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An attractive mix of ripe lemons, fresh peaches and honeysuckle with dried flowers and stony minerality. Impressive tension with medium to full body and nervy, linear acidity that cuts though the palate. Super steady and fresh. Long and crisp finish. Drink or hold. (96) JAMES SUCKLING
From one of Italy's northernmost appellations, the 2021 Alto Adige Valle Isarco Riesling Kaiton is very true to the grape, although you might taste some of the extra roundness and fruit intensity that comes with the warmer weather that creeps up the peninsula from the Mediterranean. There is white fruit, minty apple and lychee. The wine also reveals hints of the petroleum or flinty aromas that are often attributed to Riesling. The wine sees 80% stainless steel and 20% botte for six months, and 15,000 bottles were made. Riesling is cultivated in three of the four estate's vineyards, Kuenhof, Lahner and Gasteiger. MONICA LARNER
Kuenhof has been in the Pliger family for more than 200 years. The cellar was originally part of an abbey and wine has been made there for 800+ years where they used to sell grape to the local co-op before Simon father Peter took on winemaking duties and establishing as one of the top estate in the Alto Adige.
Simon is the youngest of three children, with older sisters Hanna and Katrin. He qualified out of Weinsberg in Germany and after getting his oenology degree he did two vintages in New Zealand where on a visit home realised that his father was 'wearing out' from all the work and took over winemaking duties. His first full vintage was in 2015 after 7+ years working with his father. He continues to employ biodynamics and organics though they are not certified and pursues a minimalist approach in the winery much like his father has.
These are very special wines and the family continue to only make only 4 wines - Riesling, Sylvaner, Veltliner and Gewurztraminer. We have always been huge fans and these continue a legacy of quality, consistency and excellence that put them amongst the top wines not just of the region but Italy as a whole.
Rocher des Violettes Touche Mitaine Sec Montlouis 2020
XAVIER WEISSKOPF
I'd like to introduce you to one of the future stars of French viticulture: Xavier Weisskopf. JACQUELINE FREIDRICH, Guide to the Loire.
Xavier Weisskopf founder and winemaker is a rising star of the region and we look to have nabbed him on his upward trajectory. After completing studies in Chablis and Beaune for winemaking Xavier took his viticulture and oenology degree going to work quickly with producer Lous Barruol of Gigondas fame Chateau de Saint Cosme. His indisputable talents saw him rise rapidly through the ranks wherein only a handful of years he made Chef du Cave.
It was his love of chenin that saw him land in the Loire where in 2005 he spotted 6.4 hectares of sacred old vine material planted pre-WWII in the then underappreciated Montlouis appellation - the perfect spot for a young and upcoming winemaker to make his mark
100% Chenin blanc, hand-picked in successive tries from 4ha of vines averaging 35 years old and planted at 6500 vines/ha. A little flint and white flowers with just picked anjou pear and a touch of pineapple and a little hint of bees wax. Fine and elegant with pure white fruits and a chalky mineral streak. Crystal clear and clean. Very pure.
Vino Intrepido 'Sting Like a Bee' Fiano 2021
JAMES SCARCEBROOK
As soon as I stuck my nose in the glass to take in all the aromas, I knew I'd enjoy this rich wine. White blossom, lavender and creamed honey with powdered ginger jump out, and then the palate builds an extra layer of texture and creaminess. Neat phenolics also add depth while fine acidity gives an impression of lightness. Nice one. (95) JANE FAULKNER, James Halliday
Made by sommelier-come-Italian wine rep-come Italian wine tragic, James Scaresbrook, his renditions of Italian varietals are some of the most convincing you will find. That's not to say I like them because they're mimicking the Italians. Nup, not at all, and in fact the fruit spectrum generally shows it's antipodean origin. Through intelligent winemaking techniques (often observed in his own travel in Italy) he brings texture and aromatic complexity to these varieties. It's a recognition of how these varieties work with food and transports them from dry white and red wines to something with altogether more interest.
A recent appointment trying through his range only highlighted what good things James is doing. His wines are all on point with thougtful winemaking inspired their homes in Italy but not dogmatically so. James is happy to changed tact here or there if he sees something not working or vice versa if a wine is expressing itself in a way he likes but moves away from his original idea hes is not afraid to let it do its thing.
Allevare Beechworth Roussanne 2022
ALYSHA MOSCATT & LUCY KENDALL
Lucy and Alysha are based in West Gippsland, looking after small parcels of land and sourcing fruit from around Victoria. Producing delicious and honest wines under their label 'Allevare', meaning 'to nurture', they pride themselves on working with the land and collaborating with growers in all regions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. An amalgam of Sicilian and local sensibilities, and some of the most joyful and inviting labels in the game.Artwork by Bridgette McNab, an old Sicilian love story about Teste di Moro.
Grown on the Warner vineyard (once a key supplier to Giaconda), and soon to be a collector’s item as following vintage 2022 all the Roussanne was grafted over to Gamay. A shame, given the character of this wine. Oak fermented and matured for six months, it somehow manages to be racy and textural; yellow fruits and peach skin over saline and honeyed elements. Refreshing without being bracing, it makes a strong case to see more of this variety vinified without blending.
Artwork by Bridgette McNab, an old Sicilian love story about Teste di Moro. The story of a Moorish soldier falling in love with a woman from Palermo, they were madly in love until she learned that he had another family back home. She cut off his head in a fit of rage, planted her basil in it and left it on her balcony for the town to see. She had the most fertile basil in all of Palermo and the rest of the town soon started to sculpt ceramic heads in the hope that their basil would be just as good.
Entropy Wines Savagnin 2022
RYAN PONSFORD
Ryan's previous life was as an artist and an encounter with one Bill Downie's pinot noirs at local Melbourne favourite Tonka move Ryan enough to seek out bill and within the year was working with him. In 2018 Bill gave some grapes for Ryan to play around with and so began Entropy wines.
"I never planned on starting my own wine label," says Mr Ponsford. "It just kind of happened. I came to Gippsland based on the idea that one could make an expression of the landscape through wine. I came to help see that idea manifest. When Bill gifted me a tonne of pinot noir one year, it gave me no choice but to start a wine label."
He applies an intuitive approach to his wines along with a minimal intervention philosophy as employed by his mentor.to craft wine out of Gippsland. This is off some long forgotten and derelict vineyards and is a wonderful rendition that speaks to its origins in Jura overlayed with a somewhat more approachable and easy going fruit profile.
Still, there is plenty of nutty saline twang here and some waxy golden, white tree fruits that are so fresh and clean. The palate zips along nicely with some pithy phenolic grips that drives the fruit home. A cracking follow up to the previous vintage and a beautiful and interesting wine that will keep you coming back for more.
Syrahmi Garden of Earthly Delights Chardonnay 2021
PIP FOSTER
It walks to the beat of its own drum and it does so successfully. Lemon curd, wheat, honeydew melon and assorted floral notes work in with earth, bran and cedar. If you called it kaleidoscopic you wouldn't be exaggerating. It's not thick with flavour (it's relatively lean), but everything here both spreads and gathers. It's quite grippy too, which isn't for everyone but it works here, picking up on the wine's inherent presence. CAMPBELL MATTINSON, James Halliday
Pip met Fozzy )Adam Foster - Syrahmi) on a blind date in 2012 whilst managing a catering and events company in Melbourne. He wooed her and every vintage since we met she got her hands dirty helping during harvest. Way back when he leased a space at Galli Estate, Ben Rankin was making wine there at the time and as an avid Chardonnay lover she was always asking him questions and he filled me with a wealth of information.
The love of Chardonnay became quite prevalent very early on in our relationship when Adam started introducing me to the likes of Leflaive, Coche, Raveneau, Roulout, Ramonet, PYC, Dancer to name a few!! Roscoe is also to blame for introducing me to some of theses producers!! ??
In 2018 the owners of Macedon Edge Vineyard contacted Adam and asked if we would be interested in the vineyard. Alternatively, they were considering bulldozing it, not wanting the headache of managing it. When we heard it had Chardonnay along with some other varieties we soon put a stop to the bulldozing and we put our hands up which is when Adam said to me "Well you like Chardonnay, why don't you make it?" The challenge was set and my research began.
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