This wine's aroma shows green apple, ripe pear, & caramel. Medium bodied on the palate with flavours of lemon sorbet, white peach & pineapple coming to the fore with a hint of vanilla on the finish. Once crushed & pressed, fermentation occurred in primarily neutral French oak barrels which lent a subtle vanilla character to the wine without overwhelming the delicious Chardonnay fruit character produced in the vineyard. During primary fermentation the barrels were stirred by hand every three weeks to add greater texture & ensure that fermentation progress uninterrupted. A partial malo-lactic fermentation allowed this wine to preserve its natural acidity, which balances the ripe fruit flavours & cleanses the palate. ...

Ruby & violet coloured in the glass, this wine shows aromas of blueberry, dried loganberries & hints of vanilla & cloves On the palate, bright fruit flavours of raspberries, red currants & blackberries integrate with a sharp mid palate acidity & fresh silky tannins on the finish. The GSM is one of the more complex wines that the winery creates. Rather than focusing on pure varietal character, the GSM Red Blend requires that each part of the blend play its own part. Grenache is the most fruit forward & lightest of the three components, & it drives the aroma & flavour profile of the wine. The majority of the Grenache in this blend is from the Arroyo Seco AVA, where it produces denser & more concentrated wines than examples grown in areas like Paso Robles or Southern France. The mid palate of the blend is carried primarily by Syrah, which in addition to contributing a lush mouthfeel supplies subtle peppery & blueberry notes. The Syrah component is especially vivid as it comes from Hahn's cool climate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, & its structure & darker flavours are perfect counterpoint to the brightness of the Grenache. The Mourvedre thrives in the hotter areas, so we have to venture outside of Monterey County to find it. Mourvedre's considerable tannins & acidity help provide the backbone for the flavours of the other components. ...

This wine is softly aromatic, offering initial fragrances of ripe apricot & pineapple. A taste reveals a clean mouthfeel supported by apple & green citrus flavours leading to a crisp finish. This Pinot Gris hails from maritime-influenced vineyards in Monterey County, where cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean slow down ripening & allow extended hang times. These conditions produce vibrant flavour & highlight the varietal's brisk acidity. Once harvested, the grapes for this wine were fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The cool & neutral fermentation preserved delicate floral & tree fruit aromas, & yielded a buoyant & refreshing finish. ...

Haig Club is made at Cameronbridge distillery in Scotl&. The liquid has been crafted using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch & toffee for an ultra-smooth taste. Seen by many to be Scotland's hidden gem, single grain whisky is being predicted by experts as the next trend in whisky. Working alongside Diageo, David Beckham & Simon Fuller will play an integral role in bringing Haig Club to the world. The House of Haig has a rich history & I'm proud to be working at the heart of a home-grown brand which has built an incredible heritage over 400 years. Working closely with Diageo, we look forward to collaborating on Haig Club, valuing & treasuring the Haig traditions while reinventing this whisky for years to come. David Beckham ...

Hits of light citrus & fresh Bergamot, rich Black Tea & Woody Spice followed by a spicy underpinning of fresh cracked Pepper & cool Juniper. Nose: Lifting & aromatic with immediate hits of light citrus & fresh bergamot, followed immediately by a spicy underpinning of fresh cracked pepper, cinnamon & cool juniper berry. Palate: Spicy notes of bell pepper & juniper meet citrus notes of sweet orange, nutmeg & a rich black tea. Hints of woody spice, touches of bitter lemon & a slight grassiness clears out the top with the smallest touch of tannin. Finish: Long & lingering with touches of dried hay, cinnamon, black pepper, hints of eucalyptus & fresh lemon zest. ...

A tight, minerally wine with classic Hamilton Russell Vineyards length & complexity. Unusually prominent pear & lime fruit aromas & flavours are brought beautifully into focus by a tight line of bright natural acid & a long, dry minerality. An elegant, yet textured & intense wine with a strong personality of both place & vintage. ...

A tight, minerally wine with classic Hamilton Russell Vineyards length & complexity. Unusually prominent pear & lime fruit aromas & flavours are brought beautifully into focus by a tight line of bright natural acid & a long, dry minerality. An elegant, yet textured & intense wine with a strong personality of both place & vintage. .. .. superb, restrained, Burgundian Chardonnay & Pinot Noir that set a standard for the rest of the hemisphere... Oz Clarke. ...

A tight, minerally wine with classic Hamilton Russell Vineyards length & complexity. Unusually prominent pear & lime fruit aromas & flavours are brought beautifully into focus by a tight line of bright natural acid & a long, dry minerality. An elegant, yet textured & intense wine with a strong personality of both place & vintage. ...

Low-vigour, stony, clay-rich soil, cool maritime mesoclimate, naturally tiny yields of under 30 hl/ha & their philosophy of expressing the terroir in the wines
- give rise to a certain tightness, tannin line & elevated length to balance the richness & generosity of the Pinot noir. Not overtly fruity, soft & sweet & it generally shows hints of that alluring savoury primal character along with a dark, spicy, complex primary fruit perfume.
...

As the name suggests, this gin sets out to replicate an original style of English gin, a slightly sweetened distilled gin which many people refer to as Old Tom. Old English Gin is distilled at Langley Distillery using a John Dore copper pot still called Angela, the oldest such gin still in use today. The recipe used dates back to 1783, one of many old recipes in the safe at Langley, & uses 11 botanicals. Ten of these botanicals are readily communicated by the brand owner Henrik Hammer (of Geranium Gin fame) & one is something of a secret. The ten are: juniper, coriander, lemon, orange, angelica, cassia, liquorice, cinnamon, orris & nutmeg. A hidden message on the brand's graphics hints at the identity of the 11th botanical
- the rounded triangular silhouette of the cross-section of a cardamom seed sits above the shield on the bottle. In his own (hidden & clever way) Henrik wanted to emphasise the use of cardamom as he distils this separately himself, because cardamom is a very dominant botanical & I want to make sure that the balance of the gin is absolutely perfect. After the distillations (by Langley & Henrik) a small amount (4 grams per litre) of sugar is added to the blended distillates prior to bottling at London's Thames Distillery, as many believe is in keeping with the old English style of gin (Old Tom). The use of a recycled champagne bottle (not from recycled glass but washed & reused) harks back to a time when gin would be sold from the barrel & transported from the shop in whatever container was at h&. This silkscreen printed bottle is sealed with a natural cork & organic wax
- the soft wax is easy to cut & you'll need a cork screw to pull the driven cork. Take a closer look at the bottle & you'll find another hidden clue in the graphics which relates to Henrik's father's name, Hudi. He was named after Rud Hud Hudibras, the ancient British King, & had four sons. If you look at the shield you will find one of his initials on each of the four hammers. CLASS Magazine UK
- rating: 5+ Eye For Spirits DE
- rating: 10/10 Nominated the Best Green Launch 2012



...