Translation missing: en.Corofin + Crawford River + Ravensworth Wine Tasting Saturday 11th 3pm-6pm + Mouzon Leroux Champagne Tasting Friday 17th 5:30pm-6:30pm + Zelige-Caravent Languedoc Special!: Corofin + Crawford River + Ravensworth Wine Tasting Saturday 11th 3pm-6pm + Mouzon Leroux Champagne Tasting Friday 17th 5:30pm-6:30pm + Zelige-Caravent Languedoc Special!
Corofin
Corofin is the artisan winemaking project of Mike and Anna Paterson, dialling into the detail of Marlborough through small batch, single block wines with ambition to transmit a sense of place and season first, over fruit intensity or winemaking ambition. In a region that has been dominated by soulless, mass-produced commercial wines, Corofin are a breath of fresh air with their terroir-driven wines of character.
Mike and Anna Paterson have been sourcing grapes from just a few tiny vineyards from the hillsides of Marlborough's southern valleys. All of the vineyards they work with are either organic or biodynamic and the approach to making wine involves hand-harvesting and sorting, whole-berry ferments, no yeast additions, no fining or filtration, no acidification and no new wood. These highly regarded sites that they work with act as a "beacon of Marlborough individuality" and show what can be possible in such a commercial region if time and care are taken to find special sites and to make wine in a manner which preserves and highlights this individuality.
We had the pleasure of hosting Mike in the store last week to pour these fantastic wines and help us better understand the differences in site and how these manifest themselves in the final wines. First, we have a Sauvignon Blanc that is actually good - the '24 'Meltwater Malborough Sauvignon Blanc' shows the best aspects of the grape without the nasty green pea, asparagus and cat pee notes and has some powerful dry extract and salinity on the palate. The '23 'Marlborough Chardonnay' incorporates fruit from a couple sites and represents great value for money. The two single sites: '23 'Brawn Vineyard Chardonnay' and the '23 'Wrekin Vineyard Chardonnay' are a big jump in quality for such a small increase in price and represent the best of what Chardonnay can achieve in Marlborough. Power and concentration with fresh acid and saltiness on the palate. Unreal stuff. The '23 'Marlborough Pinot Noir' combines fruit from the 2 single vineyard wines which creates a wonderfully balanced and nuanced Pinot. The '23 'Settlement Vineyard Pinot Noir' (managed and farmed by Dog Point) and '23 'Wrekin Vineyard Pinot Noir' both highlight the power and svelte tannins that clay-rich sites can impart on Pinot and are also interesting to see how they standout out from the bulk of cheaper Pinot in the region. These are some exceptional wines from some thoughtfully farmed sites - try these out for yourself and see what Marlborough is capable of!
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Crawford River
Crawford River have become one of the icons of the Australian wine landscape after making initial plantings in 1975 in the relatively unknown region of Henty in southwest Victoria. Following research and inspiration from around the globe, founders John and Catherine Thomson saw potential in the geography and geology of this site for high quality viticulture despite its obscurity. John shortly after enrolled in a degree of Viticulture and Oenology at Charles Sturt University. This estate has been family-owned and run since its inception and is now onto the second generation with daughter Belinda holding the reins.
Crawford River run the vineyard with respect to sustainability and do not use any herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. The use of organic compost and mulching of their pruning canes helps maintain the soil health, carbon levels and biodiversity. Sheep will graze the grass after vintage and pruning to limit the need for additional tractor passes and naturally fertilising their soils. The site enjoys a cool, long and even growing season with moderating influence from the Southern Ocean which helps cool the hot summer days, while elongating ripening hours during the late Summer and Autumn ripening period. The site is planted in a natural amphitheatre with N-NW aspect on a gentle slope with duplex soils comprising gravelly loam or friable clay, over an ironstone-rich clay loam layer, ultimately lying above a limestone base. All of these aspects come together to help produce intense flavour profiles with maintaining sufficient acidity and balance.
We've stocked up on some classics from Crawford River that represent excellent value for how good these wines really are. The '24 'Riesling' comes from a blend of 2 of their oldest vineyards and is built to age gracefully. Belinda recommends decanting this if you want to drink it now. We have an aged example in the '18 'Museum Release Riesling' which has been held back and cellared by the winery on your behalf and shows you just how good these wines are with age and that they still have plenty of life in them as well. Finally, we have the 2019 'Cabernet Sauvignon' which comes from 3 different blocks which are blended to increase complexity and balance the structure of the wine and spends 22 months in French oak. This is one of Australia's most underrated Cabs. This is an iconic Australian estate doing wonderful things from a region that is too often overlooked. Pick up some of these wines and see what the fuss is about!
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Ravensworth Tasting
Saturday 11th
3pm-6pm
Join us this Saturday for a tasting of one of the best producers in NSW - Ravensworth. Bryan Martin started this winery after some work with Clonakilla (the other top producer in NSW) and brought across valuable experience and knowledge of the local sites in Murrumbatemen. Bryan has a range of wines that appeal to both the more traditional classic drinker, as well as some more experimental wines for those that want to branch out. He does not make a single bad wine. This is the lineup we'll have on pour for you all this Saturday:
Ravensworth Estate Riesling 2023
Ravensworth The Grainery Field Blend 2023
Ravensworth 7 Months White Blend 2022 (Orange)
Ravensworth Estate Sangiovese 2023
Ravensworth Estate Shiraz Viognier 2023
This is an excellent opportunity to taste some of the best wines from NSW that are also very well-priced. See you there!
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Mouzon Leroux
Meet the Maker - Champagne Tasting
Friday 17th
5:30pm-6:30pm
Join us in the store Friday next week from 5:30pm - 6:30pm as we host Sébastien Mouzon from Mouzon Leroux as he pours his incredible Champagne for you!
Mouzon-Leroux is a dynamic, ninth-generation grower producing exciting, terroir-driven Champagnes from eight hectares of biodynamically cultivated vines in Verzy. In his quest to peel back the layers of his terroirs, Sébastien Mouzon works biodynamically, and yields are kept very low. In the cellar, his approach is suitably artisanal: wood maturation, extended lees aging and very low sulphur are the keys to the quality and style of the wines crafted here. These are the wines that Sébastien will be pouring on the day:
Champagne Mouzon Leroux L'incandescent Rosé de Saignée 2018. (Disg. Oct 2022)
Champagne Mouzon Leroux L'angelique Blanc de Blancs 2017 (Disg. Oct 2022)
Champagne Mouzon Leroux L'atavique Tradition NV (Base 20. Disg. Apr 2024)
Champagne Mouzon Leroux L'ascendant Solera NV (Base 19. Disg. Jan 2024)
These are some stunning Champagnes that speak to their origin and are well-priced for the quality - come down to the store after work to try them for yourself!
Wishing you a great week from the team: Chris, Pete and Aaron.
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WEEKLY SPECIAL!
Zelige-Caravent
This week we are running a special across 3 exciting wines of Languedoc's Zelige-Caravent that we have managed to pick up for a bargain.
Zelige Caravent Alcazar Rouge 2019 - Regularly
$70 per bottle / NOW $35.00 per bottle*
Zelige Caravent Zazou Rouge 2019 - Regularly
$70 per bottle / NOW $35.00 per bottle*
Zelige Caravent Mazurka Rouge 2019 - Regularly
$70 per bottle / NOW $35.00 per bottle*
This is a saving of 50%!
OFFER: BUY ANY 6 BOTTLES OF ZELIGE-CARAVENT AND RECEIVE $210 OFF!
Zelige-Caravent is comprised of a hard working couple: Luc and Marie Michel that work all of their vines by hand, biodynamically on the foothills of the Cévennes, 1 hour from north of Nîmes, planted primarily to Carignan, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Alicante-Bouschet. These are all old vines ranging from 50-100 years old and chemicals have never been used at all in the vineyards. Fermentations are conducted with indigenous yeasts and aged in either stainless steel or concrete with the additional of minimal sulphur at bottling. Theses wines are fresh expressions of these grape varieties with a rustic charm.
If you are wondering how we are able to sell these at such a discount, we manage to secure the last stock from an importer that is wrapping up business so we've passed the savings on to you. That being said, this is the last stock and we are unable to get more so don't hesitate to snap up this bargain!
*price per bottle when ordering any 6 bottles of these Zelige-Caravent wines in-store or online. Offer available while stocks last - finishing at 11:59pm on Sunday 12th October.
Get in quick!