It's the cream of the crop from our direct import portfolio in this month's pack and for something a little different we are also including a selection of some styling drops from a few of our favourite producers here in Australia.

This is some of the greatest and classic winemaking regions in France and Italy as well as some brilliant new wines from our northern brothers and sisters in Oregon. 

The Aussie's are holding up their end with some stunners from Yarra Valley, Beechworth and the Barossa Valley.

 Look at that line-up. This one is another belter!

THE FAMILY

This really is one of the most fascinating, inspiring, and singular estates of Italy. An incredible history that spans centuries and that in just over a quarter century has become a benchmark producer for some of the rarest wines in the world. A noble and impressive feat.

The property with its steep terraces surrounded by chestnut, oak and wild cherry trees dates back to the Paiarchte of Aquiuleia and the Republic of Venice. Unusually, it sits in an Alpine valley that runs east-to-west rather than north-to-south 35 km’s from the sea and 35 km’s from the mountains which see harvest start a full two weeks later than anywhere else in Friuli while rarely exceeding alcohols of 12.5%

Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, preceded by two days' maceration on the skins; native yeasts; natural static decation. Ageing on lees for at least three months with frequent batonage. 25 - 30 year old vines. 

Richly complex, this is not a simple sipping Pinot Gris. The aromatics are floral and fruit-centered, with plenty of jasmine, ripe pear and toasted almond. The palate is surprisingly rich and complex, with lanolin, beeswax and sweet stone fruit flavours. Textured and rich with candied ginger, honeyed pear and apricot to finish. This is a lot of vinous complexity. CLIVE PURSHORSE, Decanter Magazine 

The 2022 Pinot Gris is scented of poached pears, almonds, meringue and bread dough. The palate is broad and creamy with generous, ripe, spicy fruit tempered by bright acidity and a long, flavorful finish. ERIN BROOKS, The Wine Advocate 

Taking a chance on a secluded property in North Willamette Valley in 1974 they may not have known what was in store but from humble beginnings Elk Cove has grown to be one of the benchmark wineries in Oregon and the USA.

Today, son Adam Campbell, now head winemaker heads up this brilliant operation. It's incredible to think what that has grown into today with a property that incorporates over 300 acres of vineyards spread across the valley. Adam has continued to build on what is a formidable legacy in the region. Like his parents before him, who can still be found pouring wine for customers and pottering around the vineyards, he embeds himself in every aspect of operations. In the vineyards he employs meticulous vine management while the winery sees a less-is-more approach to winemaking to let fruit shine over everything else.

Their gris is one of the region's best, hand-harvested from their hillside vineyards in the northern Willamette Valley and is one of the oldest in the region hailing from 1985. Vines for the gris are all planted in a high-density format and made from a blend of three sites. Whole-cluster pressed than fermented with juice at kept at very cool temperatures in small stainless steel tanks to retain aromatics. The result is gris reminiscent of the wines of Alsace but with a distinct modern flair. No wonder it is one of their most popular releases.

An intense and animal nose with dark cherries, smoke, grilled meat, game, wet earth, bark and loads of cloves. The palate is medium-bodied with silky texture and fine tannins. It’s restrained and juicy with control and elegance that contrasts with the intense nose. Crunchy finish with bright acidity. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING 

Tasted blind. Youthful and primary with a delicate sweet violet and crushed blackberry nose. A soft palate with moderate fruit concentration – spice, violet, zesty acid and attractive fruit. Lightweight and easy early drinking. JANCISROBINSON.COM 

There is a wonderful simplicity to the wines of Yann Chave. Each year they capture their vintage nuance stylishly while stamped with understated elegance that makes them such a pleasure to drink. It is very much about the work he puts in the vineyard that is paying off and that which allows him to take a light hand in the cellar, gently guiding his wines rather than pushing and pulling to make them fit a mould. His conscientious efforts, skill, and wine-making gravitas are on full show and that has been recognised, most recently with his listing in the Top 5 Hermitage producers by Decanter.

Immediate pleasure is the key here and Yann understand that well, but he ensures the wines never lack any complexity or depth of character while rolling with the seasons. Yann himself opines that his wines are a joy to drink in their relative youth and they are  “more fun to get into them on the young side". We agree wholeheartedly when he said on a recent visit that “I like to keep a strong eye on pleasure”. Bravo!

THE FRIENDS

From two vineyards on the valley floor. Made with 10–20% whole bunches, three to four weeks on skins before being pressed to seasoned barriques for 11 months. A very bright crimson. An excellent Coldstream with its scents of red and black fruits, menthol, rosebush and spice. It's very even on the palate, with good concentration and fine-grained tannins rounding out a wine to enjoy now and over the next decade. (96) PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion 

This is a beautiful Coldstream pinot noir. It’s bright, it’s detailed, it’s fresh and it has flavour. Black and red cherries, purple flowers, inlays of spice and a gently reductive, smoky, meaty element. This feels both composed and complete. Integrity of tannin and persistence through the finish are highlights here. You get a bit of undergrowth but you also get brightness and lift. (95) CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front 

The 2023 Reed Wines Alexia Grenache is a piece of fine bonework. It tastes like gossip, all juicy details and home truths. The glory of this wine is that it’s the variety in its landscape and that’s all that it is. It’s dry. It’s uncompromised. It’s real. If you want to be convinced of Sierra’s story; drink this wine. CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front 

Sierra was born in America. She was on American Survivor at some point. Did this help her make great wine? Absolutely not! Funny though. She was involved in filing some show in NZ about wineries down there and got the old wine bug bad. Real bad.

Over the following decade or so Sierra has started her own label, built a winery, purchased a vineyard, had a kid and continued to work at some of the greatest wineries around the planet. She has really settled in to the whole winemaking thing, her natural American exuberance hasn’t really settled down but the confidence in her abilities, the understanding of the vines she works with and the wines she crafts has grown exponentially and now the quality matches the attitude.

Sierra is always 1000% go, interestingly though her wines, for the most part, are serene and understated things. Wines that deliver delicacy, nuance, detail but they never lack for depth of presence. The epitome of that style has long been her Grenache.

Next level tempranillo. There's a fineness, an elegance to bask in and enjoy. It starts with buoyant, joyous black cherries, dark plum, wild berries, earth and pepper and moves into darker herbal, autumnal and oak-led territory. Maintains a fine tannin line and length throughout. Finishes long and utterly convincing. (95) JENI PORT, Halliday Wine Companion 

It's interesting that Adrian worked with David Bicknell at Oakridge. So many similarities from a winemaking perspective. The first and obvious one is that they both make some of the countries finest examples of Chardonnay. In that there is no doubt. The other one is that both winemakers are often overlooked because of that for their reds. That one is a real shame as Rodda and Bicknell make stunning wines other than chardonnay and this tempranillo is a perfect example of that.

This is serious stuff in-so-farr as it is made to showcase what "proper" tempranillo can be. This ain't lolly water, juby, simple stuff. It's got a concentrated core of dark and red fruits coiled tightly with finely etched tannins drawing you in to the juicy mid-palate fruit. Rodda has made this to somewhat emulate the wines of the Ribera del Duero and we get it. A little more broody and firmly held then its counterparts in Rioja but with plenty of joy to be had at the same time. Its honestly one of the best examples of temp going round and its flippin' delicious.