(2026) From Moldova’s first ever DOP, Codru, created only in 2024 and a hillside of terraced vineyards, this has a peachy ripeness, passion fruit, with just a hint of smokiness. The palate has juicy orange and peach, a nice level of freshening acidity, and a balanced, quite gastronomic appeal.

(2026) Mine was bottle number 091 of this tiny production wine from the 60-year-old Florita vineyard. Like the Grosset Polish Hill, this is a true icon of Clare Riesling, this 2024 offering very direct lime and lemon, but beneath there is wax and a delicate herb and stony character. It's arguably more direct and sheer than the Grosset 2025 even although a year older, the 30 years of cellaring potential suggested by Jim Barry easy to believe. There's a hint of waxiness, but again a real purity of citrus that is energising through to the finish.

(2026) A typically limey Clare Riesling, though not quite so steely dry as some. Citrus, quince and beeswax aromas lead on to a palate of pristine apple and citrus, a touch of peach juice, and a fine balancing acidity.

(2026) An iconic wine, living up to its reputation for sure. The sheer lime sherbet, beeswax and wet river stone precision and vitality is energising, then the wine ripples across the tongue with electricity. Lime continues - Kaffir lime leaf zest and light smokiness - and gorgeous balance between fruit ripeness and the surging acidity. Grosset suggest this will cellar for a couple of decades.

(2026) The person that could breed a fruit fusing a peach with a juicy lime might be on to a winner, but Pauletts seem to have beaten them to it with this delicious Riesling. Like the Pikes Riesling also tasted, it lacks the last ounce of shimmering presence of the Grosset for example, but it is alive and bursting with those flavours too, touching into mineral salts in the long finish where the acid balance is excellent.

(2026) From warmer inland vineyards of the Southern Valleys and Awatere in Marlborough, and a very good vintage in the region, this was vinified in small, open-top tanks, followed by ageing in oak barrels, 20% of which were new. The colour is light ruby and the nose fragrant with cherry and raspberry, but I suspect some whole-bunch influence too with a pleasantly herbal, hessian and briar background. In the mouth the fruit is juicy and fleshy, with very good ripeness. A little chestnutty note and firm acidity gives the freshness, while tannins and a little more of that herbal earthiness joins in the finish. This sample was supplied by Laithwaites, but there are other stockists too. Watch the video for more information.

(2026) Produced only in exceptional years from a single vineyard dedicated to making this style, this heady 15.5% alcohol wine comes from south facing at altitudes between 300- and 550-metres above sea level on shallow, sandy silt. The bunches are dried naturally in the drying room, reducing their weight by approximately 30% in the appassimento style. The wine was then aged for a minimum of two years, at least one of which is in barriques. The colour still has that softness and light brick shading. The nose has a hint of spice and floral lift, pepper and complex nuances of fruit, menthol, green herbs and minerals. On the palate it is a beautifully pure and bright line, no hint of prune or raisin character, much more about spices and sweet and ripe, but small and compact berries from cherry to redcurrant, but plenty of spice and plenty of acidity. It sharpens the finish and extends it, the wine not displaying its high alcohol too much, and the tannins super-firm, yet elegant, fresh and not dominating. A remarkable appassimento in style.

(2026) Owned by Nino Negri since 1897, this vineyard rises from 380- to 500-metres where Alpine glaciers and cold breezes lower average temperatures. It is from some of their coldest sites. It spends 12 months in a mix of larger oak botti and barriques, followed by a minimum of 18 months in bottle before release. The appearance is typically soft, pale and transparent with a touch of brick to the colour. Fragrant with a touch of old roses , a soft earthy leafiness and gentle red fruit. Spicy on the palate, a delicious

(2026) From the IGT Alpi Retiche, the only white wine in the portfolio, 100% Nebbiolo vinified as white wine in stainless steel, with eight months on the lees. Naturally low in alcohol at 11.5%, made possible by their cool Alpine location, Danilo says to make a lighter style was a deliberate decision to make a very drinkable mountain-fresh wine. That has certainly been acheived: this is icy cool, with fresh squeezed lemon and mineral salts, there is a bit of body and a ripe apple hint of juicier character, but the sheerness of the wine is invigorating. Understated, relatively straightforward, but does what it does very nicely.

(2026) Another single vineyard wine, the site on a rocky promontory eroded by the glacier, leaving only 30 centimetres of soil. Danilo says that is responsible for giving the wine soft tannins and making it "our most Pinot Noir-like Nebbiolo." Aged for 12 months mostly in Slavonian oak boti, with some French barriques, then a further six months in bottle. Cherry, raspberry and spice on the nose, a fine undertow of sous bois and cep mushrooms. The palate has a brightness, a freshness to the acidity, a more linear style in a way finishing with spice and pepper and that mineral sense once again.