Calvados, cider, Barbera, Sher...

‘Aranzá’ is Rafa’s sub-vineyard name for a small portion he selects from Viña La Palma. La Palma itself is a small vineyard, 3 hectares of 60 year-old Palomino growing in Albariza tosca cerrada. The term ‘Aranzá’ is a short-hand for the local measure of land area, an Aranzáda – depending upon the colloquy involved (the measure is different in each town and possibly grower-to-grower!), it’s roughly a half hectare.

Pickled hay, buttery chalk and the cold steel smell of yesterday’s Tea Billy. Savoury, earthen, edged and filled with pickles and spice. Dandelion, a nice rim of diatom (blue oceanic fossil minerality), pickled cucumber, a sapid buzz in the cheeks and corners of the tongue. A round and savoury style, the cereal-inflected Palomino is mid-weight with an understated, lovely finish of bitters on the point of the tongue. Incredible volume and textural satisfaction at such low ABV.

Organic. Lalù’s Barbera from fruit purchased from Monforte’s San Sebastiano—a site that Lara Rocchetti and Luisa Sala believe is exceptional for this variety.  Made with a third each of whole-berry (Leroy style), whole-bunch and destemmed fruit, the wine fermented and was raised entirely in concrete, where it aged for eight months. Lalù’s is a radiant, linear, focused Barbera that wafts from the glass with shades of fresh red fruit, woody herbs and floral lift. The palate is silky and vibrant with depth and texture, and while it delivers a serious dose of fruit, you’ll find plenty of finesse and mineral freshness, too. A lovely, new-wave Barbera.

Organic. Lalù’s Barbera just gets better. The new release is the first to include fruit from the new estate vineyard of Bricco Giubellini in Monforte. The vines here lie on Diano sandstone at a lofty 530 metres, an altitude that brings welcome freshness to warmer Piemonte vintages such as 2022 and 2023. The balance of the Barbera is drawn from fruit purchased from Monforte’s San Sebastiano—another site Lara Rocchetti and Luisa Sala believe exceptional for this variety.

Made with a mix of whole berries and bunches, the wine fermented and matured for eight months entirely in concrete. It’s a more powerful, sensual release than last year, still perfumed and vibrant yet more textural. The wine slinks out of the glass with pure red berries, violets and brown spices before turning towards more earthy shades of liquorice and woody herbs. The palate has joyous purity as well as a lovely mouthwatering quality from both the powdery tannins and the variety’s bright acidity while also hinting at Lalù’s light touch in the cellar. A first-class artisanal Barbera here.

This is a bit of a banger. Raspberry, almond paste, dried roses, a fair bit of white pepper and spice, aniseed too. It’s medium-bodied, frisky and fresh, plenty of red fruits, dried herb, a ‘mineral’ feel to it, not least with regards to acidity, peppery tannin, lots of energy, also kind of earthy and gravelly too, with a brisk finish of excellent length. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

The 2020 Freisa Bonina is another fabulous wine in the entry-level portion of the range. Bright and translucent, the 2020 delivers striking complexity and nuance. Rose petal, lavender, spice, mint and dried herbs all open in the glass. The 2020 is translucent, bright and wonderfully expressive. For readers who want to explore Freisa, this is certainly a great start. ANOTONIO GALLONI,Vinous

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Stefanetto comes from mature vines in Busso’s San Stunet vineyard (see notes for the Barbaresco San Stunet below). The higher altitude (380m above sea level), age of vines (25 to 50 years old) and limestone rich soils all contribute to a deeper and more structured Barbera than the Majano. Accordingly, this wine is raised in neutral barrels of various sizes for at least 12 months. It is also released with one extra year of age.

This has more overt flesh, more plummy fruit, wilder notes and powdery tannins. In short, it’s a dark and layered Barbera of enormous character and length.

The 2021 Barbera d'Alba Vignota is a tasty entry-level offering. Crushed flowers and bright red/purplish fruit give the Barbera its effusive, charming personality. This mid-weight, open-knit Barbera is a fine choice for near-term drinking. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

Notes of ripe dark cherries and blueberries with hints of cloves, dark licorice and cocoa beans. Medium body. Juicy and vibrant with dusty tannins and a succulent finish. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING

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From about westerly exposed sight all in Monforted d'Alba from 30 year old vines and 300 meters above sea level. 10 days on skins in stainless steel tanks with 6 months in stainless steel tanks followed by six months in large Slavonian oak barrels

This is a classy single vineyard barbera. From 45-65 year old densely planted vines, the Marun was the brainchild of Matteo Correggia. He sourced fruit from sandy soils at the top of the hill with a sunny exposition and good air flow to stifle vine disease.

The 2019 Barbera d'Alba Superiore Marun is packed with scents of blackberry, underbrush, mocha, licorice, leather and cloves. There's plenty of density and volume, and yet forward aromas and flavors lead me to believe the 2019 is best enjoyed sooner rather than later. ANTONIO GALLONI

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Showing more oak rendering and depth, the 2019 Barbera d'Alba Vittoria (with 4,500 bottles made) exhibits a much bigger and broader style compared to the estate's steel-aged Barbera. This wine sees 18 months in barrique, with about one-third new oak. The aging process serves to flesh out the dark fruit, dark cherry and plum. It creates a wine of bigger structure too, opening it up to more food-pairing possibilities, from meat lasagna to grilled steak. MONICA LARNER

One of the large, historical houses of conventional sherry-making, Williams and Humbert nowadays offer a layer of distinct wines within the fluidity of its 'Sherry' styles. Under the young generation leadership of Paola Medina Sheldon, the Williams Coleccion is a series of astonishingly delicate and singular vintage sherries, or añadas: statically aged single-vintage wines, with terroir as important as bodega influences. Paola mainly takes fruit from the 'las Conchas' vineyard within Pago Añina (jerez), and some from old vines in Pago Carrascal (jerez). 

In every respect, Finolis parallels Willy Perez's remarkable statically-aged natural alcohol Fino Caberrubia (from the same Pago), except that it's a half degree of booze short of the regulations. Only 50% free run juice yield from pressing was used, fermenting naturally to 15%. The wine was then aged in old 600L Fino casks with 20% ullage to allow plenty of Flor. Later, at nearly 5 years of age, the wine was bottled en rama (unfiltered), however the DO refused to ratify it as a Fino as the alcoholic degree had diminished, and it's in the market as table wine of Cadiz, not Fino.

Upon demand, Gutierrez Colosía make occasional bottlings of super-textural Fino straight from the barrel, or 'en Rama'. Sacas of 'standard' Fino del Puerto, 3 years old, are bottled light and fresh at 15%. Drift wood, oyster shell and chamomile reveal instantly on the nose. There is a mild white pepper note and a floral spice. The palate is round and balanced, it persists and carries the weight and texture of barrel-condition Fino with ease. Toasted pistachios, cashews and roasted seeds add a nutty weight, while a touch of peach skin and pepper-citrus-astringent hold all in line. TSA

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Blueberry, raspberry and oak-driven spice aromas come to the forefront on the deeply colored, fragrant 2022 Barbera d’Alba from Sandrone. The aromas march over to the generous, savory palate along with ripe plum and ground pepper supported by tightly knit, velvety tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity for the dry, scorching year. Drink 2025–2032. KERIN O'KEEFE

Cavallotto’s Vigna del Cuculo is a major-league Barbera from a parcel of 50-plus-year-old vines on the western side of Bricco Boschis. This parcel is named after the cuckoo bird (cuculo)—we’re not sure why, and neither is Alfio Cavallotto! This wine's unique power and ridiculous quality can be attributed to the mature vines, low yields and powerful terroir of the Bricco Boschis. The western aspect and the preponderance of limestone temper Barbera’s natural acidity, and Alfio Cavallotto explains that this ‘Barolo’ terroir contributes to an aromatic range in Barbera that is closer to Nebbiolo.

The winemaking is also distinctive, with up to 18 days on skins (a long time for Barbera) and then aging for 20 months in the same mature Slavonian casks as the Nebbiolo wines. 2021 is a wonderfully fleshy and perfumed year for this benchmark wine. It’s got that core of pure, sweet, plummy fruit so particular to this Barbera, here infused with nuances of anise, dried flower and earthy minerals. The tannins are supple and elegant, the acidity ripe yet racy, and the wine finishes with unusual depth, finesse and complexity for the variety. Equally deep, complex and textural—not all Barbera is created equal.

Aged in small apple brandy casks for over 12 months, this rich and generous liqueur is a result of blending pressed French and British heirloom apple varieties with our apple spirit.

Complex and well-structured with baked apple and spice, balanced with firm tannins and cask influence.

Our take on the traditional aperitif from North-West France – enjoy as such or serve with blue cheese or dessert. WILLIE SMITH

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This is the most renowned pago in Jerez, planted on pure albariza, a white soil high in calcareous microfossils. Equipo Navazos sources the 115 from a bodega that farms their vineyards entirely by hand and without chemical inputs.
My heart stuttered a bit when the glass was set in front of me: rather than the pale-lemon colour I've come to expect in fino, it was a soft apricot, and I worried that it was past its prime. It was not. It smelled fresh and characterful - Could a wine be more Spanish? It smells like the sea, rich, fatty Valencia almonds, orange zest kneaded into yeasty bread dough, a touch of Manzanilla olive brine and a caramelly tang like birch syrup. It's richer and more savoury than any fino I've encountered, with heightened viscosity and concentration. The finish goes on forever. SAMANTHA COLE-JOHNSON, jancisrobinson.com

The NV La Bota de Fino 115 is still 100% from Macharnudo Alto, and they are trying to make a slightly more fluid wine, not like a Fino Amontillado, which was the case with some bottlings coming from the selection of very old soleras. It's slightly different from the previous edition, number 91; this is slightly younger, between seven and eight years of age, but it keeps the same style, just a little more approachable. It's still an old Fino, with notes of esparto grass and volume in the palate. (95) LUIS GUITERREZ, The Wine Advocate

Bottled a few days ago. From the Machurnado vineyard. They have decreased the average age by a couple of years so it's seven or eight years on average and the wine is more refreshing and not so uncomfortably concentrated. Firmer and nuttier than I Think Manzanilla with real tang and bite. Hint of molten dry treacle. Real grip. Neat and convincing. Not yet open - needs a couple of months. JANCIS ROBINSON MW

Wheatie, course ground grains and a background hint of fresh toast with wildflower honey. That alone had me coming back. But the aromatics are multidimensional, they run through a wild, complex and beautifully constructed spectrum, from perfume to damp stone, hay to honey roasted nuts. Crazy nuance and head spinning detail. There is so much involved here, but it is by no means bombastic. These details are, at times, faint little suggestions that mingle amongst more obvious characters. It takes time in the glass and air to shake loose some of the more reticent attributes. But they are so inviting and alluring. It is worth just sitting on a glass for a while. I poured some aside to keep coming back to over a couple of days.
The subtle, though not shy, nose does not prepare you for the impact on your palate.
It hits with some force, there's a lot of flavour here and it begins on impact. From the moment it touches your mouth it is a crazy dance. Intense, unusually concentrated and powerful for the style. Loaded up with character and brimming with confidence. This is a Sherry of presence and stature, however it does not depart from the things that we all love in Fino. Salty. Oh, so salty. Fresh feeling, it pops with a sense of spring in the mouth but then leans in to autumnal notes as it slowly, so very slowly, fades away. A final twang of salinity and chalky texture on the incredibly long finish, reminds you exactly what you are drinking.
This is both thoroughly and utterly delicious as well as deeply convincing and totally spellbinding. I love it! ROSCOE

The 2020 Barbaresco Montersino is intensely ?oral and savory, re?ecting a slightly higher position on the slope in a cool site. Dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, spice and earthy tones lend character. There is plenty of complexity and nuance here, and certainly more than enough depth to balance the tannins. This is a ?ne vintage for the Montersino. (93) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

Attractive aromas of red berries like raspberries and strawberries with hints of dried herbs, walnuts and bark. Medium-bodied, juicy and bright with fine, velvety tannins that are firm and grippy. Lingering finish. Very fine. (94) JAMES SUCKLING, jamessuckling.com

Morello cherries, fresh bouquets and a touch of geraniums. Creamy tannins on the palate, with fleshy cherries and plums. Juicy, brambly and pristine medium-length finish. Drink now. ZEKUN SHUAI, jamessuckling.com

Here is more nutty, dried malts, slightly stale toasted sour dough. Deeply impressive. Complex but the spectrum is more on the savoury side nearly meaty aspects mingle with a wild estuarine note that carries with it pangs of salinity and twinges of bitter lemon rind that puckers your mouth but sets the salivary glands quivering. The way is stains the palate with flavour and gains volume in the mouth you think it is higher in acidity than it is, when in actuality its kind of caressing and fulsome, just those little twangs and pinches I mentioned poke out and add a sense of tension as well as tactile nuance. In some ways it feels like great Chablis in that regard, just in the saline whacks that hit your mouth in unexpected moments.
The other wine deserves your attention this demands it. Unreal. This is a little more cerebral, a bit more contemplative, don't contemplate anything too serious though, maybe what you should eat with it. Either way it's attention grabbing.
Not really sure my ramblings do either wine justice but hey, they are both so damn good that I hope they will speak for themselves. ROSCOE

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The 2020 Barbaresco Ronchi stands out in this range for its breadth and textural resonance. There's gorgeous palate presence. Sweet red plum, blood orange, spice, new leather and incense ?ll out the layers. It’s a compelling wine in every way, and one that handles its alcohol quite well. (95) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

This is red-fruited and floral with citrus peel, rose petals and some undergrowth notes. Medium-bodied, polished and delicate with fine tannins and fresh cherry-fruit in the middle. Very attractive.
(93) JAMES SUCKLING, jamessuckling.com

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!

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!

The 2020 Barbaresco Angelo is an exotic wine. Macerated cherry, white ?owers, apricot and spice are some of the many notes that grace this sensual, super-expressive Barbaresco. Fine tannins wrap it all together while lifted ?oral accents frame the ?nish. The Angelo is beautifully done. (94) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

Angelo is a small blend of fruit from selected parcels across the estate. It was given a lunga macerazione (50 days on skins using a submerged cap) in a specially designed large-format wooden Stockinger fermenter. The wine was then aged for 24 months in a 2,000-litre cask. The blend is typically 50% Ronchi, 25% Ovello and 25% Montersino. Galloni has described it as a “Brunate of Barbaresco”, which gives you some insight into the quality on offer here.

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A very intense PX with distinctive character and depth, showing Chinese herbs, tree bark, spices, licorice syrup, black olives, figs and black dates. Unctuous and viscous with espresso, dates, spices and bitter chocolate. Real, concentrated nectar! Drink now. (96) JAMES SUCKLING

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Super deep and complex, rich and saline, with a pure developed perfume. Mapled acorn-rich, lightly glyceric, deeply spiced, strong at the rim, releasing to an ethereal boof from a structural base. Fine glazed toffee nut, orange blossom, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, dried chestnut honey, toasted hazelnuts, delicate tangerine caramel, brandied citrus, sandalwood. The acidity itself is incredibly complex, carrying brine and rind, fine old wheat and praline in a gloriously patinated, running mouthfeel. TSA

*Due to the very nature of this collection, this sherry is limited. Arriving in Australia August 19, 2019

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!

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!

There are only a select few, perfect locations, to grow great wine on this big blue orb of ours and those are between 30 and 50 degrees north and south latitudes. Those regions need to provide just the right temperature, humidity, heat and climate to grow high quality grapes. We are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to the northern reaches with the whole of Europe at our disposal, but travel further south and things are a little different.

While New Zealand and Tasmania provide us with plenty of choices (and we would be remiss not to include them) the southern reaches sitting on and just below the 40 degrees latitude offer a up a wholy unique drinking experience.

While grapes like riesling, cabernet and pinot noir are familiar to us, a number of the wines in this months pack aren't seen so regularly on your local wines list or on the shelves of your corner wine store. From Malbec's in Argentina to the infamous Pinotage and the more classic varietals like Chenin in South Africa this is an exploration of all that is good in these great southern lands of ours.

Where do we start with such an awesome selection of interesting wine? It's hard to decide we might just do a quick run down by country.

South America is relatively new to the wine scene but has come along in leap and bounds. WE start with a couple of classics with the Finca Los Moras Malbec and the Santa Ana Cabernet. These are text book varietal wines with plenty to love in their up-front fruit and modern styling. For something a little different we through in the Bouchon pais. For those who do not know, Pais is an old variety that is Chile's answer to pinot noir. With a little more bite and a wild flourish this a great introduction to this fascinating wine.

Closer to home in New Zealand we have few classic drops with the Palliser Estate Pencarrow pinot. A wine you would be hard pressed to find with the structure, concentration and complexity at the same price. Off to Hawkes Bay for some stonking Chardonnay from Bilancia fame and some of the world most underrated syrah from stars Te Mata. What a treat!

Just in our backyard, Tassie continues to pump out some of the best wine in the country and while we would never miss out on showcasing another great pinot there is some real winners with pinot gris and riesling on the rise. The Moores Hill gris is a freat example of textural and vibrant gris from the Apple Isle with the Riversdale riesling hot on its tale.

And for something a little different we have got the latest release Willie Smiths Cider. This is an absolute belter, and we couldn't help but included it once we were told it had been released. Perfect timing! We will take that one!

Last, and something we don't see much in Aus is a cracking selection of wines from South Africa. Long-term customers may recognise some of these wines and as far as we are concerned, they are some of the best modern day Cape wines to make it over. The Bare Bones cinsault is a zippy red full of energy while the Winery of Good Hope pinotage is a juicy and fun take on this classic red variety,

And what would a selection of wine from South Africa be without a chenin blanc. The Secateurs is clean and crunchy with a plush fruit profile that is cleaned up by chenin's zippy acidity.
All in al a pretty awesome and exciting collection of stellar wines from the great south!

The first vintage of Carlo Alfieri", Eder wrote, "contains the selection of the best vineyards of Marchesi [Alfieri], aged in wood and in the bottle for more than six years and produced in a limited number of 1,750 bottles. Captivating aromas of black cherry and chocolate, a complex mouth that is perfectly balanced by acidity and a sumptuous and extremely elegant finish. A great wine!". (19/20) Christian Eder, editor-in-chief for Italy of Vinum Europas Weinmagazin

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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!

Williams Paola Medina Fino de Anada 2010 500ml
Based on old vines in Pagos Añina and Carrascal (jerez). Product of a cool, humid vintage.
The 2019 saca is the last bottling of this incredible Fino.

Hints of brassy development, really mature standing grass, traces of fine caramelised toffee as pure perfume, weightless and dry. Great depth without weight, very true to style, tangy as heck, whisper clear and still with a trace of whisky-wildness. SCOTT WASLEY


Williams Paola Medina Amontillado de Anada 2001 500ml
ABV 20%. Only 750 litres bottled. After delicate fermentation (17-22 degrees), the original Fino was aged biologically at 15.5% and later re-fortified to 18%. Later amontillados (after 2003) have not been re-fortified at all. This, Paola's first Amontillado, was aged biologically for 10 years, by which time it had naturally evolved into a developed Fino without flor, and was classified Amontillado, re-fortified and aged oxidatively.

Supremely elegant, mineral and vibrant with great complexity. Brilliant amber in colour, very complex aromas, dry in the mouth, mineral, rounded and persistent. SCOTT WASLEY

Williams Paola Medina Palo Cortado de Anada 2002 500ml
2.9 pH, 6.3 TA, 20% abv. As with the other wines, the fruit source is Pagos Añina and Carrascal. This wine is from a fruit selection of extremely fine young material which Paola hoped might develop naturally into a Palo Cortado. After 17 years' ageing the wine was finally classifed Palo Cortado in 2018, and this is its first bottling as such.

Extremely fine and silky wine, elegant and mineral. Golden mahogany to look at, complex tobacco-timber-mineral aromas, delicate and subtle in the mouth, the elusive fine-unctuous double nature of Palo Cortado in clear view. Balanced persistence in a really long finish. SCOTT WASLEY


Williams Paola Medina Oloroso de Anada 2001 500ml
Super deep and complex, rich and saline, with a pure developed perfume. Mapled acorn-rich, lightly glyceric, deeply spiced, strong at the rim, releasing to an ethereal boof from a structural base. Fine glazed toffee nut, orange blossom, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, dried chestnut honey, toasted hazelnuts, delicate tangerine caramel, brandied citrus, sandalwood. The acidity itself is incredibly complex, carrying brine and rind, fine old wheat and praline in a gloriously patinated, running mouthfeel. SCOTT WASLEY 


*Due to the very nature of this collection, this sherry is limited. Arriving in Australia August 19, 2019