weingut beurer 2020 rIESLING TROCKEN SCHILSANDSTEIN

BADEN, GERMANY

In his youth, Jochen Beurer was a European BMX champion. As an adult, he is revered by some as one of the most important wine makers in Germany. Not only does Jochen produce stunning examples of Riesling (Germany’s most important varietal), he also makes fabulous whites from Sauvignon Blanc & Grauburgunder; plus, reds and not just from Pinot Noir (Germany is the third largest producer of Pinot Noir in the world), but also Trollinger, Lemberger, Dornfelder, Portugieser & Zweigelt.

Jochen has also mentored countless winemakers and is incredibly dedicated to the environment, passionately practicing biodynamics.

This dry, energetic Riesling comes from a single vineyard with vines that are more than 40 years old, planted on sandstone soil. On the nose you’ll find aromas of petrichor and peaches. The palate is bursting with flavours of lemon curd, green apple and pear, with a kiss of salinity and a whisp of lemon balm.

(P.S. It’s pronounced Boi-ruh.)

st. john wines 2020 bEAUSOLEIL ROSÉ 

LANGUEDOC, FRANCE

St. John is a famous, Michelin star awarded restaurant located in London, England. It was founded in 1994 with the idea of providing an elevated “nose to tail” dining experience; meaning they have a devotion to using offal and other cuts of meat rarely seen in restaurants, often reclaiming traditional British recipes.

St. John is also well known for their highly curated wine list, including their “house” wines which are a result of close work with a number of their favourite producers from all over France.

This gorgeous rosé called, Beausoleil (meaning “beautiful sun”) is made from 100% Grenache that comes from an area called Côtes de Thau, in Southern France's Languedoc region. The grapes are picked early to preserve freshness, and the juice spends minimal time on skins to keep the colour light and the tannins low.

Ripe strawberry, citrus and white flowers jump from the glass. On the incredibly refreshing palate you’ll find more strawberry, cranberry, peach, and pink grapefruit.

domaine saint-cyr 2021 la galoche 

BEAUJOLAIS, FRANCE

Raphaël Saint-Cyr is the fourth-generation winemaker at the helm of Domaine Saint-Cyr, which was founded by his great-grandfather, Pierre Saint-Cyr in 1949. Raphaël took over the winemaking from his father Thierry in 2008 and, having seen his grandfather and uncle fall ill from exposure to the chemicals used in the vineyard, he immediately started converting their 23 hectares to certified organic viticulture, practicing biodynamics. Domaine Saint-Cyr is now the largest organic Domaine in Beaujolais!

La Galoche, made from 100% Gamay, represents Saint-Cyr’s largest production and is considered their flagship wine. Hand harvested grapes go through carbonic maceration with indigenous yeast before being transferred to concrete vats for 6 months of ageing.

This vintage displays super intriguing, savory notes; you’ll find both aromas and flavours of Herbs de Provence and morel mushrooms, plus tart cranberry, pomegranate and slightly underripe strawberries.

gota wines 2019 mesa vinho tinto

TEJO, PORTUGAL

This wine comes from the town of Bairro, located within the Tejo wine region; it’s situated in the center of Portugal, straddling the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula, aptly called the Tejo River. The landscape here consists of rolling hills and sweeping plains, comprised of clay and limestone soils; the climate is warm and dry, with the river having a very strong influence. This region dates back to ancient Roman times.

The majority of the grapes grown here go into the production of bulk wines, they’re definitely known more for quantity over quality.

Mesa means table, in reference to the fact that this is an everyday, “table wine”, but it definitely over delivers! It's made from indigenous varietals Castelão and Trincadeira Preta with a splash of Aragonez.

In the glass, this looks deep and dark, almost brooding. On the palate though it’s surprisingly light and fresh with notes of blackberry and cherry, accented by rich flavours of balsamic and cocoa powder.

Serve it lightly chilled!

eduardo torres acosta 2019 VERSANTE NORD ROSSO 

SICILY, ITALY

Born in 1982 in Tenerife (the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands), where his father had a small plot of land planted to vines, Eduardo developed a passion for winemaking early on in life. Following that passion, he enrolled in Agricultural Engineering and continued his studies in oenology. A few years later, in 2012, the curiosity to explore new regions and learn from other producers led him to Sicily’s Mt. Etna, where he interned at Azienda Arianna Occhipinti. Not long after that, he got a job as the enologist at Azienda Passopisciaro, a pioneer of Etna's new wave of natural producers. From there, Eduardo was able to rent a few small parcels to create his very own label, and today he farms a total 4.5 hectares over 8 parcels.

Versante Nord Rosso is comprised of 85% Nerello Mascalese & 15% Nerello Capuccio, coming from two north facing parcels (hence the name). It’s pure, savoury and complex with grippy, structured tannins. Notes of plum, red cherries, orange zest, toasted cinnamon sticks, and flinty minerality abound!

BRUNO MURCIANO & CO. 2020 PARAJES DEL CABRIEL

UTIEL-REQUENA, SPAIN

Bruno Murciano grew up in restaurants and quickly developed an affection for food and wine, leading to a career as a sommelier. After 20 years though, he saw his dreams come to fruition when he purchased his vineyard in 2010. Alongside his brother Jose Luis, a trained oenologist, they have created a winery in their home region of Valencia that focuses on creating great wines which reflect the indigenous varieties and land of Valencia and Utiel-Requena.

This is made with 100% old vine Bobal (about 85-years-old to be more precise), the grape is named after the Latin “bovale”, a reference to the shape of a bull’s head, which some think the grape resembles. Bobal is the second most widely planted red variety in all of Spain!

This wine is aged for 9 months in 50% French oak barrels & 50% stainless steel after fermentation with indigenous yeast.

This is silky and smooth with complex notes of blueberry, figs, black licorice, rosemary, espresso, dark chocolate and a lingering finish.