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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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Wendouree Shiraz 2003

Wendouree Shiraz 2003

Shiraz/Syrah | South Australia, Australia

AP Birks Wendouree Cellars produce some of the very few wines I’ll buy without tasting! The wines are something special. A celebration of an incredible old vineyard with plantings from the late 1800s. Tony & Lita are custodians of something truly special!From 1893 and 1919 plantings.Which leaves the Shiraz. No words required! One of the World's best, I'd drink it over other Shiraz that is perhaps more well known globally every day of the week and twice on Sunday! The tannins are incred
$510
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Champagne Benoît Marguet Ambonnay Rosé Grand Cru Brut Zero 2018
Wonderful wine. Such incredible purity & precision! "The 2018 vintage of Benoît Marguet’s “Ambonnay” Rosé is an excellent follow-up to the dazzling 2017 version he made of this wine. The cépages for the 2018 version is eighty-two percent chardonnay and eighteen percent pinot noir. As has been the case for many vintages now, the wine is non-dosé and was aged three and a half years on its fine lees prior to disgorgement in February of 2023. The bouquet is very, very refined this year, wa
$253
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Joh Jos Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling 2020

Joh Jos Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling 2020

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Broad, rich front palate. Juvenille, requiring a lot of coaxing to get it to come out to play. White stone fruit here. Increase in phenolic grip works well here. A little roller coaster of joy. With a silver line at the back palate. Playful, needs 5 years at least."The 2020er Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese still proves flinty, quite smoky, and reductive at first before it almost reluctantly reveals its super nose made of stone fruits, vineyard peach, Conference pear, anise, and h
$127
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Domaine Bouchard Pere et Fils Grand Cru 'Chambertin Clos de Bèze' 2020
Moderately generous wood and menthol fight somewhat with the exuberantly spicy black cherry liqueur-like aromas that are cut with lovely floral wisps. There is excellent concentration to the bigger-bodied and more powerful flavors that are blessed with ample amounts of sappy dry extract that does a fine job of buffering the firm tannic spine shaping the complex, balanced and hugely long finale. Excellent. 2035+Allen Meadows, Burghound
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