This blend of 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon shows off a bright deep red colour with purple reflections. Red fruit aroma dominate the nose overlayed with subtle peppermint notes. Balanced and smooth with fine tannins, this is classic Bordeaux in style with a spicy rich finish.

Château Chantalouette is the second wine of Château de Sales. Owned by the same family for over five centuries, the 116 acre estate is the largest in the appellation and boasts the only true castle of Pomerol.

The vineyards here are composed of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon on small gravel and iron-rich loess.

Vinification is managed delicately, leading to beautifully crafted wines that are expressive of their terroir. Traditional racking and light egg-white fining help to preserve the brightness of the fruit.

Chantalouette is named after one of the larger parcels constituting the vineyard of Château de Sales. The wine is charming, round, elegant, and approachable from a young age.

"Composed of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Chambrun is deep garnet-purple in color with warm blackberries, black cherry pie and blueberry compote with touches of fried herbs and cedar. The palate is medium to full-bodied with bags of vibrant fruit and a firm frame of rounded tannins, finishing long and refreshing."

Rating (90 - 92)+

Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Château d'Armailhac is a wine estate in the Pauillac appellation of the Médoc. As Mouton d'Armailhac, it was ranked as a fifth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Improvements in quality in recent decades mean that it is now regarded as one of Pauillac's best-value wines.

Neal Martin Rating 91

"The 2009 Château d'Armailhac has a lovely nose, the Cabernet Sauvignon component more expressive compared to my previous encounter, graphite infusing the generous black fruit that is in keeping with the style. The palate is medium-bodied with touches of cherry liqueur and spice on the entry, the Merlot in the driving seat with good acidity and a lively, spicy finish with tobacco, hickory and black pepper on the aftertaste. It is a delicious d'Armailhac that is just about ready to rock 'n roll. Tasted August 2016."

Drink Date 2018 - 2032

Fruit for this wine was sourced from mature vines in the Isolation Ridge vineyard at Frankland Estate. The vineyard sits on an undulating northern and eastern facing slope on ancient duplex soils of gravel and loam over a clay sub-soil. It is farmed using organic viticultural practices and this is reflected in the depth and concentration of fruit flavours. The vines are trained on a Scott Henry trellis system to enhance sunlight penetration of the canopy and optimize ripening conditions. 

This wine was fermented as long and slowly as possible, at temperatures not exceeding 26?C in open pot fermentation tanks that allowed the cap to be worked by plunging and an extended maceration period allowed optimal colour, flavour and tannin extraction. It was aged in 500 litre French oak puncheons, this contributing textural complexity without compromising the opulent natural fruit flavours of the wine

Certified Organic, Vegan Friendly

The latest innovation from the tireless Albert-Jané, of Acustic Celler, is this brilliant, attractive, and deeply satisfying red from his home farm - Mas Vilella. 

The fruit harvested to produce this wine comes from the old vineyards planted around Albert's parents' family home. The soils there are extremely poor and rocky with very low yields of just 15-20 hl/ha. Giving deep and flavoursome juice but underpinned with the tell-tale bright acidity of the native Sumoll. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the balance here and the results are sublime. This beautiful wine pairs well with beef, veal, and poultry, and once you taste it, it is hard to resist. Juicy, deep and long - but above all full of joy.

Bouquet: Bright blackcurrants and blackberries with a touch of nettle and a hint of earthiness. 

Palate: Generous and robust. Ripe black fruits and subtle oak balanced with supple tannins and beautifully balanced acidity. 

About the winery...

Six generations have nurtured some of the most historic vineyards in Australia.
In 1839 William Formby arrived in Australia from the United Kingdom and it was in 1882, after four decades pioneering South Australia, he purchased the now historic Metala estate.

In 1891 William and his son, Arthur, planted 21 rows of Shiraz, and 14 rows of
what are now the oldest family-owned Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the world.
In 1894 a further 5.4 acres of Shiraz were planted. After almost five decades making Metala wine in a purpose-built winery on the estate, the winemaking was transferred to Arthur’s Brother-in-Law, at Stonyfell Cellars. The wines continued to be made here until management shifted to various holdings beginning with Dalgety Wine Estate in the early 1970’s.

In 1981, 5th Generation Guy Adams took over the management of the mixed farm estate. With a sincere appreciation and respect of viticulture and to family legacy, Guy, together with his wife Liz, began a 20-year long battle to return Metala to its original home. In 2022 the dream became a reality and Metala came home to Langhorne Creek and the family who planted and have nurtured the vines for more than 130 years.

Bouquet: Dark fruits, blackberries and plums. Notes of eucalyptus and menthol. 

Palate: Elegant and complex with ripe plums, blackcurrant and a touch of spice. Hints of clove and anise leading into fine tannins and a long, persistent finish.

Tasting notes:

Deep garnet red with purple highlights. Good intensity, mixing ripe black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry) with flattering toasty and spicy notes when agitated. Round and smooth on the palate with velvety tannins. Long fruity aftertaste with notes of vanilla and licorice.

Food matches:

Grilled red meat, pasta, spicy dishes and cheese.

Winemaking: Classic vinification process with long maceration and partly ageing in oak. De-stalking and crushing of the grapes – alcoholic fermentation in vats with rack and return twice a day (temperature carefully controlled to reach 27°C / 81°F at the end of the fermentation) – micro oxygenation before malolactic fermentation to enhance the color and to supple the tannins.

Soil: The different terroirs (clay and limestone in Limoux and gravels in the Gard) add complexity and richness to the wine.

Climate: Selection of vines located in the coolest areas of the Languedoc region near Limoux (wide temperature range between cool nights and warm days) and in the Gard region where the weather is warmer.
Aging: Malolactic fermentation in vats.