1

Puncheon

A 500L barrel typically made from oak. Oak sources include French, Russian and American Oak.

Chief Wine Hacker

« Back to Wine Words Index

A 500L barrel typically made from oak. Oak sources include French, Russian and American Oak. Check out our Q&A with Paul: “How does the percentage of new oak affect wine?” for more on oak.

« Back to Wine Words Index

Feeling Thirsty?

Medium Dry - 60-80g/l
Bastardo is extremely rare: in 2015, just 55 litres of this black grape were harvested in Madeira! In the early 2000s, D’Oliveira had the good fortune to absorb a smaller house, Adegas do Torreão, whose legendary owner, Vasco Loja, had recently passed away. At the time of his death, his firm owned little bottled Madeira, but he did have some incredible wine still in barrel. By buying Loja’s stocks, D’Oliveira made several important additions to its portfolio, including a classic 1969 S
$2,295
Add to cart
More Info
Only 1,000 Bottles!
The Girolamo Russo 2020 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo opens to a hint of salinity or minerality that is specific to this site. Those linear aromas tend to frame a tight core of wild fruit, white cherry, apricot and mountain flowers like blue bonnet or Sicilian ginestra, which grows with yellow blooms on the flanks of the volcano. The wine's interesting saltiness cedes directly to the mouthfeel. The tannins are more prominent in this vintage. You should get very good aging potential from this bottle.
$140
$135ea in any 3+
$130ea in any 6+
Add to cart
More Info
Bring Me the Truffles!

Cavallotto Dolcetto d’Alba Vigna Scot 2021

Dolcetto | Piedmont, Barolo

Dolcetto translates roughly to sweetish. Many Dolcettos are raw fruit bombs, this by contrast is some seriously well made wine! Excellent élévage wonderful freshness and development delicious, layered, & earthy. Beautifully weighted. Stunning wine. Lovely acid. Savoury with dark and red fresh fruit ~ mulberry. If you want to know how serious Cavallotto is about Dolcetto, they planted it on the hillside between Bricco Boschis and Monprivato/Codana. That, my friends, is a site with pe
$53
$50ea in any 3+
$47ea in any 6+
Add to cart
More Info

Philipponnat Royale Reserve NV

Blend | Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Champagne

Disgorged in June 2020 with eight grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Philipponnat's NV Brut Royale Réserve is based on the 2016 vintage, with 27% reserve wines. Offering up aromas of peach, pear and plum mingled with apple blossom and sweet pastry, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and expressive, with a pillowy mousse and a generous core of fruit, underpinned by bright acids. William Kelly
$107
$102ea in any 3+
$97ea in any 6+
Add to cart
More Info