Vallformosa, is a family owned operation that has been around for 150 years. 

Appearance: Pale yellow with greenish reflections in the glass

On the Nose: Good aromatic intensity of fruity aromas, including green apple and fresh herbs like fennel welcome the nose. These fruiter elements also combine with notes of white flowers and citrus in the bouquet to offer complexity.

On the Palate: Vallformosa Cava is a bright sparkling wine with fine persistent bubbles. The palate is balanced and dry while soft, resulting in well balanced acidity and a fruity aftertaste.

About Cava...

Cava is one of the great sparkling wine secrets of the world and you could call it poor man's champagne because it's made the same way, only with slightly shorter aging time and therefore a little less complexity on the palate. Still, given that it costs a fraction of the price and has had its secondary fermentation in the same bottle that you buy it in, this really is superb value for money.

It can be made with grapes grown anywhere in Spain. These days, producers are allowed to use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to make cava but this one is from the traditional Spanish grapes, namely, Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada, each of which combines to create a fruity but dry and lightly yeasty fresh taste. A stunner at the price and an extremely fresh, refreshing dry bubbly. Awesome value for money.

Winery

Tapiz is one of the new and successful wineries in Argentina. Our success is based on our great terroirs, our brand new equipment and technology and, above all, our strong and experienced team. Winemaker Fabian Valenzuela was joined by Jean Claude Berrouet in 2012. Jean Claude is the recently-retired winemaker of Petrus, having presided over 44 vintages at this revered Bordeaux winery. We are proud that Jean Claude chose to work with us exclusively in Argentina.

We are a 100% family business, that started 10 years ago with a clear mission:  to produce the best wines and olive oils possible, protecting the environment and preserving regional cultures.

Our terroir defines us and our products are our finest expression of this identity. We are convinced that to achieve these goals, we must produce our grapes, so that every year each segment remains its style and quality.  We have 8 vineyards in the best and most representative wine areas, Globalgap and Good Manufacturing certified, allowing us to have lines with specific characteristics of each region.

Tasting Notes

The aromas and flavors of fresh fruit such as apple, pear, and peach are amalgamated with mineral touches and orange peel. French oak adds notes of caramel and honey. It is a long-lasting wine in the mouth.

93 Points James Suckling

Technical Information

Vineyards: San Pablo Estate  

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay.

Average Vineyard Altitude: 1350 Metres 

Fermentation: Pre-fermentative cold maceration. Alcoholic Fermentation is carried out in new and second use French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation.

Aging: 6 to 8 months of barrel.

Alcohol: 14.0% 

Beronia Reserva is made from a selection of the best grapes from the oldest Tempranillo vines, plus some Graciano y Mazuelo. After a spell undergoing cold pre-fermentation maceration and controlled fermentation with periodic pumping over to extract the desired colour and aromas, the wine spent 18 months in mixed French and American oak barrels to create the unmistakable 'Beronia Style'. Lastly the wine was left to rest in the bottle a further 18 months before being released to the market.

Atractive and intriguing on the nose it displays nutty aromas – roasted almonds, walnuts – followed by notes of plum primarily but also ripe fruit and a pleasant hint of white pepper, which all add complexity and freshness. Full bodied the palate, the wine displays balanced acidity. The flavours are mostly of ripe fruit, whilst the finish is sweet and smooth, bringing to mind cacao and roasted hazelnuts.

ZENKURO - This is New Zealand's first ever sake, handcrafted since 2015, in Queenstown.  Our fresh, Premium grade junmai style of sake is pure, nothing added, but give a unique twist with the use of Manuka timber, NZ's own miracle tree.

Our brand is Zenkura - while 'zen' means all, 'kuro' means black - a simple but powerful combination born in NZ.  We start with water from the snow-capped Southern Alps and special sake rice that has been milled to remove the outer 40%, leaving only the best part of each grain for the fermentation to begin.

18% ABV.

Xarel-Lo is famously used in the production of cava along with a few others - but here it is made as a varietal wine from vines planted in 1974 in the high altitude of Penedes.

Fermentation was in stainless steel tanks with fine lees contact for three weeks to retain the fruity freshness and add texture.

The result is a youthful and vibrantly fruited wine with sweet herbal scents and fresh green fennel.

The Wine:

Tinto Joven; 96% Tempranillo, 2% Garnacha, and 2% Viura.
Rioja Alta, vineyards of Ábalos and San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
A blend of native varieties from our vineyards located in the Rioja Sonsierra region. The varieties combine to create a clear definition of a young, fresh, and fruity wine.

WINEMAKING:

Process: Carbonic maceration (whole bunch maceration). This allows us to transmit all the fruitiness of the grapes to this wine. Fermented at a controlled temperature (26º). The fermentation process proceeds normally and quickly. Natural stabilization and bottling.

The Producer:

Abeica is winery currently under the watch of the fourth generation - with the fifth already cutting their teeth. Do not for one second though assume that this historic connection bears the weight of conforming to brand Rioja.  During the 1990's the winery was successful at home and abroad. Growing year -on-year, buying in grapes from neighbouring properties to fuel their growth.  The four siblings, Isabel, Ricardo, Pachi and Raul decided to pull back from this and return to a true family project using only their own vines and their combined skills.  Vineyards are mainly clay-calcareous between 450-590 metres and enjoy the protection of the Sonsierra mountain range. Vintage employs the entire extended family to hand pick and bring in the harvest to the gravity-fed winery. Fermentation is generally whole bunch under carbonic maceration. There is a refreshing hands - off approach, letting nature do the work which leads to freshness across the range. It truly feels like Rioja with the light let in.

Grape Varieties: 100% Viura

Type: White Wine Crianza

Alcohol Content: 12.5% vol.

Serving Temperature: 14º - 16º

Production: 

Made 100% from Viura (Macabeo) grapes. The hand-harvested grapes are selected from old vines sourced from their own vineyards and are made in a very traditional winemaking style.

It has spent 4 years in oak barrels, been racked twice a year, been fined with fresh egg whites, been bottled unfiltered, and been followed by some ageing in bottle before being released.

Tasting Notes: 

Pale gold in colour. Aromatic and complex-scented nose of mature fruit, some dry honeycomb, and a citrus touch, floral and nutty with hints of oak. The palate is complex and developed, with good acidity that opens out very well and finishes dry.

Notes: With good ageing potential, it will drink well through 2027. It goes well with all kinds of fish, grilled seafood, and white meats, as well as with pasta dishes.

THE WINERY

The family-owned bodega López Heredia, one of Rioja’s oldest and most traditional establishments, was founded in 1913 by Rafael López de Heredia. Three generations later, the Lopez de Heredia family continue to devote themselves to producing exceptional and unique wines. Located in the heart of the Rioja Alta region, Viña Tondonia is a beautiful vineyard and one of the most spectacular in Haro, with over 100 hectares situated in a shell-like depression on the right bank of the river Ebro; the soil is alluvial clay with a high proportion of limestone. The grapes from Viña Tondonia are always used in making their highest-quality wine. 

Premium sake filled in pocket-sized and resealable can!

"Kappa" is an imaginally creature in ponds and livers having a plate on their heads and a turtle-like carapace on their backs. It has been Kizakura's company mascot for 100 years. Filled premium Junmai Ginjo sake that is made with two different kinds of yeasts and has rich Umami taste in a fascinating illust can.

Brewing from naturally cultivated "Omachi" rice grown fertilizer-free or pesticides-free. Hope you to enjoy this natural goodness of this sake. Semi-sweet, elegant and clear taste is popular with also sake beginners. Easy to match with dishes with acidity, such as escabeche.

This luxurious umeshu is made with 100% wasanbon sugar ? a rare, high-quality sugar traditionally handcrafted in Kagawa and Tokushima. Known for its smooth texture and refined sweetness, wasanbon is often used in premium Japanese confectionery. Enjoy the delicate, elegant flavour of this umeshu served on the rocks.

Jinro Soju Melon 360ml is a smooth and lightly sweet flavoured Korean soju that blends the clean, crisp character of traditional soju with the juicy taste of ripe melon. It delivers a refreshing and easy-drinking profile with soft fruity aromas and a clean finish that makes it highly approachable. Light in alcohol and well-balanced, it is perfect for casual social occasions or enjoying chilled on its own. Best served cold, it offers a refreshing tropical-style twist on a classic Korean spirit.