SOPHIE CHRISTMANN

The 2021 Riesling Aus den Lagen is based on de-classified grand and premier cru barrels of the domaine. Very pure, fresh and stony but, most of all, reductive on the clear and serious nose, this is a medium-bodied, elegant, refined and persistently salty Riesling with a fine phenolic structure and elegant acidity STEPHAN REINHARDT

Jinkies! This is a different beast. They have replaced the estate with this, which is essentially a "Village" or maybe a "Premier Cru" from them. All classified sites now. I was really looking forward to sitting down and actually having a good look at this new wine from one of my fave Rizza producers. It did not disappoint. It carries all that rocky, pithy, just underripe stone fruit characters I love from the estate. The core is a little more lively than usual, they are always energetic and usually spine tingling in their attack, this is a bit more approachable and piquant. Long, and as is the case with so many of these 21s, the finish is all mineral and saline, so much so it pushes the fruit to the side. A final lick of not insubstantial extract really kicks the finish in to overdrive. Excellent. 

RAIMON & ANNA 

A mere half hour to the west of Barcelona lies the Garraf Massif, a coastal, limestone mountain range that is rocky, wild and dotted with the deepest caves in Spain. As a viticultural zone it is classed as ‘Alt Penedès’ which is, terroir speaking, a world away from the plains of Penedès. Based in Olesa de Bonesvalls, the brilliant enologist couple Raimon and Anna are VallDolina, the new face of an ancient estate called Can Tutusaus (documented since 1348). Painstakingly restoring key vineyard sites and evolving our understanding of this hidden gem of Catalan terroir, they control 11 hectares of vine, including some precious Xarel.lo plants over 75 years old. We believe that this sanctuary of sloping terraces, pine forest and remote, cold nights, is the pinnacle growing area for Xarel.lo – a Catalan white variety. Here these wines are stoney, mineral, and driven by brisk acidity, capable of ageing effortlessly in bottle for many years.

With this wine, husband and wife team Raimon and Anna, craft a lean, minerally powerhouse that could be a cross between Chablis and chiseled Muscadet. Unbelievable quality at this price point for lovers of driven, pristine, light fruited wine.

A scorching Catalan white from the Garrafs mountain range separating Barcelona and Sitges. This is Penedès but very much not Penedès. Instead of the low lying 'vegetable garden' (as it is unkindly referred to) vineyards, this remote mountain range has vines at very high altitude planted in limestone. These two factors set this Xarel.lo apart from the flabby wines grown elsewhere across the region. 70 year old, organically grown Xarel.lo vines dot pine forest terraces around the town of Olesa de Bonesvalls. 

JEAN-BAPTISTE JESSIAUME 

Maison Chanzy is a relatively new name in the Bouzeron AOP, but it produces some of the appellation's most interesting wines. ANDY HOWARD MW, Decanter

Saved from bankruptcy in 2012 Domaine Chanzy is an estate with renewed ambition. They have built a reputation for producing wines that capture the essence of the diverse Burgundy holdings they oversee with a range that is quality from bottom to top. With winemaker Jean-Baptiste Jessiaume this is a star on the rise and given the astronomical pricing of Burgundy these represent some of the best value drinking around.

The domaine has significant plantings of aligoté of which it produces some of the finest examples in the region and is a feature of the wines from its hometown of Bouzeron

A mix of tonneau and stainless it feels like someone has out a small fan in the glass wtih yellow tree fruit, apple, baking spice and lemony goodness pours out of the gals. This is no skinny aligote thank god, the often aneamic bones replaced with joyous  upfront fruit all mouthwatering and juicy. It rolls onto the palate with gusto then crunchy fresh acidity cajouls the fruit cutting through the wonderful richness and electrifying the palate as it cascaded through your mouth. So very, very delicious.  

ENRICO COSER

Notes of beeswax and honey with ripe pears and citrus peel on offer. Medium-bodied with a silky, polished texture and attractive stone fruit crunchiness. Delicious and textured. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING

This small gem in the heart of Collio was established in 1989 by highly respected oenologist Fabio Coser. Fabio’s career as a consulting oenologist allowed him privileged knowledge of the area’s terroir so that by the time he chose a property of his own, he already knew the Collio like the back of his hand. Ronco dei Tassi was named after the population of badgers (tassi) on the estate, which like to carry out some grape selection of their own and steal the sweetest bunches. Of what’s left, Fabio and son Enrico craft into stylish, elegant and characterful wines. From fifty year old vines, this is aged mostly in stainless steel with a small portion going through malolactic in old barriques. Straw yellow with green highlights, the nose displays acacia flowers and the palate is distinctly varietal with citrus fruit, pear, liquorice & almond.

KIRILLY GORDON 

Classic Victorian wines don't get much better than this. If you are unfamiliar with Bowerbird Wines (very little wine is made) then you're in for a real treat here. Mouth-coating, textural, full-flavoured wines that offer bountiful pleasure right to the very last drop. 

Kirilly Gordon is a quiet achiever. Her force is much greater than her stance. The humble Bowerbird Wines is the most underrated producer in the state. By day she's Denton in the Yarra and by night Bowerbird Wines soar. Kirilly's turning point in the wine industry was working at Bindi, where inspiration by Bill and Michael Dhillon came to the realisation that nurturing vines and grapes to create delicious quality wines is a pretty great way to live a full life. And I'm very glad about that.

Don't judge a book by its cover here. On first open it's steely with laser-like precision and just-ripe stone fruit, lemon curd and a delightful saline edge. As it opens in the glass we see it unfold. Ripe peach, honeysuckle and fresh nut characters alongside the Bowerbird silky finesse that holds everything together.  A serious wine jam-packed with flavour and refreshment.

GARETH & RAINBO BELTON

A blend of grapes from the Charleston, Piccadilly and Lenswood subregions of the Adelaide Hills. This wine is an exercise in elegance. It feels both settled and composed, its stone fruit and pear flavours married to almond meal, custard powder and cedar, its finish enlivened by woodsmoke and mineral notes. Every step it takes feels carefully chosen, in the best of ways. (94) CAMPBELL MATTINSON, Halliday Wine Companion 

One of our most popular growers in the portfolio, the wines of Gentle Folk seem to improve exponentially with each vintage.  Gareth and Rainbo have always focussed on good farming, and this is really starting to show in the character and detail of what’s in the bottle.