(2025) Bouza was the first winery to plant Albariño in Uruguay - in 2001 with cuttings from Europe on decomposed granite, limestone and clay soils. Each plot is vinified separately - whole-bunch pressed in stainless steel with 15% seeing second fill French oak. Vibrant freshness with aromas of white flowers and jasmine, with white peach notes and a citrus core as well as some salinity. (Geoffrey Dean)
(2024) A powerful, 14.5% alcohol wine that blends 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Roussanne. The varieties are fermented separately and blended before bottling. Quite a bold, light gold colour, the Sauvignon marks the aroma initially, green herbs and citrus, a touch of elderflower, but the peachy influence of the Roussanne adds a rounding element. It has weight on the palate, a broad base of acidity supporting the ripe melon fruit, the Sauvignon seeming to be tamed and bolstered by the Roussanne so it feels rather like a Rhône blend in many ways. Mouth-watering, orange acidity in the finish.
(2024) A highly unusual blend for Achaval Ferrer's new entry-level red in their sustainable
Quimera range. It mixes Pinot Noir, Malbec, Syrah and, would you believe it, 12% Sauvignon Blanc. All fruit comes from the Uco Valley and the wine is unoaked, the Pinot Noir and Malbec fermented in concrete tanks, the rest in stainless steel. I presume the Sauvignon Blanc is there to lift the aromatics and overall picture, though the nose is solidly fruited, little raspberry and floral notes sit on top with the merest suggestion of something herbal. In the mouth it is creamy and sweet. A plushness is evident, but so is a freshness. The alcohol sits at 14.5% and adds a little heat and richness, but the overall picture is in the red fruit spectrum of cherry, raspberry and ripe red plum, with modest tannins and a long line of acidity. Watch the
video for more information and food matching ideas.
(2020) There’s a vegetal note here, but such lovely fruit, the sweetness of the 50g/l of residual sugar gives great balance, so this feels drier than you might imagine, beautifully sharp and defined by the acidity and the cool fruit profile.
(2020) Gorgeous lime, peach and beeswax nose, a touch of passion fruit too. Who couldn’t love Riesling when it’s as pristine and flavourful as this? Lime jelly to sherbet, such purity to the acid, mountain stream clarity. With 4g/l of residual sugar this is dry, with a thrilling, racing finish.
(2017) Made from 100% reserve wines, this first release is a blend of six years: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 1996 and 1988. The dosage is just 3g/l and the blend is 50% Pinot Noir, around 33% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier. Lovely hint of age, a gentle meat and smoke, vinous, with creaminess of texture, the palate dense and long, very vinous again, almost like an aged white Burgundy. I detected a lower pressure in this wine and indeed it is confirmed that it is bottle at just 4.5 bars rather than 6 bars for the yellow label. There is peachiness and lemon zest delicacy, but it is a fine, rounded food wine.
(2016) Meaty, toasty, tightly wound but such obvious concetration. A touch of green herbs and flint coming through. The palate has delicious concentration again, and it is dry, the squirt of bitter lemon against that ozone and saline richness and austerity, suggesting this needs some time. Huge length and composure, a weighty and deep wine with profound character for ageing.
(2014) The Cave de Château de Chénas is a co-op, founded in 1934 and now representing 110 growers. This is their prestige cuvée of Beaujolais smallest Cru, Chénas, aged in oak for 10 months. Purple/ruby in colour, there's an immediate floral delicacy here, a soft, fresh fruitiness and suggestion of openness. It has a touch of bubblegum too. On the palate the tannins come as something of a surprise, really grippy and striking the palate before the cherry and blueberry fruit emerges. Plenty of acidity and crunch in this wine, spices, and the warmth of the oak and inherent sweetness of the fruit leaving it moreish in the finish.
