BenMarco Expresivo 2021
Gualtallary is recognized for its calcareous alluvial soils, and BenMarco Expresivo is the utmost expression of its typicity. It is a lineal, fresh wine with aromas of blackberries, pepper tree and violets that perfectly complement its mineral notes, its balanced natural acidity and its firm tannins. Besides, it has great aging potential.
Aging: 14 months in French oak barrels (70% new, 30% second-use).
Food Pairing: Red meats, roasted pork tenderloin, hard cheeses and cream-based sauces.
Grape Varietals: 85% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Franc
"Incredibly focused nose with plenty of racy red fruit and some blueberries. Spices and brambly, too. Quite precise with a medium to full body and a linear, persistent finish. Fine-grained tannins are in tune with its energy, delivering excellent drinkability. Shows the vibrancy and balance from this vintage. 85% malbec and 15% cabernet franc. Drink or hold." - James Suckling
Handpicked Regional Selection Shiraz 2018
This wine is everything we've come to expect from a Barossa Valley Shiraz – loads of spicy dark fruit with flavoursome oak and supple tannins.
Wine Style: Big & bold, red, full-bodied Food Pairing: Spicy hot pot, vegetarian stew, beef bourguignon, barbecued lamb Serving Temperature: 16°C "Beautifully ripe and fragrant with blackberry, sweet cherry, vanilla, mixed spice and roasted nut characters, it's supple and juicy in the mouth delivering fleshy texture and silky flow. Flavoursome and delightfully appealing. At its best: now to 2028." Wine Orbit
Luce Lucente 2019
A cold and sunny winter was followed by a spring characterized by low average temperatures and heavy precipitation, which contributed to the creation of important water reserves in the soil. The reduced sunlight coupled with the heavy rainfall resulted in a slight delay in the vegetative cycle of the grapevine. Flowering took place between the end of May and early June, after which the growing season continued regularly with a hot summer free of excessive temperatures and some rainfall occurring between late July and early August. The mild temperatures in September and the good water reserves supported a slow and regular ripening of the grapes.
Lucente 2019 is an intense purplish red wine. The nose is characterized by notes of ripe red fruit, raspberries and sour cherries, combined with a touch of vanilla and a slight balsamic hint. On the palate, the wine is soft, balanced and well-supported by a pleasant crispness and smooth tannins, characteristics that together with its sweet aftertaste give the wine a persistent finish.
Food Pairing: Beef, Lamb, Veal, Poultry, Cured Meat
"Lots of blue fruit, graphite and stone aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with tight and linear tannins and a fresh, vivid finish. Punchy, yet fine, suggesting two to four years of bottle will soften the wine." - 94 points, James Suckling
Podere Le Ripi Amore e Magia 2019
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
A deep ruby red, richer when compared to wines grown from our other vineyards. In the nose, it expresses itself as a symphony of aromas ranging from the intense smell of red-orange and violets to fresh balsamic herbal notes. This vineyard is characterized by a more creamy and silky taste coupled with a fun and vibrant saltiness. Wines from 2019 are certainly rich and Mediterranean.
Food Pairing: Grilled meat of any kind, aged cheese, pizza, pasta and casseroles.
Recommended Serving temperature: 18-20°C.
Cellar Potential: 2047+
"The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Amore e Magia reminds me more of an exotic herbal tea than wine, as notes of incense and jasmine give way to spiced blood orange. This wine soothes with its silky texture and cool acidity. Ripe wild berries flatter the palate, contrasted by a hint of orange towards the end. On the finish, the tannins are grippy and edgy, providing a classic dry feel, while the tart cranberries fade beneath the rosy florals within. Patience is needed; this is a tight, young Brunello that shows off its southern roots." - VINOUS
First Drop Cold Sweat Eden Valley Syrah – Moculta (Single Vineyard) 2014
Eden Valley is the perfect backdrop for us to further push our vinous boundaries. At a higher elevation than the Barossa Valley below, we embrace the funk to make even more diverse expressions of Syrah that speak of their unique sites. It’s all about the one. Give the drummer some! With this Eden Valley project we are looking for the ultimate expressions of three cooler climate sites and working hard to find them, utilising all our experience. Syrah from a single vineyard in Moculta.
Colour: Garnet red with purple hues
Nose: A complex nose of dark cherry, savoury and spice aromas
Palate: A brooding palate of grainy tannins support complex dark cherry, earthy and savoury flavours.
"A more conventional syrah, but that doesn’t make it any less attractive as it’s impressively well made. Fresh blackberry compote, fresh herbs, dark licorice, hot stones and cassis. Full-bodied with a lovely line of acidity that runs all the way through the layers of black fruit and right up to the chewy finish. Drink in 2022." - 95 points, James Suckling
Beronia Gran Reserva 2016
Beronia Gran Reserva 2016 is a very deep garnet colour. On the nose it displays a vast array of aromas, from stewed ripe fruit to prunes and nuts such as walnuts. Subtle hints of tobacco and powdered cacao also come through, together with white pepper and balsamic notes that add freshness. It delivers distinct notes of fruit and nuts on the palate, which provide structure and tannin. The wine is long, very complex, balanced and also sophisticated.
Best served at 15º-17ºC with red meat, roast beef, mature cheese and chocolate desserts.
Recommended for drinking from release until 2034.
Luce 2019
TUSCAN TRADITION
2019: a balanced and late vintage. A cold and sunny winter was followed by a spring characterized by low average temperatures and heavy rainfall, which contributed to the creation of important water reserves in the soil. The reduced sunlight coupled with the heavy rainfall resulted in a slight delay of about ten days in the vegetative cycle of the grapevines. The flowering phase took place in early June, after which the growing season continued regularly with a hot summer free of excessive temperatures and some rainfall occurring between late July and early August, which supported a vigorous and efficient growth of the leaves. The mild temperatures in September and the good water reserves supported a slow and regular ripening of the grapes, which resulted in perfectly ripe, highly intense tannins rich in aromatic freshness. The harvest began with a sunny climate on September 12 with the first Merlot grapes, continued with Sangiovese in late September and early October. The wines are structured showing balance, vigor and great aging potential. Luce 2019 has an intense ruby red color. The nose is striking with its floral hints of violet and rose accompanied by red fruits such as raspberries and sweet spices. In the mouth, the wine is balanced and elegant with an almost creamy texture supported by silky and well-integrated tannins. Spicy notes accompany the persistent finish. Food Pairing: Beef, Lamb, Veal, Poultry, Cured Meat
Yangarra Old Vine Grenache (MLV) 2022
BenMarco Malbec 2021
The wine is a testimony of Valle de Uco, endowed with aromas of black berries, notes of violets, pronounced acidity, firm tannins and great length.
BenMarco Malbec pairs well with grilled red meats, sausages, seasoned or roasted pork, hard cheeses and pasta with meat-based sauces.
"The 2021 BenMarco Malbec was produced with fruit from Los Chacayes in Valle de Uco, fermented destemmed in stainless steel and matured in second use French oak barrels for 11 months. It’s floral, spicy, aromatic, showy and expressive with the aromatic flowers with very integrated oak. It has both good ripeness, 14.3% alcohol, with good freshness and fine tannins. They produced an impressive 240,000 bottles. " - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
"The 2021 Malbec BenMarco from Los Chacayes, Uco Valley was aged for 11 months in used barrels. Purple in the glass. The crystal clear nose offers violets and fresh plum with hints of cherry. It’s free-flowirg in the mouth with good intensity and volume and coarse but polished tannins that sculpt the body and juicy, fresh flow. Long-lasting and vivid, this is a red that successfully delivers the energy to be had in this terroir. " - Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous
First Drop Mother’s Ruin McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
VINTAGE 2019: A very dry winter and spring, with frost events in September and November disrupting bud burst and flowering, resulted in the lightest crops in the past decade. January and February were warm and dry, and in conjunction with the low yields, ripening was rapid. Quick decision making and early picking resulted in reds with great intensity and structure thanks also to the light crops and early tannin maturity. 2019 was a challenging vintage, but one of the most rewarding, with our alternative varieties showing particularly well. The overall quality is a tribute to our growers and their perseverance in a difficult growing season. We salute you!
The fruit is crushed/destemmed and fermented at temperatures ranging from 20- 25°C for 10 days on skins. The ferment is managed by a variety of techniques, including ‘aerative pump overs’ and ‘drain and returns’ which assist in extracting colour, flavour and tannin from the grapes. At the end of fermentation, it is drained/pressed, and transferred to 10% new French oak barriques, and the balance to 3 and 4 year old French oak hogsheads to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 18 months.
Body: Medium Bodied
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon
Arnaldo Rivera Barolo DOCG Rocche di Castiglione 2018
Medium-intense ruby red colour. Complex and elegant nose. Notes of ripe red fruit (cherry, red berries) floral (rose petals with a hint of chamomile) and mineral nuances. Good intensity on the palate, fresh, well- balanced, silky, mouth-filling and rounded. The tannins are well-integrated. Long and persistent finish with good freshness.
Food pairings: Meat dishes such as game, red meats and seasoned cheeses.
First Drop Mother’s Milk Barossa Shiraz 2022
Not a sledgehammer style, this Barossa Shiraz is made for drinking! Soft, slurpy and textured it is balanced with good acidity, which refreshes the palate and makes you go back for a second / third glass. Sourced from 3 unique vineyards, it is fruit laden, savoury and dangerously easy to drink! It is matured for 12 months in French oak hogsheads to allow the fruit to express itself.
Colour: Garnet red with purple hues
Nose: A complex nose of dark cherry and blackberry aromas with a hint of forest floor and spice
Palate: Vibrant dark cherry and blackberry with a hint of ‘wombat rolled in all spice’ balanced with an even, textural palate with soft, supple tannins