Author: Gordon Forrest

Chêne Bleu

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Chêne Bleu – Rhône, France

Since its inception and several decades ago, Chêne Bleu has been recognised as one of the Rhône’s most distinctive voices, a pioneering Domaine, where Southern Rhône generosity meets Northern Rhone-style elegance and Burgundian winemaking precision. Their remote, high-altitude location underpins a fervent commitment to biodiversity, sustainability and regenerative viticulture. From La Verrière, the restored medieval priory in Crestet, Vaucluse, Xavier Rolet and his family and team forged a reputation for wines of prestige, authenticity and longevity that sit comfortably among the world’s fine wines.

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Balio

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Balio – Sicily, Italy

Vito Lauria is a long time friend of Woodwinters and we have delighted in presenting his evolving range of wines since his return to his native province of Alcamo in the north of Sicily. The Balio range – named after the gardens high on Mount Erice in nearby Trapani – is our new collaboration with Vito. We took the opportunity to showcase Vito’s knowledge, in tandem with his local contacts and the long-heralded climate of the island, to produce organic wines that deliver fruit, balance and pleasure with ease.

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Rochioli

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Rochioli – Russian River, USA

“Tom Rochioli consistently turns out some of the most compelling wines in the Russian River Valley, and all of California for that matter. Now in its third generation, Rochioli is not new, not trendy and not showy. Most of the focus is on old-school farming that showcases the various clones Tom Rochioli has sourced over the last few decades and propagated in his vineyards. Winemaking is minimalist by today’s standards.” – Antonio Galloni

Rochioli Winery stands as one of California’s most iconic estates, located in the heart of Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and producing wines focused on purity and site expression. Since the 1950s, the Rochioli family has quietly built a legacy rooted in meticulous vineyard work and a low-intervention philosophy that allows the unique character of their estate to shine through. With a deep understanding of their land and a generational commitment to quality, Rochioli has earned its place among the most revered names in New World winemaking.

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Paros Farming Community

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Paros Farming Community – Paros, Greece

Paros Farming Community creates wines using its deep knowledge of the indigenous varieties of Monemvassia and Mandilaria without being afraid to experiment, thus redefining their true potential. SEIRADI P-F-C is a 100 year old  community cooperative whose constant evolution has brought new viticultural approach and winemaking culture to their island of Paros, in the Cyclades, just north of Santorini. Investment and modernisation, while still maintaining their cultural heritage, have been at the heart of this project. Vines are often grown using the aplotaria vine growing system where vines are grown low to the ground to protect them from the island’s often high winds. The range of wines possess real intense fruit characters and balanced structure, which skilfully assimilate a mineral, salty twang & the expound the potential of the island wines of Paros. ‘Curious Wines for Curious Minds’ as they themselves put it.

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Tua Rita

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Tua Rita – Suvereto, Italy

Nestled off the Tyrrhenian coast, at the end of a 10km windy corridor of the Val di Cornia, Tua Rita has become one of the Iconic estates of Tuscany but interestingly, in an area not traditionally known for its celebrated wine culture. It is for this reason, that Tua Rita’s uniqueness is even more special. Although situated just outside the town of Suvereto with its associated DOCs and DOCGs, Tua Rita decided to plough their own furrow, and the wines are simply classified as IGT Toscana. As their international scores and reputation attest to, there is nothing simple about these wines.

The estate was founded in 1984 by Rita Tua and her husband, Virgilio Bisti, and is now run by their son-in-law Stefano Frascolla and their grandson Giovanni. While the family wanted to produce the best wine they could, they did not have ambitions to create the iconic brand that it is today with over 45 hectares under vines. From their humble beginnings though, they have now created a brand of international stature and become one of the few Italian wineries to have multiple 100-point wines.

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Weingut Riffel

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Weingut Riffel – Bingen am Rhein, Germany

At the confluence of the Rhine and the Nahe, lies Bingen am Rhein. This is home to Weingut Riffel. The winery has been organic since 2009 and biodynamic since 2012 is run by husband and wife team Carolin and Erik – the fourth generation to tend to the now 18 hectares of predominantly Riesling and Pinot Noir.

As well as making an array of classic Trocken and Kabinett Rieslings, they are also lucky enough to have holdings in the Grand Cru sites of Scharlachberg, Kirchberg, Osterberg and Rosengarten.

Here on the quartzite slopes that mark out this special location, the grapes find full maturity, displaying an array of intense tropical and stone fruit flavours, with a wonderfully energetic yet rounded acidity that frame these captivating and mineral- infused wines. Only 100% perfect grapes are used to allow for long aging on their lees. Ferments are with wild yeasts.

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Terroir Sonoro

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Terroir Sonoro – Itata Valley, Chile

Viña Inéditas – Terroir Sonoro, is the culmination of 24 years of exploration by oenologist, winemaker and musician Juan José Ledesma. His aim, is to show the diversity and characteristics of the land that he tended in the Itata Valley. Music is not just a hobby for Juan, it plays an integral part in the winemaking process. Several years ago, he had an epiphany and decided to place water proof speakers in the barrels of each wine, thus creating what he calls sonic battonage. But at Terroir Sonoro, they go one step further. After an initial tasting of the press wine, and several improvisations and rehearsals, they then record a unique piece of music for several of the wines every harvest and this is then played inside the barrel. NB this is not done for every wine.

Terroir Sonoro made a beguiling mixture of slightly off the beaten track wines, be that skin contact or wines under floor, to very classic wines designed to show the essence of purity of the grapes grown in the Biobio region and especially the Itata Valley where they are based and where most of their wines comes from. Itata is fast becoming the hottest ticket in Chile and Terroir Sonoro have fast gained recognition as one of the most interesting and dynamic wineries on the scene.

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Ana Maria Cumsille

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Ana Maria Cumsille – Itata Valley, Chile

Ana Maria Cumsille has been making wine for multiple decades starting out at commercial wineries. She fell in love with Itata and over the years made friends with several families who farm small parcels of old bush vines in the Itata subregions of Guarilihue, Cerro Verde, Trehuaco, and Ranquil.

Ana Maria decided to start buying fruit from these families so she could make single vineyard wines from different, small vineyards that grow Carignan, Cinsault, Pais, and Malbec among other varietals. Ana Maria is a lover of the outdoors and she lives in Santiago and is deeply involved in the Chilean wine scene. Recognised as ‘Winemaker Revelation of the Year 2023’ by Descorchados and one of the world’s top 100 winemakers by The Drinks business, Ana Maria has fast become one of the leading lights in the Chilean wine scene and a true champion of the wines of Itata.

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‘Les Indigènes’ – Artisans Partisans

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‘Les Indigènes’/Artisans Partisans – Languedoc/Roussillon

Artisans Partisans started out as a team born in Ollieux Romanis with the conviction of Artisans whose philosophy of life and work is rooted in their terroirs. They are strongly connected and deeply attached to their land, their landscapes, and the living things around them. That’s why they do everything they can to preserve the environment and biodiversity. They are continually working to preserve the environment which is their priority. Artisans Partisans gathers 4 organically farmed estates, between Corbières and Limoux appellations. Their wines underline the ambition of modernity, creativity & winemaking experience. The wines are 100% organic and vinified with indigenous yeast without sulphites.

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Blackbook

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Blackbook – London, England

Blackbook was born of a love of three things: cool climate Pinot noir and Chardonnay; the English wine industry; and London. They are an urban winery located in a railway arch in Battersea, a stone’s throw from Battersea Park in south London.

Winemaker and owner Sergio grew up in the US, a son of Italian and Hungarian immigrants surrounded by wine lovers who would vinify their own blends in the back garden and drink wine with breakfast. His wine career took off at pace when he moved to London in the noughties, and joined the Michelin world as a sommelier (Maze, Tamarind & Chez Bruce). Quickly realising that this was the industry for him, but his desire was to be in production rather than sales, he enrolled at Plumpton College in East Sussex where he earned a degree in Viticulture and Oenology in 2014. He spent the next few years as a travelling winemaker, seeking to learn and experience harvest in many of the great wine producing regions with a focus on cool climate pinot noir & chardonnay. Sergio’s journey took him from England (Greyfriars) to California (Flowers/Calera) to Burgundy (De Montille) to Stellenbosch (Mulderbosch) and then finally to New Zealand (Ata Rangi) before he stuck his passport in the drawer. Sergio is a winemaker who has a great appreciation for the classic production methods and the breadth of experience to innovate in order to ensure each wine produced is unique, distinct and creating a phenomenal representation of the carefully selected fruit.

The grapes are sourced from growers within hours of the city, carefully selected for their well-located vineyards and high quality grapes. Their ethos embraces a single fundamental goal: to make bloody good wine. They endeavour to bring the hard work of their vineyard owners to the forefront by creating a range of single vineyard wines that showcase the quality and potential for making world-leading still wine in England. They have two focal varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot noir. While they love these varieties, additional grapes are sourced annually to produce experimental releases that add an exciting dimension to the winery.

Blackbook are proud to be a London winery and a London business, and are passionate about the city. They seek to reflect the vibrancy, colour, culture and energy of London in their wines, how they look, feel and taste. They work with other London businesses at every opportunity and are focused on being part of the hub of innovation in the city today and tomorrow.

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