Products

XECO Amontillado Bottle  Fortified Wine, Jerez, Spain
XECO

AMONTILLADO (500ml)

$224

By XECO

I DON'T IDENTIFY | FORTIFIED
Smells like a heavenly caramel nut dessert but not at all sweet when you drink it. Like nothing you have tried before!

WHAT WE TASTE
Caramel, nuts, apricots

PERFECT PAIRING
Works brilliantly with all sorts of food - chicken and turkey, mushrooms and truffles, paella or risotto, grilled tuna, soups, meatballs with tomato sauce or anchovies on toast, and, of course, cheese, cheese, cheese.
TEMP CHECK
This is best served chilled.
ABOUT XECO

XECO is the brain-child of three 30-something 'fino fiends' who have long shared a love of fine sherry - and frustration that this love wasn't shared by their friends. The solution? Find better friends (kidding!) OR - find a way to bring a ‘Next Generation’ sherry to their friends and the world, finally giving this marvellous drink some long-overdue recognition. With 30 combined years of experience in the drinks industry, the trio set out to create a new brand of Sherry to put a contemporary edge on an age-old product, and in doing so help to dispel some of the myths around the category, while encouraging a new generation of discerning drinkers to give Sherry a second look.

OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
Like its sister Fino, Monti is so versatile! Serve it straight up in a glass, with a slice of orange, or mix it with ginger beer, or Sprite! Cocktail options are endless. Have fun experimenting with this one.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Jerez, Spain
Grape: Palomino
Style: Refreshing and yummy
Le Fraghe Bardolino Bottle Red Wine
Le Fraghe

BARDOLINO

$242

By Le Fraghe

RED | PLAYFUL
Start your red journey on a lighter note with this really refreshing red.

WHAT WE TASTE
Sweet-sour cherry and blueberry, with spicy nuances of cinnamon and black pepper

PERFECT PAIRING
Cheesy risotto, grilled salmon, Thai veggie stir fry
TEMP CHECK
Lightly chilled, please
ABOUT LE FRAGHE

A tale as old as time, women in wine baby! Matilde Poggi’s first harvest, on her family-owned 15th-century farmhouse, happened in 1984. She worked tirelessly at a time when large, quantity-driven firms and cooperatives dominated local production. Rather than following the masses, Matilde chose to concentrate on quality, revamping her vineyards to better express the area’s native grapes. Today, she is one of Italy’s most respected producers, and, in 2013 was elected President of the Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti (Italian Federation of Independent Grape Growers or FIVI). More recently, she became the first Italian and first female president of the European equivalent, the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (CEVI).

Matilde has three daughters, to whom she’d like to pass on Le Fraghe one day (but we’re volunteering in case her girls don’t want it – wanna come?).

THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO
Matilde’s farming & winemaking is certified organic and super low intervention – to the point that it’s often only Matilde herself working on the farm & in the cellar. Her work at FIVI and CEVI, as the voice of small independent wine producers, is invaluable.
OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
We’ve said it before and we will say it again, we live for an underdog! Bardolino is often compared to Beaujolais, which, as far as the French are concerned, does not always carry the same sex appeal as its neighbour Burgundy (Bardolino is right next to Valpolicella, so it can relate). Yet Beaujolais and Bardolino share some of the most wonderful “quaffing” characteristics. Sadly, some of the best examples are often wildly underappreciated. We’re here to tell you that we’re championing this wine. All. Day. Long.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Cavaion Veronese, Veneto, Italy
Grape: Corvina, Rondinella
Style: Bright and light
Ingredients: Grapes + a tiiiiiny bit of SO2 (being certified organic in Italy, she's only allowed to use half the sulphur that other producers are allowed. Matilde uses about half of that)
Bottle image of Bianco Amphora wine by Ottoamani
Ottomani

BIANCO AMPHORA

$615

By Ottomani

ORANGE | SALTY SWEET
Jumping straight from the glass, this aromatic sensation is all broody citrus and pretty flowers!

WHAT WE TASTE
Blood orange, fennel flowers & sunshine

PERFECT PAIRING
All kinds of yakitori, aloo gobi & dense fish like cobia & haddock.
TEMP CHECK
Serve from the fridge, but she won’t mind being out of an ice bucket for a bit
ABOUT OTTOMANI

The story of Ottomani began with four friends who grew up together and turned a dream into reality. Not that far off from us girls at Crushed!

They graduated from the University of Florence with Oenology (that’s the science of wine) degrees and chose to separate for a while to get some exposure working in real wineries. With a few years of experience and some real savoir-faire in their back pockets, the boys came back together and purchased a farm of their own. In 2006, Ottomani was born with indigenous grape preservation and sustainability sowed into its mission statement.

THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO
 They’re organic and biodynamic, they hand-harvest everything and don’t irrigate their vines. They’re working hard to preserve the biodiversity of the region by propagating traditional indigenous varieties like Ciliegiolo, Bonamico and Malvasia Nera (also known as Uva Rara – the rare grape). The wines are unfiltered & unfined.
OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
We love how much personality this one has – cheerful flowers contrasted with a moody, broody, textured core. Ain’t nobody calling this baby simple.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Grape: Trebbiano, Malvasia
Style: Textured & perfumey
Ingredients: Grapes + SO2
Evolution

BIG TIME RED

$235

By Evolution

RED | BOLD
Like pulling into a Drive-In to watch Grease, this baby is all nostalgic fun!

WHAT WE TASTE
Cherry pie filling, red currants and a sprig of thyme

PERFECT PAIRING
Red things, grilled things, slightly sweet-spicy things – ratatouille, smoked pork ribs, Korean BBQ

TEMP CHECK
Good ol’ HK office temperature is good for this gal, but she doesn’t mind a couple of minutes in the fridge.

ABOUT EVOLUTION

Baby-brother brand to Sokol Blosser, this started as a project to continue releasing wines when a nasty pest called phylloxera wiped out most of their vineyards. Through luck and intention, it has evolved (see what we did there?) into a brand in it’s own right under siblings & co-presidents Alison & Alex Sokol Blosser.

OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
Alex has done a fun trick inspired by the Rhône region of France where he’s blended in a pinch of the Lucky 9 White to add a little extra fun to this baby that’s already big on good times!

THE GOOD STUFF THEY DO
Gosh, besides not practising biodynamics (and Alex has some very good – and pretty entertaining reasons for that), there’s not much the Sokol Blossers don’t do exceptionally well. They’re B. Corp Certified, Salmon Safe, organic…heck, they’re even one of the first wineries in the world to have a Green Building certification for their cellar! Add in the hyper-sustainable angle of these cool kid boxes, and there’s not much more we could ask for!

THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Oregon, USA
Grape: Syrah, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and a sprinkle of Lucky 9
Style: Ripe fruit fun!
Ingredients: Yeast (commercially available strains), Malolactic bacteria, sulfites, grape concentrate, tartaric acid
Ottomani

CANAIOLO

$918

By Ottomani

RED | BOLD
“A wine out of time, and one would also say out of all logic” is the perfect description for this minuscule production of an ancient Tuscan grape.

WHAT WE TASTE
Rosemary, raspberries & cedar

PERFECT PAIRING
The most rustic Italian meal you can manage
TEMP CHECK
A nice 15-ish degrees is the sweet spot here
ABOUT OTTOMANI

The story of Ottomani began with four friends who grew up together and turned a dream into reality. Not that far off from us girls at Crushed!

They graduated from the University of Florence with Oenology (that’s the science of wine) degrees and chose to separate for a while to get some exposure working in real wineries. With a few years of experience and some real savoir-faire in their back pockets, the boys came back together and purchased a farm of their own. In 2006, Ottomani was born with indigenous grape preservation and sustainability sowed into its mission statement.

THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO
They’re organic and biodynamic, they hand-harvest everything and don’t irrigate their vines. They’re working hard to preserve the biodiversity of the region by propagating traditional indigenous varieties like Ciliegiolo, Bonamico and Malvasi Nera (also known as Uva Rara – the rare grape). The wines are unfiltered & unfined.
OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
It makes no sense to make it. They make so very little of it. But they’re doing it anyway because they believe in keeping ancient grape varieties alive and making them as gorgeous and delicious as possible. Is it cheap? No. Is it worth it? Yes.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Grape: Canaiolo
Style: Rustic & rich
Ingredients: Grapes + SO2
Atlas Swift

CAPE SOUTH COAST CHARDONNAY

$533

By Atlas Swift

WHITE | EASY BREEZY
Winemaker, Martin, is as at home surfing in the ocean as he is in the vineyards – this baby tastes like the meeting point of those 2 passions.

WHAT WE TASTE
Chalkdust, salty white pears, grapefruit peel

PERFECT PAIRING
Sushi and any other fresh sea-side inspired fare
TEMP CHECK
Chilled, just like the vineyard it comes from
ABOUT ATLAS SWIFT

Just unpacking the name of the brand gives you a sense of how proprietors Martin & Welma Smith view the world. Atlas, the titan of perseverance, tasked with holding up the sky represents how very seriously they take their commitment to protecting the lands on which they grow their grapes. It also speaks to the maps on which the terroirs they work with are laid out. Swifts, one of the fastest and most aerial of the bird species, represents their nimble exploration to find said terroirs. The project, which on the surface, focuses on site-specific Chardonnays from distinctive places scattered across the Western Cape of South Africa, carries with it so much more than just beautiful wines of exceptional texture (Martin is the KING of texture! – Cami). It carries with it the dreams of some of the most authentic souls we have the pleasure to know.

THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO
Martin & Welma see Atlas Swift as an opportunity to raise their young children in an environment where work can be fuelled by passion, where the land and the importance of protecting it, is paramount. They are shaping the next generation to be conscious and responsible for the unique place they hold in the world.
OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
You really can taste the ocean on this one! The vineyard, which is about 8km from the sea, has really high levels of sodium (salt) and potassium in the soil, which Welma believes is the secret to that minerally (think of rocks along the shore), salty character in the wine.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Cape South Coast, South Africa
Grape: Chardonnay
Style: Saline yet sultry
Ingredients: Grapes + limited sulphur
Atlas Swift Chardonnay Cedarberg White wine bottle
Atlas Swift

CEDARBERG CHARDONNAY

Sold Out

By Atlas Swift

WHITE | EASY BREEZY
The cool blue label reflects the crunchy, cool nature of this cool climate baby.

WHAT WE TASTE
Orange blossom, desiccated coconut, white peach

PERFECT PAIRING
Bright, fresh flavours - especially seafood & lemongrass-y Vietnamese dishes
TEMP CHECK
Chilled, just like the vineyard it comes from
ABOUT ATLAS SWIFT

Just unpacking the name of the brand gives you a sense of how proprietors Martin & Welma Smith view the world. Atlas, the titan of perseverance, tasked with holding up the sky represents how very seriously they take their commitment to protecting the lands on which they grow their grapes. It also speaks to the maps on which the terroirs they work with are laid out. Swifts, one of the fastest and most aerial of the bird species, represents their nimble exploration to find said terroirs. The project, which on the surface, focuses on site-specific Chardonnays from distinctive places scattered across the Western Cape of South Africa, carries with it so much more than just beautiful wines of exceptional texture (Martin is the KING of texture! – Cami). It carries with it the dreams of some of the most authentic souls we have the pleasure to know.

THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO
Martin & Welma see Atlas Swift as an opportunity to raise their young children in an environment where work can be fuelled by passion, where the land and the importance of protecting it, is paramount. They are shaping the next generation to be conscious and responsible for the unique place they hold in the world.
OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
This baby hails from Cedarberg - known for the highest vineyard sites in South Africa meaning ultra cool climate which equals especially crunchy acidity!
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Cedarberg, South Africa
Grape: Chardonnay
Style: Fresh & refined 
Ingredients: Grapes + minimal sulphur
Ottomani Chianti Superiore Red Wine Bottle
Ottomani

CHIANTI SUPERIORE

$313

By Ottomani

RED | BOLD
Classic Chianti – but cooler. Way cooler.

WHAT WE TASTE
Blueberry, basil, tomato (and some crunchy cherry to boot)

PERFECT PAIRING
Ossobuco, smoked duck, fireplaces
TEMP CHECK
Room temp, if your room is no warmer than 20 degrees celsius. Otherwise, chuck it in the fridge and remove roughly 1.5 hours before dins.
ABOUT OTTOMANI

The story of Ottomani began with four friends who grew up together and turned a dream into reality. Not that far off from us girls at Crushed!

They graduated from the University of Florence with Oenology (that’s the science of wine) degrees and chose to separate for a while to get some exposure working in real wineries. With a few years of experience and some real savoir-faire in their back pockets, the boys came back together and purchased a farm of their own. In 2006, Ottomani was born with indigenous grape preservation and sustainability sowed into its mission statement.

THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO
They’re organic and biodynamic, they hand-harvest everything and don’t irrigate their vines. They’re working hard to preserve the biodiversity of the region by propagating traditional indigenous varieties like Ciliegiolo, Bonamico and Malvasi Nera (also known as Uva Rara – the rare grape). The wines are unfiltered & unfined.
OUR FAVE THING ABOUT THIS WINE
The boys now all live together on their 100% self-sustaining farm! Everything they need, they grow, build or generate themselves or source within a radius of 20 kilometres.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
Place: Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Grape: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Bonamico, Malvasia Nera
Style: Chianti with pedigree
Ingredients: Grapes + just a very, very little bit of SO2