant Burgundian classic from an excellent domaine.
Tasting Notes
Restrained and elegant as you might expect from this excellent domain. Aromas of citronella and ripe lemons, the palate is fresh and mineral with a persistent finish. Still youthful, this will develop complexity and character as it ages whilst retaining its balance and poise.
Production Method
The soil is worked mechanically to facilitate good aeration and microbial action and also allow the vine roots to penetrate as deeply as possible which in time will give the future wine its character. Vines are only treated by approved methods in accordance with “agriculture raisonnée” standards: the products used and the period of application depend on the state of the vegetation, the degree of fungi or pest infestation and weather conditions. Grapes are sorted and the must cool before filling into casks for the fermentation. The wine stays on its lees until July. New oak is restricted to around 25% to ensure it does not mask the pure, elegant style.
Producer
Berthelemot is a young domaine, created as recently as 2006, as a result of the merging of the mature holdings of the Jean Garaudet and Yves Darviot estates. As well as initial acquisitions in Beaune, Pommard, Monthélie and Meursault, in 2012, the estate purchased established plots in Puligny, Chassagne, and again in Meursault to meet the demand for its white wines.
The success of the domaine is down to the hard work and talent of its founder, Brigitte Berthelemot, together with her estate manager and winemaker, Marc Cugney. The vines are planted in limestone soils in very good sites at a density of around 10,000 per hectare, they are kept in top condition, and the team responds quickly to regular analyses of the soil and the vines in order to assess appropriate cultivation methods using the bare minimum of herbicides and phytosanitary treatments.
Although each harvest differs in regards to the degree of maturity and the levels of sugar, acidity and tannins within the grapes, the goal is always to produce the best wine possible reflecting the nature of the land and the characteristics of the year.
A Note on Sustainability
As well as the Agriculture Raisonnée certification awarded in 2009, the domain is committed to the specifications of the HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) programme and it attained Level 3 in 2015. Berthelemot is currently in the second year of its conversion to organic farming and should receive its formal certification next year.
Specifications
Year | 2018/9 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting information |
Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Poached halibut with lemon butter sauce, posh fish pie, roast chicken, pork fillet and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. |
Origin | Burgundy, France |
Appellation | Meursault AOC |
2019 Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £21.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Our winemakers select grapes from some of the best vineyards in Northern California to produce wines in our Gnarly house style - big and juicy. These wines are the perfect complement to life's bold moments.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon is King big, gallant and powerful. This dark, bold Cabernet has solid tannins and jammy fruit, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, freshly-cracked black peppercorn and floral violet.
Palate
On the palate, flavors of dense black fruit compote and currant followed by a trio of clove, spice and earth lead to a generous, lingering finish.
History
Gnarly Head wines began with a vision and a vine. In 2004, on a mission to make a serious Zinfandel, our winemakers journeyed to Lodi in central California in search of the famed old vine Zinfandel vineyards. Grown in the head-trained, spur-pruned method for over a century, these vigorous gnarled vines produced more ripened red fruit than they had ever seen. They took it as a challenge to create the biggest, boldest Zinfandel they had ever made. The result was authentic, structured wines with a hint of something unexpected. Something Gnarly.
But Zinfandel is not the only grape that can be Gnarly.
Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted using grapes from specially selected vineyards in Mendocino, Paso Robles, Monterey and Lodi. The Cabernet from each area adds a unique aspect to the Gnarly Cab. Mendocino Cab adds tannin and structure. The Paso Robles Cab adds a layer of jammy, ripe black fruit. The Monterey Cab, from our San Bernabe vineyard, contributes nuances of spices and herbs. The Lodi Cab is from an eastern area long known amongst California winemakers for its ability to fully ripen Bordeaux varieties. This east-side Lodi Cab delivers the dense, juicy core for this Gnarly Cab. Petite Sirah and Malbec from Lodi fill out this wine by adding juicy fruit, violet top notes and round out the voluptuous body. The finest California appellations and a selection of Bordeaux grapes create this Gnarly Cab.
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Country | USA |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Origin | California |
Appellation | Napa Valley |
2022 Domaine Bouchié-Chatellier Pouilly-Fumé ‘La Renardière’
Regular price £21.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Classic single domain Pouilly-Fumé.
Tasting Notes
Floral and herbaceous, this is a concentrated wine with great elegance, complexity and power. Really special!
Production Method
The grapes are sourced from 30-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines grown on the hill of St Andelain in a mix of Silex and Kimmerigian clay soils. The individual parcels are vinified separately. The grapes are gently pressed pneumatically. Prior to fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the must is naturally clarified by cold stabilisation and some of the grapes are macerated on the skins for a short period to maximise flavour complexity. Either wild or selected yeasts are used, depending upon the conditions - indigenous yeasts are believed to add more character. The fermentation is cool and slow over 3 weeks and the wine remains on the fine lees. The gravity-fed cellar is on two levels and is fully temperature controlled.
Producer
Robert Poirier established the La Renardière domaine close to a small wood with a healthy population of foxes ('renardière' translates as foxhole). He was a pioneer with a passion for modernism; he cleared the hillsides, planted vines in the Kimmeridgian marl, introduced new pruning methods, and won the estate’s first medals. A firm believer in the potential of Pouilly-Fumé, he expanded the estate over the years and even opened a wine bar named "Au Pouilly" in Nevers.
Eugene Bouchie bought a vineyard from the neighbouring château, on the same Saint Andelain hill as La Renardière, where the soils are composed of flinty clay and limestone. In the early 1900s, the marriage of the children of these two producers created the domaine as it stands today and it is the blending of the two terroirs which gives the La Renardière cuvées their complexity.
A Note on Sustainability
The estate undertakes disease and pest control measures by maintaining natural balance ("lutte raisonnée") and works the soil in a traditional way.
Awards
- Silver in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 - (2018 vintage)
- Silver in the IWSC 2018 - (2017 vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable
|
Food Matches | Best served chilled with shellfish, grilled white fish or chicken and soft cheeses or on its own as an apéritif. |
Origin | Loire, France |
Appellation |
Pouilly-Fumé |
2022 Domaine G. Saumaize Pouilly Fuissé Grande Réserve Maillettes
Regular price £29.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Fine, full-bodied white Burgundy.
Tasting Notes
Expressive, almost exotic aromas and flavours with a lovely touch of oak that adds a slightly nutty character to the lush, ripe Chardonnay fruit. Rich but restrained, there is a real finesse and elegant balance to this very classy white Burgundy.
Production
Grapes are grown on the limestone and clay soils of Solutré and Vergisson. Fermented in barriques, this wine then spent 12 months in a mixture of new and older French oak.
Producer
The 14.5 hectare Domaine G. Saumaize (formerly Domaine des Maillettes) is now wholly run by Guillaume Saumaize, follwing the recent retirement of his mother, Annie. Tending to more than forty parcels of vines (up to 80 years old) spread across four Mâconnais communes (Vergisson, Davayé, Solutré and Prissé), he produces Pouilly-Fuissé and a range of other Mâcon AOC wines.
In 2018, the Saumaize family invested in a new barrel cellar, giving them much more flexibility to vinify individual parcels of grapes separately and thus express their terroir even more clearly. The Chardonnays are classically styled, with part or full vinification in oak for richness and complexity.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites & no other allergens |
Serving Suggestion | Serve between 10°C and 12°C |
Food Matches | A versatile white that will drink beautifully with poultry, fish and hearty salads. |
Features | Vegan & Vegetarian approved |
Appellation | Mâconnais |
Origin | Burgundy |
2019/20 Umathum Zweigelt
Regular price £20.59 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Zweigelt is Austria’s second grape with 15,000 acres of vineyard!
Tasting Notes
Colour
The wine has a deep ruby color.
Nose
On the nose, the wine shows flavours of red cherries, raspberries and sour cherries with spicy tone that appears on the palate.
Palate
The palate reveals ripe red fruit, full body, elegant tannins, and a long soft aftertaste.
The Wine
The fermentation is carried out on the skins in order to extract the red color and tannins. To help this process, the juice is repeatedly pumped over the pomace hat. After two weeks, the young wine is separated from the skins, transferred to wooden barrels and the malolactic fermentation is started. The wine matures over two winters without filtration in old oak barrels to achieve stability and maturity.
Producer
Specifications
Year | 2019/20 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Zweigelt |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.6 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Features |
Organic and biodynamic practices |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | Charcuterie, noodle dishes, spätzli, pork, grilled sausages, chicken, vegetables, cheeses. |
Origin | Burgenland |
2020 Luigi Bosca De Sangre Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Nose
Luigi Bosca De Sangre Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep ruby-coloured red wine that stands out for its aromas of excellent varietal typicity. Black fruit and peppery notes are perfectly balanced with roasted hues resulting from its aging in barrels.
Palate
It is compact, tense, markedly structured and full-bodied in the palate, with fine and ripe tannins and balanced acidity that provides great smoothness and a persistent and elegant finish.
Producer
The winery that today produces Luigi Bosca wines was founded in 1901 by Leoncio Arizu, a Spanish citizen from Navarra who settled in Mendoza in 1890. Located in the Vistalba valley, in the Luján de Cuyo region, an area that, due to its characteristics, achieved the first " Denomination of Controlled Origin "of America. Luigi Bosca launched the first Malbec DOC in Argentina and Latin America.
Winemaking
The grapes are manually harvested in 18 to 20-kilogram boxes, followed by the bunch selection and stalking processes, and, subsequently, berry selection. The grape juice is cold macerated at a temperature ranging between 8 and 10 °C for five to seven days. After that, it is fermented in small stainless steel tanks, under-going various extractions, such as plunging and rack and return (délestage). Once maceration is completed, wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels, where it goes through malolactic fermentation. After the final blend is made, the wine is filtered and bottled, and then stowed in the wine cellar for at least six months before it enters the market.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Country | Argentina |
Alcohol content | 14.5 % alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.6 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential | For up to 10 years |
Ageing in Barrels | 12 months in oak barrels |
Suggested Serving Temp | Between 16°C and 18°C. |
Food Matches |
Perfect to enjoy with game meats of intense flavour such as deer or wild boar marinated in herbs, served with roasted vegetables. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | Mendoza |
2021 Weingut Moric Blaufränkisch
Regular price £24.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Moric is considered one of the benchmark producers of Blaufränkisch in Austria, and his wines are some of the most sought-after and highly acclaimed in the country.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Raspberry and black cherry with a hint of nutmeg and some leafy black tea notes.
Palate
The palate is plump and round with banana, cranberry and a dollop of vanilla ice-cream.
Production
The Moric Blaunfränkisch is fermented in large wooden vats with natural yeasts, then transfered to 600-4,500 liter old French and Austrian oak barrels to age for one year before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Boasting vines up to 85 years old on schist and limestone soils and relatively high elevation, these parcels in the foothills of the Odenburger Mountains provide extremely high-quality fruit that Rolan deftly crafts into expressive wines with a definite sense of place.
Producer
Morich was founded in 2002 by Roland Velich, who believed that the moderate climate and cool nights of Burgenland could make exceptional red wines from Blaufränkisch.
He has a passion for Blaufrankish so much so that he has set up his own wine label to focus on this delicious variety. He talks of the grape being similar to Nebbiolo or Northern Rhone Syrah and on this wine we see why.
Roland wanted to make wines that focused on elegance and delicacy rather than the powerful examples other winemakers were pursuing. To do so, he sought out old vines from some of Burgenland's top terroirs, and found them in Lutzmannsburh and Neckenmarkt, from which he started making wines of stunning expression and finesse.
Today, Moric is considered one of the benchmark producers of Blaufränkisch in Austria, and his wines are some of the most sought-after and highly acclaimed in the country.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Blaufränkisch |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Food matches | Try this with a rabbit or vegetable lasagna. |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Origin | Burgenland, Weinland |
2021 Edi Simčič Rebula
Regular price £23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
On the nose there are intense notes of peach, lychees and other tropical fruits while the first sip reveals a medium body, smooth texture and hints of stony minerality balanced by a refreshing acidity.
Usually used for everyday wines, this example is made from the very finest grapes hand-selected from 25-35 year old vines. The young wine is aged in used and new oak barrels for 12 months followed by another 6 months in the bottle to craft a rich, well-rounded white with good ageing potential.
Information about Edi Simčič
Three generations are still at work here, passing knowledge and experience from father to son every day. Edi himself is still very much a key character at the centre of the business, with his son Aleks working alongside him and taking the winery into a new era, while Aleks’ two sons learn their trade to take up the family mantle one day. Historically, Slovenia has experienced more than its fair share of hardships, re-shaping the lives of the whole population. In the case of Goriška Brda, the whole region was under fascist rule by Mussolini’s Italy up until the end of World War II, after which it passed into Communist rule as part of the reestablished Yugoslavia.
Like many other regions in the area, Goriška Brda’s whole agricultural industry suffered greatly under Communist rule, as all growers were expected to surrender a large portion of their grapes to the government, thus leaving growers with no resources to even consider quality growing and winemaking.
Upon independence and the formation of the Repubic of Slovenia in 1991, the family spared little time in pursuing their true calling as one of the leading winemakers of the country. Today their reputation is well-established, very deservedly so. Everything about Edi himself exudes gentleness, and this certainly comes across in the wines, thanks to patient growing, gentle handling in the cellar and utter perfectionism when it comes to ageing. Down in the cool cellars, none of the wines are rushed to be ready, and a masterful use of oak results in complex and slightly (but very attractively) oxidative wines.
Within Edi’s wheelhouse is a delicious Chardonnay, a wine he considers to be the first step everyone must take to fully understand his approach, after which comes the Sivi Pinot, the local name and style of Pinot Gris. The defining grape and wine of this project and indeed region is the indigenous Rebula, the true jewel in the Edi Simčič crown. Finally the range is rounded off with a red called Duet, a harmonious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These wines are very special, and Edi and family have worked tirelessly to show the world what their region and country is capable of. This is Slovenia.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Ribolla |
Country | Slovenia |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring | Drink now through to 2026 - serve chilled |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Food Matches |
A great wine to pair with creamy fish or chicken dishes as well as cheeses and risottos. |
Origin | Goriška Brda |
Exton Park RB|32 Brut Reserve NV
Regular price £45.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Our signature Brut harmonises an average of 32 skillfully selected reserve wines, for an elegant expression that sings with subtle intrigue.
Colour
Pale gold in colour
Nose
The Brut has a generous nose and a bright lemony character with notes of passion fruit and honey.
Palate
Minerality in the mouth indicates a good, balanced structure, with an intense backbone and a lengthy finish with a whisper of white pepper.
The Winery
Exton Park is a Hampshire sparkling wine producer with a 60-acre single vineyard planted on a south-facing slope in the South Downs National Park. Their first vines were planted in 2003, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier and their state-of-the-art winery was built in 2011. A luxurious, private event space overlooking the vineyard is also under construction and will be opening later this year. With a 60-acre single vineyard, a bespoke winery and a breath-taking promotional facility all on one estate, Exton Park will be able to offer guests an unrivalled English wine experience.
2021 marks the release of their Reserve Blend range. These are traditional method sparkling wines that challenge classic winemaking conventions. They do not rely on a base vintage like other English sparkling wine producers. Over 80% of each blend is composed from their extensive archive or reserve wines.
The number of reserves in each blend is reflected in the name of each wine. For example, Exton Park RB28 Blanc de Noirs is created from a blend of 28 wines. This unique approach has been pioneered by Head Winemaker Corinne Seeling to ensure consistency, quality and complexity with each bottling.
Specifications
Year | N/V |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay |
Country | England |
Alcohol content | 11.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 8.63 units |
Time on Lees | 3 years minimum |
Residual Sugar | 7g/l |
Type | Fizz |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | This fresh, elegant and versatile wine makes an ideal accompaniment to sweet and savoury dishes. Its delicate citrus notes pair perfectly with smoked trout, white meats or even a light Victoria sponge cake. |
Origin | Hampshire |
Dr Squid Gin
Regular price £49.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%This unique addition is served from a copper flask engraved with the scenery, wildlife, folklore and history that surrounds the distillery.
This fabulous gin - made with real squid ink - turns bright pink when you mix it with tonic!
Tasting Notes
Dr Squid Gin has been lovingly made by Pocketful of Stones Distillery down at Long Rock, Penzance. Let's start with saying the obvious; It is so good looking that it can be categorised as sexy!
Squid Ink is such a powerful ingredient that only a minimal amount is needed both for the distilling and colour or infusion of the gin. Vanilla was added to the base of the recipe to give a well-rounded mouthfeel and perceived sweetness, coupled with sea buckthorn for a tart, fresh fruit finish.
The gin is a savoury Mediterranean style gin, from coriander, sea buckthorn and squid ink, a smooth full mouth feel from vanilla and a slight spice, pepper. Dr Squid Gin opens up when tonic is added releasing floral and citrus notes of meadow sweet and lemon.
Dr Squid pours black and when mixed with tonic turns a vivid pink. It also makes for a great Gin Mule when poured over crushed ice and ginger beer.
A little tip here - pour it with the hole at the top - if you pour it with the hole at the bottom it can glub and spill (gasp!) - keep it at the top and its a perfect pour!
Specifications
Bottle Size | 70cl |
Country | Cornwall, England |
Alcohol content
|
40% |
Units of Alcohol per single serving 25ml | 1 unit per serving |
Type | Spirit - Gin |
2018 Ten Minutes by Tractor 'Estate Pinot Noir'
Regular price £46.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Aged in a mixture of new and old French oak barriques. Semi-translucent dark red colour with a light red hue. Perfumed scents of violets, ripe cherries and strawberries meld into anise, hints of toasty oak, traces of forest floor and spice notes. Light and expressive the palate has flavours of ripe dark cherries and strawberries which are carried by anise, light smoky cedar, forest floor and spicy dried herb elements. Supple mouthfeel, silky tannins and well-balanced acidity concluding with good power.
Producer
Ten Minutes by Tractor needs little introduction, nor does the man in charge – Martin Spedding. A gently-spoken man with a background in finance and IT, in 2002 he finally acknowledged the fact that his true passion lay in wine. Despite his origins in New South Wales, he simply couldn’t get enough of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and would travel down to Victoria to immerse himself in Australia’s heartland of these noble varieties. In 2003 he visited one of his favourite small wineries on Mornington Peninsula, and was delighted to discover that it was for sale. Without a moment’s hesitation, he snapped it up, and so began Martin’s journey with Ten Minutes by Tractor. And what a journey it has been!
Along with a trusty team and his loving family, he has overseen the rise of the estate to the cult status it holds today. In 2016 Sandro Mosele (ex-Kooyong and Port Philip Estates) joined the team as head winemaker, only adding to their ‘force to be reckoned with’ status. The ‘home’ vineyards (McCutcheon, Wallis and Judd) are the three original vineyards that formed the Ten Minutes By Tractor estate. They are all located in Main Ridge, the coolest and highest part of the Mornington Peninsula. Despite their close proximity and the use of similar vinification methods, the single-vineyard wines are distinctly different from one another. This is a result of their different elevations, orientations and soils.
These wines can challenge Burgundy in quality and elegance and range from fine and elegant examples to richer and more opulent cuvées. They are all made with indigenous yeasts and are a true expression of each unique ‘terroir’. These much sought after single vineyard wines are only produced in outstanding years and continue to go from strength to strength. Production is usually less than 200 dozen; they are truly limited edition wines. Outside of the original single vineyard range, the newest Coolart Road is remarkably different from the others – coming from the lowest vineyard of them all at 72m, the Pinot Noir made here is markedly different in style from the higher elevation sites. All of the wines are made with the utmost sustainability and are bottled unfined.
Acclaim
- 94 points by Campbell Mattinson – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion
- 92 points by Tina Gellie, Decanter - This estate Pinot is now split into the Up the Hill and Down the Hill cuvées, but in this vintage was a barrel selection of Martin Spedding's four vineyards. This is seductively savoury wine, with bold earthy beetroot and undergrowth tones to join autumnal plum and black cherry. Vanilla chai oak spice and supple tannins too. Drink 2023-2028
Specifications
Year | 2018 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Pinot Noir |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Oak | 12 months - 21% new French oak barriques (medium toast; very tight grain) |
Cellaring potential | 2018-2026 |
Food Matching |
That bright fruit means that it will match well with more savoury meat. Soy marinated pork with grape jus would do nicely here. Serve at 14–17°C. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Origin | Mornington Peninsula |
Appellation | Victoria |
2016 Château Lanessan, Haut-Médoc
Regular price £22.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A complex and elegant Haut-Médoc, from a good vintage.
Tasting Notes
Drinking beautifully now, this has a classic Médoc cigar box nose, followed by a textured, fleshy, plum fruit and aniseed-scented palate.
Production
From a total of 32 hectares of 30 year old Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot vines, planted on gravelly soils. After harvest, grapes are manually sorted to ensure optimal maturity. Temperature controlled open fermentation in concrete vats, with extended maceration and regular pumping over.
Producer
Château Lanessan has belonged to a succession of eight generations of the Bouteiller family since the 18th century. You might assume such a longstanding family to be traditional and staid, but in fact they are very open and receptive to new influences. In 2009 they employed winemaker Paz Espejo (who came to Bordeaux from her native Spain in the 1990s) to inject new vigour into the estate. Paz’s goal is to “grow excellent fruit while remaining loyal to our fantastic terroir”. Working alongside oeneologist Eric Boissenot and advised by Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus, she has made significant changes in the vineyard and in the cellar that now are being reflected in the quality of the wines.
Sustainability
In 2011, Château Lanessan joined the Environmental Management System launched by the CIVB to promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly viticulture and in 2014, it was certified HVE Level 3.
Specifications
Year | 2016 |
Bottle Size | 750ml (packed in a wooden case) |
Cultivar | 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites & egg fining agents |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian, Sustainable farming |
Food Matches | Your Sunday roast of choice: beef, lamb or nut. |
Origin | Bordeaux |
Appellation | Haut-Médoc |
2019 Ventisquero Vertice Carménère Syrah
Regular price £23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%At the highest point of our Roblería vineyard in the Apalta Valley, a meeting between John Duval and Felipe Tosso gave birth to a unique blend of Carménère and Syrah. Two visions, just one spirit. In a process that delivers the best of each element.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep red with violet hues.
Aroma
The nose reveals black fruit, such as blackberries, intermingled with gentle spices, such as black pepper, damp earth, notes of native forest and a hint of graphite and soft spices.
Palate
This wine has a firm structure and silky tannins. Its black fruit and spicy flavors, together with medium to high acidity lend it balance in the mouth and persistence in the finish.
Fermentation
The grapes first underwent a low-temperature pre-fermentative maceration to bring out the maximum colour and aromas. Then the must was fermented in small stainless steel tanks and open tanks. The management of the tannins in this wine is very important.
Aging
The wine was aged for 22 months in 300-litre ultra-fine French oak barrels, 40% of them new and the rest second and third use. Then is was bottle aged for at least 14 months.
Producer
Tosso’s winemaking travels have taken him to Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, back to Concha Y Toro in Chile and then finally to Vina Ventisquero. In 2003, Felipe began a close collaboration with John Duval (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.
Accolades
Wine Advocate, Robert Parker – 90 points
Reviewed by Luis Gutierrez
The 2017 Vertice Apalta Vineyard is from a riper and more concentrated crop with lower yields and comes through as riper and rounder, with more fruit and concentration. There is more tannin and more power. Part of the wine now matures in oak foudres, and that is helping with the integration of the oak. 38,000 bottles produced.
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 51% Carménère & 49% Syrah |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Aging Potential | This wine can be enjoyed now, but it has the potential to be aged for at least 15 years. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
This wine is superb paired with spicy food, such as Indian, Thai, Mexican and Spanish cuisine and other more complex dishes. It also goes well with semi-ripe cheese and strongly flavoured meat such as wild boar and venison. |
Origin |
La Roblería Vineyard, Colchagua Valley |
2019 Michael Opitz Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Gris
Regular price £23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%No Tricks, Just Wine
This Sauvignon-Pinot Gris blend is a revelation! A truly sophisticated wine, full of finesse and soft tones, with Burgundy elegance and reserved coolness. A fascinating, sensuous palate, with fully mature flavours, which impresses from the first sip. The herbaceous tang of Sauvignon creates a fine balance of sweet fruitiness and crisp acidity.
Tasting Notes
Producer
Organic, Biodynamic, young, trendy, and Austrian! Michael Opitz is part of the new generation of wine growers, no longer producing mainstream but rather, distinctive, confident wines. The personality of this winegrower is reflected in the style of the wines, which are considered and confident without excessive inclination towards the dramatic. Michael Opitz also particularly values sustainability in the winery. This includes improvements in the vineyard and in the cellar as well as considerations concerning transport, packaging materials and many other aspects.
Alan's Personal Notes
"This one was labelled 'natural' not orange but still a decent colour extracted. With Sauv Blanc being the lead varietal - it’s certainly the more commercial of the two whites he produces. Equally magnificent but still difficult to recognise any particular fruit aromas or flavours - but again multi-layered, complex, and with great length - and again that saline finish. Just shades it to be my favourite of the two - but Di preferred last night. Definitely a winemaker to watch." January 2022
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Gris |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | Orange Wine |
Aging |
10 months in Austrian oak and Accacia Barrels |
Allergen Information | Almost Sulfur Free |
Dietary Information | Organic, Vegan & Vegetarian |
Origin | Burgenland |
2019 Paul Wallace Black Dog Malbec
Regular price £25.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A memorable wine with a lot of character; one that embodies the elegance of Elgin fruit. It is named after Paul’s beefy black shadow, a cross Labrador/Rottweiler, named Jake. The Malbec grape is also known as the Black Grape and it is this characteristic that has been incorporated into the name.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Lean, dark and intense
Nose
The Black Dog Malbec presents with an intriguing somewhat exotic nose, conjuring up hints of blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and juicy red plums.
Palate
The entry onto the palate is a satisfying fruit-filled mouthful of both red and black fruits linked by a thread of spice and held together with silky tannins – just enough to contribute to food friendliness.
Winery
Paul Wallace Wines is a small family-run business with the farm located in Elgin, previously best known for its apples and pears, which is one of the most exciting developing wine regions within the South African wine industry and indeed internationally.
Vinification
The three individual blocks that comprise their Malbec plantings each have their own unique profile due to different row direction and training systems. Each block was harvested separately, each contributing it’s own unique building block. Left on the skins, post-fermentation before being transferred into 225 and 300-lit French oak barriques, where MLF took place. The wine spent approximately 18 months in wood with a 20% new wood component. 15% was matured in a concrete egg, contributing towards the fruit driven profile and adding yet another building block to the final compilation.
Accolade
- 90 points | 2022 Platters Guide (2018 Vintage)
- 90 points Silver | IWSC (2018 Vintage)
- 92 points Winemag.co.za (2018 Vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Malbec |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
The ideal accompaniment to red meat dishes, beef steak, game or slow-roasted lamb or should it take your fancy, sit in front of a fire, sip slowly and dip into a bowl of pistachio nuts or biltong. |
Origin | Elgin |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2020 Weingut Hajszan Neumann Natural Zweigelt
Regular price £28.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Biodynamically Farmed & Vegan Approved
Our lively wines have subtle corners and edges. And it’s good this way, because we love natural, authentic wines. Each one has a characteristic soul, which develops from the natural flavours of the grapes and the terroir. All this comes to fruition thanks to our biodynamic cultivation. We also work gently and reductively in the wine cellar.
Tasting Notes
The grapes for this Natural Zweigelt come from two particularly old vineyards in Ried Weisleiten on Vienna`s Nussberg. This bright, polished Zweigelt is quite dark and intense, with aromas of black cherries and plum fruit, as well as a subtle touch of herbs and spices. Fine texture and freshness on the palate with an engaging spiciness that leads to a fruity, cool finish.
In the Cellar
Zweigelt from old vines on the Nussberg forms the basis, maceration and longer storage on the skin (9 weeks) leads to an intense and dark berry fruit, as well as a lively tannin structure.
The wine is then not aged in wood, but in concrete eggs, which can breathe in the same way as wooden barrels, but do not bring those typical oak tones nor toasty aromas. Of course, the wine is neither fined, nor filtered, nor sulfurized, just as we do with the mash-fermented white wines of the NATURAL series. After about 6 months of storage, the wine is put together and bottled, and after several months of aging in the bottle, the NATURAL Zweigelt goes on sale in September immediately before the next harvest.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Zweigelt |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Biodynamic and Vegan |
Food Matches | Great companion for stews. |
Origin | Vienna |
2021 Chateau Maucoil Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Regular price £28.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A very proper, full-bodied, organic white from the southern Rhône.
Tasting Notes
Intense and vinous on the nose, leading into a bright, mineral-inflected yet rich palate that is subtly floral and beautifully textured with a full, long finish.
Producer
Château Maucoil’s vineyards are primarily located in the sandy-soiled northwest of Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, but its white grape varieties are planted in Urgonian limestone soils close to the river in the southwest of the region.
Vineyards have been managed organically (certified in 2014) and yields are kept to around 25 hl/ha. Harvesting is by hand and grapes are sorted before vinification.
After a cold skin maceration and pressing, alcoholic fermentation is maintained at 18°C and malolactic fermentation is prevented in order to preserve the wine’s freshness and acidity. The wine is unfined and aged in vats to bring out the varietal aromas and body, synonymous with white wines from the southern Rhône.
Did you know?
Maucoil is one of the few Châteauneuf-du-Pape estates that has conserved all thirteen of this famous appellation's original grape varieties, and grapes must pass through three rigourous stages of manual sorting before being deemed of high enough quality to be made into wine.
The estate's old vines (the youngest are merely 40 years old; the oldest date back to 1895!)
Château Maucoil (pronounced “moh-kwahl”) originally served as a base for Roman legions who were attracted by the spring that runs through the property!
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar |
Grenache Blanc 90%, Bourboulenc 8%, Clairette 2% |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Blend |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Organic |
Food Matches | Pair with rich cuisine, shelfish, grilled salmon, veal cutlets with chanterelle mushrooms. |
Origin | Rhône, France |
Appellation | Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
2017 Ventisquero Obliqua Carmenere
Regular price £38.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Head Winemaker Felipe Tosso joined Vina Ventisquero in 2000. After seriously considering alternate careers as a tennis pro and classical guitarist, he elected to enter the wine business, describing it as “one of my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep red in color with violet hues.
Aroma
The nose presents notes of fresh red fruit like raspberries, intermingled with hints of white pepper and herbal notes, along with soft spice.
Palate
In the mouth, this is a very elegant wine with firm structure and pronounced, chalky tannins, fresh acidity and it is well-balanced and long. This Carménère reflects Apalta’s higher-elevation vineyards and is atypical of Chilean Carménère because its origin in a high-altitude mountain vineyard has made it a nervous wine with great tension in the mouth. This is definitely a Carménère worth cellaring.
Vintage
2017 was a year with warm temperatures and low yields, which meant that the harvest was brought forward by around 3 weeks and the grapes were picked in mid-April. This is a very particular harvest with low yields of some 5 tons/ha, producing a very ripe, well-structured and high-quality Carménère.
Fermentation
First the grapes underwent a cool pre-fermentative maceration to bring out the maximum colour and aromas. Then the must was fermented in small stainless steel tanks and also in open vats. A classic fermentation took place with 2-3 pump-overs per day during the first half of the fermentation period and then once a day thereafter. After the fermentation was complete, the wine was kept over its skins for a post-fermentative maceration for 2 weeks. Then it was racked straight into second-use barrels and a foudre.
Aging
The wine was aged for 22 months: 70 % in extra-fine grain, second-use, 300-litre French oak barrels, and 30 % in a French oak foudre. And the wine spent a minimum of 1 year in the bottle.
Producer
Tosso’s winemaking travels have taken him to Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, back to Concha Y Toro in Chile and then finally to Vina Ventisquero. In 2003, Felipe began a close collaboration with John Duval (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 94 % Carménère - 4 % Cabernet Sauvignon - 2 % Petit Verdot |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content | 13.8% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.2 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Aging Potential | This Carménère wine has excellent aging potential. You can enjoy it today, in which case, we suggest decanting it first. But it also has 20 years’ aging potential. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
We recommend pairing this wine with roast or grilled red meat, pork rib, mature cheese and spicy dishes that go well with Carménère. |
Origin |
Colchagua Valley |
2019 Mac Forbes Strathbogie Dry Riesling RS3
Regular price £28.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%"A joyful wine! " ..." A very refreshing style, low alcohol (12%) and it is unbelievably bright on both nose and palate", David Crossley's Wide World of Wine.
Tasting Notes
Unusually for an RS this was a blend of first and second pick. First pick went straight to concrete for ferment which is so vivid and riveting, blended with some second pick fermented in large oak, bringing a fine supple texture that veers from the highly recognisable RS style we know to a structural clarity that seems just a little more amplified than normal.
Mac has chosen not to provide traditional tasting notes for any of his wines. His aim is that his wines hopefully capture vineyard life and vitality. As such the wines are constantly evolving. He believes that the only tasting notes that matter are yours!
The Vineyard
"Over the past 15 years, we have always been overwhelmed by the presence of our Caveat vineyard in the Strathbogie Ranges. A supposedly sealed road that wanders north from Yea climbing to the elevated granite soils that sit 600m above sea level. Generally 5 degrees cooler than the valley floor, this small vineyard is surrounded not by other vineyards but rather unforgiving grazing land."
The Vintage
A hot and exceptionally dry growing season, yields were low in 2019, but produced grapes with an intense and complex fruit profile different to what we had seen from this site previously. The RS3 is a blend of two harvest days - March 6th and 14th. It was fermented and matured mainly in neutral French oak barriques, with a small component being drawn from our brand new 2000L concrete tank. "
About Mac Forbes
If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.
Mac specialises in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.
His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, Chardonnays are loved by those who look for fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice in the variety, his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are some of the country's most unique.
And his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure-trove for the curious drinker and he is honestly one of the most genuine and affable winemakers you'll ever meet!
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Riesling |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content | 12% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Yarra Valley |
Appellation | Victoria |
The Port of Leith Distillery Co 'Lind & Lime Gin'
Regular price £40.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Lind & Lime Gin is the very first spirit produced by The Port of Leith Distillery Co at our Tower Street Stillhouse. It’s still a couple of years before we’ll be distilling whisky, so we’ve thrown our full and unbridled energy into creating a gin forged entirely from the talent, heritage and industry of Edinburgh and its historic distilling district of Leith.
In everything that we produce, our watchword is ‘balance’. We take a base spirit at 96% ABV and re-distill it with a carefully curated recipe of 7 botanicals to ensure that each of them is working in delicate harmony.
These are 3 you need to know about:
The Dr. James Lind
The marriage between lime and gin was consummated most famously with the birth of the Gimlet, a classic cocktail that first emerged in the early 20th century. However, having established ourselves in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith, our inspiration to distill our gin with lime came from much further back in time.
Born in Edinburgh in 1716, James Lind is a relatively unsung hero of the Scottish Enlightenment; a period traversing the 18th and 19th centuries when Scotland became a centre of intellectual and scientific accomplishments.
After some informal medical training at Edinburgh University, he joined the Royal Navy in 1738 as a Surgeons’ Mate, and by 1747 he had become Surgeon of a ship called HMS Salisbury. It was on this vessel that he conducted what is recognised today as one of the first clinical trials ever recorded, which played a significant part in the story of the prevention of scurvy.
We know now that scurvy is caused by a prolonged deficiency of vitamin C, but in the mid 18th century, little was known about this disease that could overwhelm scores of sailors on any one ship. Lind selected twelve sailors on the Salisbury with scurvy and allocated two men each to six different treatments for a period of fourteen days.
He later recorded in his 1753 book ‘A Treatise of the scurvy’, that the ‘most sudden and visible good effects’ were shown by the sailors eating citrus fruits. While Lind himself missed the significance of this observation, he is recognised for pioneering the concept of a ‘fair trial’, with a preference for observation over theory that set him apart from other practitioners of his era. You can read a fascinating account of his achievements here.
By the end of the 18th century, the Royal Navy was provisioning its ships with citrus fruit, leading to a remarkable health improvement among the sailors. This gave Britain a significant advantage during an era of regular naval warfare, although competing nations soon caught up.
Lime juice was normally preserved with rum so that it could last for the duration of a voyage. In 1867 Lachlan Rose of Leith devised a new method to preserve citrus fruit, by replacing alcohol with sugar. From his factory on Commercial Street in Leith, he launched Rose’s Lime Juice and achieved huge success, selling his product to vessels departing from the harbour, but also finding an enthusiastic market on dry land.
The Bottle
As the gateway to Scotland’s capital city, records of Leith’s history as a trading centre go back to the 14th Century. One of the most valuable commodities to pass through the harbour was wine from France, later joined by brandy, sherry from Spain and port from Portugal. In the 18th and 19th centuries, whisky merchants gradually began to dominate the shore as Leith became Scotland’s national hub for the maturation and export of the country’s national spirit.
Wines and spirits were shipped in barrels, and would be bottled upon arriving into the harbour. This trade required large quantities of glass bottles. The key raw materials for making glass were locally abundant: sand and kelp (a large sea-weed) and the first records of glass production in Leith emerge from the mid to late 17th century. Foreign competition (cheap imports) and unrelenting tragedies stifled the industry’s development until the mid 18th Century when bottle production was established in earnest and seven cones, housing furnaces, were constructed along the shore.
The business was also supported by increasing demand for glass vessels for Edinburgh’s medical community, and a growing reputation for ‘fine crystal and window glass’ towards the end of the century.
It was this remarkable local industrial heritage that inspired us to choose a wine bottle shape for our gin. We’ve also embossed the words ‘Leith Glass Works’ on the base of our bottle, a name that will feature on all the spirit bottles we produce for years to come. While the industry no longer exists in our historic port, who knows what the future might hold.
Specifications
Bottle Size | 70cl |
Country | Scotland, UK |
|
44% |
Units of Alcohol per single 25ml serving | 1.1 units |
Type | Spirit - Gin |
N/V Boplaas Cape Tawny 'Port'
Regular price £23.50 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Colour
A fiery red-brown Tawny coloured wine with flecks of olive green on the rim
Nose
The bouquet unfurls with the walnut, roast almond, honey, caramel, melange of spices, citrus, warming brandy and charred oak notes that typify Tawny.
Palate
A lusciously smooth, mouth-watering palate of brandied fruits, roast nuts, honey, caramel toffee, warm spices and hints of citrus tantalize the taste buds long after the first sip.
Production
The finest Tinta Barocca and Touriga Nacional is selected by the winemaker from specific low-yielding vineyards in order to craft an inky black wine, that is then barrel-matured for a decade or more.
All the fruit is hand-harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagars, barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for a minimum of 8 years, blended meticulously to craft the distinctive colour and flavour profile of a fine Boplaas Cape Tawny.
Producers
It would be impossible to think of South African ‘Port’-style wines and Brandies without Boplaas (‘top farm’ in Afrikaans) springing to mind. Boplaas, in far flung Calitzdorp, has been in the Nel family since 1880 so they have had many a year to perfect their craft. This is evidenced through frequently being awarded ‘Port’ of the year by both Tim Atkin and numerous Platter 5 star awards.
Boplaas ‘Port’ wines are crafted just like they are in the Douro Valley. Only Portuguese varietals are utilised, picked at full-ripeness and fermented in large open fermenters (known as lagares), intense manual pigeage, fortifying the wine at the correct time, using the finest grape spirit, and appropriate barrel ageing.
Accolades
- 93pts | Platter's 2023
Specifications
Year | N/V |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar |
Tinta Barocca (70%); Touriga Nacional (20%); Souzao (10%) |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
19.73% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 14.8 units |
Type | Fortified & Desert Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Drink now through next 10 years |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
A versatile food-friendly fortified wine the Boplaas Cape Tawny can be served with a host of tapas, roast duck with citrus glaze, sirloin steak with café de Paris sauce, comforting Cantonese cuisines, as an aperitif with canapés, pates and roast nuts, or as a partner to decadent desserts or a selection of mature cheeses. Alternatively, serve as digestive or as a mixer with tonic water for a refreshing long drink. For best results serve chilled at 11 – 14 C or cooler in warmer climes, and serve in a white wine glass. |
Origin | Calitzdorp |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
The Whole Shebang Cuvée XIV Bedrock
Regular price £23.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%The Whole Shebang is a truly exciting wine. It’s a multi-vintage blend, which is aged in a solera system.
Tasting Notes
It’s made from, predominantly, old-vine Zinfandel, but there is literally “the whole shebang” in here with white grapes, and other varietals, included to ensure the quality and balance of the wine is maintained.
Lots of berry fruit intermixed with lavender, pepper and meaty black cherry and black currant flavours emerge from this satisfying, round, expansive, generous red.
Producer
Bedrock Wine Co. was started in 2007 by Morgan Twain-Peterson. Working out of a small converted chicken coop in a friend’s backyard, Morgan focused on making personality-filled wines wrought from a small array of thoughtfully farmed vineyards. Over time the chicken coop and its outdoor fermenters and tiny basket press gave way to production at another friend’s winery and eventually to the “elegant” tin-sided warehouse that is now called home. In addition, after six years of working alone, the winery welcomed Chris Cottrell as a partner-in-crime along with a small, dedicated staff of highly decent human beings.
Press Reviews
"A Mediterranean blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Alicante Bouchet, Syrah and assorted mixed blacks fermented with native yeasts and aged in primarily neutral containers (15% in new French oak), it is a California version of a high-class Cotes du Rhone. Lots of berry fruit intermixed with lavender, pepper and meaty black cherry and black currant flavors emerge from this satisfying, round, expansive, generous red. An outstanding, killer value that should provide pleasure over the next 1-2 years. If there is a better value in California wine, I would like to know about it." - The Wine Advocate.
"This multi-vintage, multi-variety blend is made with an in-house solera system to produce consistency (and as such the cuvée will change every nine to 12 months). It is made with declassified fruit from the Bedrock vineyard. The blend is predominately Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Alicante Bouschet, Grenache, Syrah and Barbera, aged in French oak. Annual production is 8,000 cases. Really interesting nose! Well melded and fascinating. So much more interesting than the average Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh and ripe and beautiful. Long. VGV" - 17/20 jancisrobinson.com.
Specifications
Year | NV |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 46% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Syrah, 5% Alicante Bouschet, 40% Grenache, 4% Sangiovese |
Country | United States of America |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red |
Cellaring Potential | 5-20 years |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches |
Beef short ribs and other braised beef dishes. Hard Cheeses and vegetables. |
Origin | California |
Appellation | Sonoma County |
2020 Majnoni Guicciardini Chianti DOCG
Regular price £22.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A hand-harvested organic wine for special occasions!
Tasting Notes
Colour
Ruby Red
Nose
The nose is intense and very complex with combinations of ripe fruit, wood, herbs, leather.
Palate
Powerful taste with a lot of finesse: fine acids, integrated alcohol and clearly present but noble tannins.
Production
The Riserva is produced with the fully ripe grapes that arrive at the end of the harvest. The fermentation is wild (indigenous yeasts) and thanks to the good quality of the grapes the use of additives is minimal. Maceration on the skins lasts three weeks and the wine is matured in oak barrels previously used to ferment Chardonnay. A wine for special occasions: it grows in elegance with the refinement in the bottle and waits six to ten years from the harvest to get to its fullest expression.
Notes from the Producer
The vineyards are the beating heart of the estate. They occupy only 14% of the land but account for over two-thirds of our working hours throughout the year. The diversity of the varieties grown in the vineyards and the variety of recently planted Sangiovese clones are the palette from which we compose the 'colour' of our wines, with labour-intensive harvests during which we pick the various types of grapes separately. The structure of the plantations has changed a lot over the past forty years. Until the 1960s there were few vineyards: most of the grapes were produced in the rows separating the small fields typical of sharecropping. The hectares planted as vineyards came later, with the end of share-cropping and the spread of tractors in the Tuscan countryside. A further change took place in the mid-1980s, when we abandoned the quantity targets for which the plantations had been designed and focused instead on improving product quality. We adopted less potent fertilisers, changed from the traditional guyot pruning to the less productive Cordone Speronato technique, and selective harvesting. Finally, for the plantations in recent years, we returned to Guyot pruning and decided to continue our policy of planting Tuscan vines rather than turning to international varieties such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. The only exception is Chardonnay, which we use with the Tuscan Malvasia white grape to produce Spareto.
In the more recent vineyards, we have planted various Sangiovese clones and complementary red varieties (Colorino, Malvasia Nera, Foglia Tonda, Abrustine and Pugnitello) to have a wider choice when creating our wines. When we introduced organic farming techniques in 2001 we also began to sharpen our focus on managing the vineyards. Indeed, the physiological balance of the plant is a crucial aspect of using organic fertilisers, which are milder than chemical ones, and products such as sulphur and copper, which offer less protection than synthetic pesticides. We harvest the grapes by hand, in several passes, so that the grapes can be taken to the cellar while they are still healthy and at various stages of ripening. The first grapes to be harvested are used in the simpler wines, while the second, riper batch is earmarked for the wines that are finished in the bottle, such as Chianti and Chianti Riserva.
More about Italian Chianti
The most commonly consumed wine in Italy, and interestingly, the most commonly consumed Italian wine in the world, Chianti is emblematic of what Italy means to the world of wine. Fermented primarily from Sangiovese, fresh cherry, strawberries, and red plum pleasure the senses when enjoying this wine.
Winemakers have spent the last couple of decades trying to change the old image of Chianti: Wine bottles in wicker basket, interestingly also called ''fiascoes". They've done so by producing very nice wines through state of the art growing and fermentation techniques.
Chianti is a red wine that comes from Tuscany, but can contain small amounts of white grapes during blending. This is not the case with Chianti Classico, which must be solely made from red Sangiovese grapes.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Sangiovese 100% |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 13.6% |
Units of Alcohol | 10.1 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Food Matches |
Mushrooms, red meat, stews, feathered game (pheasant, partridge), fur game (deer, buck, wild boar), semi-hard cheese, hard spicy cheese |
Features |
Organic |
Allergen Information | Contain sulphites |
Cellaring Potential | 6-10 years to see full expression |
Origin | Tuscany |
Appellation | Chianti |
2018 Sepp Moser Zweigelt Reserve
Regular price £21.50 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A delicious example of this classic Austrian varietal elegant - juicy, ripe and generous. A wine that would appeal equally to Argentinian Malbec drinkers as to your Austrian Zweigelt drinkers.
Tasting Notes
Ripe cherry, herbal and cedar wood aromas. The palate has good weight with juicy plum and red berry fruit, bright acidity, supple balancing tannins and a bitter cherry twist on the finish.
Production
Zweigelt Reserve is made from 100% Blauer Zweigelt grapes cultivated in Sepp Moser's Hedwighof vineyard, in the warm southern Neusiedlersee village of Apetlon. The vineyard is around 117 metres above sea level (comparitively low), with deep dark topsoil and gravel beneath, which benefits from plenty of sunshine. The grapes are hand harvested towards the end of September / start of October. The grapes are de-stemmed and crushed, with spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and 3 weeks spent on the skins. The wine is aged for 18 months in used 225 litre oak barrels.
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.
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 emphasizes 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.
Accolades
- 2017 Vintage - Silver at the 2020 Sommelier Wine Awards
- 2015 Vintage - Gold at the 2018 Sommelier Wine Awards
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Blauer Zweigelt |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential |
Drink over the next 8-10 years. |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Why not try with pork dishes, goulash or ratatouille. |
Origin | Burgenland |
Appellation | Burgenland Qualitatswein Trocken |
2021 Domaine de Maltaverne Pouilly-Fumé ‘L’Ammonite’
Regular price £20.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A very ripe and unusually rich example of Loire Sauvignon Blanc.
Tasting Notes
Nose
A honeyed and gently aromatic nose with a savoury, toasted fennel seed note.
Palate
The palate is a rich and ripe reflection of this warm vintage, balanced by smoky, grassy flavours typical of Sauvignon Blanc.
Production
The vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgian soil (fossilised clay-chalk, superb for low yields and mineral content) and face south-southwest, giving increased exposure to the sun. They are fertilised organically. Harvesting is done partly by hand and partly by machine, depending on the vintage. Vinification is old fashioned and hands-off. Fermentation is done by indigenous yeasts and is followed by naturally occurring malolactic fermentation. This helps to soften the wines by converting the harsher acids to more palatable ones. Most unusually for a producer of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, winemaker Gilles Maudry believes in allowing full malolactic fermentation to run its natural course. The wine remains on its fine lees for 15 months after harvest, intensifying and enriching the flavours to balance the incredible freshness.
Producer
Domaine de Maltaverne is one of the few producers in the Loire that allows full malolactic fermentation to run its natural course. The owner, Gilles Maudry, is a former biologist who returned to his family’s Tracy-sur-Loire estate in 1984 when his father retired. Now working with his son Matthieu, who finished his viticultural and oenological studies in 2015, Gilles is a firm believer in minimal intervention: as long as his vineyards produce healthy grapes, picked at optimum maturity and vinified with care, then the wine can be left to determine its own evolution. The beautiful label features an illustration of the fossilised ammonite shells found in the vineyard, sketched by an artistic wine lover following a tasting to represent what he visualised upon tasting this wonderful wine.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites & no other allergens |
Serving Suggestion | Serve between 10°C and 12°C |
Food Matches | Goes with just about anything! Traditionally salmon, mussels or crab/lobster and chicken or veal, but also mushroom dishes, particularly an omelette. |
Features | Vegan & Vegetarian approved |
Appellation | Pouilly-Fumé |
Origin | Loire |
2020 Jacopo Biondi Santi Castello di Montepo 'Sassoalloro' Toscana IGT
Regular price £23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Sassoalloro is pleasant, particularly soft and balanced, with extremely silky tannins.
Tasting Notes
It shows a beautiful compact ruby red color and at the opening it spreads hints of black pepper and fruity notes of blackberry and cherry in alcohol, combined with floral aromas of violet, graphite and earthy hints. The taste is decidedly full and responsive, with great balance.
Jacopo Biondi Santi Castello di Montepò Sassoalloro is a bright, dynamic Sangiovese with an impressive pedigree. The name Sassoalloro (first vintage 1991) references a volcanic boulder on which legends have been built.
Producer
The Biondi Santi family has earned a place in the tradition of Italian wine thanks to the lively and passionate inventiveness that has distinguished it since the very beginning. The roots of this brilliant adventure go back to the 1800s, when Ferruccio Biondi Santi planted the first Montalcino vineyard with vines of a selected clone of Sangiovese, called Sangiovese Grosso or Brunello: it was the first step towards a new way of making wine that would soon in the history of Italian wine. Today it continues to improve under the leadership of Jacopo with the future secure thanks to help from his children, Tancredi, Clemente and Clio.
Biondi Santi is the historic cellar that has its roots in time and has marked the history of Brunello di Montalcino; a brand that has become the owner of several estates in the magical terroir of China, including that of Castello di Montepò near Pancole, where the Sassoalloro grapes are grown, a grandiose version of pure Sangiovese Grosso that oozes territoriality from every drop.
The Wine
A wine, in some ways, new to the tradition of Biondi Santi. Fermented and aged for about 14 months in Tronçais oak barriques, a short period that comes out of the company schemes which provides for long aging. A wine to drink practically immediately, but with a life potential that can reach 15 years.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sangiovese Grosso |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 14% |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11.3 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Food Matches | Pair with red meat dishes such as lamb, pasta in herby tomato sauces or any Tuscan foods. Ideal with aged cheeses too and perfect in combination with finocchiona and excellent with sausages and beans. |
Aging Potential | Now or up to 15 years |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin |
Maremma, Tuscany |
Appellation | Tuscany |
2017 Sepp Moser Riesling Gebling
Regular price £25.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Textured, rich style of Riesling from the famous Gebling vineyard.
Tasting Notes
Honeyed nose with aromas of red apple skin and dried apricots. The palate has more honeyed apricot and white spice notes - rich and textural with a long, broad and dry finish.
Production
The Gebling vineyard soils are calcareous conglomerate, loess. Grapes are harvested mid October. Grapes are produced biodynamically. Grapes are de-stemmed and crushed, then macerated for 15 hours prior to fermentation in stainless steel.
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.
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 emphasizes 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.
Accolades
- 2106 Vintage - 2018 Sommelier Wine Awards - Silver
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Riesling |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Serve with trout, pike and other, similar- flavoured fish. Also good with Asian food. |
Origin | Kremstal |
Appellation | Kremstal DAC Reserve |
Vino Fandango Gift Vouchers
Regular price £10.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Making life a little easier - for when you just don't know what they would like! Send them a Vino Fandango Gift Voucher for them to enjoy. In denominations of £10, £25, £50 and £100.
2022 Off The Record Syrah
Regular price £31.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%"One of those serendipitous discoveries that puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day, this is a remarkable new release from Bobby Wallace that rates among the best Syrahs in South Africa." 95 Points | Tim Aitken
Tasting Notes
Colour
The wine has an attractive deep red hue.
Nose
The nose leads with appealing spicy aromas – white pepper supported by notes of both red and black berries, some violets and a hint of fynbos.
Palate
Dark fruits follow through onto the palate with an appealing juicy entrance supported by savoury white pepper notes, a touch of salinity and rounded off with fine subtle tannins. A wonderful example of high altitude Syrah. A wine, whilst still youthful, displays the finesse we expect from cool climate, high altitude wines yet shows enormous maturation potential should you be patient enough to cellar the wine.
Background
Seizing the opportunity when it presented itself has culminated in this remarkable wine.
This is the second vintage of the Off the Record Syrah, produced from a small parcel of Shiraz grapes, sourced from a truly unique site. This vineyard, situated on the Ceres Plateau, is planted in fertile Bokkeveld shale soils at an astounding altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. Not many vineyards in South Africa can boast that they are covered in snow over the winter months.
Only 1 540 bottles were produced from the 2021 release.
Vinification
This wine was 100% whole-bunch fermented in two small batches before being pressed and undergoing maturation in 4th fill barrels for a period of 10 months. No commercial yeasts, enzymes or fining agents were used in the production of this wine. The wine received a light filtering prior to bottling.
Accolades
-
95 Points | Tim Aitken
-
One of those serendipitous discoveries that puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day, this is a remarkable new release from Bobby Wallace that rates among the best Syrahs in South Africa. Showing the freshness and perfume of its high altitude terroir on the Ceres Plateau, it’s graceful and refined, with rose petal and fynbos aromas, undertones of fennel and blood and a juicy, refined, silky, red-fruited palate. An awesome début. 2023-29. Tim Atkin 2022 SA Report
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Shiraz/Syrah |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Drink 2023-2029 |
Food Matching |
Beef, lamb, poultry, and game. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Ceres Plateau |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2019 Hartenberg The Eleanor Chardonnay
Regular price £28.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%95 points Tim Atkin
‘Year after year, this is among South Africa's best Chardonnays, a single clone (CY95) white that combines structure, intensity, concentration and precision. Finely oaked in 40% new wood, it has notes of lemon butter and cashew, lots of texture and a taut, stony finish. 2022-26’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2021, 95/100
Only 16 barrels of The Eleanor Chardonnay 2019 were produced and the wine has just been released.
Tasting Notes
Hartenberg`s self-styled `super premium` Chardonnay earns its title. this wine combines creamy and nutty fruit with refreshing acidity, a sleek minerality and sharp citrus fruit. It spends a whole year in all-new French oak and on the palate, you can tell – rich body, warm vanilla and an enduring round finish.
Nose
An expressive bouquet with lime zest and stone fruit at its core. Elegantly integrated oak shows notes of butterscotch opening up to a roasted nut aroma and a clean, chalky minerality.
Palate
An initial bright acidity on the palate balances the rich and creamy texture of the wine with the peach and lime note following through to a lingering, toasty finish.
Estate
On the slopes of Bottelary Hills bordering Stellenbosch, is a family estate where nature provides the perfect backdrop to grow, produce and share award-winning wines. Summer at Hartenberg brings picnics on the lawns followed by buoyant games of boule. Winter invites you to intimate fireside lunches and sumptuous reds, smoky charcuterie and olives, and sensorial cellar tours. Our Wetland Conservation Area, alongside the vineyards, makes for a beautiful setting for walks and shared family fun.
We are passionate about preserving our natural wealth as evidenced by our sustainable farming practices and conservation programs. We are proud members of Biodiversity and Wine (BWI) and Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), and the estate is home to plentiful wildlife and over 120 species of birds – inspiring us to combine the best of nature with fine wine. Our stated intention is for a pristine environment where nature thrives.
History
The first settlers to cultivate the virgin land of the estate now known as Hartenberg were friends Cunraad Boin and Christoffel Esterhuizzen who were granted permission to work 60 morgen (20 ha) of the land in 1692. In 1704, Christoffel Esterhuizzen was granted the title deed to "Het Hartenberg" by Governer (Willem Adriaan van der Stel) and by 1718, he had 10 000 vines on his property.
The well-known elephant hunter, Paulus Keyser, bought Hartenberg in 1721 and continued the practice of vineyard cultivation and winemaking on the farm until he sold it to Jacob van Bochen in 1725. Van Bochen, a former accountant of the Dutch East India Company butchery and holder of the liquor retail monopoly, also bought Weltevrede adjoining Hartenberg.
For about one hundred years after van Bochen, the farm passed through the hands of various owners. Some with colourful names like Arrie Lekkerwyn (delicious wine), and Aaron van Ceylon (a freed slave) and in 1838 it became the property of the brothers Jacobus and Johannes Bosman.
An important period in the farm's development was ushered in by the Hampf family when they bought Hartenberg in 1928. Mrs Hampf extended the vineyards and planted the many beautiful trees still to be seen around the farm and cellar, while her husband became the first officially recorded winemaker on the estate.
In 1948, Hartenberg was bought by the late Dr Maurice Finlayson (a well-known Cape Town pathologist) and his wife, Eleanor. Discovering the true potential of the estate, they soon began marketing their wines under the label "Montagne". Besides good wine, the Finlaysons also produced two sons, Peter and Walter, who were to become renowned South African winemakers. Uncompromising and sophisticated, Eleanor Finlayson's presence is still felt on Hartenberg today.
Gilbeys were the next owners of the estate, purchasing it from the Finlaysons in 1977. They eventually released the present Hartenberg range as their flagship brand in 1985. On 1 January 1987, Ken Mackenzie, purchased Hartenberg, having seen the potential that the perennial under-achiever offered.
His daughters continue a program of investment in the farm, focusing on three key areas: the replanting to specific sites of premium varietals, the development of production facilities, and upliftment, through knowledge and skills for employees.
The Mackenzie vision, though extremely ambitious, remains simple: to do whatever it takes to produce wines of outstanding quality.
Accolades
-
Tim Atkin rated The Eleanor 2019 an outstanding 95 points and offers the following tasting note:
“Year after year, this is among South Africa’s best Chardonnays, a single clone (CY95) white that combines structure, intensity, concentration and precision. Finely oaked in 40% new wood, it has notes of lemon butter and cashew, lots of texture and a taut, stony finish.”
Alan's Tasting Notes
"A stunning South African - peachy fruits punctuated by zingy lime zest intermingled with creamy butterscotch and a long lingering toasty finish from 12 months in new French oak - an absolute stunner that is made in limited quantities - who needs premium white burgundy which is unavailable when South Africa can produce sublime substitutes like this - pricey but solid good value well worth every penny!" September 2022
Accolade
- 95 points Tim Atkin (2019 vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Chardonnay |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Up to 5 years from vintage |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | The Eleanor Chardonnay is the perfect wine to enjoy with food or on its own. |
Origin | WO Western Cape |
Appellation | Stellenbosch |
2015 Ventisquero Pangea Syrah
Regular price £38.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%250 million years ago, there was only one continent, one ocean, one valley. This is Pangea. The experience, philosophy and creativity of two winemakers -John Duval and Felipe Tosso- joined forces to make an exceptional Syrah.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Purple-red
Aroma
Pangea is a well-rounded, distinguished wine with an intense, dark color. It has delicious, complex aromas which come through in the mouth with soft notes of red and blueberries, harmoniously intermingled with spices like black pepper, dark chocolate and subtle notes of vanilla and caramel.
Palate
This wine has an exceptional combination of concentration, flavors and aromas. Pangea is in essence a Syrah from the Apalta Valley that faithfully expresses its terroir of granitic soils with high quartz content, properties that are reflected in every glass. This is a well-structured wine with plenty of acidity and ripe, firm tannins.
Fermentation
The grapes first underwent a pre-fermentative low-temperature maceration for 5-7 days to bring out the maximum colour and aromas. Then the grapes were fermented in small 3-5-tonne stainless steel tanks and open 1-2-tonne vats. The fermentation took place at between 22°C and 26°C. Next came a post-fermentative maceration for at least 15 days. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrels with native yeast, to lend greater complexity to the win.
Aging
This wine had extended ageing, maturing for 22 months in extra-fine French oak barrels - half in new barrels and the other half in second-use. Each component of the wine was kept separate until the blend was made 2 weeks prior to bottling. The wine was then bottle-aged for at least 18 months. Pangea is neither clarified nor filtered, so over time sediment may appear.
Producer
Tosso’s winemaking travels have taken him to Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, back to Concha Y Toro in Chile and then finally to Vina Ventisquero. In 2003, Felipe began a close collaboration with John Duval (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.
Alan's Tasting Notes
"Not at all like a 2015 Penfolds Shiraz would taste like! Attractive, ripe, upfront black fruit aromas and flavours, very soft, smooth, with no tannins whatsoever.
Lots of power and complexity in the background and excellently balanced. Not sure how long it will last but it’s absolutely delicious at the moment! Will definitely try another bottle in a couple of years to see how it’s developing." August 2021
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Syrah |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content | 14.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
Aging | This wine can be enjoyed now or stored for at least 10 years in the right conditions (12°C to 18°C, without light). |
Type | Red Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Pangea pairs well with grilled meat, lamb and game. We recommend decanting it prior to drinking. |
Origin |
Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley |
2019 Ten Minutes by Tractor '10X Chardonnay'
Regular price £26.50 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%The crew at Ten Minutes By Tractor don't do too much wrong. What a delight this Chardonnay is!
Tasting Notes
Peach, honeydew and citrus characters pair perfectly with the crunchy phenolics, depth of fruit and elegant edge of this inviting and irresistible Chardonnay.
10X wines are sourced from several vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula and are therefore a regional expression of each variety. All of our fruit is Estate grown and managed.
Vintage
Lower than average rainfall and relatively standard temperatures over winter, and cooler temperatures in August and September, led to late budburst (our second latest) and flowering. However, above-average temperatures and low rainfall during summer meant early veraison and harvest. The period between flowering and veraison saw our warmest ever average minimum and second warmest maximums. Veraison to harvest was our fourth warmest maximums and our driest (47mm v 136mm average). Five days of above-average temperatures at the beginning of harvest compressed the vintage further. Yields are normal and fruit quality is outstanding.
Producer
Ten Minutes by Tractor needs little introduction, nor does the man in charge – Martin Spedding. A gently-spoken man with a background in finance and IT, in 2002 he finally acknowledged the fact that his true passion lay in wine. Despite his origins in New South Wales, he simply couldn’t get enough of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and would travel down to Victoria to immerse himself in Australia’s heartland of these noble varieties.
In 2003 he visited one of his favourite small wineries on Mornington Peninsula and was delighted to discover that it was for sale. Without a moment’s hesitation, he snapped it up, and so began Martin’s journey with Ten Minutes by Tractor. And what a journey it has been! Along with a trusty team and his loving family, he has overseen the rise of the estate to the cult status it holds today.
In 2016 Sandro Mosele (ex-Kooyong and Port Philip Estates) joined the team as head winemaker, only adding to their ‘force to be reckoned with’ status. The ‘home’ vineyards (McCutcheon, Wallis and Judd) are the three original vineyards that formed the Ten Minutes By Tractor estate. They are all located in Main Ridge, the coolest and highest part of the Mornington Peninsula. Despite their close proximity and the use of similar vinification methods, the single-vineyard wines are distinctly different from one another. This is a result of their different elevations, orientations and soils.
These wines can challenge Burgundy in quality and elegance and range from fine and elegant examples to richer and more opulent cuvées. They are all made with indigenous yeasts and are a true expression of each unique ‘terroir’. These much sought after single vineyard wines are only produced in outstanding years and continue to go from strength to strength.
Production is usually less than 200 dozen; they are truly limited edition wines. Outside of the original single vineyard range, the newest Coolart Road is remarkably different from the others – coming from the lowest vineyard of them all at 72m, the Pinot Noir made here is markedly different in style from the higher elevation sites. All of the wines are made with the utmost sustainability and are bottled unfined.
Specifications
Year | 2018 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | Australia |
|
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Cellaring Potential | 2020 - 2025 |
Food matching | Salmon Fishcakes - serve at 7–10°C |
Origin | Mornington Peninsula |
Appellation | Victoria |
2018 Hay Shed Hill Block 2 Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £42.99 Sale price £35.99 Save 16%97 Points | James Halliday Wine Companion 2021
Best of the Best by Variety in the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Dense dark red to black colour of great intensity.
Palate
The Hay Shed Hill Block 2 Cabernet Sauvignon displays ripe berry aromas of brilliant intensity with underlying earthen nature along with typical characters well noted from Margaret River. There is a depth here that is hard to fault, in fact its downright breathtaking. The palate itself is quite substantial, even by Western Australian standards; displaying fully ripe, fleshy sweet fruit filling the mid-palate with great palate extension driven by the ripe and mature tannin.
Vintage
What a long, and strange vintage 2017 was. Every vintage is different; lessons learned from the previous year don’t always help the following year. 2017 vintage started late, two to three weeks later than the preceding couple of years. The reason for this was the mild, cool spring weather experienced all across the southern part of the state. During the middle and latter part of March the South-West region including Margaret River experienced a very unusual amount of rain and very cool weather, ripening over this period was very slow. The first suggestions of worry started to appear in growers eyes. Of recent history Margaret River has experienced very dry conditions in March and early April with the season breaking mid to late April, not a problem with all the grapes picked. But this year the concern was that if the season broke in mid-April all the red grapes would be still on the vine. However, anyone that lived though the late April and early May in the South-West of Western Australia will testify that never had we had a better, warmer early autumn. It was simply perfect; cool crisp mornings and evenings but beautiful warm and sunny days; not too hot, textbook conditions for great ripening especially for the red varieties.
Winemaking
The grapes from Block 2 were de-stemmed into open-topped vessels for fermentation on skins with traditional pump over cap management. At the completion of fermentation the wine was left on skins for a further 10 days to maximize the development of the mature tannin. Maturation in French oak barriques for 18 months added further complexity and structure without dominating the fruit. The wine was matured in bottle for six months prior to release.
Vineyard
BLOCK 2 on the Hay Shed Hill vineyard was planted in the early 1970’s to the Houghton clone of Cabernet Sauvignon. These old dry grown vines have sunk deep roots into the gravelly loam soil profile providing the nutrient basis they need. Block 2 has a steep northern facing aspect maximizing the sunlight interception by the vines providing ideal ripening conditions.
Reviews
97 Points | James Halliday Wine Companion 2021 Best of the Best by Variety in the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion. Block 2 has the oldest vines on the vineyard, reflected in the depth of varietal fruit aroma and the palate. It has been singularly well made, drawing out the full array of blackcurrant, bay leaf and black olive fruits. The texture, structure and balance rest on ripe tannins, making a complete wine.
95 Points | Mike Bennie, Wine Business Magazine Magnificent wine here - power and grace, elegance and tension, super tannins and a suite of delicious berry, herbal, oak character woven wonderfully through the wine. It feels very ‘of region’ with its bay leaf herbal detail. Offer delicious, sweet but gently bitter cassis character, draws long and lingers well. Class Stuff.
92 Points | Nick Bulter, The Real Review Rated #21 of 33 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River Vibrant, dark cherry red. Charry oak, red and blueberries, a tease of cedar - a classic nose for the variety. Very dry and savoury when sipped, firm and imposing, black olive and dark soy. Built to reward a decade in the cellar. Plenty of class.
91 Points | James Suckling, UK Assertively herbal with mint, boysenberries and redcurrants, as well as cassis. The palate has a juicy feel, combined with some very ripe tannin. Compressed, dark-berry and cassis flavors. Drink or hold.
Specifications
Year | 2018 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Country | Australia |
|
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential | This is a strong wine with ripe tannin and strong fruit depth indicating it will benefit from careful cellaring. The expectation is that the wine would benefit from 10 years maturation. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Margaret River |
Appellation | Western Australia |
2021 Chateau Montelena Potter Valley Riesling
Regular price £37.69 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Chateau Montelena shot to fame in 1976 at the iconic Judgement of Paris that shook the wine world to its core when their 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay won first place against an enviable line-up of top French Burgundies. The result was a shock to the wine trade all over the world and changed the history of California wine - and Chateau Montelena - forever.
Tasting Notes
Riesling is a hidden gem within the Chateau Montelena portfolio. Many people don’t know it exists, and once they do – they keep coming back for more. Stylistically, it is amazingly refreshing with notes of lemon blossom, honeysuckle and rose petal that are balanced by lively acidity
Winemaker Matt Crafton best describes the experience associated with this unique wine:
“I love sharing our Riesling when I travel. Primarily, it’s because very few people actually know that we make Riesling and even fewer have tried it. But, secondarily, and this is my favorite part, I really enjoy the responses I get when I offer someone a glass. By far, the most common reply is some flavor of ‘No thank you. I don’t drink sweet wine.’ Once I coax them into a taste, however, few don’t finish the glass. “
Many years ago, Chateau Montelena selected a certified organic vineyard in the Coastal Mendocino Mountains from which, even today, it sources the fruit for the Potter Valley Riesling. The basic winemaking truth — “The Right Grape in the Right Place”—drove that decision then, and it is every bit as valid now. The Riesling grape is a noble variety that requires moderate days and cool nights to allow proper ripening and mature flavor development.
Nose
Aromas of lemon blossom, honeysuckle and rose petals are immediately apparent with a quick swirl of the glass. They’re followed by ripe strawberry, fresh-cut melon, and cinnamon.
Palate
On the palate, the wine evolves slowly but beautifully. The lively acidity is juicy and mouth-coating; gradually giving way to apricots, pineapple, and lemon candy. There’s a subtle spiciness that carries through the midpalate and balances the viscosity and texture – all hallmarks of the 2014 vintage. The finish is rich and refreshing, lingering past lemon meringue and kaffir lime.
Producer
Established in 1882 and located in Calistoga, California– the Montelena Estate is one of the oldest and most notable wine-producing properties in the Napa Valley.
Chateau Montelena Winery, originally called A.L. Tubbs winery after its founder Alfred Tubbs, was constructed in 1888 and intended as a barrel-aging facility. The Chateau was unique in materials, plan, size, and style for its era. In nineteenth-century Napa Valley, the majority of wineries were constructed of wood. Instead, the Chateau is made of stone with walls three to twelve feet thick, which provides natural insulation against outside heat or cold. Similarly, the structure built into a hillside, to further regulate temperature - something necessary for producing quality wines but uncommon at the time. Also rare among Napa Valley wineries, the Chateau resembles an English Gothic castle gatehouse complete with rusticated stone walls, battlement with crenels and merlons, narrow arched windows, large arched door in the place of a portcullis, and bartizans with faux arrow slits.
Accounts of the stone winery’s designer, masons and source of materials vary. The design has been attributed to Hamden McIntyre, the well-known local winery designer; however, McIntyre relocated to Vina in 1887 where he took charge of the vineyard and winery of Leland Stanford. The building is unlike McIntyre's other wineries, none of which were designed in a Gothic style. Some sources also suggest that while in Europe, Tubbs hired a French architect to draw plans for the building, brought back French masons to build it, and imported European stone for the walls. Other accounts suggest the design was inspired by the Cellar of Chateau Lafite in France.
Originally, the interior was one large space with a second-story crushing floor, but in 1960, a second-floor apartment was inserted so the Chateau could be used as a home. The space was then converted into our current tasting room though parts of the private residence remain and are used on occasion today for family guests and private events.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Riesling |
Country | USA |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Barrel Aging |
6 months in a combination of French oak and stainless steel |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | Enjoy Potter Valley Riesling with Asian cuisines, such as spicy pad Thai, or perhaps with citrusy grilled shrimp |
Origin | California |
Appellation | Napa Valley |
2021 Off The Record Chenin
Regular price £22.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Similar to Poilly-Fumé in style with a rich mouthfeel and some weight.
The fourth vintage of a very small parcel of Chenin Blanc grapes from the cool climate region of Elgin – only 2300 bottles were produced.
Tasting Notes
Colour
The wine has an attractive pale straw colour.
Nose
The nose leads with appealing citrus notes, which unfold onto the palate with a rich, creamy mouthfeel.
Palate
The broad spectrum of citrus, underlying minerality and gentle wooding have contributed to the complexity of this Chenin Blanc and culminate in a long lingering finish.
Background
The Uncensored Version – a project of heart, and a collaboration between brothers, Mark and Bobby Wallace.
Vinification
Wild ferment and barrel aged for 10 months in 2nd , 3rd & 4th fill barriques. The wine underwent partial Malolactic fermentation in barrel. No added enzymes, yeast and fining agents were used in the making of this wine.
Accolades
- 92pts | Tim Atkin
Bobby Wallace, son of Elgin producer Paul, is an exciting new face on the South Africa wine scene. This cool climate Chenin Blanc – one of the few produced in the region – is flinty, fresh and almost Pouilly-Fumé like. Aniseed, nettle and wet stone notes are complemented by underlying grip and some leesy weight. 2023-26 | Tim Atkin 2022 SA Report
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chenin Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Drink 2023-2026 |
Food Matching |
Spicy food, mild and soft cheese, shellfish, and lean fish. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Elgin |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2019 Domaine Henry Pellé Menetou-Salon Morogues
Regular price £22.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A stunning wine from the star of Menetou.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Aromas of ripe white peach and blackcurrant leaf, with hints of super-ripe fruit and lime notes.
Palate
The palate has lots of refreshing citrus zest, nettle and grassy characters, lovely minerality and a slightly creamy, honeyed finish. Refreshing acidity and good balance.
Production
The grapes are sourced from seven different parcels of vines in the commune of Morogues, all planted in Kimmeridgian limestone-clay marl soil which imparts elegant mineral tones. The vineyards face south-west, south or south-east and gain the maximum benefit of the morning sun to fully ripen the grapes. The individual parcels of grapes are vinified separately to allow the fullest expression of their unique terroirs and each parcel adds a different dimension to the whole. The wines are left on their fine lees until bottling to enhance complex flavours and regularly stirred to gain richness.
Producer
Straddling the Loire appellations of Sancerre and Menetou-Salon, Domaine Pellé produces world-renowned, terroir-expressive wines from its family-owned vineyards. Fourth-generation winemaker Paul-Henry Pellé pays meticulous attention to viticulture and winemaking, ensuring that the pure varietal flavours and aromas of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir and the natural characteristics of the Kimmeridgian vineyards are expressed in your glass.
A Note on Sustainability
Domaine Henry Pellé began its sustainable approach to viticulture in 2007, by using no weed killers, chemical insecticides nor anti-rot products. The 10-hectare domaine is cultivated using methods that maintain natural balance and that work the soil in the traditional way, for example weeding, clearing and grape thinning by hand. This year, the company is taking a further leap towards sustainability, aiming to become carbon neutral and seeking to develop geothermal and solar panel projects. As of 2020, the domaine will be certified as organic by ECOCERT.
Specifications
Year | 2018 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan & Vegetarian, Sustainable |
Food Matches | Serve nicely chilled before or at the beginning of a meal but also with shellfish or delicate white fish, especially with a creamy parsley or dill sauce. |
Origin | Loire |
Appellation | Menetou-Salon |
2019 Doña Paula Altitude Series 1350
Regular price £21.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Its name derives from the average height of the selected parcels for this Blend.
Tasting Notes
Cabernet Franc 50%, Malbec 45%, Casavecchia 5%. Three are the varieties that compose this complex and balanced wine of intense purple colour. Cabernet Franc provides spicy and floral notes, while Malbec provides berries notes. It presents a good length and it is very persistent due to its tannins. It is an elegant blend with a great structure.
Vineyards
Doña Paula 1350 comes from 2 quarters (N° 10 and N° 7) from Finca Alluvia, Gualtallary, located at 1350 meters above sea level. The ground is sandy, with alluvial and calcareous stones. The weather of Valle de Uco represents mild days and cold nights, with a thermal amplitude of 12,5°C, and an annual rain average of 280 mm. The vines are planted in ESPALDERO, and they are watered by drip feed. The performance per hectare is of 10 tons. In Doña Paula, we have always been practicing sustainable agriculture methods
Vinification
The harvest starts with Malbec and Casavecchia by mid-April, and it finishes with Cabernet Franc at the end of the same month. The grapes are hand-picked and then they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Each variety undergoes cold maceration separately, in stainless steel tanks, to extract the primary aromas. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the blend is made, and the aging process is carried out in 20% new French oak barrels, for 16 months.
Awards
- 93 points Tim Atkins MW Argentina Report
- 93 points James Suckling
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 50% Cabernet Franc - 45% Malbec - 5% Casavecchia |
Country | Argentina |
|
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.8 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Suggested Serving Temp | Between 15°C and 18°C. |
Food Matches | Perfect to enjoy special dishes, such as a rack of lamb with sautéed mushrooms, or a rib-eye steak with quinoa risotto. |
Dietary Information | Gluten free, Vegan & Vegetarian Friendly |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation |
|