All citreen, with crisp fresh limes dominating the palate. Refreshing, yet the finish is surprisingly rich with a softness and biscuity toastiness. 

Best in Show, 98 pts. Sunset International Wine Competition, June 2023

Best of Region - White, Double Gold, 99 pts. California State Fair Wine Competition, June 2023

Gold. International Women's Wine Competition, June 2023

We love names that mean something to us personally. The Last Sandwich is a doff of the caving helmet to some impressive discoveries made in Ogof (Welsh for cave) Draenen that our founding winemaker was involved in. Apparently, they were literally sitting down to devour their last sandwich, when they spied an unseen way on. Ironically, this blend came about in much the same way. They had tried blending both this particular rich oily Viognier and crisp refreshing Albarino every which way with other varietals. Finally hitting upon blending them together while fighting over the last chicken tikka panini. Which, as you might expect, paired delightfully.

Gold. Sunset International Wine Competition, June 2023

This is a Lion in a forest kind of wine. It really stands out in a virtual thicket of  “Johnny come lately Albariño’s.” Now, I do suppose that it would be barrels from a stand of Acacia, in which this wine is slowly fermented, rather than a gnarly Oak woodland. BTW, the uniqueness of fermenting this wine in Acacia brings elegant white peach, nectarine, and citrusy nuances, giving it a zesty bite and a veritable roar of aromatics. Now in this clever tail, we all know Lions don’t roam the hallowed Forests of France but I would love to pair this wine with a golden sunset on the Serengeti.

Best of Class, Best of Show - White Wine. International Women's Wine Competition, June 2023

94 pts. Sunset International Wine Competition, June 2023

95 pts. California State Fair Wine Competition, June 2023

92 pts. I-Wine Review, August 2023

This wine honors a Major Milestone and perhaps is a nod to how time flies. It really has been ten crazy years since we purchased what is now Brecon Estate. Along the way we tried to take a path less traveled, picking up a somewhat colorful inner circle and rather unconventional influences. This special wine aims to reflect all this and improve on our ever popular “42” Rhone Blend, “the answer to life, the universe and everything.” A little more color, structure and silkiness, perhaps thanks to the addition of some tiny-berried Petite Sirah baby vines. Best saved for a special occasion or large family gathering. 

92 pts. James Suckling, September 2022

93 pts. purely domestic wine report, December 2022

91 pts. Vinous, May 2023

Brecon’s “Operation Renegade.” Our rebel without a cause winemaker secretly conceived a Cabernet, Tempranillo, and Petit Verdot blend. The delicious result is reminiscent of a complex, cigar box, leathery, Northern Spanish red, although we suspect this may not have exactly been the initial intent as things got remarkably raucous at the final blending. Thus we ended up with eight individual varieties in the mix. Interesting factoid, the Justice dept’s “Special Operation Renegade” aimed to cut down on the importation of exotic birds. Australia's Prime Minister, Tony Abbot, also championed the cause!

I’ve just been perusing the tasting notes of our previous vintages. It’s rather like galavanting down memory lane before it gets paved over! Clearly a two-way street, as not only was each Brecon Grenache distinctive and unique, but so were the wine descriptors. Continuing this remarkably diverse trend we went yet another route in 2021. Changing up the vineyard, sub appellation, clone, aspect, and slope, because we loved this brighter, darker, more structured clone. It’s more akin to a fabled old-vine Grenache, having heaps of texture and silkiness to be sipped and savored. Of course such a characterful drop deserved some rather attractive fine French oak.

Gold. International Women's Wine Competition, June 2023

Mamma said never start a tasting note with “moderately catastrophic!” 

It does, however, define mother’s often-used facial expression. Perfectly describing the ‘last drop syndrome’ of our too often sold out Reserve Mourvedre. We eventually bowed to parental pressure, secretly sourced a fascinating new vineyard and made a few extra drops. Who’s a good boy then!

So here it is our cheekiest Mourvedre yet! Best served instead of a cheeky pint (perhaps that should say “sneaky” in mumsie’s case). According to the Blues Brothers, this particular vineyard combines both styles of Mourvedre, all in one rich sophisticated glass. Luscious, fruit-forward, and the down right, down to earthy. All with the signature bright acids associated with a Calcareous ridgetop.

Perhaps a little unusual for the Brecon Mourvedre to be on the spectrum, the Reserve Spectrum that is. However as a fully paid up member of the “flat Jupiter society,” I am sure you will totally appreciate the gravitas of this Mourvedre, bending distant light sources to its will. The consequent red shift is phenomenal. Visually beguiling, ever enchanting, like many heavenly bodies. Drink now or for the next 4.2+ “buzz light years”. Intriguingly this equates to light just now emanating from our nearest neighbor, Proxima Centauri, reaching us as this wine reaches its “optimus prime”, i.e. the end of 2027.

95 pts, Gold. California State Fair Wine Competition, June 2023

91 Pts, Gold. OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition, June 2023

Gold. Central Coast Wine Competition, June 2023

Folks have been penning tasting notes/reviews on these vines for over fifty years! That's a lot of cerebral hemorrhaging. We wish we had some of those early musings. Consistent year in year out, it does, however, clearly seem that with greater vine age, the waxing has become way more lyrical. Here is just one example from the previous vintage: “This is a purple-powered punch of a wine: It’s bright, with focused, slick tannins; good acid structure; and a juicy mouthfeel. Plum, violets, and boysenberry join in a dance of merriment with savory notes of cured meat that impart intriguing elegance” (Somm Journal 03/2022). You could write the same note for this vintage too. 

Best of Class, 96 pts. L.A. International, June 2023

Not going to pontificate over this tech sheet for too long as we normally sell out days after release, and this is the smallest bottling we have ever done! Sitting regally on its own Calcareous hilltop, these vines are reaching that point in life when the smooth old rascals are considered to have a lovely lightness of touch, be subtly fragrant, and rather flirtatious; softer than the more masculine Cabernet Sauvignon. It pairs remarkably well with a tender juicy steak in a restaurant's snuggest alcove.

Best of Class, 96 pts. L.A. International, June 2023

Best of Class, Gold. L.A. Invitational, March 2023

Think Exotic. Gewurz, as it is known to its friends, tends to shy away from the traditional French cuisine end of town. Head down the side street and be a lot more experimental from the pairing point of view. Think Ginger, Madras and Cloves. It's intense floral aromatics are a treasure and much like the aromatics on a peaty Islay Malt you can absolutely lose yourself in the nose. Only needing to occasionally come up for air and take a sip. For the record the obvious Lychee and Pineapple will be complex in time adding more nutty almond overtones.