After almost three decades of shared experience in the wine industry, Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood decided to have a crack at their own venture sourcing fruit mainly from high quality vineyards in McLaren Vale to produce wines under their Ministry of Clouds label. This stellar example of Grenache is comprised 8 different Grenache ferments with varying amounts of whole bunch ranging from a couple of whole berry ferments to the highest being 28% whole bunch, skin time varying between 3 to 6 weeks. The 8 ferments are off four vineyards - three of which all neighbour each other in Blewitt Springs. One planted in 1930, another in 1939 and the last is believed to be planted in 1940s. These 3 vineyards make up 82% of the blend. The last component is from the oldest part of the Smart vineyard in Clarendon planted in 1920. Maturation took place in large old oak for 6 months. A Grenache of phenomenal intensity and power. Vibrant dark red coloured core with black shaded edges and a light purple red hue. Wafting from the glass with a perfumed like intensity are intoxicating aromas of dark raspberries, ripe cherries and red liquorice that are infused with an intriguing mix of fresh herbs and rose petals. Subtle vanillin earth and spice notes are also evident. Carrying only light to medium body, the palate has a power without weight quality, juicy dark raspberry, red liquorice and red cherry fruits unfolding like a never ending peacocks tail to deliver superb depth. Magnificent purity of fruit and with its concentration on another level. Lingering underneath are some vanillin confectionary, earth and subtle spicy pepper characters. Fresh acidity and a sturdy matrix of tannins provide a fine boned structure. Concludes with an explosively long, succulently fruited finish. Drink over the next 6-8 years. Alc. 14.7%

The story of Sokol Bloser first began in 1971 when Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser first planted vines in Oregon's Dundee Hills. Alex & Alison Sokol Blosser, Siblings, Co-Presidents, and Second Generation Winegrowers, are passionately committed to their families legacy in creating world class wines using sustainable methods. From the start, the Sokol Blosser family was aware of the impact that farming and wine production would have on the environment. Before it was popular, the winery did everything it could to give back to the land. The Sokol Blossers knew preserving the land would help the winery remain family-owned for generations to come. With the skill of their winemaking team and a love for Pinot Noir, the 2021 vintage of Evolution Pinot Noir is so delicious that it will knock your socks off, literally. They sought out to evolve Pinot Noir to make it the anytime wine. It’s the wine for the imaginative food lover. Evolution Pinot Noir celebrates the any-food occasion. Dangerously juicy and fruit-driven with a sophisticated silk. This bottle of Pinot makes enjoying a young Pinot Noir wine so easy to drink and share. The Willamette Valley never fails to produce beautifully fruit flavours in its Pinot. The 2021 Evolution is packed with bright red fruit flavours, heaps of jammyness, a dash cherry pie, and a hint of toasty oak on the finish. A foodies delight, this wine pairs with darn near everything! Pumpkin chipotle soup, glazed pork chops, wild mushroom risotto, even a decadent dark chocolate torte!

Since its created in 1953, Françoise Chauvene has been reflecting its attachment to and respect for the terroir and traditions in the marking of its wines. Françoise Chauvene Lajolie Pinot Noir has a soft and supple palate with strawberry & cherry characteristics with a soft tannic finish. Medium body with hints of oak across the back palate. Smooth and well-balanced.

The Abeille-Fabre family, four generation proprietor of the famous estate Chateau Mont-Redon in Chateauneuf-du-Pape introduces here another prestigious brand. This Cotes-due-Rhone is a blend of noble classic varieties of the Rhone Valley. This wine, produced with the same skill and rigour as their estate wines, is fruity and elegant during youth, but will be very enjoyable for several years. Served at cool room temperature, it will drink perfectly with sausages, roasted meal or cheese.

Since its created in 1953, Françoise Chauvene has been reflecting its attachment to and respect for the terroir and traditions in the marking of its wines. Françoise Chauvene Lajolie Pinot Noir has a soft and supple palate with strawberry & cherry characteristics with a soft tannic finish. Medium body with hints of oak across the back palate. Smooth and well-balanced.

Dionisio Ruiz planted his first vine in 1975. A vineyard on an old gravel pit which reproduced the natural conditions in which vines grow in La Rioja. And so began a pioneering road. Viña Ijalba, founded in 1991, elaborating quality ecological wines using traditional techniques of la Rioja, and even now, in its third generation, respecting its compromise with the environment. Viña Ijalba Tempranillo Rioja 2021 is 100% tempranillo like many of those wines that have written the history of DO Rioja. It is generous through all phases of the tasting. Violet colour, with a fresh vibrant aroma of red fruit, typical of Tempranillo. On the palate it is full-bodied, fresh and full of flavour, with a concentration of red berries. Pairs best with light meat, appetizers, rich fish and light cheese.

Château du Cèdre is widely regarded as the leading estate in Cahors. Brothers Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe, both qualified oenologists, can trace its history back to their grandfather Léon who left his native Flanders to settle in south-west France in the early 1900s. In due course Léon’s son Charles and his wife Marie-Thérèse started a mixed farm in 1958 and began planting one hectare of vines in three different plots every year. Today, Château du Cèdre comprises 27ha of vineyards planted at 4000-5500 vines per hectare on some of the most prized terroirs in Cahors, most notably the famous troisième + 4th terrasses which are located just below the cliffs of the valley. These sites typically have more limestone terroir giving great freshness and while the most prized of these terraces are the 4th terraces which make up just 2% of Cahors, Chateau du Cedre owns 55% of these very best terraces. In keeping with the long history of Cahors, 90% of the vineyard is planted to Malbec (known locally as both Cot and Auxerrois), with 5% Merlot (now known to be a half-sibling of Malbec) and 5% Tannat. There is also 1ha of Viognier and a little of the Bordeaux whites, Sémillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc. For the 2015 vintage of Château du Cèdre Cahors Extra Libre Le Cèdre Malbec, the fruit has been certified organically grown, completely destemmed, and fermented in concrete tanks for a total of 30 days without the use of any sulphur. Again without sulphur, aged for 18 months in large oak barrels. This wine is vegan-friendly and is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Unico Zelo is the project of winemaking couple Brendan and Laura Carter. In their words, their aim is to create “Italian-inspired, textural and site-expressive wines” and “Australian examples of Mediterranean varieties in an approachable and jovial fashion.” There is a bit of a shift this year for Pastafarian, with the inclusion of Sangiovese! The ultimate pasta variety, it must be said. Ask Brendan, Unico Zelo has long been critical of Sangiovese’s future in Australia, but after some recent encounters with other producers' expressions of the variety, they’ve jumped on the bandwagon. Lucky for the winery, it wasn’t far from home, as the fruit is from the lovely Polish Hill River Vineyard. Still, this wine is Nebbiolo through and through, and it’s the perfect marriage with Slovenian Oak for a perfumed, blue fruited and savoury structured Langhe-style Nebb. A touch of Merlot and Nero to add somebody (and a nice little spice too!). Top shelf here, finding an identity all of its own. Great wine.

Jacques Seysses started Domaine Dujac in 1968. He was not born in Burgundy, but winemaking is his true vocation. His love for wine comes from his father, a gourmet with a passion for fine wines. Even as a young boy, Jacques would meet the greatest winegrowers of the time in the company of his father. At the age of 25, after a few years working for the family-owned biscuit manufacturing company, he decided to move on from the business world. During the 1966 and 1967 harvests, he learned winemaking with Gérard Potel at the Domaine de la Pousse d'Or in Volnay. In 1968, he bought the Domaine Graillet in Morey-Saint-Denis, which he renamed Domaine Dujac (a pun on his first name, meaning the Estate that Jacques owns). In 1973, he married Rosalind, who quickly became a key member of the team. Domaine Dujac in Burgundy was acquired by Jacques Seysses in 1967. The domaine in Morey-St-Denis had 4 hectares of vineyards and he has subsequently built it up to 11.5 hectares. Domaine Dujac now includes holdings in Clos de la Roche, Clos St-Denis, Bonnes-Mares, Echézeaux and Charmes-Chambertin . "Use knowledge and technology to counter accidents - for example, bad weather - but, if all is going well, don't interfere," says Seysses and this principle guides much of what happens in the vineyards and the cellars. Dujac wines are neither filtered nor fined and all of his premiers and grands crus are aged in 100% new oak. These are wines of the very highest order. The first vintage, 1968, was one of the worst years on record so the wines were sold off in bulk, but 1969 was an entirely different matter, putting the domaine firmly on the map. In 1973 Jacques married Rosalind Boswell, a Californian girl who came to work the vintage and stayed for life. The first two of their three children, Jeremy (born 1975), Alec (1977) and Paul (1980) are now involved in the business, as is Jeremy’s wife Diana, also Californian, and a trained oenologist. In 2000 Jeremy Seysses also inaugurated, with his father, a small scale negociant business known as Dujac Fils et Père. The domaine has expanded over the years as additional parcels of vineyard became available, culminating in the acquisition of some exceptional vineyards from Domaine Thomas-Moillard in 2005. In 1987 the domaine moved to lutte raisonée, the reasoned application of treatments, and from 2001 to organic farming. Today 75% of the domaine, including all premier and grand cru vineyards, is farmed organically with experiments also along biodynamic lines. Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru comes from the following lieu-dit - Les Millandes, Les Charrières, Les Ruchots and Les Sorbès all surround the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. These undulating sites sit around 266-270m above sea level with a vast diversity of limestone, clay, sand. Les Ruchots is perhaps the most fascinating with its rich in flint-like chert nodules (chailles). In the western part, the reddish-brown soil contains ochre-coloured limestone fragments, rich in rounded grains, and debris from ancient marine organisms. As for the winemaking Jacques Seysses is a leading advocate of including stems in the fermentation process, as much so as to avoid bruising the grapes during the de-stemming process as for a desire to include the stems themselves. However each vintage is treated according to its merits and the ripeness of the stems. The cellars in Morey St Denis have been extended in recent years to improve cellaring conditions. The barrels can now be kept at a cooler ambient temperature, enabling the malolactic fermentation to happen later and for the wines to be racked less frequently. Nose - Dark Berries, Orange Rind, Baking Chocolate Brightly perfumed, dark forest berries, and sweet baking spices. Palate - Fine Depth, Tense, Brooding Medium to full, generous and fleshy, it's layered and textural, lively acids and a perfumed finish. Finish - Fine, Long, Lifted Tannins are sweet, building but fine, a rose inflected finish.

Product Description: The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin from Domaine Dujac Fils et Père continues the legacy of one of Burgundy’s finest producers, a domaine known for its meticulous vineyard management and commitment to organic farming. This wine is a reflection of the dedication and passion of the Seysses family, whose unique approach to winemaking has allowed them to create wines of exceptional quality and character. Sourced from the renowned Gevrey-Chambertin region, this wine boasts a harmonious balance of ripe fruit, earthiness, and finesse. With subtle oak and vibrant energy, the 2022 vintage is a testament to the domaine’s dedication to producing wines that age beautifully while offering early drinking pleasure. Maker: Domaine Dujac, founded in 1968 by Jacques Seysses, is a beacon of excellence in Burgundy winemaking. Situated in the heart of Morey-Saint-Denis, the estate has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the most respected producers in the region. Jacques, inspired by his father’s love for fine wines and his own experiences with Burgundy’s great winemakers, embarked on a journey to craft wines that would reflect the unique terroirs of the Côte de Nuits. Today, Domaine Dujac remains a family business, with Jacques’ son Jeremy and his wife Diana taking the reins, ensuring the estate’s legacy continues with the same dedication to quality. The winery is known for its commitment to biodynamic practices and minimal intervention winemaking, allowing the pure expression of the terroir to shine through in every bottle. Philosophy/Vineyard: At Domaine Dujac, the philosophy centres on the belief that great wine begins in the vineyard. The estate’s 24 vineyard blocks, planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other Burgundy varieties, are farmed with the utmost care and respect for the land. Certified organic since 2011 and with biodynamic practices introduced in 2003, Domaine Dujac prioritises healthy soils and sustainable farming methods, using organic composting, straw mulching, and cultivating inter-row cover crops to nourish the vineyard and maintain biodiversity. The emphasis is on producing low-yielding vines that can develop deep root systems, allowing the grapes to express the full potential of their terroir. The estate’s commitment to quality is evident in every aspect of its vineyard management, with a focus on hand-picking grapes, careful pruning, and a minimal-intervention approach to winemaking. The winemaking philosophy at Domaine Dujac is rooted in the idea that the vineyard’s work should be respected and preserved. Using indigenous yeasts and minimal handling, the wines are crafted to showcase the unique character of each vintage and terroir. The whole-bunch fermentation method, along with light pressing and extended maturation in oak barrels, results in wines that are elegant, balanced, and able to age gracefully. With a dedication to preserving the natural expression of their vineyards, Domaine Dujac produces wines that reflect both the philosophy of its founders and the evolving vision of the next generation. Through their meticulous approach to both viticulture and winemaking, Domaine Dujac continues to be one of the most admired names in Burgundy. Tasting Notes NOSE – Elegant Fruit & Floral Layers Subtle oak allows the delicate floral aromas of ripe black cherries to emerge, interwoven with earthy nuances that add depth and complexity to the wine's bouquet. PALATE – Lush & Generous Medium-bodied with a purity of fruit, dominated by ripe plums, sweet red berries, and a touch of potpourri. Supple and charming, with a silky texture and impressive depth, showing the true character of the terroir. FINISH – Youthful & Structured A mildly rustic finish adds length, while youthful tannins provide a sneaky, lingering complexity that promises great aging potential. Leaves a refined and balanced impression. Reviews + Accolades: