August Bank Holiday Cellar Raids: Day Four

4 Kilos' first vintage in 2006 was made in a milk refrigeration unit and since then, winemaker Francesc Grimalt and business partner and musician Sergio Caballero have really honed their efforts to produce Mallorca's most well known and respected wines. 100% Callet grape. A wine that displays immense purity and freshness with a wild strawberry perfume and aromas of crushed red berries and hints of violet and sweet spice. The tannins are so fine grained and the palate is silky in texture with a restrained concentration on the core.

Agricola is the brainchild of Callum Powell, the son of Torbreck founder Dave Powell, who worked in the Northern Rhône with Jean-Louis Chave before striking out on his own. There's a clear nod to the Northern Rhône here. Its 'low hi', hands off winemaking, and all that, combined with some excellent vineyard sources, makes Callum's wines some of the most exciting we've found in the Barossa. This has all the bold, expressive black fruit you would expect from the powerful subregion of Ebenezer, but with a bright energetic acidity and relatively restrained 13.9% alcohol.

Agricola is the brainchild of Callum Powell, the son of Torbreck founder Dave Powell, who worked in the Northern Rhône with Jean-Louis Chave before striking out on his own. There's a clear nod to the Northern Rhône here. Its 'low hi', hands off winemaking, and all that, combined with some excellent vineyard sources, makes Callum's wines some of the most exciting we've found in South Australia. The Flaxman Shiraz is from the Eden Valley and is sourced from two vineyards; the 100+ year old Powell family vineyard, and a neighbouring steep slope. This is a medium-weight, elegant Shiraz. It's fresh and saline, with black olive and black pepper in amongst fresh red and black fruit. Callum uses very little new oak, and coming in at below 12% alcohol it's a truly unique, and incredibly impressive, example of Eden Valley Shiraz.

Dark cherries, plums, mixed spice and leather aromas with hints of dark chocolate. There is a lot going on in the glass, yet the wine retains its poise and there is freshness and vibrancy that cuts through the palate.

Anselmo Mendes is one of Vinho Verde’s most iconic winemakers and the 2022 Muros Antigos Loureiro is a benchmark for the region. Made from 100% Loureiro, it comes from northwest Portugal’s Lima River Valley where you can find the grape’s most compelling examples. There is a little citrus and yellow pear on the nose, beautiful length, and some savoury structure from lees ageing that brings the wine together.

Macán Clásico 2019 is Vega’s project in Rioja with the Rothschild family. It is 100% Tempranillo planted in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria in the Sonsierra region of Rioja. The Clásico is their second wine that uses younger vine fruit and the wine spending a few months less ageing in french oak barrels (14 months). 2019 was a very dry and warm vintage, with a concentrated core and richness.

This is the estate's Grand Cru site with extremely old plantings from 1890. The wine has great acidity and freshness and the finish is long with a salinity that almost feels like a coastal wine. Grapefruit and beeswax notes combine with white florals.

From 85 year old vines that come from a small 1 hectare vineyard at altitude on complex soils of quartzite, slate and clay. Primarily Garnacha, there is some Macabeo that has been field blended in the vineyard. Blood orange, raspberries combined with sweet and savoury spice. The tannins a chalky and extremely well knit.

Bodegas Frontonio is an exciting project in Aragón that focuses on old vines, high altitude plots and regenerative viticulture. This red is a blend of Garnacha, Garnacha Peluda, Mazuela (Carignan) and a small percentage of Macabeo that is planted at 600 metres altitude and to 50 year old+ vines. The wine demonstrates incredible balance and freshness with bright red berry fruits and wild flower perfume. The tannins are fine grained and beautifully integrated into the wine's silky core.

This delicious white comes from 50 year old vines from two villages at altitude on primarily slate and limestone rich soils. A wine that is largely focused on texture, it displays orange blossom and white peach aromas, as well as lemon and lime citrus notes that combined with the wine's acidity bring vibrancy and freshness to the core. There is a pithiness on the palate that provides great structure.

At just over 1 hectares, this old vineyard high altitude plot is planted on slate soils and dry farmed. The whole bunch winemaking adopted gives the wine a floral lift with wild strawberries and red berries as well as cranberries and layers of complexity offered with garrigue herbal notes. The tannins are so fine with a hint of ripeness giving a nod to the wine's origins.

Planted at 700 metres in a parcel named Barrandijos in the village of Alpartir on primarily limestone and slate soils. Juicy red cherry fruits combine with wild strawberries, rosemary and thyme notes. Fine grained tannins are supported with a silky palate and bright core.

Tawny gold colour. Complex and elegant, this classic Amontillado is pungent and aromatic, with fine notes of oak. Nutty on the palate with a hint of sweetness and a lingering, dry finish. The Solera of this Amontillado consists of 10 casks which are aged in José Luis González Obregón’s bodegas in El Puerto de Santa María.

Having spent 12 years ageing in casks in Bodega La Campana in Jerez de la Frontera, this Oloroso has taken on complex aromas of baked apple, grilled nuts combined with dark chocolate and saltiness.

Pale lemon in colour, this Fino has an attractive lemon citrus profile that supports the yeasty, salty and savoury notes that are a result of the biological ageing. The palate has a refreshing acidity and saltiness on the palate.

BodegasTamerán was set up in 2019 by footballer and Canary Islands native, David Silva after a much sought after 6 hectare vineyard became available on the island. He asked friend Jonathan García (owner and winemaker at Suertes del Marqués) to run the project and the wines have since gained much praise.This white wine comes from the volcanic archipelago of Gran Canaria. Vines are planted on their own roots at altitudes of 600-700 metres on mountainous plots benefitting from a cooling Atlantic influence and sandy, volcanic soils on exclusively south facing slopes.Malvasía Volcánica is a cross of Malvasía Aromática and Marmajuelo. Expect beautiful aromatic and exotic aromas to combine pink grapefruit and citrus notes. The palate is very saline and mineral, a nod to the vineyard soils and proximity to the sea.

BodegasTamerán was set up in 2019 by footballer and Canary Islands native, David Silva after a much sought after 6 hectare vineyard became available on the island. He asked friend Jonathan García (owner and winemaker at Suertes del Marqués) to run the project and the wines have since gained much praise. This exceptional white wine comes from the volcanic archipelago of Gran Canaria. Vines are planted on their own roots at altitudes of 600-700 metres on mountainous plots benefitting from a cooling Atlantic influence and volcanic soils. There is a lot of citrus and ginger spice combined with fleshy stone fruit aromas with an incredible waxy texture.

By Farr Shiraz is from the original vineyard planted in 1994. It's co-fermented with 2-4% Viognier and is matured in 20% new oak. There's a bit of whole bunch bringing a lift to the nose, but on the palate it's deeply concentrated with dark fruit and aromatic spice. Complex and structured.

A brilliant cool climate Shiraz from the By Farr team in 2019. Bright and fresh with sappy berries alongside some riper black fruit. There’s some black pepper and earthiness and a silky texture.

The Shiraz is sourced from the original By Farr vineyard planted in 1994. The fruit is hand picked and 20% is whole bunch fermented. The Shiraz is co-fermented with two to four percent of Viognier and is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 20% is new. On the nose, it is powerful and deeply concentrated, showcasing the complexity of cool climate Shiraz.The palate is defined by notes of spice and earthy undertones, with co-fermented Viognier adding both richness and a touch of sweetness. Combined with structured tannins, this creates a long, elegant and earthy finish. A complex cool climate Shiraz.

Viña del Olivo was revolutionary in Rioja in the early 1970s for being Rioja's first single estate, modelled on the Bordeaux concept. Under the meticulous winemaking of Jorge Navascués, this wine and the 2020 vintage is exceptional. A wonderful perfume of red cherries, rose petals and cranberries are supported by sweet and savoury spice. There are hints of lapsang souchong tea and crushed stones as well as some herbs. The tannins have a great presence, as well as an attractive suppleness.

A touch of coconut is present along with the cinnamon-spiced oak here. Again the fruit core is compact, dense and concentrated with the promise of power and weight to follow. The palate is incredibly taut with intense, tightly bound raspberry and dark cherry. The tannins are ripe, full, and assertive while the acidity brings the trademark long, juicy character. This is currently showing all the potential of a beautifully constructed Gran Reserva. An exciting prospect indeed.

Viña del Olivo was revolutionary in Rioja in the early 1970s for being Rioja's first single estate, modelled on the Bordeaux concept. Under the meticulous winemaking of Jorge Navascués, this wine and the 2020 vintage is exceptional. A wonderful perfume of red cherries, rose petals and cranberries are supported by sweet and savoury spice. There are hints of lapsang souchong tea and crushed stones as well as some herbs. The tannins have a great presence, as well as an attractive suppleness.

Having spent 24 months in a mix of French and American oak, this more modern style Rioja is displaying attractive purple and black fruit aromas. Notes of cinnamon, coconut and licorice spice. Tannins are fine grained with some grip, yet extremely well integrated given this wine is still so young. There is a red berry fruit concentration on the palate that continues for a long time on the finish and is balanced spectactularly with a lively acidity.

The 2020 vintage was a hot vintage and was one of the Douro's earliest harvests on record. There is a lot of concentration, but due to lower yields there is real balance and refreshing purity to the wine. Blackberries, red cherries and plums are supported by blood orange and dried flower aromas. The tannins have real grip and a glossiness to them. Expect power and elegance.

Quinta da Leda comes from one of the top Douro estates, a main source for the legendary Barca Velha. With velvet texture, precise, pure black fruit and a very long mineral finish, it is incredibly impressive. There’s a lifted freshness creating perfect balance with the concentration and depth in the wine.

Quinta da Leda comes from one of the top Douro estates, a main source for the legendary Barca Velha. With velvet texture, precise, pure black fruit and a very long mineral finish, it is incredibly impressive. There’s a lifted freshness creating perfect balance with the concentration and depth in the wine.

The grapes are sourced from five vineyard sites in the hills of Alt Penedès. From 100% Xarel-lo grapes, the wine is aged in a mix of 500 litre French new oak barrels and the rest in concrete eggs for 8 months. Grapefruit pith, fresh apricot and white pear notes. The acidity is lively and there is an attractive phenolic grip on the finish.

A very special wine with limited production, the grapes are sourced from a small plot, with many vines over 100 years old. Black cherries, juicy red plums, brambles and clove and cedar spice are also supported by chalky, ripe tannins. Dark chocolate notes persist on the finish.

This Grenache is produced by Marco Cirillo from two 100+ year old vineyards from the renowned Barossa Valley. Full of rich fruit and spice, the palate is generous with intense and classically Grenache characteristics. It’s smooth, rounded, and generous with fantastic texture from 12 months maturing in old foudres. A true bargain, this is a wine that can be enjoyed now, or well into the future.

Grapes come from a slate dominated plot in the village of Toral de los Vados. It's northeast-facing exposition at 700 metres altitude, combined with 100 year old vines as well as Mencia co-planted with around 12 other varieties makes this a very exciting site and wine. Expect wild strawberries, cranberries and sweet spice combined with graphite and garrigue. Tannins are chalky and the core has so much finesse.

Cesar's 100% Godello comes from a single south facing plot in the Villafranca del Bierzo with over 100 year old vines. The wine has a flinty reductive nose with white peach and lemon citrus. The acidity is nervy and saline and feels exceptionally mineral.

Grapes come from two plots in the village of Valtuille, mainly from El Llano, with the rest from El Foco. The wine spends a year in old french barrels. Beautifully mineral with graphite and crushed stone aromas combined with wild herbs and flowers.

This is a juicy and fruit-forward Mencia, coming from younger high-altitude vines. Whole bunch fermentation brings a fabulous lift to the wine and the finish is long and finessed. This is extraordinarily fun to drink and is the perfect way to discover the wines of rising star César Márquez.

From two plots planted in 1929 in La Horra, 400 metres apart. San Cristobel is the backbone of the wine, with the slightly lighter Barrosso adding nuance. It’s been farmed biodynamically since 2000, while no new oak has been used in the elevage of the wine since 2012.

Dominio del Águila was established in 2010 by Jorge Monzón and his partner Isabel Rodero in the small town of La Aguilera in the Ribera del Duero and since their arrival have been making waves in the wine world. They manage to achieve breathtaking elegance in their wines, focused on small volumes and high quality, these are not your typical Ribera del Duero fruit and alcohol bombs. The Canta la Perdiz is a single vineyard parcel that is made up of a field blend (principally Tempranillo with a mix of Carignan, Bruñal, Bobal and Albillo) of mainly 100 year old, ungrafted vines. The organically grown grapes are hand harvested and foot trodden and later spend over 30 months in oak prior to bottling. Despite the wine’s concentration and density, it still manages to portray great minerality and focus. Expect bramble fruits and spice combined with blood orange and wild strawberries. The tannins are fine grained yet present and the acidity remains refreshing and lively, and the wine’s length is exceptionally long.

A blend of Godello, Albariño/Alvarinho, Dona Blanca, Treixadura, the 2020 vintage was cool and wet and the profile is much more on the lemon citrus and herbal profile with a nervy acidity and minerality. The old vines as well as spending some time on fine lees gives the wine weight and addded texture.

Made primarily of Mencia (73%) combined with indigenous varieties Brancellao, Mouraton and Souson. Juicy cherry perfume as well as wild flowers and spice combine with fine grained, graphite like tannins. The texture on the palate is silky and seductive.

This 100% Treixadura white has a restrained concentration and is wonderfully complex. Honey blossom, white peach and lemon verbena notes. The wine displays a lively and refreshing acidity and has a waxy texture.