TRIO OF ALLOCATIONS

Hey you lovely lot,

August is usually when the wine world slows down, but if this week’s arrivals are anything to go by, we’re in for one hell of a month. This is a long one… Sorry, not sorry. There’s just so much good wine I need to talk about.

Firstly, I’m beyond chuffed to finally have received a small yet mighty allocation from Werlitsch. I’ve got too many fond and hazy memories with these… Ewald and Brigitte Tscheppe (yes, Ewald is Andreas Tscheppe’s brother) have captured the energy of Austria’s southernmost corner perfectly. While there’s a shared spirit between the brothers’ wines, these have a distinct personality. A bit like the two men, really.

There’s a signature sesame-tinged reduction that makes these wines so easy to spot. Opok is the entry point into the house style. Crazy to think that 18 months in barrel is what these guys consider entry level lol. Morillon (AKA Chardonnay) is steely and fresh, but softened by an oaty, toasty edge. The Sauvignon is lean and focused, highlighting minerality over green aromatics. Will convert the skeptics.

Then there’s Ex Vero, the estate’s prized vineyard. A staggeringly steep slope, and genuinely one of the most stunning I’ve seen. Andreas lives at the top of the hill; Ewald is tucked down at the bottom. There’s so much biodiversity buzzing about, and you feel it in the glass. This comes from the shallowest part of the slope, where there are limestone/marl stones. Harvested later, and sees the full 24-month barrel treatment. Mainly Chard. Cult status for good reason.

Glück roughly translates to happiness, or so I’m told, which is exactly what you will feel when you pop the cork. The beautifully weighty ceramic bottles nod to the skin-soaked liquid inside. This is a Sauvignon maceration that ranks comfortably alongside the world’s amber heavyweights. Heady and grippy but never cloying with an acidity slicing through it all. Just a trio online.

Freude takes it even further: longer aging, a splash of Chardonnay, and a tropical side that begs for serious contemplation. Worth a trip to the cheese monger. Decant it and drink now or tuck it away for a decade +. Just the pair online.

While Werlitsch have already cemented their hype, I’m tipping Elias Muster to be the next big thing. Still under the radar, but if you’re clued up, you’ll know the surname carries serious weight in these parts. He’s still working at the family estate but has started carving out his own experimental range. He’s also been broadening his horizons in France, picking up experience from the likes of Christian Binner.

At La Dive, there were plenty of hushed whispers: “You’ve got to try Elias’s wines” but I couldn’t track them down in the chaos, only under-the-table pours when he was manning the family barrel. By Karakterre, the buzz had grown louder. “Trust me, just wait until he’s pouring at his dad’s table...” The crowds were pretty big (a good sign) and after finally finding a quiet moment to taste, I can confirm: the wines slap.

Instantly registering as Styrian and somehow threading together everything I love from all regions’ top producers: the fine and noble reduction of Werlitsch, the precision of Tscheppe, and the wild, free-spirited energy of his parents’ wines. Discovery of the year.

Corprivus is very Tscheppe-esque. All steely, herbal, and just delicious as it unfurls from that smokin’ opening line. I recently had a bottle open for three days, and it was one hell of a journey. Omnia dials up the aromatics but keeps the same thread of tension. You need to taste these.

What else? Well, it’s good news for fans of the Jura as we’ve just had a baby splash from the baby-faced Morel. Bad news? Teeny tiny quantities.

Macerated Savagnin is tricky to get right but this nails it. Burnt orange and butterscotch carried by a searing acidity. Massale selection from Labet cuttings in this vineyard, too. Flex. Les Trouillots, planted in 1980 on a mix of grey marl and limestone scree, is a pitch perfect example of what makes Jura Chardonnay so compelling. Saline twang floating above the orchard fruit.

Also, the cult Burgundian bottle from J. Guillot is back on the shelves. No words needed. IFYKYK. Want to do a side-by-side? See England’s answer here, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Final thing that is worth a mention are these maturin’ wines that have gone back online. Marc Colin with a strong case that Aligoté can age just as gracefully as Chardonnay. Boudignon’s Anjou Blanc, from the same vintage, shows Chenin with softer edges. This is in the perfect drinking window and a rare chance to taste at its peak if you’ve got no patience. Finally, a few fizz from the legendary, late Belluard. A last chance to drink a literal piece of history.

God, we’re good. We’ve just saved you six whole years! With those prices it is almost like it's still 2019 too.

Thanks for bearing with me. Hopefully the quality of the wines here makes up for the rambling…

LYSM

Fionn
xoxo