13 products
- White Wine
- Garganega
- Organic, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Azienda Agricola Tessari
The Tessari family have Soave in their blood. For three generations they have been extracting delectable wine from the well cared for vines of their Monteforte d’Alpone vineyards. With only a little over a hectare of Garganega grapes in the prestigious volcanic solis of Soave Classico, Antonio Tessari hand dug his cellar back in 1933 and started the legacy that continues today with his grandchildren: Germano, Antonio and Cornelia.
From vineyard to bottle, these three siblings oversee it all; with unwavering respect for tradition, quality and passion for the art of winemaking. The volcanic soils of the hillside are rich with basaltic rocks and clays, which guarantees the health of the plant and the promotes the mineral and floral aromas that are characteristic of the Garganega grape. Truly artisanal wine making at it’s best.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
91 points - David Lawrason
This shows the vivid yellow colour I expect from good Soave. It also shows the complex, detailed nose honeysuckle, lemon blossom, camomile and almost tropical peach/mango fruit. It is mid-weight, rich and viscous yet shows some enlivening freshness, spritz and tenderness at the same time. Slightly bitter and lemony on the finish. The length is excellent. Tasted January 2023.
90 points - Michael Godel
The latest volcanically driven garganega from the Tessari family is a child of a promising vintage full of sun, fun and support. The sky is the limit for just how well this will drink and please. It is in fact bottled salty and fruit crunchy deliciousness and why shouldn’t it be? Made simply with tradition in mind, basalt in pocket and all the modern facility made available. Citrus and nectarine, basil and Maldon salt. Lime all over the finish. Spot on. Drink 2023-2025. Tasted January 2023.
4 Stars - Sara d'Amato
Nervy and salty with a dash of elderflower and pear, this stylish Soave Classico is a favourite of restauranteurs. Richly textured with notes of apple and lemon zest, salt and lime. Quite chalky and dry, with a pleasant degree of roundness despite the moderate level of alcohol. Nicely balanced with a pleasant finish of good length. Drink now. Tasted January 2023.
4 Stars - John Szabo, MS
The 2021 Soave Classico from Tessari shows a fine profile of both ripe and fresh fruit, on the lighter and fresher side overall, declared at 12% alc. Citrus fruit leads - lemon-lime and white grapefruit - and length and depth are solid. Acids draw saliva, a crunchy, lively expression overall. Drink or hold short term. Good fun. Tasted January 2023.
- White Wine
- Olaszrizling, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc
- Organic, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Gilvesy Pincészet
Hungarian expat Róbert Gilvesy moved back to his homeland from Canada, and began building the Gilvesy winemaking empire on the former Esterházy estate on Szent György Hill. Thanks to years of hard work, the Hegymagas-based facility now includes a modern building complex and about 13 hectares of vineyards, in addition to being the home of the family. The area is shaped by 6 million years old volcanoes, where indigenous and international varieties grow organically.
Robert’s absolute admiration for nature and the terroir translates into an immense respect for the environment. By farming using organic practices, the soils and the vines stay healthy. In the winery, by letting nature take its course without controlling the processes, and using local resources, such as Hungarian oak barrels, Gilvesy promotes and protects the Balaton region.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
91 points - Michael Godel
The blend in 2021 is olaszrizling (a.k.a. welschriesling), riesling and sauvignon blanc with pinot gris no longer involved. No doubt a botanical aspect ups the complexity game away and beyond the simple norms of white blends marked by citrus and stone fruit. They are in the mix but the herbal tonic and fine bitters elevate the cuvée to speak rightly and spritely for Balaton, the Szent György Hill and Robert Gilvesy’s oeuvre. This wine is an institution now and deserves plenty of attention. Drink 2023-2026. Tasted March 2023.
91 points - Megha Jandhyala
Situated near an ancient dormant volcano, Gilvesy grows native grape varieties organically and sustainably in volcanic soils. This blend of olaszrizling, pinot gris, riesling, and sauvignon blanc is subtly reductive and mineral, with notes of freshly cut-grass, juicy grapefruits and lemons, peaches, and crunchy pears. It feels fleshy and rounded, but refreshing on the palate, with a long, pleasantly grippy finish. I like the layers of flavours here and the succulent texture. This wine is ready to drink and vegan-friendly. Tasted March 2023.
90 points - John Szabo, MS
Gilvesy's 2021 Balatoni cuvee is the customary blend of welschriesling, riesling and sauvignon blanc, crafted in an appealingly reductive, grapefruit pith and peel-inflected style, tightly wound and bone dry, mineral and fresh. I love the saltiness on the palate and the succulent acids that draw additional sips. Crunchy, fresh, lively, drinking now or hold short term. Tasted March 2023.
- White Wine
- Listán Blanco
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Dry
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Viñátigo
Juan Jesús is a proud native of Tenerife and the fourth generation of growers. During the thirty years that he's overseen Bodegas Viñátigo, he has considerably increased its holdings, planting varieties that he and his team recuperated from near extinction.
Driven by passion and love for his homeland, Juan decided to revive and work to save the native grape varieties that were brought to the Canary Islands by the conquers back in the 15th century and that had survived on the islands for centuries. He is a hero of contemporary Canarian viticulture. The wealth of knowledge that his work has created has helped underpin the significant expansion of wine styles that are now available throughout the archipelago, and his wines have achieved a calibre of class that many doubted the Canaries would ever produce again. (The Epic Wines of the Canary Islands, written by Santo Bains).
Press Reviews
Wine Align
92 points - David Lawrason
From high altitude volcanic-soiled vineyards in the Canary Islands this is from the local listan grape, also known as palomino fina, related to the white grape grown in Jerez to make sherry. It is light to medium bodied, fresh and lively with trace minerality. Not tart acidity but enough to keep it in ballast. The fruit is pear, guava, lemon amid the reductive mineral notes, plus a distinct sourdough yeastiness on the nose that immediately recalled fino sherry. The length is excellent. Tasted December 2022.
91 points - Michael Godel
Viñátigo Listán Blanco 2021 initially emits this unusually funky and exotic perfume of wet basalt or concrete mixed with washed manchego cheese rind but quickly comes together as one inviting scent. Preps the palate for wanting a taste to see what comes next and the clarity shines right away, of gemstones and the salty sweat of craggy wet stones. There is some orchard fruit but what matters most is the saline-mineral comport. It's like a compôte of imagination built on fruit and volcanics melted into a salad that spoons straight on down. Bloody delicious and well-made. Drink 2023-2027. Tasted December 2022.
91 points - John Szabo, MS
2021 marks another fine vintage for this reliably intriguing and interesting, complex wine from own-rooted listán blanco (aka palomino fino), quite ripe, showing pineapple and quince, baked apple and apple blossom flavours, less immediately flinty-reductive than the previous vintage and with more fruit. The palate is mid-weight and creamy, with balanced acids and very good length. Really delicious now, though should continue to gain in non-fruit complexity over the next 1-3 years, or hold into the mid-'20s. Tasted December 2022.
- Red Wine
- Negramoll
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Dry
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Viñátigo
Juan Jesús is a proud native of Tenerife and the fourth generation of growers. During the thirty years that he's overseen Bodegas Viñátigo, he has considerably increased its holdings, planting varieties that he and his team recuperated from near extinction.
Driven by passion and love for his homeland, Juan decided to revive and work to save the native grape varieties that were brought to the Canary Islands by the conquers back in the 15th century and that had survived on the islands for centuries. He is a hero of contemporary Canarian viticulture. The wealth of knowledge that his work has created has helped underpin the significant expansion of wine styles that are now available throughout the archipelago, and his wines have achieved a calibre of class that many doubted the Canaries would ever produce again. (The Epic Wines of the Canary Islands, written by Santo Bains).
- White Wine
- Olaszrizling
- Natural, Organic, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Gilvesy Pincészet
Hungarian expat Róbert Gilvesy moved back to his homeland from Canada, and began building the Gilvesy winemaking empire on the former Esterházy estate on Szent György Hill. Thanks to years of hard work, the Hegymagas-based facility now includes a modern building complex and about 13 hectares of vineyards, in addition to being the home of the family. The area is shaped by 6 million years old volcanoes, where indigenous and international varieties grow organically.
Robert’s absolute admiration for nature and the terroir translates into an immense respect for the environment. By farming using organic practices, the soils and the vines stay healthy. In the winery, by letting nature take its course without controlling the processes, and using local resources, such as Hungarian oak barrels, Gilvesy promotes and protects the Balaton region.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
93 points - Michael Godel
Third vintage (2020 was skipped) for the olaszrizling of no maceration but the use of a really old 52L foudres and two German spiedl (concrete) eggs were employed and then…nothing much after that until bottling with only some sulphuring late when oxidation was sensed. Followed by a small amount, after not filtering, before bottling. And so the linear and vertical variety is turned textural, citrus preserved and chewy. Like savoury sour lemon chews rolled in ginger crystals. The petrol future will be like none you’ve ever encountered in olazriesling. Drink 2023-2029. Tasted July 2023.
- Red Wine
- Gamay
- Volcanic
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2.00 g/l
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.50% alc./vol
About the Winery
Domaine du Château de La Chaize
Château de La Chaize is among the oldest, most historic estates in Burgundy’s Beaujolais region. Cared for by the same family for nearly three and a half centuries, the estate has been passed on to new owners, the Gruy family, who are equally committed to managing the estate with the utmost care, while implementing an ambitious environmental plan. Among the many initiatives is the conversion of all vineyards to organic farming, the adoption of precision viticulture, reducing carbon their carbon footprint, and recycling every by-product from viti- and vinicultural activity, to achieve zero waste.
Founded in 1670 by the seneschal of Lyon François de la Chaize d’Aix, the main Château de la Chaize building and gardens were completed by Jules-Hardouin Mansart and André le Nôtre, respectively architect and gardener of the Château de Versailles. Château de la Chaize is among the oldest, most historic estates in Burgundy’s Beaujolais region. Boasting over 250 acres of vineyards, it is also one of the largest. It is today considered one of the most innovative estates in Burgundy. Among its forward- thinking practices is the adoption of eco-friendly farming techniques, commonly referred to as Agriculture Raisonnée. Chemical treatments have been reduced to a strict minimum, for example, and the growing of grass between rows has been re-introduced to enrich the soil and reduce erosion.
Press Reviews
Wine Advocate
93 Points - William Kelly
The 2020 Côte de Brouilly Brûlhier has turned out very well, delivering aromas of cherries, blackberries, sweet spices and peonies, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and vibrant palate that's concentrated and complete, with lively acids and ripe structuring tannins. As readers may remember, it's derived from a southeast-facing site characterized by blue rock and numbers among the prime lieux-dits of the appellation.
- White Wine
- Rajnai Rizling
- Organic, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Gilvesy Pincészet
Hungarian expat Róbert Gilvesy moved back to his homeland from Canada, and began building the Gilvesy winemaking empire on the former Esterházy estate on Szent György Hill. Thanks to years of hard work, the Hegymagas-based facility now includes a modern building complex and about 13 hectares of vineyards, in addition to being the home of the family. The area is shaped by 6 million years old volcanoes, where indigenous and international varieties grow organically.
Robert’s absolute admiration for nature and the terroir translates into an immense respect for the environment. By farming using organic practices, the soils and the vines stay healthy. In the winery, by letting nature take its course without controlling the processes, and using local resources, such as Hungarian oak barrels, Gilvesy promotes and protects the Balaton region.
Press Reviews
James Suckling
92 Ppints
On the nose, the oak is very well integrated into a range of aromas that goes from a very lively lemon and lime to orchard fruits notes. On the palate, it is beautifully round, with weight but with a zippy acidity and reminiscences of citrus pith. A great pairing for sushi and other seafood-based dishes.
Wine Align
94 points - Michael Godel
Old vines over 50 years of age (planted sometime in the 1970s), right below the estate, just nine rows and once belonging to the cooperative. Named after a landowner from the 1920s (or 30s) connected to the local governmental administration. Crunchy as only a Gilvesy rizling can be, lime doused, acids so bloody intelligent and making sure fruit is put into flight. Aged in steel, Austrian Stockinger cask and Flex-Cube. There is no doubt that the single vineyard Tarányi delivers a richer and luxe expression of rajnai rizling but also one of flint, petrol and scintillant emission. This flashes across the palate like a supernova and lingers long after the wine is gone. That is powerful rizling. Drink 2024-2030. Tasted July 2023.