Mentou Salon Morogues, Domaine Pelle, Loire Valley, France
For a long time, Menetou Salon was viewed as the poor relation of nearby Sancerre. Producers such as Domaine Pellé have ensured that is no longer the case. Anne and Paul-Henry Pellé currently preside over the family estate, the 4th generation of the Pellé family to tend vines here. They farm in a truly sustainable manner and aim to communicate the unique expression of the Menetou Salon terroirs in each bottling. Their ‘Morogues white’ is a blend of 7 different parcels from the highest slopes of the appellation. This location ensures the vines, which are rooted in Kimmeridgian marl soils, are exposed to cool temperatures coupled with long sunshine hours
Hallgarten Riesling Trocken, Peter Jacob Kuhn, Rheingau, Germany
It was no surprise Peter Jakob Kuhn had been voted German winemaker of the year for 2016 – his wines are some of the best examples of German produce we have tasted. The Kühn estate was founded in 1786 by Jacobus Kühn and has remained under the watchful eye of his family ever since. Now, along with his wife Angela, and their son Peter Bernhard (who, during his training completed a stage with our friends at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht), cultivates the family land biodynamically, producing a range of Rieslings which showcase the Rheingau terroir. A fervent believer in the ecological benefits of biodynamic farming, Peter is at present, the only producer to follow biodynamic principles in the Rheingau. His wines are made in a fearless manner, with as much as possible left to nature’s own course. His experimental cuvées include wines which have undergone extra-long lees ageing or been fermented and aged in amphora vessels. Peter is a producer we are delighted to introduce to you all and we firmly believe that his wines will become iconic in the very near future.
Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Cesar, Domaine Roche-Audran, Southern Rhone, France
Vincent Rochette comes from a long line of grape growers rather than winemakers. In 1998, he bucked that trend by investing in a cellar and the necessary equipment to allow him to vinify his own grapes, which for five generations had been sold to other winemakers in the area. Vincent is an ardent believer in the benefits of biodynamics, fully converting his estate to follow that philosophy in 2006. He uses only natural products in the vineyard and carries out all his work in keeping with the cosmic cycles of the earth, not only among the vines but also in the cellar
Chenin Blanc Bouillon aux Dames, Les Equilibristes, Languedoc, France
Les Equilibristes is the brainchild of this pair as they aim to produce one of a kind, quirky cuvees from small estates all across France. Most importantly, their central ideal is to fashion wines that possess the équilibre (‘balance’). Each year, they visit their grower friends and purchase a select amount of grapes from which they produce terroirs-driven, organic cuvees that express a clear identity and sense of place. The results are simply stunning, as Florent (the winemaker) uses little to no added sulphites and other minimal intervention techniques to allow the grapes to truly speak for themselves.
Blankbottle Moment of Silence, Wellington, South Africa
From critically-acclaimed South African winemaker Pieter H. Walser. Pieter explains when he first established the basic premise of the concept. “In 2004, a lady came to my house to buy wine. She asked for anything but Shiraz. “I don’t drink Shiraz”, were her exact words. I poured her a glass of wine. She loved it and bought 3 cases. It was a straight Shiraz. It’s a fact – we do judge the book by its cover.” And so was born the idea of a range of wines that has no limitations when it comes to style, vintage, area or grape varieties
Macon Peronne, Domaine du Mont Epin, Burgundy, France
Richard and Stéphane Martin, the brothers behind Domaine de la Croix-Senaillet produce this wine. After freak weather patterns disrupted their harvest in 2015, they decided to take on two new vineyard sites in nearby Clessé. This allowed them to experiment with a different terroir, as well as expand their range with the incorporation of a number of new wines.
‘Aus’ Pet-Nat, Celler de les Aus, Allela, Spain
Located on the same site as Alta Alella is Celler de les Aus, headed by Mireia Pujol-Busquets – the daughter of Josep Maria. Mireia has already established a reputation as one of the most exciting young winemakers in Europe and, as well as assuming many of the roles from her father in the Alta Alella operation, she has established her own micro-project, producing natural wines without the addition of any sulphites. The small yet striking winery is filled to the brim with vessels of all shapes and sizes as Mireia continually experiments in an effort to produce wines that are as pure a representation of the Alella terroirs as possible. hak
Quintas do Homem, Vinho Verde, Portugal
Quintas do Homem is one of those estates that immediately captivates you with its charm, its passion and dynamism.
Nuno and his father, Antonio, work the vines of their two vineyards, Quinta do Veiga and Quinta do Paço, where they grow predominately Loureiro and Arinto. Ana, their long term winemaker, is a fierce taskmaster, demanding quality fruit that enables her to deliver the pure, fine and elegant Vinho Verdes that Nuno expects. It’s very much a family exercise with Nuno and his father working the vineyards, Nuno’s mother preparing delicious, traditional Portuguese dishes for visitors and Ana, an adopted family member, making sure the wines are always perfect.
Albarino Lembranzas, Rias Baixas, Spain
The DO of Rías Baixas is renowned for the Albariño grape, a native variety that produces some of the best white wines in Spain if not the world. Situated in the northwestern region of Galicia, the DO was formally established in 1988 and Albariño has always been at the forefront of winemaking grapes for this coastal region. The vines here share the same mineral-rich soils and cool climate as some of the world’s other renowned white wine-producing regions, including France’s Loire Valley, New Zealand, and the Rhine region of Germany.
Godello, Lagar do Xestosa, Galicia, Spain
In 2002 Adegas Pazo do Mar was created. It was born of a 30-year family vocation, which respects and admires the age-old Ribeiro wine- making traditions, but has a fresh spirit and vision for the future.
Adegas Pazo do Mar is dedicated to the production of native varietals, including Godello. They are in pursuit of the perfect balance between traditional and modern methods to achieve characterful wines with distinctive freshness. Their commitment to quality led to Pazo do Mar recently investing in the very best of oenological technology.
Traditionally each generation of our family had used this historic site as their initial launching pad as each embarked on its particular quality crusade; but when it was our turn, in the early 2000s, we decided on a totally fresh start not just philosophically (our tenets to respect nature and go back to the old ways) but in a location of our own – with Alejandra running exports and communications, Marco the viticulturist, and Richard the oenologist.
Torrontes, Manos Negras, Salta, Argentina
Alejandro Sejanovich is arguably Argentina’s most knowledgeable viticulturist, working as vineyard director for Bodega Catena Zapata for 16 years, he pioneered high altitude vineyard planting and conducted ground breaking research on Mendoza Malbec clones.
Manos Negras focuses on latitude winemaking, planting Torrontes in the northern stretches of Cadayate in Salta, Pinot Noir in the southern-most region of Neuquen in Patagonia and cultivates 50 year old Malbec vines in the prized Altamira appellation in the Uco Valley.
Muscadet sur Lie, Domaine des Herbauges, Cotes de Grandlieu, Loire valley, France
This family estate has been in production since 1864 and is now the largest single estate in the region.
The vineyards benefit from an exceptional microclimate; the warmth of the Atlantic brings spring early, while the huge Lac de Grandlieu acts like a giant storage heater through growing season. Fourth generation winemaker, Jérôme is committed to the sustainability of the vineyards as well as to the health of the vineyard workers he has even grassed over 100% of the vineyards to reduce the vigour of the vines and to soak up rain at harvest. Each terroir of Domaine des Herbauges expresses its own subtle nuances, and reveals specific particularities and characteristics of the AOC Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu Sur Lie appellation.
