(2024) The IGP Mediterranée appellation is a relatively new one that covers all of Provence, but extends north into the southern reaches of the Rhône Valley and includes the island of Corsica. All of that is rosé wine country, but the blend of grapes allowed here is greater, and in this case includes Merlot as well as Grenache and Syrah. It's a very nicely realised wine, fragrant and delicate with watermelon and rose-hip over a hint of peach, then a dry but fruity and mouth-filling palate of pulpy red berries. It has a pleasing ripple of texture and very nicely balanced acidity. At its very low price, and occasionally on offer even lower, it is really rather good. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) Kleine Zalze is one of the bigger names in Stellenbosch, producing a whole range of Chenin Blanc wines, so if this is the one you want, check the label before buying. From 35-year-old bush vines in two vineyards, it had 24 hours skin contact then was pressed to a combination of older French oak barrels and terracotta amphora. The nose has plenty of ripe, vanilla-touched apple, but there's a stone-fruit, apricot and yellow plum deeper note too. In the mouth a generous texture has a bit of fat and weight giving good mouthfeel, the fruit stays this side of exotic, and the barrel adds nothing more than a whisper of creaminess. Quite long and rather satisfying Chenin. Watch my full video review for more details.
(2024) Tavola is part of the small range that introduces Ponzi, made with a combination of estate and purchased fruit from across Willamette. Max calls this a 'fun' wine and a 'pizza wine'. Nicely pale and transparent, it is leafy and perfumed, touches of pot-pourri spices and red fruits. The palate has brightness and plenty of drive. It is medium-bodied, and the mid-palate fleshes out with creamy and sweet berries. Tannins and acid combine to again add a sparky, lemony freshness to the finish. Note price and stockist for previous vintage at time of review.
(2024) Paler than it's Sunset cousin, Grenache Gris dominates this rosé along with 40% Carignan. More subtle and mineral than the Sunset cuvée, and a year younger, red fruits and peach in the background. In the mouth it is drier than the Sunset, with more of a lemony thrust of acid at its core but there is still sweetness to the berry and stone fruit, and that drier citrus finish adds welcome balance.
(2024) From a vineyard on clay-based Pakohe soils, this was whole bunch pressed to French oak barriques for fermentation with indigenous yeast, then matured in barrel for 11 more months. Medium green-gold, the nose here has a discreet whiff of flint, but is more about fine oak aromas of roasted chestnut and toast, the fruit suggesting fig and quince. In the mouth it has a creamy texture and real vitality. Don't over-chill this, as it is very much a textural wine, almond and oatmeal joining ripe pear and peach before a crisp, lightly flinty and lemon jelly finish. Note price and stockist is for the previous vintage at time of review.
(2024) Grown metres from the Pacific Ocean at Te Awanga, this is whole bunch pressed to French oak, around 25% new barrels. There's a hint of mint to the creamy almond of the nose, cashew and on to ripe stone fruit and apple. The hint of salinity on the palate must surely relate the terroir, but there's a very juicy citrus and peach fruit and again echoes of that nuttiness of the nose. Powerful but not lacking in elegance or length. Price and stockist for a previous vintage at time of review.
(2024) About one-third of this is Mendoza Clone grown on sandy silt soils. Whole bunch pressed into barrel with a mix of wild and inoculated ferments, it aged 10 months in barrels, 25% new, with lees stirring. It's one of the creamier, more substantially fruity of the 2022 selection, aromas touching on pineapple and mango with a lovely crushed oatmeal silkiness from the barrels. Very nicely balanced indeed between the lush fruit, toast and freshening mountain stream acidity.
(2024) Askerne's Reserve ramps up the oak character and the flinty complexity to excellent effect. Hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, partial wild yeast fermentation is in barrel, where the wine ages for 10 months with lees stirring. The final blend had 32% new French oak. Lovely melange of nuttiness, vanilla and that smoke trail of gunflint. The palate is joyous, brimming with ripe, creamy melon, moving to more tropical fruit, that cashew richness and undertow of flinty minerality all balanced by fine acidity.
(2024) Arguably the star of this year's selection, the always a gorgeous 'beautiful stones' is a single vineyard wine from the Gimblett Gravels, aged 10 months in various sizes of French barrel, 26% new oak. Subtle almond and crushed oatmeal over succulent quince and peach fruit, it has really delivered this vintage, the gorgeous texture, featherweight but insistent acidity and burgeoning sense of opulence always held in check. Terrific. No UK stockists listed for this vintage at time of review, but use the wine-searcher link below to see current availability.
(2024) From the terroir of the Bridge Pa triangle, fruit was bunch thinned and harvested by hand. Basket-pressed straight to barrel, about 40% underwent malolactic with ageing for one year. Arguably more linear than some here, aromas are limey and nutty, but the palate has a cool, herb and citrus, mineral tension. That's relieved by creaminess of the barrels and the texture. Vibrant, cleansing and beautifully balanced in the end.
