Solera

The unique yeast that grows on top of the sherry protecting it from oxidation.

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Spanish term. A method of perpetually ageing wine in a “pyramid” of barrels. Wine for bottling drawn from the bottom layer. The barrels from this layer, are then topped from the next layer up, and so on until the top layer is reached. This layer is topped by fresh wine made that year. The barrels are typically left 5/6ths full. Each layer in a Solera is called a Criadera, or layers. Fino sherries will have 7 criadera, Manzanilla at least 9 and up to 20. Practically, wineries, simply place them in batches representing a criardera rather than building actual solera stacks. The image below shows the basics of how the system works.

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Vietti Barolo 'Cerequio' MAGNUM 2021

Vietti Barolo ‘Cerequio’ MAGNUM 2021

Nebbiolo | Piedmont, Barolo

Much more impact at the front end of the palate with a pleasing build in grip compared to the plush Brunate. Linear, long and fine. Lovely flowers. Long, even fruit of significant depth, with a lick of leather throwing in tar/slate/licorice complexity. Opening the class to reveal more opulence. Acid tannin complex is exceptional. Superb structure. The perfume is insane. Wow, as this builds in the glass, it builds in class, just opening beautifully. A lot of power.Paul Kaan, WINE DECODED Sep
$1,098
$1078ea in any 3+
$1058ea in any 6+
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Weingut Nikolaihof Baumpresse Riesling 2015

Weingut Nikolaihof Baumpresse Riesling 2015

Grüner Vetliner | Wachau, Austria

"The 2015 Riesling Baumpresse was pressed in the historic press operated by a single oak beam. It was bottled in 2020 and released in spring 2023. Waxiness hits the nost first, followed by dried lemon peel and zest. The palate is super-smooth, with evolution that presents an intense waxiness, almost an oiliness, propelled by lemony intensity. Glints of ripe apricot shimmer, but the palate returns to its golden mean of dried lemon peel. The contrast between rich flavour and slender palate is min
$315
$305ea in any 3+
$295ea in any 6+
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Domaine SC Guillard Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 'Réniard' 2018
Old vine depth & persistence
There is lovely perfume lift and a purity of fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely structured Deep crimson deep purple tints, very deep color. The nose is layered with berry fruit, raspberry, wild strawberry, again cassis enters the fray with some blackberry fruit notes. There is lovely perfume lift and a purity of fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely structured with spice, red berry loads of silky tannins and a long driven finish. The old vines providing depth and
$144
$139ea in any 3+
$134ea in any 6+
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Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson
Containing over 700 pages of in-depth writing, maps that are almost alarming in their detail, and incorporating newly commissioned and (literally) ground-breaking research into Bordeaux’s terroir, Janes Anson’s work is, by a margin, the most up-to-date and scientifically informed book in the Bordeaux canon. Indeed, with the bar set so high, this is a book unlikely to be surpassed in our lifetime (unless there is a second edition)!Anson has lived and worked in Bordeaux for almost 20 years
$170
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