(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.
(2023) This was whole-bunch pressed, then fermented and aged 12 months in French oak, 20% new. Delightful nose, striking the perfect balance between a spangle brightness of fruit, hint of flint and luscious mango in the background. Oak influence is understated. The palate tensions considerably with a taut line of acidity that is all lemons and salts, but it cleaves through those more opulent, juicy, peachy and almost tropical fruit flavours. Lovely. Price and stockist quoted are for a previous vintage at time of review.
(2023) From the Hahndorf district and 430 metres altitude, 28-year-old vines were hand poicked. Yeast was a mix of natural and selected strains, fermented and aged nine months in 500-litre French oak puncheons (86% new oak). Spontaneous malolactic was near 100%. Straw/lemon in colour, the nose is oatmeally and flinty, in an attractive Premier Cru Chablis-like style. Fruit is nutty with apples and oranges in the mix. The palate is very atractive; acid here is pronounced and defines the palate, tightening the fruit profile along with that flinty character. Quite concentrated, but has the bite and clarity to match.
(2023) From 2017, there is obvious development t here, a pale yellow-gold colour and the nose waxy and lemony, with notes of waxy parcel string and nutty, buttery notes. In the mouth it is dry and saline, there is firm lemony acidity driving through the ozone character, a hessian-like dryness, apple cores and pithy citrus into a satisfying, long finish.
(2022) Again 100% Glera, this comes from the calcium-rich soils of the hill of Cartizze. It has a longer second fermentation than the Fagher cuvee, and is Dry, meaning it has at least 18g/l of residual sugar and noticeable sweetness. There is great delicacy here, a little icing sugar and bon-bon note, a gentle biscuity character in the background. Extremely elegant and almost weightless on the palate, the featherlight quality might at first seem too delicate, but there is persistence, balance between sweetness and acidity, in a very charming, high quality Prosecco.
(2021) A lovely wine this, very elegant and refined, discrete and delicately floral aromas, a touch of icing sugar and meringue. The palate is pin sharp, not too much fruitiness means a more gastronomic, though still featherlight style. A very nice Prosecco this with purity and subtlety.
(2021) A wine from a single vineyard block, matured for nine months in larger 350- and 500-litre barrels, all 100% new French oak. Lean soils are credited with producing small, compact and intensely flaboured. More obvious oak here, but it is of lovely quality, creamy and biscuity/toasty, with coffee depth. The fruit bursts through on the palate, really pushing that creamy and toasty character into the background. Very intense and concentrated, it really does have drive: a great acid line here, scything through the richness and fat of the fruit on the mid-palate. Excellent length and intrinsic quality through to the finish.
(2020) The blend for the top red is 75% Tannat, 15% Pinenc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Again from limestone and clay, but also sandy soils, typical of the Bas Armagnac region. A powerful nose of black and sour cherry, with some cool and elegant graphite character. Lots of smoothness in texture, plenty of tannin and bright cherry, great mid-palate sweetness, but the structure builds and grips to the finish, staying fresh and grippy, concentrated and delicious, and surely with ageing potential.
(2020) From a particularly warm vintage, this still displays that tropical, mango and pineapple lusciousness of fruit, a hint of honeysuckle and smoothing layer of almond or oatmeal. Quite full, an extra touch of alcohol adding to the power and richness, but the inherent acidity of these grapes and this north-orientated terroir adds ample cut and support. A full and ripe wine - the fullest and ripest of this small selection - but still very nicely balanced and hugely enjoyable.
(2020) Olivier says 2017 was a great vintage for their white wines, "Maybe one of the best I've ever seen," and a big vintage too, the cooler conditions suiting this wine. It certainly has an edge compared to the 2016, a vibrant, shimmering brightness to the expected exotic fruit character. It is a vivacious wine onto the palate too, sparky acidity and tension playing beautifully against the fruit density and ripe sweetness, very juicy and long. This vintage is just coming into the UK market. Price and stockist for previous vintage at time of review.
