Cà dei Frati I Frati Lugana 2024
Ca’ dei Frati’s I Frati Lugana is a vibrant and expressive white wine made from 100% Turbiana, a local grape closely linked to Verdicchio. It opens with bright, refreshing aromas of lemon, citrus zest, green apple, and subtle white flowers. These lifted notes are balanced by gentle herbal hints and a touch of stone fruit, giving the wine both freshness and aromatic depth.
On the palate, I Frati is crisp and lively, driven by clean acidity and a dry, mineral‑focused structure. Flavours of lemon, peach, grapefruit, and green apple unfold with clarity, supported by a delicate floral lift. The wine is light‑bodied yet flavourful, offering a precise, refreshing profile that makes it exceptionally drinkable.
The finish is long, zesty, and subtly saline, echoing the influence of Lake Garda’s cooling breezes and mineral‑rich soils. This combination of purity, energy, and finesse makes I Frati a versatile companion for seafood, salads, light meats, and aperitif moments. It’s a benchmark Lugana—fresh, elegant, and consistently reliable.
Nivarius La Nevera Rioja Blanco 2019
The 2019 Nivarius Finca La Nevera is a refreshing, high-altitude Rioja white (Maturana Blanca) from Nalda, showing intense aromas of pear, apple, quince, and white flowers. It features a creamy yet structured texture with high acidity, subtle nutty notes, and a long, savory mineral finish.
Key Tasting Notes
Aroma: Intense and fresh, featuring ripe apple, pear, white blossom, and hints of lemon rind.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a creamy, textured mouthfeel from lees aging, balanced by high acidity and mineral, slightly balsamic undertones.
Finish: Long, crisp, and slightly nutty, with notes of yogurt or fine lees.
Varietal & Vineyard: Made primarily from the rare native grape Maturana Blanca, grown at 800 meters, which contributes to its aromatic intensity and natural freshness.
Pairing & Service
Best served between 8-10°C, this wine pairs well with baked fish, seafood, roasted white meats, and creamy rice dishes.
Ashbourne Sandstone 2024
A wine that is all about texture and tension rather than oak, this blend of Sauvignon Blanc,
18% Chardonnay and 16% Semillon was fermented and aged in amphoras, ceramic and
concrete eggs and older barrels. Herbal, structured and pithy, it has appealing aromas of
petrichor and fennel, flavours of citrus, tarragon and elderflower and an enticing bitter twist.
93 Tim Atkin MW South Africa 2025 Special Report
The 2024 Sandstone is a blend of 66% Sauvignon Blanc, 16% Chardonnay and 18% Sémillon, fermented mostly in amphora. It has quite a pungent bouquet that I really like, with touches of white asparagus and nettle and fine delineation. The palate is well balanced, with a touch of lemon and orange rind and just a hint of that asparagus again, with a lovely texture on the finish. It's not a crowd pleaser, but I like its uncompromising nature.
91 Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2025
Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco 2023
Initial aromatic impression of light smoke with a touch of gunpowder (flint),
followed by citrusy notes, peach, and apricot, as well as some vanilla and wild
white flowers in the background. On the palate, the complexity is highlighted by
the well-integrated barrel and some good bottle aging, which blend harmoniously
with the pronounced freshness from the good acidity. This is a stunning white
wine from the mountains, displaying poise, elegance, and generous amplitude.
Arinto (approx. 65-75%) and Verdelho (approx. 25-35%)
AA Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2025
The 2025 Secateurs Chenin Blanc opens with an inviting, crystalline bouquet of green apple, quince and white pear, underpinned by fragrant citrus blossom and hints of lemon zest and chalky minerality. Subtle notes of honeysuckle and flinty reduction add aromatic complexity without overpowering the fresh fruit core.
On the palate, the wine is bright and finely poised, with vibrant acidity that carries juicy orchard fruit and citrus flavours through a nervy, focused mid-palate. Layers of quince and tart apple are complemented by a fine thread of saline minerality and a touch of soft spice. The texture is crisp yet creamy, exhibiting a refined tension that leads to a long, refreshing finish with gentle herbal undertones.
Elegant and expressive, this Chenin Blanc balances fruit purity with structural precision — ideal for early enjoyment but with enough grip for gentle short-term development.
Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc 2023
The 2023 Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc is a vibrant, dry wine from Marlborough, New Zealand with aromas of lemongrass, passionfruit, and citrus peel. It features a crisp palate with notes of green apple, gooseberry, and fresh herbs, balanced by a mineral and slightly weighty finish. This vegan-friendly wine is made in stainless steel tanks with a small portion fermented in seasoned oak and is best enjoyed from 2024 to 2028.
Flavor profile
Aromas: Lemongrass, passionfruit, and citrus peel.
Flavors: Fresh herbs, grassy notes, green apple, gooseberry, and a hint of peach.
Finish: Crisp, dry, and minerally.
Lismore Chardonnay 2022
The Lismore Chardonnay 2022 is a South African cool-climate white wine with intense citrus aromas and flavors of apricot, white peach, and honey, balanced by crisp acidity and a distinct minerality. It is a sophisticated, complex Chardonnay that spent 11 months in 500-litre barrels (with some new) and is known for its long, elegant citrus and toasted hazelnut finish.
Tasting notes
Aromas: Apricot, mandarin, orange zest, white peach, honey, walnut, brioche
Palate: Lively, mineral-driven, crisp acidity, and a long, elegant finish with notes of citrus and toasted hazelnut
Flavor profile: Concentrated, with subtle hints of smoke, toffee, and a refined texture
Giacomo Fenocchio Roero Arneis 2023
Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile Lair 2023
Sleek and refined, a most enjoyable spicy lemon drop aroma announces white peach, nectarine and pear on the palate. A refreshing salinity graces a lasting finish.
James Suckling – 93 Points
“A complex, elegant and cedary Chardonnay with attractive aromas of flint, lemon peel, cedar, white apricots, and macadamia nuts. Medium- to full-bodied with a creamy texture and plenty of freshness in a long finish. Drink or hold.”
Baigorri Blanco Fermentado en Barrica 2018
Baigorri Blanco Fermentado en Barrica 2018 is an elegant, barrel-fermented white Rioja crafted primarily from old-vine Viura. It opens with aromas of ripe pear, white peach, and citrus zest layered with subtle notes of toasted oak, vanilla, and almond. On the palate, it’s rich yet balanced, showing creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and a lingering mineral finish. This vintage captures both freshness and depth — a fine example of modern white Rioja with character and finesse.
Salt River Sauvignon Blanc Savage 2024
The 2024 Salt River combines fruit from a 35 year old bushvine vineyard in Stellenbosch. Named for the trendy area of Cape Town that Savage Wines calls home, it's bursting with white pepper sprinkled gooseberries, elderflower, tangy starfruit, white currants, passionfruit and pomelo and its pith. Straight as an arrow, with icy cold Atlantic sea spray freshness.
Keermont Terrasse 2023
The Terrasse 2023 has a light green gold colour. The nose is inviting with notes of spring flowers, ripe apricots and citrus, and hints of barley. The palate is soft and luscious at first, then opens up with lovely fresh acidity and an array of flavours like apricot, peach and quince complimented by richer, spicier and savoury fruit. This follows into a lingering aftertaste with a light phenolic grip. A thin line of salty acidity gives the wine a succulent finish. Drink 2024-2035.
Chenin Blanc 30%
Chenin Blanc 16%
Sauv Blanc 15%
Chardonnay 12%
Chardonnay 3%
Viognier 12%
Roussanne 10%
Marsanne 2%
ACCOLADES
TERRASSE 23: 5 stars PLATTER GUIDE
TERRASSE 23: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS)
TERRASSE 23: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
