South America

“It's an incredible value for the price.” - The Wine Advocate

“So incredibly well put together with a Sancerre-like character.” - JancisRobinson.com

It was a Friday evening and we thought we better taste this before closing for the weekend. We took the sample bottle out of the fridge, took one sip and immediately downed tools and headed to our favourite BYOB sushi restaurant, because we knew we had to introduce this wine to the best red dragon roll this side of Tokyo. It was a joyful occasion with many more introductions (spider roll, hamachi carpaccio, tuna tataki) and everything worked perfectly, the Sauvignon Blanc entertaining the food without being domineering, the sushi pulling the wine into its circle of friends and letting them bounce off each other, just as we did. 12.3% alc. Drink now-2029.

Press review:

JancisRobinson.com: "Super-fresh, mineral nose with lime and mandarin-skin notes. Fabulous freshness and acidity with a linear mid palate, slight salinity as well on the finish. So incredibly well put together, with a chalky note on the finish, there is a Sancerre-like character with the shell-like notes that come through on the finish. Drink now-2029." 17 points

The Wine Advocate (previous vintage): “Has to be one of the best bargain whites in Chile. This is always bottled unoaked to keep the varietal purity and the influence from the limestone soils and the proximity to the sea. It comes from vines in Talinay where the soils have more limestone and the sea influence is stronger, where the vines were planted in 2006. This is the top of the three Sauvignon Blancs from Talinay; all three have a common profile - very pale, sharp, austere, mineral and saline.” 95 points

“It is difficult to avoid hyperbole when discussing the Catena family's impact on Argentine wine.” - The Wine Advocate

White Stones Chardonnay comes from a select 27 rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard. The name refers to the ground beneath the vines which is covered with gravel – oval white stones It is located at almost 5,000 feet above sea level in the Gualtallary sub-district of the Tupungato region. The rocky soil prevents deep root growth and allows for ideal drainage conditions. These are very poor soils where the vines are constantly in conditions of stress, meaning their roots go very deep in search of minerals and nutrients. The cool nights allow for very slow ripening, optimal acid retention and low yields. 13% alc. Drink now-2034.

Press reviews:

JancisRobinson.com: “Always the more voluptuous and powerful of this excellent Gualtallary duo of Chardonnay wines, White Stones has a broad, textured mouthfeel with a mineral tension on the finish with very fine, powdery tannin. Notes of baking spice, fresh white peach and subtle white flowers haunt the nose, and roll out on the long, impressive finish. Drink now-2036.” 18.5 points

The Wine Advocate: “The 2022 Adrianna Vineyard Chardonnay White Stones is more introverted, understated and explicitly chiseled than its more textural and exotic White Bones companion. On the nose, it opens with transparent yet focused aromas of citrus pith and crushed stones, introducing a sleek, vibrant and laser-focused palate. The finish is similarly angular and incisive, continuously generating additional depth and dimension with time in the glass. While I slightly preferred the White Bones bottling due to its extra gear of complexity and textural depth, this is another clear-cut yardstick by which to measure the progress of Argentine white wine production. Drink now-2037.” 97 points

James Suckling: "This is always minerally and incisive and very different from White Bones. This is more classic Chardonnay, with lots of freshly squeezed lemons, wet stone, flint and seashells. Brisk acidity on a medium- to full-bodied palate. Tense and intense, but this is acid-driven with a fine touch of salinity that lingers at the end." 97 points

…And just to illustrate how well this Chardonnay ages, here is a review from Jancis Robinson.com, tasting the White Stones 2015 vintage in May 2026:

“Intoxicating aromas of nectarine, orange, lemon blossom, thyme and smoke. Only just beginning to enter its tertiary phase. The flavours continue to unfurl along the palate, which has lots of saline and mineral character. Terrific length and depth of flavour. Stunning.” 18 points

“A consistently impressive Chardonnay that highlights purity and saline minerality.” - James Suckling, 96 points

I can’t always identify why I like or dislike something or someone, the details often get lost, while the gist remains. If I see someone that I vaguely recognise approaching me in the street, my facial recognition software kicks in and, almost simultaneously, my sub-conscious points its beam towards either a positive or a negative emotion. It doesn’t have time to unscroll a long list, itemising all my previous interactions with that person and all the myriad checks and balances either in their favour or not. It just summarises everything into a neat binary calculation and I either give them a big smile or I cross the street.

The same thing often happens with wine. I taste a wine and I can’t explain why I love it, I can’t parse its harmonious whole into fractal elements, I just know I do. Perhaps my sub-conscious is doing the heavy-lifting in the darkness, comparing it to similar memories, assessing the positives and evaluating the outcome with all the mental dexterity of a card-counter at a casino, while my conscious brain takes all the credit.

This wine is a case in point. It’s delicious, but the complexities that make it so are so tightly-woven that I can’t pull the threads apart, so I just experience a visceral reaction, a gut-feeling that makes me relax into a state of satisfied contentment, in a very similar way to music (“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between,” said Mozart).

Anyway, I think you’ll find a new friend here in this complex mountain Chardonnay, aged for a year in large French oak barrels. It’s very stylish, very classy, two words that don’t have a specific meaning, but you will know it when you taste it. If I try and break the flavours down into discrete elements, I will have unravelled everything I have said above, so perhaps the way to enjoy it is to not think about it consciously. Just give it a big smile. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.

Press reviews:

James Suckling: "Salty and spicy, with aromas of ginger, cardamom, lemon, and sea salt. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, sharp and pungent, with a precise saline character. Rich, focused, and delicious. Made from grapes grown in Gualtallary. Fermented and aged in French oak, 35% of which is new. Drink now or cellar." 96 points

Vinous: “The 2023 Chardonnay El Enemigo comes from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. Aged in 500 litre French oak barrels, it opens with green apple, chamomile, white peach, herbs and a subtle vermouth note. Dry, compact and saline, the oak broadens the palate, where richness is otherwise restrained. The 2023 is a modern, refined profile for Gualtallary Chardonnay in a warm vintage. Drink now-2033.“ 94 points

Tim Atkin MW: “Ale Vigil is partial to a touch of flor in his top whites, as long as it occurs naturally in the winery. This left-field Gualtallary Chardonnay is savoury, spicy and slightly salty, with a brine-like top note, lovely texture, subtle 35% new wood, hints of aniseed and wild thyme and a core of beeswax and citrus zest. Drink now-2029.” 94 points

Customer Comments:

”It is absolutely delicious!“ - Mrs A. P.

”We loved the El Enemigo in our recent order. The write-up on your site persuaded my to try it and it was absolutely spot on, a fabulous wine!” - Mr. D. M.

“I'm glad I bought El Enemigo, it was great!” - Mr. T.D.

“One of South America’s greatest whites.” - Tim Atkin MW, 98 points

Semillon is such a fantastic grape variety, contributing to some of the world’s finest wines without getting the credit it deserves, whether in the sweet wines of Sauternes, the exquisite dry whites of Bordeaux, the age-worthy wines from the Hunter Valley or cult New World expressions from producers like Boekenhoutskloof and Riccitelli.

Matias Riccitelli has crafted a stunning wine from the 2023 harvest of these gnarly, old, ungrafted Semillon. Aromas of waxy lemons and green melon skin, cut grass and whetstone lead to a palate that is deep and complex, with lanolin, wild honey, lime peel and fresh dough cut through by wonderfully tangy acidity and a touch of salinity that puts one in mind of a Cretan Assyrtiko. This is Riccitelli’s best vintage yet and is a wine that belongs at the very top table with some of the finest white wines in the world. 12% alc. Fermented with native yeasts in French oak foudres. Drink now-2032.

Press review:

Tim Atkin MW “Volumes are small at just 4,000 bottles, alas, but this is one of South America’s greatest whites. Sourced from vines planted in Allen in the 1970s, this is a layered, effortlessly complex delight, combining aromas of honeysuckle, fresh hay and wet stones, citrus and pear flavours, subtle wood spices and a tapering finish. Still affordable, given the quality, at $60. Drink now-2035.” 98 points

JancisRobinson.com: “Very layered aromas of yellow pear and quince, wax, honey and parchment. It continues to unfold with air. Great depth and concentration on the palate, and there’s a slight tannic grip that adds to the texture. Fuller-bodied than most Hunter Valley Semillon. Brisk acidity helps tie everything together. It’s already fabulous but should age very well. Drink now-2034.” 17.5+ points

Customer comments:

“The wine went down a storm!” - Ms. R.L.

This is how you do a Mendoza Malbec! We’ve tasted far too many over-oaked examples, including previous vintages of this very wine, where it feels like the whole spice cupboard has fallen into the vat. Oak should be subtle and complementary and perform the same function as a bridal veil, allowing a tantalising glimpse of the beauty that lies beneath. It is for this reason that brides don’t wear balaclavas. This glorious Malbec has the balance spot-on, with the perfectly-judged oak allowing the wine’s purity to radiate. Sumptuous, inky black fruits emerge initially, followed by delicate notes of wisteria, kola and chocolate shavings, which all shine though the fine layer of cedar and vanilla from the 12 months of ageing in new French and American barrels. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2025.

Derek Mossmann Knapp of Garage Wine Co. has just been awarded the ‘Old Vine Hero’ Special Award 2024 for his overall impact in the field of old vine restoration, thanks to his efforts working with local communities to revive old vines in Maule, Chile. Taste the fruit of his labours here…

The Wine Advocate: “After 20 harvests comes their first Cru, the 2018 Cru Truquilemu, which they describe as "Truqui with more stuffing." It comes from a small triangular section with a lower natural yield, with greater concentration and a darker, more brooding personality. It was fermented with more stems than the other Truquilemu and with a bit of Syrah, which adds weight, depth and texture. After fermenting pieces of the vineyard separately over many years, two distinct personalities emerged, and they have bottled them separately since 2018. Truquilemu has become more ethereal after the separation, and this is sturdier, with extra stuffing but more tension. The wine has less alcohol (12.8%, and 12.5% in 2019!!) higher acidity (7.43 grams measured in tartaric acid) and an incredible pH of 3.18, amazing parameters of freshness and restraint. This is not heavier, it just seems to have the same personality but with more layers. It was produced in a very simple and slow way, fermenting in open-top lagars with some full clusters and adding lignified stems to avoid carbonic maceration, with indigenous yeasts; malolactic took 11 months (!), and the aging in used and neutral barrel was extended over two winters. Drink now-2035.” 99 points

Such a pretty wine, with cherry, strawberry and flint held within a delicate frame of lacy tannins and a sense of warm terracotta, which I romantically take to be the terroir shining through. If you haven’t tried Païs before, also known as Listan Prieto, and you like light-coloured, delicate reds, then this one is a great introduction. It’s like a cross between Pinot Noir and cold strawberry tea! 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030.

“Immensely rich, long, focused and vibrant.” - The Wine Advocate, 97 points

I remember tasting Chateau Lafite for the first time. It was back in 2002 and the bottle of 1996 had recently been given to my father as a thank you present. It had just been awarded 100 points by Robert Parker, so we approached it with all due reverence, bringing out the best glasses and double-decanting it two hours beforehand. I had my notebook open, ready to write down my best Diploma student tasting-notes, and poked my nose into the glass in preparation for the transcendent moment. My pen remained poised above the page. I poked my nose in deeper, tilting my head at various angles to give better access to the aroma molecules, but the anticipated choir of angels didn’t burst into song, or, if they did, it was sotto voce. In that moment, I realised that perfection, in vinous form, at least, wasn’t a synonym for hedonism. Great young wines didn’t surrender their gifts immediately, they were introverted, restrained, beautifully-balanced, elegant and disappointing. Twenty years later, I tried the Chateau Lafite 1996 again for only the second time and the angels were in fine voice, with a much, much wider range of octaves than before. I filled the page of my notebook with superlatives.

I would put this outstanding Argentine Malbec at a very similar stage of life to that young Chateau Lafite, with everything in perfect balance, not a hair out of place, just waiting for its best friend, time, to bring the best out of it. 13.5% alc. Drink 2027-2050.

Press reviews:

The Wine Advocate: “The 2021 Adrianna Vineyard Malbec Fortuna Terrae opens with a quintessential profile of black fruits, dried herbs and purple flowers, all delivered with the ethereal lift common to this section of Gualtallary. The palate is deep, concentrated and savoury, seamlessly transitioning into an immensely rich, long, focused and increasingly vibrant and mineral-driven finish. This vintage is particularly dynamic in the glass, continuously gaining power, depth and tensile structure; I do not doubt it will develop beautifully in the cellar with its other Adrianna Vineyard counterparts. Drink now-2036.” 97 points

Vinous: "The 2021 Malbec Adrianna Vineyard 'Fortuna Terrae' is sourced from a small plot situated in Gualtallary, featuring a soil profile with a depth of one metre. It underwent a meticulous 16-month aging process in foudres and concrete vats and exhibits a dark purple hue. The nose presents enticing lavender, minty, mountain herbs, orange peel and curry aromas layered over a foundation of dried flowers. The palate offers a compelling combination of dryness and juiciness. The rich and taut mouthfeel imparts a vibrant energy that flows into a compact yet delicately lingering finish. A unique and flavourful Malbec, it marries a primary style with a terroir-driven conceptual approach. Drink now-2040." 97 points

Descorchados:"Fresh years like 2021 tend to accentuate the fresh and fruity character of the Fortuna Malbec. This vintage offers a lovely layer of tart red fruits, but it also has the floral notes and, indeed, the herbal touches that are characteristic of Gualtallary. The palate is tense and full of tannins that give the textural sensation of chalk as well as energetic and vibrant acidity in a wine that seems to actually crunch in the mouth. This Fortuna Terrae comes from five hectares planted in the Adrianna Vineyard around the mid-1990s in Gualtallary, in the north of the Uco Valley. It's a deep, sandy loam soil that has a layer of calcium carbonate toward the bottom, where the roots reach and deliver that classic chalky texture to the wine." 98 points

JancisRobinson.com: “For several years now winemaker Alejandro Vigil has been focused on treating his top Malbecs with a delicate hand in the cellar, and that allows nuances of fruit layers to come through in the wine. Blackberries and Victoria plum meddle with exotic spices, clove and a touch of cigar. There’s a fine spine of tannins and tension with firm acidity that gives a powerful finish. This cool vintage will age nicely. Drink now-2040.” 17.5+ points

Awarded a whopping 99 points by The Wine Advocate!

Derek Mossmann Knapp of Garage Wine Co. has just received the ‘Old Vine Hero’ Award 2024 for his overall impact in the field of ‘old vine’ restoration, thanks to his efforts working with local communities to revive historic vineyards in Maule, Chile and the fruits of his labour can be tasted here in his Carignan ‘Vigno’ 2018, which offers a wonderfully silky, glossy and deeply-coloured interpretation of this variety (plus a splash of Païs and Monastrell). As wine merchants, we are, quite rightly, forbidden from using the word ‘healthy’ to describe a wine, but I think it’s fair to say that the fruit itself must have been in the rudest of health when picked, as the wine is so pure in flavour, gleaming with ripe cassis and black cherry, with cashmere tannins and enough complexity (graphite, wood, baking spices) to keep you intrigued and keen for another sip. Delicious with roast pork and crackling or Peking duck. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.

Press review:

The Wine Advocate: “The 2018 Vigno comes from a creek where there's terrific drainage and thus low yields and concentration. It's Carignan with smidgens of País and Monastrell in the field blend, the grapes grown by a Maule farmer by hand and horse with traditional methods of dry-farming, uncertified organic for 75+ years. Like all the rest, it fermented in open-top vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in used barrels over two winters. None of these wines are about the process, they are about the place and the year. Drink now-2030.” 99 points