Calvados, Champagne, Cabernet ...

The NV Extra Brut L.P.M. is a pure Pinot Meunier from the Massif de St Thierry, all vinified in oak and kept on fine lees for 11 months before tirage. The base is mostly 2019. The nose has an overtone of roasted nuts. The palate just lets itself fall into a fine bed of yeast, made elastic and bouncy by freshness. The result is a fresh, energetic wine on surprisingly light feet, with much agility bedded on soft, pliable yeast. Lovely and gastronomic. Disgorged: December, 2022. ANNE KREBIEHL MW, vinous 

Nice to have this wine back in town after an absence in 2021. The power and concentration of the vineyard and the style is immediately evident. The intensity strikes immediately on the nose, while once the wine starts to roll across your palate you know you in a head zone of great power. It was a warm and concentrated vintage. Brilliant crimson colour with a bright luminosity and brilliant purity that lifts effortlessly from the glass. Floral notes with a dried herbie sage bush character engages immediately. Dry chalky tannins with a trace of minerally iron filings. It’s vibrant and fleshy with real volume of flavour. Continues to mark its turf as an Australian classic. (98) RAY JORDAN

Now that Farvie is a trio, and not a duo, and the Mourvèdre sits neatly in between the Grenache and Syrah in terms of hue, timbre and attitude, this Grenache seems more succulent, fragrant and blushingly attractive than ever. It is imperceptibly lighter, more rhubarb and pomegranate-tinged and creamier than ever. The colour is a crimson and carmine amalgam, and the nose is akin to a stroll through an Amazonian arboretum. It is sexy, and it knows it, and before it gets too lascivious, on cue, it firms up, dries out and ends with a vicious lick of stern acidity. After such a lavish welcome, this finish is fantastic because it snaps your senses to attention and reminds you that while Farvie Grenache is a consummate charmer, beneath the surface, it is a weaponised wine with extraordinary skill. (19+/20) MATTHEW JUKES

 

PLATINUM - DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS
Outstanding elegance and finesse pervade this exceptional wine with its well-honed toasty sourdough, gunflint and grilled citrus notes, razor sharp acidity and mouth-filling mousse. Brilliantly poised and brimming with potential, the long and zesty finish runs and runs. (97) DECANTER

Firm and focused, this finely knit version offers a satiny texture and hints of smoke and oyster shell, which underscore flavors of pureed raspberry, peach skin and blood orange granita, with a rich touch of toasted brioche. Long, lightly spiced finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2030. Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator

A cooler year has produced a pared-back, elegant and finer style that’s as exciting as any vintage. It’s peppery, spicy, a little sappy, laden with cranberries, pomegranate tartness, amaro and rosehips – quite exotic really. Accents on red cherries and red plums with oak spices and woodsy inputs bolstering the flavour profile and structure. It’s medium bodied, with the filagree tannins etched in as the acidity takes the lead to finish long and pure. Lovely now, and in good time, it will blossom further. 96 JANE FAULKNER, wine companion

Having fallen head over heels with this wine in the 2021 vintage, my stomach was in knots when I approached the 2022 in Perth. Would ‘second album syndrome’ strike? Not a chance. This wine’s fanfare is all-encompassing, with an epic nose that is striking, fruit-packed and sophisticated. There are abundant rose petals, plum and red cherry notes, and sensual waves of florality and bounteous juiciness are countered by intense, brittle minerality. The acid line scours the palate with masochistic striations that form the tramlines on which this wine delivers its message with tireless accuracy. And then you notice that something is missing. Unlike virtually every other mesmeric Mourvèdre on earth, oak is seemingly missing. Of course, this is an illusion because behind every cache of flavour molecules sits a silent oak nuance, hidden from view but doing the covert task of adding grandeur and detail without craving any credit. This is another jaw-dropping wine, and it stands a chance of running a longer race than the 2021, too, so be sure to secure your stock. (19.5+/20), MATTHEW JUKES

The second iteration of this wine (tasted pre-release), which is quickly rising to icon status in Swinney’s portfolio. Tiny production from bushvines, the fruit is harvested in three passes wild fermented in whole bunches and matured in old oak. Currently tightly wound and holding its cards close to its chest, its starry journey ahead is clear. Vibrant, densely knit dark black plum aromas with a jewel-like clarity, along with violets, star anise, eucalypt, heady ferrous notes and crushed earth. Tannins might be tight and bunched up in their youth, but they are chalky and fine in structure, and the long line of delicate acidity helps deliver waves of flavour long after the last sip. Complex, vivacious and nuanced; a new Mourvèdre benchmark has been set. (98) CASSANDRA CHARLICK, Decanter

This is the second vintage of the Farvie Mourvedre and takes the excellent ’21 up a notch. It has a dry, savoury and slightly ferruginous rusty nail character offsetting the sweet floral notes on the nose. The palate is a superb interpretation of the variety in these Frankland soils. There is a slightly greater volume of fruit than ’21, bit it retains the same Old-World charm and expression. Chalky tannins and balanced use of oak. Tasted this about 4 months apart and already the shy middle palate I first saw has started to unfurl. Energy and vibrancy set this apart. A worthy addition to the Farvie triumvirate. (98) RAY JORDAN

Disgorged December 2021. Les Longues Voyes translates as ‘the long way’, referring not only to the 25 kilometres that you need to travel from the Laherte estate to arrive at the vineyard, but also to the wine’s extended aging: 18 months in barrel and a further 18-20 months in bottle.

The fruit is sourced from a single hectare of biodynamic vines in Chamery, Montagne de Reims, owned by a good friend of Aurélien Laherte’s. The 35-year-old vines are rooted in clay and silts over a limestone base. The wine was made from a single four-tonne press of grapes, which was naturally fermented and matured in old Clos des Epeneaux and Leroux barrels. There was no malolactic conversion and the dosage was 4 g/L. Bibendum

STAFF PICKS 2024 - SARA TORRES

When you open a bottle of Domaine du Tunnel you know that you are opening the door of the purity and terroir. Cornas 2022 is delicate, with lighter body than other producers from the area but with all the intensity and complexity. On the palate is delicate, full of blueberries, graphite, raw meet and spices. If you close your eyes, you can see a purple and velvet cake in a glass of wine. Simply delicious. SARA TORRES

The 2022 Cornas brings another level of density and depth, and while tasting it, you feel like you're eating a raw piece of meat given its bloody, meaty, profile. Dense purple-hued, with notes of blueberries, roasted herbs, iron, and ground pepper, this beauty is full-bodied, has a silky, layered mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. It's a big, powerful Cornas, yet it still shows the focused style of the vintage beautifully. (96) JEB DUNNUCK

A well-balanced, velvety and well-rounded Cornas with aromas of wild berries, wild herbs and baking spices. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced with a seductive core of succulent berries and a well-integrated structure of tannins on the palate. Focused and vivid, with some more peppercorns toward the finish. Try after 2026. JAMES SUCKLING

Based on the 2020 vintage and disgorged in November 2022, the new release of Larmandier's NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Longitude wafts from the glass with aromas of sweet citrus fruit, fresh pastry, green apple and flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, its satiny attack segues into a racy, broad-shouldered mid-palate, concluding with a chalky finish. WILLIAM KELLEY

The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Longitude 1er Cru is a powerful, ample wine. The Longitude builds beautifully in the glass, creamy and textured, with tons of resonance. Pear, white pepper, dried flowers, mint and chalk are all delineated in a Champagne that blends power and tension. This is all class. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. ANTONIO GALLONI

Full-bodied, it has a lush and pillowy mousse and a fantastic texture, filling the palate with ample fruit, a chalky texture, and a rounded and fleshy personality. Although, at first, it feels as if its oak is not well-integrated, it impresses me more as it opens and is approachable in its ripe fruit now. It’s long on the palate and is a very well-made wine, but I’d like to see how this harmonizes over time. AUDREY FRICK, Jebdunnuck.com

A blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, this extra-brut sparkling (3g/l dosage) is both rich and elegant. Golden in the glass, there's a lively shot of citrus lemon zest with subtle edges of caramel and toast. Nicely gourmet in style, this balances high acidity, zingy and vibrant fruit with a full body and firm structure. Soft perfumed florality is evident as well as grapefruit, lime and toasted brioche. Made every year to showcase the vintage, this is fresh with plenty of life ahead. decanter

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Deep bright purple-red colour leading into a stylish bouquet of sweet mulberry and other berry fruits, violets and cassis, succulent and mouth-filling, with masses of fine emery-like tannins that run the length of the palate adding authority, structure, length and refreshment to the aftertaste. Concentrated, superripe blackberry, cassis and mulberry flavours; oak tucked discreetly into the background. (98) HUON HOOKE, The Real Review

Really delivers as you might expect from this excellent concentrated and powerfully frame vintage in Margaret River. It’s dominant cabernet with smaller portions of merlot, cabernet franc and malbec. Typical of this wine since switching to biodynamics, it is bright and brilliant with a nervy tense energy to drive the palate. The succulent fruit is harness by fine chalky tannins and neatly played oak of which 55% was new. A wine of extraordinary elegance and poise with a few of many decades. (98) RAY JORDAN

Needless to say, Margaret River enjoyed another superb vintage with the 2022 season. Slightly cooler, Cullen report that it was a vintage of “immense perfume and texture”. The wine is a wonderfully vibrant purple in colour. The nose gives up plums, cassis, spices including nutmeg, chocolate, mocha, bay leaves, cigar box notes – think a freshly opened box of Cohiba Siglo VI – and near perfect oak integration. This is finely balanced and exhibiting immense length on a palate that sees the emergence of aniseed, mulberries and coffee beans. An alluringly supple texture with the silkiest of tannins, though plenty of them – there really is some grip here. This will easily sail through fifteen to twenty years in a good cellar. (98) KEN GARGETT, Wine Pilot

Very deep, dark, impenetrable purple colour; a gorgeous fragrance of spicy superripe berries and a hint of licorice, super concentrated and almost essency. Traces of soy sauce and nori. The wine is highly concentrated on the palate; powerful, profound and rich, with masses of sweetly ripe berry fruit and no sign of herbal varietal touches. A profound and multi-dimensional cabernet that will richly reward long-term cellaring. It drinks superbly already but it would be sacrilege to open it before it's had more time to build the tertiary complexity that we know will come with time. (99) HUON HOOKE, therealreview.com

The 2021 John Riddoch Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon is a brilliant wine. It is achingly intense yet is defined by its levity, which is not a common attribute in Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine expounds the virtues of the red gravel in which the fruit was grown, via its iodine and crushed shells, cassis and blood, sweet marrow and tobacco. It tastes so clearly of the place, which is a wonderful thing. The back palate swells with flavor, framed by the earth and the attuned oak. This is a tribute to the earth, an ode to it. Plentiful tannins bob along on the current of fruit. This will cellar interminably. It's up there in both quality and feel with the 2010, or so I think. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. (98) ERIN LARKIN, wineadvocate.com

One of the best vintages in Coonawarra for many years. Little wonder this release of the John Riddoch is one of the best since the initial release from the 1982 vintage. Aromas of violets and red berry with a slightly cherry glaze character adding further intrigue. The palate is medium weight and refined but with tremendous power and persistence. A combination of hogsheads and barriques has been used to deliver the perfect level of oak. One of the best of these I can recall. (98) RAY JORDAN, rayjordan.com.au

"In one word - 'epic'.  Having just returned from ten days in Bordeaux tasting a vast number of youthful Cabernets, among other styles of wine, if this beauty had been slipped into the mix, it would have lounged somewhere near the top of the pile…John Riddoch is more akin to an elite Saint-Estèphe than a typical New World Cabernet…'21 JR is pure, stunningly plush, deeply fruited but seemingly weightless and incredibly detailed. It is a superb thoroughbred with impeccable balance, and it is as relevant for an old-world geek as it is for a new-world disciple. It is time that Wynns John Riddoch sat alongside the acknowledged world Cabernet greats, and this vintage will undoubtedly help make this dream a reality. (19.5/20) MATTHEW JUKE

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Diana Madeline. The name evokes a lot of emotions, for what the woman stood for then and what the wine stands for now. The 2021 vintage equals 50 years of cabernet sauvignon plantings at Cullen. When released in early 2023, it was on what would have been her 100th birthday. It’s a wine that can come from nowhere else, so strong is its sense of place. Expect to swoon over aromas of roses, violets and mulberries doused in baking spices, a ferruginous quality as much as detailed if persuasive tannins. It’s complex, complete and structured. Gosh, what a wine. What a woman. The perfect combination. (97) JANE FAULKNER, James Halliday

The generous and rounded style of 2016 is translated eloquently in the restrained house of Deutz with a primary and expressive blend of apple, pear, strawberry and fig. A friendly vintage to drink young. TYSON STELZER

The nose of the Deutz Brut Millésimé 2016 reveals itself to us with a delicate medley of fruit and pastry notes (apricot and peach tarts) interwoven with white flowers and ground almonds. The palate is direct on entry and shows a lovely vibrant character. Discreet notes of perfectly ripe yellow fruit and flowers are in keeping with the aromas perceived on the nose. The mid-palate gains in complexity to reveal delicate aromas of lovely ripe almonds. The finish is beautifully fresh and mineral with an almost saline dimension to it.

Attractive and complex nose of salted almonds, apricots, figs, raspberries and white chocolate. Tangy green apples, too. Fine bubbles here, with vibrant acidity and sleek, integrated layers. Dry and rich yet all in balance. Equal parts chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier, with about 30% reserve wines. Aged six years on lees. Drink now. JAME SUCKLING

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This is a complex and very intense syrah that offers a deeply ripe yet fresh and clear-cut impression of blackberry and pepper, with other layers of spice, graphite and gently meaty notes. The palate is silky yet powerful with really finely layered tannins that cast a long, evenly built finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap. (98) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2018 Homage Syrah includes a mere 0.4% Viognier, yet it boasts distinct scents of stone fruit on the nose, backed by red and black raspberries and hints of peppermint. It's only medium-bodied, in line with the trend over the past few vintages toward less power and (presumably) more finesse. In this vintage, it comes off a bit lacking in richness on the palate, although the wine's complexity—marrying mixed berries, violets, spice and herb notes, plus hints of licorice and coffee—makes this still a very enjoyable drink. Give it another couple of years in the cellar and drink it over the following decade or so. JOE CZERWINSKI, The Wine Advocate

Ultra floral scents, strawberry too, whiffs of flint and wet stone, clove and cedar in tow. The palate is sinewy, lightly chewy, very long, finely wrapped in a web of firm, ribbons of tannin. Feels very composed, almost a little mouth perfume and floral ‘flavours’ emerging too. Suitably elegant in its vibe. Great red. MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front

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70%Cab. Sav. 30% Sangiovese.The 2017 Camartina is going to need a few years to open. That will be helpful as the wine ages, but it also means the Camartina does not have the opulence readers are likely to expect in this warm, dry year. Time in the glass brings out brighter tonalities of fruit and floral overtones that give a good idea to where the 2017 is heading. Readers should be in no rush here. ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous.com

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The 2022 Saint-Joseph Le Paradis Saint-Pierre originates from the longest-lived vines of the winery, some of which are over a century old. Vinified with 50% whole-clusters and scheduled to age for one year in a combination of 228-liter pièces and demi-muids, the 2022 unfurls with fragrant raspberry jam, pencil shavings, orange rind and ripe black fruits paired with cedar and discrete vanilla. Medium- to full-bodied and concentrated, this structured Saint-Joseph is framed by ripe tannins and culminates in a complex finish. NICHOLAS GREINACHER

3 BOTTLES AVAIALABLE

Currants, freshly ground black pepper and cold ashes on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Well-balanced and harmonious with bright fruit character at the center and a vibrant core of violets and succulent dark cherries. Precise with a long finish. Drink or hold. jamessuckling.com

… Bright, mineral and intensely vibrant, the 7 Crus is all energy. All the elements are so well proportioned. A blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir, this captures all the house signatures with tons of energy and better overall balance than in some previous editions. White flowers, chalk and citrus linger. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. ANTONIO GALLONI

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From the same single site as the Reserve (planted in 1971) but a vine-by-vine selection; 100% whole bunches, 100% barrel ferment and 100% new oak. A bright, medium crimson. Aromas of small red fruits, licorice root, graphite and pink peppercorns, while the new oak is beginning to integrate with the wine. There's an old vine intensity on the palate with the silkiest of tannins. Like all the Dr McMahon wines, it will take time for the hand of the winemaker to submerge into the wine, and for those with the patience and the pockets, it will be fascinating to follow its evolution. 50 dozen made. (97) JAMES HALLIDAY'S WINE COMPANION
 
I LOVE THIS! The fruit is so glossy and succulent. Aromas of baking spice and blood red plums waft from the glass with a little swirl of baking spices. Incense and something a little foresty, derived, I assume, from the interplay between the classy wood and those whole clusters, add complexity but also serve to quieten the wine down to a degree. It is a reserved and stately number that just misses out on being sombre because of the fresh and cool fruited profile of the palate. You can see all the pieces are in place and every element is doing it's job beautifully, but this is not a wine for the near term. I think it would be a shame to open one within five years from now and, honestly, probably a decade before it starts to really show its hand. Excellent and well worth having in your cellar. ROSCOE

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Delicate nose of chopped apples, apricots, raspberries, grapefruit, salted almonds and praline. Lovely freshness with salty and zesty undertones plus a hint of five spice. It’s medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and a gentle mousse. Somewhat understated with a soft yet tangy energy. 100% meunier. 70% base wine from 2015, with 30% reserve wine from 2013. 64 months on lees; disgorged November 2021 with 2g/L dosage. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING

50 yo vines, 100% chardonnay off clay/limestone soils. minimum aging of 8 years on lees before disgorgement with 8g/L.

The 2012 Brut Spécial Club is gorgeous. Radiant and expansive in the glass, the 2012 offers up a compelling mélange of dried pear, apricot spice, chamomile crushed flowers and almond. There’s lovely complexity and nuance, as well as captivating balance between the freshness that is such a house signature with the natural radiance of the year. The 2012 can be enjoyed now or cellared for a decade, maybe more. It’s a gorgeous wine in every way. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

100% pinot noir from Clouet's 10 best plots, dubbed by Jean-Francois 'the golden square of Bouzy'; 50% 2006 fermented in Sauternes barriques; 50% solera of reserve wines; full malolactic fermentation; a symbolic production of just 1911 bottles; 6g/L dosage.

Clouet’s flagship is a radiant, golden silk-satin ballgown of ravishing complexity and breathtaking grace, a delicate high-heeled balancing act of refreshing poise in the midst of profound concentration. Its richness ventures to champagne’s outer limits of succulent white fruits of all kinds, grilled pineapple, honey and great complexity of brioche, nougat and butter. Celebrating a generous 50% reserve from solera, its rumbling maturity is proclaimed in hints of butterscotch, coffee beans and smouldering hearth. Just when you fear it’s all too much to behold, the vibrant energy of its 2002 base swoops into a finish defined by well-poised acidity and softly mineral, fine chalk texture. It holds its posture of tall, slender magnificence for minutes without ever dropping its determined gaze. TYSON STELZER, Champagne Guide

The NV Un jour de 1911... is another 100% Bouzy Pinot Noir with an ancient label design. The shining golden-colored cuvée combines ripeness, complexity and finesse with intensity and elegance on both the nose and palate. It's a powerful and rich yet very fine and balanced Champagne with great freshness and complex length. It is juicy and intense but also highly delicate, and its mineral tension and persistent finish make it a first-class wine for elaborate dishes. A great Champagne, with a label that doesn't give any more detailed information regarding vintages or disgorgement date, but we know it's always a 50/50 blend of three vintages (including one great millésime at least 10 years old) and reserve wines from a solera system. I tasted the wine as a Brut with Clouet's German importer in Bremen. You shouldn't drink it too early, as it would be a waste of its talents. STEPHEN REINHARDT, www.robertparker.com

I suspect the 2018 Côte Rôtie Brune Et Blonde will be up there with the top vintages of this cuvée, and it shows how strong 2018 was for Côte Rôtie. Beautiful cassis, vanilla bean, spring flowers, and subtle oak nuances give way to a full-bodied beauty that has both power and finesse. I love the tannin quality here, and while it's going to be accessible in its youth, it's also going to age gracefully on its purity and balance. JEB DUNNUCK

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Inky ruby. Vibrant, spice-accented cherry and boysenberry scents are complicated by hints of black pepper, candied flowers and licorice. Supple and broad in the mouth, offering juicy red and blue fruit preserves, spicecake, olive paste and violet pastille flavors that tighten up steadily with air. The floral note repeats strongly on the clinging finish, which shows excellent clarity and velvety, slowly building tannins. There are almost a quarter-million bottles of this wine made in a typical vintage, by the way. 50% new oak. (95) JOSH RAYNOLDS

Gentle hints of dried herbs and maple syrup accent blueberries and cherries on the nose of the 2019 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde de Guigal. The region's largest-production wine and a solid introduction to the appellation, it's just medium-bodied, with a silky feel and gently dusty finish. JOE CZERWINSKI, RobertParker.com

Disgorged April 2022. For a number of vintages, Aurélien Laherte has been experimenting with a sans soufre (zero sulphur) cuvée. In 2018 he cracked it with two barrels of Côte des Blancs juice, drawn from two Premier Cru terroirs in Vertus and Voipreux. Laherte noted that the key factors to the stability of vinifying in the absence of any additions were zero dosage and full malolactic conversion.
The third release of Laherte’s Nature de Craie is drawn from a single vintage (2020) drawn from parcels planted in 1960, 1965 and 1987. The word craie refers to the chalky soil of these terroirs, which lie on the lower slopes ensuring good exposure, in turn providing ripeness of fruit and no need for additional dosage. From hand-harvested and traditionally pressed fruit, this release was vinified in neutral oak barrels before aging on cork for 12 months. It was disgorged in April with no dosage. Bibendum

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The NV Blanc de Craie, 100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Aÿ and Louvois, is bright and finely sculpted, with terrific aromatic intensity, tons of nuance and all the vibrancy from the chalk-rich soils that give this cuvée its name. Citrus peel, white flowers, white pepper, mint and anise lead into the vivid, persistent finish. The Blanc is done entirely in oak, but it is neutral, so there is virtually no oak imprint at all in the flavors, only in the textural feel. One of the unique aspects of the Blanc de Craie is that the base vintage (2017 in this case) accounts for only 30% of the blend. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.  ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous.com

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