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We don’t need to tell you that Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a privileged place to grow Pinot Noir. The Montinore estate vineyard is in what is now known as the Tualatin Hills, a relatively young AVA of the larger Willamette Valley, nestled in the east-facing foothill of Oregon’s Coastal Range. Aside from the quality of its wines, through its size Montinore deserves great credit for helping to normalise the conversation around organic and biodynamic farming in Oregon.

If there was one thing Bonny Doon taught Birichino's Locke and Krause, it was a reverence for California’s deep repository of historic old-vine vineyards: a resource that had somehow become largely overlooked by a generation of winemakers. The duo have a close relationship with 15 or so growers—primarily family-run, multi-generational farmers who don’t make their own wines. Our first offer spans eight wines.

Sandwiched between the Spanish territory’s highest peak—the snow-capped Mount Teide—and the Atlantic Ocean, the setting of the Suertes del Marqués vineyards is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular you will encounter. No less striking are the vineyards themselves: steep volcanic slopes blanketed by the ancient, indigenous varieties of the Canary Islands (many of the oldest vines are aged well over 100 years).

When Madre first met Jose Morales, this tiny distillery could only manage 1,000 litres of Mezcal per day, and right off the bat, the mezcalero made it clear that he would only work with Madre if they were in it for the long term. “They wanted us to know what went into the Mezcal and how it was made”, explains Madre, “to build a deep understanding of the traditions of the region and the family.”

The wines from this domaine—be it red, white, or rosé—have never been in better form, a testament to the family’s superb organic vineyard work and its exceptional collection of terroirs. And they don’t miss a beat in the cellar, where natural yeast fermentation and low sulphur additions hold sway over the more aggressive handling one can often encounter in Chinon.

Although Antonio Galloni’s commentary may not count as breaking news for those following this grower, his words neatly underline how Aurélien Laherte is working at a level that bears comparison with many of the best growers in Champagne. In common with many of his peers, the tireless level of viticulture practiced here has become ever more intensive and meticulous. In the cellar, the amplified use of reserve wine, longer time on lees and lower dosage to deliver more transparency have also played a crucial role in raising Laherte’s wines to the level we find today. 

“The new Didier Dagueneau? That’s easy; it’s his son, Benjamin. But Benjamin has a soul brother, Jonathan Pabiot. Together – well, each at his own ...

Like most of his peers, 2022 delivered outstanding fruit quality for Downer, only in much smaller quantities than he would like (averaged out at a low four tonnes per acre). By comparison, Downer tells us there’s an immediate approachability compared with the austere wines of 2021, more genial structures and early gratification. In sum, vintage 2022 at Murdoch Hill = don’t hesitate.

Yuza Whisky is extremely rare an available only as part of our allocation program. Yuza Distillery was recommended to us by none other than the pinnacle of Japanese craft Whisky, Chichibu Distillery. This meticulous new project was established in 2018 and to date has released just two single malts (The First Edition has already picked up Gold at the San Francisco International Spirits Challenge) and is well on the way to becoming one of the country’s newest cult distilleries. 

Last year we introduced you to Midnight Mixers, our own range of world-class craft tonics and mixers designed to enhance quality artisanal spirits and to hit the mark on environmental responsibility and local relevance. Now we welcome Midnight Mixers’ Amber Tonic, a tonic water where all the character and the quinine come directly from the highest quality cinchona bark we can source (exclusive to Midnight Mixers). 

Twenty-nineteen will go down in the books as one of the great years for Albino Rocca’s suite of Barbaresco. But at this address the entire portfolio is laced with quality. There is no dead weight as the old-school merchants might like to say—nor should there be. Rocca’s first-rate holdings are impeccably managed, and you get the impression that the family are really turning the screw, eking out any and every ounce of purity and finesse wherever and whenever they can find it.

A low-yielding, intensely flavoured vintage like 2022 can “easily throw your balances out of whack”, so eternal equity-seeker Barney adopted a more subtle approach, which included a reduction in the whole bunch component in the Merricks Pinot Noir and a slight decrease in time in oak for the Chardonnays. Despite the lack of bottles, today we offer a pitch-perfect release, perhaps one of the very finest, from a wine grower who goes from strength to strength. As such, our standard Garagiste advice applies: do not hesitate.