CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
STILL NUTTY SUR VOILE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Intentionally flat, this is a unique still Champagne made from 100% Chardonnay and aged sur voile (under flor like in the Jura) with only 300 bottles made. Vincent Charlot is one of those thrilling producers, proud of the life in his soil, and in his wines. In addition to making Champagne with bubbles, he focuses on a number of wines that are not refermented in bottle. These are dry and elegant wines with tension. They're incredibly interesting wines that shed a unique light on a region that focuses on purity and terrior. There is something curious about the wines and are of course age worthy and have a place on the table with food, like their bubbly siblings. Lets all try to drink more Champagne, bubbly or not, toute la journée - all day every day!

From the distributor: “When I drink wine, I want to taste its terroir – this is what I’m in it for. I want to see the personality of the place where it was born, I want to be moved, to create emotion,” Vincent Charlot explains with so much passion that you suddenly feel the need to get your hands on a bottle of good grower Champagne and drink it, NOW. A passion that’s easy to fall for, especially once you discover the natural richness that he’s the shepherd of: the Charlot estate consists of no less than 39 different plots with extremely diverse soils and expositions. “The heavier clayey soils give wines of exotic, vinous generosity; silex translates into tangy gunpowder notes. And my chalk-borne cuvées, such as the L’Or des Basses Ronces, can transport you to the beach at low tide, so strong is their iodine grip and mineral energy,” Charlot poetically praises the virtues of his variegated vineyards.

His dedication to this mosaic leads him to vinify each parcel separately and release up to 27 (!) different cuvées each year, with quantities ranging from one single barrel (~300 bottles) to 5,000 bottles per wine. In a region where the grandes marques count their nonvintage bottles in millions, Vincent firmly stands on the geeky grower side, releasing only vintage wines. He is the breed of Champenois that reminds you that, although sparkling, Champagne is wine above all–and we love that.

An essential step on this terroir-showcase route is farming: Charlot proudly calls himself “the peasant of terroir” instead of winemaker and all of his plots are cultivated organic and biodynamic. (Only 2% of the Champagne vineyard are farmed biodynamically, btw.) Vincent has grown into this approach gradually, with foundations laid during his apprentice years in Alsace (he was in school with the local natural trailblazer Christian Binner that we also import). There, many vineyards were already organic and covered with grass back then in the early 1990s; when Charlot returned to Champagne and took the domaine (selling grapes to the local co-op back then) over from his parents at the turn of the new millennium, he was looking for ways to harmonize his new finds with the family heritage.

“I have never tilled the soil since then–mixing the layers destroys biodiversity, in my opinion,” he asserts. His trust in a natural balance is so strong that he even avoids seeding the plants himself, save for an occasional lavender or rosemary to “keep the bees happy in summer if there are too few flowers otherwise”. Convinced that the plants are there for a reason, and they allow the grower to read the soil, Charlot prefers to guide his farming by observation and the natural mycorrhiza happening under his vines.

Charlot wasn’t sold on biodynamics right away, though, he admits; he had multiple training sessions with Pierre Masson, one of the French pioneers of the philosophy, but only fully adhered to it when he saw the results live in his own vines. “I just felt great in my vineyards, witnessing the incredible biodiversity,” Vincent recalls what led him to apply for the Demeter and Ecocert certification in 2010. After some initial disputes with his neighbors over their use of helicopter spraying (not allowed in organics, of course), he succeeded in obtaining the seals and has been enjoying the resplendent ecosystem of some 90 different species ever since: “There’s lamb lettuce, wild mint, forest strawberries, mushrooms, pheasants breeding…” he muses and a vivid image mixing Rousseau’s canvas, an all-seasons farmer’s market and David Attenborough’s documentaries arises in our heads; a late spring / early summer view of Vincent’s vineyard fully backs this fantasy.

Given his precious natural material, the cellar work is kept to a minimum in order to showcase it: the grapes are harvested manually at optimum ripeness, and then spontaneously fermented, since Vincent believes that the yeast is like a “little mushroom selected by the terroir to express it”. Very often, the wines decide not to go through malolactic: “I don’t know why, to be honest, my cellar isn’t that cold,” Vincent laughs, “but I leave that to the wine and the results are beautiful, with balanced alcohol and pronounced acidity.” The vins clairs spend usually about 9 months on lees in seasoned barrels from Bordeaux and Burgundy: “I always use 3- or 5-year-old barrels, since I’m not interested in getting tannins from the wood. I already have these, perfectly ripe, from my skins and seeds,” Vincent describes.

Once the wines are bottled, the secondary fermentation is started with grape must concentrated by evaporation, mixed with 5 neutral organic yeasts, never sugar. The wines then spend several years on lees – some around four, some up to eight, and after disgorgement, they are topped up with the same champagne and dosed with no more than 4 grams per liter, i.e. falling under the Extra Brut category. Some of the wines are released as “Charlot-Tanneux”, a family label that Vincent uses for wines coming from smaller parcels that aren’t officially certified due to their small size (and proximity to conventionally farmed vineyards of his neighbors) but enjoy the same biodynamic care and minimal winemaking as the Vincent Charlot wines.

The resulting wines in both cases are sensual, serious, and sensitive, all at the same time. Terroir notes, fruit, elegance, energy, acidity, body, creaminess… all the elements necessary for an outstanding wine experience are in poised balance here, and the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts: opening a bottle of Charlot is a highly recommended ritual to enjoy in a big enough glass, with or without food. And preferably with some like-minded friends who will be equally happy spending the night discovering layer after layer after layer of these incredible terroir bijoux, courtesy of Monsieur Charlot.

http://www.jennyandfrancois.com/wines-2/france/vincent-charlot/

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.

BROKE, NSW
CRISP STOCKINGER GLOSS
CLASSIC / SUSTAINABLE / 750ML

A lean layered Chardonnay. A short period in a new Stockinger has rewarded the wine with a subtle reduction and toast. Crisp primary notes of crushed apple, pecan and citrus.  

From the Producer: Fruit sourced from our Saxonvale vineyard, planted in the 70’s. Mostly I10V1 clone, which provides a particularly bright and lean fruit profile. As such, texture is built through indigenous ferment on light solids in a mixture of stainless steel, new Stockinger and seasoned French 500L oak puncheons. I sought to find balance between fresh lees reduction, crispness of primary fruit with a slight lift of wild ferment aldehyde. This tends towards the finer end of the Chardonnay spectrum with no malolactic fermentation. Unfined/unfiltered.

CHABLIS, FRANCE
FOSSIL CITRUS FRESH
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

Gently harvested and whole bunch pressed to stainless steel vats where it is aged on lees. A refreshing Petit Chablis made by Guillaume Vrignaud (Domaine Vrignaud) the Grandson of George Deschamps. The wine is unmistakable Chablissiene.    

From the producer: Everyone has their interpretation of what Chablis should be, the style it should take. Operating 29 hectares around Fontenay-près-Chablis, Domaine Vrignaud has a very specific approach to the terroir. To be turned towards the future is first of all to be aware of its heritage and to wish in every way to defend it. At the Domaine, this involves knowing the plots located on the Portlandian and Kimmeridgian strata, taking care of the vines, whether they are clones or whether they come from mass selection and naturally organic farming. Organic Agriculture is not an end, it is a way of thinking, a means of revealing the terroir.

A wine is born in the vineyard, not in the cellar. Pressing, vinification limiting inputs, the use of vats or barrels bring to light the soils, subsoils, climate, berries and know-how of the Domaine. This know-how and this constant attention nourish a style of Chablis wines day after day. More than a style of wine, it is the culmination of a philosophy. This philosophy, our philosophy, is balance. The balance between the vines and the environment, the berries and the geology, the wines and the emotions that they must provoke in each of the tasters.

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
FOCUSED PURE TYPICITY
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

The Parcelles is a stunning representation of Bouzy. Each release is made up of roughly 80% of the vintage written in Roman Numerals on the front label, the rest is a cross-section of previous vintages. The Paillard wines are a focused insight into minerality - chalky textures with crushed apple, chamomile and subtle lees 'cream'. The most exciting Champagne we've been introduced to this year!

From the Distributor: Domaine Pierre Paillard is eleven hectares of vineyard situated on the south side of the Montagne de Reims in the village of Bouzy. The vineyards are grown organically, and they use biodynamic practices to invigorate the vines. Extraordinarily, the entire vineyard of Domaine Paillard has the highest Champagne classification of Grand Cru.

The Paillard family owns 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay grapes, blending Pinot Noir oriented Champagnes. The Paillards only use these ‘noble grape’ varieties and their entire production comes exclusively from their own vineyards.
Over the course of 200 years, the Paillards identified and procured 30 prime plots of vineyard in Bouzy, resulting in outstanding Champagne. Diverse topographical distribution, differently aged vines and this remarkable patch of terrain, produce complexity, richness, power, fruit and minerality.

The village of Bouzy is well known for producing grapes with good maturity, richness and generosity. Bouzy grapes are sought after and used in the top cuvées by the best known brands of Champagne.

For 20 years at Domaine Paillard, the vineyards have been treated without chemicals. The family has worked hard to breed and develop robust vines with natural disease resilience, avoiding chemical intervention. This is a key reason for the Paillard’s consistently high quality of Champagne.

Interestingly, the Paillards have a different timeframe compared to other producers in order to achieve the balance in their Champagne. They employ a patient and prolonged cellar maturation to create their trademark elegance, finesse and complexity.

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
FOCUSED PURE TYPICITY
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 1500ML

The Parcelles is a stunning representation of Bouzy. Each release is made up of roughly 80% of the vintage written in Roman Numerals on the front label, the rest is a cross-section of previous vintages. The Paillard wines are a focused insight into minerality - chalky textures with crushed apple, chamomile and subtle lees 'cream'. The most exciting Champagne we've been introduced to this year!

From the Distributor: Domaine Pierre Paillard is eleven hectares of vineyard situated on the south side of the Montagne de Reims in the village of Bouzy. The vineyards are grown organically, and they use biodynamic practices to invigorate the vines. Extraordinarily, the entire vineyard of Domaine Paillard has the highest Champagne classification of Grand Cru.

The Paillard family owns 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay grapes, blending Pinot Noir oriented Champagnes. The Paillards only use these ‘noble grape’ varieties and their entire production comes exclusively from their own vineyards.
Over the course of 200 years, the Paillards identified and procured 30 prime plots of vineyard in Bouzy, resulting in outstanding Champagne. Diverse topographical distribution, differently aged vines and this remarkable patch of terrain, produce complexity, richness, power, fruit and minerality.

The village of Bouzy is well known for producing grapes with good maturity, richness and generosity. Bouzy grapes are sought after and used in the top cuvées by the best known brands of Champagne.

For 20 years at Domaine Paillard, the vineyards have been treated without chemicals. The family has worked hard to breed and develop robust vines with natural disease resilience, avoiding chemical intervention. This is a key reason for the Paillard’s consistently high quality of Champagne.

Interestingly, the Paillards have a different timeframe compared to other producers in order to achieve the balance in their Champagne. They employ a patient and prolonged cellar maturation to create their trademark elegance, finesse and complexity.

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
FLORAL DELICATE CRISP
CLASSIC / HVE3 / 750ML

White petals, silky mouthfeel and trademark acidity.  Exciting fizz that offers driving acidity with an emphasis on purity rather than richness and dosage.

From the producer: Oeil de Perdrix is the name given to very pale rosé wines. This blended rosé reveals the Pinot Meunier Character, favourite grape-variety in the Marne Valley area and iconic identity of our vineyard. This is a fresh and fruity Rosé, aged in the bottle for 15 to 25 months.

Our estate is meanly planted with Pinot Meunier and is spread across 40 plots. We do not use any herbicide and we labour mechanically our soil. From the 15th of June, We let the grass grow naturally and we keep it until the end of the following winter. We fight against diseases by using dedicated measures such as de-budding, careful training and early leaf-stripping (on the sun-exposed side). We are extra careful on the plant selection, often coming from old vines

We were among the first estates to obtain the HVE3 certificate (Agronomical way). Meaning that we reduce the use of chemicals and we develop and respect the biodiversity

TASMANIA
FLESH STRUCTURE LEES
CLASSIC / 750ML

Lees, acid synergy. A brilliant balance of fruit ripeness and gentle lees work has created a generous wine that still maintains acid poise. Creamy lemon curd and relaxed oak. 

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.

CHABLIS, FRANCE
RACY TALC FRESH
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 75OML

Goisot is situated on deep chalky soils just outside of the Chablis AOC. The wines showcase the personality of the region with a gentle flair added by the producers oak regime and lees integration. I lively drop that accentuates the versatility of Chardonnay.    

From the Distributor: Goisot is located just outside the Chablis AOC. In 2014 Guilhem Goisot inherited a small, 0.4-hectare parcel of Chablis in Bienes, just north of Chitry, planted by the father of his wife, Marie, in 1976. The lieu-dit is called Faucertaine and the fossil-ridden, limestone soils here--which Goisot likens to his Côte d'Auxerre Gondonne vineyard--have been farmed biodynamically since the Domaine took over in recent years. Fermented in tank before aging in used 500-litre barrels on lees, this, just the second vintage, is a chip off the Goisot block. Expect a scintillating, sculpted Chablis with controlled ripeness and texture cloaked in minerals and racy freshness. Some serious power to go with the deliciousness and mineral intensity that are so typical of the best Chablis.

YARRA VALLEY, VICTORIA
BRULEE LINE CITRUS
CLASSIC / 750ML

A lively acid-washed Chardonnay that has lees presence, but not weight. The grapes are hand harvest and whole bunch pressed, leading to a gentle flinty nutty edge with a tidy array of white petals and citrus.

A blend of upper and lower Yarra Vineyards - Clones P58, I10V1 and Dijon clones 76 and 95 - from three vineyards in Steels Creek, Seville and Macclesfield. All fruit is hand-picked and cooled overnight, followed by whole bunches being lightly crushed by foot before a long pressing when the un-sulphured juice is transferred straight to oak. The oak is a combination of 80% old and 20% new French Barriques, Puncheons and Demi-Muids. Ferments are allowed to start naturally (wild) and complete with no temperature control. The wine is not battonaged and left on lees for 10 months where some MLF may have occurred, but not encouraged, and SO2 is added when the wine is ready for it. The wine is lightly filtered before being bottled un-fined.

This 2020 rendition is closer to my 2017 than anything else in the past, maybe even slightly more generous. The season produced a beautifully fragrant wine with white flowers and citrus aromas with complex grilled hazelnuts, mille-feuille and hints of flint and smoke. The palate is precise and textured with white stone fruit flavours and citrus mineral line. While absolutely delicious now, as I have seen with the 2017’s this wine will blossom with time and patience.

BELLARINE PENINSULA, VICTORIA
NOUGAT RICH BEAD
UNFILTERED / ORGANIC / 750ML

A fleshy fizz that showcases varietal express, welcoming unfiltered and fined phenolic friction and a tidy bead. The fruit spectrum is ripe but still has enough acid to maintain balance.

From the Producer: All the fruit is handpicked and fermented wild. Manually basket pressed and gravity fed into bottle. Unfined. Unfiltered and without additives or preservatives. An ode to the Matriarchs (The Babches) in our families who made wine this way, by hand and unadulterated. Our wines do not aim to meet a style, rather one that expresses time and place to produce a living, ever-evolving wine. Babche is at the beginning of planting a small vineyard and permaculture farm in Timboon, Victoria. The site is certified Organic and situated along a south-facing escarpment of clay and limestone. We are in constant consideration of its topography and interaction with the elements in preparation for planting and beyond. Our goal is to create a resilient ecosystem where our vines thrive amongst a food forest of supportive plant and animal species.

ADELAIDE HILLS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
BRIGHT TIGHT QUENCH
CLASSIC / COLLABORATION / 750ML

A classic clean crisp Australian Fizz. 100% Chardonnay.  

From the Producer: A refreshingly dry style of sparkling wine that shows all the generosity and elegance that Chardonnay is known for, whilst giving you a clean and cut finish. The harvest range aim to change the hardships for growers in our region by creating Australia’s only wine production co-op. Any grower in our sub-region (5km radius around our winery) can be a part of the Harvest Grower's Co-Op. Instead of selling their grapes for bottom-dollar, they donate them to the Harvest label, and we donate in-kind - winemaking, branding, bottling, distribution, sales and marketing. Then we deliver back 50% of the profit. The only bills that are split are the packaging costs - but only at the point of payment: so no cashflow detriment.

PEMBERTON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
BALANCE TEXTURE TIME
CLASSIC / 750ML

A beautiful balance Chardonnay. The wines complexity is built both in the winery and the vineyard. Multiple clones have been planted and the cropping levels are modestly maintained. Complexity building cellar practices include varying press practices, a broad oak regime and carefully monitored primary and secondary fermentation. All these factors aid in emphasising the unique style of Picardy and its local clime.

From the Producer: Picardy Chardonnay is made from equal portions of the four preferred clones 76, 95, 96 and 277(selected by the University of Dijon) to achieve complexity. Excellent fruit intensity, structure, pH to acid relationship and fine-grained tannins guarantee long life and excellent bottle development. The wines are also very approachable in their early years. The Chardonnay vines carry a maximum of 7 tonnes per hectare, excess fruit being hand-crop thinned at veraison. In order to achieve low yields the vineyard is non-irrigated and cane pruned. Picking time for the Chardonnay is usually around early March. The fruit is ripened to approximately 12° baume, but this is not recipe winemaking and fruit flavour ultimately determines picking dates. The fruit is then handpicked and transported to the winery (only 200 metres away) on the Picardy estate.

In the winery approximately 40% of the Chardonnay is whole bunch pressed and the remainder is destemmed and then pressed. The juice is settled for 48 hours before being racked and the fermentation is then commenced in tank using two different yeast strains to give fruit complexity and texture. Shortly thereafter the wine is racked to a blend of new to four year old French oak barriques to complete fermentation.

While in oak the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. During this period they are lees stirred once per week. Each barrel is checked and topped up weekly.  After about 10 months in oak the wine is racked out of barrel to tank and then given a gentle filtration on its way to bottle.

Established in 1993 in the Pemberton region of Western Australia. Picardy is owned and operated by Bill, Sandra, and Dan Pannell. Bill and Sandra were pioneers of the Margaret River region, establishing Moss Wood vineyard and winery in 1969. Moss Wood went on to be a driving force in establishing Margaret River as one of Australia's important growing regions. Picardy strives to continue this tradition of wine making quality and excellence.

MACEDON, VICTORIA
ZESTY HAY LEES
CLASSIC / 750ml 

From the Producer: The naturally zesty, melon cool climate Chardonnay is softened through some extended development time on yeast lees in tank. This wine is completed by the inclusion of 20% in the final blend, of French oak barrel fermented portion – producing a clean full flavoured style with a soft textured finish. The 2018 vintage is the first vintage to include the new Bernard clones from Granite Hills.

Perched atop the spectacular boulder strewn hills of the Great Dividing Range at an altitude 550 metres, the view over Granite Hills vineyard and of central Victoria beyond, immediately gives you the impression of something quite special.

Cool climate conditions have proven to be the perfect environment for the cultivation of our vines and in providing outstanding wine.Granite Hills’ owner and winemaker, Llew Knight, is a cool-climate wine enthusiast. His winemaking philosophy is to coax the most pronounced flavours from classic varieties using a range of winemaking and oak-management techniques, creating distinctive cool-climate wine styles that are marked by their complexity and ageing ability.

YARRA VALLEY, VICTORIA
FLINT PUNCTUAL LENGTH
CLASSIC / 13.1% / 750ML

Chris Bendle is based in the Yarra Valley and has been making his wine while working for the inspiring D'Anna Family, at Hoddles Creek. The 2018 Chardonnay is predominately sourced from Woori Yallock, the fruit spectrum has been tamed by a controlled level of flinty reduction and astute acidity. A subtle oak component is present but not overbearing. A great example of the new wave of Chardonnay being produced in Australia. Incredible value.

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.

YARRA VALLEY, MELBOURNE
STONEFRUIT TIGHT SPRING
CLASSIC / 750ML

Acid forward Chardonnay comprised of declassified single vineyard barrels. A consistent Yarra Valley Chardonnay that delivers year in and year out.

From the Producer: The Yarra Valley label is the entry into our Chardonnay wines. ‘Yarra Valley’ is a blend of declassified barrels from our grower vineyards and the Mac Forbes single vineyard sites. They represent a snapshot from across the valley and our vineyards. Generally, they can be enjoyed young but cellaring will reward with increased complexity.

The 2020 season in the Yarra Valley will forever be remembered as a highly unusual and impossible to predict vintage. Significant weather events during flowering meant low yields, and erratic temperatures in December and January saw unprecedented ripening behaviour across many varieties. February rains were both welcome and anxiety-inducing, but ultimately the maturity and stability of the vines in our best parcels allowed fruit quality to shine through.

GRAMPIANS, VICTORIA
LEES BRULEE ORCHARD
CLASSIC / CLOUDY / 750ML

Grown just outside of Stawell, Grampians. Organic sprays were applied twice throughout the growing season. Pressed to older French oak with full solids. Lees stirred throughout malo. Aged for Eight months, racked once to bottle. 30ppm SO2, no filtration or fining. Nutty lees, texture and subdued stone fruit.

From the producer: Calyx wine is produced and letterpress printed by Yuri Zinenko in a small shed surrounded by an acre of vines in Keilor, Melbourne. Everything is done on site, by hand with help from friends and family. Since 2019 I've been printing my labels on a Chandler and Price letterpress. I currently use 170gsm Awagami bamboo paper stock which I mount onto a double sided adhesive. It is then cut down on an ideal guillotine to get press ready. I hand feed and use a rubber-based ink to make the impression. Finally, I die cut the labels to shape and stick them on the bottles. Similar to my wine making it is a constant work in progress. I'm pumped to learn more and hopefully create some exciting new gear and labels in the future. Feel free to get in contact if you want any more info x. Also a huge thank you to Dan at seagull press for sharing your 50 years of printing knowledge.

MCLAREN VALE SOUTH AUSTRALIA
BARREL GENEROUS DOUGH
CLASSIC / 13.5% / 750ML

A good old fashioned Ozzie Chardonnay. A good tickle of quality new oak and nearly a year on lees. The Agios Dimitrios showcases all the good attributed of a broader Chardonnay without being overwhelming or one dimensional.

From the Producer: Life has its twists and turns. Sometimes the horizon is as direct as the crow flies, and other times, we take the scenic tour. Sven Joschke, born and raised in the Adelaide Hills, has definitely taken the long way home. Spending the last 15 years abroad and interstate, Sven decided to ditch his life as a Chartered Accountant and come back home to South Australia. Swapping the Casio and spreadsheets for his ultimate calling of wine, at least he can now claim market research when enjoying some plonk. Guided by 'Schwatta' and Shelly from Biscay Rd in Tanunda, and inspired by his experience making wine in Jura, France, the mission has been simple from the get go - make it delicious, work your backside off, do it with love and most importantly, let nature do the talking. Roping in two of his mates to the shenanigans, bringing Sven Joschke's wine to life has required many detours, back roads and long-cuts...but it's finally here. So enjoy the destination, crack a bottle of this delicious juice and get up to some inspired mischief.

AVIZE CHAMPAGNE FRANCE
CHAMOMILE COILED EXCITING
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML 

Agrapart composes their champagne from 70 vineyards across 7 villages; Avize, Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay Val d’Or, Bergères-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. The ‘7 crus’ is a combination from all 7 villages, it is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. The 7 crus, goes through full malolactic fermentation and spends 3 years on lees. A stunning example of a richer grower champagne.  

From the distributor: The Agrapart range begins with a non-vintage Blanc de Blancs called Les 7 Crus, referring to the seven Côte des Blancs villages from which it is sourced; Avize (younger vines, 20-40 years), Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay Val d'Or, Bergères-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. Crafted from estate-owned vineyards, Les 7 Crus is typically blended from two different years, with half of the older vintage raised in neutral 600 oak casks. This release is a blend of 2013 and 2012. 90% Chardonnay 10% Pinot Noir; full malolactic fermentation; aged 3 years on lees; 7g/l dosage."A blend of Chardonnay with a touch of Pinot Noir, is vibrant and lively, with fresh notes of apple and citrus. It's an outstanding non-vintage brut, showing an uncommon complexity and finesse, and it finishes with long aromas and an elegant minerality." Peter Liem, champagneguide.net".The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru 7 Crus is a lovely, introductory-level Champagne from Agrapart. Bright and focused, but also with more than enough mid-palate richness to be accessible upon release, the 7 Crus is super-expressive today. The inclusion of 10% Pinot Noir a few years back has changed the 7 Crus in a meaningful way in making the wine more accessible in its youth. The creamy, spiced finish is hugely appealing, but there is a lot to like here, including the wine's overall balance." 91 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com

AY CHAMPAGNE FRANCE
MOOD MOUSSE GENEROUS
CLASSIC / BRUT DOSAGE 7g L / 750ML

A Pinot Noir predominant (80%) Champagne, Aÿ Grand Cru 100%, aged ‘en latte’, laying horizontally for 2 years to maximise lease contact. A generous wine offering ripe strawberry, toasted notes, and a dry clinical finish.

From the producer: Like all of the blends, the Champagne GATINOIS Brut Tradition is a true reflection of the Aÿ terroir’s unique character. It is made from the “heart of the terroir” of the family Domaine. Predominantly Pinot Noir (80%) which brings richness, structure and a delicious character. The 20% of Chardonnay adds a feminine touch to the blend. There is also a significant proportion of reserve wines in the blend (30%). The champagne is aged “sur lattes” (horizontally on racks) in our cellars for a minimum of 2 years before the yeasts are disgorged. A deep golden hue with coppery reflections indicates the richness of this blend. The nose opens with fresh notes of pears and lime blossom which give way to more intense, complex aromas and a characteristic Pinot Noir vinosity. Our Brut Tradition is fresh on entry to the palate with a good balance between fruit and finesse, a nice round structure and ripe fruit aromas which evolve into toasty notes. With its discreet sugar dosage (7g/l), this Champagne is well-suited to aperitifs, accompanied by foie gras toasts or sushi. Try it with seafood or a sea scallop carpaccio.

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.