Luxe Tastes Mid-Autumn Festival Wine Gift
Luxe Tastes Mid-Autumn Festival Wine Gift
Elevate your Mid-Autumn celebration with the Luxe Six Wine Selection – a sophisticated gift set crafted for those who appreciate the finer things. This elegant collection features a harmonious mix of premium wines, including a sparkling for toasts, a dessert wine for mooncakes, refined whites, graceful reds, and a delicate rosé.
Beautifully packaged for the season, this luxurious selection is perfect for gifting to loved ones, business partners, or hosts. A thoughtful way to honour tradition, celebrate reunion, and toast under the glow of the full moon.
1 x Pare "Jericho Family Vineyard" Grenache 2023 - McLaren Vale, Australia
95/100 Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
93/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion 'There are two grenaches in the Pare range. Both are from Blewitt Springs, but they are strikingly individual. This, my pick, from vines planted in 1955 to Maslin Sands in what winemaker Ansel Ashby says is one of the coolest sites in the district. About half whole bunch and older, larger oak. Fragrant and pure of fruit, the reserve is key, with such refinement and no cheap thrills. Red fruited, a lilt of rosy florals, a dusting of spices – freshly ground cinnamon, sumac, clove, white pepper – warm terracotta, dried cranberry, the palate supple, with a fine scaffolding of grape tannins. It’s a very fine debut."
Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Pretty and lifted aromas of violets, dried herbs, cherry liqueur, bramble and raspberry. Juicy, layered and mouth-filling. There's plenty of plush red and blue fruits along with spice, under-brush and florals. The tannins are shapely and the acidity is crunchy and both bring ample shape to the wine. Smart gear."
Australian Financial Review – Max Allen "Winemaker Ansel Ashby launched his first label, Gatch, in 2016 to produce wines that
were “fun, delicious, and not pretentious” – everyday drinking white and red that didn’t focus on variety or provenance. His latest venture, Pare, set up with business partner Andrew Williams, takes the opposite tack: serious, single-varietal wines from single, named vineyards. There are two grenaches in the line-up, both from blocks of old, dry-grown vines in the prized Blewitt Springs area of McLaren Vale. ....my pick is the Jericho. Vines planted in 1955, wild ferment with 50 per cent whole bunches, then 10 months’ maturation in old puncheons all result in a pure, floral, polished expression of grenache with a sprinkling of spice and fine, porcelain tannins. Quite seductive."
Pare wines was born from a friendship and desire to craft the finest wines from the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale. Our wines are all single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay and Grenache. Each wine is hand crafted, using pared back winemaking to express the vineyards in their truest form.
The Jericho Family vineyard was planted to Grenache in 1955. The soil is classic Maslin Sand from the elevated Blewitt Springs subregion of McLaren Vale. This is one of the coolest sites in Blewitt Springs. The resulting wine shows floral notes, blue fruit, and spice.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 - Victoria, Australia
96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
95/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review
96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
94/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2021 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Ronbinson (2021 vintage)
95/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2019 vintage)
95/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2019 vintage)
93/100 Falstraff (2019 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Top Wineries Australia - The Real Review 2024
James Halliday 2021 Award Winning Varietal - Pinot Noir of the Year (2018 vintage)
Silver - Royal Adelaide Wine Show (2021 vintage)
Silver - Australian Pinot Noir Challenge (2021 vintage)
Silver - Melbourne Royal Show (2021 vintage)
Bronze - Royal Adelaide Wine Show (2019 vintage)
Yabby Lake's Pinot Noir is the first pinot ever to win the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards’ coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy in the trophy’s 52-year existence. (2012 vintage)
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Well, where to start with this beauty that took my breath away? Awash with dark cherries, blood orange and zest, Middle Eastern spices and sous bois aromas plus savoury oak. The palate is the clincher: smooth and polished with velvety tannins and fine acidity enticing it all to a long finish. Wow."
Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Vibrant ruby-red colour. Red cherry and Serrano ham aromatics. An enveloping palate, dark cherry, smoky and cured meat notes all glide with a suppleness that belies its intensity and power. Acid gently lifts it and tannins are so well integrated you have to go looking, but they definitely bring a focus and tension to the finish."
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "There’s such finesse with the ’21 pinots from Yabby Lake, yet this has structure, detail and beauty in equal measure. Heady aromatics all florals, spiced cherries with a whiff of cedary/smoky oak. There’s intensity but the medium-weighted palate is seductive with powdery tannins and lithe acidity laced throughout. It’s also moreish and utterly compelling." (2021 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep-ish red with a good purple tint, the bouquet spicy, smoky, rich and quite complex, with attractive input from stylish oak. The wine is rich and full in the mouth, ample and generously flavoured, with loads of ripe cherry pinot flavour laced with spices. Succulent fruit sweetness at its heart. A serious pinot with real depth and gravitas." (2021 vintage)
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "What a classy wine this is. Concentrated, spicy, layered and very fine, this 2021 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Yabby Lake shows the purity and finesse of the 2021 vintage. In spades. It has notes of raspberry leaf tea, black cherry, hints of matcha, pink peppercorns and red apple skins. Through the finish, there emerges a distinctly spicy, almost exotic character: the thinking swings from chinotto to alpine herbs and back again. The acidity is saline and threads through the fruit with invisible stitches. A beautiful wine." (2021 vintage)
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "There's a richness and ripeness of flavour perfectly reflecting the warmer vintage, without going over the top. Fragrant and floral, dark cherries spiced to the max, dabs of licorice, herbs and a smidge of wood char, with the oak neatly tucked in. Tannins have some emery board grip and the acidity is bright enough that you can enjoy it now or hold for a while." (2019 vintage)
Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Bright cherry-red hue. Bramble, black cherries and prosciutto on the nose. Medium-weight yet very intense, dark cherries, some mushroom notes alongside a smoked-meat character. Fine acids give a sense of freshness whilst a fine powder of tannins sets the line and carries the wine long and lingering into the finish." (2019 vintage)
100% Pinot Noir
Australian Wine Companion "...continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Huon Hooke "One of [Yabby Creek's Winemaker] Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium bodied, peppery shiraz.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.
The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of the forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibits notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.
1 x Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon 2017 ~ Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia
96/100 James Suckling
96/100 The Wine Front
95/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
96/100 James Suckling (2015 vintage)
95/100 Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (2015 vintage)
94/100 Tom Cannavan (2015 vintage)
94/100 Ned Goodwin MW (2015 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World Wine Awards
Gold - 2023 Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Finlaysons Trophy for Best Semillon in show
Gold - 2023 NSW Wine Awards
Gold - 2023 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
Gold - 2023 Royal Sydney Wine Show
Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2015 vintage)
James Halliday "From one of the masters of developed semillon, helped in this instance by the great semillon vintage. Its bouquet half suggests the use of oak – not true. It's a hypnotic wine, with Meyer lemon driving the citrus circus and the wheels of acidity."
Decanter World Wine Awards "Anyone trying this extraordinary wine, marked by classic Hunter cleanliness and freshness...The vines had had adequate rainfall prior to midsummer, though, and the secret to Hunter Valley Semillon is early picking. It is this that makes it an inarticulate wine in its early years – but with time comes character. After six years, you can see growing aromatic richness, as innate toasty, smoky notes begin to join the subtle lime fruits, while on the palate the structure of acidity – intense to the point of inscrutability in the early years – is beginning to deepen, to soften and to modulate towards something more aromatically resonant. During all this time, of course, the wine maintains its overall lightness and delicacy, the legacy of just 11% abv."
James Suckling "An iridescent mid-yellow flecked with green, the color of semillon from these parts nudging adolescence, little more. Loads in store, attested by a faint whiff of buttered white toast and lemon drop. The acidity, febrile and gloriously juicy, carries the flavors extremely long. The wine is typical featherweight, belied by the intensity of flavor at its core. This is exceptional. Inimitable. Benchmark wine."
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 2017 ILR Reserve Semillon is already toasty and voluminous in the mouth. It leads with cold buttered toast, the distant whiff of fresh coffee, lemon myrtle, honeysuckle, grapefruit pith and brine. It undulates and courses through the long finish."
James Suckling "Such a beautifully polished and gently developed semillon with aromas of fresh lemon and lemon butter, as well as yellow grapefruit. So pure. The palate has a glazed sheen that has built up in the bottle now, and there’s fleshy lemon flavor with a discreet push of acidity below. Good ripeness and poise." (2015 vintage)
Erin Larkin, The Wine Front "The 2015 ILR Reserve Semillon is so toasty and spiced. It has sun-drenched honeysuckle (a character I saw in the 2019 Oakey Creek Semillon as well), creamed honey, sandalwood, curls of saffron, layers of leaf (an autumnal, undergrowth, lichen character that is not dissimilar to aged Champagne—a yeast autolysis thing) and exotic spices such as star anise/fennel through the finish. I like this wine so much. I am well familiar with the 2014, and each vintage retains the vineyard DNA through the seasonal fluctuations that the vines endure and thrive in. It's like the vineyard produces a structural clarity. This has a remarkable splay of flavors and textures derived from bottle age and immaculate cellaring." (2015 vintage)
Decanter World Wine Awards "Restrained aromas of toast and flint with lemony fruit. Maturing beautifully, steely and focused, super fin and bright." (2015 vintage)
Tom Cannavan "Younger vines here, around 10 years old, on sandy alluvial soil. The recipe is very similar: no oak, no malolactic, and bottled early from stainless steel. Again, that beautiful development here, adding a touch of flint to toast and lemon curd. The palate has a little more weight that the Tyrell's it feels to me (though slightly lower alcohol), and a bursting orangy brightness to the fruit. Delicious lemon jelly purity swept up in acidity in the finish, gives this salty savouriness as well as pleasing fruit brightness." (2015 vintage)
The ILR Reserve Semillon is named after Chief Winemaker and Managing Director Iain Leslie Riggs, who joined the winery in 1982. Iain has taken Brokenwood from a small ‘hobby’ winery into the national and international arena, and was the driving force in Brokenwood extending the range to white wines.The ILR Reserve Semillon is an aged white wine that receives no oak.
After tasting the wine over the first three years the decision was made to release at 5 years bottle age, in other words to have some bottle development but capable of aging further. In terms of winemaking it was a case of low (and now, zero) skin contact and neutral yeast.
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Sémillon is one of the wine world's unsung heroes. The gold-skinned grape produces France's most famous and revered sweet wines, notably Sauternes, and some of the greatest dry white wines of Australia - particulary those in the Hunter Valley.
1 x Domaine du Bois Rosier 2021 Pouilly-Fuisse - Burgundy, France
92/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
92/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
91/100 VertdeVin (2019 vintage)
90/100 Wine Spectator (2019 vintage)
Bronze - Andreas Larsson - Tasted (2019 vintage)
92/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
2 Stars - Le Hachette des Vins (2019 vintage)
1 Stars - Le Hachette des Vins (2018 vintage)
Gold - Chardonnay-du-Monde
Gold - Chardonnay-du-Monde (2019 vintage)
James Suckling "Apricots, sliced apples, lemons and cream on the nose. Crushed stones and some yoghurt, too. Medium-to full-bodied with a creamy texture. Subtle almond and lemon notes on the finish." (2020 vintage)
James Suckling "Aromas of cooked apple, mango, peach and vanilla. It’s full-bodied and creamy with concentrated, ripe flavors. Lingering lemon curd, almonds and stones on the finish." (2019 vintage)
VertdeVin "The nose is fruity, fresh, and offers good definition, fine gourmandize and precision. There are hints of fresh apple, lychee and slightly citrus (tangerine, quince) combined with hints of white flowers, crunchy berries and a very discreet hint of carambola. The palate is fruity, precise, chiselled and reveals minerality, freshness, sharpness, precision and juiciness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy peach, fleshy nectarine and, more slightly, ripe lemon, combined with hints of lychee and a subtle hint of quenette, white flowers and a very discreet hint of toasted almond in the background, some nutmeg and butter in the aftertaste." (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "An opulent white, with a plump texture embracing peach, pear and butterscotch flavors. Brisk acidity gives this shape, while the long finish evokes a lightly tannic feel." (2019 vintage)
Andreas Larsson - Tasted "Bright light golden colour. Pure nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, a hint of almond and fresh butter, no evident oak. Pure and fresh palate with medium weight and volume, a fruitier example with toned down oak, rather ripe yellow fruit notes with some nuttiness, mild extract and a fairly long warm finish." (2019 vintage)
Le Hachette des Vins "Very elegant in its yellow gold color with green reflections, this 2019 delivers intense scents of hawthorn and pine mixed with the mineral notes of the terroir. The palate displays a lot of richness from the attack, volume and intensity. A wine of character, with a promising future." (2019 vintage)
James Suckling "Aromas of cooked apples and honey with hints of hot stone and honeysuckle. Medium body, lovely honey character and freshness. Long and flavorful." (2018 vintage)
Le Hachette des Vins "This brilliant Pouilly-Fuissé with pistachio highlights offers a complex olfaction bringing together woody scents (brioche, butter, nutmeg) with softer notes of peach, apricot and acacia flowers. A lively attack gives way to a supple, floral and long palate." (2018 vintage)
Les Vins Georges Duboeuf is one of the largest wine producers in France founded by the late Georges Duboeuf who was affectionately known as 'le roi du Beaujolais' (the king of Beaujolais) or sometimes pape du Beaujolais (Pope of Beaujolais). Les Vins Georges Duboeuf produces a staggering 3 million cases of wine annually. The company is most well-known for its popularization and production of Beaujolais wines. In 2018 Georges’ passed control of his company to his son Franck Duboeuf, who is considered to be one of the key specialists in Beaujolais, its terroir and its wine, and has shifted production to focus more on Beaujolais Nouveau.
Pouilly-Fuissé is the home of the finest white wines of southern Burgundy's Maconnais district. They are produced exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in the communes of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson. The typical Pouilly-Fuissé wine is full-bodied, ripe and relatively elegant, with the best examples rivaling the finer wines of the Côte de Beaune. The zone currently covers around 800 hectares (2000 acres) of hillside vineyards, planted on limestone-rich clay soils over a granitic base. The 500m (1640ft) limestone escarpment known as the Roche de Solutré is located at the heart of the appellation's vine-growing area and towers over the vineyards below. The Clos Reyssié in particular is the most famous terroir in the village of Chaintré, one of the four villages in the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation.
Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) is an historic and highly respected wine region in eastern France. Burgundy wines have long had devout followers throughout the world and continue to do so today. Although Bordeaux produces about four times as much wine every year, Burgundy’s estimated 74,000 acres (30,000ha) of vineyards are considered to be of equal importance, producing some of the most exclusive wines on Earth.
1 x Vigna L'Aja Bruciata Maremma Toscana Vermentino Superiore 2022 - Tuscany, Italy
92/100 James Suckling
91/100 Vinum
91/100 Falstaff
91/100 Michael Godel, WineAlign
92/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage)
James Suckling "Fresh and crunchy white showing notes of sliced apples, nectarines, white flowers and some flinty reduction. Medium-bodied, sleek and delicious, with crunchy acidity and a polished texture. Nicely filled with fruit. Juicy finish."
Falstaff "Bright, pale straw yellow with silver nuances. A finely drawn nose with scents of sage, lemon balm and grapefruit. Beautiful playfulness on the palate, juicy on the attack, well-defined fruit, lots of peach."
Michael Godel, WineAlign "Second vintage for the white wine brainchild of Andrea Zingarelli and the first labeled under the new DOC of Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC. Winemakers Luca Francioni and son Duccio are very much a part of this project with the intention to make a vermentino of flesh and karst with some potential to age. This second attempt really makes an impression because of how it expresses place with more brightness and harmony between its parts. The citrus is here, as are those mineral elements from 2021 but without the overt phenolic and botanical aromas. Length is better, precision is finer and finesse bringing this vermentino into better focus"
James Suckling "A new single-vineyard vermentino from here, with sliced pear and lemon aromas and flavors. Medium body with fresh, crunchy and honeyed character. Honeysuckle, too." (2021 vintage)
Winemaker "Color: pale straw, tending towards greenish. Bouquet: very fine varietal aromas, overall floral and fruity.Taste: savory, rounded, and elegant, with a fresh and harmonious aroma, and a rhythmic longevity."
100% Vermentino
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when Italo Zingarelli – producer of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much”, and also of the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region is located in Tuscany, that romantic area of central Italy known for its sweeping landscapes, burning hot sun and its wealth of art and food history. Like most other wines made in the Old World, Chianti derives its name not from the grape used to make the wine, which is Sangiovese, but from the region where it is made.
For a Chianti to be a Chianti, it must be produced in the Chianti region and be made from at least 80% Sangiovese grapes. While most Chiantis are 100% Sangiovese, some winemakers in the region like to blend the Sangiovese with a little Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah to soften the finish of the wine.
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
Vermentino (“vur-men-teeno”) is a light-bodied white wine that grows mostly in Italy on the island of Sardinia. What’s exciting about Vermentino is it can be deliciously complex in taste in similar style to Sauvignon Blanc; One style is richer and creamier and the other is lighter, more floral and zestier. Because Vermentino is so unknown, you can find high quality wines for a great value. Wines with similar body and taste profile include Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Soave and Verdejo.
1 x Maxime Blin Cuvee Le Present Champagne Blanc - Champagne, France
92/100 Jamie Goode
Award Winner - Le Guide Hachette des Vins
Gold - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2015
Silver - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2004
Gold - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2013
Silver - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2008
Maxime Blin is served on Qatar Airways & Air Italy
Organic
Jamie Goode "Toasty, rich and intense with notes of pear, peach and honey. Powerful style showing opulence and sweetness, allied to structure."
Le Guide Hachette des Vins "Made from 3 Champagne grape varieties in equal parts, a fresh, mineral and long brut, with aromas of butter, vanilla and lemony stone fruits. For the aperitif as for the table."
Le Guide Hachette des Vins "The Maxime Blin Carte Blanche white is an award winning Champagne". This wine was noted in the 2021 edition of the Guide Hachette Vins."
Sommeliers International "A mouthful of talent."
1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Meunier
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified organic wines have been certified by Association des Champagnes Biologiques in France.
Champagne Maxime Blin has captured the attention of the world's champagne experts. This fourth-generation family owned champagne house has produced many award winning champagnes which are rated highly and celebrated for their expression of the famous terrior in which the vineyard is located. It is one of the few certified organic champagne producers in the worrld. Situated in the Champagne village of Saint Thierry near Reims - the center of the Champagne world - boasting Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Ruinart and Taittinger, Champagne Maxime Blin is the rising star amongst its big name neighbours.
Maxime Blin has been certified organic since 2021. The company. produced its first organic champagne in 2022. Maxime Blin champagnes are highly sought after due to the qualtiy and low volume of champagnes it produces. It cultivates the three Champagne grape varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay on vines with an average age of twenty years.
Maxime Blin produces 11 champagnes ( Carte Blanche, Carte Douce, Rosé, Millésime, Grande Tradition, Cuvée l'Onirique, Cuvée l'Authentique, Cuvée Maxime, Millesime 1998, Cuvée Craziness, Clés d'Eole). Among the brands' many admirers which include artists, musicians, and wine experts, the Italian actress Manuela Arcuri, every year for her birthday, orders the Cuvée 'Craziness'.
Champagne is the most iconic sparkling wine in the world, produced in the region of Champagne in France. Synonymous with celebration, champagne is typically produced from a few specific varieties of grapes: pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. With effervescent flavors of citrus, almond, and apple, champagne comes in varying levels of sweetness and has a moderate amount of alcohol. The most treasured Champagnes age for a minimum of 3 years.
The Champagne region is located 140 kilometres from Paris, France. While the vines in this region have been producing wine since the Roman era, it is only in the past couple of hundred years that winemakers began producing Champagne using méthode champenoise - the complex method that produces the style of Champagne the world knows and loves today. Another important component of the production of champagne is the chalk and limestone soils which dominate the Champagne region. Vines grown in these conditions result in wines that are high in acidity - a key component to making good sparkling wine. Champagne's northerly location - about as north as grapes can ripen - also allow for higher acidity and lower alcohol levels which are also very important for producing quality sparkling wine.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of the wine growing region of Champagne is best known for the world's most famous wine product: champagne. The region of Champagne, traces its roots to the early medieval kingdom of Austrasia that was annexed to the French crown in the 1300s. Right from the early ages, the region has been famed for its hillside vineyards and its strictly regulated methods of creating those pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay grapes into – champagne. It is this ‘Method Champenois’ that connects champagne to its rich history, geographical location and image of luxury.
Luxe Tastes Mid-Autumn Festival Wine Gift
Elevate your Mid-Autumn celebration with the Luxe Six Wine Selection – a sophisticated gift set crafted for those who appreciate the finer things. This elegant collection features a harmonious mix of premium wines, including a sparkling for toasts, a dessert wine for mooncakes, refined whites, graceful reds, and a delicate rosé.
Beautifully packaged for the season, this luxurious selection is perfect for gifting to loved ones, business partners, or hosts. A thoughtful way to honour tradition, celebrate reunion, and toast under the glow of the full moon.
1 x Pare "Jericho Family Vineyard" Grenache 2023 - McLaren Vale, Australia
95/100 Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
93/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion 'There are two grenaches in the Pare range. Both are from Blewitt Springs, but they are strikingly individual. This, my pick, from vines planted in 1955 to Maslin Sands in what winemaker Ansel Ashby says is one of the coolest sites in the district. About half whole bunch and older, larger oak. Fragrant and pure of fruit, the reserve is key, with such refinement and no cheap thrills. Red fruited, a lilt of rosy florals, a dusting of spices – freshly ground cinnamon, sumac, clove, white pepper – warm terracotta, dried cranberry, the palate supple, with a fine scaffolding of grape tannins. It’s a very fine debut."
Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Pretty and lifted aromas of violets, dried herbs, cherry liqueur, bramble and raspberry. Juicy, layered and mouth-filling. There's plenty of plush red and blue fruits along with spice, under-brush and florals. The tannins are shapely and the acidity is crunchy and both bring ample shape to the wine. Smart gear."
Australian Financial Review – Max Allen "Winemaker Ansel Ashby launched his first label, Gatch, in 2016 to produce wines that
were “fun, delicious, and not pretentious” – everyday drinking white and red that didn’t focus on variety or provenance. His latest venture, Pare, set up with business partner Andrew Williams, takes the opposite tack: serious, single-varietal wines from single, named vineyards. There are two grenaches in the line-up, both from blocks of old, dry-grown vines in the prized Blewitt Springs area of McLaren Vale. ....my pick is the Jericho. Vines planted in 1955, wild ferment with 50 per cent whole bunches, then 10 months’ maturation in old puncheons all result in a pure, floral, polished expression of grenache with a sprinkling of spice and fine, porcelain tannins. Quite seductive."
Pare wines was born from a friendship and desire to craft the finest wines from the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale. Our wines are all single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay and Grenache. Each wine is hand crafted, using pared back winemaking to express the vineyards in their truest form.
The Jericho Family vineyard was planted to Grenache in 1955. The soil is classic Maslin Sand from the elevated Blewitt Springs subregion of McLaren Vale. This is one of the coolest sites in Blewitt Springs. The resulting wine shows floral notes, blue fruit, and spice.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 - Victoria, Australia
96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
95/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review
96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
94/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2021 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Ronbinson (2021 vintage)
95/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2019 vintage)
95/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2019 vintage)
93/100 Falstraff (2019 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Top Wineries Australia - The Real Review 2024
James Halliday 2021 Award Winning Varietal - Pinot Noir of the Year (2018 vintage)
Silver - Royal Adelaide Wine Show (2021 vintage)
Silver - Australian Pinot Noir Challenge (2021 vintage)
Silver - Melbourne Royal Show (2021 vintage)
Bronze - Royal Adelaide Wine Show (2019 vintage)
Yabby Lake's Pinot Noir is the first pinot ever to win the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards’ coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy in the trophy’s 52-year existence. (2012 vintage)
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Well, where to start with this beauty that took my breath away? Awash with dark cherries, blood orange and zest, Middle Eastern spices and sous bois aromas plus savoury oak. The palate is the clincher: smooth and polished with velvety tannins and fine acidity enticing it all to a long finish. Wow."
Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Vibrant ruby-red colour. Red cherry and Serrano ham aromatics. An enveloping palate, dark cherry, smoky and cured meat notes all glide with a suppleness that belies its intensity and power. Acid gently lifts it and tannins are so well integrated you have to go looking, but they definitely bring a focus and tension to the finish."
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "There’s such finesse with the ’21 pinots from Yabby Lake, yet this has structure, detail and beauty in equal measure. Heady aromatics all florals, spiced cherries with a whiff of cedary/smoky oak. There’s intensity but the medium-weighted palate is seductive with powdery tannins and lithe acidity laced throughout. It’s also moreish and utterly compelling." (2021 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep-ish red with a good purple tint, the bouquet spicy, smoky, rich and quite complex, with attractive input from stylish oak. The wine is rich and full in the mouth, ample and generously flavoured, with loads of ripe cherry pinot flavour laced with spices. Succulent fruit sweetness at its heart. A serious pinot with real depth and gravitas." (2021 vintage)
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "What a classy wine this is. Concentrated, spicy, layered and very fine, this 2021 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Yabby Lake shows the purity and finesse of the 2021 vintage. In spades. It has notes of raspberry leaf tea, black cherry, hints of matcha, pink peppercorns and red apple skins. Through the finish, there emerges a distinctly spicy, almost exotic character: the thinking swings from chinotto to alpine herbs and back again. The acidity is saline and threads through the fruit with invisible stitches. A beautiful wine." (2021 vintage)
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "There's a richness and ripeness of flavour perfectly reflecting the warmer vintage, without going over the top. Fragrant and floral, dark cherries spiced to the max, dabs of licorice, herbs and a smidge of wood char, with the oak neatly tucked in. Tannins have some emery board grip and the acidity is bright enough that you can enjoy it now or hold for a while." (2019 vintage)
Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Bright cherry-red hue. Bramble, black cherries and prosciutto on the nose. Medium-weight yet very intense, dark cherries, some mushroom notes alongside a smoked-meat character. Fine acids give a sense of freshness whilst a fine powder of tannins sets the line and carries the wine long and lingering into the finish." (2019 vintage)
100% Pinot Noir
Australian Wine Companion "...continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Huon Hooke "One of [Yabby Creek's Winemaker] Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium bodied, peppery shiraz.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.
The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of the forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibits notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.
1 x Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon 2017 ~ Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia
96/100 James Suckling
96/100 The Wine Front
95/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
96/100 James Suckling (2015 vintage)
95/100 Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (2015 vintage)
94/100 Tom Cannavan (2015 vintage)
94/100 Ned Goodwin MW (2015 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World Wine Awards
Gold - 2023 Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Finlaysons Trophy for Best Semillon in show
Gold - 2023 NSW Wine Awards
Gold - 2023 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
Gold - 2023 Royal Sydney Wine Show
Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2015 vintage)
James Halliday "From one of the masters of developed semillon, helped in this instance by the great semillon vintage. Its bouquet half suggests the use of oak – not true. It's a hypnotic wine, with Meyer lemon driving the citrus circus and the wheels of acidity."
Decanter World Wine Awards "Anyone trying this extraordinary wine, marked by classic Hunter cleanliness and freshness...The vines had had adequate rainfall prior to midsummer, though, and the secret to Hunter Valley Semillon is early picking. It is this that makes it an inarticulate wine in its early years – but with time comes character. After six years, you can see growing aromatic richness, as innate toasty, smoky notes begin to join the subtle lime fruits, while on the palate the structure of acidity – intense to the point of inscrutability in the early years – is beginning to deepen, to soften and to modulate towards something more aromatically resonant. During all this time, of course, the wine maintains its overall lightness and delicacy, the legacy of just 11% abv."
James Suckling "An iridescent mid-yellow flecked with green, the color of semillon from these parts nudging adolescence, little more. Loads in store, attested by a faint whiff of buttered white toast and lemon drop. The acidity, febrile and gloriously juicy, carries the flavors extremely long. The wine is typical featherweight, belied by the intensity of flavor at its core. This is exceptional. Inimitable. Benchmark wine."
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 2017 ILR Reserve Semillon is already toasty and voluminous in the mouth. It leads with cold buttered toast, the distant whiff of fresh coffee, lemon myrtle, honeysuckle, grapefruit pith and brine. It undulates and courses through the long finish."
James Suckling "Such a beautifully polished and gently developed semillon with aromas of fresh lemon and lemon butter, as well as yellow grapefruit. So pure. The palate has a glazed sheen that has built up in the bottle now, and there’s fleshy lemon flavor with a discreet push of acidity below. Good ripeness and poise." (2015 vintage)
Erin Larkin, The Wine Front "The 2015 ILR Reserve Semillon is so toasty and spiced. It has sun-drenched honeysuckle (a character I saw in the 2019 Oakey Creek Semillon as well), creamed honey, sandalwood, curls of saffron, layers of leaf (an autumnal, undergrowth, lichen character that is not dissimilar to aged Champagne—a yeast autolysis thing) and exotic spices such as star anise/fennel through the finish. I like this wine so much. I am well familiar with the 2014, and each vintage retains the vineyard DNA through the seasonal fluctuations that the vines endure and thrive in. It's like the vineyard produces a structural clarity. This has a remarkable splay of flavors and textures derived from bottle age and immaculate cellaring." (2015 vintage)
Decanter World Wine Awards "Restrained aromas of toast and flint with lemony fruit. Maturing beautifully, steely and focused, super fin and bright." (2015 vintage)
Tom Cannavan "Younger vines here, around 10 years old, on sandy alluvial soil. The recipe is very similar: no oak, no malolactic, and bottled early from stainless steel. Again, that beautiful development here, adding a touch of flint to toast and lemon curd. The palate has a little more weight that the Tyrell's it feels to me (though slightly lower alcohol), and a bursting orangy brightness to the fruit. Delicious lemon jelly purity swept up in acidity in the finish, gives this salty savouriness as well as pleasing fruit brightness." (2015 vintage)
The ILR Reserve Semillon is named after Chief Winemaker and Managing Director Iain Leslie Riggs, who joined the winery in 1982. Iain has taken Brokenwood from a small ‘hobby’ winery into the national and international arena, and was the driving force in Brokenwood extending the range to white wines.The ILR Reserve Semillon is an aged white wine that receives no oak.
After tasting the wine over the first three years the decision was made to release at 5 years bottle age, in other words to have some bottle development but capable of aging further. In terms of winemaking it was a case of low (and now, zero) skin contact and neutral yeast.
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Sémillon is one of the wine world's unsung heroes. The gold-skinned grape produces France's most famous and revered sweet wines, notably Sauternes, and some of the greatest dry white wines of Australia - particulary those in the Hunter Valley.
1 x Domaine du Bois Rosier 2021 Pouilly-Fuisse - Burgundy, France
92/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
92/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
91/100 VertdeVin (2019 vintage)
90/100 Wine Spectator (2019 vintage)
Bronze - Andreas Larsson - Tasted (2019 vintage)
92/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
2 Stars - Le Hachette des Vins (2019 vintage)
1 Stars - Le Hachette des Vins (2018 vintage)
Gold - Chardonnay-du-Monde
Gold - Chardonnay-du-Monde (2019 vintage)
James Suckling "Apricots, sliced apples, lemons and cream on the nose. Crushed stones and some yoghurt, too. Medium-to full-bodied with a creamy texture. Subtle almond and lemon notes on the finish." (2020 vintage)
James Suckling "Aromas of cooked apple, mango, peach and vanilla. It’s full-bodied and creamy with concentrated, ripe flavors. Lingering lemon curd, almonds and stones on the finish." (2019 vintage)
VertdeVin "The nose is fruity, fresh, and offers good definition, fine gourmandize and precision. There are hints of fresh apple, lychee and slightly citrus (tangerine, quince) combined with hints of white flowers, crunchy berries and a very discreet hint of carambola. The palate is fruity, precise, chiselled and reveals minerality, freshness, sharpness, precision and juiciness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy peach, fleshy nectarine and, more slightly, ripe lemon, combined with hints of lychee and a subtle hint of quenette, white flowers and a very discreet hint of toasted almond in the background, some nutmeg and butter in the aftertaste." (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "An opulent white, with a plump texture embracing peach, pear and butterscotch flavors. Brisk acidity gives this shape, while the long finish evokes a lightly tannic feel." (2019 vintage)
Andreas Larsson - Tasted "Bright light golden colour. Pure nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, a hint of almond and fresh butter, no evident oak. Pure and fresh palate with medium weight and volume, a fruitier example with toned down oak, rather ripe yellow fruit notes with some nuttiness, mild extract and a fairly long warm finish." (2019 vintage)
Le Hachette des Vins "Very elegant in its yellow gold color with green reflections, this 2019 delivers intense scents of hawthorn and pine mixed with the mineral notes of the terroir. The palate displays a lot of richness from the attack, volume and intensity. A wine of character, with a promising future." (2019 vintage)
James Suckling "Aromas of cooked apples and honey with hints of hot stone and honeysuckle. Medium body, lovely honey character and freshness. Long and flavorful." (2018 vintage)
Le Hachette des Vins "This brilliant Pouilly-Fuissé with pistachio highlights offers a complex olfaction bringing together woody scents (brioche, butter, nutmeg) with softer notes of peach, apricot and acacia flowers. A lively attack gives way to a supple, floral and long palate." (2018 vintage)
Les Vins Georges Duboeuf is one of the largest wine producers in France founded by the late Georges Duboeuf who was affectionately known as 'le roi du Beaujolais' (the king of Beaujolais) or sometimes pape du Beaujolais (Pope of Beaujolais). Les Vins Georges Duboeuf produces a staggering 3 million cases of wine annually. The company is most well-known for its popularization and production of Beaujolais wines. In 2018 Georges’ passed control of his company to his son Franck Duboeuf, who is considered to be one of the key specialists in Beaujolais, its terroir and its wine, and has shifted production to focus more on Beaujolais Nouveau.
Pouilly-Fuissé is the home of the finest white wines of southern Burgundy's Maconnais district. They are produced exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in the communes of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson. The typical Pouilly-Fuissé wine is full-bodied, ripe and relatively elegant, with the best examples rivaling the finer wines of the Côte de Beaune. The zone currently covers around 800 hectares (2000 acres) of hillside vineyards, planted on limestone-rich clay soils over a granitic base. The 500m (1640ft) limestone escarpment known as the Roche de Solutré is located at the heart of the appellation's vine-growing area and towers over the vineyards below. The Clos Reyssié in particular is the most famous terroir in the village of Chaintré, one of the four villages in the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation.
Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) is an historic and highly respected wine region in eastern France. Burgundy wines have long had devout followers throughout the world and continue to do so today. Although Bordeaux produces about four times as much wine every year, Burgundy’s estimated 74,000 acres (30,000ha) of vineyards are considered to be of equal importance, producing some of the most exclusive wines on Earth.
1 x Vigna L'Aja Bruciata Maremma Toscana Vermentino Superiore 2022 - Tuscany, Italy
92/100 James Suckling
91/100 Vinum
91/100 Falstaff
91/100 Michael Godel, WineAlign
92/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage)
James Suckling "Fresh and crunchy white showing notes of sliced apples, nectarines, white flowers and some flinty reduction. Medium-bodied, sleek and delicious, with crunchy acidity and a polished texture. Nicely filled with fruit. Juicy finish."
Falstaff "Bright, pale straw yellow with silver nuances. A finely drawn nose with scents of sage, lemon balm and grapefruit. Beautiful playfulness on the palate, juicy on the attack, well-defined fruit, lots of peach."
Michael Godel, WineAlign "Second vintage for the white wine brainchild of Andrea Zingarelli and the first labeled under the new DOC of Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC. Winemakers Luca Francioni and son Duccio are very much a part of this project with the intention to make a vermentino of flesh and karst with some potential to age. This second attempt really makes an impression because of how it expresses place with more brightness and harmony between its parts. The citrus is here, as are those mineral elements from 2021 but without the overt phenolic and botanical aromas. Length is better, precision is finer and finesse bringing this vermentino into better focus"
James Suckling "A new single-vineyard vermentino from here, with sliced pear and lemon aromas and flavors. Medium body with fresh, crunchy and honeyed character. Honeysuckle, too." (2021 vintage)
Winemaker "Color: pale straw, tending towards greenish. Bouquet: very fine varietal aromas, overall floral and fruity.Taste: savory, rounded, and elegant, with a fresh and harmonious aroma, and a rhythmic longevity."
100% Vermentino
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when Italo Zingarelli – producer of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much”, and also of the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region is located in Tuscany, that romantic area of central Italy known for its sweeping landscapes, burning hot sun and its wealth of art and food history. Like most other wines made in the Old World, Chianti derives its name not from the grape used to make the wine, which is Sangiovese, but from the region where it is made.
For a Chianti to be a Chianti, it must be produced in the Chianti region and be made from at least 80% Sangiovese grapes. While most Chiantis are 100% Sangiovese, some winemakers in the region like to blend the Sangiovese with a little Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah to soften the finish of the wine.
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
Vermentino (“vur-men-teeno”) is a light-bodied white wine that grows mostly in Italy on the island of Sardinia. What’s exciting about Vermentino is it can be deliciously complex in taste in similar style to Sauvignon Blanc; One style is richer and creamier and the other is lighter, more floral and zestier. Because Vermentino is so unknown, you can find high quality wines for a great value. Wines with similar body and taste profile include Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Soave and Verdejo.
1 x Maxime Blin Cuvee Le Present Champagne Blanc - Champagne, France
92/100 Jamie Goode
Award Winner - Le Guide Hachette des Vins
Gold - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2015
Silver - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2004
Gold - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2013
Silver - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2008
Maxime Blin is served on Qatar Airways & Air Italy
Organic
Jamie Goode "Toasty, rich and intense with notes of pear, peach and honey. Powerful style showing opulence and sweetness, allied to structure."
Le Guide Hachette des Vins "Made from 3 Champagne grape varieties in equal parts, a fresh, mineral and long brut, with aromas of butter, vanilla and lemony stone fruits. For the aperitif as for the table."
Le Guide Hachette des Vins "The Maxime Blin Carte Blanche white is an award winning Champagne". This wine was noted in the 2021 edition of the Guide Hachette Vins."
Sommeliers International "A mouthful of talent."
1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Meunier
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified organic wines have been certified by Association des Champagnes Biologiques in France.
Champagne Maxime Blin has captured the attention of the world's champagne experts. This fourth-generation family owned champagne house has produced many award winning champagnes which are rated highly and celebrated for their expression of the famous terrior in which the vineyard is located. It is one of the few certified organic champagne producers in the worrld. Situated in the Champagne village of Saint Thierry near Reims - the center of the Champagne world - boasting Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Ruinart and Taittinger, Champagne Maxime Blin is the rising star amongst its big name neighbours.
Maxime Blin has been certified organic since 2021. The company. produced its first organic champagne in 2022. Maxime Blin champagnes are highly sought after due to the qualtiy and low volume of champagnes it produces. It cultivates the three Champagne grape varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay on vines with an average age of twenty years.
Maxime Blin produces 11 champagnes ( Carte Blanche, Carte Douce, Rosé, Millésime, Grande Tradition, Cuvée l'Onirique, Cuvée l'Authentique, Cuvée Maxime, Millesime 1998, Cuvée Craziness, Clés d'Eole). Among the brands' many admirers which include artists, musicians, and wine experts, the Italian actress Manuela Arcuri, every year for her birthday, orders the Cuvée 'Craziness'.
Champagne is the most iconic sparkling wine in the world, produced in the region of Champagne in France. Synonymous with celebration, champagne is typically produced from a few specific varieties of grapes: pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. With effervescent flavors of citrus, almond, and apple, champagne comes in varying levels of sweetness and has a moderate amount of alcohol. The most treasured Champagnes age for a minimum of 3 years.
The Champagne region is located 140 kilometres from Paris, France. While the vines in this region have been producing wine since the Roman era, it is only in the past couple of hundred years that winemakers began producing Champagne using méthode champenoise - the complex method that produces the style of Champagne the world knows and loves today. Another important component of the production of champagne is the chalk and limestone soils which dominate the Champagne region. Vines grown in these conditions result in wines that are high in acidity - a key component to making good sparkling wine. Champagne's northerly location - about as north as grapes can ripen - also allow for higher acidity and lower alcohol levels which are also very important for producing quality sparkling wine.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of the wine growing region of Champagne is best known for the world's most famous wine product: champagne. The region of Champagne, traces its roots to the early medieval kingdom of Austrasia that was annexed to the French crown in the 1300s. Right from the early ages, the region has been famed for its hillside vineyards and its strictly regulated methods of creating those pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay grapes into – champagne. It is this ‘Method Champenois’ that connects champagne to its rich history, geographical location and image of luxury.