Closure Type: DIAM

(2024) From the Haut Vallée de l'Aude, an IGP appellation around Limoux in the Languedoc. This is made by Burgundy-born Oliver Lemstra and is aged in both tank and new French oak barrels for eight months. The oak comes from the forest of Bertrange on the right bank of the River Loire, due west of Dijon. It's a powerful wine with its 14.5% alcohol, but there's a translucent rim to the garnet colour, and aromas do encompass spice and floral notes as well as red fruits. In the mouth that sweetness of ripe fruit comes through, cherry and bramble to the fore, a hint of the tobacco spiciness again and quite a dry tannic background. Acid is well balanced in a wine that retains some elegance despite the rather high alcohol.

(2024) From the high altitude vineyards of Luján de Cuyo at 1050 metres, just 15% of this Chardonnay spent six months in oak, all used barrels. Yellowy green in the glass. A little bit of violet fig and crushed almond over juicy, ripe pear and stone fruits. The palate is lovely: there's a spicy, herb edged hint of leafy dill that sits alongside ripe, exotic fruits. In the background, the layer of toast and sesame seed from the barrels is cut through with a vivid navel orange juicy acidity. Very delicious in the final analysis.

(2024) From various linestone-rich terroirs of the Mâconnais, this is made without the addition of sulphur at any stage. It has a natural wine feel, stony, creamy and lightly earthy and spicy aromas, rather than anything overtly fruity. The palate too is dry, like apple cores rather than sweet flesh, yet there is juiciness here too. The texture is quite creamy and rich and the finish clean and fresh. An interesting wine, unlike most conventional Mâcon Chardonnay, but intriguing and food-friendly. I'd be thinking chicken with tarragon or morels perhaps.

(2024) Refreshing is the word here, for an unusual wine made from 100% Rolle (the local name for the grape also known as Vermentino) and in a pétillant style, that is, gently spritzy rather than fully sparkling. A little melon and peach joins nettle and much drier, apple core aromas. Featherweight in the mouth through that delicate bubble and fresh style, and its modest 11.5% alcohol, it is dry, a little Muscat-like perhaps, with plenty salts and citrus acid. Unusual and really rather nice for this summer. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) A panel of winemakers in selects certain wines to form part of an annual, limited-edition collection. Fruit for this comes from selected plots predominantly on clay-limestone and gravel soils. Fermentation in stainless steel was followed by ageing on the fine lees for ten months. Presented in a very handsome bottle, it is an arresting wine aromatically, with grippy citrus peel, yeasty, and almondy and creamy notes from the time stirred on the lees. Quite full bodied, grapefruit dominates with punchy, tangy and bittersweet flavours, a salty backbone if acidity and again, that lees work creating a creamy and nutty undertone. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) Watch out for the 15.5% alcohol in this heady Grenache from the north of Spain. Vineyards at between 600 and 1000 metres altitude, vines for this wine planted in the 1940s as dry-farmed bush vines. There's a confiture plum, sweet richness to the aroma, maybe even a hint of something like pomegranate in quite a perfumed style. In the mouth that high alcohol sits relatively easily, with enough charm to the red fruit character, spices and hints of garrigue herbs. There's a hint of mulled fruit here perhaps, but the ripeness is juice and the acid balance is good too, which helps freshen and add elegance to the dusty tannins. Watch the video for tasting notes and more information.

(2024) This is a single vineyard Malbec from the El Alto Vineyard in the premium Luján de Cuyo district of Mendoza. Following fermenation in concrete vessels it spent 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% of which were new. Though Malbec has the reputation of being a tannic, powerful wine to be drunk with a chunk of steak off of the asado, in fact Malbec also has a fragrant and more elegant side, and that's where this wine sits. The violet and kirsch lift on the nose is unmistakable, then the palate has juicy acidity and fine tannin. That hones the edge of more ripe, black fruit and lightly charry oak. This is a Malbec on the juicier and more elegant side than some, and I enjoyed that aspect. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) Sourced from Hugel's vineyards around Riquewihr which are in the process of being certified for organic viticulture. Gorgeous nose of waxy preserved lemons, gently exotic, ripe apples and the most delicate touch of saffron spice. The palate has sweetness, but that's purely the ripe fruit, underscored by a sour lemon and grapefruit acidity that cleanses the palate. Medium-bodied but fruit-filled on the mid-palate, the finish is long and perfectly balanced.

(2024) From its home in the Northern Rhône, global plantings of Viognier have soared over the past 40 years, the variety finding lots of new fans. Australia, California and South America have gone big on Viognier, but so too has the Languedoc in southern France, not too far from its original home. Part fermented in barrel, this is a fine, easy-drinking variety which with 13.5% alcohol is balanced and silky smooth. The nose has some of the almond and creaminess of the oak, but vivid peach and apricot fruit along with hints of ginger spice. In the mouth a very nice Seville orange or pink grapefruit acidity drives through the succulent fruit to a long, not too dry finish. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2024) From 35-year-old vines, this spent 12 month on the lees in stainless steel tanks. It has a very correct and appealing nose, ripe apple and stone fruits over the merest hint of flint. In the mouth the fruit ripeness is striking. Mouthfilling and textured, it is at the same time juicy and tangy, a citrus vibrancy to the fruit and acidity. It's a poised and delicious Chablis though I would have liked a touch more tension and raciness perhaps. Price and stockist quoted at time of review is for the previous vintage.