Commercial Description

This Pinot Noir is from our Ballochdale Vineyard, high in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough. This is the first wine Sir George made from this vineyard he acquired in 2023. The vineyard sits at 300m high and is one of the highest and most southerly vineyards in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough.

As soon as we released this wine, it was loved by all. It truly is a gorgeous example of a perfectly crafted Marlborough Pinot Noir. We are so proud to share it with you.

Grape varieties: Gamay

Winemaking: Hand harvesting on very demanding terroirs offering highest potential regarding the preservation of fresh fruit aromas, Beaujolais features. Our winemakers aim the perfect balance between jammy fruit and tannic structure. Semi-carbonic maceration – alcoholic fermentation with daily rack and return – malolactic fermentation – blending and fining.

Soil: Granite, sand and silica.
Climate: Continental climate with cold and dry winters and hot and sunny summers.
Aging: Ageing in vats.

Tasting notes:
Beautiful ruby red colour of good intensity. Elegant, with fresh fig and ripe red berry aromas (black cherry, wild strawberry), as well as delicate spicy notes. Nice structure on the palate with a long liquorice finish.

Food matches: Cold meats, grilled poultry and cheese.
Best served between 14°C and 16°C / 57+F and 60°F.

The Payada is a competitive composing and singing of verses native to Argentina, usually accompanied by guitar. The performer is called a Payador and in performances two or more payadores will compete to produce the most eloquent verse, each answering questions posed by the other, often insulting. 

El Payador is a contemporary and fruit driven Argentinian Malbec created in partnership with third generation Mendoza wine-maker Jorge Daniel Falasco. The wine is sourced from a single high altitude vineyard at over twelve hundred metres above sea level and primarily matured in season French oak.

Calatayud, a small appellation in the heart of Arag6n, Spain. A hidden valley and home to the red garnacha grape. A valley where the working conditions are difficult for the farmers. Rough slate soils, old bush vines planted on steep slopes up to 1,100m, hot summers and cold winters where rainfall is scarce and the wind is
always blowing. Furthermore, they have to deal with a fragmented landscape of small parcels and rarely have a successor for their years of hard labour. It's tough and challenging, and yet, they understand the value of their soil and grapes, each plot providing a distinct character to the grape compared to its neighbour. Las Pizarras (the slate soils) is our range showcasing the diversity of the region. Named after the town or plot the grapes originate from, each wine in the collection expresses its unique character, but all are born out of soil, nature and the right human touch.

FABLA is a language used in several places in the north of the autonomic
community of Aragén for over 1.000 years. Today is used by just 12.000 people.

Harvest: End of September, beginning of October
Clasification: Calatayud DO
Grape varieties: 80% Garnacha 20% Syrah
Vinification: Direct incubation and fermentation for 15 days at no more than
16 degrees Celsius to preserve all the fresh fruit of the Garnacha.
Ageing: 30% of the Garnacha is aged 3 months in barrel

TASTING NOTES
Intense cherry red colour. Typical Garnacha with aromas of ripe red fruit,
prunes, figs and some black pepper and minerality.

The pairing suggestion - lamb stew, carrots, courgettes and a couple of black olives

Ozu Chardonnay (D.O. Navarra) is 100% Chardonnay and spends three months on its lees prior to bottling. No oak is used and the wine is clean, bright and mineral with a floral and citrus nose.

Pairs well with seafood, grilled and baked fish, white meats, light pasta dishes and sheep's cheeses.

From the winery...

Our low-vigour, stony, clay-rich soil, cool maritime mesoclimate, naturally tiny yields of well under 35 hl/ha and our philosophy of expressing our terroir in our wines ? give rise to a certain tightness, tannin line and elevated length to balance the richness and generosity of our Pinot noir. Our Pinot noir is not overtly fruity, soft and "sweet" and it generally shows hints of that alluring savoury "primal" character along with a dark, spicy, complex primary fruit perfume.  

Soil Low-vigour, stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soil

Alcohol 13.46% Acid 5.50 g/l pH 3.48 Residual Sugar 2.30 g/l

Barrel Ageing 10 months

Oak 100% 228 litre French Oak Barrels Tight Grain 100%

1st fill 35% 2nd fill 47% 3rd fill 18%

Blonde Toast 31% Medium Toast 14% Medium Long Toast 55%

French Coopers: Francois Freres 100%

Hamilton Russell is the top winery of the Walker Bay region of South Africa. They are one of the southernmost wine estates in South Africa and are incredibly close to the sea. It is this cooling maritime influence, which helps to cool down their vineyards and enable their grapes to retain acidity, which provides freshness in the resulting wines. It was founded in 1975 by Tim Hamilton Russell who set up the property in the search of making South Africa's top cool-climate wines. It has since been taken over by his son Anthony and his wife Olive. They are now making highly individual, terroir-driven Pinot noir and Chardonnay, which are widely regarded as with the best in South Africa and among the finest in the New World.

A great Italian red from one of the oldest family owned wineries in the world, which has produced wine since the 1200s. This expressive Chianti Classico is dense and complex with piquant spicy aromas, firm impressive tannins and the energy of a great red from one of the world's classic wine regions.

"Impenetrable dark ruby. Deep, concentrated marasca cherry and cherry liqueur with a minty, oaky note and a hint of cinnamon. A concentrated cherry-fruit palate layered with minty oak notes and lots of sandy tannins building up on the tangy finish. Will disappoint no one."

16.5/20 – Jancis Robinson Purple Pages

The second wine of Domaine de Chevalier, L'Esprit de Chevalier shows complexity, depth and power expected from the deep gravel soils of the Graves. In the vineyard and winery innovation is constant, Olivier Bernard and his team are always pushing to improve the wines while showcasing each vintage as it comes. L'Esprit can be enjoyed now or in the next six years where it will age gracefully in the cellar.

Grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc

Bright sweet fruit, this wine is full bodied with intense boysenberry and forest floor characters. The succulent, juicy black fruits and twelve months oak maturation give it excellent structure and a long finish.

Stunning Pinot Noir from Waitaki Valley in North Otago, New Zealand.

Tasting Note: Intense aromas of blueberries, cherry and spices. Floral, herbal and forest floor notes bring complexity and elegance. The tannins are firm yet fresh makingfor real elegance.

San Marzano 'Talo' Negroamaro Puglia IGP is a full-bodied, deep purple red wine with violet reflections from the Apulian based company, San Marzano. It has an intense aroma of blackcurrant and wild fruit, with notes of spice, vanilla and balsamic. 

The wine is aged in French oak barrels for six months and will age gracedully for five to six years. It pairs well with savoury dishes, meats and mature cheese.

Fresh red berry fruits aromas combine with a distinctive dried herb nose, with layers of pot pourri and spice. Chalky tannins and lively acidity entwine around a core of vibrant red fruits. This is a fresh and aromatic wine of elegance and poise.

Late Whitehaven co-founder Greg white was immensely proud of his three daughters, a legacy that Sue White has continued at the helm of Whitehaven Wines. And this new dry pink sparkling wine is made in honour of the daughters, as its name suggests. As is fitting of them, it is a beautiful expression of a sparkling wine made using the same winemaking methods as champagne - the second ferment is in the bottle; the blend is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the wine is incredibly elegant, crisp and bone dry in taste. Flavours of fresh summer berries lead into a gentle creaminess in a sparkling wine with a long, precise, cleansing finish.

Drink it with lightly grilled tuna or smoked salmon.

Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Bianco is a distinctive and complex white wine from Sicily.

 It is made from a blend of two native grape varieties: Albanello and Zibibbo. The grapes are handpicked from sustainably managed vineyards and fermented with natural yeasts. The resulting wine displays aromas of citrus, white flowers, and herbs, coupled with a minerality and saline character that is characteristic of the Sicilian terroir. It has a rich, full-bodied texture and a crisp acidity that balances out the wine's unique character. This wine pairs well with seafood, light pasta dishes, and fresh salads. It's a must-try for those who appreciate authentic and expressive wines.