Stockist/Retailer: Strictly Wine

(2024) From vines at 400 to 600 metres altitude, this was partly fermented in large oak casks, and partly in smaller barrels. It was matured in large French oak casks. Surprisingly aromatic, a sheen of almond over nectarine and lime, a smoke, cracked river stone background. Just off-dry, this is very much more Alsace Pinot Gris than Pinot Grigio, rich and full, luscious mango to nectarine, with a rasp of grapefruit and lemon acidity to give balance and definition.

(2024) From vineyards at 350 to 550 metres above sea level. After a short maceration, fermentation in small stainless steel tanks and then ageing with lees stirring for a total maturation period of 15 months. Beautifully clear, classic and inviting Gewurz aromas showing lychee, herbs and Turkish delight. The palate is so oily and textured, and the spicy flavours definitely flit with sweetness, a rich and rolling palate that's full of interest, the slightly phenolic grip of skin contact adds a touch of abrasive grip to the opulent flavours. Very lovely.

(2024) I haven't tasted the Stoan blend since the 2018 vintage, but this 2022 is just as impressive. It's a blend of more than 60% Chardonnay, with Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Bianco. It has such a charming nose, of chalk and talcum, Spring flowers and elegant, juicy citrus and pineapple. As with many of the Cantina's wines, it has weight and texture but is somehow also nimble and pretty, the palate filled with fruit but also a spice and grip of acid and a hint of extract that adds a textural edge. Delightful.

(2024) This organic Pays d'Oc blends Grenache and Cinsault in a distinctly pale, Provençal style. Loads of rose-hip, raspberry and bubblegum aromas. Very nice palate, the crunch of raspberry and zip of lemon and lime, but that floral, bubblegum character is there. Acid is really nicely balanced.

(2023) Mostly Grenache with a little Cinsault, this organic rosé is a very pale and delicate pink. The nose is quite peachy and has a touch of creaminess, a little redcurrant too. In the mouth a sweet and ripe fruit profile has a nice chalky acidity, moving from lemony to mineral salts, it is long and the fruit persists in a very nice wine.

(2021) This prmium Gewürztraminer cuvée comes from vineyards at 350- to 550-metres altitude, grown on calcareous soils. The vines are up to 40 years old, and the wine is aged in stainless steel on the lees. With 15% alcohol declared on the label it is a powerful, concentrated and intense expression of Gewürztraminer, pouring a light gold colour with soaring aromas of lychee, old fragrant roses and Turkish delight. In the mouth the texure is slippery and rich, and the sheer weight and concentration of fruit along with a little residual sugar could be overbearing, but thankfully the acid base of the wine is equally powerful. That all adds up to a big, dominant style of white wine that I think might work best with food - spicy Sechuan or Thai cuisine perhaps.

(2021) Another absolutely lovely wine from Cantina Tramin, this an oak cask-fermented blend of 65% Chardonnay with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer, coming from stony limestone and clay soils, it's name meaning 'stone' in local dialect. It is sweetly perfumed, refined and accented by floral and creamy top and bottom notes, a lovely taut but ripe fruit juiciness. In the mouth the oak fermentation rounds the wine beautifully, but those bright and quite vivacious fruit characters and the salts and citrus acid structure of these wines is very nicely balanced, making this so easy to drink, but with precision too.

(2019) Grenache Blanc, Chenin, Roussanne, Chardonnay from bush vines. Chardonnay in new barrels. Quite a deep colour, with marmalade and toast, lots of limey depth. On the palate masses of texture and fruit sweetness, a lovely Burgundian-style wine.

(2019) Fresh, lightly ashy nose, a little wood component does round it out, but it is quite wild and gamy in character, tobacco and spice, and on the palate good acidity and a rustic bite of tannin, quite long.

(2019) Viognier was planted here in 90s, and a percentage was fermented and aged in new, but neutral (low toast) French oak barrels. A little reduced at first, then good apricot and pear Viognier aromatics come through. Juicy and fresh, a blast of orange acidity streaks through the finish. A good expression of Viognier this.