Chablis, the wine, comes from the region of the same name, located east of Auxerre in northern Burgundy.  The grape is 100% Chardonnay.  The climate is quite cool, which allows the grapes to retain more acidity; the soil has more mineral content, giving the wine a flinty flavour profile; and most important, oak is used sparingly or not at all in the winemaking process.  Chablis has often been called the purest expression of the Chardonnay grape. It is truly remarkable …

Read more

Tua Rita was created in 1984 by Rita Tua and her husband Virgilio Bisti when they purchased 50 hectares of land near Notri, just outside the ancient town of Suvereto at the southern end of the Maremma region. Their intention was to plant an eclectic mix of grape varieties, on what was to be a retirement hobby farm. It did not take long for them to realize the potential they had for creating an extraordinary range of wines from this …

Read more

Virtually every wine region in Chile benefits from two critical geographical features of the country: proximity to the Pacific Ocean as well as proximity to the Andes mountain range. Although Chile extends almost 4,000 kilometres from north to south, the grape-growing regions are predominantly clustered in the river valleys that cut through the coastal mountain range in the centre of the country. The vineyards receive plenty of rainfall and an absence of fungal diseases makes for relatively carefree grape-growing. The …

Read more

Apulia (Puglia) is one of the few regions in Italy that does not have the Apennines as an inland spine. The landscape is flat and fertile with vast agricultural plains. You can see almost everywhere the vegetables and other crops growing in the red soil. The fields are also spotted with ever present olive trees – over the centuries the olive groves have given kindly of their crop and soft and silky olive oil is produced everywhere. Vineyards also blanket …

Read more

Crozes-Hermitage is the Northern Rhone’s largest appellation covering the rolling hills surrounding Hermitage. Most of the wine is red and made exclusively from Syrah though some very good value whites can be found from the Marsanne and Roussanne grape varieties. Curiously, there are only a small band of high quality producers taking advantage of this appellation, among the best would be Graillot, Pochon, Domaine du Colombier and Belle. Paul Jaboulet and the co-operative Cave de Tain dominate much of the …

Read more

When Bruno Lafon bought this old estate in the village of Magalas with his sister-in-law, Sylvie Legros, the property was a collection of run down vineyards, planted with a wide variety of grapes. Lafon has transformed the vineyards, bringing his experience as an established grower in Burgundy, and now cultivates 13 varieties of vines that are best matched to the local conditions (and traditions). One of the most interesting vineyards under his care is located in Pézenas. Pézenas is a …

Read more

From the beginning, Suvereto’s challenge to Bolgheri (as Tuscany’s premier source of Super Tuscans) has come from just two adjacent estates: Montepeloso and Tua Rita (both of whom we happen to represent). The properties enjoy two of the best terroirs in Italy:  Montepeloso on a gentle hillside of chalky gravel and clay, and Tua Rita in heavier clay below.  Climatically warmer than interior Tuscany – and possessing an uncanny similarity to the famed slopes of St. Emilion – this locale …

Read more