La Palma Rose
$17.99
La Palma sits in Chile's Valle de Cachapoal, a fertile valley well-suited to red grapes. This Rose is a well-rounded style made from cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes grown in Peumo and Cachapoal Valley. The wine shows great versatility — being both refreshing and food-friendly.
Becker Guillaume Red Wine
$31.99
Guillaume is the French translation of Wilhelm. The name Wilhelm in turn means the conqueror.
With a mouthful of a label name like Familie Friedrich Becker Guillaume Rotwein, you must be wondering: is this wine German or French? This Cuvee takes its queues from both wine-making countries, typically being made with a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Dornfelder. It also sometimes features Pinot Meunier and Blauer Portugieser (a red grape variety planted mostly in Germany, Austria and also in Portugal, under the name “Português Azul”). The exact recipe for this Cuvee changes from vintage to vintage.
Thanks to the growing region, the grapes are grown on two different soil types. Some vines are planted on deep loam and clay soils while others are rooted in limestone soils. The age of the vines is between 19 and 35 years. The grapes are hand-picked, destemmed and allowed to naturally ferment. After two to three weeks of fermentation in open oak vats and vats, they were gently pressed. Further maturation took place for 25 months in large and small oak barrels. The wine was bottled in December 2022 without filtration or fining.
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The Becker family owns more than 30 hectares and produces over 12,000 cases annually. Positioned on the very border with France in the town of Schweigen, the Beckers have witnessed that border shifting throughout history. Today, they have vineyards on both the French and German sides, at the edge of the Palatinate (Pfalz) forest—with 50 percent of their land situated on the French side in Alsace.
The soils in the area are composed of deep layers of shell limestone, with various topsoils, which in combination with the region’s mild climate, provide the ideal growing conditions for Spätburgunder. Hence, the logical focus is on the variety. As one of the pioneers, Fritz Becker Sr. was also one of the first winemakers in the region to mature his Spätburgunder in barriques.
Their most prestigious vineyard is Kammerberg, a steep single vineyard on deep marl and limestone near Wissembourg, recovered by Fritz Sr. in 1967. The old vines are mostly German clones and some French and grow on deep marl lime soils that produce powerful but also refined, mineral-driven Pinot Noirs (it is all about the dirt here!); St. Paul cultivated here in the 14th century by the Cistercians of Wissembourg, which had since become overgrown but the Beckers uprooted trees and bushes in early 2000 and planted Spätburgunder; and Sonnenberg, with poor limestone soils ideal for growing Riesling.
From KWM: We sourced these wines a year ago after reading the rave reviews from numerous publications, in Germany and beyond. The Pinot Noirs are prized and will give Burgundy fans a solid alternative.
Podere Forte Melo 2017
$274.99
The Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, encircles the Podere Forte. The estate was founded in 1997 by Pasquale Forte, a visionary entrepreneur who has created a balanced system where every element complements the others, following the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture. The old concept of the corte romana has been recreated on the 500-ha estate: a place where people, plants and animals coexist in harmony and sustainable self-sufficiency. Wine is the main focus, but Podere Forte is also synonymous with the breeding of Cinta Senese pigs, Chianina cattle and Suffolk sheep, as well as various other farm animals, all living on biodynamic feed. Podere Forte produces its own fertilizers and compost using vine prunings and fallen timber from the woods. The pigs eat acorns and chestnuts in the woods where they roam freely, the bees pollinate the flowers and aromatic herbs in the botanic garden where the hives are. The olive groves cover around 26 hectares and in 2020 production of the first varietal oil, from the Frantoio variety, started.
Podere Forte Anfiteatro 2017
$274.99
The Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, encircles the Podere Forte. The estate was founded in 1997 by Pasquale Forte, a visionary entrepreneur who has created a balanced system where every element complements the others, following the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture. The old concept of the corte romana has been recreated on the 500-ha estate: a place where people, plants and animals coexist in harmony and sustainable self-sufficiency. Wine is the main focus, but Podere Forte is also synonymous with the breeding of Cinta Senese pigs, Chianina cattle and Suffolk sheep, as well as various other farm animals, all living on biodynamic feed. Podere Forte produces its own fertilizers and compost using vine prunings and fallen timber from the woods. The pigs eat acorns and chestnuts in the woods where they roam freely, the bees pollinate the flowers and aromatic herbs in the botanic garden where the hives are. The olive groves cover around 26 hectares and in 2020 production of the first varietal oil, from the Frantoio variety, started.
Sylvain Martel Julienas 3L
$324.99
Sylvain Martel completed his winemaking training in the Southern Rhone and spent ten years running a small organic estate in the Ardeche. He relocated to Beaujolais, after the Graillot family of Crozes-Hermitage brought him on board to help establish and manage Domaine de Fa. As fate would have it, Sylvain met Anne-Sophie Dubois (we carry her wines as well) in 2016 and settled down in Fleurie. By 2018 he was ready to start his own project and purchased a 1.3ha plot of 45 year old Gamay vines on a dramatic steep slope at 450m altitude in the lieu-dit of Bessay in the western part of Julienas. A terroir of blue stones, the tree-lined vineyard is planted to a high density, cultivation is organic and the yields are kept low (25hl/ha).
Moss Wood Semillon 2023
$42.99
Semillon is a quirky white grape that is primarily known for use in Bordeaux white wine, where it is blended with Sauvignon Blanc. This bottle from Moss Wood and other 100% Semillon wines drink quite nicely when young, but also quietly have tremendous aging potential. Whether you buy a bottle to drink now, or pick up a few to cellar, you will be happy with your purchase.
More than 45 years ago, back in 1977 was the first year that Moss Wood produced a Semillon for commercial use. It was made with no barrel treatment and upon the first year of production was a major head turner. To this day, Moss Wood sticks to only stainless still fermentation for their Semillon.
Bussola Valpolicella TB Classico
$109.99
One of the best Valpolicellas you'll ever try, from one of our favourite producers! Medium-bodied and rich, it has notes of red berries and a long finish. Deliciously easy to drink. "Tommaso Bussola's wines have received a good deal of critical acclaim over the last few years, and with good reason. These are remarkable wines of the highest level," according to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. "The estate produces two lines of wines. In theory the BG wines are more traditional in spirit while the TB wines are meant to be more modern. In reality the main difference comes down to vineyard selection, as the estate's best fruit is reserved for the TB range."
Paolo Leo Salice Salentino
$25.99
Perhaps one of the most famous appellations and blends coming out of Southern Italy, Salice Salentino is a traditional Puglian wine primarily consisting of Negroamaro and other local black grape varietals. The intense ruby colour is met with lively tannins and a medium body, creating a wine that is rich in dark fruit and spice. This wine perfectly embodies the character of Southern Italy and its people, making it an ideal pairing for many dishes.
Coca i Fito Maragda
$41.99
A Kensington Wine Market exclusive, and fantastic value for a wine from Montsant, one of Spain's top wine regions!
Montsant (where the Coca i Fito brothers winery is situated), is a remarkably beautiful region with steep mountains that rise more than 3,300 feet above sea level. The climate is harsh: hot summers and bitter winters.The vines are planted directly on the steep hillsides, on what are called "costers" or terraces. This red wine from DO Montsant is crafted from carefully selected grapes of old vines, primarily grown on clay-limestone soils. Aged in oak barrels, the result is a wine with a marked identity—elegant, balanced, round, and smooth. It is a wine with character, filled with nuances, yet subtly refined. Fresh, fruity, and powerful, this is a wine to savour. A blend of 55% Red Grenache, 25% Carignan, and 20% Syrah .