Biodynamic. Eddy Faller explains that his Altenbourg Pinot Noir exhibits a more velvety structure than the Schlossberg-raised wine (below). To highlight each wine’s origins, the winemaking is almost identical, with a 10-day cold soak, followed by up to two weeks on skins, partial whole-bunch fermentation and extended aging in predominantly old oak. Plantings are 10,000 vines per hectare using mass selections from the Clos des Epeneaux in Pommard. To recycle Pigott’s line for the 2020 release, ‘In a blind tasting you could easily mistake this for a top 1er Cru wine from Beaune in Burgundy!’

This wine is named after this Schlossberg lieu-dit’s cadastral name, Au Château. The building referenced in the name is the iconic Château de Kaysersberg, whose ruins preside over the town and lie a stone’s throw from the western boundary of the Schlossberg Grand Cru. With precious few bottles, we have yet to taste this release. However, Eddy Faller explains that the granitic soils give this bottling a more linear and ‘smoky’ mineral style compared to the rounder, more supple limestone-raised Altenbourg. Cropped from steeply terraced, pre-clonal era 1960s vines, it was fermented with 20% bunches and aged for two years in Burgundian barrels (20% new); Pigott’s note below reflects a terrific year for Alsace Pinot and the great strides Weinbach has made under the current generation

Margaret River is a world renowned Chardonnay producing region and Pierro can rightfully stake a claim as to why. Incredibly complex, it is a tangle of fine-boned acid, lees complexity, pristine fruit and the most detailed use of good quality oak. Extremely enjoyable now, but will benefit from short to medium term cellaring.

Whilst Chavys have been living in Puligny Montrachet for over 200 years it was not until 1986 that Gerard Chavy started to estate bottle his own wine (previously the wines were sold to negotiants). This Chardonnay by Jean-Louis Chavy is based on 20-60 year old vines. Les Tremblot, (more Puligny in character, as the soil is argileous, says Jean-Louis); Les Meix, Les Levrons (more rounded wine for there are more stones and gravel here and it is not so heavy), Corvée des Vignes and Les Reuchaux.

Named after Kumeu River founder Mate Brajkovich, this vineyard produces Kumeu River's most sought after Chardonnay. Grown on clay soils, it is always long and concentrated with terrific depth that is enhanced with bottle age of up to ten years.

Graacher Himmelreich is a renowned vineyard that borders the southern edge of its more famous neighbour Wehlener Sonnenuhr. The Auslese examples typically show grapefruit citrus and green apple aromas, with honeyed overtones, wonderful density and pronounced minerality carried along by signature Mosel racy acidity.