CENTRAL OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND
GENTLE INTERGRATED FEEL
CLASSIC / ORGANIC - BIOGRO / 750ML

Softly handled, fully destemmed Central Otago fruit offers a gentler expression of the region. Baked spices, cherry and sheer tannins. Wafts of sexy oak meld into this multiclonal Pinot Noir seamlessly.   

From the Producer: Concentrated and elegant with red and dark fruit, spectacular baking spices combined with smoky oak and the signature integrated tannin structure, this seamless wine with its velvety texture will leave you wanting more.

The foundation of this wine is our focus on delivering low-yielding concentrated fruit that expresses our vineyard. In the winery, we employ traditional old world techniques; the grapes are handled gently and the wines are fermented using only the indigenous yeast from the vineyard.

The wines are aged in barrel for 15-18 months before being bottled unfiltered, and are cellared before release. Since the first release in 2005, the Prophet’s Rock Pinot Noir has consistently been one of the best-reviewed Pinot Noirs in New Zealand. Since the first release in 2005, this wine has been sourced exclusively from our small Home Vineyard site up in the hills of Bendigo sub-region, Central Otago.

The vineyard sits on a high elevation (320 – 390m), steep glacial terrace high above the valley floor. The site features some of the oldest vineyard soils in the valley with the formation of the terrace occurring approximately 650K years ago. The soil age and dry Central Otago climate have combined to create the unusual clay and pedogenic lime soil structure. Beneath layers of clay at a depth of 50-80cm sits a thick layer of chalk. The 7.5ha site was prepared and planted between 1999-2001 and features 7 clones of Pinot Noir and 0.5ha of Pinot Gris. Full organic certification (Biogro) was completed prior to the 2018 vintage. A strong focus on viticulture is the foundation of the winemaking approach. Yields are consistently managed to 30-35hl/ha or approximately 4ton/ha.

The handpicked fruit is destemmed and fermented using only indigenous ‘wild’ yeast. A key feature of our vinification is extremely low extraction, all our small open top tanks are only hand-plunged once during fermentation. The wine then spends 17 months in barrel (35% new) and undergoes indigenous malolactic fermentation. The wine is bottled unfiltered under Diam cork.

EMILIA ROMAGNA ITALY
FELT WILD AROMATICO
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / NO SO2

To create such a salty, grippy fizz requires some pretty nifty winemaking techniques. The Malvasia di candia spent 60 days on skins and, 18 months maturing on lees in bottle before disgorgement. The gentle carbonation highlights the pithy grip and drives the already punch aromatic further. In the glass expect a giddy array of late-season fruits and felt-tempered tannins.  

From the producer: Our winemaking is based on a complete absence of preservatives, additives, and stabilisation processes of any kind, something that is only possible with high-quality fruit. Extended maceration processes enable us to produce wines that are stable over time without the use of additives. Above all, they extract the very best out of the fruit: the colour, scents, aromas, vitamins, and polyphenols. The technique may seem simple, but actually, our approach requires a combination of various technical, stylistic, and aesthetic factors. We have to identify the best way to express the characteristics of the grape variety. As well as paying great attention to technique in our work, we also try to make the most of our experience and intuition. Awareness, experience, and aesthetic understanding guide how we vary the maceration and winemaking processes depending on the vintage and the characteristics of the grapes to create entirely new products.

SICILY, ITALY
FRESH RED WILD
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Nerello Mascalese grown in the North face of Mt Etna. A portion of the wine is pressed and aged in qveri and large oak barrels- botte. A vibrant volcanic wine with bright acidity, giving rise to wild strawberries, cherries and tamarillos. The name Palmentino alludes to the wine being pressed and made in a traditional Etnean winemaking building called a palmento.  

From the Producer:Organically grown Nerello Mascalese grapes, hand-harvested from terraced vineyards located high on the north face of Mt Etna, Sicily.  These old bush vines, are co-planted with small quantities of Nerello Cappuccio, Grenache and the indigenous white varieties; Grecanico, Catarratto and Minella Bianca.  50% of the blend is wine made in a Palmento; the traditional Etnean winemaking building with only a 5 day skin maceration.  30% is wine made in a Georgian qvevri, with a one month skin maceration. The remaining 20% of the blend is a wine fermented and aged in a large, used, oak botte.All of the wines underwent spontaneous alcoholic fermentation by indigenous yeasts, and were left on fine lees for 12 months before blending. Bottling took place in September 2020, without fining or filtration. Bright crimson red, this wine has attractive red cherry and wild strawberry aromas.  On the palate it is dry, has plenty of fruit flavours balanced with juicy, ripe tannins, and fresh acidity.

Anna Martens and Eric Narioo made their first wine together on Mount Etna in 2008. In 2010, the couple purchased their first vineyard of old vine Nerello Mascelese in Contrada Crasà, along with a neighbouring, derelict palmento and “deposito”. Today, the family wine estate owns 7 hectares of land spread across the northern slopes of the volcano, which they farm biodynamically. Together, they make a range of wines, expressive of their “terroir”. They also produce Extra Virgin Olive oil and help curate the rare Sicilian black bee.

“Vino di Anna” is a small, family wine estate situated high on the northern slopes of Mt Etna, near the village of Solicchiata. The vineyards are located in different Contrade (historic lava flows) from the picturesque, red, iron-rich pumice soils of Contrada Monte Pomiciaro, near Linguaglossa to Piano Filici where lies the secluded vineyard of “Don Alfio” around and up the volcano to Contrada Rampante, onto Contrada Pirao, which touches the National Park at an altitude of 1000 metres, ending on the north-western side of the volcano with vineyards in Contrade Nave and Tartaraci.

Eric and Anna aim to make wines that are tasty, expressive, true to their provenance and that reflect the growing season that year. All of the vineyards are tended by hand and farmed without the use of any chemicals. Only healthy ripe grapes are harvested by hand, during the months of September and October. There is minimum intervention in the winery. Fermentation is by indigenous yeasts, with no additives, no fining or filtering. Little or no SO2 is used in production. Their combined experience and continued desire to seek typicity, minerality and drinkability is reflected in the glass.

BEAUJOLAIS, FRANCE
LINE FINE EXCITING
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Two mates making incredible Gamay from 90-year-old vines in Regnie, Beaujolais. In the early days Sarnin + Berrux were so keen to get the ball rolling they made their wines in a cellar with no electricity/equipment. However, today they reside in a small powered cellar in Monthelie. The wine is perfectly aromatic with a pleasant rustic edge. 

From the Distributor: For two guys who were neither Burgundian or born into winemaking, Jean-Pascal Sarnin and Jean-Marie Berrux could have fooled us. In fact, when the two met in 2006, Jean Marie was only a few years into his winemaking career at a large Domaine. The two met simply as neighbours when Sarnin moved in next door to Berrux, quickly discovering a mutual love of opening good bottles over an apero.

Of course it’s always over a few good bottles that the best ideas are born. Being both food lovers and natural wine enthusiasts, they thought it was about time they tried their hands at making the style of wines they loved to drink. And so their winemaking story begins in the vintage of 2007.

The two took the concept of natural living to the extreme, making four white wines from the vintage with no water, no electricity and limited equipment. Slowly finding their feet (and some amenities), in 2013 Sarnin and Berrux took residence in Monthelie, in a suitably old Burgundian house, complete with ancient wine cellar.

However, life didn’t necessarily get easier for the two with the move. Committed to sourcing organically grown grapes was not an easy task in the region given the overall demand. Plus, not being from the region didn’t exactly help matters, so it took time and persistence for Sarnin and Berrux to finally secure the quality they wanted. These relationships are now cemented, with the two able to source from the same vineyards year on year: Pinot Noir (Volnay area, 60 year old vines), Passe-Tout-Grain (Morey-St-Denis, 70 year old vines), Bourgogne Blanc (Cotes de Beaune area, 35 year old vines), Volnay (50 year old vines) and Gevrey-Chambertin (45 year old vines). For the Gamay, the two source the grapes from the same grower in Regnié from very old vines of 80-90 years old.

With grapes secured, the focus from Sarnin and Berrux remains on making quality natural wines, wines that are alive, precise and well made. With a nod to the past, the wines are made using traditional and ancestral techniques, including natural vinification with just the addition of a small amount of sulphur (15-20mg/L) before bottling on most wines.

All wines are fermented in wooden tanks, and aged in 3-10 year old oak barrels for about 12 months, excluding the Aligote, with no fining or filtration. All white wines are aged on lees, without batonnage, with one single racking before bottling. All red wines are whole bunch (not carbonic), with pumping over and foot stomping during the vinification process. 

In recent years, the Pinot Noir has transitioned from an AOC Bourgogne Rouge out of the AOC system. Like many natural producers, they have found it challenging to gain approval as their wines taste outside mainstream, standard Burgundy they are benchmarked against. It is for these characteristics that we love and are moved by these wines, they are wines made by wine lovers first and foremost.

EMILIA ROMAGNA, ITALY
ORANGE GRIP FORCE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 750ML

South facing organic Malvasia di Candia aged on skins for 90 days before heading to large format oak for 16 months. Hyper aromatic with velcro grip. The quintessential in your face orange wine. 

From the producer: Our winemaking is based on a complete absence of preservatives, additives, and stabilisation processes of any kind, something that is only possible with high-quality fruit. Extended maceration processes enable us to produce wines that are stable over time without the use of additives. Above all, they extract the very best out of the fruit: the colour, scents, aromas, vitamins, and polyphenols. The technique may seem simple, but actually, our approach requires a combination of various technical, stylistic, and aesthetic factors. We have to identify the best way to express the characteristics of the grape variety. As well as paying great attention to technique in our work, we also try to make the most of our experience and intuition. Awareness, experience, and aesthetic understanding guide how we vary the maceration and winemaking processes depending on the vintage and the characteristics of the grapes to create entirely new products.

BARBARESCO, ITALY
POPPY SILTY AROMATIC
PET NAT / 750ML

Ao much flavour, a small amount of time on skins has lifted this fizzy wine to lofty heights. typical Moscato characteristics with a salty mango edge. Olek Bondonio can not do wrong.   

From the Distributor: Olek is one of the rising star in Barbaresco, focussing on high quality wines and red grapes, he likes to play! He made this delightful bubble using moscato grapes form an old vineyard in Starderi (one of the most renowned cru in Barbaresco!!). This Pet Nat or Frizzante got body but also elegant aromatic notes.

It was just nine years ago that Olek Bondonio started making his own wine. He relocated to his parent’s summer home in Barbaresco, “La Berchialla”, which has been in the family for over 200 years. However Olek is the first to dedicate himself entirely to the land and the vines that cover it.
Since the winery’s conception in 2005 he has remained committed to working with the least amount of chemical input, both in the vineyard and in the cellar.
This groundwork makes for healthy fruit that allows him to adopt a hands off approach after harvest - he works strictly with indigenous yeasts and minimal additions of sulphur. Traditional vinification methods are favoured, producing wines that are indicative of fruit and place. He cultivates barbera, dolcetto and nebbiolo. The main vines are close to the Tre Stelle frazione of Barbaresco and in addition to this parcel there are also rented plots in Neive and Alba, which he personally tends

SANCERRE, FRANCE
CURD CHALK GOOSEBERRY
CLASSIC / ORGANIC BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

30-40 year old Sauvignon Blanc vines planted on shallow Kimmeridgian soil. Drinks like lemon curd, gooseberry with malo lees weight. Classic Sancerre grown and matured with the lunar cycles in mind.

From the Distributor: Established in 1749 in the heart of Sancerre, Domaine Fouassier is one of the oldest wine growing families in the Loire Valley with a history that spans several generations. For centuries they have dedicated themselves to preserving and capturing the terroir and the noble Sauvignon grape varietal through an extensive range of appellation wines. The new century began with the arrival of Fouassier’s 10th generation, Benoit and Paul.  In continuing to honor the terroir as their ancestors did, the brothers took things one step further, converting to organic and biodynamic farming and winemaking. In 2011, they were certified by ECOCERT and BIODYVIN, both of whom recognized Domaine Fouassier as 100% compliant with all international organic and biodynamic guidelines.

MONTSANT, SPAIN
BRIAR HERB SPICE
CLASSIC / ORGANIC PRACTICES / 750ML

An earthy red with soft tannins and plush fruit. The fruit is grown in the rugged Montsant region that surrounds Priorat. The soils composition and undulating terrain produce a broad spectrum of unique growing climes. Both Sara (Mas Martinet) and Rene's (Clos Mogador) winemaking styles can be felt in this unique and authentic Garnatxa.  

From the Distributor: Bright and fresh red cherry fruit marked by mint and other local herbs, the wine shows the clear crunch of granite soil. Juicy and direct with macerated herbs, licorice and briar in lovely pastille fruit. Good concentration, rich-but-not-sweet country wine, it's all briar-herb-cane-brambly, with a nice little nudge of spice, allspice husk and leather in the soft savoury juice and a touch of chocolate in the soft leathery tannin. Clear and direct, with absolutely no wine-making clutter, it is delicately structured and savoury. A smasher!

BURGUNDY, FRANCE
LIVELY TIGHT FUN
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

A complex rose made from multiple sites throughout Burgundy. Mon Plaisir, is about as complex as a rose can get. Brimming with vibrant fruit, acidity and unadulterated pleasure.   

From the Producer: In 2010, Pierre-Henri was granted creative agency at Domaine Rougeot, and oversaw wholesale improvements in the winemaking processes that are reflected in the quality we know today. Like his inspiration, Lalou Bize-Leroy, Pierre-Henri is passionate about working with a high percentage of whole bunches for reds and very little sulphur to champion and fully express the fruit. He buys grapes from well located plots with sustainable soil management practices, producing lower but healthier yields. The vineyards of his choosing all engage in organic or low footprint farming methods and his wines are made without oenological ingredients, preserving their regional voice.Pierre-Henri prefers to press both his white and red grapes using a modern version of an ancient vertical grape press. Although made with the latest technology, this unconventional press differs from the pneumatic, horizontal press preferred by most producers and produces higher acid extraction and greater clarity of must. The result is dynamic, complex and elegant wines.

Both reds and whites are matured in supremely balanced, artisan oak barrels where indigenous yeasts within the oak are allowed to work their magic. The superior barrels give grace and richness to the wines without overbearing oaky notes.

MONTBRISON SUR LEZ, FRANCE
TAPENADE SPICE VELVET
CLASSIC / ORGANIC BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Partially destemmed Syrah fermented for 15 days in concrete tanks. A pure expression of Syrah. Lively dark fruits balanced out with savoury olive tapenade, tar and stemmy grip. A truly dynamic wine, every year it has something else to offer. 

From the Distributor: My dream of Syrah; is produced entirely from old (65 year old) vines from the Gramenon estate and delivers pure, billowing aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, violet, lightly seared meat and gravel. Plush and velvety in the mouth, it has sensual tannins and lively acidity that give it a super definition, shape and long finish. This is one of my favourite wines of anywhere every single year and I am assured by Michele we have another absolute beauty in 2020. The fruit is fermented without sulphur using indigenous yeasts. Everything is moved by gravity, there are no pumps.  Some cuvees are aged in vat and others in old demi-muids and foudres. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration with only some cuvees receiving light amounts of sulphur.

This style of non-interventionist winemaking 'par excellence has forged the estate a legendary reputation and following. The wines age wonderfully when correctly stored, a 1991 Ceps Centenaires tasted recently only just starting to fade but still delicious, it's once sultry youth transformed over time into a gentle and beautiful whisper.

The original estate in Montbrison-Sur-Lez lies in the Drôme and interestingly, following consolidation, the vines they now have are all located in the cold, Northern Drôme department and not the Vaucluse department that lies underneath, where 95% of Côtes du Rhône come from.

Michele and Maxime sold a couple of parcels - notably all of the vines in Valreas that used to produce their Côtes du Rhône "L'Elementaire" and a parcel of Syrah in Vinsobres that used to go into the "La Papesse" - in fact with the sale of the Syrah and it's now complete absence from the blend, "La Papesse" has lost it's right to the AOC Vinsobres. They don't mind of course, they always want to make the best wine possible and were not entirely happy with the Syrah. To replace the surface that has been sold they found a superb isolated (they love isolated parcels) 2 ha parcel in Taulignan of Grenache and Syrah that they harvested for the first time in 2019.

HUNTER VALLEY, NSW
TOAST BRIGHT COMPLEX
CLASSIC / SUSTAINABLE / 750ML

In 2016 I was lucky enough to work at Margan Estate as a cellar hand. I quickly realised that this was a unique place. The rich volcanic soils produce some of the most exciting Semillon I have ever tasted. The FJM Semillon epitomises the quality of place and production. The wine is carefully pressed and racked to stainless to undergo a slow cool fermentation. No oak is used and the utmost care is taken to maintain the subtle aromatic profile of the variety. Having now spent 5 years in the bottle, the wine is starting to hit its straps, toasted notes with white petals and an acid sharpened complexity that changes with every mouthful.

From the Producer: The fruit for this wine comes off our small one hectare Francis John Margan or ‘FJM’ block. Situated on our Timbervines Vineyard on the red volcanic soil of the Fordwich Sill, this vineyard is planted with cuttings taken from the DeBeyers vineyard that Frank Margan planted in the late 60s.

We have 100 hectares of distinguished Margan vineyards, across two locations. These vineyards are planted to a mixture of 50-year-old traditional Hunter varieties and pioneering alternatives we have planted ourselves. Most of the vineyards are planted on the unique soil of the Fordwich Sill providing our wines with their special sense of place. We make all our wines onsite at our Broke based winery with annual production of around 25,000 cases. You can try all our wines at our beautiful rammed earth cellar door where we have structured tastings, including new releases as well as aged and museum wines.

We are also proud to be regarded as leaders in environmental stewardship and are fully accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and Freshcare. We were one of the first in the Hunter to achieve this and our certification benchmarks to the ISO14000 series (International Standards) for best practice. This means we follow a detailed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to reduce our impact across all business operations in the four basic pillars of sustainability – reduction of greenhouse gases, energy efficiency, water management and the reduction of waste.

VEZELAY, FRANCE
PURE EXCITING PRECISE
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

A truly inspiring wine. The Chatelaine sees no oak and is a raw unadulterated example of Chardonnay. By keeping the Chardonnay 'pure' the site and season are forced to centre stage. the site - Vezelay, is comprised of various types of clay (blue-red) over shallow limestone. the combination of the two soil types gives it a unique typicity that straddles both Burgundy (Cote D'Or) and Chablis. The season - was shorter than average yielding higher levels of alcohol (13.5%) over a shorter period of time. The alcohol level in the Chatelaine isn't overwhelming and in fact, complements the fruit profile and underlying minerality of the wine.      

From the Distributor: The wine comes from grapes from the vineyards on the pretty south-facing slopes of the Vézelay hills.The grapes are harvested by hand and then fermented naturally in stainless steel tanks. This is a beautifully-textured wine, showing that white wines of considerable elegance can be produced in this region. All of the La Cadette wines are made with skill and care and result in clean, clear, flavoursome wines of great elegance. Rarely do you find such consistency of flavour and texture as in the wines of this Domaine. It is easy to determine why many of the great restaurants of Europe including Le Chateaubriand and others stocks the wines of this Domaine.

EMILIA ROMAGNA, ITALY
PINK GRIP FORCE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 750ML

The Barbera vines are grown in clay-limestone soils on a Southern aspect. The inter and intra-rows are not cultivated, increasing ground cover. Barbera, a naturally high acid red grape variety is used in the Velium. The resulting white wine has an onion skin hue. The wine is held for a year before being blended with a small amount of juice, it is then bottled and left for two years to undergo secondary fermentation and maturation on lees. A delicious furry fizz that offers a broad aromatic spectrum; apricots, lifted plums and silage.    

From the producer: Our winemaking is based on a complete absence of preservatives, additives, and stabilisation processes of any kind, something that is only possible with high-quality fruit. Extended maceration processes enable us to produce wines that are stable over time without the use of additives. Above all, they extract the very best out of the fruit: the colour, scents, aromas, vitamins, and polyphenols. The technique may seem simple, but actually, our approach requires a combination of various technical, stylistic, and aesthetic factors. We have to identify the best way to express the characteristics of the grape variety. As well as paying great attention to technique in our work, we also try to make the most of our experience and intuition. Awareness, experience, and aesthetic understanding guide how we vary the maceration and winemaking processes depending on the vintage and the characteristics of the grapes to create entirely new products.

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
PUNCTUAL FLINT TAUT
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC DEMETER / 12.5% ALC

Located south-east of Sancerre Pabiot makes beautifully poised Sauv blanc. The vines are farmed Organically, also adhering to biodynamic principles. The wine is a clear example of place - strapping acidity, subtle stone fruit and sherbet.

From the producer: For this cuvée, we use all our young vineyards between 4 and 10 years old. Planted on clay-limestone and flint clay soils in Pouilly Sur Loire. Aging takes place in stainless steel tanks on the lees for around 6 to 8 months. The bottling of Prélude is always the first of the new vintage, therefore the name Prélude.

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
GUAVA LEES LIVELY
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 750ML

Light lees driven red, brimming with guava, overripe strawberry and sweet saline seaweed reduction. The reduction and light spritz dissipates in minutes to unveil a stunning energised red, served chilled or as is.

From the producer: The Pineau d’Aunis had just 4 days of whole bunch maceration to make it into a lightish red. The Cabernet Franc was destemmed and macerated for 10 days.

The juice was then transferred to concrete tanks and stainless steel tanks for fermentation and maturation.

Millennial movie buffs might know that Bangarang was the battle cry of the Lost Boys in the Stephen Spielberg movie Hook, immortalised when Robin Williams as Peter Pan used it to call them for help. The movie was a favourite of Joseph and Sylvestre Mosse when they were children and we suspect still is. (The lot number of this wine is Hook3.)

This wine is just perfect for summer drinking slightly chilled.

SICILY, ITALY
SALINITY TIGHT NUTTY
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

A lively Grillo, offering maritime salinity and freshness. A few days on skins and then aged in concrete has given the wine a subtle grip without masking the melon heavy nose.  

From the distributor: From an isolated plot of fifty year old bush vines handed down to him by his father. These are planted over red sand and terra rossa, just a kilometre from the sea. The wine spends two days on the skins before a fermentation in steel and ten months of élevage in concrete vats. This is as old-school as they come, a compact and powerful wine, with a distinctively nutty, saline character.

Nino took over his family’s vineyards in 2004 and from the outset he has worked organically, focussing on the native grapes of his Western Sicily and single vineyard wines, hoping to show others the potential he sees in the region he calls home.

His remote vineyards are spread out up and down the coast and Nino works as hard as any grower we have met, constantly driving his beat up Fiat through the sand dunes to check on his plants. In the cantina his aim is simply to guide the wine from vineyard to glass.

MARCHE, ITALY
STRAW TEXTURE ALMOND
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Verdicchio grown at 400masl in the district of San Michele, Marche. The vines are carefully managed to respect the natural cycles in which they occupy. Cover crops are cycled throughout the vineyard to reduce evaporation, build carbon and nitrogen. The wine is aged on lees for 8 months creating a textural white displaying almond meal, cut straw and nashy pear.

From the Producer: 100% from Verdicchio grapes. Fermentation in large wooden barrels where it matures "sur lie" for 8 months. Aging for 12 months in the bottle.

Once the bottom of the Adriatic Sea, the hills here were formed more than 5 million years ago. Full sun exposures and calcareous soils with a predominance of clays, marls and gypsum characterize the district of San Michele, 400 meters above sea level. Our grapes are generally harvested early, in September.

We prune using the guyot method, extract and tie by hand. We do not top. Grass cutting is mechanical, we use green manure of leguminous beans, peas, vetch, sainfoin and alfalfa. We make biodynamic treatments with cornoletame. Against powdery mildew and downy mildew we use mine sulfur (not derived from petroleum) and Bordeaux mixture. We use rainwater collected from the roofs and produce electricity with photovoltaic panels. We faithfully respect the lunar cycle in all processes.

SANCERRE, FRANCE
LIVELY SINEW THOUGHT-FILLED
ORGANIC / NO SO2 / 75OML

A deeply complex Sauvignon Blanc - trademark acid backbone with primary fruits kept in check by time in old oak. Slightly botrytised fruit brings with it a glycerol weight. Such a dynamic wine.

From the distributor: Sauvignon blanc from a 3ha parcel in Verdigny. 30-year-old vines on average, grown on clay and limestone. 30% botrytis. Direct press, then fermented and aged for two years in tank, then one year in old barrels. Zero SO2.

Sébastien Riffault makes Sancerre like no other. These are incredible wines with a cult status, found in some of the world’s top restaurants, bars and wine shops. Whilst the majority of the region is filled with chemical induced vineyards and austere, formulated wines, Sébastien’s wines are atypical. One of the main factors is that he picks late so that the grapes are partly affected by botrytis – however, the wines are vinified dry. This coupled with long élevage and zero additions (apart from 10ppm SO2 in Les Quarterons) brings about wines of a unique and ethereal nature. They are complex wines of contemplation.

He ploughs between the vines with horses, and forgoes the use of machinery. The grapes are picked by hand, and more importantly, sorted by hand (grape by grape), to ensure only quality berries are used, and that any gray rot is removed – a risk when botrytis is found. The grapes are fermented naturally in tank and then stay in tank for two years. All wines (except Les Quarterons) are then transferred to old wood except for another year of ageing. They are never fined or filtered and are bottled by gravity. These are seriously intriguing and complex wines, and are not to be missed.

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
FIZZY LIGHT SMILE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 750ML

Handpicked and pressed/co-fermented Chardonnay and Melon de Bourgogne made in Muscadet, Loire Valley. A fun Pet Nat with hints of cool tea, fermenting fruit and ripe melon. Fizzy sunshine.  

From the Producer: La Tourlaudiere is located halfway between the villages of Vallet and La Chapelle Heulin. The vineyard covers almost 21ha, and is crossed by the Poyet, a tributary stream of the Goulaine. Roland vinified his first harvest in 1976. Jeanine made her debut as a winemaker in 1982. In 1984, they came together, under the name of Petiteau-Gaubert. The couple combined there terroirs and vines from their family heritage, dating from the 17th century. Romain has been working on the estate since 2006. Since 2018, the estate is in organic conversion, for the entire surface and certified AB for 1 ha.

BURGUNDY, FRANCE
DESTEMMED SAVOURY TIDY
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Fully destemmed fruit often aids in the extraction of skin tannins and promotes a punctual fermentation. The Bourgogne Rouge is a rich but pretty Pinot Noir. Taupenot Merme take a hands-off approach in their winemaking, aiming to highlight the fruit/place, not the maker. 

From the Distributor: Brother-and-sister team Virginie and Romain are at the helm at this domaine. It has 13 hectares on the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits, with grands crus including Clos des Lambrays, Charmes-Chambertin, Corton-Rognet and Mazoyères-Chambertin. These seventh-generation winegrowers are typical of the new crop of young Burgundian vignerons who are realising the full potential of priceless family vineyard parcels through sensitive viticulture and thoughtful winemaking. All grapes are de-stemmed, with 25% new oak used for the village wines and 40% for grand and premier cru. Virginie looks after sales while Romain works the cellar, producing structured, self-assured Burgundy that expresses the vineyards well. The wines are getting better and better.

RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE
PEACH NECTAR WEIGHT
CLASSIC / 750ML

A blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne and Rousanne. Simon Gastrien made the move from cooking to winemaking as a young man. With his experience working with produce and harmonising flavours and textures, the progression to winemaking was relatively easy. However, understanding his 5ha vineyard took time. After a string of unfortunate growing seasons, L'effrontee was born. A beautifully weighted white blend that speaks of the region. White petals, peach and fruit nectar.

From the producer: The very first vintage of Hameau Toucheboeuf comes from a plot that froze two years in a row, producing a smaller grape but determined to prove itself ... A wine as "stubborn" as its creator.

In the hillsides of Hameau Toucheboeuf, the vines grow in the middle of the weeds. Without pesticides. It is here, where the Rhône valley meets the landscapes of the Pilat Natural Park, that Simon Gastrein ages his wine as he builds his estate. Intuitively. Simply. By letting the terroir, the seasons and its fantasies express themselves freely, with the certainty that "nature does things well if we let it be generous

A cook by training, he spent his youth in the vineyards and forged his palate with a wine-loving grandfather. He left, far away, in South America, before returning to train on the job and in the lands of André Perret. Intuition had made him plant Marsanne and Roussanne alongside Viognier, Gamay and Syrah. He followed up with Cugnette and Black Mornen. That is 5 hectares of vines, worked in IGP Collines Rhodaniennes or young cuvées under the Vins de France label. Since 2020, he has been developing a Saint-Joseph and a Condrieu.

BURGUNDY, FRANCE
PRETTY PULP TANNIN
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Organic fruit sourced from Beaujolais. The Gamay spent a small amount of time going through Carbonic Maceration before being foot stomped. The resulting wine is pretty with a slight stemmy grip. An insightful expression of how powerful the variety can be. 

From the distributor: Purchased certified organic Gamay from Beaujolais. 100% whole bunch, semi-carbonic maceration then foot stomped in tank. Ten months elevage before being racked to bottle. Humble, sensitive, generous, honest... there are so many adjectives that could describe Isabelle and Pierre Vantley, owners and vignerons of Domaine des Rouges Queues. I have met them and tasted their wines a few times on my journey and I have always liked the energy in what they produce.

Located in the town of Sampigny-lès-Maranges, this lovely couple farm six hectares of certified organic/biodynamic principal vineyards in Maranges, Santenay, and the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune. These wines are an excellent representation of good farming in Burgundy and they have worked the vines without chemicals since 1998, date where they started the domaine. Showcasing unique, expressive character of the terroir that is sometimes lost in the bigger estates. These are pure, alive and raw wines crafted with loved by this avant-garde couple that do almost everything themselves.

Situated at the southernmost end of the Côte d'Or, they are relatively more affordable than any other famous appellations of Burgundy.

COAL RIVER, TASMANIA
SPICE FRAGRANT DELICATE
CLASSIC / 750ML

A cool-climate predominately destemmed Pinot Noir grown in Tasmania. The Wine spends over three weeks on skins to gently extract as much out of the skins as possible. A beautiful wine, with high notes of red licorice and cherry fading into gentle stem spice and rosemary. 

From the Producer: Cooinda Vale Vineyard was established in 1985 by Pooley’s founders, Margaret and Dennis Pooley. Sitting between 80-100m above sea level, the vineyard is tucked away in a nook of hills North of Campania making it much more protected from prevailing weather conditions. Being more continental it also experiences greater extremes in temperatures bringing more frequent frosts, snow and heat waves. The iron lacking grey brown sandy loam over clay subsoils at this site tend to bring a moderate level of struggle to the vines by restricting deep root growth and water accessibility but in turn creates a wine that is more delicate and finer.

The fruit was hand-harvested then destemmed with the inclusion of 15% whole clusters. Fermentation was for 14 days with a further 10 days of ‘infusion’ (post ferment soak with vessel sealed).A vibrant array of fragrance, both sweet and spiced. Delicate notes of earth, dark cherry and dried herbs on the nose with raspberry liquorice, rosemary and wild strawberries on the palate. True to Cooinda Vale form, this wine exhibits seamlessly integrated tannin and lovely tension.

MODENA, ITALY
CLEAR BRIGHT LEVEL
CLASSIC / 750ML

A Nervy Lambrusco with a pale onion skin hue. Hints of green walnut and caramelised fruits - bone dry. Not all Lambrusco is red and flippant - a serious fizz with depth.

From the Producer: We are a winery located in the heart of Sorbara, where we have lived for four generations producing Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC.

"When I finished my studies, my father asked me what I wanted to do in life. My answer was that I wanted to keep alive the tradition of work that grandfather Achille had begun in 1926 and that he and my mother had been running for 40 years. In 1998, with my wife Barbara, I started directing the winery, gambling on the production of the first mono-varietal Sorbara.
Since then, I have managed and produced 17 hectares of vineyards in the historic area of the Cristo di Sorbara, the thinnest extension of land between the Secchia and the Panaro, the two rivers that embrace the province of Modena."

-Alberto Paltrinieri

SICILY, ITALY
COULIS DRIVE YUM
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Frappato and Nero D'Avola grown at 280masl. The fruit spends 15 days on skins before being aged in concrete tanks for a handful of months. The resulting wine is youthful and full of vibrant primary fruit. 

From the Producer: SP68 is a road but it is also a young wine. Cool and pleasant, with a delicate taste that it brings the flavour of the sun and the freshness of this land. Everything begun seventeen years ago in the ”Fossa di Lupo” area. A place where the land in the evening becomes redish and is brushed by the Ibleian winds and leans on one side of a road: the County Road 68. A county road like many others, but with a special past. It was once a stone narrow path; three thousand years ago it connected Gela to Kamarina, it travelled- as it still does - through the Cerasuolo di Vittoria roads hills and from Caltagirone continued to Catania and Lentini. There, squeezed between heaven and earth, that road also marked my destiny. In the first hectare of land next to my palmento, in Fossa di Lupo District, others followed.

The firm grew into the Bombolieri, Pettineo and Bastonaca Districts, Yet, everything is still the same as in the first year. Bombolieri is also located on the County Road 68. The vineyard here enlarges and it stoops onto the limestone base of the area, the vineyards are twenty years old if not more, and the court on which the wineries raise themselves is able to trap all the strength of the Ibleian sun. Nowhere else I can feel to have been walking on a coherent road. Never as in Bombolieri I can feel that I'm carrying with me past and future at the same time. It was the oldest wine route ever documented. That road was used by generations of farmers to bring their own wine to the coast.

KAMPTAL, AUSTRIA
LINE FRESH EXCITING
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

A short maceration period before being whole bunch pressed and aged in predominately large format oak. A long slow ferment offers generous high notes. A beautifully balanced Riesling with texture, acid and aromatic power. 

From the Distributor: Certified Organic. 100% Riesling. Sourced from 3 vineyards. Kammerner Gaisberg on primary rock (Gföhler Gneis), Zöbinger Gaisberg on primary rock (Gföhler Gneis), and Strasser Wechselberg Spiegel on primary rock (granite). Vineyards are at altitudes between 230-360 meters planted between 1986 and 2010. Whole bunch pressing, maceration up to 12 hours on skins before pressing. Fermentation with native yeasts and aged for 10 months mainly in large neutral barrels and partly in stainless steel barrels (20%). Barrels are between 1200-1900 liters and between 2-30 years old. Naturally occurring malo. Sulfur added once (max 20 mg/l)- just before bottling. No fining, smart filtered once (a fine metal mesh to catch large solids). Strasser Weinberge is a protected name for “village wines“ which show you all characteristics of the variety and the village. Grapes are selected from the best vineyard sides in the village and express the diversity and complexity of the origin.

From the Producer: Rooted in our home region Kamptal, we used the freedom from our families... We studied, travelled and spent hours with fascinating people enjoying wine. With rich treasure of great friendships and impressions, we came back to our origin to craft our own wines and walk our paths in the Kamptal. Our wines are the best representatives of what and who we are. They carry our thoughts, our origin and our journeys; they reflect our personality, craft and history.

Because of our experience that nature is the strongest force, we'd love to work with her. Because the knowledge that the soil is the most intelligent part we deal with, we‘ve decided to trust him. Because the beliefs that the plants nourish our soil, we let them grow. With these ideas and confidence we don‘t interact in the cellar, which causes that our wines transport the natural taste of the grape. These decisions we make by ourselves and let our personalities speak in our wines. We think that winemakers are artisans, or even artists. Their work requires creativity, sensitivity and an enormous amount of personality. Everything you would attribute to an artist….. We have made it our task to produce wines that unite origin and passion, wines that arouse curiosity in the wine world across the globe.

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
CLEAN TEXTURE PURE
CLASSIC / ORGANIC BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Chardonnay from 30-year-old vines, aged in 500l Futs, without batonage. A fresh yet rich Chardonnay from Touraine.  

From the Distributor: The Marquis de C is a beautiful wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, which is rare in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley with Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc being more common. The grapes were pressed and the juice transferred to 500 litre wooden fûts for fermentation and maturation on lees for 12 months without any battonage. The grapes were hand harvested from thirty year old vines in early October with a yield around a very low 25 hectolitres per hectare. The vineyard soils are flint and flint clays sitting over limestone.

The name for this wine comes from one of the works of the prolific 17th Century French author Charles Perrault who either adapted or was the originator of many fairy tales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots. It is from Puss in Boots that the character Marquis de Carabas is to be found and this fictional character is from where the name for this wine is derived.

Francois and Pascaline Plouzeau maintain an immaculate vineyard near the fascinating village of Richelieu which lies south of Tours quite close to the Chinon region. Here they implement strict biodynamic vineyard practices which are certified by Ecocert and Biodyvin. A feature of their lovely wines is the wonderful set of labels produced by local artists that reflect the naming of the wine. So the racy Cendrillon white, as the name suggests, has a Cinderella theme. Tasmanians will note a Samek-like whimsy in some of the paintings.

Their wines have been very well-received in the United States with the Washington Post raving about the straight Sauvignon Blanc and Parker rating the Cendrillon highly in edition 172 of the Wine Advocate.

MACEDON, VICTORIA
DESTEMMED GENTLE HARMONIOUS
CLASSIC / 750ML

An impeccable vineyard, maintained by the owner-operator, Michael Dhillon. Organic practices are implemented but the vineyard isn't certified. The Pinot Noir is fully destemmed and gently fermented in small open-top vats. Bright fruit, balanced acid, a gentle seasoning of oak and a touch of blue suede shoes. 

From the Producer: The Bindi Dixon Pinot Noir is based upon declassified grapes from the Original Vineyard planted in 1988 and grapes from the new Block K, planted in 2001. The idea of this wine is to produce a delicious, perfumed, spicy harmonious, textured wine that is not as intense, complex nor age worthy as our individual vineyard wines. Even when the outstanding Block K vines are older we will continue to declassify sections or barrels from each vineyard and produce this wine.

The wine is fermented the same way as our other Pinot Noirs in that it is ostensibly 100% de-stemmed and gently worked in small open vats. The wine spends 11 months in French barrels, of which about 10-15% is new.

‘Bindi’, 50 kilometres north-west of Melbourne in the Macedon Ranges, is the family property of the Dhillon family. Originally purchased in the 1950s as part of the larger grazing farm ‘Bundaleer’, ‘Bindi’ is a 170 hectare farm of which 7 hectares are planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Fifteen hectares are dedicated to managed plantation eucalypts for high grade furniture timber whilst the remainder of the land is maintained as remnant bush land and important indigenous grasslands.

The Bindi vineyard is the fundamental focus of our endeavors. Our vineyard and winemaking philosophy is to seek balance and purity in the expression of our various individual vineyard sites and this philosophy is applied to farming and conservation at ‘Bindi’; the preservation of the natural harmony.

Vineyard elevation 500 meters above sea level. Soils predominantly shattered quartz over siltstone, sandstone and clay (Ordovician period sub soils-480 million years old) with some eroded volcanic top soil over clay (Approximately four millions years old). Generally infertile.

Typical hand management regimes of fastidious small vineyard philosophies are maintained encompassing hand pruning, frequent passes (at least ten passes each vine) though the growing season managing the vertical shoot positioned canopy and hand harvesting

Since 2005 we have been implementing organic procedures and inputs where the focus is on promoting soil life and balance leading to excellent vine health. This involves compost, undervine cultivation and aerating the soil (opening up the soil for air, moisture and soil applications).

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
TEXTURE UNIQUE LAYERED
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Belargus is making Chenin Blanc in a way I've never tasted before. It has a complexity I have only seen in Burgundy and an aromatic profile that I've never encounter. Flinty reduction with saw-like acidity, stone fruit, underripe melon and creme fraiche.   

From the Distributor: The Loire Valley, also known as ‘the King’s Garden’, has been growing grapes for centuries. Domaine Belargus is set upon on many-thousand-year-old terroirs from Savennières, Quarts-de-Chaume and the Layon Valley.
Domaine Belargus is an Organic operation and has recently begun implementing biodynamic practices. These principles are being applied at Belargus by two pioneers of the region: Jo Pithon, who has advocated for organic farming for more than 30 years, and Guy Bossard (Domaine de l’Ecu in Muscadet), who has pioneered Biodynamic practices in the region for decades. This dream team is putting in every effort to rejuvenate some of France’s greatest vineyards.

Historically, the Anjou wine region has mostly grown Chenin Blanc and was once known for producing wines for royalty across Europe from the 11th to 19th century. The Chenin Blanc variety may now be less known than Chardonnay, but its incredible attributes place it in the same class. The variety is suited to the stunning geological complexity of the region like no other. Formed 500 million years ago and renowned for its schisteous soils, Anjou Noir is also home to purple, black and layered schists, pudding sandstone, magmatic rocks, rolled pebbles, fine clays and aeolian sands. The combination of variety and earth is unrivalled.

BEECHWORTH, VICTORIA
SUMMER CREAM PEACH
CLASSIC / ORGANIC BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

A forceful Chardonnay offering line and length. Flashy oak melds well into peach melba and Summer warm melon. The wine speaks of time and place.

From the producer: Pennyweight is a small traditional winery, owned and operated by the 4th and 5th generation Morris family winemakers. It comprises two certified organic / biodynamic, dry land vineyards situated in the Beechworth and Rutherglen wine regions, producing a range of solely estate grown table and fortified wines including apera (sherry).

This elegant pale yellow wine has the aromas of peaches, passionfruit and melon. To some, it “smells like summer”. The full palate has a beautiful texture, medium acidity and subtle creamy undertones with a rich clean finish. Drink now or cellar up to 6 years.

CAHOR, FRANCE
WEIGHT TOBACCO SKILLFUL
CLASSIC / ORGANIC PRACTICES / 750ML

Malbec at its best. A weighty red that warms the cockles and is fit for a fireplace. Oak balanced, with notes of tobacco, prune and a whiff of tar. The Clos De Gamot has unbelievable aging potential, time will only make this wine better.

From the Producer: The philosophy of the Jouffreau family is simple: be good farmers. give things time, observe nature, be respectful. This approach has seen vines ageing back to 1885 still producing intense, great fruit. The vineyard is located on the second and third of the Lot river's terraces, composed of pebbles, gravel, and quartz mixed with alluvium of the Lot. With no use of herbicide, the workload on the vineyard is enormous. From a winemaking perspective, grapes are sorted when they join the cellar. Each plot is vinified separately, with gentle pumping over to keep a harmonious structure. Wine is aged for 18 to 24 months in old oak pungent with some 40 years old foudre (70hl and 100hl).

Jean Jouffreau’s daughters and his son-in-law Yves Hermann have continued to lovingly care for the family vines, with Yves' son now joining the legacy. The tradition continues, with the focus on bottle maturation remaining. “A wine, like a person,” says Yves, “should have a personal story to tell over time.” With the range of vintages the estate offers, it is possible for consumers to affordably capture history in a glass. We’ll drink to that!

Clos de Gamot is vibrant. Violet notes lead, with pure and fresh dark fruits, and approachable crunchy tannins. Skillful use of oak rounds out the package, with a long, persistent finish.

BEAUJOLAIS, FRANCE
CRYSTALINE POISE LIMESTONE
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Husband and wife team David and Michele make their wines in Beaujolais, however, they also source fruit from the Macon. The Aligote is from the sloped hills of Ige, Macon. Strong acid drive with a tactile talc line. Preserved lemons and apples occupy centre stage.   

From the Distributor: 2019 Bourgogne Aligoté is from Igé, Mâcon. The grapes are grown on a single parcel of land, sloped with marl and calcaire soil, giving the wine a unique citrus note. Michele best describes this as “like drinking salty lemonade with a lick of limestone”. The wine was pressed and fermented with no sulphur added. Unfined and unfiltered, it sees fermentation and elevage in stainless steel

Domaine Chapel is a Beaujolais estate founded by husband and wife team David Chapel and Michele Smith-Chapel in the cru village of Régnié. It was in Beaujolais, while working at Domaine Lapierre in 2013, that David met Michele, a wine director based in New York. After living together in New York, the Chapels returned to Beaujolais to found Domaine Chapel. The Chapels produced their first wine - a 2016 Juliénas “Côte de Bessay” - in partnership with Mathieu and Camille Lapierre, winemakers and owners of acclaimed Morgon estate Domaine Lapierre.
​
​Currently farming 4 hectares of vines on the slopes of Beaujolais,  Domaine Chapel is divided between the crus Chiroubles and Fleurie. Working by hand, in organic agriculture, the focus is always to promote the health of the soil and work with respect for the natural environment.

2018 was an important year for Domaine Chapel, as they started farming 3 plots in two different crus of Beaujolais: Fleurie (Charbonnieres) and Chiroubles (Saint-Roch and Poullet). Sitting at 460m and 400m respectively the subsequent work they’ve done has been organic and by hand, using only garden tools and a cable plough. The following year, they began farming one additional hectare of old vines in the parcel Charbonnières.

Domaine Chapel has recently introduced Smith-Chapel wines, an exploration of high altitude parcels located on the slopes of Beaujolais and the nearby Mâconnais region. They partner with growers who work with respect for the land they care for, who are either already certified organic or are in the conversion period.
The wines are bottled in lightweight glass to create a minimal impact on the environment when shipped. There is a Nomacorc cork-like closure, made from carbon-neutral sugarcane, a renewable resource which is also recyclable.

JURA, FRANCE
FLINT CASHEW COMPLETE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 750ML

The longefin vineyard has been certified Organic since 2007, however, Didier goes a step further taking a holistic stance in his vineyards promoting diversity and sustainability. The wine is a nutty reductive Savagnin aged in topped barrels. Muted fruits bring forward honeyed toast and lees.

From the Producer: This uncompromising vigneron knows that his oxidative end result is as much a product of natural winemaking as it of natural farming. He believes good wine starts with the vine, and his hard work and dedication to his vineyards are a tribute to nature.

Didier Grappe completed his studies at the viticulture wine school in Beaune, Burgundy in 2001, and in 2007 his domain was certified organic by Ecocert. Situated in Saint-Lothain within the Côtes-du-Jura appellation, Domaine Didier Grappe farms 3.5 hectares of local varietals across three separate parcels around the village—Champs Rouge, Novelin, and Longefin.

Half a hectare is planted with the red varietals (Pinot Noir, Poulsard, and Trousseau), with three hectares dedicated to Chardonnay and Savagnin. These are rooted in grey and red marl soils, which he tends to with the utmost respect. No chemical treatments are used in the vineyard, and his winemaking involves no cultured yeasts or tannins, and is void of chaptalisation, acidification, filtering, and fining. “Grapes only”, as he would say.

His wines are much like his personality—refined and restrained, with a slight amount of tension.

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
BRIGHT PEPPERS PURE
CLASSIC / 750ML

The 'Cheverny' is a blend of Sauvignon 82%, Orbois 11% and Chardonnay 7%. A beautifully balanced lees-textured blend that has a refreshing green chilli edge. A pure white wine grown on sandy clay soils.

From the Distributor: Philippe has been at the helm of Domaine Tessier since 1981, where his main goal is to produce honest, sincere and enjoyable wines that speak of their origin and natural balance. The vines benefit from biodiversity; encouraged by grassing in between the rows and strictly no chemical input. Across the Domaine you will find the usual Loire suspects: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Côt, Romorantin and L’Orbois. The former was originally a Burgundian variety but it is now exclusively grown in and labelled as Cour-Cheverny. L’Orbois, also known as.  Philippe blends the native Orbois with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to make his utterly delicious Cheverny Blanc.

Philippe’s vines have been certified organic since 1998 and he treats the vineyards with maximum respect, working the soil or treating according to the requirements of the vineyard not a recipe. He harvests exclusively by hand, rare in his part of the Loire, into crates so that the grapes can be sorted before being processed.

To continue the same spirit used in the vineyards, minimal intervention is used in the winery with no added yeasts or sulphites during production. He ferments and ages his wines in a wide selection of vessels and materials and even has some Georgian qvevri installed in the winery; we knew we were in the right place when we spotted those in the cellar. Philippe believes in making the technical analysis of each wine available online so that anyone consuming the wine can know exactly what they are drinking. This transparency comes through faith and knowledge of the journey from grape to glass, where the life of the soil, local environment and vine are respected equally. It is Philippe’s philosophy that his artisanal wines should give the drinker pleasure but also be healthy, alive and natural. We know exactly what he means - their vibrancy and purity is evident in the glass!

LANGUEDOC, FRANCE
HERBAL ELEGANT RAW
LEFT OF CENTRE / PRACTICE ORGANIC / 750ML

Forest wine, an isolated vineyard surrounded by rugged forest. Axel Prufer encourages biodiversity as a way of working with nature to produce the most delicious grapes. His wines are raw and incredibly expressive. 100% Grenache, soft tannins surrounded by mountain herbs and red berries.

From the Producer: Les Lendemains qui Chantent is a beautiful and quite restrained wine (in the sense that it is elegant rather than exuberant) made from 100% Grenache from vines that are at least 35 years old. The vineyard itself is situated at 450 metres above sea level in the forests of the rugged Parc Naturel Regional du Haut-Languedoc which lies inland from the city of Beziers.

It exhibits very soft tannins and lovely herbal and flower aromas. There is a distinct minerality associated with this wine derived from the decaying granite and quartz soils.

It is Axel’s leading cuvée, but he only releases it in years where the crop is exceptional! And this year it is certainly exceptional. This is a stunning wine of great elegance and charm which may benefit by being poured into a carafe just before drinking.

Axel Prüfer was born and raised in East Germany but moved to France as a young man to take up a career in wine making. He produces delicious wines naturally with as little intervention as possible – many of his wines have no added sulphur.

In fact, on a visit to his winery we tried one of his cuvees which had been bottled without sulphur and one that had been bottled with minimal amounts of sulphur and the result was simply amazing. The one without sulphur stood head and shoulders above the other for freshness, vitality and flavour.

He has been described as a ‘darling of the natural wine bar movement’. He is a quiet, thoughtful and engaging young winemaker who is totally committed to producing non-interventionist wines.

We visited him in the mountains behind Beziers and were fascinated by the lengths he goes to in ensuring that his grapes are healthy and his wines are pure. Every sentence he utters is the result of deep thought.

We discussed the problems of grapes grown in monocultures such as in Chablis and Champagne and then crammed into his small truck to bump our way up hillsides through thick forest and then for the final part of the way by foot until we reached his remote vineyard surrounded by forest. There is absolutely no chance of spray-drift here!

Because the forests are the natural habitat of wild boars, Axel collects human hair from the hairdressers in the local village and spreads it around the boundary of his vineyard. He says that the boar pick up the human scent from the hair and avoid the vineyard. The vineyard is a picture of health with spiderwebs everywhere and an amazing biodiversity on display.

All this is for nothing of course if the wine doesn’t taste delicious. Axel only uses natural yeast to ferment his wines and he adds no sulphur at all (we put a ‘Contains Sulphites’ warning on the label because some sulphites can be naturally produced during the wine making process). This gives them a liveliness that is most appealing.

He uses tanks made from stainless steel or fibreglass or large, old barrels that impart no oak flavour. The tanks have ‘floating’ lids so that no air can get at the wine if he does not have enough to fill a tank.

HUNTER VALLEY NSW
OILY LEMONADE BUTTER
CLASSIC / 750ML

To us, Semillon speaks of hot summer cricket games, prawns on the bbq and classic Aussie films like The Castle and Where the Green Ants Dream. It has an unmistakable place in Australia's wine industry and continues to shine as a wine versatile for a number of foods, settings and of course the potential of ageing. This 2014 Semillon made by one of our favourite producers of this variety is in such a good spot right now. With plenty of life in it yet, there is a complexity of lemon balm and yellow flowers with semillon's unmistakable nervy acidity. With a rich pork roast, bitter horta and/or a platter of oysters, you'll be as mad for it as we are.

From the producer: Having previously spent 13 years learning and applying his craft at Tyrrell’s, owner and winemaker Andrew Thomas has over three decades of experience winemaking in the Hunter Valley. It’s the no compromise, attention to detail approach to his winemaking that has seen him named 2014 Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year (having previously won the award in 2008), as well as contributing to an impressive mantlepiece of wine show trophies, medals, and enviable critical acclaim. The Braemore vineyard, planted in 1969, is situated on the sandy alluvial flats of Hermitage Road, Pokolbin. Once an ancient sea floor, Braemore consistently produces Semillon featuring freshness, vibrancy and remarkable longevity. The deep, sandy loam soils are free draining allowing deep root penetration, perfect for Semillon.The vineyard producing wine that has achieved an enviable reputation in recent years as being one of the finest examples of classic Hunter Valley Semillon.

DERWENT RIVER TASMANIA
BRULEE DRIVE BEAD
ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC / LATE DISGORGED

Weighty fizz showcasing the power of extended time on lees and meticulous viticulture and winemaking. A blend of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%) further builds complexity. A brilliant example of how good an Australian traditional method sparkling can be.

From the Producer: Our Grande Vintage Bruts are produced in a manner that showcases the vintage they were grown in. Only made in exceptional vintages, they are drier, more refined and complex than our non-vintage brut. are Tasmania’s first and only certified biodynamic vineyard, and have been cultivating our vines using biodynamic methods since 2010. This means that our wines are free of all synthetic treatments, additives and pesticides. Instead, we travel the alternative path, stepping back in time and using cosmic rhythms to ensure soil regeneration as well as effective vine care through all phases of the year’s seasonal cycles. These methods enhance our attention to detail in the vineyard and winery, as we're more alert to the signals of Mother Nature and her messengers. Every season, we're becoming more attuned to the synergies between our varied soil types, their organisms, the local flora and fauna, and of course our vines.