Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration Toast

Celebrate the joy of reunion without overspending with our Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration Toast. This thoughtfully selected duo includes a delightful sweet wine and a crisp sparkling wine – perfect for pairing with mooncakes and sharing with loved ones under the glow of the full moon.

Elegant, festive, and affordable, it’s the ideal gift or table companion for a meaningful Mid-Autumn toast filled with warmth and good cheer.

1 x Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico Famiglia Zingarelli 2022 - Tuscany, Italy

92/100 5 Stars Wine - The Book - Vinitaly (2021 vintage)
91/100 Falstaff (2021 vintage)
90/100 Raffele Vecchione, Wine Critics (2021 vintage)
90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2021 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Robinson (2021 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Spectator (2021 vintage)
Bronze - CellarTracker (2021 vintage)
91/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
90/100 Raffele Vecchione, Wine Critics (2020 vintage)
90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2020 vintage)
90/100 Falstaff (2020 vintage)
16/20 Jancis Robinson (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Spectator (2020 vintage)
Bronze - CellarTracker (2020 vintage)
Btonze - The Wine Independent (2020 vintage)
Commended- Stephen Blandford, The Real Review (2020 vintage)

Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2021 vintage)
Silver - Mundus Vini (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2020 vintage)

Organic - currently undergoing certification

Falstaff "Medium ruby red with slightly lightening rim. Amarena cherry and fresh plum nose, then slightly savoury and forest floor. Well balanced on the palate, with fine-grained tannin and plenty of red fruit, medium-long finish." (2021 vintage)

Raffele Vecchione, Wine Critics "Slightly dusty on the nose showing notes of black prunes, blackberries, burnt sage and marjoram. Medium bodied, light tannins and a pleasurable finale of medium distension." (2021 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "A combination of vanilla, tar and rose petals on the nose meets with wild herbs and fresh red fruit. Cranberries, strawberries and cherries on the palate stay in balance with more savory notes of tar and rock, pressing up against firm tannins." (2021 vintage)

Decanter World Wine Awards "Red fruit with gamey notes on both nose and palate with a touch of oak." (2021 vintage) 

James Suckling "Aromas of dried strawberries, orange zest, stones and licorice, followed by a medium body with firm tannins rounding off the savory berry fruit." (2020 vintage)

Raffele Vecchione, Wine Critics "Slightly shy on first impact showing notes of geraniums, hibiscus and guaranà. Full bodied, soft tannins of good rounded form and a luminous, enjoyable finale." (2020 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "The nose on this wine is earthy and dense with mushrooms, soil and underbrush, followed by hibiscus and cranberry tea. Cherries, strawberries and raspberries meet up with cranberries and hibiscus on the palate, with hints of vanilla, milk chocolate and finally some orange pith for astringency." (2020 vintage)

Falstaff "Shiny ruby sheen. On the nose nuances of fresh cherries, plums and also showing fine floral tones. On the palate juicy and mouth-filling, with fine-grained tannin, medium-long finish." (2020 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "...Beyond sweet cherry and cassis, the wine shows some grilled herb and white pepper." (2020 vintage)

Stephen Blandford, The Real Review "Quite a herbal nose with cut grass or hay over the just discernable cherry aromas, a little earthiness as well. Flavours follow suit with sour berry and cherry fruits entwined with somewhat green tannins." (2020 vintage)

Decanter World Wine Awards "Appealingly complex flavours of cherries, barbeque, aromatic herbs, and a meaty earthiness" (2020 vintage) .

Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also 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 company 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 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.

Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.

The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.

Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.

1 x Maxime Blin Son Naturel Optimiste - Champagne, France

Organic

Winemaker "A full bodied smooth and lingering Champagne, round, long, harminious, with a minerality on the finish. Ideal for an aperiftif, to accompany oysters and fish.

Maxime Blin is served on Qatar Airways & Air Italy

80% Pinot Noir 20% Chardonnay

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.