LIGHT / CHILLED RED
Region of Spain: Mallorca
Producer: Panduro
Vintage: 2024
Vitigno: 70% Callet and 30% Mantonegro
A remarkable light red made from 70% Callet and 30% Mantonegro from an old vineyard on clay-limestone soils in Felanitx and Porreras, Mallorca. Fourteen days maceration of grapes fully destemmed with some whole bunches. Aged six months in 500L used French oak tonneaux, it’s a profound red, light, highly mineral, and brimming with Mediterranean garrigue spice.
Originally from the Basque Country, Ibon began his winemaking journey in a restless, almost nomadic way, moving across Mediterranean regions rather than settling in one spot. Today his work spans both Mallorca and Murcia. A major turning point came in 2021, when he purchased his first vineyard, an old planting of callet and mantonegro near Felanitx, in the southeast of Mallorca.
In Jumilla, he works with mature monastrell vines and other local varieties in the Valle Hoya de Torres, using a similarly communal cellar located close to the vineyards.
Service tips: some Pata Negra
Region of Spain: Mallorca
Producer: Panduro
Vintage: 2024
Vitigno: Callet
This delicate red is made from 100% Callet grown on clay-limestone soils in Sineu and Petra, Mallorca. Sixteen days of maceration, approximately 10% whole bunch layered "lasagna style" with destemmed grapes. Aged six months in 500L used French oak tonneaux, it’s a remarkable red—profound yet light, highly mineral, and brimming with Mediterranean garrigue spices.
Originally from the Basque Country, Ibon began his winemaking journey in a restless, almost nomadic way, moving across Mediterranean regions rather than settling in one spot. Today his work spans both Mallorca and Murcia. A major turning point came in 2021, when he purchased his first vineyard, an old planting of callet and mantonegro near Felanitx, in the southeast of Mallorca.
In Jumilla, he works with mature monastrell vines and other local varieties in the Valle Hoya de Torres, using a similarly communal cellar located close to the vineyards.
Service tips: chill and go to the beach
Region of Italy: Lazio
Producer: Gazzetta
Vintage: 2022
Vitigno: Aleatico
An aromatic red, good chilled. A long time favourite
Trish Nelson a Sydney winemaker now living in the Lazio region of Italy, having worked at the likes of Cantina Giardino and Le Coste, is now making her own mark in the natural wine scene. Surrounded by Europe's largest volcanic lake, the sands are sand and ash, leaving doses of minerality. Vino Bianco is made just for Australia. The vineyards are near the shores of Lake Bolsena, above the town of Bolsena itself. Patricia (or Trish or Trilli) has four hectares of vines. In the vineyard, Trish works with copper and sulphur at low doses to control disease and integrates some herbal teas to try and lower the number of chemicals used, mainly teas from plants in the area such as nettle, dandelion, willow, and camomile. Nothing is added to the grapes at any stage during the vinification process. She works with stainless steel, chestnut, and oak barrels and has a few small experiments with clay vessels.
Service tips: A game of charades - Trillis favourite!
Region of Italy: Emilia Romagna
Producer: Podere Sottoilnoce
Vintage: 2023
Vitigno: grasparossa
There’s really no better food wine than a great Lambrusco. Call it a chilled red with bubbles if you like — but nothing cuts through prosciutto, salami, tortellini, panini, Parmigiano, polpette, tigelle, lasagne, zampone, erbazzone or any food really, like this wine does.
Grasparosa is a playful take on grasparossa, one of the most structured and intense types of Lambrusco. After a short maceration, the grapes are harvested in September, rested in cement tanks, and then re-fermented with must in April — the result is a dark rosé that's pure joy.
Simply put, it’s the best chilled red you can imagine.
Service tips: chill it and enjoy
Region of Italy: Sicilia
Producer: Biscaris
Vintage: 2024
Vitigno: Frappato
Frappato from the beautiful Costa Jatta vineyard. After a two-week maceration and fermentation on the skins in stainless steel, the wine is aged in the same vessel before being bottled young to preserve its brightness and crunchiness.
Owner Antonia Guardabasso and her son Stefano have managed the family estate since Biscaris’ first commercial harvest in 2004. The vineyards, near Vittoria, lie across two contrade—Casazza and Santissimo—at 200 and 100 metres above sea level. Most vines are trained in the traditional alberello (bush vine) method, with rows oriented “mare-monti” to capture breezes between the Mediterranean and the Monti Iblei. The terre rosse soils, poor red sands rich in active calcium carbonate, together with the coastal influence, lend the wines a distinctive saline freshness despite the warm, arid climate.
Region of Italy: Sicilia
Producer: Alice Bonaccorsi
Vintage: 2022
Vitigno: nerello mascalese
This collaboration aims to revive the spirit of a more traditional style of Etna red—closer to the lighter, more drinkable wines made in the past, rather than the structured, full-bodied styles currently in vogue. We’re aiming for finesse, vibrancy, and a wine that reflects its volcanic origins in a more youthful frame.
Service tips: find a Sicilian duck with Sicilian oranges.
Region of Italy: Puglia
Producer: Guttarolo
Vintage: 2022
Vitigno: Primitivo
This Primitivo has a short maceration on skins and is bottled early to retain its youthfulness. After a little time in bottle this wine has really come into its own. We see a beautifully balanced wine that is earthy and yet still fruit forward. There is an unmistakable Puglia pulse that is served best with baked focaccia and cheese.
Cristiano started his winery in 2004, just outside of Gioia del Colle, located on a 400m a.s.l plateau between Taranto and Bari, Puglia. This is a very special place, magic for wine for the climate conditions (sea breezes and elevation) and for the amazing limestone soils of Le Murge Plateau.
Service tips: Turn your kitchen into a trattoria and start enjoying
Region of France: Languedoc-Roussillon
Producer: La Sorga
Vintage: 2021
Vitigno: Cinsault
Cinsault from an old vineyard in Faugeres. Couple of weeks skin contact and ageing in Clayver (stoneware amphora). It drinks extremely light, fresh and vibrant but also long and precise, the perfect marriage between "glou glou" and serious.
Antony Tortul started La Sorga in 2008 as a pure négociant in Languedoc-Roussillon, sourcing organic or biodynamic grapes from old vineyards from Gaillac to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the Languedoc being his favourite vinous playground. Antony is extremely rigorous in his selection of vineyards and is always looking for exceptional terroirs. He works with over 40 vineyards of different soils, grape varieties and vine ages (between 25 to 110 years old) ... little wonder that he produces so many labels (and I only import a few of them!) Antony vinifies in his cellar in Béziers, with only wild fermentation, no fining or filtration nor added SO2
Service tips: tuna à la catalane
Region of Italy: Umbria
Producer: Ajola
Vintage: 2020
Vitigno: Aleatico
Aleatico’s flavour profile is similar to the white grape Muscat in the sense that its very aromatic and lively. Blue fruits and rose water are always prominent here with some balanced exotic spice notes. The nose is magnetic and the palate will have you smacking your lips for more.
Ajola is a small farm located in the hills between Orvieto and Bolsena, Umbria. Started by Jacopo, it morphed into a collaboration between friends. Set at 440 meters above sea level on volcanic and sandy loam soils at the intersection between Umbria, Lazio and Tuscany.
Service tips: Serve slightly chilled.
Region of Italy: Lazio
Producer: Le coste
Vintage: 2022
Vitigno: sangiovese, ciliegiolo blend
A little, er.. larger 1 ltr bottle made with grapes coming from vineyards surrounding Bolsena lake and its volcanic soil. Made by the people for the people - ie, harvest wine.
Service tips: Serve at 8-10C. Open it with a shoe and drink it as shown in the drawing.
Region of Italy: Lazio
Producer: Le Coste
Vintage: 2021
Vitigno: Aleatico
Carbonic maceration Aleatico for lift and vibrancy! Think rose water and delicate Mediterranean herbs bound together with a touch of spiciness and tannin. A complete show stopper that always sells out first. Be quick for this vintage.
The project Le Coste start in February 2004 with the ownership of 3 hectares of vines in this natural garden with olives, vines, and shrubs along the ancient volcanic Bolsena lake. The lake established a great macro and microclimate for natural farming avoiding disease pressure.
Service tips: Serve it at 11 C with mussel, and vongole sautè. Bagel with pastrami, and wild rockets.
Region of Italy: Veneto
Producer: Farnea
Vintage: 2020
Vitigno: Cabernet & Merlot
Full carbonic maceration (the grapes are macerated and fermented whole bunch) and the wine wine is released young to ease the thirst, in a 1L beer bottle. But there is actually more than simplicity.
Service tips: Serve chilled at 10-12C. With street food.
Region of Italy: Giglio island, Toscana
Producer: Altura
Vintage: 2019
Vitigno: Sangiovese
From vines about 20 years old rooted on sandy soils a 4-hectare parcel near the sea.
From slightly dried grapes that macerate for 48 hours on the skins and fermentation with indigenous yeasts in 5-10 hl steel containers at cellar temperature, a few months in steel barrels. "Rossetto" is a rosé wine from Sangiovese with a color more similar to a red wine think a Pinot, and with the typical marine white wine tones, capable of faithfully telling the freshness, radiance, and richness of that part of toscana. Notes of Mediterranean scrub, essences of small and juicy red fruits and salty winds dance on a straightforward structure with a very drinkable sip, toned by a Mediterranean freshness and by returns that remind the sea.
Service tips: Serve it at 12 C with Caciucco (or any traditional fish soups and don’t forget the garlic on the grilled bread).
Region of Spain: Mallorca
Producer: Panduro
Vintage: 2023
Vitigno: Monastrell
A red made from 95% Monastrell and other ancient local varieties from an old vineyard on limestone soils in Valle Hoya de Torres, Jumilla at 800m altitude. 30% of the grapes were destemmed, the rest direct press, then co-maceration for 10 days. Aged six months in 500L used French oak tonneaux, it’s a light to medium body red, dark fruited, highly mineral and with a lovely tannin structure.
Originally from the Basque Country, Ibon began his winemaking journey in a restless, almost nomadic way, moving across Mediterranean regions rather than settling in one spot. Today his work spans both Mallorca and Murcia. A major turning point came in 2021, when he purchased his first vineyard, an old planting of callet and mantonegro near Felanitx, in the southeast of Mallorca.
In Jumilla, he works with mature monastrell vines and other local varieties in the Valle Hoya de Torres, using a similarly communal cellar located close to the vineyards.
Service tips: Gazpacho Jumiliano con torta cencena