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Sherwood Estate Stratum Sauvignon Blanc (2023): $17.00

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from Sherwood Estate)

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Winery: Sherwood Estate

Region: Waipara Valley, New Zealand

Drink or Cellar? Drink now! General rule of thumb: cellar a sauv blanc for up to 2 years from vintage date. Some can cellar much longer, depending on tannins and other factors.

Process 

A slow cool fermentation is carried out over three weeks with the aim of retaining as much of the delicate floral, herbaceous fruit flavours as possible. Once completed the wine remains in tank with the yeast lees for a further three months. 

Tasting notes

A vibrant Sauvignon Blanc, filled with tropical fruit, gooseberry and citrus flavours with just a hint of asparagus. The wine has a medium bodied dry finish with typical abundant herbaceous tropical characters. The vibrant acidity creates a long lingering finish.

Food pairings

Best enjoyed chilled on its own or with seafood and salads. Delicate fish dishes with fresh herbs or summer salads with citrus vinaigrette.

From Them to You!

We are a family wine business who have grown from a small husband and wife team to one of the largest independent wineries in New Zealand.

​We’re able to make great wine because the of land in which our grapes are grown. Being a family company, we are always conscious about what we are leaving behind for future generations. That’s why we were one of the first wineries in the Waipara Valley to have all our vineyards and winery accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ).

This quintessential Kiwi “can-do” attitude and unwavering determination and dedication to what we do has shaped our company over the last 3 decades.  Every aspect of our business from caring for our vineyards and making the wine, to creating lasting relationships with our customers and suppliers is managed with the personal touch of a family business. With this level of involvement at every step of the process, we can ensure the highest standards are maintained.

What does that mean?  It means we grow our own fruit, make the wine, bottle, package, and dispatch it.  It means we have our own team of dedicated staff working with our customers around the world. It means Jill and Dayne Sherwood are at the winery every day to ensure our quality and service remain at the highest level. 

Source:  https://www.sherwood.co.nz/ 

Nugan Estate Third Generation Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: $15.00

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from Nugan Estate)

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Winery: Nugan Estate

Region: South Eastern Australia

Drink or Cellar? Drink now or…General rule of thumb: cellar a caub sauv for up to 7  years from vintage date. Some can cellar much longer, depending on tannins and other factors.

Process 

To achieve optimum ripeness the fruit was harvested in the cool of the night preserving delicate fruit flavours. After picking, the fruit was crushed and fermented in static tanks with automatic irrigators. Selected parcels received American oak treatment during fermentation to add complexity and structure.

Tasting notes

Dense red in appearance with a youthful crimson hue. Sweet aromas of berry fruits entwined with milk chocolate and delicate allspice nuances. Flavours of blackcurrant and plum with overtones of earth and spice tantalise the palate.

Food pairings

Perfect with red meat dishes. Try with roast lamb or gourmet sausages.

From Them to You!

Nugan Estate has been recognised as one of Australia’s best Winemakers having been awarded 44 trophies, and over 1,500 medals, which includes 207 gold medals.

Nugan Estate is recognised as one of Australia’s best Winemakers. We pour our heart and soul into our work, creating outstanding wines that are sought after around the world. Nugan Estate is a top 20 wine producer and the 13th largest exporter of branded wine in Australia. The story of Nugan Estate spans 80 years, three generations, and displays determination, passion and grit. In 1938, Alfredo and Annelise Nugan fled their home village of Alcira, Spain and migrated to Australia. As immigrants they brought with them aspects of European culture including the enjoyment of wine.

Source: https://nuganestate.com.au/ 

Casas Del Bosque Carmenere 2022: $17.00

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from Casas del Bosque)

Varietal: Carmenere

Winery: Casas del Bosque

Region: Almahue, Chile

Drink or Cellar? Drink now or cellar for 5 more years!

All about

One of Chile’s most emblematic grape varieties. Casas del Bosque Carmenere comes from one of the best terroirs for this variety, Almahue, a place that provides the ideal climate and soil for the perfect ripening of this grape variety, giving elegant, fruity reds with soft tannins.

Tasting notes

Good color, deep purple with violet reflections. The wine is lively and vibrant, with notes of tobacco and spices. On the nose the typical green paprika from the vine blends well with the spices from the barrel. The palate is balanced and consistent with the aromas on the nose. The sensation on the palate is of a voluptuous, ripe wine with soft tannins. An excellent representation of its origin.

Food pairings

Typical Chilean cuisine such as pastel de choclo, empanadas de pino, and pastas with tomato-based sauces, legumes are a good choice when pairing this wine.

From Them to You!

Our Cuneo family, of Italian roots, founded Casas del Bosque in 1993, in this beautiful place in the Casablanca Valley, 70 kilometers from Santiago, the capital of Chile, and 40 kilometers from the port of Valparaiso (UNESCO World Heritage Site). A pre-coastal valley, located in the coastal plain of the region, 18kms. in a straight line from the sea, in Las Dichas sector where we gave life to this wonderful project. 

The large and ancient forests of pine and olive trees, and small white adobe houses, gave rise to the name “Casas del Bosque” (Forest Houses).

Our soils are of volcanic origin and were formed 110 million years ago under the Pacific Ocean and are its main asset. Composed of shallow red clay over decomposed granite substrate, they give the wines a unique flavor, characteristic of sea salt. Over the years we have become one of the most prestigious wineries in the Casablanca Valley. 

Source: https://casasdelbosque.cl/en/ 

The Pepper Pot 2021 Red Blend: $19.00

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from Edgebaston Vineyard)

Varietal: 57% Syrah, 24% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre, 7% Tannat

Winery: Edgebaston Vineyard, David Finlayson

Region: Western Cape, South Africa

Drink or Cellar? Drink now or cellar for 3 more years

Process 

Grapes were fermented in multiple cuvees of Stainless Steel Tanks using different techniques on batches. Made up from 11 different ferments, the blending components of the wine are diverse in style. In some cases a small percentage of healthy stalks were added back to the ferment. A number of ferments were done with natural yeasts. Maceration on skins was selective depending on the flavours in the wine. Soft pressed to allow fruit dominant characteristics

Tasting notes

This wine is created to show the fresh, fruity and spice-driven flavours of these Rhone varietals. The colour is youthful and purple/red. The nose is one of crushed black pepper, dark mulberry and mixed berry coulis. Pure, clean dark red berry flavours flow onto a smooth palate with sufficient structure.

Food pairings

Pure, clean dark red berry flavours flow onto a smooth palate with sufficient structure to warrant enjoyment with food such as Gourmet Pizza with Carpaccio and rocket salad.

From Them to You!

Edgebaston vineyard, situated in the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain in the northern reaches of the Stellenbosch wine region, is the home of David Finlayson’s range of premium wines.

With over 25 years of winemaking experience gained in South Africa and a number of wineries around the world, including Chateau Margaux in France and Peter Lehmann Wines in Australia, David Finlayson is a name synonymous with producing wines from top quality Burgundian and Bordeaux grape varieties alike.

Born and raised in Stellenbosch and a third generation grape grower and vintner, David Finlayson and his family purchased the run down Edgebaston farm in 2004 and began the painstaking replanting and rebuilding process to create the picturesque 30 hectare vineyard that is the Edgebaston Vineyard today. The vineyards have deep clay topsoil and shale sub-soils, unique to this particular part of Stellenbosch which produce wines with excellent structure, classic style and minerality.

Source: https://www.edgebaston.co.za/ 

2022 Cala Civetta Sangiovese: $18.00

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from Cantina Cooperativa Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano)

Varietal: 90% Sangiovese 10% Alicante

Winery: Cantina Cooperativa Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano

Region: Tuscany, Italy

Drink or Cellar? Drink now or cellar up to 7 years.

Process 

Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand.

Tasting notes

The Sangiovese and Alicante blend provides a pleasing melange of tart, dried cherry and liquid smoke, along with a faint chalkiness and a finish that is pleasingly dry and briny. Light ruby color with dark cherry, with a hint of chalk and earth on the nose.

Food pairings

This incredible wine can pair with so many options: pizza, bolognese, meatballs, lasagna, and gnocchi to name a few!

From Them to You!

Cantina del Morellino is our favorite Tuscan cooperative. It is a family-owned, interconnected network of exceedingly small growers, virtually all of them multigenerational and married to the land. Chief enologist Paolo Caciorgna is a master of his craft, and one of the true experts in native Tuscan varietals. 

Located just inland from the Tuscan coastline, the Cantina del Morellino is a true co-op that distributes profits to its 170 participating families. The average land holding is tiny – just 3 hectares – and sustainable farming remains the undying mantra. 

Source: https://augustimports.com/ ; https://www.augustimports.com/site/assets/files/25660/cantina-del-morellino__cala-civetta-sangiovese-toscana-igt-2023__wine-techsheet.pdf 

Durigutti Viognier: $12.50

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from Durigutti)

Varietal: 100% Viognier

Winery: 50% Los Árboles, Uco Valley. 50% Altamira, Uco Valley

Region: Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

Drink or Cellar? Drink now or…cellar from 2-5 years

Process 

HARVEST: Manual, during the first week of February 2020. Reception at the winery in boxes of 18 kilos, simple selection and grape destemming. 

PROCESS: Maceration and fermentation 100% with skin for 18 days between 13-15º C with native yeasts in concrete eggs without epoxi, then the skin is separated to finish the fermentation during the first fortnight of March. Aging on lees during 4 months. 

Tasting notes

Golden yellow in color, the reductive nose delivers white peach and wet stone while in the mouth it is lively and fresh with rich tannins and a pleasantly frank and flavorsome finish. We recommend consuming it at a temperature between 8º-12º C.

Food pairings

Pair this exemplary viognier with dishes such as white meats, spicy Asian cuisine, cheeses, fruits or salads.

From Them to You!

“We are inspired and moved by the love for our land”

With winemaking knowledge and applied technology, they add to the constant search of the expression of origin. This is what motivates us to explore the land, interpret the local character and make high quality wines. We hope to build a legacy with the spirit of a family winery, respecting the place as part of our personal history and within the natural system of the vine.

Diverse optimal soils for making high quality wines are found at the base of the mountainous range of the Andes.  Since the start of our family project, we have passionately dedicated to the study of soils, becoming specialists in understanding the terroir.  This discipline allowed us to rediscover the potential of the different micro regions and in particular, within our vineyards, identifying the structure, peculiar characteristics and potential of each one of the parcels.

Our supply of fruit comes from vines that have been propagated from layering, as in Finca Victoria, located just meters from our winery in Las Compuertas.  We also receive specially selected grapes from small producers in different parts of the country.

Soils rich in minerals, pristine water from the snowmelt, pure air from the Andes, heights that reach between 900 and 1200 m.a.s.l. and a wide thermal temperature differential, daily sunlight between 10 and 15 hours, depending on the season are just some of the outstanding characteristics that contribute to producing healthy naturally organic crops. 

Source: https://durigutti.com/