OUR PRODUCERS
A SMALL BUT SELECT BUNCH.
WE WORK WITH SMALL, FAMILY OWNED WINERIES WHO SHARE OUR VALUES AND ETHOS. THEY WORK WITH PURPOSE, DEDICATION AND A TRUE LOVE OF WHAT THEY DO. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO MAKING GREAT WINE.
ALL OF OUR GROWERS WORK THEIR VINEYARDS IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER. MOST PRACTICE ORGANICS, MANY ARE CERTIFIED AND SOME ARE BIODYNAMIC.
WE PREFER CHARACTER OVER COOL. WE ARE NOT DOGMATIC ABOUT MINIMAL-INTERVENTION WINEMAKING OR SULPHUR LEVELS ETC. THAT SAID - ALL OF OUR PRODUCERS TAKE A HANDS-OFF APPROACH TO WINEMAKING, BUT NEVER AT THE EXPENSE OF FLAVOUR.
Saumur-Champigny, Loire Valley
Young couple Caroline and Herve started this project in 2019 when the took over a sprawling 16 HA estate in Varrains.
33 individual plots with an average age of 40 years. All farmed organically with certification coming in 2023. The standout being a prized 1.8 HA parcel in the legendary Les poyeux vineyard, planted in 1950. Their vines are wedged in between none other than Theirry Germain and Antoine Sanzay.
There is also a great "village" wine which is very classically styled and comes from 4 separate parcels, plus a superb white from a small 1 HA plot called "les Roueres".
Thoughtful and engaging wines from future stars of the region.
Chinon, Loire Valley
Located in the tiny hamlet of Panzoult, on the very eastern edge of Chinon, this domaine has been farmed by the Desbourdes family since the 1960's.
After becoming passionate about organics during a stint with Vincent Laval in Champagne, energetic son Boris immediately begin the transition, and organic certification was acheived in 2018.
15 hectares are planted on a mix of gravelly river sand and also limestone hillsides. The wines themselves comibine the best of traditional Chinon with a fresh, modern approach. Lovers of Cabernet Franc will find these a thrilling set of wines.
Mercurey, Burgundy
“one of the Côte Chalonnaise's finest estates, and I encourage readers wishing to encounter red and white Mercurey at its most gourmand and seductive to seek out his wines.” - William Kelley
Manu Bautista, along with nephew Anthony have really propelled this estate to new heights - helped along in 2016 by a superb new gravity-fed winery. The estate is now considered without question one of the finest in the cote chalonnaise. Attention to detail is meticulous. Manu likes to destem all his fruit and follows this with a long cold soak and gentle fermentation of 14 days. Elevage is exclusively done in bespoke Chassin barrels, mostly older but with some new for the 1er cru’s like Clos du Roi.
Simply delicious wines with layers of plush fruit, energy and poise. So exciting to still find producers like this in Burgundy.
Pierreclos, Maconnais
This charming domaine is nestled in the limestone rich hills of Pierreclos - the very southern tip of Burgundy, just 5km from where Beaujolais begins.
The Duroussay’s, now with genial son Pierre at the helm, farm their 15 hectares of vines sunstainably using “lutte raisonnee” methods, and Pierre has begin the conversion to organic certification. Grapes are hand-picked at good acid levels and
everything else is relatively simple - wild yeasts, cold ferments and a little time in concrete to round things off. Not an oak barrel in sight here, the focus is very much on freshness and finesse.
These wines deliver authenticity and drinkability in bucketloads.
Well worth seeking out
Fleurie, Beaujolais
“The Master of Moulin-e-vent” - James Suckling
Vintrepid’s first producer and one dear to our hearts. I worked with Yohan for several years in London and couldn’t believe he was not represented in Australia - and vintrepid was hence born. Yohan bottles micro-cuvees from tiny plots of very old vines in Moulin-e-vent, Fleurie and Chenas. There is also a simply joyous declassified bottling called “poppy” that more than matches the energetic and effusive nature of the man himself.
The vines are worked organically and meticulously with biodiversity meaning that insecticides are not required. Cellarwork is all natural with just a small amount of sulphur at bottling.
Estezargues, Southern Rhone
Founded in 1965, this is a co-operative like none other, with a focus on a minimal intervention and quality first approach. When Jean-Francois Nicq took over as winemaker in 1989, he changed the coarse of this operation, and challenged the normal co-operative model in France. He decided to vinify the wines of all 10 member estates separately, giving them a unique identity. Organic certification followed and all the wines are now made without fining or filtration, and just minimal sulphur at bottling.
These are some of the best value wines in France. We have
started with the cuvee Taparas - a delicious organic blend of Grenache (50%), Syrah (30%) and Carignan (20%)
East Coast, Tasmania
Small batch, hand-crafted wines from some of Tasmania’s finest
vineyards.
RIvulet is the side-project of Freycinet estate winemaker Keira O’brien. Having previously worked for winemaking tasmania as a contract winemaker, she has build up an accute understanding of the local vineyards and what they are capable of. This has been channelled into Rivulet with quite stunning results.
There is a delicate and pure Pinot Noir from the priory vineyard on the east coast - the only Tassy vineyard planted on Granite. Then we head further south to Huon Valley for 3 breathtakingly good wines from the elsewhere vineyard - a riesling that cracks with energy, Chardonnay with texture and elegance and a savoury and seductive Pinot Noir thats screams Huon Valley.
Canberra district & surrounds
Carla Rodeghiero is a microbiologist by trade. She started Sapling Yard as a real garage wine project but things got a little more serious in 2019 when she moved into the Lake George winery and brought well-known local winemaker Malcolm burdett on board.
Recently there has been an increasing amount of favourable
press and a very loyal following in the Canberra wine scene. There is of course a top-notch Riesling and Shiraz/Viognier, and one of the best local Gamay’s you will find. Carla has also shown to be a deft hand with interesting blends, and these really shine. The Four Pinot’s is a skinsy Gris blended with Pinot noir, meunier and a little pinot blanc from Carlas own vineyard in Braidwood. Its a super wine with lots of local fans. Seek it out.