Champagne, Cahors, Veneto
Veneto
Veneto
Up northeast, Veneto's a province that has it all. From mountains to fertile plains and a lagoon on the Adriatic seaside. Red or white? Reds from Valpolicella range from juicy, medium bodied reds to richer full bodied, powerful dried grape styles of Amarone and its little cousin Ripasso. Prosecco is the fun time fizz for when friends pop in, with its peach, green apple and pastry notes. But again, head for the hills where the quality producers farm their vineyards. The best examples come from the Conegliano zone, specifically the Cartizze hill. The simpler wines are best put to use when aperitivo hour strikes, in either a Bellini or a Spritz. Grapes Favourite Producers
Holidaymakers will know it for romantic spots like Verona and the faded majesty of Venice's canals and treasures like the Rialto, the Guggenheim and the Aperol Spritz.
Equally adept with white as with red, but in Veneto, finding quality is key. There's the handsomely named smoky, crisp dry whites of Soave and the more familiar Pinot Grigio. The best both come from hillier vineyards.
Garganega (in Soave), Pinot Grigio
Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella (in Valpolicella)
Glera (in Prosecco)
Soave - Pieropan, Prà, Anselmi, Inama, Tamellini
Valpolicella - La Dama, Masi, Quintarelli, Allegrini, Tedeschi, Dal Forno, Zenato, L'Arco
Prosecco - Nino Franco, Bellussi, Bellenda, Adami, Ruggeri
Champagne
The chalky soils of Champagne combined with its frigid growing environment create wines that are electric and salivating. But it’s the creation of bubbles that makes these wines stand out.
The bubbles are formed during a secondary fermentation in bottle, known as Méthode Traditionelle. The longer they age, the more nougat and brioche flavours develop and the finer the bead (bubble) becomes.
In terms of who invented Champagne, the English make a strong case as they worked out the formula for purposely making the fizz happen and their stronger coal-fired glass bottles - resulting from the Industrial Revolution - could hold the pressure. Whereas the French were still bottling in wood-fired glass which wasn’t strong enough and they hadn’t cracked the technique of creating bubbles on purpose.
Grapes
White: Chardonnay
Red: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Styles
Nowhere in the world can emulate the fineness and electric detail of these wines. Non-vintage Champagnes should be enjoyed earlier in their lives, while vintage wines have more structure and can age beautifully. House styles differ too. Blanc des Blancs (100% Chardonnay) offer a more elegant and fragile expression while Blanc des Noirs (100% Pinot and or Meunier) are darker fruited with more obvious structure and power.
Favourite Producers
Pierre Peters, Louis Roederer, Vilmart, Andre Clouet, Taittinger, Larmandier, Egly-Ouriet, Jacques Selosse
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Sidro del Bosco Cider 330mlMore 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!
NVciderItaly499$6.00 As low as $5.40 -
Cantina Tollo Rocca Ventosa Pinot Grigio 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!
2023Pinot GrigioItaly499$13.85 As low as $12.47 -
Le Pezze Pinot Grigio 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!
2023Pinot GrigioItaly499$21.00 As low as $18.90 -
Pieropan Soave 2023 375mlMore 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!
2023GarganegaItaly499$21.00 As low as $18.90 -
Marcel Malbec 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!
2020MalbecFrance360$22.00 As low as $19.80 -
Sidro del Bosco Cider 330ml Four PackMore 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!
NVciderItaly499$22.00 -
Monte Tondo Mito Soave 2024More 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!
2024GarganegaItaly499$24.00 As low as $21.60 -
Amanti Prosecco NVMore 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!
NVGleraItaly499$25.00 As low as $22.50 -
Bellenda Levis Extra Dry Prosecco DOCDelicate aromas of white spring flower, citrus and exotic fruit lead the nose. The dry palate offers white peach, nectarine and candied almond alongside fresh acidity. KERIN O’KEEFE
Notes of apple blossom, crushed rocks and ripe pears provide immediate pleasure. The palate is finely composed of airy flavours – lemon sherbert and apples take the lead, alongside slatey minerally flavours. Just when you think it's going to finish a saline twist on the finish delights. It’s a delightful prosecco that will make your afternoon catchup with friends. GABRIELLE POY
This fragrant, graceful Prosecco is the fruit of a selection of grapes from the finest vineyards in the zone of Cordignano, Sarmede, and Cappella Maggiore in the hills of Treviso. The bouquet is generous, with emphatic notes of Golden Delicious apple, peach, and wisteria, displaying a wonderful balance between fragrance and refreshing crispness. The palate is fruit-forward and smooth, full-bodied and well-structured; overall, it is a harmonious and elegant wine. BELLENDA2020GleraItaly499$29.00 As low as $26.10 -
Bellenda Cosi E Col FondoThe NV Conegliano Valdobbiadene Così È is a fun Pet-Nat style Prosecco, having undergone a secondary fermentation in bottle. Notes of sour lemon, pineapple, granny smith and crushed stone can all be found in the glass. It’s soft in texture yet bone dry, with stimulating acids and minerals which work to completely cleanse the palate between each sip. Flavors of dried apricot and pear linger along with a twang of mouthwatering citrus. Although a bit funky, this is a pleasure to taste. (92) ERIC GUIDO, www.vinousmedia.com
Here the secondary fermentation in bottle is encouraged by the addition of unfermented must (juice) of the same wine. The wine does not undergo disgorgment and so retains the natural yeast sediment which, if disturbed, gives the wine a slightly hazy appearance. This is a nod to the traditional styles of the region enjoyed by the Cosmo family in the days of their parents and grandparents. It presents with a slightly softer profile and more subtlety of character than some of the other cuvees. For me it is the kind of wine that you want to pop at the start of a long lunch or dinner with friends, it is eminently digestible and provides serious ease for consumption. ROSCOE2017Italy499$32.00 As low as $28.80 -
Monte Ronca Colle Marianna Soave 2023The wines of Monte Ronca and Colle Marianna are the creation of local specialist Antonio Fattori, based in the commune of Ronca, in the heart of Garganega country. His family began as Soave producers, and a little over 100 years ago they bought a 12-hectare property on the eastern edge of the Valpolicella denomination, where the vineyards cover the ridge dividing the Alpine Valley and Illasi Valley at elevations of close to 500 metres.
Made from 100% Garganega planted in the basalt vineyards of Monte Calvarino. The fruit was picked at the end of September, crushed and fermented in 85% stainless steel and 15% large format casks. At 450 metres, Garganega can only just reach ripeness, so this is where a small amount of appassimento fruit works well (around 10%) to add flavour and texture while holding its cooler structure. The wine is charmingly floral on the nose, with notes of peach and green almond. On the palate, the wine is textural and juicy with citrus, stone fruit, minerals and a touch of spice.2023GarganegaItaly499$32.00 As low as $28.80 -
Tedeschi Valpolicella 'Lucchine' 2021A medium-bodied, fruity and crunchy red with cherries, sweet spices and leafy notes. Joyful and succulent. Sustainable. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING
25% Corvina; 25% Corvinone; 30% Rondinella; 10% Molinara; 10% Rossignola, Negrara, Dindarella.
Lucchine is the name of the vineyard that provides the grapes. It is located in the plains at the foot of Pedemonte hills in the heart of the historic Valpolicella Classico area. The Tedeschi Family has been linked to winemaking since 1630. However, it was the purchase of several vineyards in 1824 by Nicolo Tedeschi which laid the foundation for the family's current winemaking business. These are classicaly styled but modern takes with a consistency that few producers can boast.
2015Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$32.00 As low as $28.80 -
Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Heritage' 2020“The 24-ha estate of Pascal and Jean-Marie Verhaeghe has done as much as any to improve the recent quality of Cahors and provide the challenge it should be giving to the most profound Malbecs of Argentina - and some of the other great wines of France. Not only does the Domaine lead by example, but Pascal Verhaeghe has also been the driving force behind the Cahors ‘Quality Charter.' ANDREW JEFFORD The New France.
Made from 100% Malbec including fruit grown by local producers that Pascal consults to. About 70% is lighter and finer material from the limestone plateau (the causses) and 30% richer and denser fruit from the iron-rich gravelly terraces of the Lot River valley. The vines average 25-30 years and about 85% of the fruit is currently certified organic, with one grower at year 2 in conversion.
Fermented for a total of 20 days, with regular punch-downs for the first 3 or 4 days only. Malo-lactic conversion is carried out in tank, then the wine is matured for 16 months in concrete tanks. 2020 was an excellent vintage, mostly sunny and dry and harvested in ideal conditions.2020MalbecFrance360$33.00 As low as $29.70 -
La Dama Vini Valpolicella Classico 2023I do like Valpolicella, especially when it’s red fruited, balanced, and easy to drink, which is what this wine delivers. Strawberry, white pepper, a dusty frame of tannin, a sweetness to poached strawberry and raspberry, a little blood orange, with a peppery finish of good length. Puts me in mind of Pelaverga in a way, and there’s that low key energy to the wine that makes it so appealing. A little bit of ripe tomato tang, new leather, and lots of red fruited and spicy interest. You have to like them red fruited and peppery, but here’s a frisky and good wine that’s not trying too hard to be anything other than a good drink. Like it. Yum. GARY WALSH, the wine front
Established by Gabriele and Miriam Dalcanele in 2006, La Dama represents the new breed of winemakers in the region. Modern, fresh yet compelling wines coaxed from organically farmed vineyards in the fabled commune of Negrar, home to some of the great names including the legendary Giuseppe Quintarelli.Their 10 hectare estate has been certified organic since 2015 and works only with the native varieties of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. Oak influence is kept to a minimum in order to ensure the vineyard speaks for itself in the glass.
Opens with wild forest fruits, a touch of red currant flecked throughout and dusted with sweet, peppery spice. Silky fruit, super vibrant and punchy packed with flavour but delivered in La Dama's typical ethereal style. A little dark cherry, a splash of blackberry, and a touch of wild strawberry fruit too. Finishes long and fresh. Another great drop.
2023Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$33.00 As low as $31.00 -
La Dama 'Bollicella' Rosato Pet Nat 2019Established by Gabriele and Miriam Dalcanele in 2006, La Dama represents the new breed of winemakers in the region. Modern, fresh yet compelling wines coaxed from organically farmed vineyards in the fabled commune of Negrar. It's also pertinent to note that Gabriele spent some time making sparkling wine before starting LA Dama and is well-versed in the style. This is also no afterthought, pet nat either. He only uses the best molinara grapes off the property to make this incredibly delicious sparkling.
Wonderful cassis and cranberry fruit all punchy, bright, and layered with a delicate spice and chalky top note. Gentle bubbles caress with a fine film that carries pristine red fruits along. Lovely balance with a freshness and nervy energy that you expect from the style but so often don’t receive. Honestly, this is a masterclass in what pet-nat should look like – bright, crunchy, and full of life with a purity of fruit at its core.
2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$35.00 As low as $31.50 -
Speri Valpolicella La Roverina 2022More 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!
2022Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$36.00 As low as $32.40 -
Pieropan Soave Classico 2022The 2022 Soave Classico is a total pleasure on the nose. Sweet smoke and mint nuances complement tropical green melon notes. This soothes with its soft textures while stimulating the senses with a zesty mix of brisk acidity and candied citrus. It tapers off crisp and clean with an inner floral resonance as lemon oil traces slowly fade. I would drink this any night of the week. What a treat. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous.com2022GarganegaItaly499$36.00 As low as $32.40 -
Cantine Pra Soave Classico Otto 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!
2023GarganegaItaly499$37.00 As low as $33.30 -
Bellenda San Fermo Prosecco DOCG 2023Delicate and slighlty aromatic sparkling wine, San Fermo is produced through a natural fermentation of our glera grapes grown in the Conegliano hills, then referenced and matured over a number of months first in steel with Charmat method then in the bottle This Prosecco expresses the renowned qualities classic to the glacier-derived morainic hills where these grapes are grown. In the glass, it appears luminous and sparkling, with a dense, continuous bead of pin-point bubbles. The bouquet is delicate and fragrant, the palate savory with a fine vein of minerality, and the finish concludes with a tasty tang of crisp walnut husk.2022GleraItaly499$39.00 As low as $35.10 -
Pieropan Soave Classico 2023Leonildo ‘Nino’ Pieropan, who sadly passed away in 2018, was the first to show the world just how great Garganega, and Italian white wine, can be. He recognised the importance of terroir early on, acquiring various hillside vineyards (including Pigno, Becco, Boiolo, Tondo, Palestrello and La Santa) and expanding the prestigious Calvarino and La Rocca vineyards, first made as single vineyard crus in 1971 and 1978 respectively.
Today, sons Dario (winemaker) and Andrea (viticulturist) continue the family tradition. The brothers have converted all of their vineyards to organic and are overseeing the new winery being built amongst the vineyards just outside the village.
Mostly Garganega with about 10-15% Trebbiano di Soave, this is wonderfully aromatic - not a common feature of Soave - with floral notes (cherry blossom), citrus, stone fruit and almond. The palate is delicate and focussed, with excellent depth and lovely overall balance.
2020GarganegaItaly499$39.00 As low as $35.10 -
La Dama Bollicella Rosato Pet Nat 2020A gentle fine bead cuts the cassis and cranberry fruit that underlies a subtle chalky and delicate spice lift. Fine and breezy in style it still packs in plenty of flavour. Crisp and vivacious. Lovely poise and precision too but never straying away from its easy-going nature and trying to be something its not. What every pet-nat should be.2020Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$39.00 As low as $35.10 -
Bellenda Radicale Spumante Extra Brut Nature MetodoAn extreme version of a sparkling glera, with no sulphites and no disgorging. BELLENDA
Sourced from their best parcels of fruit this is, in many ways, the flagship of the estate but sadly also one of the smallest amounts made. For the initial fermentation about half of the fruit is left on skins and a portion (roughly 60%) is aged in barrel with the remaining portion resting in stainless steel. Secondary fermentation occurs in bottle and the wine is aged on lees for 24 months before being released sur lie (on its sediment) with zero additions an no sulphur used. It is a wild and heady bottling full of nuance and detail with gorgeous texture and plenty of intensity. Radicale brings together the Cosmo family's traditional methods and modern techniques, the result is a wine that is completely unique to Bellenda and the region. It is well worth hunting down. ROSCOE2015Italy499$40.00 As low as $36.00 -
Bellenda San Fermo Prosecco DOCG 2022Its formal classification as Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive DOCG means it sits up the top of the Prosecco hierarchy. Notes of green apples and lemon pith lead into a crisp core where minerally accents offset fragrant florals. It's fresh and lively in the mouth, savoury streaks cuddle a pitch-perfect core. A cascading stream of fine bubbles frame the ripe citrus and orchard fruits. Juicy, tangy acidity signs off, leaving a refreshing dry burst on the finish. This is a delightful prosecco, a world away from the mass-produced insipid and sweet styles. GABRIELLE POY
Note below on previous vintage
I think this is the first time I have ever put a Prosecco to my nose and exclaimed, 'oh wow'. This smells simply lovely. Intensely appley – all at once ripe, green-skinned, crunchy, baked, caramelised. And with a hint of angelica. Bone dry on the palate with a fine fizz. Apples, but fresh and green and super-crisp. Neat and elegant with a sprinkling of fine white pepper and salt crystals on the finish. TAMLYN CURRIE, jancisrobinson.com2022GleraItaly499$40.00 As low as $36.00 -
Sandro De Bruno Soave 2023This is a lovely Soave that belies its simple DOC. From the lower lying but mature vineyards close to Monte Calvarina, and still from the rich, fertile volcanic soils of which Sandro is so passionate. Raised only in stainless steel to preserve the garganega's freshness and verve, it nevertheless over-delivers on personality and texture. A beautiful, focussed Soave for every table.
100% Garganega from 50 year old vineyards around the "Colline Vulcaniche" near Monte Calvarina at 100-150m ASL, cold macerated for 18 hours before fermentation in stainless steel, then ageing in stainless steel on fine lees for 6 months (with weekly battonage) before bottling. Screwcap.
Unmistakably Soave, this has classic lime and grapefruit aromatics, almond skin and fresh green herbs on the nose. The palate is alive with mineral energy and a crunch of acidity.
2023GarganegaItaly499$41.00 As low as $36.90 -
Bellenda Metodo Rurale 2018 1000mlMore 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!
2018GleraItaly499$42.00 As low as $37.80 -
Suavia Soave Classico 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!
2023GarganegaItaly499$42.00 As low as $37.80 -
La Dama Vini Valpolicella Classico Ripasso Superiore 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!
2021Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Fabien Jouves Les Agudes 2019More 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!
2019Chenin Blanc, sauvignon BlancFrance360$45.00 As low as $40.50 -
Bellenda Sei Uno Prosecco Metodo Classico DOCGA more serious Prosecco with peaches, grapefruit, chopped apples and wet stones on the nose. It’s focused, dry and bright with a refined mineral edge. Lively bubbles. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING2020GleraItaly499$45.00 As low as $40.50 -
Cosse Maisonneuve Cahors Solis 2019Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve created Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve in 1999 after taking over the 5-hectare estate in the small region of Prayssac, near Cahors in the south west of France. The property was planted with 40-year-old Malbec (locally known as 'Cot') and they have now moved towards Certified organic and work with some biodynamic principles. Everything is by hand here and the wines are uncommonly elegant and round compared to the more rustic versions we are used to seeing.
No oak in this cuvee and it is so much better for it. That typical mulberry and boysenberry fruit leap out of the glass with a touch of licorice interspersed between wild bracken aroma. Approachable and fruity, with a soft, supple texture and dressed with a fine layer of smooth rich tannin. Vibrant and full of energy but still solidly built without feeling cumbersome or heavy. They really pull this off beautifully.
2019MalbecFrance360$47.00 As low as $42.30 -
Cosse Maisonneuve Cahors Solis 2020Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve created Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve in 1999 after taking over the 5-hectare estate in the small region of Prayssac, near Cahors in the south west of France. The property was planted with 40-year-old Malbec (locally known as 'Cot') and they have now moved towards Certified organic and work with some biodynamic principles. Everything is by hand here and the wines are uncommonly elegant and round compared to the more rustic versions we are used to seeing.
No oak in this cuvee and it is so much better for it. That typical mulberry and boysenberry fruit leap out of the glass with a touch of licorice interspersed between wild bracken aroma. Approachable and fruity, with a soft, supple texture and dressed with a fine layer of smooth rich tannin. Vibrant and full of energy but still solidly built without feeling cumbersome or heavy. They really pull this off beautifully.
2018MalbecFrance360$47.00 As low as $42.30 -
Suavia Soave Massifitti 2020The Suavia winery has captured my attention over the last few years. Run by three sisters and located within Soave Classico, Suavia produces a portfolio of terroir-driven wines that impress for their depth and undeniable elegance. Year after year, I find the Monte Carbonare to be one of the best interpretations of this vineyard. This is also one of the few estates producing a varietal Trebbiano di Soave in the region. The Massifitti is the first wine here that caught my attention.
Wickedly fresh, the 2020 Trebbiano Massifitti bursts from the glass with a mix of savory herbs, dried flowers, gingery spice and dried peaches. It’s round and soothing, with a salty core of minerality and depths of tart orchard fruits and citrus tones, all guided by brisk acidity. The Massifitti finishes long, leaving a lemony concentration that puckers the cheeks—wonderfully balanced and begging for further cellaring. ERIC GUIDO Vinous2019GarganegaItaly499$54.00 As low as $48.60 -
Le Battistelle 'Battistelle' Soave Classico 2022Le Battistelle is simply one of the Soave Classico’s best producers. They have some of the most incredible hand tended terrace vineyards with vines up to 130 years old. There are records of the Battistelle vineyard going back to 1644. Fantastic volcanic subsoils plus the estate is classified “Viticoltura Eroica” or Heroic Viticulture which appears on the label of the Battistelle cuvee. It stands for the hard work that production of these wines requires.
Owned by Gelmino and Cristina Dal Bosco who after working for larger co-operatives in the region passionately wanted their estate, and started in 2002 under the Le Batistelle label. They own just over 9 hectares (100% Garganega) divided across four small plots all situated in the hills of Brognoligo.
The 2022 Soave Classico Eroica lifts from the glass with a savory blend of dried peaches and apricots, complemented by hints of fresh mint and crushed stone. It’s soothingly round in character, resonating with ripe orchard fruits and citrus-tinged inner florals over a core of tantalizing acidity. Its minerality comes forward through the close, as this plays out a sweet-and-sour act on the palate and hints of candied lime slowly fade. ERIC GUIDO, www.vinousmedia.com2022GarganegaItaly499$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Le Battistelle 'Battistelle' Soave Classico 2020
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!
2022GarganegaItaly499$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Balestri Valda 'Libertate' Trebbiano di Soave 2020
We say no to chemicals and grow our vines and olive trees according to the principles of organic viticulture with every agricultural practice being an expression of our deep respect for nature and harmony with our ecosystem. That’s why we started beekeeping with enthusiasm. Our happy bees prove that protecting biodiversity is possible and a duty we take on with pleasure. Laura Rizzotto, BalestriThe quote perfectly sums up Laura’s project. She is the latest custodian of a precious patchwork of organically farmed vineyards and olive groves in the heart of Soave. These culminate with an important holding in the tiny cru of Sengialta (‘Sengio’ in local dialect refers to basalt rock). Soils are dark and volcanic, vineyard exposures are southern and at altitudes ranging from 180 - 300m.
Laura and her partner Federico concentrate on low yields from Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave, with winemaking inspired by a respect for their precious terroir and heritage. This place gives the peak expression of native grapes Garganega & Trebbiano di Soave (the same DNA as Verdicchio from Le Marche). Laura makes some wonderfully contrasting wines: from ‘Libertate’, which is terracotta amphora raised Trebbiano di Soave, to ‘Vigneto Sengialta’, a cru bottling of old vine Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave aged on lees in 20 hectolitre ‘botti’. Balestri Valda’s wines are alive, textured and pure.
Beeswax, pear pulp, yellow florals set off a sense of richness, abundance and the fecundity of Spring. The palate follows suit hitting initially with a ripe orchard fruit bowl creating texture and richness before the limestone cinches the corset and draw the wine back to the centre. This sense of restraint V abundance is further accentuated by a lovely almond clip on the back end. I can see this with anything from soft cheese to scampi. Gorgeous wine. MICHAEL MCNAMARA2020TrebbianoItaly499$58.00 As low as $52.20 -
La Dama Vini Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ca Besi 2019A wine that originated from where the Valpolicella tadition of drying grapes and the freshness and fragrance of grapes pressed during harvest are combined. This gives birth to a wine of great concentration and elegance, where the freshness suprises when countered by the dark, sweet fruits and long persistent palate.
This skirts such a lovely middle-ground and the lighter, fresher style we see from La Dama is given a little oomph and lick of pizzaz that is hard not to love. Pepper and camphor on the nose with dark roasted ground spice and a Campari like citrus flourish. It belies what comes after which seems so pretty and energetic but matched with some lovey dark, broody fruit that swims around a concentrated but focused core. It comes of subtle and persistent and ultimately so readily appealing. A very cool drop!
2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$60.00 As low as $58.00 -
Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Chateau' 2022
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!
2022MalbecFrance360$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Pieropan Soave Classico Calvarino 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!
2023GarganegaItaly499 -
Valfaccenda Arneis 2021Luca and Carolina are two of the best people we’ve met in the world of wine. We’ve known one another for many years and long admired the wines so we decided it was time to navigate our friendship and import the wines. Luca Faccenda grew up in the hills of Roero, northwest of Alba, where his family made wines in Valle Faccenda, a small valley between Canale and Cisterna. The vineyards in Roero are primarily on sandy soils, the hills very steep and difficult to work, and the wines more perfumed and pretty compared to those of the Langhe with a distinct saltiness on the palate.
This comes from Loreto and Mompellini with an average vine age of 15 years and the vineyard parcels are divided into ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ soils, harvested separately. The rich soils bring acidity and and sharpness to the wine, whilst the poor soils more structure and warmth. The poorer soils produce smaller berries with ripe tannins and these parcels are fermented and aged in old wood, with about 10-15 days on skins. The wine goes through malo and is blended and bottled in the waning moon of late Spring following the harvest and then aged in bottle for a minimum of three months.
Luca makes the point that his Arneis is grown only on the steep hillsides (where mostly Nebbiolo is grown) and it’s the first variety to flower and the last to ripen. He is looking complexity rather than a simple aperitivo wine. The nose is rich with peach and pear fruit and touch of white pepper. The mid palate fills out with depth and some tannin, finishing crisp and salty.2021ArneisItaly499$62.00 As low as $55.80 -
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve NV 375mlANDRE CLOUET (9/10)
Bouzy and Ambonnay are the epicentre of pinot noir in Champagne, and the Clouet family is the priviledged custodian of eight hectares of estate vines in the best middle slopes of both villages. These are rich and concentrated expressions of pinot noir, wines of deep complexity, multi faceted interest and engaging character, yet with remarkable restraint and sense of control. Recent tastings confirm my impression that this small and relatively unknown grower ranks high among Champagne's finest practitioners of pinot noir - and expresses one of the best value of all.
100% Bouzy and Ambonnay pinot noir. 6g/L dosage
Release after release, year after year, I have always marvelled at the lemon blossom freshness that Clouet manages to capture in pinot noir from two of Champagne's most powerful terroirs. Here it is again, in a captivating interplay of fleshy mirabelle plums, white peaches, crunchy golden delicious apples, and even a hint of pepper. Wild honey and mixed spice join the maelstrom along the way, gliding obediently into a well defined finish of soft minerality and integrated dosage. TYSON STELZER, The Champagne Guide 2014-2015
(100% Pinot Noir)The NV Brut Grande Reserve offers up layers of mineral-infused red fruits on a silky, mid-weight frame, with gorgeous length and a refined, subtle mousse. This impeccable, elegant wine shows terrific overall balance as well as complexity. I loved it. Andre Clouet is based in Bouzy, a village where Pinot Noir speaks with great eloquence, as is evident in these superb, pedigreed Champagnes. ANTONIO GALLONI, Robert ParkerNVChampagneFrance376$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca 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!
2023GarganegaItaly499 -
Suavia Soave Monte Carbonare 2022More 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!
2022GarganegaItaly499$72.00 As low as $64.80 -
La Dama Valpolicella Classico Superiore Colombarino 2019More 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!
2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$73.00 As low as $71.00 -
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Bollinger Special Cuvee NV 375ml
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!
NVChampagneFrance376$73.00 As low as $65.70 -
Gini Soave Classico La Frosca 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!
2021GarganegaItaly499$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Suavia Recioto di Soave Acinatum 2013 375mlMore 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!
2016GarganegaItaly499$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Le Battistelle ‘Roccolo del Durlo’ Soave 2022More 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!
2022GarganegaItaly499$77.00 As low as $69.30