POLISHED AND OPULENT
This style is where subtlety takes a back seat to richness, texture and a little grandeur. The limousines of the wine world. If you love wines that feel bigger and richer in the glass, this is your lane. The fruit is ripe, the tannins are smooth, and the oak (if there is any) feels integrated rather than loud. Considered and intentional. Aromatics leap from the glass, the palate feels layered and generous, and the finish tends to stick around long after the sip is gone.
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Krug - Grand Cuvée 173ème NV
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Joseph Krug was a fella with a dream: to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, year on year. A mighty big dream, but heck, in 2017 he may well've pulled it off (posthumously). The Grande Cuvée is an annual offering, and the 173rd Édition blends over 150 wines from 13 different vintages. 44% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay and 22% Meunier. Round, complex, generous and unbelievably nuanced. Think brioche, peaches, pastry crème, rum baba. Juicy, toasty, decadent with crisp citrus. There aren't enough adjectives, or indeed enough bottles. Grab while we've got.
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BRIOCHE
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PEACH
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CREAMY
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BODY
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SWEETNESS
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TANNIN
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Catena Zapata - Alta Chardonnay 2022
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Wine from the heavens, or at least from a whopping 4,757ft above sea level. At these lofty heights, Chardonnay grapes enjoy an extended ripening period, slowly developing nuanced flavour that makes for a truly distinctive wine. Orchard fruits like pear and peach meld with a hearty whiff of jasmine, gardenia and lemon. Catena Zapata have been getting their well deserved flowers throughout the past decade, though their history making world-class wines stretches right back to 1902. One of Argentina's most iconic, and interesting, producers.
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JAMINE
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LEMON
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BUTTERY
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BODY
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SWEETNESS
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TANNIN
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Sherrah - Nero d'Avola 2024
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Make room in the rack for this single vineyard Nero grown from an ancient riverbed just outside the McLaren Vale's township. Harvested over two dates to ensure both fresh-fruit acidity and ripe, confectionery-fruit flavours, it's unfined and minimally filtered to retain all that authentic Vale goodness. Herbaceous, spicy and acidic, red fruit runs rampant for a bright take on a dark grape.
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HERBAL
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SPICE
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BOYSENBERRY
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BODY
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SWEETNESS
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TANNIN
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