£14.55
Abruzzo's Pecorino grape is one of Italy's fastest growing white varieties. It's a perfect accompaniment to the fantastic seafood of the region. This is a great example from one of its leading proponents. Ripe honeyed nose with aromas of white peach and citrus fruits, and gently nutty, savoury notes. The palate is full and textured with pronounced minerality and delicate ripe fruit flavours leading to a long, spicy finish.
Contesa£18.30
£12.05
£12.39
A vibrant Pinot Noir from Chateau Burgozone on the Danube river. Soft and juicy it is easy drinking but retains good Pinot Noir character.
£12.39
£62.30
This Guigal wine from the legendary slopes of Côte-Rôtie is beautifully balanced with scarcely perceptible acidity and tannins which add ageing potential – softened by long ageing in oak. Guigal put a touch of Viognier in the blend to add femininity allowing for round, soft tannins. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry and vanilla.
£24.75
Wonderfully aromatic and pungent Sauvignon Blanc. From just outside the Sancerre region. Crisp and dry with a distinctive flavour of gooseberries and asparagus.
£22.40
Floral nose of linden and verbena, and fresh apricot with a hint minerality. The palate is smooth, the liveliness of aromatic acid fruit creating a refreshing balance on the finish.
Domaine Ogereau£36.30
£8.79
An expressive wine with aromas of apricot, fennel and floral scents. The wines roundness is a perfect match for its freshness and the finish reveals subtle notes of aniseed.
£16.00
One tends to think of Maison Etienne Guigal in the same breath as the legendary Rhone houses of Chapoutier and Jaboulet, both established in the early 19th century, and yet Guigal is a relatively new kid on the block by comparison, founded in 1946 but rapidly building a reputation for some of the greatest wines of the region – their single vineyard La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque are amongst the most sought after (and expensive) wines of Cote Rotie. Insofar as white wines are concerned, Viognier is very much the family passion and this Cotes du Rhone offers the perfect introduction - playing the leading role in a sextet of varieties this has classic apricot notes but without the intensity of the likes of Condrieu.
£11.59
This dry rose, petal pink in colour, has aromas of red fruits and strawberry sweets with a lively palate to match.
£11.29
Classic Cotes du Rhone red. Punchy spicy palate with hints of red and cassis fruit. Especially good with rich meals.
£13.75
A classic blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre combining to produce a smooth, ripe Cotes du Rhone.
£8.65
An intense wine with blackcurrant and raspberry notes complemented by notes of white pepper. The wine is juicy, powerful and fruity on the palate with lovely roasted notes, and silky, delicate tannins.
£14.30
Fruity apricot notes are evident on the nose. The palate is full and well balanced. The wines volume perfectly balances its freshness and gives the palate lovely length.
£12.79
From the middle ages vines have been grown on the Plaine du Plan de Dieu in the heart of the southern Rhone. Back then you were taking your life in your hands crossing the plain as it was very much bandit country – hence whether you survived was dependent on God’s plan! Pascal Maillet is kind of “living the dream.” No winemaking background and only a degree in computer science to guide him, together with his wife, Marie-Pierre, they bought this traditional estate in 1993 and threw themselves into it. Classic southern Rhone – Grenache/Syrah blend with various other usual suspects playing support, it’s got layers of red fruit, spice and garrigue herbs in abundance; not shiny or polished, just gutsy and satisfying.
£23.49
Amongst the first Chilean blends to champion Carmenere. Rich sumptuous intense black cherries, mulberries and more berries! Vanilla, sweet spice with herbal and savoury tones together with a hint of mint. The palate contains the same berry intensity plus a wonderful warm dusty character, reminiscent of its location. It is a well-balanced and complex wine with soft, round tannins and a long finish that shows both character and personality.
£21.99
£12.19
Deeply coloured with ripe, sweet bramble and pepper spice notes, full-bodied with a defined structure, nice balance and some classic northern Rhône freshness on the finish.
£19.85
Fiona and Niall Shiner had been living in Hong Kong for 18 years when they returned to Britain to take on Niall's parents' property at Amberley. Niall continued with his career, but mother-of-three Fiona decided to plant some vines at the property following a comment by her mother-in-law that the Romans could have grown vines there. The first acre was planted in 2007, with the acquisition of an old cattle farm on the (really quite steep) hill opposite and converting an old barn into a winery in 2016. A third vineyard side since been acquired taking the current area under vine (but not all producing grapes yet) to 58 acres (23ish hectares), still firmly in the ‘tiny’ bracket.
Enticing notes of crisp and refreshing citrus and green fruits are beautifully balanced with subtle peach and hints of minerality. The barrel fermented Ortega gives great texture and balance. A delicious, dry white with a clean and pleasing finish.
£26.75
A single vineyard Pinot Noir from the cool Elgin region near Grabouw. Elegant and light in style, with an abundance of ripe red berries, juicy strawberries and subtle spices on the nose which follow through on the palate where it marries perfectly with a savoury meatiness.
£17.25
A spectacular blend of indigenous and international varieties. With a combination of Grasevina, Muller Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Gris this giant white pleases a multitude of palate types. A fresh and light white, fruit forward, with a touch of meadow flowers. Top-quality wine with protected geographical indication Zagorje – Medimurje. A real treat for the adventurous wine lover!
Straw green hues, expressive freshness & rich fruity tones. This citrus & peach bomb also has mingling notes of celery and pine trees. Thus adding a more savoury element to this tangy white. Bursting with minerality, a harmonious crisp acidity and a beautifully long length. A truly fascinating, happy white!
£30.75
Free draining soils and steep slopes results in our Chardonnay vineyard producing low yields of intensely concentrated fruit. The Cave Block saw a relatively calm growing season, with warm and dry conditions from early October to mid-May. Infrequent rain events during this time gave the vines a welcome drink. Flowering occurred during the mild spring producing an above average crop which was allowed to ripen fully through the warm summer and autumn.
The fruit was meticulously picked by hand, before whole bunch pressing to a mix of new and older French oak barriques. Winemaking included a parcel of wild fermentation, light lees contact and partial malolactic fermentation to naturally adjust acidity for balance and structure.
Initial savoury notes lift to reveal peach, nectarine, nougat and roasted cashews. Stonefruit on the palate is beautifully contained within the framework of natural acidity that has a saline edge due to the coastal location of the vineyard. Fine French oak and lees contact adds further texture and length that persists with lingering freshness typical of the Cave Block terroir.
£33.75
This Pinot Noir is a blend of parcels from our own vineyard at Pipers River, Coal River Valley and our growers at Swansea and Ouse. Each of these sites is unique with distinctive individual terroirs, building complexity into the final wine blend.
Each of the different parcels of fruit from across the vineyard sites were picked on their merit. Fermentation started after 2-3 days with plunging of the cap to extract colour and tannin from the skins. The wine was pressed at completion of fermentation and settled before being placed into French oak barriques, where malolactic fermentation took place, prior to filtration and bottling.
Evidence of a warmer vintage is immediately apparent; with the generous red berry fruit aromas, hints of fresh cut plums and fine oak spice. The entry onto the palate of soft red fruits with ripe tannin structure support the sense of a warm vintage. Savoury notes of dried meats and provencal herbs add to the complexity after opening, and will become more integrated with bottle age. The 2016 will reward cool cellaring for 3 – 5 years.
£18.15
The grapes are sorted, de-stemmed and crushed. Fermentation process started with juice still on the grape skins, whereafter the wine was left on the grape skins for a further 6 months. The clear wine was then racked, blended and bottled. Intense savoury nose with notes of dried citrus peel, marmalade, brown spice and almond skin. Full flavoured and textural on the palate with flavours of apricot kernel and fruit peel followed by a fine bitter orange finish.
£13.95
A project between sisters, Ruth & Ana de Andres, Garganta del Aguila is produced from selected parcels of high altitude Garnacha, grown on the distinctive decomposed granite soils of the Gredos Mountains (west of Madrid).
Vines scratch out an existence in these once abandoned vineyards, up at 1,007 metres close to the walled town of Avila, dotted amongst huge granite outcrops, with roots sunk deep into the sand-like soils. With a long standing fascination for the wines from this region, it was just a matter of finding the right vineyards and the right people. After speaking to various contacts Ruth & Ana came across a small winery, with 8 partners (the youngest of whom was 70 years old!), who had access to incredible old plots of bush vine Garnacha on these very particular soils. All of the plots are smaller than 1 hectare; yields are super low, and currently they hand-harvest from across 90 different sites in order to produce this wine. The idea was to produce a youthful wine from these old vines; with a focus on purity and an unencumbered expression of the variety and terroir. Ruth describes this as a ‘down-to-earth wine’ ... it’s not over manipulated in the winery and is more commercial and approachable in style than some. Ruth & Ana are now on their fifth vintage and the collaboration is going from strength to strength.
Raspberry and wild strawberries, together with herb like aromas such as origano and thyme. In the mouth, it is soft and velvety. Fresh and vibrant, it leaves a fine aftertaste reminding the same herbal aromas as in the nose.
£25.99
Made from low-yielding old vines of Grenache and Carignan Noir, with Syrah and Mourvèdre grown in the hills above the village of Cairanne in the southern Rhône valley. Hand-picked grapes are vinified only by naturally occuring yeasts, aided by manual pigeage and gentle remontage in open topped oak vats (tronconique). Les Deux Barriques is matured for 24 months in French oak demi-muid (600 litre barrels); the wine is neither fined or filtered before botting at Domaine Boutinot in Cairanne.
Only made in the very finest vintages, this is the fifth release of Les Deux Barriques and it embodies the phenomenal concentration and complexity of the 2015 vintage. Primary fruit and overt oak have evolved into rich, autumnal aromas of dried fruit, with flavours of blueberries and black tea on the finish.
£19.05
This pinot noir is deep purple with hints of crimson. A rich and complex nose showing generous aromas of ripe dark cherry and red berry fruits dominating against a background layer of spice and savoury complexity. It has mouth-filling flavours of ripe raspberry and strawberry. The fruit flavours are balanced by a good concentration of fine, soft, silky tannins and enough acidity to give definition to the finish which is long and persistent with lingering ripe fruit. The wine is drinking well now and will develop more complex and savoury characters with some more time in the bottle. It could be cellared for another four to eight years.
£26.30
The grapes from the Helderberg region stem from an old vine block dating back to 1974. Aromatic on the nose, yet soft and smooth on the palate. Lightly tinted and medium bodied, this wine greets you on the nose with aromatic floral notes which follow through onto the palate with ripe strawberries, cherries, sweet spices and soft tannins on the mid palate.
Accolades.
NEW RELEASE 92/100 Tim Atkin MW 2017; 4 ½ * – Platter Wine Guide 2018
£16.05
60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Gris. The Chardonnay is aged in Hungarian and French oak barrels for 6 months whilst the Pinot Gris is aged and fermented in stainless steel prior to blending.
Clear and bright pale yellow in colour, the nose is pronounced stone fruit and lemon sherbert characters. The palate is zesty with delicious fleshy nectarine fruit underpinned with good acidity and minerality.
£27.65
£26.65
Simon of Domaine Capmartin has dusted off the historic traditions of Madiran and Pacherenc de Vic-Bil into a new, more progressive age.
He has set about significant changes amongst the vines and in the winery leading to his own unique versions of these truly exceptional AOP wines. Certified organic for the best part of a decade, Simon is now striving further with his sights firmly set on Biodynamic certification. Natural, low intervention winemaking are the watchwords. No added sulphur, all wild ferments and aiming for light tannins makes for previously unknown modern, fresh and delicious Madiran Tannat. The unique white blend of AOC Pacherenc de Vic-Bilh, made in part with the rare and cherished Petit Corbu variety, is wonderfully complex and a food friendly wine that will no doubt inspire sommeliers.
Punchy and ripe plum and dark berry flavours. This has plenty of depth on the palate, with a spicy finish alongside well balanced tannins.
£17.89
£21.55
Simon of Domaine Capmartin has dusted off the historic traditions of Madiran and Pacherenc de Vic-Bil into a new, more progressive age.
He has set about significant changes amongst the vines and in the winery leading to his own unique versions of these truly exceptional AOP wines. Certified organic for the best part of a decade, Simon is now striving further with his sights firmly set on Biodynamic certification. Natural, low intervention winemaking are the watchwords. No added sulphur, all wild ferments and aiming for light tannins makes for previously unknown modern, fresh and delicious Madiran Tannat.
£17.95
Simon of Domaine Capmartin has dusted off the historic traditions of Madiran and Pacherenc de Vic-Bil into a new, more progressive age.
He has set about significant changes amongst the vines and in the winery leading to his own unique versions of these truly exceptional AOP wines. Certified organic for the best part of a decade, Simon is now striving further with his sights firmly set on Biodynamic certification. Natural, low intervention winemaking are the watchwords. No added sulphur, all wild ferments
£10.75
The wine is a blend of Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Gros Manseng, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Folle Blanche
An attractive floral nose (acacia) showing ripe tropical fruit flavours with herbaceous undertone. On the palate the tropical fruit flavours are balanced by a fresh acidity which runs through to the finish.
A very expressive nose showing exotic fruits (mango, passion fruit, lychee).On the palate fresh and fruity with a hint of minerality.
£21.59
This is the first production of Orange wine from Domaine des Tourelles. Winemaker Faouzi Issa has been mentored by a couple of Georgian winemakers who have been teaching him their methods of producing Amber wines.
The native Merweh grapes come from 150 year old vines which grow wild in the mountains of Lebanon. Fermentation takes place in Terracotta jars where the wine spends 4 months on skins. Light amber in color. Rich in flowers, orange blossoms, jasmine, and tea on the nose. On the palate we can discern some smooth elegant tannins that come from the maceration with the skin, while displaying a taste of apricot, pears, and hints of saltiness and minerality.
£11.79
You don't see much single varietal Grenache Blanc but when you taste wines like this you find yourself asking ‘why?’ Refreshing, clean, rich depth of greengage, Amalfi lemon and crisp apple - what's not to love?
£27.66
Unevolved and intense with light purple rim. Pronounced cassis and cigar box nose with lifted floral perfume and violets. Full and unctuous on the palate with intense black fruit characters, well integrated oak and a long glyceric finish.
£9.99
DR. LO Riesling has just the right amount of fruitiness to balance the crisp acidity. On the palate it is clearly Riesling, but it walks the line between a fruity and drier style. The characteristic acidity of Mosel Riesling helps it finish fresh and clean. If shown blind it may not be recognized as alcohol-free.
£11.99
£12.99
£11.95
An elegant racy style of classic Riesling. The palate is off dry with stonefruit and honey flavours and a minerally lime character.
£23.80
Single vineyard wine from the Helderberg region with notes of cinnamon and sweet spices. Barrel matured with ripe yet soft tannin.
Accolades.
4 * – John Platter Wine Guide 2017, South Africa; Top 100 SA Wine Awards; 93/100 Robert Parker – Wine Advocate 2017; Top 100 & Double Platinum Awards 2017
£16.70
Pure aromas reminiscent of fresh apricots, ginger, saffron and fresh white flowers. The palate is long and silky with stone fruit flavours, finishing with an alluring freshness.
£28.45
£12.40