Sumptuous.Generously-fruity.Velvety
There is so much character and beauty in this wine! The high-toned aromas summon thoughts of sautéed plums, cherry jam, sweet saddle leather, loose tea and puréed blackcurrants and those sweetly ripe Puglian flavours make welcome the mouth-watering acidity. The palate is wonderfully generous and full-bodied, but favours fleshy succulence and fine-grained opulence rather than tannic heft with more of those sunny flavours given further complexity with notes of sweet tobacco, wood polish, cigar box spices, fruit-drenched wood and something mysteriously evocative, like the old library in a faded stately home. It leaves you in no doubt as to the wine’s place of origin – the flavours guide you there as if you were following a GPS signal. This is downright delicious! A rambunctious, heart-on-its-sleeve bargain of a wine, which comes with our highest recommendation. It’s a little Salice of heaven! 14% alc. A blend of Negroamaro (90%) and Malvasia Nera (10%) aged for two years in wooden barrels and then in bottle. Drink now – 2028.
Press review:
Tamlyn Currin for JancisRobinson.com: “I’m always happy, amazed, and more than a bit relieved when I come across a Salice Salentino that is under 15% alcohol (there are plenty edging towards 16%, to be frank). Farming vines that yield balanced wine on the heel of the boot of Italy is a knife-edge art. It’s hot and dry – grapes want to be raisins. But Cantina San Donaci has somehow pulled off a wine that is 14% and gorgeously fresh, but also every generous molecule of its place. I can taste the beating sun in the dried-cherry fruit, the light singe of cooked plum and molasses, but it’s not ‘cooked’ in the sense of over-hung and over-done, it’s just honest. I can taste Turkish coffee, dark chocolate, roasted almonds, prunes. I can taste delicious tomato jam. It’s a tagine in a glass: smoky, hot bricks, spices-tomatoes-berries-sweetness so melded that there is no telling them apart. The tannins slide down and out, giving way to the fruit like the supporting act gives way to the headline. Sip with slow-cooked mutton. Or chill a little and sip with chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes drenched in olive oil. Good Value. Drink now-2028.” 17 points
Customer comments:
“Really, really big fan of this. Loved it.” - Mr O.M.
It’s a criminal offence to impersonate a police officer, but it seems like it’s one rule for the police and another rule for everyone else, because this wine is blatantly impersonating a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, yet without any legal repercussions. It’s two-tier policing at its worst!
Immortelle 2020 is a blend of Syrah, Carignan, Grenache and Mourvedre (classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape disguise paraphernalia) and wafts from its dark and inky depths with aromas of blackcurrant pastilles, violets, boysenberries and liquorice, taking on the appearance of a full-bodied, broad-shouldered, old-vine Chateauneuf-du-Pape. In fact, to add credibility to the con, they added a smattering of grapes from vines that are over 100 years old, which shows an almost unnecessary degree of commitment to the fraud. So, while you are enjoying this wine with a roast dinner and patting yourself on the back for only having spent £17.95, don’t say we didn’t warn you! 14.5% alc. Drink now-2036
When this deep, inky liquid was poured into our glass, it felt like that moment on a roller-coaster when the safety bar is lowered, the train jerks forwards and you feel that mild sense of panic. Australian Shiraz can be a bone-shaking experience that knocks you from pillar to post, so we braced ourselves, but this wasn’t a rattling assault on the senses, they had cushioned the seats and oiled the wheels, so it glided over the rails and we were able to enjoy the ride and appreciate all the twists and turns. I have now run out of rollercoaster analogies, and I’m quite proud of myself for not using any of the obvious ones.
This white-knuckle ride of thrilling loop the loops [You’re fired! - Ed.] is the best value Shiraz we have tasted since Mad Dog Munzberg’s ‘Mad Dog’ Shiraz 2013 and anyone lucky enough to have bought a few bottles of that, before Mad Dog hung up his secateurs, will know that’s a mighty fine compliment. It’s deep and dark, with aromas and flavours evoking blackcurrant cordial, blueberry jam (but it’s not jammy), violet, bergamot, vanilla and chocolate nibs. The texture is glossy and silky, not hefty and tannic, proving that bigger isn’t necessarily better. There’s a reason why tennis rackets aren’t 6 feet wide. There’s a point at which something reaches perfect form and balance and it applies to wine as much as it does to tennis rackets. Now there’s a sentence I never thought I would write. 14.5% alc. All hand-harvested from the family's ‘Blewitt Springs’ vineyard. Drink now-2035.
Press review:
JancisRobinson.com (Tamlyn Currin): “Smells of blackcurrants splatted on hot stones, indigo ink bleeding into wet card, rain on an angry day. Feels like parchment; ink on wet card; smudging kohl eyeliner off a rain-wet, cold, angry cheek. Yours. Tastes like a train station when you're there to say good bye; like sucking Ribena from a tiny box carton through a straw when all you want to do is cry; like hot tarmac after a rainstorm and dusty bitter black olives and that shock of tannin landmine the first time you put a sloe berry in your mouth; and it tastes like the sweet lippy dribbly kiss of your kid who's just been foraging for bramble berries and the blue-black stains go from chin to forehead to fingers to knees. It tastes like those grass-stained, earth-bruised, berry-blue plump knees. Good Value. Drink now-2030.” 17 points
Customer Comments:
“This is quite delicious, but your description is even better...!” - Mr. P.J.
“WOW! Brilliant wine! Like the best of Barossa without the OTT alcohol. Great find!” - Mr. J.G
Winemaking
Fruit selected from the “Square Block” within Patritti’s Blewitt Springs vineyard was fermented in static fermenters on skins for seven days, with a small percentage of whole bunches. Following settling and malolactic fermentation in tank, the wine was matured in 40% new American oak puncheons and 60% used puncheons for 14 months before blending and bottling.
The Australian Wine Companion: “This is a fine example of a saline, robust maritime cabernet. It maximises the Vale's exposure to retain varietal typicity without the excess of examples from other warm regions: blackcurrant, hedgerow, plum, tapenade and a twine of sage and bouquet-garni-doused tannins, pliant and salty. The oak (25% new French; 75% seasoned French and American) is nestled into the fray nicely. The pH better tuned. The finish long and snappy.” 91 points
JancisRobinson.com: “Silver-green needles of cedar and capsicum and dawn-dew-cold-clenched laurel threads woven deftly through plush fruit that starts red-bleeding crimson and spills and spreads, bruising into the purple blues of cassis and bramble berries. Tarragon and chocolate mint throw cold but sensuous semi-colons between the effusively smooth glide of ripe rhapsody. Harp-lines of pale-green herbs. A wine that is trying to do nothing but cajole, entice and persuade you to be here right now, nowhere to go, all efforts at resistance abandoned. A Cabernet that is leaning into its place, its time, its space, not trying to be anything else and you can just feel that almost zen-like sinuosity. For the yoga practitioners out there, I would describe this as a Cab Bālāsana, in child's pose. Very Good Value. (TC). Drink now-2026.” 16.5 points
The ‘Violet Hour’ is a term that was coined by the essayist, Bernard DeVoto, to describe the period of transition from day to evening and the pleasures to be found in coming together for drinks (not to be confused with the ‘Violent Hour’, which comes shortly after closing time at Wetherspoons). I find it very evocative, a moment of impending change, from light to dark, bittersweet with promise and passing.
There’s a bittersweet quality to this Shiraz too, with its lustrous blackcurrant perfume and its darker notes of tobacco and cocoa nibs. On the palate, inky black cherry and damson are held in a supple, medium-bodied texture, with surprisingly light tannins and a mineral tension that keeps the wine vivid and succulent, more attuned to the northern Rhone than archetypal Ozzie Shiraz. Enjoy it during the hours when day slides gently into night, whatever they call that. 14% alc. Sourced from the ‘Rayner’ vineyard, planted in 1947 (named in the ‘Top 50 Vineyards in Australia’). Aged for 10 months in seasoned oak. Drink now-2036.
Press review:
The Wine Companion: “The value here has always been super keen. That’s as true as ever with this iteration from a cool year, typically lifted and fragrant but also with some serious import. A tick up from mid-weight, this is spicy and peppered ferruginous minerality, along with blackberry, dark cherries, tapenade, violet, cassia, bay, coffee bean and salted liquorice. Red berries swell up on the palate, with a thoughtfully woven skein of tannins underwriting its class. Excellent." 96 points
Bondar in a nutshell:
‘Winemaker of the Year 2024’ - Halliday’s Wine Companion (finalist)
Takes over the famous McLaren Vale ‘Rayner Vineyard’ planted in 1947
‘Young Gun of the Year 2020’ – Halliday’s Wine Companion (finalist)
Assistant winemaker at Alain Graillot in the Northern Rhone
Previous vintages reviewed by Halliday’s Wine Companion:
2022 vintage – 95 points: “This is a tremendous bargain.”
2021 vintage – 97 points: “Bargain bonanza.”
2020 vintage – 97 points: “One of the great bargains.”
Customer comments:
“A bottle opened this evening of the Bondar Violet Hour Shiraz. My years in the fine wine trade lead to only one comment: good juice. Perhaps even an exclamation mark thrown in. Certainly worth £25, if not 30 smackers.” - Mr P.E.
“Tried this last night. Remarkable how packed with fruits and flavours yet delivered with a light touch and freshness. My friends and I loved it and wish I’d ordered a full case. So please put me down on your list next time you get any!” - Mr J.G
“This is my new favourite winery!” - Ms. H.D.
“It’s a wonderful wine!” - Mr. P.E.
“Delicioso!” - Mr O.D.
“This is a hedonistic and decadent Bordeaux Malbec that could challenge a few Mendoza wines in terms of density” - The Wine Advocate
I love Malbec! Or at least I think I do. I’ve definitely liked the ones I’ve liked and I have paid more attention to those than the ones I haven’t liked, which I tend to forget about. Fans of ‘confirmation bias’ will be keenly aware of the tendency here. We ratify our beliefs by noticing the occurrences where those beliefs are upheld, while paying less attention to the times when they aren’t. So, now that I think about it, I’m not sure that I do like Malbec, because the supporting data isn’t great. I do fondly remember a bottle shared with friends of the Achaval-Ferrer Malbec 2014, but I’ve worked my way through every Malbec at my local Argentine steakhouse and they’ve all been pretty lousy. So, is Malbec the Radiohead of wines? You think you like Radiohead, you want to be a groovy Radiohead-liker, you even learned the chords to Fake Plastic Trees, but then you play a whole album and you realise, oh no, you don’t really like Radiohead.
The fact remains, however, that I still want to like Radiohead and I still want to like Malbec. So, imagine my delight when I poured this inky Malbec into my glass and it tasted like I was hearing Karma Police for the first time. There was none of the discordant brashness of a young Malbec, as this is from the exceptional 2016 vintage in Bordeaux ("the best Bordeaux vintage I will probably ever taste" - Jancis Robinson MW; “an incredible vintage” - The Wine Advocate), so it has had 10 years to mellow and integrate, becoming something compellingly serious now. If you enjoy a full-bodied red with sleek, blackcurranty acidity to give it lustre and sheen, then this belongs in your wine rack.
It’s bursting with opulent cassis and sweet black cherries, combining the sort of heady ripeness you might find in an Argentine Malbec, with the sleek, cool, upright quality that you can expect from Bordeaux. It is sourced from a tiny plot that barely covers 2 hectares and was aged for 5 months in new French and American oak barrels. Drink now-2028
Press reviews:
The Wine Advocate: “The 2016 La Viminière from Fleur Haut Gaussens is a pure Malbec. Opulent and generous on the nose, bilberry jam and blueberry scents storm from the glass as if their life depended upon it. The palate is medium-bodied with a core of sweet black plum laced with blueberry and honey, the acidity keeping everything balanced. This is a hedonistic and decadent Bordeaux Malbec that could challenge a few Mendoza wines in terms of density. Give this a year in bottle and you will have a fine, powerful Malbec. Drink now-2023.”
Jancis Robinson MW (previous vintage) “It could easily be mistaken for an Argentine. But it does smell like Bordeaux, even if the colour is almost Mendoza! Very rich and flattering. Velvety texture and perfect for those who like to be enveloped by their wine. Probably not a long-distance runner but massively delivers pleasure.”
Customer Comments:
“Loved it!” - Mr. D.A.
“The Malbec is terrific.” - Mr S.T.
“Delicious and full of feeling. It will probably age, but quite frankly, I’d drink it now.” - JancisRobinson.com
When evaluating a wine, at least 50% of our decision-making is done within the first second. The aromas must be clean and appealing, inviting us to lean into the glass. It’s really no different from a bee assessing a flower, it’s nature’s way of deciding whether the juice is worth the squeeze. The nose on this Montpeyroux is immediately seductive: deep morello cherry and red-fleshed plum glide alongside creamy blueberries and blackcurrant, all wrapped in a swirl of kola, orange peel and an irresistible fruit-soaked wood note. There’s a high-toned, polished oak character here, but after five years it’s settled beautifully into the wine — less shouty, more smouldering. Add a touch of violet, a flicker of tangerine, and a gentle hum of spice, and suddenly you’re wandering through a late-autumn hedgerow somewhere warm and sunlit.
On the palate, it’s one of the smoothest operators you’ll meet. Every edge has been carefully rounded off until the whole thing just glides—silky, seamless, almost on rails. It carries the perfume and lift of a Pinot Noir, but with the southern French warmth dialled in: juicy, generous, and laced with Syrah’s floral notes and a pinch of pepper. There’s richness, yes, but also a breezy lightness of touch, with bright acidity keeping everything fresh, buoyant and dangerously drinkable. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 10% Mourvèdre from 40–60-year-old limestone-grown vines, cropped low and aged 18 months in old oak, it balances concentration with grace. It’s perfectly poised to drink now but will happily keep charming the room through to 2030. 13.5% alc. Organic certified.
Press Reviews:
Tamlyn Currin for JancisRobinson.com: “I just want to sit here and smell this wine. It smells like home-made mulberry jam on the day it was made. It smells like irises in full bloom, like thyme when you inadvertently stand on it. It’s velvety, but also gravelly; it’s sweet, but also a little stern; the tannins taste of ink and feel like punctuation marks. Somewhere in the wings, there is a whisper of roses. It’s delicious and full of feeling. It will probably age, but quite frankly, I’d drink it now. Drink now-2031.” 17 points
“Glorious… I'd take this over Amarone any day” - JancisRobinson.com
Rather excitingly, this tasting note operates like a self-assessment tax return form, so if you already know the story behind this wine, please proceed to Section (b). Otherwise please begin at Section (a):
Section (a). The Rosso Dorigo NV is a wine from northern Italy, which tastes like a serious Amarone, one that would certainly set you back anywhere between £30 and £50 a bottle, but the beauty is that it’s only £23.95 a bottle. Why? Well, like Amarone, it is made from grapes that were hand-harvested and dried on straw mats before fermentation in order to concentrate the colour, aroma, texture and flavour. Unlike Amarone, however, it is made in the Friuli region, not the Veneto region, and from Refosco grapes, not Corvina, the traditional Amarone grape. The bureaucrats responsible for appellation (DOC) law in Friuli do not consider this a ‘traditional’ or ‘typical’ style of wine for the area, so Alessio Dorigo is only allowed to call it a humble vino da tavola (table wine) and isn’t even allowed to mention the vintage on the label (“That’ll show him!” cackled the bureaucrats, ghoulishly rubbing their hands together in vengeful glee, “How dare he make a delicious wine that raises the profile of our region!”). The great benefit for wily consumers, however, is that Alessio can’t charge a lofty price for a ‘table wine’ without a DOC sticker, so this sensational wine arrives on your table at a price that’s nothing short of very good.
Section (b). This is the best bottling Alessio Dorigo has made so far and that’s saying something! It's a glorious mouthful of richly upholstered fruit that imitates Amarone in every respect, except the alcohol isn’t 17% (the average for Amarone), but a much more drinkable 14%. The colour is a deep, velvety crimson and the flavours are big and bold, but it cleverly manages to feel sleek and focused, because Alessio is a genius. We had a bottle that was cool from the cellar and that temperature worked well, adding a brightness to the inky black fruits, but as it warmed up it became even more expressive, bringing out cocoa dusting, orange fondant and violet notes. As the tannins are so smooth and velvety, you can actually drink it on its own, preferably beside a roaring fire in a ski chalet, but, failing that, it would go brilliantly with a cheese course. 14% alc. Drink now-2032.
Press reviews:
Jancis Robinson: “Amarone style, made from sun-dried grapes, but not allowed to be Friuli DOC because of the higher-than-regulation residual sugar. Refosco. Quite a tapestry of orange zest and Christmas cake, cardamom and chilli pepper and mint. Wonderfully rich yet shot through with candied orange-peel brightness. Dense structure. Long and mouth-filling and broad and glorious. I'd take this over Amarone any day because at 14% it's not going to knock me sideways with one glass. Perfect aged-cheddar wine. Good Value” 17 points
Luca Maroni: “Its combination of texture, suppleness and authenticity make it a true champion.” 95 points
Customer comments:
“It is quite superb.” - Mr A.W.
“I drank one of the last batch over the week and it was wonderful.” - Mr. R. W.
”The first batch was greatly appreciated by friends and family – and hence the latest, larger order!” - Mr J.V.
“OMG, thé Dorigo! Wow.” - Mrs. V.J.
“It’s absolutely incredible! Just wonderful. It’s so rich in flavour and so smooth. An extraordinary find.” - Mr. A.R.
”it’s absolutely delicious” - Mr. E. B.
“Just a note to say thank you for the Dorigo and your previous recommendation of Patritti Chardonnay. Two outstanding recommendations.” - Mr. P. P.
”I’ve sampled the Dorigo and it is a treat. It needs a while to open up but then it is stunning – not what you’d expect from an NV! Superb value when you think what a top notch Amarone costs.” - Mr J.W.
”Wow! Sumptuous yet silky, and intense but still lively and full of fruit. We had it with a rich (vegan) mushroom lasagna, with more than a hint of truffle, and they sang in utterly perfect harmony. It was pure joy. At this price, it's stupendous.” - Mr A.T.
”I drank a bottle, yesterday evening , with an old friend. Had he not been driving, I am certain that we would have moved onto a second.... In fact, I have had a text from him this morning extolling its virtues(!) -one of the smoothest, fullest wines he has ever drunk.” - Mr. T.M.
”The wine was wonderful.” - Mr. J.C.
”Tried the wine and it is all you said it would be. Excellent.” - Mr. T.K.
”We had dinner with friends, the wine was discussed, we had a bottle of Dorigo and a bottle which had cost in excess of £100. Everybody present agreed they preferred the Dorigo - enough said.” - Mr. I.K.
"Very impressed with the Dorigo, James. Brought out the oohs and aaahs from our dinner party guests without any prompting." - Mr. T.D.
"Wow!" - Mr. M.W.
”Do you have any more of the Dorigo? It's great!” - Mr. J. P.
"Stunning for the price." - Mr B.A.
"Big fan of the Plane Turning Right and the Dorigo. Yumbo!" - Mr D.C.
"I did enjoy the Dorigo a lot!" - Mr. A.S.
"We had our first taste of the Dorigo Rosso last night and thought it was wonderful. Do you have any bottles left?" - Ms K.S.
"What a beautiful wine. I love it!" - Mrs J.H.
"Btw. Had the Dorigo yesterday. Wow that was nice." - Mrs M.E.
"I don't suppose there's any of this left? I love it!" - Mr. B.F.
"We really liked the Dorigo you recommended last time" - Mr J.B.
"The Dorigo is lovely." - Ms H.S.
"Any chance of you getting more Dorigo? Just drinking our last bottle. Really great!" - Mr J.C.
"Everyone really enjoyed the Dorigo, even my wife who 'doesn't like Italian wine'. Do you have any left?" - Mr. B.W.
"We were impressed! Can we have a case please?" - Mr P.J.
"It was sublime!!!" - Mr. D.L.
"We love it so much...please can we have a full case?" - Ms. A.B.
”Just having a bottle - delicious, a great choice, thank you.” - Mr. A.F.
”We enjoyed the Dorigo from last order so much that had to secure another case immediately.” - Mr. T.K.
Not that long ago, if you were looking for an Australian Shiraz in the supermarket, you would leave the wine aisle and wander over to the aisle marked ‘Jams and Preserves’. Times have changed and nowadays the wines show much finer line and length. No longer are they the pimped up Cortinas of the wine world. They are E-Type Jaguars, with sleek flowing lines and stylish contours. Lower yields and earlier picking times have combined to ensure that the essence of a great Australian Shiraz isn’t lost, with lavish, hedonistic fruit still in abundance, but weight has been replaced by fruit intensity and over- ripeness has been replaced by the vibrancy of fresher, healthier grapes. This is a great example, lacking nothing in aromatic glamour, but brighter and cleaner on the palate than the bruisers of yore. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.
Press review:
The Australian Wine Companion: “Natural fermentation with 20% whole bunches, matured in older French oak. A super-bright crimson purple. Fully deserving of its gold medal at the 2022 Yarra Valley Wine Show, this opens with aromas of blackcurrant pastilles, boysenberries, black pepper, floral notes and a little charcuterie. Just as good on the medium-bodied, youthful and very well-balanced palate, which finishes with gently chewy, very fine-grained tannins and a little spice.” 96 points
We were at a tasting recently, with the usual array of wines lined up on trestle tables, but I spotted a member of the company wandering around with a bottle that wasn’t in the line-up, furtively pouring it for a few of his favourite contacts. Ever the master of discretion, I sidled over to him and said “Oi, Pete! What’s that? Slosh a bit in here!”, holding out my glass. Fortune favours the ill-mannered and it turned out to be the star of the tasting, only there wasn’t much to go around, hence the surreptitious pouring. We put our hand up for as much as we could get.
It’s made from the indigenous Limniona grape variety, which ‘Wines of Greece’ describe as “the rising star of the Greek red varieties and sure to be a driving-force for the development of numerous top wines around Greece for years to come”. It pours a wonderfully glossy ruby colour, not black or opaque, but vivid and translucent, and the fruit aromas are a mix of sour cherry, raspberry and quince with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg from the new French oak in which it bathed for a year before release. A really stunning example of modern Greek winemaking. 13% alc. Drink now-2030.
Organic (certified)
This is a dark wine, real dark. Feral tear off your skin to the bone dark. Dirty rip out the whole of your soul dark. I'll hate myself for days dark. Sitting all alone and listening to Nick Cave dark. It pours the colour of ink, and coats the glass in blackcurrant juice and smells like black cherries on a night out in Gotham City, but then it hits your senses and it’s joyful. It’s called ‘Sol de 19’ and it’s what the sun gave the grower in 2019. This is what my dad would call a “proper wine”. Big, bold and unapologetically glamorous. 14.5% alc. Unfiltered. 50% Graciano and 50% Tempranillo, Drink now-2028.
Organic. (certified). Biodynamic (certified).
Vegan-friendly.
A seriously indulgent, luxurious Rioja sporting the new classification, 'Vino de Pueblo', which denotes a wine that must be produced from family-owned vineyards within a named village, in this case, the village of Quel. Its charms begin before you have even pulled the cork, as the packaging is a treat for the senses too. Once inside, you are welcomed by soaring notes of cassis, black cherry, violets, vanilla and cedar. It’s a full-bodied, exuberant Rioja, blended from four small plots at 1,800 feet above sea level, where poor soils allow the roots to delve deep. 14.5% alc. 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha. 18 months in 80% French and 20% American new oak and a final 6 months in large French oak foudres. 14% alc. Drink now-2032.
Press reviews:
JancisRobinson.com (previous vintage): “Tasted blind. Scrubland, Provençal herbs and a mineral feel. Tremendous delicacy, depth, and fully integrated sweet tannins. Very intense in flavours but also long and fluid. It is quite exciting, even tasted blind… and getting excited by tasting blind is difficult! It is a Mediterranean profile, but gently done. Fabulous! (FC). Drink now-2040.” 18 points
Decanter (previous vintage): “Cherry, vanilla, raspberry and plum nose. Purity, definition and savoury twist on the palate all adds to the interest. Incredible spicy-floral length; a very lovely wine indeed.” 95 points
When it comes to the wines from Priorat, we often hear the same complaint from our customers. They say that they can’t afford the wines they like and they don’t like the wines they can afford. It’s not fun being the piggy in the middle in that game, but we have finally found a Priorat red that we believe squares the circle.
It’s a gloriously hedonistic blend of Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 12 months in 300 litre French oak barrels and, if we do say so ourselves, tastes insanely good! It’s not impenetrably dark, like many of Priorat’s top reds, which can often taste like chewing on liquorice sticks, it’s lifted and perfumed and sweetly seductive. Imagine scented red-fleshed plums, cherry skins, peonies and Welch’s grape jelly, heightened by grace notes of tamarind, orange peel, cinnamon stick and sheer splendour. It’s rich, but silky and succulent and the tannins are saturated in sweet purple fruits, so it doesn’t stall on the palate, but glides down much too easily and is beautiful to drink with or without food. A dark mineral streak leads to a long, precisely tapered finish where all the delicious elements happily converge. 14% alc. Limited production (790 cases). Drink now-2032.
Organic farming
Press Review:
JancisRobinson.com (previous vintage): “Utterly seductive. Wild thyme and mint on the nose, just the slightest drift. This wine is rich, rich, rich. A sensuous symphony of the ripest of mulberries, black cherries, thick plum fruit, plum skin, plum jam bleeding with red ink, orange tang and brightness, the fresh-iron lick of blood and beef-savoury Bovril. Caraway spice and something that takes me to a wood-panelled library, a glass of whiskey on the side table gleaming in the light thrown by the flames of a wood fire in the hearth. A scratch of tannins, textured like an old booking binding, as plush as a deep, velvet armchair. Right at the very end, a bright, playful, dancing ping of strawberry. Utterly irresistible... (TC). Drink now-2030.“ 17.5 points
Customer comments :
“I enjoyed that so much, I’ll happily take some more.” - Mr J.H.
“Tried last night and it certainly lived up to its billing - gloriously fruity, mineral and very long on the finish. V drinkable now, but I reckon it will be better in 12 months ... if anyone can keep it that long. Will be back for more soon.” - Mr. T.M.
”Excellent wine!” - Ms. J.H.
“Really good – one of our favourites.” - Mr O.M.
”L’Interrogant is completely delicious. Do you have another 12 bottle case?” - Mrs. D.C.
”I recommended this to a friend who likes Priorat….a lot. His father-in-law, a Spanish economist who knows more than just numbers, came to stay, tried the wine and declared it was the best Priorat he had ever tasted.” - Mr. L.M.
NEWS JUST IN! The latest release (2023) has just received a ‘Platinum Award’ and 97 points from Decanter!
A great expression of Syrah from the Languedoc-Roussillon, which is only made in the best vintages. The colour of dragon’s blood, it beckons you into its inky core with sweet and succulent aromas of dark-skinned forest-fruits, pummeled blackcurrants, lilac and that lovely peppery top note that you find in northern Rhone Syrah, but once you stray inside, you lose your bearings amid the sheer intensity of its dark, swirling depths and vaulted gothic arches. Approachable now, thanks to the way the fruit has saturated the tannins, but it has decades on its side. 14.5% alc. 18 months in French oak barrels. Unfined, unfiltered and with a minimal use of sulphites. Only 216 cases produced. Drink now-2035.
Press review:
Le Guide Hachette des Vins: “A strict selection of Syrah, complex vinification, partially in whole clusters, with only indigenous yeasts, then a long aging of 18 months in barrel: the result is commensurate with the efforts. Very ripe red fruits, chocolate, liquorice, all refreshed with garrigue and menthol: the nose is magnificent. Round attack, smooth texture, firm but silky tannins, discreet aging which nuances the fruit with sweet spices, remarkable length: the palate drives the point home. It's fine, long, perfectly harmonious and very Languedocian.” Awarded a Coup de Cœur
Customer comments:
“I just wanted to let you know I tried a bottle of L’Etendoir des Fees last night and it was just as good as I remember!” - Mr C.B.
“I felt compelled to let you know that this was absolutely knockout. Seriously, seriously good.” - Mr A.W.
“Really very good.” - Mr N.M.
“This is very yummy.“ - Mr W.B.
“Stunning” - Mr C.M.
”The Syrah is absolutely delicious, excellent value for money!” - Mr. S. W.
“Great wine.” - Mr E.W.
“Wonderful”- Mr C.W.
“We drank the first bottle of the case tonight. I have straight away ordered another case.” - Mr. T.H.
”I feel compelled to let you know that I opened one of these at the weekend and from the first sip to the last Ihave to regard it as one of the most enjoyable wines I can remember having. I won’t embarrass myself by trying to describe it other than to say it was simply sensational. What a find.” - Mr. N.H.
”We have tried L’Etendoir Des Fees, delicious... just great, thanks for recommending.” - Mr. P.H.
“It's absolutely ridiculous value. Really lovely.” - Mr. H.A.
”it was beautiful!” - Mr. D.L.
”That’s a gorgeous Syrah” - Mr. F.A.
”This wine is quite delicious and special. Thank you for introducing it to me!” - Mr. P.J.
“This is simply gorgeous.” - JancisRobinson.com, 17.5 points
This stunning Malbec from Cahors in South West France is a wine that has needed every minute of the time it has spent maturing, but all patience has been rewarded, as it's now in seriously fine shape. Rich, smooth, sweetly-ripe, plush, inky, sexy and serious. Those aren't the adjectives I usually write after tasting a Cahors. Dark, brooding, tannic, muscular and grippy tend to be the ones I reach for, so it was a joy to taste such an uplifting example that marries the bass grunt of Malbec (known locally as 'Cot') with fabulous grace notes. There had to be a reason.
Speaking to the owner, Philippe Lejeune, it became clear that 3 factors were involved. Firstly, the vineyards sit at a higher altitude than their neighbours and the diurnal temperature flux can be as much as 20 degrees, which contributes enormously to aromatic complexity. Secondly, the soil in this part of Cahors is rich in limestone, which gives a sense of 'minerality' sometimes absent in the wines sourced from vineyards based on clay. Thirdly, the winemaker eschews a heavy extraction and keeps the temperature relatively low during fermentation in order to avoid the 'cooked' or 'stewed' flavours that dog so many reds from this region, known famously as the 'black wines of Cahors' (and note the alcohol level of 13% abv, which is well below the average for wine from this region).
The result is a wine that would knock the spots off any red Bordeaux at this price. There's an abundance of black fruits, as you would expect, but complicated by notes of turned soil, tobacco leaf and wet clay, not wholly dissimilar to a top-flight Saint Emilion. The sweet-sour balance is perfectly achieved, making it mouth-wateringly succulent, and the wine just oozes finesse in its long, glossy, cassis-laden finish. Highly recommended. 13% alc. Organic & biodynamic (certified). Drink now-2035.
Press review:
JancisRobinson.com: “This is simply gorgeous. It's silky and shining with energy, with deep-core red fruit, with that little special je ne sais quoi that some wines just have and you cannot put your finger on it. It's one of those wines that you can say, 'it tastes of cherries and cinnamon and girolles and camp-fire embers', but that doesn't capture this wine. It's all those things but more than that: it's a wine that has found its pole star. It pulses with focus, mission, purity of fruit. The tannins are endlessly long and endlessly elegant. Every bit of this wine comes together in an orchestra of voices, everything makes sense. (TC). Drink now-2035.” 17.5 points
The Wine Enthusiast (Roger Voss): “A bold juicy wine, with beautifully intense fruits layered over fruit that is almost mature. There is a spicy, smoky character to the that has been softened by wood aging. Organic and biodynamic.” 92 points
We’ve been looking for a wine like this for a long time, a northern Italian red with seriously sexy fruit and by ‘sexy’, we mean hedonistic, opulent and seductive and by ‘seriously’ we mean structured, rich and true to the region. It’s the ying-yang combination of those two features, which make this wine so utterly beguiling, the ‘sexy’ high-toned, sweet-plum and hibiscus flavours underpinned by a skein of ripe, yet ‘serious’ tannins and Barbera’s whiplash natural acidity to give the wine structural integrity, otherwise it would collapse under the weight of its own beauty. If you want your guests to finish every sip with “Oh wow!” then this wine belongs on your dinner table. 14.5% alc. Drink now-2030.
PS I’m having another glass of this now, later the same night, and it’s really quite fabulous. There are Barolo and Barbaresco flavours swirling around here, but immersed in the richness that comes with Barbera, so there’s none of the astringency associated with Nebbiolo, just luscious black cherry acidity piercing through kola, orange and cinnamon.
Organic (non-certified)
"All you could want in a classically-styled yet contemporary Chateauneuf." - Decanter, 94 points
It’s so lovely to have a Chateauneuf-du-Pape with nearly a decade of bottle age under its belt, meaning it has settled down from the brashness of youth into something altogether more composed and mellow. It is still full-bodied, as you would expect from a great vintage in teh Rhone, but time has rendered it silky and almost weightless, delivering wonderful, complex notes of cherries, raspberries and an array of dried spices and herbs. It is a blend of 62% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah, 6% Cinsault and 2% other varieties. 15% alc. Drink now-2030.
Decanter: "Potpourri and dried Provençale herbs on the nose. In the mouth it is rounded, immediately juicy and intense, but piercingly fresh. A pâté de fruit, red and black fruit character on the palate is accompanied by very fine but ample tannins. It's intense but lifted, structured, complete and harmonious. Very long and well balanced. All you could want in a classically-styled yet contemporary Châteauneuf. Drink now-2028." 94 points
Vinous: "Shimmering ruby. Powerful raspberry, boysenberry and floral scents show excellent clarity and take on subtle smoke and allspice nuances as the wine opens up, Juicy and penetrating on the palate, offering appealingly sweet red and blue fruit and spice cake flavours that deepen on the back half, with no loss of energy. Silky, well-knit tannins make a late appearance on a very long, seamless finish that emphatically echoes the floral and spice notes. This is an outstanding entry-level bottling. Drink now-2029." 94 points
Matthew Jukes: “With a thrilling perfume that resembles a lusty Morey-Saint-Denis more than a hulking Cornas, this sensual, pliable Syrah has embraced the multifaceted vintage conditions, unveiling an uncommonly prescient and enthralling wine. Totally integrated tannins beneath a shimmering, black-fruited carapace of flesh and spice, this is a genial fellow and the most approachable and civilised Swartland creation in a decade.” 19+ points/20 points
Tim Atkin MW: “ "Double schist" says Gottfried Mocke of this wine, which combines grapes from Porseleinberg with 10% from Boekenhoutskloof's Roundstone property. Fermented with 65%whole bunches, it's a refined, perfumed Syrah that is only aged in foudres and larger barrels these days, showing subtle ginger and pepper spice, sculpted tannins and raspberry, plum and blackberry fruit. Way less meaty than the 2021 was at the same stage. Drink now-2032.” 96 points
It takes a lot to rouse the UK wine trade, but when Jamie Goode referred to Koomilya as “the new Wendouree” it really pricked up its ears, because Wendouree is Australia’s most revered cult wine, whose bottles rarely make it to these shores and when they do, they are snapped up by collectors, and in Australia, they are only available to a lucky few on Wendouree’s mailing list. I have never even seen one, let alone tasted one. So, when Jamie made that bold comparison, the big sharks of the wine trade detected blood in the water and started circling. Little did they know, however, that Koomilya is only available via three minnows of the UK wine trade and Vin Cognito is one of them! As volumes are tiny (we only have 6 cases available), it made no sense for them to sell through the bigger fine wine brokers and we were extremely honoured to be chosen. So, with a little bit more ado...
Koomilya is the new project of Steve Pannell, who, when he was the head winemaker at Hardy’s, used to source Shiraz from this old McLaren Vale vineyard for the ‘Eileen Hardy’, Hardy’s flagship red, and even won the Jimmy Watson Trophy for a wine made from these very vines. When it came up for sale in 2012, he pounced and Koomilya was born. The oldest vines on the Koomilya estate date back 120 years (a gnarly old parcel of Mourvedre), but the two Shiraz plots are at least 80 years’ old (and equally gnarly). They are named after the original growers, so this Shiraz is called the ‘JC Block’, after Jill Cant, whose family have tended these vines for decades. It’s a glorious old-vine Shiraz made in the classical style, without any new oak and aged in large foudres, eschewing the modern preference for small barriques. As Jamie Goode says: “These are serious, old-school wines with incredible potential for development. Just as with Wendouree, they are not wines to crack in their youth, but instead need cellaring.” Drink 2024-2050. 14% alc.
Press reviews:
James Suckling: “This parcel is rich in limestone and ironstone and gives a bold delivery of ripe, glossy red and dark berry and plum fruit aromas and flavours. The plushness is so impressive, blooming with big flavours. Delicious and almost hedonistically fruited but precisely balanced. Concentrated and packed with fine, rich, smooth tannins. You can drink it now but try after 2025 to see more of what’s inside.” 99 Points
The Wine Front: “Earthy, saline, fragrant, deep, special. Liquorice, bramble fruit, walnut, spice, charcoal, dried flowers and herbs. Thick tanning rolling through the mouth, nori and lavender perfume, all the berries but not fruity, as such, powerful and stony, with chew and freshness on a superb long finish. And, indeed, it’s the length of flavour and presence that marks this out as a special wine. Outstanding. An Australian classic. Very long term.” 96+ points
The Australian Wine Companion: “There is so much to ponder across this Koomilya triumvirate that writing notes on wines that, in the words of Stephen Pannell, symbolise ‘a reclamation of Australian shiraz’, is a study unto itself. I adore this sentiment, because much in this country has become too big, too sweet and too challenging to drink, or conversely, overly reductive. Not here! The JC is comprised of 46yo vines on silty alluvials flecked with ironstone. Hand picked. Minimal messing. Jubey and floral. Pomegranate, persimmon, blue- and red-fruit allusions, hung game and ample Asian spice undertones. Best, the tannins! As with all of these Koomilya iterations! Here, a splay of moreish, detailed and utterly precise stitches, like imprints in calf-skin leather across the palate, serve as a weapon to combat any unwanted seam of sweetness. Superlative warm-climate Shiraz.” 96 points
“Among the absolute top wines being made in Italy today.” - Vinous
“Watching Giampiero Bea prepare and pour each bottle felt like being in a church rather than a winery, as each wine was handled like an icon or relic in preparation.” - Eric Guido
I’m glad I didn’t know this was a cult wine when I tried it, because it tends to annoy my tastebuds. I like to decide for myself whether a wine is worthy of worship, not to be told by some hipster that I should genuflect before it. So, in blissful ignorance of this wine’s reputation, I took a sip and my pupils dilated, my pulse quickened and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone within earshot that they should bow down in reverence before it.
It’s such a glorious mouthful of richly-upholstered Sagrantino, packed with riotously delicious black fruits and exotic spices and not remotely difficult to understand or hard to love (unlike a lot of cult wines!). Winemaking is strictly non-interventionist, with fermentation initiated by wild yeasts and it undergoes a long skin maceration (41 days) and extended lees aging (136 days). 13% alc. Drink now-2034,
Press review:
Vinous: “The 2017 Rosso de Veo is impossibly fresh, with a wild aromatic mix of spiced citrus, roses, cloves, hints of cocoa and, finally, medicinal black cherries. It’s silky-smooth and juicy to the core, with an abundance of energy and vibrant ripe red fruits that wash across the palate with ease. The 2017 finishes only lightly structured and lively, as the mouth waters under an air of red inner florals, and an underpinning of chalky minerals slowly fades. This may be a more immediate expression of Rosso de Veo, but it’s one that I hope to be able to try over and over again. It pays to mention that the 2017 clocks in at just 13% abv, an amazing feat for Sagrantino. Drink now-2031.” 92 points
The Wine Advocate: “Fruit comes from the younger vineyards. It opens to an inky dark appearance and shows rich aromas of blackberry confit and dried plum (thanks to 41 days of skin maceration) and 136 days of aging on the lees. The tannins are well managed, and the wine carries its full-bodied style with grace. Drink now-2035.” 92 points
“One of the Cape's greatest reds.” - Tim Atkin MW, 98 points
I have been following Eben Sadie’s Columella since its debut vintage in 2000 and I think this is the best iteration I have tasted to date. It has a kind of aristocratic grace, a lingering sillage of feminine perfume, a cold-stone, licked-pencil minerality, and a texture as soft as velvet stroked along the nap. Ask any Swartland winemaker about the 2023 vintage and you will struggle to find one who can hide a wry smile, as they avoided the heavy rains that blighted their neighbours in Stellenbosch and had a stellar harvest that produced rich, concentrated reds. Columella 2023 feels as if it has closed its eyes and breathed in the clean air and let the sunshine warm its skin. A magnificent wine that will give huge pleasure for another 2 decades at least. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2044.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “The latest in a run of stellar Columella releases, this is now a seven-variety blend led by 38% Syrah and complemented by half a dozen Iberian and southern Rhône grapes. Expressing "all the oils of the Swartland", it has subtle 30% whole clusters, aromas of garrigue, oregano and Negroni spices, fine-grained tannins, haunting minerality and a core of bramble, redcurrant and black cherry. One of the Cape's greatest reds. Drink 2027-2038.” 98 points
“Ravishing and multidimensional.” - The Wine Advocate, 99 points
“Intense and glorious.” - JancisRobinson.com, 19 points
The Wine Advocate: “The 2018 Monte Bello is as classic a release from this storied site as ever. It contains 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. A ravishing, multidimensional nose of wet clay, cocoa powder, peperoncini, cured meat and eucalyptus endlessly expands and congeals with further aeration. The palate precisely stitches together supple concentration and firm, coarse tannins that give sturdiness and intensity to its otherwise medium-bodied frame. The finish is amazingly long and delicious and begins to close down after a few hours, telling me this timeless wine should be left alone for the next 10-12 years. Superb through and through, this wine should excel past its 50th birthday. Drink now-2070.” 99 points
Jancis Robinson MW (October 2022):“Very dark crimson. The ripeness level is quite a shock immediately after the 1977! Floral cassis in abundance but nothing heavy. It’s supported on an air mattress of acidity and gives huge pleasure. I wouldn’t choose to drink the 2019 now but I could drink this! Great lift and freshness as well as all that ripe fruit. SO neat! Drink now-2045.” 19 points
… and just for good measure, Jancis tasted it again…
Jancis Robinson MW (April 2024):“Really deep blackish garnet. Already thoroughly rewarding on the nose – truly a bouquet of complexity! Some menthol with strong, ripe cassis. Already smells tertiary and utterly beguiling. Both rich and savoury with much dried-leaf character. Luscious, savoury fruit and yet with a dry, neat finish. Opulent but not sweet. Gloriously satisfying already but clearly set for a long, long life that will deliver even more pleasure. Intense and glorious. Drink 2024-2034.” 19 points
"Could well be the best Vigna del Sorbo ever released." - JancisRobinson.com
“An absolute stunner.” – Vinous
“Sheer beauty.”– The Wine Advocate
“A thoroughbred.” - Decanter
Reviews:
JancisRobinson.com: “Deep ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Lifted and perfumed and at the same time displaying brooding cherry fruit. Lush, juicy fruit, mouth-filling but maintaining effortlessly a certain elegance. Long gravelly tannins and juicy fruit on the finish. Could well be the best Vigna del Sorbo ever released. (WS). 14.5% alc. Drink 2026-2036.” 18 points
The Wine Advocate: “Now boasting the proud Panzano UGA on the front label, the Fontodi 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano Vigna del Sorbo is a little more delicate, even subdued, compared to its new brother, the more exuberant Terrazze San Leonlino. Vigna del Sorbo is a little more tuned in on itself, aromatically speaking, but reveals just enough complexity and sheer beauty to believe in the promise of its future aging potential. Even now, tasted so young, the wine's pedigree is evident. It excels in terms of complexity and depth. The tannins are velvety soft, and soft mineral aromas add focus. This certified expression of Sangiovese comes from a single parcel within the sun-drenched Conca d'Oro basin of vines that distinguishes Panzano. The Vigna del Sorbo stands out as one of my favourite wines from this region made in 2021. Drink now-2050.” 98+ points
Vinous: “The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is an absolute stunner. Deep, layered and explosive, the 2021 captures all of the magic of this year in spades. Black cherry, lavender, mocha, spice and licorice all soar out of the glass. A wine of statuesque beauty elegance, the 2021 is utterly mesmerizing. I would be in no rush to drink this. The 2021 spent 14-15 months in barrique (25% new) and then 7-8 months in cask. 2028-2046.” 97 points
Decanter: “Fontodi’s Vigna del Sorbo is one of the classic sites of the Conca d’Oro, which produces wines with the body and phenolic ripeness associated with Panzano, but which also retain a vein of freshness thanks to the southwest-facing aspect. This 2021 has a typically earthy nose, a compact, concentrated palate, and a very satisfyingly grippy finish with a return of ripe dark fruit. The tannins need a little time to loosen up, but this is a thoroughbred.” 95 points
Decanter: “The Sorbo vineyard sits just below the winery on schistous Galestro soil between 400 and 450 metres and boasts 50- to 60-year-old vines. Owner Giovanni Manetti says it is the same team that has harvested this plot for years. The 2021 spent 15 months in barriques followed by nine in large casks, and unfurls leisurely from a smoky incense overlay through dusty, sunbaked earth to black cherry. Virile and sturdy, the palate packs in dense fruit, glimpses of clove and cedar, and pops with blackcurrant purity. A clayey, terracotta-like texture accompanies generous chewy tannins. Plenty here for a long rest in the cellar.” 97 points
James Suckling: “Wow. There’s a richness and decadence to this, with cherry, orange peel, stone and terra cotta notes as well as crushed stone and cedar. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit and a very long, lingering finish. Extremely structured. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2026.” 97 points
Wine Spectator: “Saturated with black cherry, blackberry, violet and graphite flavors, this fluid, elegant red is defined by vibrant acidity, with a light matrix of fine-grained tannins. Balanced and fresh on the fruit-filled aftertaste. Decant now, or give this a year or two in the cellar. Best from 2026 through 2045.” 97 points
The Wine Advocate: “The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favourite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else. Drink now-2035.” 100 points
James Suckling: “A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous Cabernet Franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well.” 100 points
For deliveries in London, the wine will be delivered in its original wooden case. For deliveries outside London, it will be repacked into mail-safe boxes.
Customer review:
“Big fan – it’s stunning.” - Mr T.P.
Brimming with southern French warmth and personality, this luscious Corbieres is a blend of Syrah and Grenache Noir aged for 14 months in French oak and offers a rich nose of dark berries, currants, liquorice, sweet woody spices and dark chocolate. Drink it with rustic dishes, like ossobuco, boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin or Chinese duck with hoisin sauce. 14.5% alc. Drink now-2026.