We’re getting you geared up for warmer weather this month. Especially with these great little cans of Pet-Nat from the excellent people at Delinquente in South Australia. Dave MacIntosh’s new Kenzie Beautiful Strangers release is included, and is as charming and fragrant as ever. We love bucking the trend, so we’ve thrown in Three Fates Rosé, proving that dry Rosé doesn’t have to be pale, and can be fruitful, fun and vibrant. While you might well be familiar with Cote du Rhone reds, La Solitude shows that the whites are certainly worth a hoon. Two fruitful, forward reds round out the pack, one from Italy, one from Australia. Happy November drinking.

Delinquente Tuff Nutt Pet-Nat 250ml 4 pack

A perennial favourite in store, the clever team at Delinquente have gone and put their Tuff Nutt Pet-Nat in a can. The ideal size, each can is 250mls or two glasses. Take it camping, on a picnic, on the boat, or keep it on hand in the fridge, this dry, citrusy fizz is just the ticket.

The Delinquente team aim to ‘buck the trend, break rules and do things our own way’, as their name cheekily suggests. And in a sea of Aussie Shiraz and Cabernet they stay true to this, choosing to focus on heat-loving Southern Italian varieties, grown organically and made with minimal intervention.

La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023

This is a charming all-rounder. It's got some pretty aromatics - florals, apricots, but is not overtly perfumed. The palate has some weight, but it's by no means rich. And it finishes beautifully fresh and dry. It's made from Viognier, Grenache, Marsanne and Clairette, which are all classic blending partners in the Southern Rhone. Once the certified organic fruit is harvested, it's pressed for fermentation in stainless steel vats, keeping it fresh and vibrant.

Kenzie Beautiful Strangers Orange 2024

This is lightly perfumed, with the kind of quenching tang of a G&T after a hot day. Pinot Gris, Muscat clone Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were sourced from the organic Osawa and Paritua vineyards and fermented on skins. It’s all fragrant and pretty and easy to get around. This is underpinned by chalky freshness and a botanical edge. A beautiful thing indeed.

After 15 successful years of winemaking in Australia, Dave MacIntosh is back in New Zealand reconnecting with the place he grew up, Hawkes Bay / Te Matau a Māui. Fruit for these releases are sourced from 4 organic vineyards from across the region. We love Dave’s willingness to challenge convention in terms of wine style, and his deft winemaking touch in delivering wines of vibrancy, energy and freshness.

Three Fates Rosé 2023

Lively, fruitful Rosé here. Don’t freak out, it’s still dry and crisp, but with vibrancy and a light grip. Strawberry, watermelon, cherry and spice, it’s time to up your Rosé game, and this is the wine for it. Predominantly hand picked, organic Syrah, with a little Cabernet Franc and Albarino bringing depth of flavour. Delicious. 

The three fates are Holly Girven Russell, Hester Nesbitt and Casey Motley. In another case of old mate COVID causing a change of tack, these three decided to combine their respective wine growing experience, taking on the lease of a Maraekākaho, Hawkes Bay vineyard in 2020. It’s a trio of things we love here at BTB - talented people going out on their own, alternative grape varieties, and wines that are thoughtful, modern expressions of great New Zealand wine regions.

Col d'Orcia Rosso di Montalcino 2020

If you want an introduction to one of Italy’s greats, and the ultimate expression of Sangiovese, then try this Rosso di Montalcino. Grown in the heart of Tuscany, it’s the little sibling of Brunello di Montalcino. It shows the alluring aromatics of Brunello clone Sangiovese, with firm structure and moreishly grainy tannin. Decant this one an hour or so before you dive in. 

Col d’Orcia is one of Montalcino’s most historic wineries, with plantings on favourable southern slopes dating back to 1890. Now owned by the Cinzano family of Piemonte, 108 of the estate’s 540 hectares are planted with vines, and the whole estate is certified organic.

Dandelion Vineyards Treasure Trove Grenache 2021

We think Grenache is the jewel in McLaren Vale’s crown, and this fragrant, fresh and medium bodied style is case in point. The aromatics are red fruited and spiced, the palate is vibrant, unforced and well balanced. The fruit was biodynamically grown at Dandelion’s Firehawk Vineyard, a hillside site overlooking this beautiful, seaside region. Made with minimal intervention, the wine was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels.  

Dandelion Vineyards was started by Elena and Zar Brooks. Bulgarian born Elena had an early introduction to the world of wine, translating for western visitors interested in Bulgaria’s rich winemaking history. After doing vintages in wine in regions around the world, she settled on McLaren Vale to set up Dandelion Vineyards. Along with their own vineyard, Firehawk, they source fruit from top regions around South Australia.