Dalrymple Swansea Pinot Noir
$69.99
Tasmania's rugged coastal beauty and cool climate terrain first ignited a passionate pursuit to craft the perfect single-site wines back in 1987, well before the rest of the world caught on. Such inspired the founding of Dalrymple Vineyards on the sloping hills of Pipers River, overlooking Bass Strait. Since then, people around the world have fallen in love with the Tasmanian landscape, wild and breathtaking, and the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that thrives here. From every patch of land comes the demand for meticulous attention that, when granted, awards exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines perfectly reflective of the pristine beauty of every single site.
Pra Amarone Valpolicella
$146.99
Graziano Prà had a calling to become a vine grower, and it is a road he followed with commitment and honesty: from the family vineyards, managed by his grandfather and father, to his training as an oenologist. The true change came in the Eighties, when the establishment of the company f.lli Prà began to take place. The company was initially run by Graziano and his brother, who worked in the vineyard. In 2007, however, Graziano became the sole owner, under his direction the company grew and the territories – Monte Grande (the company cru), Monte Bisson in Soave, and Morandina in Valpolicella – became more important. Today they are in the top tier of wines from the Veneto, second (or third) only to Quintarelli and Dal Forno.
Rockford Grenache Mataro 2019
$64.99
Rockford Wines feature high-quality traditional wines made from some of the best old Barossa vineyards. The winery and cellar door sales are part of a paved courtyard surrounded by stone buildings dating back to the early settlement of Krondorf. Founder and winemaker Robert O'Callaghan is a legend among Aussie winemakers and his wines have had a profound influence on winemaking philosophy and wine style in the Barossa. In addition to the small home vineyard, Rockford works in partnership with several independent wine growers around the Barossa, with vineyards in Kalimna, Ebenezer, Moppa Springs, the Eden Valley and central Barossa. This gives Rockford a wide variety of soil types, mesoclimates and altitudes for its grapes. Many of the vines are planted on their own rootstocks and range between 60–100 years old, giving intense, concentrated grapes that translate into the wines. Winemaking is largely done using traditional methods such as basket presses, open-topped concrete fermenters and an 1880s Bagshaw (grape) crusher that was found on site when O'Callaghan purchased the property in the 1970s.
Becker Family Pinot Noir
$43.99
We sourced these wines a year ago after reading the rave reviews from numerous publications, in Germany and beyond. The Pinot Noirs are prized and will give Burgundy fans a solid alternative.
The Becker family owns more than 30 hectares and produces over 12,000 cases annually. Positioned on the very border with France in the town of Schweigen, the Beckers have witnessed that border shifting throughout history. Today, they have vineyards on both the French and German sides, at the edge of the Palatinate (Pfalz) forest—with 50 percent of their land situated on the French side in Alsace.
The soils in the area are composed of deep layers of shell limestone, with various topsoils, which in combination with the region’s mild climate, provide the ideal growing conditions for Spätburgunder. Hence, the logical focus is on the variety. As one of the pioneers, Fritz Becker Sr. was also one of the first winemakers in the region to mature his Spätburgunder in barriques.
Their most prestigious vineyard is Kammerberg, a steep single vineyard on deep marl and limestone near Wissembourg, recovered by Fritz Sr. in 1967. The old vines are mostly German clones and some French and grow on deep marl lime soils that produce powerful but also refined, mineral-driven Pinot Noirs (it is all about the dirt here!); St. Paul cultivated here in the 14th century by the Cistercians of Wissembourg, which had since become overgrown but the Beckers uprooted trees and bushes in early 2000 and planted Spätburgunder; and Sonnenberg, with poor limestone soils ideal for growing Riesling.
Quinta Das Carvalhas Tinto
$27.99
Quinta das Carvalhas is one of the most emblematic and spectacular properties in the Douro Valley. Written references regarding this magnificent vineyard can be traced back to 1759. Enjoying a prominent position on the left bank of the Douro River, in Pinhão, the estate covers the entire hillside facing the Douro River and occupies part of the slopes of the right bank of the tributary Torto River.
Chateau Feytit Clinet Pomerol
$159.99
Château Feytit-Clinet is a discreet but beautiful property, located on the western part of the plateau of the Pomerol appellation. The domaine has been owned by the Chasseuil family since 2000, who have been keen to carry out restructuring work in the vineyard and the winery to get the best out of its great terroir. They own 6.5 hectares of vines, planted on gravelly sandy soils. The grape varieties are 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The wines are aged on average between 16 months in French oak barrels, 70% of which are new. Château Feytit-Clinet produces remarkably well-constructed wines that express themselves with depth and elegance, reflecting the best that Pomerol has to offer. The wines are renowned for their great longevity.
Thevenet Fils Petit Perou Brouilly
$31.99
Anthony Thevenet’s interpretation of Beaujolais is a unique combination of wines from decades past and today’s trend of voluptuously fruity, early-drinking renditions with a serious edge. After cutting his teeth in the cellar of Georges Descombes, one of the local veterans of natural winemaking, followed by five years as the right hand man of Jean Foillard, one of the true luminaries of Beaujolais, he went out on his own. 2013 was his first vintage, though his walk through the fire began early in his career with the hot 2015 vintage followed by 2016, where hail destroyed the majority of his production that year—testing his skills in managing results no one has seen in Beaujolais as long as his 90 year-old grandmother has been around. Petit Perou is a family offshoot run by his siblings.
Manoir Du Carra Morgon
$31.99
Located in Dénicé in Southern Burgundy in the heart of the Beaujolais region, the Manoir du Carra has been a family winery since 1850. Shaped by the Sambardier family for generations, the estate today counts more than 34 hectares (84 acres) of vines and produces well-known appellations such as Beaujolais Villages, Brouilly, Juliénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie….
The winery today is led by Frédéric and Damien Sambardier who are focused on the future. They want to represent a “new generation” with new ways of working and a different state of mind. The key to their success is devoting all their energy to creating tailor-made wines under the eye of mother nature.
Their passion for terroir and respect for the environment has led them to adopt a Quality and Environment Charter to practice sustainable viticulture that respects nature.
Hansel South Slope Pinot Noir 2021
$79.99
The North and South Slope vineyards of Hansel face each other, side by side, but show very different characteristics despite their proximity. The North Slope's Pinot Noir plantings are from clone 115. Stephen Hansel states "...115 exhibits the most fruit-driven flavours and appears more "New World" then French." This is might be the most expressive of the Pinot range, a lush, plush wine with notes of cherry, cranberry, spice and forest floor. It's a great example of Burgundy meets California, in other words, the best of both worlds. The vibrant acidity will allow it to age gracefully for another decade but it's hard to resist right now.