Organic and Biodynamic
Organic and Biodynamic
Waterkloof Cape Coral Mourvedre Rosé 2022
Regular price £14.95A fine pale-coloured rosé with delicate aromas of pomegranates and raspberry and a distinctive flintiness. There’s finesse and elegance on the palate with flavours of soft red fruits, a gentle silky texture and a lingering fresh acidity on the finish.
If you ask someone what is their favourite wine, most would mention a red or a white. Very few would give a rosé. But, (for us) South Africa has taken the 'common' rosé and turned it into an art form.
Such a delicate and perfumed rosé. Take a bit of sophisticated Provence rosé, give it a little hint of international dynamic, a little bit of relaxed "take me as I am" S'African personality and the result is this deliciously drinkable rosé from Stellenbosch.
Country: South Africa
Region: Schapenberg, Stellenbosch
Grapes: Mourvedre
ABV: 13%
Biodynamic and Organic
Winemaker Nadia Barnard:
In October 2022 Penny had the great pleasure of visiting Waterkloof Estate on the slopes of the Schapenberg, Stellenbosch with a few colleagues from the UK wine trade. They spent the good part of two days being driven around this beautiful, sustainably managed piece of land by winemaker, Nadia Barnard. All of the vineyards on the estate are farmed following organic and biological principles. Here at Cellar Door Wines we've always been huge fans of Waterkloof wines. It is always lovely to taste Nadia's wines in Saint Albans, but to be able to do so at Waterkloof, with the woman herself, was extra special. Tasting wine at the place of its birth explains the why and the how of its individuality. The people behind the vineyard and winery are also key components in the equation. The Cape and Waterkloof has such diversity of wine style with a great price quality ratio.
Zensa Fiano
Regular price £12.95A wonderful example of the Fiano grape. Close your eyes and you could be in Southern Italy! (almost).
Straw yellow in colour, with an elegant floral aroma of mango, peaches and sage. On the palate is crisp and refreshing, with tropical notes and exotic fruit. The finish is incredibly well balanced, long and persistent.
Country: Italy
Region: Puglia
ABV: 12.5 %
Grape: 100% Fiano
Zensa Nero d'Avola Appassimento
Regular price £12.95Completely untainted example of Nero D'Avola - just as nature intended!
The wine has a deep purple-red colour & intense aromas of blackberries & blueberries. The palate is soft & silky, bursting with spicy flavours of black pepper, dark chocolate, wild berries & vanilla. The tannins are elegant yet persistent. The finish is long & lingering and offers a burst of wild cherries at the end.
Country: Italy
Region: Sicily
ABV: 13.5 %
Grape: Nero D'Avola
Fun Fact: Zensa in Italian means “without” referring to the absence of any chemicals or pesticides in the winemaking process.
Zensa Rosé
Regular price £12.95Guaranteed summer drinking pleasure! Redcurrant, strawberry and raspberry notes with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Seriously lovely stuff!
Country: Italy
Region: Puglia
ABV: 12 %
Grapes: Primitivo, Negroamaro
Monte Schiavo Verdicchio Classico Organic 2022
Regular price £11.95Fresh citrus and peachy aromas with hints of passion fruit. The palate has abundant pineapple and tropical fruit characters, balanced by zesty acidity and a ripe yet crisp finish. We love this wine!
Country: Italy
Region: Marche
Grapes: Verdicchio
ABV: 12.5%
Organic, Vegan, Vegetarian
Food Match: Shell fish, white fish and goat's cheese salads
Waterkloof Circumstance Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Regular price £16.95Crushed laurel on the nose with more than a nuance of residual seaside salt.... or if you want a less pretentious description...bl**dy delicious!
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
ABV: 13%
Vegan, Vegetarian friendly
Biodynamic
This has a big and textured palate with stone fruit and fennel hints – it is rich and minerally, showing even a slight rocky quality about it. As bracing as the wind through the vines at Waterkloof.
Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004 this majestic and fully-fledged biodynamic estate is perched high on top of hill overlooking the Western Cape’s False Bay and produces delicately fine wines with a real sense of place.
Laibach The Ladybird Organic Red 2019
Regular price £17.95Complex nose with hints of spice, chocolate and mocha. Good structure with plum and mineral complexity and a lingering finish.
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet & Malbec
ABV: 14%
Adobe Reserva Gewurztraminer Organic 2020
Regular price £11.75An aromatic wine but don't be scared it's not sweet at all - and extremely more-ish
Hints of orange blossom and candied citrus fruits. Something completely different from the likes of Chardonnay, this is an engaging wine with a vibrant finish. You won't be disappointed, we promise!
Country: Chile
Region: Rapel Valley
Grapes: Gewurztraminer
ABV:13%
Vegan/Vegetarian
Emiliana is one of the world’s most important producers of organic and biodynamic wines and the largest in South America. They have a total of 997 hectares under vine in the valleys of Casablanca, Maipo, Colchagua, and Cachapoal of which 923ha are IMO certified organic and the remaining 77 in conversion. Their spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from all over the world. General Manager José Guilisasti and winemaking consultant Alvaro Espinoza were key to establishing this project to convert a large commercial winery into a commercially viable organic one. These innovative wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Domaine Lafran-Veyrolles Bandol Rosé Organic
Regular price £23.95A serious Rose with a strong personality.
Beautiful pale salmon colour with an appealing lemon & herb nose followed by flavours of warm southern herbs & rich, rounded fruit. Very much a food wine with a powerful character & a delicious dry finish.
Country: France
Region: Provence
Grapes: 65% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault
ABV: 14%
Organic
Vegan/Vegetarian
Domaine Lafran Veyrolles is an estate with a superb terroir and is widely recognised as one of the top three producers in the appellation. Jean-Marie Castell runs this small, traditional estate with just 10 ha of vines on the famous red clay soil of Bandol. The estate nestles in and is protected by the hills of the Cadière d'Azur and benefits from a maritime climate. The estate works organically and the yields are kept extremely low. Domaine Lafran Veyrolles reds have made it one of the star performers of the appellation … but don’t overlook the rosé wines as they deserve attention too!
Altolandon Mil Historias Organic Garnacha 2020
Regular price £14.95Intense and bright picota cherry colour. The nose is clean and intense, lots of black fruits, candy and floral notes. A medley of plum, strawberry, black cherry and black currant with undertones of white pepper, earthy notes, and a very pleasant balsamic end with a hint of sweetness. This is elegant, crisp with mineral undertones and notes of rosemary and cedar that emerge as the wine evolves – not to mention the sweet but vibrant tannins that promise a bright future.
Country: Spain
Region: DO Manchuela, La Mancha
Grapes: Garnacha
ABV: 14%
Vegan/Vegetarian
Organic
As the lands starts to rise, inland northwest of Valencia, you will find Roselia Molina heading up Bodegas Altolandon. The property consists of 120 hectares with the winery resting right in the centre, not only making it aesthetically satisfying but also extremely practical. At 1,100 metres above sea level, the altitude serves to benefit the grapes with large diurnal variations which encourage even ripening and also helping retain their natural acidity. Organic methods are used to manage the vines utilising only natural fertilisers and some green pruning to further guarantee the quality of fruit prior to hand-harvesting. The grapes are vinified as naturally as possible with native yeasts and little other intervention. The wines are then aged in French oak and some in clay amphora to retain purity, but build complexity.
Ânfora de Baco 2022 Quinta do Montalto
Regular price £21.00Hand harvested and completely destemmed, the wine was fermented and aged in the amphoras in contact with skins and lees. The inside of our amphoras is coated with natural tree resin according to the ancient process used by the Romans 2000 years ago. The wine has not been filtered or stabilised.
Rich, ripe and full of mulberry fruit character with a silky round tannic structure. Beautifully made low intervention wine.
Country: Portugal
Region: Lisboa
Grapes: 50% Aragonez and 50% Trincadeira
ABV: 14%
Waterkloof Seriously Cool Cinsault Biodynamic 2021
Regular price £15.95Juicy, crunchy and fresh red fruit. Soft tannins. Very easy drinking. Biodynamic.
This wine is playful in its aromas with pronounced cassis tones. Furthermore, a combination of blackcurrant, candied orange zest, violets and spices can be appreciated on the nose. In the mouth cassis fruit dominates with some spiciness to it, which is complemented by soft tannins that develop effortlessly.
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
ABV:11.5%
Grapes: Cinsault
Cinsault vines have been grown for centuries in Southern France. In the Rhône and Languedoc regions it is primarily used as a supporting agent in red blends, especially Châteauneuf-du- Pape, to add spice and aromatics whilst mellowing out harsh tannins.
But perhaps its most important role in wine history took place in South Africa, where in 1925 it was crossed with Pinot Noir by Stellenbosch University Professor A.I. Perold in an attempt to create a unique South African varietal. Today this proudly South African varietal is known as Pinotage.
Seriously Cool Cinsault is produced from more than 40 year old bush vines on the cool slopes of the Helderberg region. Older vines are known to have reached optimal balance in growth and production through time. This allows for low yields and ripe fruit with intense flavours. The soils are of decomposed granite origin with medium-sized stones, helping with drainage and moisture retention. Production was approximately 4t/ha.
Cluricaun Skin 2021
Regular price £16.70We love this orange wine with it's pale amber colour. Beautifully pure and textured palate with fresh nuttiness and fine spices. Tangerine and a hint of marmalade and lovely pure citrus fruits. Juicy linear and expressive with a salty tang on the finish.
Country: Portugal
Region: Lisbon
Grapes: 20% Fernão Pires from Lisbon; 80% Siria from Beira Interior
ABV: 13%
Winemaker Andre is always interested in experimenting with new and old methods. He is the 5th generation of winemakers at Quinta do Montalto, the farm has 15Ha of Vineyards grown with organic certification since 1997 in Clay and Chalk soils under the Lisbon DOC Encostas D’Aire.
He uses ancient methods the create DOC Medieval Ourem, but also made new Portuguese Amphoras and uses the most modern low intervention techniques for his traditional range.
Iona Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Regular price £18.25The Elgin Valley is one of the coolest regions in South Africa and is famous for making wonderfully refreshing and classy white wines.
Fragrance of pure white grapefruit, intense tropical fruit, ripe gooseberry and fleshy kiwi fruit over-lay Iona’s distinctive herbal and floral undertone. The palate is keenly balanced showing cut green apples and lime marmalade followed by great minerality and length.
Country: South Africa
Region: Elgin
ABV: 13.5%
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc.
At 420m above sea-level, set high above the picturesque Elgin Valley, Iona includes some of the coolest vineyards in the Cape. This creates an extremely long growing season, harvesting up to 2 months after Stellenbosch, which results in diverse, complex flavours and fresh, elegant wines. The philosophy at Iona is to make wines that reflect the soil and climate as closely as possible. They make use of sustainable farming methods and use natural products wherever possible in the winemaking.
Waterkloof Circumstance Mourvèdre 2018/2020
Regular price £18.95An elegant rendition of this normally unruly varietal. Features raspberry, dark fruit and herbal notes whilst an almost meaty, wild aroma can be detected on the nose. Typical vigour expected from this varietal, with a high concentration of fine tannin and a surprising lightness of touch helped by the lower alcohol.
Country : South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Grape: Mourvèdre
ABV: 13.5%
Living soils and a natural approach to winemaking means that each of the single-varietal wines in the Circumstance range is truly defined by the circumstances influencing the chosen varietal and vineyard blocks, including: soil, aspect, altitude and vintage. The Mourvedre is from a single, windswept, south-facing (less sun exposure) block 250-300m above and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes and wines with a true sense of place. Production was a miserly 4 tons per hectare. Mourvedre is one of the few varietals with enough wind-resistance to plant as bush-vine on Waterkloof. Grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the cellar by horses for hand-sorting. Bunches are sorted and whole-bunch fermentation happens spontaneously with wild yeast in large, open-top wooden fermenters. Manual punch-downs or foot-pressing take place 1-2 times per day and the wine is left on skins for 30 days before going through malolactic fermentation in old 600 litre barrels then ageing for 16 months in the same vessels. No fining, just a light filtration. No additons other than sulphur. Vegan friendly, biodynamic wine. 6 barrels made.
Cepa Pura Fernão Pires Unfiltered 2019 Quinta do Montalto
Regular price £18.75Fresh, zippy and zesty from native Portuguese grape Fernao Pires.
Country: Portugal
Region: Lisboa
Grapes: Fernão Pires
ABV: 13.5%
Chateau Coulaine Chinon Rouge 2021/22
Regular price £20.95Garnet in colour. Green bell pepper and bramble berries on the nose with faint hints of forest floor. Raspberry, dark red cherry and wet gravel on the palate with a spiciness throughout, with soft tannins. Long mineral finish with leafy elements.
Country: France
Region: Loire Valley
Grapes: Cabernet Franc
ABV: 13.5%
Organic
Laibach The Ladybird Organic White 2022
Regular price £15.95Fresh and complex with notes of white peach, almonds and a hint ripe papaya. Expressive on the palate with a lingering finish.
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Grapes: Chardonnay, Chenin,and Viognier
ABV: 13.5%
Food Match: Paella
Raats Dolomite Cabernet Franc
Regular price £17.20Dolomite wines express great purity of fruit and balanced elegance. The nose shows dark and red cherry. Dark berries, spiciness and herbs linger on the palate. The wine has great purity of fruit with a hint of wet-stone minerality and a velvet soft finish.
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
ABV: 13.5%
Grapes: Cabernet Franc 90%
Malbec 10%
Solara Rosé 2022
Regular price £11.75Strawberry and red fruits, crisp fresh and fruity , with notes of raspberry on the palate.
Country: Romania
Grapes: Merlot and Feteasca Neagra
ABV: 12%
Abel Mendoza Garnacha Blanco 2020
Regular price £37.95This viscous, mouth-filling wine offers notes of toast, red and green apples, caramel and almond.
Fermentation in new French barrels and 5 months battonage until bottling.
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Grapes: Garnacha Blanco
ABV: 14%
The grand master of white Rioja, Abel Mendoza never fails to impress with his uniquely complex, old vine wines from small plots planted high up in the Alavesa. Tim Atkin MW often scores between 94-95 for this wine and past vintages received 95 points from Robert Parker. Sublime and a must for anyone serious about their wine.
Iona Elgin Pinot Noir 2020/2021
Regular price £29.00Succulent black cherry aroma, bright but delicate and hints of forest floor, with underlying floral and spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is powerful, with silk-textured length.
Country: South Africa
Region: Elgin
ABV: 13%
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Food match
Beef Bourginon with mushroom or braised lamb shanks.
In early 1997, Andrew Gunn, an engineer by training was contemplating his next career move. Having always loved the outdoors, the prospect of farming appealed to him and feeling young and energetic enough to start a new career, left the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg to begin the search for the ‘perfect’ farm.
After months of searching and 40 farm visits later, Andrew and a very tired estate agent stumbled upon a solitary run down apple farm on a mountain top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The prospect of a suitable farm in Elgin intrigued Andrew and on driving through the valley, he became excited by the beauty of the area. Surrounded by the Kogelberg Biosphere and Forestry the property had no agricultural neighbours. The rolling hills and the drive up the mountain to where the farm was situated, 420 meters above sea level, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was love at first sight.
As he drove in and stopped in front of a rather run down Herbert Baker homestead, he felt, “this is where I would like to live”, and the view from the front of the house overlooking the Elgin Valley below, made up his mind.
Château L’Escarelle Deux Anges Rosé 2022
Regular price £19.95The ‘Château’ is the most traditional – and the oldest – of their wines. It’s blended in the traditional way, with a short maceration period – these wines are designed to be drunk fairly soon. Dependable, elegant and bursting with fruit. The ideal way to get to know the vineyard and taste the terroir. Delicate and elegant floral aromas with lively minerality on the palate, clean attack and delicious strawberry notes.
Country: France
Region: AOP Côteaux Varois en Provence
Grapes: Grenache, Cinsault , Shiraz
ABV: 12.5%
Chateau de L’Escarelle of one of the most prestigious wine estates in the heart of Provence, with 100 hectares of organically certified vineyards set in 1,000 hectares of beautiful woodland.
Food Match: Perfect as an aperitif or an accompaniment to southern French dishes