Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Cloudy Bay
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a world-renowned wine from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay Winery was one of the first to recognise the potential of this region for producing high-quality Sauvignon Blanc. The winery's vineyards are located in the Wairau Valley, where the combination of warm days and cool nights creates the ideal conditions for growing grapes with intense fruit flavours and crisp acidity. The result is a refreshing and lively Sauvignon Blanc that has become an iconic representation of New Zealand's winemaking prowess.
Chenin Blanc Bush Vines 2022, Mooiplaas Estate
Mooiplaas Wine Estate is a family-owned vineyard situated in the Stellenbosch wine region of South Africa. The estate has a long history of producing exceptional wines while preserving the natural environment. The vineyards are located on a hillside, benefiting from the ancient mineral-rich soils, resulting in wines with a distinct character and complexity. The Chenin Blanc is made from bush vines planted in 1972.
Assyrtiko 2016, Domaine Papagiannakos
Papagiannakos Winery is a renowned winery based in Attica, Greece, that produces high-quality wines. With a focus on sustainable practices and preserving the authenticity of the region's grape varieties, the winery offers a range of premium wines at a bargain that represents the terroir and unique characteristics of the area. Assyrtiko is one of them.
Santorini 2019, Anhydrous Winery
The Santorini 2019 from Anhydrous Winery is a refreshing and vibrant wine with a pronounced citrus character and a distinct minerality that reflects the unique terroir of Santorini island.
Chenin Blanc 2022, Joostenberg Estate
Paarl wine region is one of the largest and most established wine regions in South Africa. It is located about 60 km northeast of Cape Town in the Western Cape province. The name Paarl comes from the Dutch word "Pearl" which is a reference to the large granite rock that dominates the town of Paarl and the surrounding area.
Rotenberg GG 2019, Gut Hermannsberg
The Nahe region is named after the river that crosses the forested Hunsrück Hills valleys. Although the Nahe is one of the smaller German wine regions, its extraordinary range of soil types is second to none. For this reason, the region is able to grow a range of varieties and produce a large diversity of wine styles. However, like the Mosel, there are many steep vineyard sites here, and while they can produce great quality, the effort required to farm them has led to many being abandoned.
Mavrotragano 2019, Artemis Karamolegos Winery
Mavrotragano is a dark-skinned grape grown mainly on the Cyclades islands, with some great examples from Santorini and Tinos. In recent years a few efforts occurred on the mainland with commercial success and helped Mavrotragano to find its place. However, although the variety has already gained a high-quality status, its full potential still needs to be discovered.
Montecucco 2015, Peteglia
Montecucco DOCG lies on the southwest hillsides of Amiata Mountain, directly opposite the Brunello di Montalcino slopes. The two zones share many similarities, but also many various. Sangiovese is the main red variety for both regions, but even if Montecucco has the potential to reach the quality level of Brunello, they do not share the same status.
Les Forts de Latour 1992, Château Latour
Les Fortes de Latour is the second label of Château Latour. It is a common practice in the Bordeaux region of all the major Château to produce a second less expensive label than the Grand Vin yet produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The main differences between the second label and the Grand Vin are the grapes' origin (young vines or less prominent plots), the new oak proportion and usually the higher proportion of Merlot in the final blend.
Even now, after I have tasted the Les Fortes de Latour, I struggle to believe that it was in such an excellent condition. After all, it is a 30-year-old wine!
Cuvée Spéciale Extra Brut, Karanika
Laurens Hartman is or should be a case study in the Greek wine scene. He came from Holland, tired of the urban way of life and searching for a place he could enjoy life. Who could ever imagine that this place would be the unfriendly Amyndeon?
Le Sang de la Pierre 2017, Aivalis Winery
Sotiris and Christos Aivalis are famous among wine lovers who appreciate seriously made red wines. If not the best, indeed, one of the top three producers in the Nemea region.
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune 2020, Domaine Chevrot
The Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune includes 29 villages, and one can find wines of all three colours, although reds are the majority.
Whispering Angel 2021, Château d'Esclans
Château d'Esclans belongs to the Louis Vuitton group and is part of the global network of wineries in strategic regions around the globe. The Whispering Angel is a million-selling bottle rosé and one of the most recognisable brands in the wine industry and beyond.
Santorini 2020, Mikra Thira
The founders of the Mikra Thira winery are two of the greatest figures in the modern history of Greek wine, Vangelis Gerovasileiou and Vassilis Tsartsalis, who, together with the third founding member, Ioanna Vamvakouri, aim to make Thirasia a wine destination and contribute even more to highlighting the Santorini vineyard.
Diaporos 2017, Kir-Yianni
Diaporos is a blend of Xinomavro with a small quantity of Syrah that adds colour, complexity and richness.
Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva 2015, Virgo Moron
Amarone is one of the robust, richer, high-in-alcohol dry wines worldwide. It is produced only in Valpolicella, in the district of Veneto in Northern Italy and holds DOCG status.
Evnia 2019, Haralabakis Winery
Vidiano is a challenging grape. It is very productive, and the yields must be kept low in favour of quality. But once it succeeds in the vineyard, the unique variety's attributes emerge.
Malbec 2020, Terrazas de los Andes
Malbec is a dark skin grape that initially comes from Bordeaux. But its significant commercial and notable success happened in Argentina and expanded worldwide.
Naoussa 1998, Foundis Estate
Although Xinomavro can be demanding for some palates in its youth, it is an absolute winner when it ages for a certain period.
Draculea 2017, Legendary Dracula
Romania was influenced and developed viticulture as a former part of the Roman Empire. Today is trying to find its place in the wine world with some good examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and a severe investment in indigenous varieties.