📍Sant’Angelo in Colle, Montalcino, Toscana, Italy🇮🇹

Very old school Brunello with a bouquet slowly opening up revealing well matured notes of baked red fruits (a bit aged tawny-like), dark cherry, old leather, cinnamon, anise, dried herbs, sweet tobacco and old coffee grounds. It’s quite dusty as well and has some iron and blood-like scents coming through.

On the palate, it’s medium(+)-bodied with powdery tannins and medium acidity. Notes of dark cherry, prunes, baked tomato, cloves, oak, dark chocolate and rosemary/thyme-like herbs. The finish is long and balsamic, and the alcohol is (maybe a bit too) present. Not as floral as expected.

• Grapes are hand-harvested from the winery’s oldest vineyards (150-450 meters altitude)

• Fermented in steel tanks with indigenous yeasts

• Aged in big French oak barrels (30-50 hectoliters) for 3 years

An iconic winery in Toscana, still owned by the Francheschi-family since the establishment in 1890.

They own 600 ha of land, of which 125 are vines and 70 are olive trees, in the area next to the village of San’tAngelo in Colle, which is known as being one of the best terroirs in the Brunello di Montalcino-area.

Il Poggione is a winery with great quality, that delivers pretty much in all vintages. And the prices are not bad…

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ Tenuta Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino, 2012

𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊, 2018

📍Castiglione Falletto, Barolo, Piemonte, Italy🇮🇹

First time tasting a Derthona. Lovely wine offering aromas of kiwi, quince, melon rind, raw white mushrooms, marzipan, chamomile  and mild petrol, resin and beeswax. There’s a mild scent of white flowers and a nice mineral touch of wet sea stones.

The wine is dry, medium-bodied and has a refreshing acidity on the palate. It brings notes of fresh pear, green gooseberry, kiwi, tangerine, ginger, stones from peach and cherry and green bitter salad.

* Grapes are harvested from vineyards located around the town of Monleale in Colli Tortonesi DOC.

* Fermentation takes place in steel tanks, ceramic containers and wooden casks.

* Aged 10 months in steel tanks, ceramic containers and wooden barrels on the lees - frequent batonnage.

The area of Colli Tortonesi DOC (eastern Piemonte) is most famous for wines based on Barbera, but the ancient, and almost extinct, variety of Timorasso is gaining a lot of attention these years. A real cult variety for those who know it.

Wines labeled as "Derthona", which is the traditional name (in the local dialect) for the town of Tortona, after which the Colli Tortonesi DOC is named, are always made by 95-100% Timorasso.

Walter Massa might be the main figure when it comes to the rise of Timorasso, but for sure giants from Barolo (like Vietti, La Spinetta and Borgogno) are helping to spread the “news” with their recently achieved vines.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ 𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊, 2018 📍Castiglione

The Brutal wine cooperation (related to the cult Barcelona wine bar, Bar Brutal) is a loose cooperation of natural winemakers. To be “accepted” into the club, the winemaker has to make a “brutal” wine (in one way or another…) - super low intervention (natural) and only one barrel of it. It has to stand out as a funky or extreme wine - it can be some sort of experimental wine as well. In generel, the Brutal label looks the same, but in some cases, the winemaker is allowed to change the style a bit.

In this case, the rising start Johan Meyer’s “Mother Rock Brutal !” is vinified with 100% whole bunches of Chenin Blanc with 2 weeks of maceration in concrete egg.

The soils are granitic sands with Koffie Klip (iron-rich duricrust) over clay.

Compared with other Brutals I’ve had, this one’s less crazy but more approachable to most people (I guess). This is a juicy fruit bomb of a thirst-quencher. The nose is filled with heavy elderflower, pineapple, kiwi, apple, canned peach and a mild perfumed scent of sage and lychee. The palate is soft with medium+ acidity and a prickling minerality. Apple, canned pineapple, tangerine, white tea kombucha and white winegum on the tongue. Yes please - looking forward to next summer!

 ⭐️86/100⭐️ Mother Rock Brutal !, 2019 📍Swartland, South

📍Valle de La Orotava, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain🇪🇸

🍇 90% Listán Blanco / 10% Torontés Volcánico

I was first introduced to the unique wines of Tenerife last summer. And wow, that blew my mind! Since then, wines made from Listán Blanco has been among my favorites, and this one is no exception. They are complex and distinctive - quite their own.

- There’s a lot of synonyms for Listan Blanco. The most well known is Palomino made for sherry.

This small unique family winery, located on the northern part of the island, has made wine with their own label since 2006 with a minimized human intervention philosophy.

They own 11he in total ranging from 350 to 750 metres above sea level, moreover, they work closely together with other local vine-farmers bringing extra 15he to harvest from. All on volcanic soil.

Trenzado is a village wine harvested from +100 years old vines, made with wild native yeast, fermented with whole clusters and left on the lees (40% in concrete tanks with a few days skin contact, 60% in 500 liter foudres without skins).

It’s aged 9 months in used French foudres (20hl. to 45hl.).

The aromas are crazy and extremely reductive (lots of sour cabbage to begin with). Leave it to breath for half an hour.

Afterwords, lovely scents of roasted sesame, citrus, smoky gunpowder, oily train rail yard, brown-baked croissant, sea breeze, petrol, yeast and crushed volcanic stone appear.

The palate is medium-bodied, a bit oily with an insane, mouth cleaning acidic level and great minerality. Grape, bitter pomelo, lemon peel, croissant, butter, salt and flint.

Summarized, the nose is insanely interesting (maybe too interesting for some people…). The palate is milder and delicious. An addictive wine for sure! And for the price...🤯

 ⭐️92/100⭐️ Suertes del Marqués Trenzado, 2019 📍Valle de La

📍Côte de Beaune, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

Domaine Bouchard, established in 1731, is one of the oldest wineries in Bourgogne and also the largest owner of Premier- and Grand Crus in Côte d’Or with around 12 hectares of Grand Crus  and 74 hectares of 1er Crus. Besides this, they also buy high quality grapes.

Like almost all great wineries, this one has also had its ups and downs through the years. But especially after Joseph Henriot bought the estate back in 1995, the quality has risen enormously - especially with the modernisation of the winery in 2005.

A funny story, true or not, is that the vines of Corton-Charlemagne (named after Charles the Great, ruling from 768-814) required a part of the hill of Corton planted with Chardonnay, because red wine discolored his beard…

Their own vines have been organically cultivated since 2000 without certificate (applied for in 2020).

The Corton-Charlemagne is rested 13 months in French oak of 15% new ones (varies a bit depending on the vintage).

Very heavy aromas from this one! You can almost feel the fatness inside you nose. Elements of pineapple, yellow plum and apple, lemon curd, aged hard cheese, butterscotch, honey, candied ginger, smoke (from the btw very well integrated oak), buttercup, fresh yellow hay, minerality and mild menthol.

The palate is full-bodied with only medium(-) acidity. It’s a Chardonnay concentrate, almost oily in texture. Warm yellow fruits mixed with brioche, lemongrass, unsalted peanuts, honey and s nice (baking)spicy finish. The minerality is very fine, and together with the use of oak, quite a nice structure balances the general weight.

Picture from Enomania in September. Can’t wait for restaurants/bars to reopen🥺

 ⭐️92+/100⭐️ Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne

📍Oggau am Neusiedler See, Burgenland, Austria🇦🇹

Gut Oggau is a biodynamic wine project located in the small village of Oggau in Burgenland. Eduard and Stephanie Tscheppe began the project back in 2007, when they bought and restored a 17th century winery, that had been abandoned for more than 20 years - vineyards included. The vines were standing untouched as long as the winery, which was perfect, as that allowed the Tscheppes to immediately begin working biodynamically with their viticulture. Today, they are fully Demeter-certified and one of the most well known austrian natural wineries.

“Edmund” is extremely rare and limited with a tiny production - only 42 bottles are allocated to the UK, and I have no idea about how “many” there are here in DK..

It’s based on a field blend from limestone and slate vineyards, and since the Oggaus mainly work with the varieties of Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling, Weissburgunder, Gewurztraminer, Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch - let’s stick to them.

The wine undergoes 10 days of maceration before aging in big, old oak barrels.

The aromas came to life after some air and higher temperature, offering a mild nose of dried apricot, overripe pear, dried mango, black tea and pistachio.

The palate felt slightly oily with super low acidity and mild chewy tannins - really a funny texture. Again, apricot and mango all over with a hint of green olives.

I might have expected more complexity (also taken the price in consideration), but the more I think about it, the more I actually like it. Especially after tasting it again an hour later.

 for a lovely sunday-concept (and food such as  service).

 ⭐️91+/100⭐️ Gut Oggau Edmund, 2018 📍Oggau am Neusiedler See

📍Chassagne-Montrachet, Côte d’Or, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

After working with the family business, Dom. Marc Colin, from 1994-2005, Pierre-Yves established his own domaine in 2006 with his wife, Caroline Morey, and soon after the first vintages, the domaine became a must-have-cult-winery for the Bourgogne lovers’ cellars.

Both bought and domaine grapes are of highest quality harvested with sustainable philosophies - organic as a “minimum”.

Being proactive in the prevention of premature oxidation, wider and longer corks are used as well as wax capsules.

Whole bunch fermented with indigenous yeasts.

16 months elevage is longer time than many of Bourgogne’s whites undergo, and to balance the aging time with the wood, 350 liter barrels are used instead of the classic 228 liter barrels (33% new), which also preserves more freshness. There’s no lees stirring during elevage.

The aromas are super interesting and jumps out the glass offering ripe pear, lemon oil, peach followed by all the funny stuff: Wax, burnt rubber, yeast, sweetened yoghurt, white chocolate, honey and the Chablis-like minerality and dandelion element. It’s simply delicious if your into these slightly reductive elements.

The palate is a little more relaxed with a medium body and acidity with a slightly oily feeling. Lemon, honeydew, green apple, a hint of wood and smoke, finished with salt and chalky minerals.

Definitely an Aligoté to remember. More complex and elegant than the (few) other Aligotés I’ve tasted.

 ⭐️91/100⭐️ Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Aligoté, 2018

Winemaker Johan Meyer is a rising star in the ever-emerging South African wine industry in a very short time.

After seeing the market quickly drink up his initial label, “Force Majeure” (“Force Celeste” in the US), he expanded the offerings by including a new label, “Mother Rock”, to his portfolio in collaboration with his UK importer, Ben Henshaw from Indigo Wines.

The wines are all sustainable and each focusing on the different terroirs of South Africa. Chenin Blanc is the root of the whites, while the reds contains a few different classic varieties.

The grapes are harvested from soils of granitic sands with Koffie Klip (iron-rich duricrust) over clay. The wine undergo a 100% whole bunch fermentation before resting 10 months in 500 liter French oak barrels.

The bouquet is open and delicious right from the beginning, offering ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, burnt rye, pepper, fresh thyme, dry cocoa and a hin of some mild dairy product. There’s a mild smoky scent with a touch of bacon.

The palate is extremely well balanced: medium-bodied (quite light for a Syrah) with coating, fine tannins and a rarely seen clear, sour cherry-like acidity. Blueberry compote, ripe blackberry, pepper and a green touch from the whole cluster fermentation.

 ⭐️88/100⭐️ Mother Rock Syrah, 2019 📍Swartland, South Africa🇿🇦

𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐬  𝑹𝒆́𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒖 𝑪𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒖, 2014

📍Montigny-les-Arsures, Jura, France🇫🇷

After the Algerian war, Lucien Aviet established Caveau de Bacchus in 1960 located in Montigny-les-Arsures (just next to Arbois) in Jura. He went against the Chardonnay-trend and chose to focus mainly on Savagnin and Trousseau - today reputed as one of the best Trousseau-producers of the region.

Today, Lucien is retired and his son, Vincent, is running the business with same traditional philosophy and care for sustainable/organic viticulture.

Manually harvested from 50 years old vines located in Arbois and Montigny-Les-Arsures.

Natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts before spending 5 years in old 228 and 500 liter barrels with the traditional Jura oxidation method “sous voile” (like the Sherry-“flor wines”) with no racking and topping up during elevage. After around 3 years, a relatively big part of the wine has evaporated and a film of yeast is naturally layered on top of the wine.

The aromas of this beast are extremely expressive from the very beginning offering a mix of fresh yellow apple and brown oxidized windfallen apple, brown sugar, salt-baked lemon, candied ginger, old hayloft, walnut, honey, butterscotch, green stem, dried orange peel, a hint of curry and wet stones.

The palate is medium-bodied and slightly creamy with a surprisingly high acidic level and a sick minerality. It offers crispy ripe pear, green olives, lemon grass, golden raisin and ginger. The finish is very long and salt, leaving your mouth watering and with that special (and delicious) flavor of “flor”.

Quite like a Vin Jaune, but the acidity in this case outshines all the Vin Jaunes’ I’ve had.

 ⭐️93/100⭐️ 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐬  𝑹𝒆́𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒖 𝑪𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒖, 2014

This blanc de noir (“vino bianco ottenuto da uva nera”) are harvested from a plot of Pinot Nero near the winery of the legendary Cavallotto estate.

Since 1928, four generations of the Cavalotto family have run the estate of Tenuta Bricco Boschis, and they are the first cultivators of Castiglione Falletto to vinify all their own grapes by them self back in 1946 - releasing their first 100% estate-harvested Barolo in 1948.

Besides Pinot Nero, they rule over 25 hectares of vineyards planted with Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Chardonnay and Grignolino. All hectares are cultivated with organic farming practices.

Low pressure direct press to avoid color extraction from the skin, fermented in steel tanks, and then aged 9 months (sur lie) in steel tanks with daily batonnage. Finally rested 6 months in the bottle before release.

Beautiful blanc color only broken by a tiny touch of rose water.

The aromas are quite expressive with notes of unripe tropical fruit, peach, pear, salak, fresh raspberry and green banana peel followed by yeast, biscuits, fresh cress, wet iron and a chalky finish.

The palate is light with a oily texture combined with a penetrating acidity. Peach, pear, passionfruit, lemon juice and small sour blueberry on the tongue. All with a great minerality, white pepper, a hint of raw liquorice finishing with raw white mushrooms.

First non-bubbly blanc d’noir I really like. You’re welcome to send me your recommendations for other good ones✌🏼

 ⭐️88/100⭐️ Cavallotto Pinner, 2019 📍Castiglione Falletto

- Côte de Beaune, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

Bouchard is one of the oldest wineries (founded in 1731) of Bourgogne and also the largest owner of Premier- and Grand Crus in Côte d’Or.

In fact, they own around 12 hectares of GC and 74 hectares of PC.

Like almost all great wineries, this one has also had it’s ups and downs through the years. Especially after Joseph Henriot bought the estate back in 1995, the quality has risen enormously - even more with the modernisation of the winery in 2005.

2015 is known for beeing quite a warm vintage, where a lot of the Côte de Beaune-reds are lacking a bit of elegance.

Only the slightly cooler August made sure, that the grapes didn’t overripe.

Instead, the Pinots lean to the darker and heavier side.

For a Pinot Noir, it seems very dark colored. Blackberry almost plummy, and only slightly transparent.

The bouquet is very intense with blackberry, plums, a tiny tar and camphor note, candied orange peel, violet and dark chocolate. After an hour or so, more mineral notes are showing up.

With a base of cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry jam, this wine shows how rich a Pinot from Bourgogne can be.

The oak is very clear (12-14 months in 50% new), and delicious notes of raw liquorice, candied strawberry, pepper bitternes and clay all brings a lovely complexity to the wine. It even has a small cola-like finish.

The acidity is pleasant, and the tannins are very soft.

No doubt, this is a wonderful glass. I still think it will drink better with at least 8-12 years from the vintage.

 Bouchard Père & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru, 2015 - Côte de

Puligny-Montrachet “Les Reuchaux”, 2008

📍Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte d’Or, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

This family winery was founded in 1890, and until 2005 the domaine consisted of only two hectares situated in two grands crus:  Charmes-Chambertin and Bonnes-Mares.

But in 2006, the domaine increased its size with the addition of 9 hectares of vineyards in Côte d’Or with 50 different small plots.

They also buy organic high quality grapes for a bigger portfolio of different top areas in Bourgogne.

The philosophies include a minimal use of organic fertilizer, naturally limited low yield (most of the domaine’s vines are very old) combined with extra pruning, one-layer flat bins for harvesting and a general focus on the environment and biodiversity.

This wine is naturally fermented with indigonous yeasts.

It’s aged 17 month (12 months on the lees) in 66% new oak, with regular batonnage (stirring of the lees).

The vineyard of Les Reuchaux is located just north from the town.

The aromas are mature and powerful offering slightly oxidized apple, apricot, light raisin, caramel, hay, camphor, fresh honey, beeswax and wood with a clean minerality - wet stone and chalk.

The palate is rich with a marked acidity, a touch of tannin and a sick minerality. Quince, rye bread, lemon zest and hazelnut on the tongue. Superb finish with spicy vanilla and salt.

 ⭐️91/100⭐️ Domaine Pierre Naigeon Puligny-Montrachet “Les

📍Chambolle-Musigny, Côte d’Or, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

Francois Millet startet this family project in 2016 after many years, honered with respect, in the winemaking world of Bourgogne - best known for being the man behind legendary Domaine Comte Georges Vogüé (since 1986).

“Les Rues” is a single vineyard located just outside the village of Chambolle-Musigny.

After harvest, the clusters are destemmed and carefully selected before being brought to fermentation tanks as whole grapes. Fermentation is only made with natural yeast and follows nature’s will - is it warm outside, the fermentation starts early, is it cold outside, the fermentation starts late. That’s one way to make the vintage speak for itself..

No use of pigeage and mainly 2. and 3. filled oak is used for maturation - according to Francois, this helps bringing full terroir-potential to the wine.

This Pinot is extremely charming and juicy with a silky texture and pleasant concentration.

The nose i quite classic light Bourgogne-Pinot with roses, dried cherry, raspberry, white pepper and some mild green vegetal notes.

Palate is lovely (taking an “entry level” in consideration) with a little bit of leather and hibiscus hidden behind a soft curtain of raspberry.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ Francois Millet & Fils Bourgogne Rouge “Les Rues”

📍Surey-en-Vaux, Sancerre, Loire, France🇫🇷

Riffault began his adventure in 2002, and with a philosophy of biodynamic farming and a strong belief in natural winemaking, he is one of the great pioneers in the modern natural-winemaking-era of Sancerre.

His vineyards are layered with grass and full of different plants and flowers to increase the biodiversity and encourage good insects. He is using absolutely no fertilizers or chemicals, and his wines are certified organic.

There’s, of course, a natural approach to the winemaking process as well. The grapes are left on the vines for extremely long time, giving fully ripe grapes infected by noble rot (botrytis). Most of the wines (including this one) are naturally fermented to a dry level in old barrels, and in spite of the pure acidity in his wines, they all undergo full malolactic fermentation, and they age on their lees for 24 months.

Crazy heavy aromas of brown windfallen apples, bees wax, rye bread porridge, overripe mirabelle plum, acacia syrup , rust and wet gravel.

The palate is quite full with just enough acidity to bring some balance. Apple (especially red apple skin), dried apricot, cloves, cinnamon, browned sugar and yeasty butterscotch.

Crazy wine! Super delicious, but not my favorite experience from Sebastien.

 ⭐️89/100⭐️ Sébastien Riffault “Auksinis” Sancerre, 2013

The winery of Florent Rouve, run by Jean Rijckaert, are based just outside Mâcon in Bourgogne, from where they produce local classics such as Mâcon-Lugny, Viré-Clissé and Mâcon-Villages from their 4 hectares of land. But, they also have 5,5 hectares of land in Jura to take care of.

The viticulture are focused on sustainability and low human intervention, aiming for a classic, clean expression from the wines.

Vin Jaune, “yellow wine”, is made from late harvest Savagnin grapes, which undergo a slow and complete fermentation and rests 72 months in small oak casks. There’s no racking and topping up during the elevage, which results in ≈30% evaporation of the wine and the occurrence of a film of yeast called “voile” (same as “flor” in Spanish Sherry) that protects (not totally) the wine from oxidation. The combination of oxidation and the yeast particles are the fundamental elements of developing the flavors of Vin Jaune. It’s bottled in the special Clavelin bottle with only 62cl. The lost evaporated part is called “the angels’ share”.

From the very first smell, your not in doubt that you’re dealing with a voile/flor-wine. The aromas are very expressive with classic heavy oxidized notes - brown moldy windfallen apple, raisin, ripe pear, caramel, banana peel, warm hayloft, fresh fennel, roasted hazelnuts, wet gravel and a mild hint of curry.

The palate is bone dry and medium-bodied (slightly oily) offering dried pear and apricot, wet wood, orange peel and the special oxidized taste occurring from the voile.   It’s not super developed on the tongue yet but the nose is delicious.

For the price, this is a great Vin Jaune, but it lacks a bit of “everything” compared to the big boys in the game.

 ⭐️89/100⭐️ Florent Rouve Vin Jaune, 2012 📍Jura, France🇫🇷 🍇

📍Vaison-la-Romaine, South Rhône, France🇫🇷

🍇Mainly Grenache / tiny, tiny amount of Carignan

Back in 2010 Rune Elkjær took the leap and moved to the Southern Rhône Valley near Gigondas to start producing wine, after many years in the restaurant business (former sommelier at Michelin restaurant “Kommandanten” in Copenhagen).

His wines are juicy and well structured, biodynamic and stylewise closer to the old-fashioned and original Rhône-style (from times before Parker put his mark on the region).

Masculine nose of dark berries, horse droppings, forrest floor, fresh paint, and warm spices.

The palate is well balanced with firm tannins, a fine medium richness and juciy acidity.

Talking fruit is classic, South Rhône-style with light plums, cherry and blackcurrant. Then the classic spicy and herbacious notes from the Grenache really show off: Olives, liquorice, tar, a bit of mint and Bay leaves. All mixed with big animalistic flavors of leather and beef jerky.

It’s not certified biodynamic/natural, because Elkjær is buying all grapes from local farmers (from biodynamic farming, though), and vinify by himself at the winery

 ⭐️86+/100⭐️ Elkjær-Amiel Côtes du Rhône, 2016

In contrast to Il Marroneto’s great reputition, their production is actually rather small with approximately 30K bottles per year.

Since the beginning of the 1980’s, winemaker Alessandro Mori has brought traditional, super low-intervention, high quality Brunellos and Rossos with a clear terroir focus to the world.

Today, they have become quite a cult winery with their top wine, “Madonna delle Grazie” belonging to the very elite of Brunellos.

The vineyards are organically cultivated, and the whole vinification is done naturally with indigenous yeasts and only a tiny bit of sulfites added in the end.

This Brunello is steel tank-fermented before 39 months elevage in oak barrels followed by 10 months in the bottle before release.

The bouquet is really my favorite part of this wine. Fresh and energetic with lots of cherry, redcurrant, prunes, sun-dried tomato, orange peel, roasted mushrooms, fresh leather, Italian spices, black tea with a lovely dusty minerality and an acetone-like finish. Lots of fresh and pressed flowers as well. It’s just beautiful!

The palate is quite feminine with medium concentration and nice firm tannins and a clean acidity. Unripe red berries, rhubarb, green olives, black coffee and pepper.

To me, Brunellos are often quite similar on the palate and not showing much personality. In between, yes, some simply stand out phenomenally.

In this case, I’m really in love with the bouquet and I find the palate way more interesting than I normally do - but without taking me to other places.

To me it’s too young and it needs time to really find itself and gain some fanciness.

 ⭐️88/100⭐️ Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino, 2015

Testalonga was established in 2008 by Craig and Carla Hawkings. Located in the district of Swartland, Coastal Region north of Cape Town, Testalonga is a part of what’s called “the second revolution”. The first revolution was after the ending of the apartheid in the 90’s, which also led to the end of KWV (“Cooperative Winemakers Union”) and it’s iron grip of the wine sector, that led to the birth of the modern South African wine industry. Since the last few years, a second revolution is now happening - less dramatic, but still very interesting.  In the relatively conservative wine country, new generations of winemakers are putting their mark on the industry experimenting with natural and biodynamic philosophies, sometimes mixed with ancient South African techniques and grape varieties.

El Bandito is Testalonga’s higher valued series of wines - this one’s called “Skin”, referring to the 10 days of skin contact (maceration). The wine is barrel fermented and aged in old barrels of 300 and 500 liters.

The winery is only producing 100% natural wines from old bush vines - nothing added or manipulated.

The wine offers lovely and interesting aromas of tangerine, mirabelle plum, apple skin, white tea with chamomile, lemon curd, fresh ginger, orange blossom, yeast and acacia honey finishing with some very sour volatile applecider vinegar-like scent.

The palate isn’t as beautiful and interesting as the aromas.

It’s got a medium body with medium acidity and a tiny tannic touch - just enough to give some structure. Flavors of pear cider and unripe peach followed by unripe mirabelle plum, white pepper, cloves and a green bitterness. The finish is quite short with hints of raw liquorice and salt.

 ⭐️85/100⭐️ Testalonga El Bandito “Skin”, 2017 📍Swartland

🍇 90% Gamay d’Auvergne / 10% other local varieties

Catherine Dumora is the main figure behind this small domaine with her husband, Manuel Duveau (known from another small winery, Yahou Fatal), by her side, and together they make delicious natural wines from small, old and abandoned parcels of vines located in central France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

They assist each other with their own specific wine projects.

Don’t know much about the winemaking. It’s a Pét-Nat, for sure, which tells a lot already.

It’s 100% natural with nothing added nor taken.

Made from 80 to over a 100 years old vines located 300-400 meters AMSL. Maybe whole cluster-fermentation (there’s quite a green “cluster-touch” on the palate).

No idea… Might be updated another day🙃

The aromas are super expressive leaning towards the funkier Pet Nats. Dark and juicy like a funky Lambrosco.

Warm/baked strawberry, Amarena cherry, stable and spray can paint on the nose. A bit earthy too. Not a big thing, but fun.

The palate is rich and way more interesting with complex notes of dark cranberry, fresh strawberry, charcuterie, mild smoke, grass and green leaves followed by a long finish of baked, sweet beetroots. The acidity is in perfect balance and boosts the juiciness.

 ⭐️87+/100⭐️ Domaine de l’Egrapille “90 G” Pét-Nat, 2018

Chiara Boschis has run this small, high quality Barolo estate since 1990, in the times of change in the beloved wine region. In the 1980’s and 90’s, a wave of revolution came Barolo giving birth to the two well known “schools”: The traditionalists who are vinifying with long maceration and big old botti, and the modernists with shorter maceration and aging in small, often new, oak barriques (very simply explained).

Some are sticking to their contrary philosophies, but today, many wineries have found a balanced style combining the two schools - and this is where we find Chiara Boschis.

The winery is well known for their consistent quality through generations and having Chiara as one of the first female winemakers of Barolo.

The wine is classically vinified after modern philosophies being aged 14 months in 2. passage French barriques.

Since 2014, the winery has been organically certified.

The bouquet is incredibly beautiful and insanely perfumed.

The aromas are light but expressive offering sweet strawberry, sour redcurrant, black tea, blackcurrant leaves, mild dusty cinnamon, red claypot, a hint of tar and a big bunch of rose petals and lavender.

The palate is medium-bodied with soft, powdery tannins and a nice matching acidity. Cherry, redcurrant juice, orange peel, cloves and raw liquorice.

At the moment, the palate is not super developed but still super delicious with a great, harmonious balance.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Langhe Nebbiolo

Winemaking has taken place at the estate of Pirramimma since the foundation by Alexander Campbell Johnston in 1892.

ACJ named his newly achieved land “Pirramimma”, an aboriginal phrase meaning “the moon and the stars”.

It’s been a family affair ever since and is now in the hands of Geoff Johnston, under who’s guidance, Pirramimma has seen many significant changes: Expansion of vineyards and different varieties planted, modern winemaking facilities and a greener, more sustainable approach to agriculture and winemaking.

“White Label Shiraz” 2004  is quite a limited released wine harvested from one of their best sites in McLaren Vale.

It’s aged 24 months in 100% new barriques before bottling.

Powerful potpourri of dark berries (blackberry, cherry, and blackcurrant) with hints of baked plums followed by delicious scents of cigar box, vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate, burned bacon fat, leather, bay leaves, pepper, brown sugar, superbly integrated oak and dry forrest floor.

The palate is full-bodied with great and well-integrated tannins making a velvety structure. It’s perfectly balanced between fruit and spices offering blueberry, blackcurrant compote, prunes, roasted almonds, spicy vanilla, espresso, sweet tobacco, cloves, menthol and an olive-like and mineral finish.

Even the alcoholic level is well hidden in both the bouquet and on the palate.