Wine
Wine
Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve NV 375 mL
French Sparkling
Pale gold colour, fine bubbles and persistent mousse are present. Aromatic fruit, lively freshness, acidity, chalk, lemon, green apple, light anise, meringue and limestone appear in the profile. The finish is silky and long, with lemon pith. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier make up the blend. Malolactic fermentation is complete, and lees ageing lasts at least three years. Dosage is nine grams per litre.
Spier 2017 21 Gables Pinotage Stellenbosch
South African Red
Deep ruby colour is present with caramelized black cherry, blackberry, allspice and dark chocolate. The palate is generous, with dense fruit, velvety tannins, balance and length. Grapes from the Stellenbosch vineyard are hand-harvested, destemmed and individually sorted. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel. The wine matures for twenty months in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels, using both first-fill and second-fill vessels.
Le Piane 2021 Bianko Erbaluce White Wine
Italian White
Erbaluce forms the wine. The crop is pressed in a vertical press, and fermentation takes place at twenty degrees Celsius in 1,600-litre acacia and oak vessels and in cement tanks, without added sulphites. Ten percent of the wine receives maceration for as long as one hundred days. Bottling takes place in September with a small sulphite addition below forty milligrams per litre.
Azienda Agricola Tinessa 2020 Rubice Bianco Falanghina
Italian White
Falanghina comes from two organically farmed sites in Bonea and Montesarchio, at 400 and 300 metres respectively. The vines average fifty and ninety years of age. The grapes are harvested by hand in late October and remain on the skins for one day during fermentation in fibreglass. Fermentation and maturation continue in fibreglass and steel. Malolactic fermentation completes before twenty milligrams per litre of sulphur dioxide are added. The wine is bottled without filtration or stabilization.
Champagne Lilbert-Fils NV Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 375 mL
French Sparkling
Citrus peel, lime, white orchard fruit, mint and white pepper are present. The palate is pure and full, with pinpoint bubbles and brisk acidity around a fine core of fruit. Chalky salinity adds precision. Peach and lemon remain through the balanced finish. Chardonnay comes from the Grand Cru villages of Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry, and bottle ageing lasts at least three years.
eStCru 2019 Staring at the Sun Carignan Alexander Valley
American Red
Mouth-coating, chalky tannins accompany ripe cherry, vanilla, beetroot and rhubarb. Gamey and earthy aromas and flavours are present. Venison, soy sauce, white pepper, clove and sweet tobacco are also present. Acidity is high. The wine spent twelve months in French oak. Residual sugar is 0.30 percent. The wine comes from Alexander Valley in Sonoma County and is made from Carignan.
Podere Pradarolo 2019 Libens Rosso Assoluto
Italian Red
Fruit and leather notes appear with dried plum and a volatile finish. The texture is soft, while the tannins are firm. Croatina and Termarina are grown near Parma. Fermentation is spontaneous, and skin maceration lasts forty-five days. Maturation takes place in barrels. The wine is bottled without filtration and without added sulphur, and the total sulphite level is zero.
Zorah 2019 Voskì White Wine
Armenian White
Light straw colour is present. Asian pear, white flowers, unripe apple, pastry cream and grapefruit appear with a silky texture and bright acidity. The blend is equal parts Voskèat and Garandmak. Ungrafted vines between thirty and forty years old grow at about 1,400 metres on sandy limestone soils with stones. Fermentation uses natural yeasts in concrete, and maturation continues for eleven months in concrete and six months in bottle.
Rocca di Frassinello 2020 Le Sughere di Frassinello Maremma Toscana DOC
Italian Red
Cherry, blackberry, eucalyptus, rosemary, menthol and mineral notes are present. The palate is fresh and soft, with round tannins and a long finish. The blend is fifty percent Sangioveto, twenty-five percent Cabernet Sauvignon and twenty-five percent Merlot. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel. Maturation uses fifty percent new barriques for eighteen months, followed by nine months in bottle.
Domaine François Chapuis 2021 Les Confréries Bourgogne Pinot Noir
French Red
Black cherry, supple red fruit, savoury herbs, mineral notes, iodine and fine spice are present. The palate is light, fruity and supple, with pleasant fine tannins and a slight green note. The young vines grow at Les Cras on the slopes of Mancey. Maceration lasts ten to fifteen days, depending on the vintage. About one quarter of the wine is matured in barrels.
El Maestro Sierra Fino Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
Spanish Fortified
Golden colour with copper reflections is present. Almond, dried fruit, raisined fruit, peach and nut notes appear with freshness. The palate is dry, and the finish is clean and fresh. Palomino Fino forms the wine. Biological ageing takes place under a layer of flor in the solera system. The alcohol level is fifteen percent by volume.
Novaripa 2018 Dovizia Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Italian Red
Crimson colour is present with blueberry, blackberry, clove, curry, mocha and a light smoky note. The palate is intense and expressive, combining berry fruit with toasted nuances and freshness. The body is full and the finish is persistent. The grapes are harvested by hand from hillside and coastal vineyards. Maturation uses large oak casks and barriques. Barrique ageing lasts twenty-four months.
Artemis Karamolegos 2023 Terra Nera Assyrtiko White Wine
Greek White
Melon, pear, citrus fruit, herbal hints and mineral notes are present. The palate is fresh, with balanced acidity and a long finish. Assyrtiko comes from vineyards at lower elevations on Santorini, where the vines average fifty years of age. White-wine vinification takes place at low temperature, and the wine remains on its lees for six months.
Le Ripi 2022 Attenti al Lupo Toscana Rosso IGT
Italian Red
The colour is bright red. Wild berries, cherries, dark chocolate and spice are present. The palate is lean, linear and fresh, with marked minerality, gripping tannins and a light bitter note in the aftertaste. Sangiovese is harvested by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts as whole clusters. Carbonic maceration lasts ten days in a closed stainless-steel tank. Maturation lasts twelve months in concrete and stainless steel.
Le Ripi 2022 Cappuccetto Rosa Toscana Rosato IGT
Italian Rosé
Wild strawberry, sour cherry, cranberry and blood-orange zest are present. The palate is dry and juicy, with a silty texture. Sangiovese is harvested by hand and receives brief skin contact. Fermentation takes place at low temperature with native yeasts in stainless steel. The wine undergoes a short period of lees ageing without oak. Early picking enhances the grapes' intensity and savouriness.
Domaine Fumey-Chatelain 2023 No Sin Tou Tsefs Arbois
French Red
Wild strawberry, raspberry, cherry and redcurrant are present with floral notes, white pepper, dried leaves and wet stone. The palate is light and juicy, with fine tannins and lively acidity. The finish is long, saline and lightly spicy. Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau receive a short maceration. Maturation lasts ten months in foudres and used barrels.
Colombera & Garella 2019 Cavazucchi Rosso
Italian Red
The vineyard covers 0.7 hectares on a south-west-facing slope at 350 metres in the La Mesola cru. Its yellow volcanic sand is high in porphyry. The blend is eighty percent Nebbiolo, ten percent Croatina and ten percent Vespolina. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts in large cement tanks for ten days. Maturation lasts two years in old oak barrels, one year in cement tanks and one year in bottle.
Domaine du Vieux Lazaret 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
French Red
Cherry and anise appear with red berries and sweet spice. Rooibos tea and sandalwood smoke are also present. The palate is textured, generous and dense, with polished tannins and a full body. The blend consists of sixty percent Grenache, twenty-five percent Syrah, ten percent Mourvèdre and five percent Cinsault. The wine is dry, red and fifteen percent alcohol.
Domaine de Baumard 2022 Pic Martin Sec Anjou
French White
The colour is pale straw with brassy highlights. Green apple, tart peach, lanolin, chamomile, crushed stone and almond are present. Stone fruit, green pear, white flowers and linen are also present. The palate is light and crisp, with balanced acidity. The finish is long, with sea-salt and quince notes. Grapes are harvested by hand, pressed gently, fermented at low temperature and matured for nine months in stainless-steel tanks.
Ampeleia 2020 Alicante Nero Toscana IGT
Italian Red
The colour is intense ruby red. Cherry, small red fruit, rose, violet, wet earth, graphite and dark spice are present. The palate is fresh, savoury and intense, with integrated tannins and a long fruit-and-flower finish. The vineyard lies at about 250 metres on clay, pebbles and sand. Twenty percent of the fruit is fermented as whole bunches, and maturation lasts ten months in concrete tanks.
I Vigneri 2023 Aurora Etna White Wine
Italian White
The colour is straw yellow with golden reflections. White peach, tropical fruit, butter, citrus and mineral notes are present. The palate is fresh and velvety. Beeswax and aromatic herbs are also present. The finish is long. Grapes are harvested by hand from volcanic terraces. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts in stainless-steel vats. Maturation lasts several months in stainless steel.
Sant’Or 2024 Santameriana Achaia White Wine
Greek White
The colour is bright white-yellow. Citrus-peel aromas and mineral notes are present. The palate has refreshing acidity and a robust aftertaste. Santameriana comes from a rain-fed vineyard in Santomeri, Achaia, planted on clay-loam soil with schistose rock. Free-run must is used. Fermentation is wild, malolactic fermentation occurs spontaneously, and the wine is bottled without filtration.
La Perdida 2020 O Trancado
Spanish Red
Red plum, ripe cherry and raspberry are present with earthy, nutty and spicy notes. The profile has low acidity. Grapes spend five days in contact with skins, and fermentation is spontaneous. The wine is transferred to amphora and matures in large oak casks on fine lees. Bottling takes place without fining, filtration or added sulphur dioxide.
Château des Sarrins 2016 Côtes de Provence Rouge
French Red
The colour is dark purple. Black fruit, undergrowth, leather and thyme spice are present. The palate is ample and dense, with silky tannins. Syrah and Grenache make up two thirds of the blend. Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and old-vine Carignan account for the remaining third. The wine is matured in barrel. The profile is structured and aromatic.
Domaine Jean Bourdy 2020 Cuvée Chloé Trousseau Côtes du Jura
French Red
Whole bunches with stems macerate in stainless steel for ten days with daily pigeage. The wine remains in stainless steel for six months before bottling and receives a light filtration. Wild raspberry, cherry and pomegranate appear on a lightly hazy, crunchy and textural palate. Fine, grippy tannins accompany a gently spiced, saline finish with a stony character.
Vino di Anna 2020 Jeudi 15 Rosso Etna
Italian Red
The colour is crimson red. Red cherry, wild raspberry and delicate white-flower aromas are present. The palate is juicy, medium-bodied and flavoursome, with bright red fruit, underlying spice, fine austere tannins and a long mineral finish. Seventy percent of the grapes are destemmed by hand, with the rest retained as whole bunches. Fermentation is spontaneous, and the wine remains on fine lees in large used oak casks.
De Martino 2020 Single Vineyard La Blanca Semillon Maipo Valley
Chilean White
The colour is an intense golden green-yellow. Light floral aromas appear with white spice and dried seeds. The palate is juicy, compact and mineral, with grip. Semillon comes from a single vineyard in Isla de Maipo on alluvial soil. The grapes are harvested by hand and pressed under oxidative conditions. Fermentation takes place in French barrels, followed by maturation in Austrian foudres without malolactic fermentation.
De Fermo 2021 Don Carlino Pecorino Colline Pescaresi IGT
Italian White
The colour is intense straw yellow. Ripe yellow fruit, aromatic herbs and light spice are present. The wine is made entirely from Pecorino grown on limestone and clay soils at about 290 metres. Grapes are harvested by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Maturation lasts nine to twelve months in tonneaux, large casks and concrete tanks. The wine is neither fined nor filtered.
La Stoppa 2015 Ageno Emilia Bianco IGT
Italian White
Malvasia di Candia Aromatica forms ninety percent of the blend, with Ortrugo and Trebbiano making up the balance. The grapes come from twenty-year-old vines on red clay and silt. Skin maceration lasts four months in stainless steel, and fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts. Maturation lasts eighteen months in used foudres. The wine is bottled without fining, filtration or added sulphur dioxide.
Baldovar 923 2021 Rascaña Merseguera-Macabeo Orange Wine
Spanish White
The colour is bright yellow with golden reflections. Peach, apricot, lavender and pine resin appear with salinity and earthiness. The palate is velvety, fluid, fresh, tense and voluminous. The blend is seventy percent Merseguera and thirty percent Macabeo. Skin contact and spontaneous fermentation are used. Maturation lasts ten months in stainless steel, used 500-litre barrels and a 250-litre clay vessel.