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Award Winning Summer Wines

"Like sunrise shafting through a ruby stained-glass window, spilling across a dusty flagstone floor; spilling blood red and gemstone-lucid liquid light; spilling dust motes and cinnamon and dried cranberries and crimson; spilling out the glass and lazily, quietly, softly sifting back to earth and settling into a forest floor of autumn leaves and tannins savoury, softly gritty, gilled and silky wet as underwood mushrooms."
Tamlyn Currin - Vides Singulares, Com Passion Grancha

We are proud to highlight a few wines that shone like the sun this summer and had glowing press reviews. The below range features a selection of this summer's favourites. For a full range of award-winning wines, click here.

See All Award Winning Wines

Award winning wines

Thistledown, Gorgeous Grenache, South Australia, Australia, 2021

2021 South Australia, Australia

Robert Parkers The Wine Advocate 90 Points

Having spent some time with Giles this past week tasting component parcels of each of the Grenache cuvées that he makes for the Thistledown range, I look at this 2021 Gorgeous Grenache in a whole new light. Yes, it is made in a juicy, easy-drinking fashion. However, the fruit quality that goes into this wine (from both Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale) builds a wine of eminent balance in the mouth. This is lighter-framed and shaped by fine powdery tannins, yet laden with juicy fruit. Plenty to love—drink it early. 90 Points, EL, July 2022.

Bottle shot - Thistledown, Gorgeous Grenache, South Australia, Australia

Thistledown, The Distant Light Grenache- Shiraz, Mclaren Vale & Barossa, Australia, 2018

2018 South Australia, Australia

The Wine Companion 95 Points

A neighbourly blend of grenache from Blewitt Springs and Clarendon in the Vale, with warmer shiraz from Ebenezer and Mengler Hill. Picked by hand, fermented under the aegis of spontaneity with ample whole-bunch seasoning and maturation in top-drawer French oak. This is seamless. Again, the tannins maketh the wine: pithy, taut and juicy. Gorgeous aromas of mottled red plum, five-spice, white pepper, clove, cardamon and kirsch, expanding across the finish. Grenache the clear leader of the pack. For the better. Thrilling length. I'd drink this with youth on its side. 95 Points, NG

Bottle shot - Thistledown, The Distant Light Grenache- Shiraz, Mclaren Vale & Barossa, Australia

Thistledown, Fool On The Hill Grenache, Eden Valley, Australia, 2021

2021 South Australia, Australia

Robert Parkers The Wine Advocate 95 Points

The Matchoss vineyard, where fruit this 2021 Fool on the Hill Grenache, Eden Valley is sourced, is high up in the Eden Valley where the old bush vines really struggle in their quest for productive survival. The wine itself is supple and imbued with smithereen tannins: fine, chalky and omnipresent. This has all the slink and shape you could want from Grenache but harnessed. Thistledown is part of the new breed of the very best Grenache producers in the country. The tannins are screwed down into the buoyant fruit, providing balance, grounding and harmony. You can probably tell from this note that I love this wine; the tannins are the highlight. 95 Points, EL, July 2022.

Bottle shot - Thistledown, Fool On The Hill Grenache, Eden Valley, Australia

Vides Singulares, Amnos dei Barrica, Treixadura, VdT Val de Miño-ourense, Galicia, Spain, 2020

2020 Galicia, Spain

James Suckling 93 Points

Very perfumed nose, full of jasmine, honeysuckle and some salted lemon and green plum. Structured, flavorful and tight on the palate. A serious, textured orange wine. Drink now. 93 Points, JS, June 2022.

Bottle shot - Vides Singulares, Amnos dei Barrica, Treixadura, VdT Val de Miño-ourense, Galicia, Spain

Vides Singulares, 1694 La Diestral Albariño, VdT Val de Miño-ourense, Galicia, Spain, 2020

2020 Galicia, Spain

James Suckling 92 Points

A structured orange wine with kumquat, loquat, apricot, chamomile and resin. Full-bodied and fresh with a chewy and tightly framed palate. Drink or Hold, 92 Points, JS, June 2022.

Bottle shot - Vides Singulares, 1694 La Diestral Albariño, VdT Val de Miño-ourense, Galicia, Spain

Vides Singulares, Con-Sentido Albillo Real, DOP Cebreros, Spain, 2019

2019 Castilla y León, Spain

James Suckling 92 Points

A pure and nimble albillo, showing nuanced green fruit, flint and some grapefruit. Slightly neutral, but the creamy texture and the nice phenolic bite in the medium- bodied palate are impressive. There is a twist of mineral austerity in the finish, too. Imprressive. Drink Now. 92 Points, JS, June 2022.

Bottle shot - Vides Singulares, Con-Sentido Albillo Real, DOP Cebreros, Spain

Vides Singulares, Com Pasion Garnacha, DOP Cebreros, Spain, 2019

2019 Castilla y León, Spain

Jancis Robinson 17.5 Points

Such limpid, ripe, rose-petal-velvet raspberry fruit! Like sunrise shafting through a ruby stained-glass window, spilling across a dusty flagstone floor; spilling blood red and gemstone-lucid liquid light; spilling dust motes and cinnamon and dried cranberries and crimson; spilling out the glass and lazily, quietly, softly sifting back to earth and settling into a forest floor of autumn leaves and tannins savoury, softly gritty, gilled and silky wet as underwood mushrooms. 17.5 Points, TC, August 2022.

Bottle shot - Vides Singulares, Com Pasion Garnacha, DOP Cebreros, Spain