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.

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.

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.