Dominio de Atauta 2020
Dominio de Atauta 2020
Intense aromas of black cherry, plum and smoky, mocha notes. Powerful, ripe fruit flavours combine with a darker, more brooding, wild character and hints of garrigue which open up in the glass. There is substantial tannin on display but, despite this, they are fine grained and integrated. After the initial power and explosion of flavour on the palate the finish shows freshness and elegance. This would be best approached after an hour in a decanter, and best enjoyed over the next 2-10 years.
Pair with roast lamb, good cuts of beef, or game.
95pts – Ribera del Duero: Panel tasting, Decanter (Feb ‘ 24)
Classic Ribera from a producer in one of the region’s wildest and most rugged areas, the valley of Atauta. The bodega works with pre-phylloxera vines, 130-190 years old. These vineyards are located at 940m-1,010m, resulting in fresh acidity and elegance. To balance the wine’s lively backbone, it is fermented in either large wooden vats or concrete, then aged for 14 months in French oak. Beth Willard: A really complete wine with beautiful fruit, precision and great balance. The oak is fine and lightly toasted so doesn’t dominate the fruit. Tannins are supple, the palate velvety. David Williams: Keen and succulent: mulberry and cherry with a little bittersweet hit of blood orange and citrus pith. Complexity, and substance. Diana Rollan: Blackcurrant, liquorice, violets and plum compote. Muscular and concentrated with good balanced acidity and a savoury, herbal character.
Hartenberg Tenacity Riesling 2019
Hartenberg Tenacity Riesling 2019
Winsome aromas of quince, ripe melon, roses and frangipani on the nose. The palate displays layers upon layers of citrus, peaches and honey balanced by a flinty, crisp acidity that lingers.
One of only three noble white grape varieties globally. It has the smallest bunches and berries of all white varietals, thereby imparting immense flavourand concentration to the resultant wines. Added to this, is the distinction that few other white varietals are able to mature to their betterment, for decades, like the best global examples of Riesling are able to.
The Tenacity Riesling is made from grapes picked at dawn, then fermented dry in small, old French oak barrels and left to mature on the lees for 12 months. It erupts from the glass with floral notes and chalky minerality. On the palate, it reveals a zesty lemon sorbet character, a divinely creamy texture and long lingering finish. Only 519 bottles were produced of this stunning wine!
Ataraxia Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2020
Ataraxia Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2020
This Pinot expresses bright red fruits aromas with a spicy, cinnamon-like, earthy undertone. It is powerful, yet oddly subtle, ‘old-school’ profile. The palate is focused and perfectly poised, but these delicate qualities are wrapped in a structure with unexpected depth, grandeur, and longevity.
Iona Elgin Highlands Chardonnay 2023
Iona Elgin Highlands Chardonnay 2023
Stylish and Burgundian with bright citrus, white stone fruit, oyster shell minerality and a hint of brioche. The purity of fruit combined with well-judged oak and bright fresh acidity result in a wine that is layered and complex with a lingering finish
Christian Eedes – Winemag
Despite a wet and cool growing season, Eedes praised the wine’s restraint and elegance:
Rating: 93/100
Tasting Notes: Orchard blossom, pear, lime, lemon, and herbs.
Palate: Medium-bodied with racy acidity and a pithy finish—a poised, very elegant vintage.
Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2021
100% Shiraz
Colour : Deep purple.
Aroma : Layers of violets and cloves on the nose with hints of mulberry and dark chocolate.
Palate : Purity of dark fruits and cut plums on the palate with firm, savoury tannins, impressive depth and harmony.
Peak Drinking : Great drinking now but this wine will also benefit from 10 12 years of careful cellaring.
Glaetzer Wallace 2021
Glaetzer Wallace 2021
Variety: 78% Shiraz / 22% Grenache
Tasting Notes
Colour: Vibrant dark red.
Aroma: A lifted combination of bright red fruits with fresh spice notes of star anise and cedar.
Palate: Bright red berry fruit, redcurrant and liqorice flavours complement the soft and rounded Grenache fruit tannin and the savoury finish of Shiraz. Lovely refreshing acidity provides both lift and depth.
Peak Drinking: A wine to enjoy in its youth that will also develop additional complexity for up to 8—10 years of cellaring.
Momento Grenache Gris 2020
Momento Grenache Gris 2020
Grapes from Voor Paardeberg, seven days of skin contact gives this wine both the most beautiful soft pink hue which is match by an incredible delicious mouthfeel, savoury yet paired with a zippy zesty freshness, leaving you wanting, sipping more till the bottle is empty.t and texture offset by bright acidity, the finish long and pithy.
91/100 Christian Eedes
Crocus Le Calcifère 2016
Tasting Note
Deep purple, with touches of fuchsia on the rim. An intense malbec displaying aromas of red cherry, blueberry, rose petal, ripe Italian plum, black liquorice and spice box. The palate is concentrated and bright, cascading with focused flavours of black cherry, red plum, milk chocolate, talc and hints of butterscotch and star anise, supported by fine-grained tannins.
Food Matching
Braised leg of lamb, Lamb shanks, Duck confit.
Emilio Moro Malleolus 2022
Emilio Moro Malleolus 2022 is a flagship wine from Ribera del Duero which unveils a spectrum of aromas with cherries and stewed plums taking center stage, interwoven with balsamic hints and a delicate coffee fragrance. On the palate, it reveals concentrated richness, delivering a silky texture that lingers, leaving an enduring and delightful aftertaste.
Food Matching
This intense wine is perfect with red meat with richly flavoured sauces.
Rupert and Rothschild Baroness Nadine 2024
Rupert and Rothschild Baroness Nadine 2024 vintage offers ripe tropical fruits, fresh citrus notes, roasted hazelnut, macadamia, and citrus blossom . This is a wonderful wine with a core of ripe tropical fruit all held together by a luxurious yet well- judged streak of rich oak. Baroness Nadine is crafted in a different style compared to a few years back – the style is much more in keeping with fashion, and subsequently the use of new French oak has been toned down. Baroness Nadine 2019 is considered the best vintage produced at Rupert and Rothschild Vignerons, balancing racy acidity and creamy well balanced oak.
Kelly Washington Pinot Noir 2024
The 2024 Kelly Washington Lowburn Pinot Noir captures the purity and finesse that define Central Otago’s Lowburn subregion. It opens with lifted aromas of red cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry, layered with subtle earthy notes of forest floor and a gentle mineral thread. Hints of baking spice and cola from sensitive oak handling add warmth without overshadowing the fruit.
On the palate, the wine is supple and finely textured, showing juicy red and black cherry supported by silky tannins and balanced acidity. The inclusion of whole bunches brings a touch of savoury complexity and aromatic lift, while extended maceration contributes depth and structure. The finish is long and graceful, carrying lingering notes of spice, thyme, and soft earth.
Rooted in Lowburn’s loess and silt soils with lime deposits, and crafted from a mix of Abel and 777 clones, this Pinot Noir reflects both its site and the thoughtful, hands‑off winemaking approach. It’s an elegant, expressive vintage with both immediate charm and the potential to evolve beautifully.
Vilafonte Series C 2021
Series C 2021
Sumptuous & Measured
Series C 2021 represents a vivid expression of our unique vilafonté site.
It exhibits a dark red-black coloured centre and brightly ruby-rimmed edge. Opening unhurriedly it reveals a layered aromatic palette with notes of incense and violet blossom that segue to delicious black plum, fresh black currants and Boysenberries. Subtle hints of sandalwood, sappy juniper and blonde tobacco gradually emerge with further time in the glass. The palate is luscious, with silky tannins and linear progression that finish with great presence and length. Generous fruit expression adds dimension to this elegant and impeccably well-balanced wine.
While the 2021 Series C is already complete in its youth, this blend will reward those who exercise patience, as it continues to evolve and develop complexity. Enjoy now or cellar for two decades or more.
99/100 Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, December 2023
"Flirting with triple digits, the 2021 Series C is constructed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Still incredibly tight yet exuding that special “it” factor, the red blend is layered with gorgeous dark red and succulent black fruit tones with gobs of attractive oak essences that sway with power and finesse. If you're a cult California Cabernet collector, you'll want to add this to your cellar as fast as possible. Just under 20,000 bottles rested for about two years in French oak barrels, 81% new. It's utterly profound."
