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Alpha Box & Dice
The late-ripening grenache soaks up the McLaren Vale sun, expressing it in Tarot through concentrated cinnamon-cherry compote, ripe tayberries and raspberry jam, with an earthy, savoury currant underneath. The generous palate is cushioned with soft, plush tannins and is seasoned with ample pink peppercorns. Partial whole bunch, this undergoes a short maceration and ferment before time in stainless, keeping the tannins low and fruit youthful and bright.
“A sensual and aromatic grenache with an abundance of cassis jelly and lovely spice. Red fruit and saltiness dominate the palate. Engaging, upbeat, characterful and complex without the trappings of excessive winemaking and heavy oak spice. Despite its characteristic level of alcohol, there is an almost ethereal tread to the wine. Undeniably crushable that features considerable length. Tasted October 2021.” - 93 points, Sara d’Amato, WineAlign.com
“From a plan, ideal and intendment to blast away from the past and do grenache in a fresh, open-knit, fragrant and crunchy McLaren Vale red fruit style. A grenache not too long ago noted as one to “chuck it in the fridge and drink it," as per the sage advice of Alpha Box & Dice’s Dylan Fairweather. The flat out juicy tang, country twang and pleasure this fine grenache elicits is truly exceptional. Honest, proper and the way wines should be. No bullshit, baggage nor skeletons neither. Save for the label. Pour this for your neighbours on Hallowe’en. They’ll thank you and love you for it. Drink 2021-2024. Tasted October 2021.” - 92 points, Michael Godel, WineAlign.com
Read more about Alpha Box & Dice.
Vintage: 2020
Bottle Size: 750 mL
Bottles per Case: 12
Price per Bottle: $26
Style: Still
Region: McLaren Vale
Country: Australia
Grape: Grenache
Colour: Red
Vegan: Yes
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
Natural: No
Low Intervention: Yes
Alpha Box & Dice
The late-ripening grenache soaks up the McLaren Vale sun, expressing it in Tarot through concentrated cinnamon-cherry compote, ripe tayberries and raspberry jam, with an earthy, savoury currant underneath. The generous palate is cushioned with soft, plush tannins and is seasoned with ample pink peppercorns. Partial whole bunch, this undergoes a short maceration and ferment before time in stainless, keeping the tannins low and fruit youthful and bright.
“A sensual and aromatic grenache with an abundance of cassis jelly and lovely spice. Red fruit and saltiness dominate the palate. Engaging, upbeat, characterful and complex without the trappings of excessive winemaking and heavy oak spice. Despite its characteristic level of alcohol, there is an almost ethereal tread to the wine. Undeniably crushable that features considerable length. Tasted October 2021.” - 93 points, Sara d’Amato, WineAlign.com
“From a plan, ideal and intendment to blast away from the past and do grenache in a fresh, open-knit, fragrant and crunchy McLaren Vale red fruit style. A grenache not too long ago noted as one to “chuck it in the fridge and drink it," as per the sage advice of Alpha Box & Dice’s Dylan Fairweather. The flat out juicy tang, country twang and pleasure this fine grenache elicits is truly exceptional. Honest, proper and the way wines should be. No bullshit, baggage nor skeletons neither. Save for the label. Pour this for your neighbours on Hallowe’en. They’ll thank you and love you for it. Drink 2021-2024. Tasted October 2021.” - 92 points, Michael Godel, WineAlign.com
Read more about Alpha Box & Dice.
Vintage: 2020
Bottle Size: 750 mL
Bottles per Case: 12
Price per Bottle: $26
Style: Still
Region: McLaren Vale
Country: Australia
Grape: Grenache
Colour: Red
Vegan: Yes
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
Natural: No
Low Intervention: Yes
Alexana Winery
Though named Terroir Series, this is a Willamette-wide blend of various soils and clones. The wine is a selection of barrels from the dry farmed younger blocks of the Revana vineyard in Dundee Hills, along with vineyards in Yamhill-Carlton, Eola-Amity, Chehalem Mountains, and McMinnville, and clones Pommard, 115, 777, Wadenswil, 667, La Tache, 943, 114, 828, Coury, and 113. Each lot is separately native fermented whole berry before aging 11 months in French oak (23% new). Forest, wild cherry, fresh moss, and pretty florals rule the silken palate, sided with fine, long tannins and finishing with a gently warming baking spice note. Quite polished and fresh, this medium bodied wine is drinking ideal now with any kind of mushroom / duck dishes.
“Vivacious and expressive, with sleek raspberry and cherry flavors laced with rose petal, orange peel and hints of forest floor as this sails on the long, supple finish. Drink now through 2030. 6,490 cases made.” - 93 points, Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
Read more about Alexana Winery here.
Vintage: 2021
Bottle Size: 750 mL
Bottles per Case: 6
Price per Bottle: $65
Style: Still
Region: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley AVA
Country: USA
Grape: Pinot Noir
Colour: Red
Vegan: No
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
Natural: No
Low Intervention: No
Minimus
Minimus
Chardonnay Dijon Free
No Dijon clones were harmed in the making of this wine. Though Dijon clones are prevalent throughout the Willamette, they wanted to create a wine using only heirloom clones. This used Calera, Old Wenté, Musqué, Mt. Eden, Mendoza, and spent 16 months in 30% new French oak. Showing beautiful evolution, but still shining, with shimmery lemon and a buzzy undercurrent livening yellow and green apple, pear skin, subtle toast on a layered palate. Polished and impressive, reflective of the striking potential for Willamette Chardonnay.
"Beautiful chardonnay, as rich, sumptuous and unctuous as one could want from the Willamette, but also this stony and flinty subtlety running through the wine's interior like a hidden treasure of a message. So graceful and gracious, clearly exulting a sense of vineyard pace and place coaxed graciously by the people who work to make this fruit so real and proper. Excellence incarnate for a "Dijon-free" clonal iteration of the standard variety, opted for and exulted instead by that which is truly local. Drink 2023-2027. Tasted November 2023.” - 94 points, Michael Godel, WineAlign.com
"The first chardonnay I have seen promoted as Dijon-free, a reference to the invasion of French Dijon clones in recent years. It uses more 'native' clonal stock instead - Calera, Wente, Musque and others - and signals a reversion to American chardonnay of old. Indeed the very ripe banana, floral and buttery/custardy notes, complete with oodles of clove/nutmeg barrel spice - does recall the 80s. It is full bodied, off-dry warm and very rich. The texture is quite silky and the heat is on, yet the acidity holds. All kinds of complexity and power here, with excellent to outstanding length. The name of the wine is given a signal to the style but it is oblique. Tasted November 2023" - 93 points, David Lawrason, WineAlign.com
"Work past the creepy front label, and the tongue-in-cheek "Dijon free" mention on the back label (a reference to the proliferation of the so-called Dijon clones of chardonnay, whose arrival and spread in the early 1990s signalled the beginning of serious quality chardonnay in Oregon), and get on to the serious wine contained within, one with marked barrel influence and rancid butter flavours in a classical style. The palate is fullish and intensely flavoured, with resinous oak notes and lemon curd, creme brulée flavours. One can't argue with the flavour intensity and concentration - off-the-charts high, and the superb length, bold, dense and powerful. Similar quality from Napa would command a far higher price. Drink or hold short term - I'd capture with the remaining fruit intact, even though it's anything but a fruity wine. Tasted November 2023.” - 93 points, John Szabo, MS, WineAlign.com
"Cheekily labelled as a "Dijon Free Chardonnay", this assemblage is made from only heirloom clones such as Calera, Old Wenté, Musqué, Mt. Eden and Mendoza that have matured for 16 months in 30% new French oak. Despite the fact that the oak is quite prevalent on the palate, the wine is not heavy and exhibits a great deal of lift from acidity. Aging gracefully, there is very little oxidation noted and the fruit is still generous on the palate. A pleasant degree of nuttiness has surfaced adding to the overall complexity. Showing a notable stamp of place and a low-intervention cleanliness. The label is a bit dark and enigmatic in contrast with the wine. Best now to 2027. Tasted November 2023." - 93 points, Sarah d'Amato, WineAlign.com
Vintage: 2017
Bottle Size: 750 mL
Bottles per Case: 12
Price per Bottle: $55
Style: Still
Region: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley AVA
Country: USA
Grape: Chardonnay
Colour: White
Vegan: No
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
Natural: No
Low Intervention: Yes