(2026) Glen vineyards rise from 450- to 700 metres on steep, south- west facing slopes. It's an area of medium sun exposure and soils of brown sand and loam, with dolomite limestone and clay minerals and oxides. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel was followed by ageing in barriques for 12 months. Pale to medium garnet, spices, vanilla and pulpy strawberry fruit are charming on the nose, just a little truffly background. Plenty of plump, juicy charm on the palate too, but there's a firming core of cherry-pit acidity and tight tannin, leading to a taut, spicy finish.
(2026) Penon-Hofstatt is one of the higher UGAs with vineyards from 500- to 650-metres, on steel southeast facing slopes with a high diurnal shift between day and night temperatures. Soils are sandy and gravel with dolomite limestone, quartz, mica and clay minerals. After fermentation in stainless steel this is aged on the fine lees in large, oak barrels for nine months. Peach and pear aromas are creamy and ripe, some lemon peel. Deliciously ripe, juicy and mouth-filling, lime skins and lemon peel acidity with a salty mineral edge feeling grippy and structured. This has texture, fruit and intensity. A terrific wine.
(2026) Brenntal is a southeast, steep slope at 220-300 metres, enjoying a microclimate with temperatures reaching 40°C in summer and good diurnal shift. Soil here is sandy and loamy with clay minerals and oxides. The wine, the flagship for the co-operative, is aged in barriques for 12 months, with a further period in large oak and bottle before release. Fascinating nose: lifted, with caraway seed, briar, cedar and ripe red plum. There's a sense of balsamic richness. On the palate this is beautifully done: there's a tension here, a knife-edge balance between savoury, quite meaty character and real juicy, incisive fruit and acidity that runs into a long, energising finish. An intriguing Merlot from such a northern, Alpine location, that reflects its origins.
(2025) Eight months maturation in new oak barriques for this white Merlot, apparently winemaker Guido Brivi setting out to make a Burgundian-style white wine. Made from gently pressing Merlot, it has a tinge of pink to the colour. From quartz and granite soils, it is fermented and matured in new French oak barriques for eight months. It certainly wears the oak quite lightly, adding an earthy nuttiness to fairly neutral, apple fruit. On the palate it is balanced and really quite concentrated, the oak showing up as a light spice and vanilla edge. It's a nice wine, but the price is problematic.
(2025) From vineyards on clay, shale, and moraine deposits fruit is soft pressed and fermented and aged for 10 months in stainless steel. A perfumed, talcum element on the nose gives way to real fruit juiciness on the palate: peach, pink grapefruit and a zingy burst of orange. Quite long, this does have that fruitiness, but with an overall pure and sheer character.
(2025) From extremely steep slops in the Lavaux AOC of the Vaud region, this Chasselas is aged for a year in bottle before release to develop the creamier side of the variety. Aged 10 months in steel tanks, with full malolactic fermentation. The producer suggests a drinking window of up to 20 years. This 2022 is a pale yellow colour. The nose is nutty and appley, a subtle green herb or floral nuance is there, and a hint of honey. The palate is full and rich - almost feeling sweet on the mid-palate, but the powerful acidity and a hint of almost a tannic quality, certainly a broad leesiness, gives this an intensity. A very substantial white wine.
(2025) This highly aromatic but supple and polished Syrah cones from soils of schist and glacial moraine in the 'Rhône Supérieur', the upper Rhône above Lake Geneva. Maturation for 24 months in French barriques, 50% new, has given a sumptuous depth of mocha and cocoa, a spike of white pepper, and taut glossy black fruit, floral highlights illuminating the rich and darker character. Sweet and supple fruit on the palate is dark, spicy and so suave, buffed by the oak and creamy tannins, acid perfectly balancing into a long spicy and fruity finish.
