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GIOVANNI MONTISCI - Superstar of Sardinia in-store this Saturday! + Giaconda + Domaine de Vaccelli - New arrivals from Corsica!

by Annandale Cellars

Meet the maker:

Giovanni Montisci

Saturday 16th of March

3-6PM

We are so thrilled to be able to host Giovanni Montisci in-store this Saturday to share his wines with you. It was quite a surprise when the offer popped up and we had to say yes! Giovanni, primarily works with Cannonau which is the Sardinian name for Grenache, widely planted across the island and arriving from Spain in the early 14th century. His vineyards and located in Mamoiada, which is a mountainous region towards the centre of the island. Mamoiada is seen as of the “grand cru” sites for Cannonau due to elevation of the vineyards, the age of vines (60 - 90 years old) and the sandy granitic soil. The vineyards are reminiscent of the best sites in Barolo and when combined with Cannonau produce wines that rival the best Chateauneuf du Pape or Priorat. 

Giovanni’s previous career as a mechanic is quite a shift from his current gig as one of the best producers of Cannonau in Sardinia, but after his wife inherited 2 hectares of vineyards from her family the decision was made to take on these sites, producing his first wine 2004. Their old vines are carefully nurtured organically which is no easy feat at an elevation of 650 metres. The little micro climate of Mamoiada means long cool nights let the grapes slowly ripen preserving acidity whilst still produce grapes that are made to produce robust wines like his. 

His clients when he was a mechanic must’ve loved his work because Giovanni is one of those guys that has the eye for detail. His work in the vineyards training and cultivating his old vines plus the care and attention in the winery have been the defining factors in his success. He is a traditionalist so the winemaking echoes that taking advantage of the wild yeasts for fermentation, ageing in old neutral wood, eschewing any bells and whistles and minimal SO2 at bottling gently guiding the fruit from vine to wine. These are wines that match power with elegance and are undeniably some of the best wines being produced in Sardinia today. You will not want to miss this. - Pete L

On tasting will be:

Modestu Bianco Secco Macerato 2022

 Barrosu Rosato di Sardegna DOC 2022

 Barrosu Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2021 

Barrosu Juan Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2017 

Barrosu Riserva Franzisca Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2017 

Barrosu Riserva Franzisca Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2020 

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Giaconda

Nantua Les Deux

Where to begin with Giaconda? They produce some of the most sought after wines in the country, including arguably the best Chardonnay in Australia and I'll say upfront now... We don't have any available! They are without a doubt the best producer in Beechworth, Victoria and at the forefront of that regions success. While we wait for the Estate range to be released we are lucky enough to have a seclection of wines from their Nantua Les Deux label to offer, made using fruit they purchase and made with the same and attention as their estate label.

Rick Kinzbrunner, first planted the Giaconda vineyards in 1982 after spending a decade learning, training and working at some of the best wineries in New Zealand, the US and France. A big shift from his previous job as a mechanical engineer. The original vineyard consists of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz and later a seperate site near Red Hill was purchased and planted to Nebbiolo. They've since added Roussanne to the lineup too.

Their tiny production is now managed by Rick's son, Nathan who assists in the winery and manages the business ensuring this estate will continue for many years to come. We have a dozen of each of the wines available to please don't miss out on these as I expect we will be unable to request more. - Pete L

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Domaine de Vaccelli

The tale of Domaine de Vaccelli and the Courrèges family is intricately tied to Corsican wine history. Situated in Cognocoli-Monticchi, Corsica, the Courrèges family has played a vital role in elevating Corsican grape varietals to global recognition. After phylloxera and the disruptions of two world wars, Corsican vineyards saw a renaissance in the 1960s, with Algerian colonists, including Roger Courrèges, importing new winemaking techniques and vines like Grenache and Carignan. Acquiring the Vaccelli estate, the Courrèges family, who had previously owned vineyards just outside of Algiers, replanted the vineyards with varieties such as Grenache, Alicante, Cinsault, Sciaccarellu, and Muscat d'Alexandrie.

Following Roger's death in 1974, his son Alain took charge and decided to replant with native Corsican grape varietals, specifically Sciaccarellu and Vermentinu. Gérard, Alain's son, formally trained in oenology, joining the estate in 2000, continuing the family tradition as the winemaker. Today, Nathalie and Gérard Courrèges lead Domaine de Vaccelli, upholding their family’s principles, with a focus on manual harvesting and organic farming. The vineyard achieved organic certification in 2019, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of the Ajaccio appellation and terroir.

The revamped viticulture practices at Domaine de Vaccelli, along with its characteristic Corsican grape varieties, form the foundation of the appellation and the Ajaccio terroir. Vaccelli emphasizes the use of demi-muids and concrete eggs for wine maturation, prioritizing respect for the island's biodiversity. They are newcomers to our shores so may be very unfamiliar to you but given their rise to cult like status in Europe I don’t imagine these flying under the radar for much longer. - Pete L

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Mixed 6er Packs

If you missed our Tuesday email this week you might not know that we are doing packs! Yes, they are back. Some of you may remember the packs from the old website (Veno) and know how this works and why they are a great option. For those that don't here's the idea and why we think they are one of the best ways to shop with us.

We are constantly receiving deliveries of new wines, new vintages or top ups of our favourites and these packs are the best way for us to share those with you, especially if you can't make it to the store. One of the best parts of our job is tasting and selecting new wines that make it on to the shelves but the even better part is getting to share those bottles with you and by grabbing a pack you get to join the journey.

The idea is simple, first you pick what you would like to spend from the four available options:

Mixed 6er Pack #1 - $199

Mixed 6er Pack #2 - $249

Mixed 6er Pack #3 - $299

Mixed 6er Pack #4 - $349

Once that's covered you can either leave the selection entirely up to us or in the order comments specify whatever you'd like to receive from styles, to regions, varieties or even the occasion for example "I want wines perfect for a party" and we will curate a selection of wines that we think will tick all the boxes.

It is a great way for you to try new and exciting styles of wine but also a great deal. You are placing your trust in us to select exciting wines for you and as a reward we get to be a bit more generous with the discount so the packs are also great value. We are looking forward to being able to share our selections with you. - Pete L

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