HARTFORD WINES Hartford Court Land's Edge Vineyards Pinot Noir, Sonoma County

Eden Rift Reserve Pinot Noir The Reserve Pinot Noir represents the winemaker’s hand-picked selection of Eden Rift estate’s ten standout barrels. The palate expresses dark fruits, earthy notes, cherry liqueur, chocolate and mineral notes. Layered flavours of bright blackberries, orange, and subtle tannin are framed with delicate underbrush notes and toasted wood.

Product Information: The 25th vintage in Gibbston delivered idyllic conditions providing the opportunity to make exceptional wines including this commemorative cuvee from their own Estate, one that beautifully articulates in the glass everything Grant and Jen love about Gibbston Pinot Noir. This slightly warmer season shows density and concentration with amazing finesse; perfume; fragrance; fine tannin; bright fruit and delectable earthiness. The wines receive 25% whole bunch, there's 25 days of total maceration. The wine spends 11.5 months in 29% new oak by Ana Selection and François Frères. Maker: Valli is the personal vocation of pioneering winemaker Grant Taylor a name that's synonymous with Otago Pinot Noir. He has been crafting wines there since 1993 when there were only 20 ha planted – today there are over 2000. Grant founded Valliin 1998 with the intention to produce single vineyard Pinot Noirs highlighting the different characteristics of Otago’s sub regions. More than 20 years later, Valli is doing just that, producing single-vineyard pinot noirs from Gibbston, Bannockburn, and Bendigo in Central Otago and the Waitaki Valley in North Otago, as well as a dry Pinot Gris from Gibbston and a Riesling from Waitaki. In 2015, established Otago winemaker Jen Parr joined Grant in the winery, where the two aim to create wines with honesty, integrity, and most of all, a sense of place. When you drink a Valli wine, you are enjoying more than just a wine: you are experiencing a place. Vineyard: Just off the Gibbston Highway in Central Otago, this vineyard embraces a semi excellences a semi-continental climate, at altitudes ranging from 320 to 475 meters, the vines thrive with a composition of Dijon clones. They draw sustenance from alluvial loess atop firm river gravels and colluviums, while being free draining. Planted in year 2000, managing a relatively dense 4,040 per hectare the yields are kept to a low 5 tonnes per hectare. Producing wines of extraordinary character and depth of flavour. Nose - Herbaceous, Raspberry, Sweet Spices The nose is elegantly presented, with a whiff of medicinal/ herbaceous nuance, unfolding Bing cherry, strawberry, raspberry, hibiscus, vanilla and spices. Palate - Cherry, Hibiscus, Thyme Medium-bodied aromas of strawberry, cherry and raspberry intertwined with hibiscus, vanilla, and cinnamon, along with thyme, vine leaf and a suggestion of liquorice. Ripe acidity laces the palate, and dusty tannin lightly adorns and carries a captivating closing. A graceful Pinot Noir shows deep nuances and balanced spice on a refined, dusty mouthfeel. Finish - Briary, Licorice, Savoury Wood Spices A graceful Pinot Noir shows deep nuances and balanced spice on a refined, dusty mouthfeel.

A powerful bouquet with mixed ripe red fruits, Perrier Jouët Blason Rosé is a full bodied and structured wine with hints of violet and rose petal on the nose. Brings a pleasant savoury finish on the palate.

From vines yielding less than 1 tonne/acre, 100% whole bunch, natural yeast ferment, 100% new oak. A powerful and structural Pinot Noir by Lethbridge. An unusual presentation of the MV6 clone in the Estate vineyard produces fruit of great density of flavour, and very low yield (0.5 tonnes/acre). This wine was fermented with 100% whole bunch inclusion and had pre-fermentation maceration for 7-10 days. Wild yeast fermentation in small open vats proceeded with daily pigéage. Pressing was straight to barrel (100% new French oak) to allow for gross lees contact and natural MLF.

This is more aromatically complex than the Cents Vignes with its well-layered nose of red and dark berries, violets, plum, earth, spice and discreet game nuances. This also displays a relatively refined mouth feel as the plump and rounded medium-bodied flavors are delicious and a bit more concentrated as well before terminating in a slightly dry finish that cuts the persistence short. I would advise drinking this young for its fruit. 88/2018+

DOMAINE HENRI MAGNIEN Gevrey Chambertin Champerrier , Gevrey-Chambertin

Deep, vibrant red. Red cherries with a citric tartness that is very appealing, along with minerals and a touch of anise. A little wildness. Quite savoury. The palate fans out on the finish and the wine is very persistent. A little oak in support. Very focussed and layered for the vintage.