Destemmed and tipped into a tonne fermenter. Gentle pump over and slow extraction until full dryness. Only the free run was placed into a 3 year old French oak barrel. Soft palate with extremely precise and thin tannins that caress and carry on the freshness and intensity.

The Rozas 1er cru Garnacha is, as the name says, classified premier cru by Comando G. Elegant and poised, this wine is a step up in classification and altitude, sitting above the Rozas Villages vineyards close to the ceiling beyond which growing grapes isn't really viable. The brick-red tinge to the colour bring Langhe to mind, Nebbiolo specifically, and there are more hints of that in the glass. The colour and the approachability owe a lot to the greater presence of silt midst the layers of granite. For the 1er cru, the vines are older, the soils are lighter and the altitude of the vineyard is higher than the village showing that signature highwire Sierra de Gredos/Comando G acidity.

DOMAINE RAYMOND USSEGLIO & FILS, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale

Clos du Lican is a standout single-vineyard wine from the Lapostolle family. It is situated on a steep, south-facing hillside in the Apalta Valley, where the soils consist of fractured granite and clay. This unique site is dedicated to Rhone varieties, specifically Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. The vineyard's altitude and orientation help keep temperatures cooler and slow ripening, preserving the fruit's natural acidity and structural integrity. The winemaking follows a traditional approach with a focus on purity. The fruit is hand-harvested and fermented in small French oak vats. The wine matures for 22 months in a combination of new and second-use French oak barrels, building complexity without overwhelming the primary fruit. The nose offers aromas of black cherry, dried lavender, and cracked black pepper. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and layered with flavours of dark plum and liquorice. Firm tannins provide a solid backbone, resulting in a dry, persistent finish. This is a robust wine with significant cellaring potential for the Australian collector.