Selection
Selection
Elian Da Ros 2022 Coucou Blanc
French White
Floral, taut and enveloping, with grapefruit and stone-fruit notes. The blend combines Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Sémillon. Vines are farmed biodynamically on clay and gravel above blue marl. Cellar details include slow pressing, cold settling, fermentation and ageing in foudres and concrete. The wine comes from the Côtes du Marmandais in the southwest of France.
Ashes & Diamonds 2016 Blanc No. 2
American White
Fully ripe and textured, this bright and zesty Napa Valley white wine combines Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Its mineral notes sit beside details of dried citrus and herbs. Fruit comes from two organically farmed sites: one in Oak Knoll District and the other in Yountville. Both districts lie within Napa Valley in California, United States.
Fairview Cellars 2012 Premier Series Cabernet Franc
Canadian Red
Plum and spice define the nose of this Canadian Cabernet Franc from British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. The wine is dry and carries medium-plus acidity together with substantial tannin. At a contemporary cellar tasting, the bottle remained quite closed but was already described as very tasty. Its tannic scale was recorded between medium-plus and high at that visit.
Whitehall Lane 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
American Red
Ripe red and black fruit, juicy fruit, plum and dried berry appear beside terracotta. The wine is full and concentrated, with velvety tannins and a refined, lasting finish. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for 86% of the blend. Merlot contributes 8%, while Malbec and Petit Verdot each contribute 3%. This Napa Valley red was made in the United States.
Piro Wine Company 2018 Runway Vineyard Pinot Noir
American Red
Dark berries, slight reduction, dark red fruit and sweet elderberry appear in a bold yet delicate profile. The wine is made entirely from Pinot Noir, and every bunch is fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in an open-top vessel, with fourteen days on skins. Barrel ageing lasts twenty-one months across new, neutral and once-used French oak.
Domaine des Marnes Blanches 2022 Chardonnay En Levrette
French White
Pale yellow with golden highlights, showing citrus, green apple and flint. Taut and mineral, the Chardonnay has vivid acidity, fine texture, lemon, chalk and a long saline finish. Vines in the Vincelles plot grow on limestone and gryphées within the Côtes du Jura. Grapes are pressed directly into small neutral oak, then spend eleven months on lees.
Rioja Vega 2018 Tempranillo Blanco Reserva
Spanish White
Golden in colour, with tea, honey and subtle smoke. Toast, cream and citrus appear with apple, pear, pineapple and vanilla, while the mouthfeel is gently oily and the finish dry and chalky. Made entirely from Tempranillo Blanco, this dry, barrel-fermented white from Spain's Rioja region combines crisp acidity, lasting length and an elegant mineral note.
Cascina Penna-Currado 2023 Derthona Timorasso E.P.
Italian White
Yellow fruit, acacia and chamomile sit beside light tropical notes. The profile is structured and complex, with marked acidity, minerality and freshness. The wine is made entirely from Timorasso grown in fifteen-year-old, east-facing vineyards at Berzano di Tortona. Cellar details include submerged-cap maceration, indigenous-yeast fermentation and lees ageing in ceramic vessels, stainless steel and a small portion of acacia casks.
Bodegas Cueva 2017 Vino Tinto Cosecha Magnum 1.5 L
Spanish Red
Made from Bobal in Valencia, this red comes from organically farmed vines on calcareous clay and sandy soils. Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed and macerated in a carbonic environment with indigenous yeasts, then matured in stainless steel. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered and without added sulphur. The wine is presented here in a 1.5-litre magnum.
Benjamin Laroche L’Atelier 2017 Chorey-lès-Beaune
French Red
Restrained and elegant, this village-level red Burgundy shows mineral and cherry notes. Medium tannins accompany refined cedar and an elegant finish, with chewy, sturdy raspberry fruit. Deep purple colour, moderate tannin and rich character also appear. The body is soft and light. The wine is French Pinot Noir from Chorey-lès-Beaune, a village appellation in the Côte de Beaune within Burgundy.
Undurraga 2021 Altazor
Chilean Red
Cool and minty, with green herbs, eucalyptus and juniper. The wine is solid and energetic, with snappy acidity, lifted red plum, cassis and herbal notes. This Cabernet Sauvignon blend comes from Chile's Maipo Valley. It spent sixteen months in French oak, with one quarter new barrels and the remainder second use, followed by eighteen months in bottle.
Domaine Guiberteau 2019 Saumur Blanc Clos de Guichaux
French White
Dry and medium-bodied, with citrus, green apple and subtle floral notes. Ripe pear and honey accompany crisp acidity, mineral structure and a saline finish. This Chenin comes from Clos de Guichaux, a monopole planted on shallow clay-limestone over chalk. The winemaking includes whole-cluster pressing, native-yeast fermentation, fine-lees ageing, older barrels and tank maturation, without malolactic fermentation.
Capezzana 2017 Ghiaie della Furba Toscana IGT
Italian Red
Deep ruby in colour, with complex and elegant fruit and spice. The wine is full-bodied and firm, with dense tannins and well-balanced acidity. Wild berry appears in the persistent finish. The blend comprises Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. The wine spent fifteen months in barriques. Its dry, structured profile also includes red fruit, leather, wood and balsamic notes.
Terre Bianche 2017 Bricco Arcagna Rossese di Dolceacqua
Italian Red
Pickled cherry, spice and incense accompany a savoury, silky, warm profile with slight tartness. The red spends time in oak, and its fruit comes from Bricco Arcagna. Suggested pairings for the table include grilled red meat, rabbit, game birds and goat served with white beans. Made from Rossese, the wine comes from the Liguria region of Italy.
Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny Port
Portuguese Fortified
Deep amber colour with russet highlights accompanies ripe, plummy mature fruit. Cinnamon, butterscotch, subtle oak and opulent nutty character are all present. Selected red Ports from Cima Corgo and Douro Superior mature in small oak casks. Cask ageing is part of the method; the wine shows tawny colour and a smoother, mellower character. This age-stated fortified wine comes from Portugal's Douro Valley.
Fattoria Carpineta Fontalpino 2016 Dofana Chianti Classico
Italian Red
Red berries, watermelon and pomegranate accompany blueberry, floral nuances and dried herbs. The wine is clear, juicy and youthful, with fresh fruit, marked acidity and fine tannins. Dried herbs, floral nuances and a lightly peppery note sit beside a soft finish. This Tuscan red is made entirely from Sangiovese and carries the Chianti Classico designation.
Montevertine 2021 Toscana Rosso
Italian Red
Enormously silky and smooth, this Tuscan red shows finesse and elegance. The cuvée uses 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Colorino. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in concrete tanks for about twenty-one days, and malolactic fermentation also occurs in concrete. Ageing covers twenty-four months in Slavonian oak and about three months in bottle. It carries the Toscana IGT designation.
Red Car 2006 Amour Fou Pinot Noir
American Red
Framboise, fig and crème de cassis accompany truffle, cherry blossom, vanilla wafer and cedar. The Pinot Noir has concentration, elegant balance and a sumptuous mouthfeel. This red comes from the Russian River Valley in California. Fruit, floral, truffle, vanilla and cedar details appear together, accompanied by the concentrated character, elegant balance and sumptuous mouthfeel associated with this cuvée.
Dow’s 2010 Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Bright floral freshness accompanies rock rose, eucalyptus, mint and intense blackberry. Ripe black fruit sits beside liquorice and peppery tannins. The blend includes Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and old mixed vines. The fruit comes from Quinta do Bomfim at Pinhão in Portugal's Douro Valley, and a longer fermentation results in a drier Port profile.
Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot 2016 Arbois Traminer
French White
Concentrated and intense, this dry Savagnin shows freshness, length and clean varietal character. Noble oxidative notes appear alongside acidity, bitterness and vibrant tension. Made in the ouillé style in Arbois, the wine is serious and flavourful. Freshness and oxidative character share the profile, joined by concentration, acidity, bitter notes and the clean expression of the Savagnin variety.
St. Supéry 2022 Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
American White
Pale yellow and green hues accompany grapefruit, kiwi, fennel and a vanillin thread. Yellow grapefruit, lime zest and ripe pear meet toasted oak, round richness and creaminess. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and subtle new French oak, followed by five months of sur-lie maturation before the final blend is assembled. The estate vineyard lies in Napa Valley.
Charles Van Canneyt 2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
French Red
Mesmerising ruby colour accompanies a fresh, perfumed character and concentrated fruit. Juicy, rich red berries meet a hint of spice and well-judged tannins. Made from Pinot Noir sourced from the Côte d'Or, this French red Burgundy is dry and approachable. Ripe red berries, spice, concentration and juicy character complete the profile alongside the well-judged tannins.
Villota 2022 Viña Gena Viñedo Singular Rioja Alavesa
Spanish Red
Clean garnet colour accompanies wild rose, violet, cherry and redcurrant. The red has good volume, balance, elegance and persistence. Made entirely from Tempranillo, it comes from the estate's oldest site, planted in the early twentieth century and named for Doña Genara Villota. Concrete-tank refinement is used, and production totalled 3,650 bottles for this release.
Domaine Lafarge-Vial 2022 Chiroubles
French Red
Light-bodied and dry, this spicy Gamay is made in a traditional style. The biodynamically farmed fruit is partially destemmed, and the wine ages in neutral barrels and demi-muids. It comes from Chiroubles in the Beaujolais region of France. Spice, light body and dryness accompany the partial destemming, biodynamic farming and neutral-vessel ageing used for this red wine.
Domaine Rougeot 2021 Bourgogne Côte d’Or Les Lameroses
French Red
Deep colour accompanies ripe black-fruit aromas and mineral notes. Big red and black fruit meet a structured yet supple, fresh and layered character with ripe tannins. Toasty mineral notes mark the finish. The Pinot Noir grows in Les Lameroses between Les Vaux and Volnay. Fruit, mineral detail and tannins accompany the supple, fresh and layered character.
Enrico Serafino 2017 Monclivio Barolo
Italian Red
Deep ruby colour with garnet hues accompanies currant, liquorice, tobacco, spice, coffee and leather. Blackberry joins a multifaceted, harmonious and smooth character, with full body, chewy tannins and a pleasant finish. Hand-sorted Nebbiolo undergoes long maceration before twenty-two months in medium-sized oak casks. The vineyards lie in Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra and Monforte in Piedmont.
Patz & Hall 2015 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay
American White
Honeycrisp apple and Applejacks cereal accompany bold layers of luxurious texture. The Chardonnay has densely packed flavour, structure and a powerful range. The fruit comes from Dutton Ranch in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma. Apple and cereal notes share the profile with the wine's dense flavour, layered texture and structure in this California white.
Château Balestard La Tonnelle 2009 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
French Red
A supple opening gives way to a fruit-filled middle with noticeable tannin, a slight hollow and a touch of dryness. The blend brings together Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. Fruit and supple texture sit beside the tannic structure, while the three traditional Bordeaux varieties establish the composition of this classified estate wine.
Clos Saint Jean 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
French Red
Exotic stone fruit, including apricot, meets intense kirsch with hints of cracker crumbs and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and concentrated, the wine is intense and flavourful with a supple character. Peppery warmth accompanies its fruit and chocolate details. This Rhône red comes from Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône, with a full, concentrated body and a supple texture.
Château Guiraud 2016 Sauternes 375 mL
French Dessert
Pure botrytised fruit and mineral notes meet subtle white flowers. Crisp acidity accompanies orange rind, tangerine and stem ginger, with a long finish. The blend is 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in new French oak. Organic certification, noble rot, floral freshness and exotic notes also form part of the estate's profile.