Terre Alta, Livio Felluga
Livio Felluga emigrated from Istria and established his property in Brazzano in the 1950s. Convinced of the winemaking potential inherent in Collio and the Colli Orientali of Friuli, he bucked the trend of the times and started buying vineyards.They have become one of the most respected white wine producers in Italy, with their wines gracing the wine lists of the very best restaurants the World overCreated in 1981, Terre Alte is a balanced blend of Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon grapes, estate-grown at Rosazzo in the historic Terre Alte vineyard. This elegant wine has intense fruit and flower aromas and outstanding structure; capable of improving for a decade or more.An impressive wine for the finest meals; grilled lobster with garlic butter, Dover sole, things like that! World class.
Meursault ‘Clos de la Velle’, Olivier Leflaive
Olivier Leflaive needs little introduction for those who have followed Burgundy for some time, as this is likely a familiar name. Monsieur Leflaive co-managed domaine Leflaive with his uncle Vincent through the 1980s and then with his cousin Anne-Claude in the early 1990s. It was at this time, that he departed the domaine and began to concentrate on Olivier Leflaive Frères, a negotiant business that he started in 1985 and has flourished in recent years. The Quality is exceptional with wines having great purity and elegance.This exceptional walled vineyard (Clos) is situated in the village on heavier soil, which provides classic Meursault breadth, while the Leflaive style ensures that the finish is mineral and precise.A classic white Burgundy for those special meals...turbot, dover sole, buttery sauces...
Tolpuddle Chardonnay 2020
The Tolpuddle Vineyard was purchased by Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw in 2011. First planted in 1988 by Tony Jordan and Garry Crittenden with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it has since established a reputation for growing exceptional quality grapes. The vineyard took its name from the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who were transported to Australia in 1834 for starting an agrarian union. The leader of the group, George Loveless, served part of his sentence working on a property near Richmond called GlenAyr, part of which is now the Tolpuddle Vineyard.On the nose, this wine is intensely aromatic with lemon peel, white blossom, wet stone and a captivating struck match note. Notes of mandarin, white peach and biscuit are complemented by mouthwatering fresh acidity. There is intensity but also plenty of texture and verve, as well as a long finish.Some stunning Chardonnay is coming out of Tasmania, and this is at the top of the tree. Very elegant and perfectly balanced. Deserves the finest fish or bird dishes.
Meursault ‘Cuvee Jean’, Jean Javillier
Puligny-Montrachet, Sylvain Bzikot
Sylvain Bzikot makes wines with real personality. The 13.2 hectare estate was originally created by his grandparents at the beginning of the 1940s. They arrived (as Polish immigrants) in Meursault to work in the vineyards as their friends and relations did before them. After a few years working in the fields, they began as “metayer fermier” and subsequently bought a few tiny parcels of land which they planted progressively.
This Puligny-Montrachet has grace and refinement but also richness and density, seductive aromas
of fresh butter, hazelnut and fresh fruits and also a lovely citrus freshness. Real quality here!
Great for special occasions, posh fish dishes (or ready-meal fish pie...?), and generally treating yourself to something truly special.
Chablis Grand Cru ‘Vaudesir’, Gerard Tremblay
Gérard Tremblay and his wife, Hélène, oversee a domain that they inherited in a line of five generations, but which they
have mostly built themselves. With 80 acres of vines under production, most of them in the best Premier Cru and Grand
Cru appellations, their list of Chablis is among the most prestigious in the region.
Tremblay is known locally as an accomplished wine maker. He is justly famous for his ability to draw out the typicity of
distinct appellations, underlining the terroir of his vines vintage after vintage.Set between Preuses and Grenouilles, the Vaudésir climat is divided into two parts by the track called “le chemin des Vaudésirs”.
Very steep in places, its soil type seems rather lighter than most, and contains less lime. This increasing “earthiness”
tends to mark the wines, which can be drunk young if one is looking for crispness. The full structure of the wines will take
several years to develop however, as with all the Grands Crus. Their extreme delicacy has given Vaudésir the reputation
of being the most feminine of all the climats.An elegant wine for the finest occasions.
Puligny~Montrachet 2017, Domaine Blain-Gagnard, Burgundy, France
Meursault 2018, Domaine Michel Lafarge, Burgundy, France – Organic
This Domaine is one of the legendary estates of the Côte de Beaune. Michel died earlier this year, but his son Frederic has been running the estate with him for many years now. They make very traditional wines, with no new oak to overpower the purity of the fruit coming from their organic (Biodynamic) vineyards. This is a beautiful expression of Meursault with real depth of flavour. Perfect with buttery fish dishes.
Sancerre Cuvee d’Antan, Henri Bourgeois
Domaine Henri Bourgeois is one of the top producers in Sancerre, whose wines exhibit the complexity of the terroir of Chavignol, being chalky with a touch of gunflint, initially steely, then ripening in the mouth with a broad array of flavours and wonderful length.
Cuvée d’Antan is made in “the old style” from 70 year old vines on south-facing slopes. Viticulture is biodynamic, grapes are harvested by hand and after pressing and maceration the wine is left in old wooden barrels for eighteen months batonnage. Racking is done after the full moon. The style is sui generis: the wine fills the mouth with layer after layer of creamy fruit, a touch of breadiness from the lees and the terroir notes of truffle and warm stone.An incredible wine with complexity that is rare in Sauvignon Blanc, this is a wine for the finest meals, think lobster with garlic butter or Dover sole with a brown butter sauce. Very special.
Cartology 2022, Alheit Vineyards
90% Chenin Blanc/10% SemillonCartology has become one of South Africa's most iconic wines and tiny amounts are available on allocation...we have a few bottles left!Chris and Suzaan Alheit started their winery in 2011 and due to their focus on old vineyards and attention to detail at every step, they immediately caused quite a stir; they showed what was capable with Cape varieties from old, dry-farmed vineyards."The goal was clear: we wanted to make wines with a clear Cape identity. We wanted to show that the Cape’s vinous heritage is worth celebrating and protecting, that old vineyards and “ordinary grapes” are in fact wonderful, and that we’re only just scratching the surface of what’s possible in the Cape." - Chris AlheitOne of my all time favourite white wines, each vintage is an exciting discovery; the 2019 is a truly beautiful wine. It is a multi-vineyard, multi-regional blend that brings together grapes from unique vineyards across the Western Cape. The nose is complex and intriguing, with aromas of honey, toast and peach mingling to make something really unique. The palate is rich with orchard fruit flavours and has amazingly bright minerally acidity which makes the wine so alive and vibrant.
This wine is young and fresh at the moment but will gain even more complexity if aged for a few years. I have older vintages at home and whenever one is opened, it is such a treat; Chenin has a great ability to age magnificently and this is a prime example.A fine accompaniment to dishes that are rich and fatty like roast pork with apples (crackling!) or a simple roast chicken. Also, buttery and herby fish dishes work well.
Grosset Polish Hill Riesling
Jeffrey Grosset is widely hailed as the king of Riesling in Australia; his attention to detail (like most Riesling producers/nerds) in the vineyards and in the winery is legendary. The wines he creates are always beautiful expressions of his vineyards. The Polish Hill is often considered his best wine; taught and mineral with layers of complexity that unfurl with time. An Australian icon that improve for many years to come.
M3 Chardonnay, Shaw & Smith
Shaw + Smith began over a long lunch in 1989 when cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith decided to realise a long-held dream to make wine together. Their vision remains to make exciting, refined wines, exclusively from the Adelaide Hills, that rank among Australia's best.The M3 Chardonnay is consistently one of the best examples of the grape coming out of Australia and recent vintages have pushed the reputation even further. It is an elegant, mineral style of Chardonnay, edging towards Burgundy in style but with a truly Australian verve.This goes really well with roast chicken and fine fish dishes.