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Month: April 2026

Wine of the Week

Amber from Kakheti

Published 24. April 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Made from the native Georgian grape mtsvane, this wine carries both freshness and a depth that unfolds with time in the glass.


Behind it stands Guram Maisuradze, who founded Nadelebi in 2014, building on a family tradition of winemaking that stretches back generations in Kakheti. Guram continues the work of his father, grandfather, and uncle, who were already making wine in qvevri long before “natural wine” became a global language.


The vineyards are farmed organically, and the approach in the cellar is one of restraint. Fermentation is carried out with wild yeasts, no additives, no filtration.


Mtsvane 2024 (Nadelebi)


Deep golden with amber. Aroma of green apple, wild herbs, a hint of citrus peel, and something floral beneath. On the palate, it is precise and textured. Integrated acidity, flavours of orchard fruit, quince, and a faint almond note towards a dry, savoury finish.

Price: Low

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Wine of the Week

Pure Ribeira Sacra mencía

Published 17. April 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

This is a wine from the steep terraces of Ribeira Sacra and what is often called “heroic viticulture”, where every vine is worked by hand along the dramatic river valleys.


Behind the wine is the project Anónimas Viticultoras, founded by Cristina Yagüe Cuevas and María Falcón. This is not a traditional estate, but a collaborative project working across Galicia with growers and small parcels. They are involved throughout, from vineyard decisions to vinification.


The approach in the cellar is deliberately low-intervention: hand-harvested grapes, gentle extraction, and fermentation with native yeasts to preserve the character of the fruit and site. Ageing is typically carried out in neutral vessels — often stainless steel or used barrels — avoiding overt oak influence and allowing the purity of mencía and the granitic and slate soils to come through clearly.


Catro e Cadela Mencía 2024 (Anónimas Viticultoras)


Bright, translucent ruby with violet rim. Crushed raspberries, wild strawberries and redcurrants, followed by rose petals, a hint of fresh herbs and a stony, slate-like note. On the palate, medium-bodied and finely etched, with lively acidity and silky tannins framing the red fruit. There is a subtle savoury edge beneath the fruit, leading to a clean, persistent finish with a gentle mineral lift.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Mineral paraje monastrell

Published 10. April 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

The maker of this wine is José María Vicente, a central figure in the evolution of Jumilla. Trained in Bordeaux, yet firmly anchored in his own vineyards, he has over the years steered Casa Castillo towards a clearer articulation of site.


La Tendida is a paraje wine, sourced from a defined parcel within the estate. At altitude, on limestone soils, monastrell takes on a different register: less breadth, more definition, with a finer tannic grain.


Vinification follows the same logic. Fermentation is gentle, with some whole clusters, and ageing takes place in large, neutral vessels. Oak is not a flavouring agent here, but a framework.


The bottle was bought at the gourmet shop Sabor y Tradición and enjoyed at the terrace in Murcia.


La Tendida 2023 (Casa Castillo)


Bright ruby colour. The nose leans towards red fruit – redcurrant, wild strawberry – with dried herbs and a light floral note. The palate is focused and finely structured. Tannins are chalky and well integrated, acidity brings lift, and the finish is long, marked by a subtle mineral edge.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Motty of Lucy Chilvers

Published 3. April 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

My best rosé, or pale red wine, at the entrance of Easter, was the super-fresh Motty from Lucy Chilvers.

Based in Penedès, Lucy farms around 4.5 hectares across small parcels at varying altitudes, on clay, limestone and sandy soils. Some of the vines are close to a century old. 

The vineyards are worked organically, with touches of biodynamic practice. In the cellar, the approach is deliberately restrained: spontaneous fermentations with native yeasts, no additions, no filtration, and little or no sulphur. 

This wine (mostly garnacha with a little merlot) follows this logic. Whole-bunch elements contribute tension, while the wine is bottled without filtration, preserving both texture and energy. 

Motty 2023 (Lucy Chilvers)

In the glass, it is pale and translucent. The nose leans towards fresh red berries—wild strawberry, cranberry—with a faint herbal edge and a slightly untamed note from whole clusters. On the palate, it is light-bodied but far from simple: vibrant, energetic, with a driving acidity. The tannins are present yet gentle, giving just enough grip to frame the fruit. There is a subtle savoury undertone, and a sense of movement throughout—a wine that really feels alive.

Price: Low

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