In the 20 years since its foundation, Radio-Coteau has developed a cult-like following among the cognoscenti of The New California. Eric Sussman, winegrower and proprietor at Radio-Coteau, lives by the tenet, “the best fertiliser is the farmer’s shadow”. With his small team he makes some of California’s most exciting, nuanced and fresh cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, from a range of coastal-influenced vineyards in Western Sonoma County and the Anderson Valley. Sussman has led a storied career spanning four decades and two continents. A New York native, he studied Viticulture and Agricultural Science at Cornell University, focusing on organic viticulture. Two formative years in France followed, apprenticing at Comte Armand and Jacques Prieur in Burgundy and Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux. Sussman credits these seasons in France with solidifying his interest in crafting wines that speak of place, and the use of organic and biodynamic farming and low-intervention winemaking. He returned to the States in 1997, working at Bonny Doon and Dehlinger before starting Radio-Coteau in 2002, with a name that loosely translates to ‘broadcasting from the hillsides’, or more colloquially as ‘word of mouth’, a phrase that stuck with Sussman since his time in France. The Wingtine Chardonnay is named after a specialised cultivation tool, the wing tine shank. It is used by Radio-Coteau—and more broadly in the Sonoma Coast area—to cultivate their Goldridge (sandy loam) soils. Its unique design lifts and fractures the ground vertically and horizontally, reducing tractor passes while maintaining soil structure. The cuvée is sourced from both Radio-Coteau’s biodynamic estate vineyard and the Heintz Ranch Vineyard, just a stone’s throw away in Occidental. The estate vineyard’s SeaBed plot is home to several of the Wente clones, the original of which arrived from Burgundy in 1912. Described by Robert Parker as “one of the greatest Grand Cru sites for Chardonnay in California”, Heintz Ranch is an organically farmed site with mature vines (30-plus years old) and an excellent diurnal range, ensuring fruit with rich flavours and balanced acidities. Sussman believes the balance of the two parcels delivers the most striking result. The fruit was hand-harvested in late August from both sites, whole-bunch pressed, and fermented in a combination of concrete egg, stainless steel and neutral oak. Long and slow élevage on lees followed with no bâtonnage, and the wine went through full malo before being bottled without fining or filtration. Compared with Radio-Coteau’s Savoy Anderson Chardonnay, the Wingtine is the more delicate, floral and mineral-driven style (the Puligny to the Savoy Vineyard’s Meursault?). It’s a delightfully vibrant and expressive coastal Chardonnay; pure and focused, layered with orchard fruit, zesty citrus and fine texture before a classy, lingering and flint-scented finish.

Woodbridge from Robert Mondavi. This Californian Pinot Noir offers a ripe berry aroma and flavour with orange zest and spice. Toasted oak aging adds hints of smoke.The bright aromas of Woodbridge Pinot Noir lead with strawberry and cherry notes accented by hints of spice and toast. Round and savoury on the palate with a full finish, this wine displays rich, fruit-forward flavours, and a touch of toasty oak. Enjoy this versatile wine with light red meats, pork chops, lamb, or tortellini in a creamy tomato sauce.

I am so excited about Californian wine production - it’s always a thrill to see these wines on our shores. This is pinot with power - smokey and meaty at the fore, which gives way to a dried cherry and pink flower potpourri and sweet baking spice. On the palate it’s silky smooth and delightfully shapely with some punchy acidity give the wine real get-up-and-go. This isn’t so much lithe and supple as it is round in the mouth; almost (but not quite) enough to be stepping outside the bounds of varietal typicity. Structured and bold but ethereal none the less.

The original Cazadores Reposado Tequila (meaning rested) spends up to year in new American oak barrels, creating a perfect balance of agave and woody flavours. citrus and tropical fruits, vanilla notes and the customary smooth finish, makes tequila Cazadores Reposado Tequila excellent in cocktails or sipped neat.

Our 2019 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay is golden straw in color and opens with aromas of ripe, grilled peach, with hints of toasted marshmallow, vanilla bean custard, and baked spiced pear. Rich, creamy, and concentrated flavors of grilled peach, lemon pie crust, graham cracker, vanilla bean, baking spices, and toasty oak lead to a balanced acidity and lingering finish. Enjoy with grilled halibut with lemon caper butter, roasted pork tenderloin, garden salad with gorgonzola and toasted pecans, grilled prawns, bacon-wrapped dates, or sip it on its own as an aperitif.

Murphy-Goode Pinot Noir comes from vineyards up and down the coast of California, including Arroyo Seco, Santa Maria Valley, and Monterey. Cool conditions in these prime growing spots keep grapes at a perfect balance between vibrant dark fruit character and bright acidity. Notes of vanilla from aging in French and American oak add complexity to the intense black cherry aromas and flavours.

This Cabernet Sauvignon blends the craftsmanship of California winemaking with the Southern tradition of Bourbon Whiskey aging, resulting in an incredibly bold sensory expression. Deep, rich ruby in color, it opens with concentrated aromas of blackberry cobbler, ripe dark berries, graham cracker, brown sugar, vanilla, milk chocolate, and toasty oak with notes of coffee and smoke. Flavors of ripe blackberry cobbler, blueberry pie, praline, sweet vanilla custard, brown sugar, caramel, and mocha are accented with hints of coffee and smoke. Soft, chewy tannins and toasty oak round the wine out with a long, lush finish. A superb accompaniment to grilled ribs, a charcuterie board, hearty pasta dishes, and strong cheeses.