Mayu Pinot Noir Gran Reserva
$27.99
400 kilometres north of Santiago, Chile, sits the Elqui Valley, effectively a high-altitude desert (the Atacama Desert) in the Coquimbo Region. The vineyards extend from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes, and the arid region relies on the Elqui River for irrigation, which is essential if grapes are to flourish here. At 2000 metres above sea level, it draws a parallel to the vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina, on the other side of the Andes.
The soils are composed mainly of clay, silt and chalk, and the hot, clear days and cool nights offer near-perfect growing conditions. It's also one of the darkest places on earth to stargaze, and as such, it's a World UNESCO Heritage Site, drawing both wine lovers and stargazers alike. Viña Mayu was established in 2005 as a separate winery from the Elqui Valley’s first fine wine producer, which was founded in 1998.
Mauro Olivier was one of the pioneers planting vines for fine wine production, sourcing the grapes from the different parts of the valley. He started working on his family vineyards for table grape production at a young age, and years later, he began working in Pisco production (the national Chilean spirit, made from white wine). In 2000, he planted the first Carménère and Syrah vines in the valley. Five years later, he decided it was time to embark on his own wine project, under the Mayu label. Mayu is an ancient INCA name for the Milky Way, meaning "creek of stars."
Bret Bros Julienas La Bottiere
$79.99
he Bret Brothers story goes back to 1947, when Jules Bret purchased the first plot of vineyards in Pouilly-Vinzelles. The parcel was called 'les Quarts' and the Bret family's total vineyard size was a whopping one hectare. Jules and his wife Louise set out to expand their small domaine by purchasing rows of vine adjoining their one hectare of land. At this time, all grapes still went to the cooperative in Vinzelles.
In 1969, Jules and Louise's son Jean-Paul took over, and continued increasing the size of the domaine, up to 4.5 hectares of vineyards, and in 1991, his sons Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume (the current generation to own the domaine) started their studies in wine, preparing themselves to take over the domaine. 1998 saw the Bret Brothers withdraw from the cooperative, and in 2000 they began producing their own wines from estate fruit - it was also the first year that the vines were treated organically and biodynamically. This was extremely cutting edge as 17 years ago there weren't any producers in the region who were working with biodynamics. In 2001 the Bret Brothers label was created (separate from La Soufrandiere, which is the official name of the domaine), with a commitment to buying top quality grapes from the best terroirs of the Macon and in 2004 they took back the Macon-Vinzelles vineyard of 'Clos de Grand Pere', which belonged to their grandfather. These are arguably the best wines of the Macon, whether from the estate of La Soufrandiere or from the Bret Brothers negociant label. They give some of the top wines of the Cote de Beaune a run for their money in blind tastings, and in the past few years the Bret Brothers have been continually recognized for their commitment to quality, farming and care for the land.
Chermette Viognier
$41.99
The estate of Famille Chermette in Saint-Vérand is in the Golden Stone area, South of Beaujolais in Rhone. Combining tradition and innovation, Martine, Pierre-Marie and Jean-Etienne Chermette are fully involved in the production of authentic, high quality wines. White, red and Beaujolais rosé, crus such as Brouilly, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Saint-Amour, Crémants de Bourgogne as well as hand crafted fruit liqueurs, cassis and vine peach with ginger make up the range.
Domaine des Nymphs Encoste Rasteau
$31.99
The Domaine des Nymphes is one of the smallest estates in Rasteau with only 6 ha including 3 in PDO Rasteau and 3 in AOP Côtes du Rhône Villages. In April 2019 the estate was taken over by Eric Petitjean, owner of the Château la Croix des pins located on the appellations Ventoux, Gigondas and Beaumes of Venice. With Jean Pierre Valade, his friend and oenologist they produce generous, fine and elegant wines. The vineyard has started its conversion to organic farming as soon as it is resumed in 2019.
Seghesio Langhe Nebbiolo Ruri
$59.99
Renzo Seghesio has worn many shoes, farmer and winemaker, cartographer and former mayor of Monforte d’Alba: upon studying winemaking in Alba, Renzo has received a master's degree in biology from the University of Turin and, since returning to Monforte in the 1960s and founding his winery, his intent and focus have been dedicated to the single goal of growing and selecting the best possible fruit from the unique terroir of the family parcels.
Since 1968 Renzo has gone from making his first wine in his family's garage to producing over 70.000 bottles per year from the own-grown grapes of the family estates currently spanning over 14 hectares of land
d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz Museum Rel.
$94.99
d'Arenberg is a historic wine estate dating back to 1912 in South Australia's McLaren Vale region. Their flagship wines, Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon and Dear Arm Shiraz, are legendary for their quality and longevity. This is one of their library releases, meaning the wine has been aged in their cellars and shipped here a few months ago, ensuring perfect storage.
Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. Often, affected
vines are severely pruned or replanted. One-half, or an 'arm' of the vine, slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be
lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side, while low-yielding, display amazing intensity.
Barge Cotes du Rhone Loch Ness
$26.99
Julien Barge descends from a long line of Côte-Rôtie winemakers. His family have been growing grapes in the area since 1860, though it wasn’t until 1929 that Jules Barge started selling wines bottled on site. Major change came to the family business when Julien’s father, Gilles, joined his own father at the winery in 1979. Although many traditions were kept, Gilles introduced some modern techniques and standards. Unique at the time, he started bottling some wines as single-vineyard cuvées. Emphasis was made on whole-cluster fermentation and the use of neutral old barrels for aging. He was not interested in the flashier style of wines that were starting to appear in the area. An ambassador for the region and it’s wines, he was also the President of the Côte Rôtie Growers Syndicat. Under Julien’s direction the winery continues to bottle wines of utmost purity and simplicity. The Loch Ness is now dominated by syrah, sort of a declassified Cote Rotie, soft and plummy with great spice.
JL Denois Pinot Noir Grand Vin
$47.99
Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Southwest France is the coolest climate and highest elevation appellation in the Languedoc: Limoux. There, outside the lofty Medieval village of Roquetaillade, lives Limoux's most famous vigneron, Jean-Louis Denois, the gentleman responsible for bringing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to this ideal terroir in the 80’s. His eponymous domaine, founded after he sold his first Limoux project Domaine de l’Aigle to Gerard Bertrand twenty years back, includes 15 hectares of vines at 400-500 meters above sea level on limestone and clay soils. Denois quickly rose to prominence in France for offering incredible bubbles at incredible prices. His crémants used the finest techniques and clones of Champagne without the same price tag, earning the regard of leading Champagne experts like Jancis Robinson who deemed the wines “a little fruitier, more opulent, and less obviously lees-aged than the best champagnes but infinitely better than cheap champagne” by the turn of the millennium. The wines have only continued on their path to terroir singularity and deliciousness over these last twenty years.
Haritz Tempranillo
$24.99
Benetakoa Winery was founded in 1985 by Carlos Martínez de Cañas in Villabuena de Álava. Viticulture has been a centuries-old tradition in their family, and for several generations, they have dedicated themselves to pampering and learning from the land and the vine. In 1997, they expanded their facilities and moved to a new winery built in the upper part of Villabuena. They preserved the tradition and the artisan concept that was incorporated into the first winery, and continued with innovation as the basis of their wines. Since 2001, Gorka Martínez de Cañas, son of the winery’s founder, has taken charge of the family project.