Jeanneret First Creek Glaetzer Carlos Serres Wine List

Carlos Serres is a bit of an OG - one of the few Rioja producers with a century of winemaking behind them. Carlos was actually named Charles, a French Winemaker who left Bordeaux, fed up with dealing with phylloxera riddled vineyards, landing in Spain. He founded the first winery in Rioja with export certification and applied French winemaking techniques to Rioja fruit. Pretty soon, there was a demand for Rioja in the rest of Europe and the US.

Carlos Serres Crianza is 100% Tempranillo and spends 14 months in a combo of French and American oak. Being 'Crianza', the wine has spent a year in barrel, and another on bottle prior to release. Typically aged in older oak, Crianza can have quite assertive tannins and fruit which is intense whilst retaining great freshness. This is a particularly good example, packed with red fruits, cherries, spice, oak and nervy acidity.

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The most refined and profound of the Carlos Serres wines - a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo, entirely sourced from the Finca El Estanque vineyard. Only 2% of Rioja wines are released as Gran Reserva, with the best fruit treated to at least a couple of years in oak, generally more, before being bottled at anywhere between 5 and 10 years of age. Carlos Serres choose to release the wine when it is ready to drink.... and this, the 2016 vintage is excellent, offering mature and ripe black fruits, cinnamon, minerality and more. The palate is rich and smooth, tannins plentiful but resolving, the finish long and satisfying. Beautiful now and will cellar for another 5+ as well.

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Carlos Serres is a bit of an OG - one of the few Rioja producers with a century of winemaking behind them. Carlos, actually named Charles, was a French Winemaker who, fed up with dealing with phylloxera riddled vineyards, left Bordeaux and wound up in Spain. He founded the first winery in Rioja with export certification and applied French winemaking techniques to Rioja fruit. Pretty soon there was a demand for Rioja in the rest of Europe and the US.

Young and fresh but nonetheless intense, owing to the very low yields from the 2022 vintage. Fresh red and black fruits here, along with liquorice and a hint of vanilla. Zippy fruit and relatively high tannins make this a great match for protein.

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A stunning Reserve Rioja from Carlos Serres, one of the few century old Rioja producers. This is a blend of 90% Tempranillo with 10% Graciano sourced from the winery's 'Finca El Estanque' vineyard and aged for 2 years in French and American Oak. There is vivid freshness here, in spite of the wines age, and flavours of blackcurrant blackberries, shaved truffle, chocolate, cola, spice and lavender. Delicious by itself or with a plate or nine of Tapas. Brilliant with crispy pork belly too, or a cone of Jamon Iberico, or... Learn More

First Creek and Tyrrell's are arguably the finest producers of Semillon in Australia. Given the world class nature of these wines, it also places them as exceptional producers on the world stage. These top Aussie Semillons are amongst the longest lived white wines on the planet and are a joy to drink from release, when zippy and crunchy with fresh fish or light veg dishes. Once mature, at 10 or 20, or 30 or more years of age, they pair magnificently with chicken, pork, foie gras, blue cheese and soft cheeses. The First Creek Oakey Creek 22 has just picked up 96 from James Halliday and offers an explosion of tropical fruits, peach and citrus, It has exceptional length and liveliness, great now and will cellar incredibly well. Learn More

A stunning single vineyard Sem from a tiny patch of sandy soil next to Black Creek. Incredible finesse here with minerality, grapefruit, poise, power and persistence. Magic now and will live for eons. First Creek and Tyrrell's are arguably the finest producers of Semillon in Australia. Given the world class nature of these wines, it also places them as exceptional producers on the world stage. These top Aussie Semillons are amongst the longest lived white wines on the planet and are a joy to drink from release, when zippy and crunchy with fresh fish or light veg dishes. Once mature, at 10 or 20, or 30 or more years of age, they pair magnificently with chicken, pork foie gras, blue cheese and soft cheeses. Learn More

Wine writer Windsor Dobbin asks why this doesn't sell at a much higher price, and we concur. 35 to 120 year old vines yielding at a minuscule 1.25 tonne per acre, 40% new oak, 90% of which is French, black cherries, spice, raspberries, olive tapenade and black pepper. A stunning wine already, which will improve with cellaring. Learn More

84% Shiraz and 16% Grenache sourced from 50-100 year old vines yielding at less than 1.5 tonnes per acre. Old oak here and mostly French, a wonderful fragrance of plum and lavender leads to a palate offering the same plus raspberries, anise, pepper and more. Crazy that a product with this fruit source, which is beautifully executed, retails for just $25 a bottle. Learn More

More textural than your usual Clare Valley Riesling, this 2023 release is bright and limey on the nose and the palate shows citrus flavours of lemon and lime joined by Bickford brown lime, apple and nectarine. It is powerfully packed with fruit and finishes with refreshing acidity. Learn More

When Riesling is this good it reminds us that Clare Riesling is truly world class. This has just picked up 96 points from Sam Kim who describes it beautifully, with the following words, 'This is precise and brilliantly detailed, showing lime sorbet, fresh fig and delicate floral notes on the nose, followed by a superbly concentrated palate offering excellent fruit purity and finesse. It’s wonderfully supported by elegant texture and lively acidity with a sustained, structured finish.' Learn More

From an exceptional high altitude (440m) vineyard, this is magnificent. Apple, talcum powder, and honeydew melon on both the nose and a palate which offers a perfect balance between acid drive and texture. Length is exceptional. Learn More