About the Wine:

Variety: 50% Macabeo (Viura), 50% a blend of Verdil, Malvasía, Pedro Ximénez and other local varieties.

Aged in clay. Organic. 6 months in amphoras.

Cullerot 2024 is a fresh, aromatic, and elegant white wine, with a Mediterranean touch that balances delicacy and playfulness. Its notes of dried hay, fennel, and yellow flowers with a clean and precise sensation on the palate, offering a gentle yet characterful freshness. It appears easy to drink, yet serious in its complexity, and its long finish invites you to enjoy a sunny afternoon, a light aperitif, or simply let the Mediterranean essence fill your glass. Irresistible.

The name Cullerot means tadpole in Valencian.

About the Producer:

Celler del Roure is nothing short of the pioneer of quality wine in the DO Valencia. Until recently, Valencia was only known for its cheap bulk wines, but it is now blossoming into one of Spain most interesting wine regions. Thanks to the estate, which rehabilitated long-forgotten local grapes like the red Mando and the white Verdil, and also rediscovered the use of amphoras.

Pablo Calatayud is like the exception that proves the rule. He has no family roots in wine. He is a newcomer in the profession, which is not really a bad thing in a region like Valencia, where it is better not to follow the « tradition » of high yields, low prices and bad quality. He was lucky enough not to be influenced by all this and to start with a sound basis. His family is active in the local furniture business but supports his project wholeheartedly. Since a few years, his wife Sandra has also been working on the estate. The vineyard is located in Clariano, Valencia’s hinterland, a region with an enormous wine potential. Pablo’s wine story began in 1995-1996, just after he finished his agronomy and oenology studies. Then, with the help of his father and brother, he decided to buy an estate in the highlands and plant it with vines. French grapes, but also old local varieties, which bear witness to the Valencian wine history (even if most of them are long forgotten). In 2000, Pablo produced the first vintage of his Alcusses (the name is a reference to an Iberian settlement dating 4 centuries BC). On the labels of the wines and in the boxes, we'll find the text of a small tin plaque dating from these times, found on the estate. It is written in paleo-hispanic. This is a way for Pablo to pay his dues to the culture of this beautiful region. Pablo’s ambition re-dynamised the whole region. Several other estates followed his example and started producing quality wines, in accordance with their terroirs and tradition. Pablo’s most important decision was the purchase of an old bodega on the mountainside. There they found a real treasure: nearly 100 dug-in amphoras in an almost perfect state of conservation. This is something really unique, all the more so as these amphoras are nearly 500 years old ! Pablo is experimenting with making white and red wines in them, and the results are encouraging. This estate’s future looks bright and the birth of Pablo’s first daughter, Carla, on March 8th 2011, only confirmed it.

Pablo can use a wide range of grapes, but after 15 years on the estate, he knows which ones are really interesting. He thus grafted Monastell onto his Tempranillo, since this last variety did not seem suited to the area. Pablo’s estate covers 66 hectares of old and young vines, more precisely: 14.5 ha of Merlot, 12.5 ha of Monastrell, 12 ha of Cabernet Sauvignon, 7 ha of Tintorera, 6.5 ha of Petit Verdot, 6.5 ha of Syrah, 4 ha of Mandó and 2.5 ha of Chardonnay. He also buys some Macabeu, Malvasía, Pedro Ximenez and Verdil grapes for his whites. As far as red grapes are concerned, he has a special interest in Mandó, a very delicate variety that was nearly exctinct, and which needs a skillful ageing process. Pablo also likes Monastrell (also known as Mourvèdre), a very Mediterranean grape quite common down south. Last but not least, the red-pulp Tintorera, which plays an increasing part on the estate. The other grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Syrah add structure, body, juicy tannins, and spiciness to the wines, respectively. The vines of these varieties are more than 15 years old. Pablo farms the estate organically. Celler del Roure takes part in several university experiments on water stress, canopy management, vine training methods, etc…\

Terroir:

Vineyards are divided between four fincas, on the northern flank of the Serra Grossa (“l’Ombria”) and in the Alforins-Alcusses vale. The average altitude is 550 m. Most soils are very poor in organic matter - mostly sands, clay and limestone. The area is in a transition climate – this is what is called the pre-meseta, a link between the high plateau of Castilla La Mancha and the Costera valleys (Vall d’Albaida and Rio Cànyoles). The mountain ranges guide the wind coming from the interior (El Poniente) to the vineyard; the area also takes advantage of the humid breezes coming from the Mediterranean (El Levante), which gives the region some 600 mm of rainfall.

La Grande Dame is one of the great champagnes and is a big, dry, toasty, full bodied wine, made from 90% Pinot Noir, which adds layers of savoury depths to this complex bubbly, and 10% Chardonnay. It is named in homage to the Grands Cru vineyards from which the grapes in this wine come, from Champagne villages Aÿ, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzy and Verzenay and 47% Chardonnay from Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. 

Its name also pays homage to the Grande Dame of Champagne, the late widow Clicquot, whose main legacy is to have left both the brand and the region in better condition than she found them, mostly famously by inventing riddling; the turning of the bottle to remove the yeast sediment into its neck, prior to disgorgement. This resulted in higher quality, cleaner, fresher bubbles in both look and taste. Her quest was quality and she is widely credited with having raised it significantly in the Champagne region and in the bottles it produces.

From the historic Petrignone estate in Forlì’s Oriolo subzone, this Romagna DOC Sangiovese Superiore Riserva comes from very old vines planted in 1968 on clay–sand soils with pebbles. Harvested by hand at low yields, it is fermented in cement and steel at 28–30°C, with full malolactic conversion, then aged six months in second- and third-fill Allier tonneaux. Balsamic, saline and deeply expressive, it represents the archetype of Romagna Sangiovese, built for ageing and versatile with grilled meats or rich pasta dishes.

Laya is a banging Spanish red made from a blend of heat loving Garnacha Tintorera and Monastrell, both of which thrive in the dry arid climate of Spain and in this wine their big bold flavours are well balanced by being grown on vineyards at altitude. This wine is made from grapes grown at 700 to 1000 metres above sea level on limestone soils; two factors that encourage great quality grapes, which express themselves in high quality wines, thanks to the closer than usual proximity to the sun and the cool nights, which stretch out the growing season and provides refreshing acidity to the grapes.

Oak maturation was brief, which soften this wine, adding complexity.

Produced with selected small parcels of old, dry grown Barossa Shiraz from nearly 30 of the Barossa’s finest grape growing families. The vineyards are situated in different sub regions throughout the Barossa, which adds to the complexity and depth of flavours. The wine is hand made using equipment from the turn of the last century, then aged in American and French oak for two years. All this contributes to the objective to make the very highest quality, traditional, soft, deep coloured, earthy Australian red wine which will bottle age.

Abbazia di Novacella 'Praepositus' Riesling is a dry, white, semi-aromatic wine from Italy's Trentino Alto Adige region. It is a straw yellow colour with golden highlights, and aromas of pineapple, peach, yellow pulp fruit, honey and flint. The palate is linear, racy and savoury, with strong minerality.

The grapes for this wine come from the Conca di Bressanone in the province of Bolzano, at altitudes between 650 and 750 meters above sea level. The wine is vinified and aged in stainless steel, and is a regular winner of the Tre Bicchieri award.

The Abbazia di Novacella wine estate dates back to 1142, and has been an important cultural and spiritual center since medieval times

This Reserva Tempranillo from Valdepenas is a great example of the quality coming out of Spain at the  moment.  Ripe and juicy, yet also with hints of oak and complexity.  Grapes from their oldest, low-yielding vineyards were combined with those of younger vines to create a blend of rich dark fruit with smooth vanilla and rich cocoa. 12 months in American oak barrels, followed by a further 24 months in the bottle add a silken texture to the blend.  Superb with hearty stews and char-grilled steaks as well as a variety of tapas.

"Dark cherry red with a savoury bouquet infused with redcurrant fruit and cake spices, then spicy and savoury to the taste with lifted red berry fruit, a touch of orange zest and peppery spices. There's a nice touch of smokiness coming through, underlying earthy notes and a long dry finish lifted by vanillin oak and mint. Tannins are firm yet the wine is ripe and juicy with a pleasing generosity. Fantastic presentation.  13% alc."

Timorasso is one of the great white grapes of northern Italy and it nearly died out following phylloxera in the late 1800s, until it was revived in the small Colli Tortonesi DOC of Piedmonte.

Timorasso produces wine that is structured and elegant and capable of aging for a surprisingly long time in bottle. On the nose the wine shows notes of white peach, honey, acacia, hawthorn blossom, and chamomile, developing smoky and mineral notes with age. 

This is a great dry white that gets better with age and is also hugely complex right now. 

This is one of our best sellers for so many reasons, including it's attractively affordable price tag and consistent high quality winemaking from South Australian winemaker Johny Quarisa, who makes this smooth, fruity red made from Petit Syrah.

The warm Mediterranean climate in South Australia provides great ripening conditions for the late ripening Petit Sirah grape, which is also known as Durif. This grape is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin and was developed by the late French vine nurseryman, Dr Durif, whose aim was to make a disease resistant red grape variety which retained ripe flavours and body. 

This bold and beautiful McLaren Vale Shiraz puts the region's best foot forward - and the grape's most vibrant, peppery flavours forward too, in the glass. It's named after winery owner Frank Mitolo's three children, Gemma, Alex and Marco and is a deliciouly dark and spicy red with deep earthy notes. 

The wine is made from vineyards at the south end of McLaren Vale, which provides ripe but balanced dark flavours of powerful black cherries, black plums and strong notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and spice. Winemaker Ben Glaetzer says he picks grapes on flavour ripeness to make wines with mature tannins and vibrant fruit both being key characteristics of Mitolo wines. 

He describes GAM Shiraz as opulent, robust and multi layered; an ideal match for rustic foods.

It comes from the Lopresti vineyard, which is about three kilometres east of the coastal town of Port Willunga.

Winemaker Ben Glaetzer describes this wine as: "Full bodied and dense, the palate provides layers of ripe black fruits that open up endlessly. Firm, ripe tannins amply support the rich and opulent black fruit characters with the earthy background notes contributing further complexity. It is an ample and very classic expression of McLaren Vale Shiraz."