  "Kumeu River Strike Again," says JamesSuckling.com Team James Suckling have returned from New Zealand and released their annual report. The highest scoring wine was the Kumeu River Chardonnay Maté’s Vineyard 2021 (99 Points), the previous vintage of which we named our 2021 Wine of the Year. James has called this wine the, “Montrachet of New Zealand.” It’s made from a 2.6-hectare single vineyard named after the Brajkovich brothers’ late father, Maté. As with all the Chardonnays from the estate, it is whole-cluster pressed, wild-fermented and matured with limited new oak. The 2021 is fantastically mineral, compact and phenolic, with a mind-blowing intensity lasting for minutes. It follows on as the third in a trio of great vintages in New Zealand and leads the charge for the impressive chardonnay offerings of the country. 2021 Kumeu River Mate's Chardonnay 99 Points - James Suckling “Lots of minerality with crushed stone, chalk, white grapefruit, peach stones, white apricots, wild herbs and lavender. Touch of cedar. Evolves to nutmeg and crushed almonds. Wow. It really builds on the palate, leading to a crescendo and intensity that blows your mind. Compact and phenolic, yet so agile and refined. Goes on for minutes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.” Only 36 bottles available 2021 Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 17.5+ Points - Jancis Robinson MW "Pale straw. Strong lemon aroma with light smokiness and real lift. Lovely balance and great youth and extremely long. Raciness. This is just a treasure that deserves to be cellared awhile to take full advantage of its potential for complex development. It has the same steeliness but more obvious fruit than in typical fine Australian Chardonnays. Tight finish for the moment." Only 36 bottles available 2021 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay17+ Points - Jancis Robinson MW "Smoky, tense and lively on the nose. Very fine and open. Slight smokiness on the palate also. Great balance. (2006 and 2007 are still looking good in 2022 apparently.) A fair copy of a fine Chassagne! GV" Only 17 bottles available 2019 Pegasus Bay Reserve Virtuoso Chardonnay 98 Points - James Suckling “Fantastic aromas of ripe apple, smoke, flint and stone. Sandalwood as well. Full-bodied and very reductive with dry ice to the ripe and dried apple character. Dense and very layered, yet fresh and vivid. So long and intense. Great finish. Drink now.” Only 41 bottles available   2020 Ben Glaetzer CollectionWe make our annual return to cult Barossan producer, Ben Glaetzer for his 2020 offering. All wines will be delivered week commencing 21st November 2022 Wow, what an amazing wine growing family – generational brilliance guided by the legendary Baron of Barossa Colin Glaetzer (Father to Ben and Nick), John Glaetzer (John’s Blend), uncle to Ben and Nick and then to the boys themselves, who have blazed their own trails. Out of Hobart, Tasmania, Nick under his Glaetzer-Dixon label is showing the world that great Shiraz can be crafted on the Apple Isle (Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir too). For now, the limelight is on Ben who took over from his father in 2002 and continues to drive excellence at the estate. All fruit is sourced from the northern sub-region of the Barossa, Ebenezer, which is known for its ancient dry-grown vineyards. Glaetzer’s most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80–110-year-old, non-grafted bush vines. Ben introduces the wines from his tiny 2020 vintage in the video below...    Ben Glaetzer’s passion for creating wines which are full-flavoured, multi-layered and intense yet elegant, stylish and finely balanced is epitomised in the iconic Amon- Ra. Ben discusses the 2020 Amon-Ra, one of the smallest ever vintages of this wine... Our 2020 Amon-Ra allocation has been cut to the ground. We have been allocated ten six-packs which are available in the UK. A further, and final allocation (same tiny volume) has been promised later this year / early January. Last year, one of our trade customers purchased 50-cases which highlights how miniscule our allocation is! Only available by the six-pack. We have calculated LCB’s delivery charge and discounted this from our offer price…  2020 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz97 Points - Erin Larkin (RobertParker.com) "I’ve looked at this wine many times over the years, almost exclusively as an older/cellared wine. The impact it has made is strong, and so it is through this lens that I now view this 2020 Amon-Ra Shiraz. This year’s Amon-Ra is concentrated, dense and absolutely, utterly saturated with flavor. The fruit that spirals within the bounds of the firm tannins is fleshy and pure, and with the knowledge that the wine sails through the decade with noiseless grace, it is all the more impressive in its infancy now. A brilliant wine – all ductile and proud. Yes. Drink Date 2022 – 2042." £260.50 per case (6x75cl) In Bond Only 10 cases available Vintage Information Variety: 100% Shiraz Vintage Conditions: The 2020 vintage offered us so much in quality, but so little in quantity. The dry year leading up to vintage, 2019 being the driest year on record, was always going to lead to a reduced crop. This was amplified by frost in October affecting flowering. Smaller bunches with smaller berries were then offered the reprieve of a cooler January and February in contrast to the previous year. The result is very low yields, but wonderful quality and character. Shiraz stands out as the quality leader for the vintage, offering extraordinary colour and flavour. Vinification: Fermented in 1 and 2 tonne open fermenters, hand plunged 3 times daily. Matured for 16 months in 100% new oak hogshead barrels (95% French and 5% American) and matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation. Bottled unfiltered to ensure minimal intervention with the wine’s natural characteristics. Colour: Dark plum and blackberry notes are offset by hints of black pepper and wild forest herbs. Aroma: An enticing combination of blue and black fruits with notes of espresso and dried spice. Palate: Intense and mouth-filling with the balance, complexity and focus we have to come to expect from Amon-Ra. Powerful dark berry fruit is accented with delicate spice and herb notes. It inspires confidence in its age worthy nature. Peak Drinking: A wine that will develop beautifully with long term cellaring through to 2045.    Glaetzer Bishop is a true expression of Barossa Shiraz that is elegantly structured with a long finish. Bishop is the maiden-name of Colin’s wife Judith. Fittingly, the label’s icon is the sign of Venus – a symbol which has come to represent women and feminine energy. Whilst the symbol is most commonly associated with the Roman Goddess of beauty and love, or her Greek equivalent, Aphrodite, it can also be linked back to ancient Egypt, tying it in nicely with Amon-Ra and Anaperenna.  2020 Glaetzer Bishop£27.95 per bottle 60 bottles available Offer closes 9.00am Monday 21st November. We are only purchasing stock to satisfy your orders. Winery Tasting NoteVariety: 100% Shiraz Aroma: Subtle yet expressive, black cherries, dried spice and licorice. Palate: This vintage of Bishop is amazingly expressive and approachable for a wine of such depth. It is both bright and complex and with convincingly silky texture. Flavours of dark cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate and multiple dried spices are supported by restrained tannin. Look for the classic calling card of palate length and persistence. Peak Drinking: Great drinking now. Glaetzer Bishop is a true expression of Barossa Shiraz that is elegantly structured with a long finish Vintage Conditions: The 2020 vintage offered us so much in quality, but so little in quantity. The dry year leading up to vintage, 2019 being the driest year on record, was always going to lead to a reduced crop. This was amplified by frost in October affecting flowering. Smaller bunches with smaller berries were then offered the reprieve of a cooler January and February in contrast to the previous year. The result is very low yields, but wonderful quality and character. Shiraz stands out as the quality leader for the vintage, offering extraordinary colour and flavour.    Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a modern way. The Shiraz provides backbone, flesh, and body, whilst Grenache adds a soft, vibrant juiciness to the wine. Wallace is another ode to Colin’s wife- her ancestral family name which hails from the old market town of Cupar in Fife, Scotland. Judith’s Celtic ancestry is represented in the three elements of the Wallace symbol – the Celtic cross, thistle, and Celtic knot pattern.  2020 Glaetzer Wallace£20.95 per bottle 60 bottles available Offer closes 9.00am Monday 21st November. We are only purchasing stock to satisfy your orders. Winery Tasting Note Variety: 78% Shiraz / 22% Grenache Aroma: A lifted combination of red fruits with fresh spice notes of pepper and cedar. Palate: : The bright fruits of damson and red cherry are complemented by a hint of classic Grenache white pepper. These notes are joined by deeper and darker Shiraz fruit to offer a wine at once refreshing and intense. Peak Drinking: A wine to enjoy in its youth that will also develop additional complexity for up to 8—10 years of cellaring Vineyards: Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub-district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age: 50—80 year old Shiraz and 50—100 year old Grenache.
 Our 'out of the blue' arrival from Zalto is selling fast...Over 40% of the stock was pre-ordered within twelve hours of launch. The glassware is scheduled for delivery on 29th November and we anticipate this being the last chance to receive this before Christmas.  October's winning review came from Angelo. He will be receiving two fabulous bottles of wine, delivered directly to his doorstep, next week. We are always appreciative that so many of you are taking the time to let us know what you think of The Vinorium and the wines you have purchased from us. We will be continuing to pick a reviewer each month to win a few cracking bottles of wine as an incentive to keep adding reviews to the site. Please continue to watch for the review emails landing in your inbox a week after you place an order with us and we’ll be giving away another few bottles to a reviewer next month. You can read Angelo's winning review below...
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