2005 Sarsfield Estate Cabernet-Shiraz-Merlot
Shelf Price $22.50 / Offer Price $20.25 / Dozen Unit Price $19.00

Sarsfield Estate is a small farm in the Lakes and Wilderness area of East Gippsland, in the South-eastern corner of Australia. Suzanne Rutschmann and Peter Albrecht migrated from Switzerland in 1989, and developed the farm, vineyard and winery. They now run a herd of grass-fed beef cattle and produce about 1000 cases of premium red wine annually. They use solar and wind energy and depend entirely on rainwater.

"Deep red colour, still showing some purple. Ripe dark fruits on the nose - blackberry, a little blackcurrant - with savoury notes from subtle, spicy oak and a hint of dried herbs. Full-bodied palate with concentrated flavour and plenty of weight, yet with fine dry tannins giving an impression of elegance. Very good length. The wine is developing quite slowly. It should gain complexity over at least another six years and could be very long-lived." Nick Bulleid MW, April 2008

Order Form

Fontodi, Tuscany - Pre-Arrival Offer

In 1968, brothers Domiziano and Dine Manetti bought a very neglected Fontodi estate, and started restoring farm buildings, replanting vineyards, and expanding and modernizing winemaking facilities And so began the process of creating a world-class winery. Today, Fontodi is managed by Macro and Giovanni Manetti, cousins who are sons of the 1968 visionaries. They are ably assisted by winemaker Franco Bernabei, and the wines produced here speak volumes about the talent of these men, as well as the quality of raw material they grow.

The vineyards at Fontodi, comprising of 67 hectares, are wholly situated in the valley of the Conca D'oro (the Golden Basin) which lies to the south of the town of Panzano and has an average altitude of 400m above sea level. The southern aspect of the vineyards and their position in a natural amphitheatre provide optimum climatic conditions to achieve perfect ripening for the grapes and therefore wines of great character and structure. The natural marl soil ensures perfect drainage and the roots of the vines grow down deeply encouraging the absorption of the minerals needed for their metabolism.

2005 Chianti Classico / Shelf Price $57.50 / Pre-arrival Price $49.00
"Bright ruby. Sexy, clean aromas of floral red berries and red cherry. Conveys an almost saline sense of extract on the soft, lush, sweet palate, with plenty of acidity keeping it lively and interesting. Only moderately intense in the mid-palate, but this is ready to drink and very attractive." 88 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2004 Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo / Shelf Price $115.00 / Pre-arrival Price $97.75
Since 1980 this wine has been made from a blend of Sangiovese and a small proportion of Cabertnet Sauvignon, both from the Vigna del Sorbo vineyard. This profound and extremely complex wine was one of the first Cabernet-blends to be made in Italy, and today it is only made in the best vintages. And 2004 was good... “The long growing season of 2004 was nearly perfect, with cloudless warm days and cool nights combining to give wines that, at their best, display a textbook balance of perfumed aromas, ripe fruit flavors and vibrant acidity.” Stephen Tanzer

2004 Flaccianello della Pieve / Shelf Price $149.00 / Pre-arrival Price $126.50
"Medium-deep red. Multifaceted nose offers red- and blackcurrant, flowers, tobacco and licorice, accented by an elegant mineral quality. This displays incredible freshness, with a delicate balsamic quality perfectly framing the red and dark fruit flavors. Finishes extremely long, with spectacularly suave tannins. Now made from the estate's best sangiovese grapes; up to the '01 vintage, this wine was the product of a single vineyard that has since been replanted. 94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

"Manetti's 2004 Flaccianello della Pieve (100% Sangiovese aged in 100% new oak) is simply stunning. Fresh and vibrant, it offers compelling aromatics and endless layers of fruit that develop in the glass, with superb length on the palate and gorgeous overall balance. Although it is still holding back much today, make no mistake about it, Flaccianello is one of Italy's blue-chip wines and the 2004 is a profound vintage for this wine. In order to enjoy its full range of expression readers will have to wait at least another five years after which it will provide memorable drinking to age 25, perhaps longer. A recent bottle of the 1982 was still full of life when tasted a few months ago." 96 points Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

2004 Syrah ‘Casa Via’ / Shelf Price $115.00 / Pre-arrival Price $97.75
We recently opened the 2003 at our "Premium Shiraz from around the world" tasting and was blown away by the wine's purity of fruit, impressive structure and extreme long finish. Though hard to imagine, the 2004, being a much superior vintage, promises to be even better. The Gambero Rosso describes it as follows: "Syrah Case Via '04 was very convincing, with a complex nose of pepper, spices, ripe berries and animal aromas. On the palate, there is character and pleasantness from a perfect balance of tannins, silkiness and acidity."

“Intense aromas of blackberry and plum, with hints of meat. Full-bodied, with intense berry character and ripe tannins. Long and very stylish. Always one of the best Syrahs in Italy. Best after 2008.” 92 Points Wine Spectator

Order Form

2006 William Fèvre, Chablis

Location, location, location... The key to the success that Chablis has enjoyed over many centuries is unquestionably the location of its vineyards: on the unique Kimmeridgian subsoil rich in minerals and oyster fossils, in a semi-continental climate zone marked by strong temperature fluctuations. But the greatest factor remain the synthesis of Chardonnay with the unique Chablis-terroir: here all the inherent qualities of this noble grape are magnified. Chablis' seven Grand Cru vineyards are spread out over 100 hectares on a single southwest-facing hillside. Each of these sites impart different characteristics to the wine, and here Chablis production reaches its pinnacle.

William Fèvre is a name hallowed by Chablis-lovers all over the world, and we are happy to offer you a number of his stunning 2006 Grand Crus (plus one Premier Cru which Allen Meadows calls "a grand cru in all but name" - see below). "Our philosophy is purity and terroir," says Fèvre estate manager Didier Seguier. "I want to find the expression of terroir in our wines every year."

2006 Chablis Fourchaume Vignoble de Vaulorent 1er Cru / Shelf Price $97.00 / Offer Price $85.00
“(from an impressive 3.63ha parcel out of only 17ha and most of it is hard by Les Preuses. Séguier calls this their ‘baby grand cru’ as specific barrels are selected for vine age, concentration and power). A strikingly elegant and pure as white flower and green fruit notes waft from the glass to reveal full, powerful and sappy flavours that retain a fine sense of detail on the penetrating finish that is seriously long. What I like best about this wines though is the underlying sense of harmony because there’s size and energy here in spades yet ultimately, it harnesses that to remain a wine of finesse it not delicacy. Absolutely gorgeous and a grand cru in all but name. 91-94pts Allen Meadows’ Burghound, Issue 28, 4th Quarter 2007

2006 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru/ Shelf Price $150.00 / Offer Price $132.00
“This is more restrained and reserved aromatically with equally ripe aromas that are somehow cooler and mix floral and spice notes in with the green fruit character that lead to round, robust and well muscled flavors that possess real size and weight plus ample dry extract that coats the mount on the delicious but serious finish that is brimming with Chablis character. This is really quite impressive… and the only nit is a slight touch of backend warmth.” 90-93 points Allen Meadows’ Burghound, Issue 28, 4th Quarter 2007

2006 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru/ Shelf Price $150.00 / Offer Price $132.00
“(from two separate parcels of vines, the larger of which is in the heart of the ‘amphitheater’ from which the finest examples of Vaudésir originate). Perhaps the freshest of any of these grand crus to this point, which is interesting as Vaudésir tends to always be one of the very ripest of the GSc given how the configuration of the vineyards collects heat. While the nose is certainly ripe, it is also airy and elegant with floral, spice and orchard fruit aromas complementing the quinine and citrus notes that can also be found on the powerful, muscular and borderline robust flavors that somehow manage to remain refined and deliver the considerable dry extract with grace on the explosive finish. This is generous on the mid-palate but it’s almost breathtaking as to how fast the finish tightens up. Impressive. 92-94 points Allen Meadows’ Burghound, Issue 28, 4th Quarter 2007

2006 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru / Shelf Price $150.00 / Offer Price $132.00
“(from a parcel of vines that is close to to Vaudésir and extends all the way from Grenouilles to the tree line at the top of the hill; in 2006 this vineyard gave only 30 hl/ha). Here the beautifully expressive nose is even more elegant but as Valmur almost always is, the aromas are restrained, cool, refined and practically shout ‘Chablis’ as the saline and oyster shell notes add real depth to the classic green fruit and floral aromas. As the low yields would suggest, this is one concentrated wines with an opulent mouth feel yet no loss of detail on the iodine-infused and austere finish that seems to go on and on. Terrific and by the standards of the wine, it should be approachable a year or two sooner than usual. 92-94 points Allen Meadows’ Burghound, Issue 28, 4th Quarter 2007

2006 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru / Shelf Price $150.00 / Offer Price $132.00
“(from two parcels of vines that total 2.55ha, or 22% of the entire appellation). A touch of wood spice with subtle anise, clove and saline notes add nuance to the pretty and elegant mix of white and yellow fruit aromas that introduce round and generous flavors that offer up real volume and mid-palate density, all wrapped around a firm acid spine on the refined, pure and explosive finish. This is positively stunning, certainly in an absolute sense but particularly so in the context of the vintage. One to look for.” 92-95 points Allen Meadows’ Burghound, Issue 28, 4th Quarter 2007

2006 Chablis Le Clos Grand Cru 06 / Shelf Price $165.00 / Offer Price $145.00
“(from 4 separate parcels totaling 4.11ha, e of which are all at hte top of the slope). An airy, expressive and ultra refined and pure nose of white flower, quinine, saline, minerals and seashore nuances trimmed in discrete wood gives way to rich and robust, indeed huge flavors that are perhaps a bit les refined than those of the Valmur or Preuses but there is another dimension here of depth that more than compensates. A great wine with a long future that should develop slowly yet because of all the mid-palate fat, be enjoyable young.” 92-95 points Allen Meadows’ Burghound, Issue 28, 4th Quarter 2007
Order form