Wine
Wine
Barbacan 2016 Livèl Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG
Italian Red
Concentrated red cherry and black plum appear with firm tannins and a long finish. Nebbiolo comes from the Livèl vineyard in Valgella, set between 550 and 600 metres above sea level. The site faces south and has sandy, siliceous soils with mica schist and granite intrusions. Its old vines are harvested by hand, and fermentation uses indigenous yeasts.
Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet 2018 Cornas
French Red
Syrah comes from shallow granitic sands on a south-southeast-facing vineyard at 450 metres. The altitude brings freshness to the wine. Vinification takes place entirely in wood, followed by two years in oak barrels. The family has worked as winegrowers for six generations, and its thirty hectares lie in the northern Rhône, centred around Crozes-Hermitage. The wine carries fifteen percent alcohol.
Clos des Vignes du Maynes 2020 Mâcon-Cruzille Manganite
French Red
Gamay comes from vines planted in nineteen fifty-three on limestone soils. Whole bunches undergo semi-carbonic maceration in wooden vats. The wine is bottled without fining, filtration or added sulphur. Lifted tart berry and floral tones meet a soft texture. The parcel lies in Mâcon-Cruzille in Burgundy's Mâconnais, and the finished wine carries 14.5 percent alcohol.
Château Cabrières 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
French Red
Dark cherry, fig and dried cranberry appear with light leather and spice. The wine is full bodied and tannic, with 15.5 percent alcohol. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault form the blend. Red plum and kirsch are also present, along with freshness and a spicy finish. Part of the wine was aged in barrels for twelve months. The vineyards belong to Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône Valley.
Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio
Italian Red
Camphor, purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and spice appear with raspberry, truffle, cherry in spirits and liquorice. The palate is full bodied and enveloping, with velvety, fine-grained tannins. Nebbiolo comes from Bricco Ambrogio in Roddi. Dark fruit, cherry and plum are also present, and the mouthfeel is broad, long and polished. The wine contains 15 percent alcohol.
Bouchard Père & Fils 2019 Pommard
French Red
Cherry, strawberry, floral and spice notes appear in a refined structure. The wine is linear and balanced, with a lingering red-fruit aftertaste. Small black fruits and an animal note are also present. The profile is firm and solid. Pinot Noir comes from Pommard in the Côte de Beaune. Calcareous and clay soils are coloured red by iron oxides.
Champagne Gounel-Lassalle Le Haut Belai Premier Cru Brut Nature NV
French Sparkling
Flint and biscuit minerality appear with grilled mango, red apple, honeysuckle, pear and blackcurrant. Almond, toast and brioche add savoury detail. The palate is rich, fresh and creamy, with lemon, pomelo, oak and a broad, harmonious finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay come from the Le Haut Belai parcel in Ludes. The subsoil combines limestone and flint, and vinification uses oak foudres and barrels.
Burrowing Owl 2018 Merlot 1.5 L
Canadian Red
Black plum, ripe raspberry and brambly berries appear with violet, lavender, cocoa, marzipan, vanilla, cedar and baking spice. The palate is full bodied, with firm ripe tannins, refreshing acidity and a velvety texture. Plum pudding, black cherry, hazelnut, dark chocolate, paprika, dried sage and graphite are also present. The finish is long. Merlot fruit is harvested by hand from estate vineyards in Oliver and Osoyoos.
Yarra Yering 2019 Dry Red No. 3
Australian Red
Boysenberry and cardamom appear with mocha and charcuterie. Blackcurrant, liquorice, fragrant blue fruit, savoury depth, flowers and bay leaf fill a medium-bodied profile with a long palate. The six-grape field blend uses Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Alvarelhão and Sousão. Grapes are hand picked, destemmed and left uncrushed. Initial working is by foot, and maturation lasts ten months in old oak.
Poderi Colla 2022 Barbaresco Roncaglie
Italian Red
Blackberry, spice, forest floor, wild rose and violet appear with deep garnet colour. The palate is rich, enveloping and intense, with a long finish and velvety tannins. Nebbiolo forms the entire wine. Grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed and crushed. Skin maceration lasts twelve to fifteen days at a maximum temperature of about thirty degrees Celsius. Maturation lasts twelve to fourteen months in Slavonian oak.
Zuccardi 2022 Aluvional Paraje Altamira Malbec
Argentinian Red
Aromatic dried herbs and concentrated cherry appear together. Fresh red plum, mulberry and rosemary accompany a velvety palate. Acidity gives the wine energy, and the aftertaste is saline. Malbec forms the entire wine from Paraje Altamira in San Carlos, Uco Valley. The vineyards sit between 1,050 and 1,150 metres. Their alluvial soils were formed by mountain water carrying rocks, sediments and minerals.
Château La Rabotine 2023 Sancerre 1.5 L
French White
Elderflower, acacia and wildflower honey appear with pineapple and English drops. The wine is dry and mineral, with juicy fruit, lively acidity and a long, balanced finish. Sauvignon Blanc forms the entire wine. The grapes are harvested carefully and pressed gently, then fermented at a controlled low temperature in stainless steel. The wine is bottled at thirteen percent alcohol.
Escala Humana 2022 Credo Semillon El Peral
Argentinian White
Citrus fruit, orange peel, waxy herbal notes and a mineral edge appear with bright lemony acidity. Honey, resin, white flowers, chamomile, hazelnut and ripe citrus are also present. Semillon forms the entire wine from the Manoni vineyard in El Peral. The vineyard sits at 3,750 feet on clay loam with granite and calcareous sections. Native yeast is used after destemming, and maturation lasts twenty-four months in French oak and twelve months in bottle.
Escala Humana 2022 Credo Malbec El Peral
Argentinian Red
Black cherry and blackcurrant appear with floral character, mineral freshness and structure. Malbec forms the entire wine from the El Facha vineyard in El Peral. The vines grow at 3,750 feet on clay loam with granite and calcareous sections. Native yeast is used after destemming. Maturation lasts twenty-four months in French oak and twelve months in bottle. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.
Piper-Heidsieck 2012 Vintage Brut Champagne
French Sparkling
Tangerine, apricot, vine peach, mango, honeysuckle blossom, gingerbread and cocoa define the aromatic profile. The blend is fifty-two percent Pinot Noir and forty-eight percent Chardonnay. Ageing on the lees lasts more than five years, followed by at least twelve months after disgorgement. Fresh citrus, smoked notes, almond, pomegranate, honey, black cherry and blueberry are also present. The wine contains twelve percent alcohol.
Domaine Mee Godard 2023 Morgon Cote du Py
French Red
Red fruit and blood orange appear with crisp acidity and sapid fruit tones. The palate is balanced and cohesive, with a bright, vigorous finish. Violet is also present, together with medium body, pronounced mineral acidity and a long, compact finish. Gamay forms the entire wine, with fruit blended from four plots. The wine is bottled at 13.5 percent alcohol.
La Rioja Alta 2005 Viña Ardanza Reserva Rioja 1.5 L
Spanish Red
Spicy and balsamic aromas include vanilla, coconut and black pepper with blackberry notes. The palate is well structured, with balanced acidity and alcohol, soft, silky tannins and a long finish of fresh blackberry and spicy wood. The blend is eighty percent Tempranillo and twenty percent Garnacha. Tempranillo matures for thirty-six months in American oak, while Garnacha spends thirty months in American oak.
Remoissenet 2017 Bourgogne Rouge Renommée 1.5 L
French Red
Red summer berries, redcurrant and baking spices appear in the aromas. The palate is tangy, with suave tannins, pomegranate jam, red cherry and spice-box flavours. The Pinot Noir comes from estate-owned and purchased Burgundy fruit. Grapes are harvested by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-top French oak vats. The wine matures in French oak barrels, fifteen to twenty percent new, and is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Jean-Luc Colombo 2018 La Louvée Cornas
French Red
Cassis and blackberry flavours retain freshness despite the wine's concentration and richness. The Syrah is full bodied, with savoury smoke, nut and iron. Integrated oak and fine, delicate tannins are also present. Fruit comes from a single parcel on granite in Cornas. The grapes are hand picked and destemmed. Temperature-controlled maceration lasts one month. Ageing lasts twenty-two months in oak, fifteen percent new.
Wasenhaus 2022 Vulkan Spätburgunder
German Red
Pure, refreshing cherry aromas appear on the nose. The palate is tight, fresh and intense, with medium body and a nervy structure. Sour cherry appears on a tart, concentrated finish. Fruit comes from Eichstätten and Jechtingen, with fifteen to twenty percent whole clusters. The Pinot Noir grows on shallow black volcanic soils. The wine is bottled at 12.5 percent alcohol.
Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet 2016 Ermitage Blanc
French White
Fresh apple, lemon and quince define the profile. Roussanne grown on loess soils forms the entire wine. Fermentation and maturation take place in oak, half of it new. The wine is full-bodied, dry and lightly oaked. It is bottled at 13.5 percent alcohol. The low-yielding Roussanne develops in small, tightly packed bunches. Finesse and delicacy are also present.
Julien Guillot 2020 Bourgogne Rouge Cuvée Auguste
French Red
Pinot Noir grows on clay and limestone soils with calcareous silt and abundant silica. The grapes undergo semi-carbonic maceration, followed by twelve months in used French oak. Bottling takes place without fining, filtration or added sulphur. The property is farmed organically without chemical treatments, and biodynamic methods are used. Work in the vineyard and cellar is performed by hand, without additions during growing or winemaking.
IDDA 2023 Bianco Sicilia DOP
Italian White
Lemon, orange, grapefruit, ripe peach, nectarine, apricot and jasmine appear with a mineral note. The palate is juicy and refreshing, with lightly salty mineral impressions and a lingering aftertaste. Carricante comes from Biancavilla and Belpasso on the southern and southwest slopes of Etna. Whole bunches are cold pressed, and ageing lasts six to nine months in oak and stainless steel.
Barale Fratelli 2019 Castellero Barolo
Italian Red
Cherry, raspberry, mint, eucalyptus, pepper and nutmeg appear in the aromas. The palate combines fruit and spice with refreshing acidity, ripe tannins and a persistent, saline finish. Castellero lies in the municipality of Barolo on calcareous, silty clay loam. The organically farmed vineyard has a southwest exposure at 270 metres. The wine is made entirely from Nebbiolo and bottled at fourteen percent alcohol.
Kistler 2014 McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Mountain
American White
Pineapple paste, honey-nut, guava, cashews and brioche appear with a satiny texture and zippy acidity. Dried pear, almond, savoury herbs and dried flowers are also present, together with a persistent finish. The vineyard lies on the eastern bench of Sonoma Mountain. Its soils combine volcanic material and limestone. Floral and citrus-blossom aromas and a chalk-like fruit core are part of the site profile.
Barale Fratelli 2019 Bussia Barolo
Italian Red
An expressive profile brings dried rose, liquorice, tobacco, leather and violet. The palate is robust yet velvety, ample and balanced. Fruit comes from Bussia Soprana in Monforte d'Alba, at 270 metres on calcareous, sandy-loam soil. The wine is made entirely from Nebbiolo. Grapes are harvested by hand, fermented spontaneously in oak with indigenous yeasts and macerated for about fifteen to twenty days.
Veyder-Malberg 2021 Weissenkirchner Ried Weitenberg Grüner Veltliner
Austrian White
Stone fruit, white flowers and citrus appear in the aromas. The palate includes peach, apricot blossom, lemon peel, lemongrass and a touch of pepper, with further yellow-fruit character. Fine fruit acidity and balance accompany a long finish. This is a single-site Grüner Veltliner from the Weissenkirchner Ried Weitenberg in Wachau, bottled at 13.5% alcohol.
Château Brown 2021 Blanc Pessac-Léognan
French White
Floral notes and a light smoky note emerge after swirling. The palate is soft and fresh, with full body, aromatic density and further floral character. Sauvignon Blanc brings tension, and the finish is mineral, taut and very long. The blend is sixty-eight percent Sauvignon Blanc and thirty-two percent Sémillon. Grapes were harvested by hand, then fermented and matured in oak for eight months with stirring on fine lees.
Haut-Bailly II 2019 Pessac-Léognan
French Red
Fresh fruit and a suave structure define the profile. Merlot brings aromatic freshness and roundness, while silky tannins give the wine a soft texture. The blend is sixty percent Merlot and forty percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes were harvested from September 23 to October 10. Rich berry fruit, cassis, cigar wrapper and loamy soil are also present. The tannins are ripe and powdery.
Pindarie 2020 Black Hinge Reserve Shiraz
Australian Red
Berry fruit and spice meet a concentrated, dense structure, supported by strong tannins and balanced acidity. The palate has a luscious, lingering mouthfeel. The Shiraz comes entirely from estate-grown fruit selected from the lower section of Tony's Block, on terra rossa soils. A small open fermenter is used with gentle hand plunging. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, followed by sixteen months in French oak.