Calvados, Rhone Blend, Glasswa...
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Charvin Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet 2020The nose carries a light essence of cooked plum fruit, strawberry jam, pepper, peony. It’s wide, will emerge and evolve well. The palate is close-knit, herbal-peppery, lined with red cherry, brisk fruits, cut in the tannins that still stand a little on the outside. Its frame is a bit skeletal, can amplify. There is rocky powder emphasis on the close, the length good. I like its gradual upping of the tempo, depth. It has interest, hidden corners, is not an open book. “It’s very fresh, always had foundation. 2019 is powerful, but 2020 bears jolis fruits, has true class, an identity,” Laurent Charvin. JOHN LIVINGSTON-LEARMONTH, drinkrhone.com,
A bold and expressive Cotes-du-Rhone with excellent wild blackberry fruit plus notes of meat and licorice. A big and well-structured wine that gets a real kick at the finish from the crunchy freshness. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. STUART PIGGOT, James Suckling2020Rhone BlendFrance467$58.00 As low as $52.20 -
Domaine de la Lorentine Marcoux Lirac 2020Dark, full red; the nose has a restrained aroma led by blackberry, carries a sure, rather neat sweetness, shows some oily southern tones, as it should. The palate serves attractive, suave content with spark in its red fruits, has a good tone, the tannins well on the inside, a snug fit. 2023, decant. **** JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LEARMONTH, drinkrhone.com2020Rhone BlendFrance467$59.00 As low as $53.10 -
Mont Redon Lirac 2021(vat/casks) dark red; the nose has a salted tone, with a hint of violets and gently aromatic black fruit on the inside, a touch of charry oak. The palate serves comfortable content with a tasty centre, bonny juice in the fruit with a ripe level of tannin accompanying it. It’s a well organised, gourmand Lirac rouge, has southern virtues of round, textured appeal, the fruit lasting well. The oak on the finish needs to drop back, so leave until mid-2024. It would have been more highly rated with less oak. 14.5°. 80,000 b. 70% Gren, 20% Syr, 10% Mourv. JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LEARNMONTH drinkrhone.com,
A deeply hued and surprisingly concentrated 2021, the 2021 Lirac has lots of ripe cherry and Provençal herb and spice notes to go with a medium-bodied, layered, elegant style on the palate. It's a terrific 2021 that readers will love. JEB DUNNUCK
70 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah and 10 % Mourvèdre totally de-stemmed with ferment up to 3 weeks and aged 2/3 in tank and 1/3 in barrel for 18 months before assembling and bottling and ageing another 4 months under cork before sale. These vineyards were purchased in 1997.2021Rhone BlendFrance467$59.00 As low as $53.10 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 2020More 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!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Klaret SparklingOur bubbles glass is for any type of sparkling wine, regardless of its country of origin or production method. The size and shape of this glass will allow you to enjoy a sparkling wine’s delicate bubbles and aromas.
All Klaret glasses are mouth blown and completely hand manufactured from the finest lead free crystal. They are also dishwasher safe.
Volume: 320 ml
Height: 220 mm
Weight: 95 g
GlasswareSlovenia$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Klaret BurgundyOur Pinot glass is perfect for serving more delicate red wines, like those from Pinot Noir grapes. Largest in volume of all our glasses, the subtle shape of the rim ensures you capture those delicate floral and fruit aromas.
All Klaret glasses are mouth blown and completely hand manufactured from the finest lead free crystal. They are also dishwasher safe.
Volume: 660 ml
Height: 225 mm
Weight: 125 g
GlasswareSlovenia$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Roger Sabon Lirac 2021Under the helm of Didier Negron, Domaine Roger Sabon plays in the top handful of producers in the Southern Rhône. The estate covers roughly 17 hectares and 15+ parcels, spread throughout the appellation, from which they produce four Châteauneuf du Pape cuvées. The 2021s show the fresher, more approachable and elegant style of the vintage, and the upper tier releases rank with the top handful of wines. JEB DUNNUCK
An impressive Lirac boasts 70% Grenache, the balance is equal parts Syrah, Mourvèdre and Old
Carignan. All fruit is hand-picked and destemmed.2021Rhone BlendFrance467$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Barri Alto Aranza Palomino Vino de Pagos 2022‘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.
2022SherrySpain410$61.00 As low as $54.90 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 202170% Grenache - 15% Mourvèdre - 15% Syrah
Red and blue fruits, violet and lavender lift, some tapenade elements. Beautiful lilting aromatics. The palate is supple, plush and slippery couching raspberry and black cherry alongside some licorice and mineral. Open and charming across the palate but also cinched in by a thread of acidity and balancing quite fine (for the region) tannins. Pure and built for joy. MICHAEL MCNAMARA
A touch of fresh crushed raspberry, some black cherry, and a wild earthen note pocked with meadow herbs. It's all turned up a notch with an extra level of concentration and broad, sweeping fruit and flavour that envelopes the palate then slowly melts away leaving earthy, charred herbs and a little wild note on the close. A bit of rustic charm dare we use the phrase here but in all the right ways and a lovely layering of savoury and sweet throughout. JAMES SUCKLING2021Rhone BlendFrance467$61.00 As low as $54.90 -
Zalto White WineFor elegant, classical fruit forward white wines, but also meduim bodied red wines without overt barrique development. Created for Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller, Frizzante, Sangiovese, St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch.
GlasswareAustria347Special Price $65.00 Regular Price $75.00 -
Zalto ChampagneGives the sparkling wines of the world a noblesse, while bringing out their best of their regional character. Especially for: Champagne, Sparkling Wines, Prosecco, Spumante and Cava.
GlasswareAustria347Special Price $65.00 Regular Price $76.00 -
Klaret BordeauxOur Bordeaux glass is ideal for heavier red wines or oaked chardonnay. Its large volume provides space to open up complex aromas, concentrating them at the rim of the glass.
All Klaret glasses are mouth blown and completely hand manufactured from the finest lead free crystal. They are also dishwasher safe.
Volume: 600 ml
Height: 235 mm
Weight: 120 g
GlasswareSlovenia$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 2022Soft and silky in style, enjoyably full-bodied, this is ripe, with ample fruit, balanced alcohol and good acidity. Altogether harmonious and very drinkable, this is an elegant style of Vacqueyras that comes highly recommended. DECANTER2022Rhone BlendFrance467$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Pierre Usseglio Lirac 2022The 2022 Lirac is 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, and 10% each of Syrah and Cinsault that saw a splash of stems and is still resting all in foudre. Ripe black cherries, black licorice, and peppery, savory herb notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full- bodied richness, a layered, mouth-filling texture, and outstanding length. JEB DUNNUCK2022Rhone BlendFrance467$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Domaine La Soumade Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel 'Grenat' 2022Raisined fruit, fruitcake and prune on the nose with a hint of leaf tea. It’s exceptionally sweet and concentrated, with strong acidity and quite robust, ripe tannins. The balance and freshness is likely to see this age for a very long time. A leviathan of a wine that will probably last forever. 95g/L residual sugar. MATT WALLS, Decanter2021Rhone BlendFrance467$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Marcoux Lirac La Lorentine 2021There was no frost in Lirac, so yields were healthy as well. Ripe darker, almost blue fruits, garrigue, and pepper, as well as a touch of flowers, all define the nose, and it's medium-bodied, has good concentration, and a great finish. This cuvée also offers pleasure, and the 2021 will be no exception.
JEB DUNNUCK, jebdunnuk.com
“The nose has a careful air of mixed fruits, dark berries. The attack is crystalline, with free run, still cautious fruits, neat juice late on. It’s upright and cool, outside the main group of wines, carries interest.”
JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LERANMONTH, Drink Rhône2021Rhone BlendFrance467$67.00 As low as $60.30 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 2023More 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!
2023Rhone BlendFrance467$67.00 As low as $60.30 -
Zalto Sweet WineUnderlines elegance and fineness. Balances power and sweetness. Created for Sauternes, Auslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Ice Wine, Port, Sherry, Madeira and Single Malt Whisky.
GlasswareAustria347Special Price $67.00 Regular Price $76.00 -
Domaine La Barroche Liberty 2021More 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!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
Zalto BordeauxFor wines full of character and high in tannins. Accentuates potency, concentration, extract and tannins. Especially for: Bordeaux, Rioja, Brunello, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt.
GlasswareAustria347Special Price $68.00 Regular Price $78.00 -
Mont Redon Gigondas 2019Shimmering ruby-red. Spice-accented raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by musky garrigue and floral nuances. Sweet and seamless on the palate, offering juicy, well-concentrated red berry, cherry-cola and lavender flavors and suggestions of allspice and licorice. Firms up steadily on the persistent, red fruit- and -floral-driven finish, which is framed by slow-building tannins. Made with 25% whole clusters. JOSH RAYNOLDS, Vinous
80 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah and Mourvèdre, from 70+ year-old vines in two lieu-dits in the north of the appellation, in roughly equal proportions. Notre-Dame-des-Pallières is a south facing site at about 200m, whilst Pallière et Pied-Gu is north-facing and at 300m. The fruit from Notre-Dame-des-Pallières is fully de-stemmed, that from Pallière et Pied-Gu fermented as whole bunches and each parcel is on skins for about 25 days. Malo is completed in tank and then 60% of each parcel is transferred to 228L barriques for 16 months, before blending and bottling.
Top notes of garrigue and spice overlay a deliciously voluminous palate of red forest berries. The tannins are deep and rich yet also remarkably fine and silky and the wine finishes long and clean with good acidity. Remarkably good now and will cellar for a decade or more.2017Rhone BlendFrance467$71.00 As low as $63.90 -
Zalto BurgundyFor powerful and expressive wines above 13% alcohol.The shape of the bowl integrates the components of the wine, bringing to the foreground the fruit and sweeter notes. Especially for: Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Chardonnay and Grüner Veltliner.
GlasswareAustria347Special Price $73.00 Regular Price $82.00 -
Domaine la Roubine Gigondas 202270% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault. Certified organic. Tank sample.
Tasted blind. Earthy and meaty, with a savoury note. Both red and blue fruits, with a cooling herbal streak alongside ripe and succulent tannins. Lovely balance of sweet fruit and savoury undertones.JANCIS ROBINSON2022Rhone BlendFrance467$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2020 1500mlA rocking little gem in the making, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône has a round, elegant, incredibly satisfying profile as well as textbook blackberry and black raspberry fruits supported by pepper and floral notes. It should be outstanding and well worth a few bottles. JEB DUNNUCK
Wines of the Year 2023: Value category and top scorers
Modern, lifted and a bit heady, but attractive and evocative. Black cherry inkiness segues into a dense palate where all the fruit is crammed into a structured body with drying tannins. Herbs and stones hemmed in by a firm grip. A good all rounder DECANTERAn impressive Cotes-du-Rhone with stacks of blackberry and black raspberry fruit wrapped around a core of moderately dry tannins on the bold palate. Long self-confidently dry finish. A cuvee of 50% syrah, 45% grenache and 5% mourvedre. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING
The medium to full-bodied 2020 Cotes du Rhone will see plenty of more time in tank, yet it's already drinking well, with hints of garrigue and black olives adding nuance to the blackberry and cherry fruit. Silky and clean, it's delightfully easy to drink. WINE ADVOCATE2019Rhone BlendFrance467$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Zalto BalanceThe idea behind 'Balance' was to design a glass that would bring out the best in new-wave artisanal/low-intervention wines that emphasise texture and structure as much as fruit. Michael Hinterleitner, whose family owns Zalto, explains, "We have been testing different prototypes for two years to create a glass that harmonises certain aspects of wines not often found in conventional winemaking."
So, after two years of intensive tastings and discussions with winegrowers and sommeliers, 'Balance' was born. Zalto recommends the glass for deep, complex whites-Chardonnay and full-bodied Riesling, for example-to fully show their depth and subtlety while harmonising aromas and flavours without concentrating one element. They also recommend the glass for complex sparkling wines, skin-macerated whites and reds made with high proportions of bunches.
GlasswareAustria347Special Price $75.00 Regular Price $85.00 -
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Domaine du Joncier Lirac 2022A voluptuous, well-balanced and charming Lirac red with aromas of dark cherries, plums, warm spices and wet stones on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy center palate with pulpy dark cherries and a refreshing core of purple berries. Well-driven and focused with a flavorful finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. JAMES SUCKLING
48 % Grenache, 35 % Mourvèdre and 17 % Syrah from very low yields of 15 hl/ha, at Domaine du Joncier on the pebble terroir of the Vallongues plateau. Certified Biodynamic, Joncier was acquired by Mont-Redon in 2022 and the wine remains Joncier-labelled. 100 % destemmed with gentle extraction via pumpover. Matured for 15 months in 228 litre Burgundy barrels (Syrah) and stainless steel (Grenache, Mourvèdre). Unfined, unfiltered.This wine is incredibly impressive with great energy and intensity while remaining very supple, elegant and fresh. A remarkable success and a great addition to the already outstanding Château Mont-Redon Lirac (one-third of which is from these vineyards at Joncier).
2022Rhone BlendFrance467$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Williams Paola Medina Finolis Fino de Anada 2016 500mlOne 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.
2012SherrySpain410$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Gutierrez Colosia Fino en Rama, 3YO NV 500mlUpon 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. TSANVSherrySpain461$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
l'Oratoire Saint Martin Cairanne Haut Coustias 2020More 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!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$78.00 As low as $70.20 -
Domaine la Roubine Gigondas 2023
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!
2023Rhone BlendFrance467$78.00 As low as $70.20 -
Bodegas Don Zoilo Palo CortadoMore 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!
Palomino, SherrySpain410$82.00 As low as $73.80 -
l'Oratoire Saint Martin Cairanne Les Douyes 2020A seductive and well-made Cairanne with crunchy berry character. On the nose cherries, forest berries and herbs dominate. The medium-bodied palate reveals a harmonious structure and poised character. Delicious and vivid. JAMES SUCKLING2020Rhone BlendFrance467$82.00 As low as $73.80 -
Domaine Gour de Chaulé Gigondas Tradition 2022STAFF PICKS 2024 - ROSCOE HALLIGAN-ROSE
Too long a story to tell here, but the brief version is, I spent a good bit of time before our recent trip to the Rhone trying to find a producer that fit our wants and needs perfectly, we found three in the end. The Rhone is so exciting at the moment with so many great wines coming out, and many remain at reasonable prices. Still, in the face of this wave of excellent wine it is still rare to find someone crafting wines that are this extraordinary. Paul Formosa is one of the most talented and focused young winemakers I have come across in a long while. His wines are nothing short of spectacular.
Wonderful purity of expression, vivid, bright and clearly defined. Lighter in colour than you may expect, but that belies the deep wells of character that lurk amongst those soaring aromatics, dramatic fruit and the flashes of minerality that add to the overall feel of crispness that accompanies the luxurious and beautifully cushioned fruit. The wine goes on and on and with each moment another nuance or detail escapes from the depths and flicks or flutters along your mouth, tantalising you with the feeling of things to come.
Composed and self-assured, this is not a Gigondas that seeks to stun you with bold and forward fruit, rather it lures you in with its seductive flavours, its shapely profile and its enticing array of perfume. Sneaky structure pays second fiddle here, but it is all perfectly measured and ensures a very long and expressive life ahead. This was an easy choice for my wine of the year. ROSCOE
The promising 2022 Gigondas Cuvée Tradition 1871 mixes 80% Grenache with the remainder equally split between Syrah and Mourvèdre. Glossy red fruits mingle with dashes of dried herbs and a splash of rosewater. Refreshing acidity neatly balances the moderate fruit concentration, persisting all the way through to the sapid finish. This is a lovely Gigondas. NICHOLAS GREINACHER, Vinous2022Rhone BlendFrance467$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Plumm Handmade Vintage White Sparkling
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!
GlasswareAustralia$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Plumm Handmade Vintage White a
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!
GlasswareAustralia$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Zalto Carafe No 75For lean white wines, water and fruit juices. Allows for optimal flavor development. Preserves the freshness. Well suited for storage in the refrigerator.
Height:248mm/Volume: 820ml.The carafes are designed for white wines, lighter bodied reds and water or non-alcoholic drinks. They allow for the optimal development of flavour and finesse of service. Well suited to store in the refrigerator, they are elegant enough for any table.GlasswareAustria347Special Price $90.00 Regular Price $105.00 -
Willie Smiths Pommeau de Tasmanie 18.2%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
NVCalvadosFrance$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Delgado Zuleta La Goya Manzanilla XL En Rama 500mlMore 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!
SherrySpain410$94.00 As low as $84.60 -
Alain Voge Cotes du Rhone Les Peyrouses 2020More 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!
2019Rhone BlendFrance467$94.00 As low as $84.60 -
Beaucastel Coudoulet Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2021The 2021 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet Blanc comes from two terroirs, one just across the A7 autoroute and one slightly further north. It has terrific aromatics of pear, crushed citrus, and white peach to go with a tight, medium-bodied, almost reductive (in a good way) style on the palate. It's not yet bottled, but this will certainly be an outstanding wine and will easily stand up beside a Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc. JEB DUNNUCK
2021Rhone BlendFrance467$95.00 As low as $85.50 -
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Mont Redon Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2022The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and smaller amounts of Roussanne, Picpoul, and Bourboulenc. Ripe citrus, crushed stone, white flowers, and even a kiss of brioche all emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with a pure, elegant mouthfeel, good acidity, and a great finish. It's going to evolve for 10-12 years, if not longer, if well stored. JEB DUNNUCK
Incredibly mineral and saline with astonishing focus and precision for this very warm location. Great lemon aromas ranging from blossoms to the peel. Great concentration, but no less vitality. Amazingly long finish that reminds me of great Alsace dry rieslings, like Clos St. Hune! Drink or hold. ( 96) STUART PIGOTT Pigott, James Suckling
2022Rhone BlendFrance467$95.00 As low as $85.50 -
Clos Marie Pic Saint Loup 'L'Olivette' Red 2020More 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!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$99.00 As low as $89.10 -
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Equipo Navazos La Bota 115 Fino 750ml
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.comThe 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! ROSCOESherrySpain410 -
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