£27.75
A Bordeaux inspired blend, ripe blackberry fruit, damson and warming spice with subtle flavours of pencil lead, dark chocolate, cardamom and black pepper.
The final blend is 20% of each grape variety taken from 3 different vintages, it is then aged in French oak for 12 months
Altocedro£21.50
The Symington family may be better known for their Port houses and Douro vineyards (Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s and Cockburn’s are perhaps their most recognised labels) but latterly they have expanded their interests south of the Douro and this gorgeous white from Alentejo offers all the evidence one needs that they have not been wasting their time. Arinto has the reputation of being the country’s finest white grape and it forms 75% of the blend here alongside Verdelho. Barrel fermented before ageing for 7 months in cask this is a pretty serious style of white with a real richness and intensity.
£21.25
With the grapes harvested at the end of Ocotber the long ripening season ensures a brilliant, luminous, deep golden colour with flashes of gold and green. An outstanding, elegant and balanced wine with captivating fragrances of white flowers, minerals, citrus, white fruit, pear and apple overlaid by subtle honey. The fine acidity melds well in the richness of the body and in the long aftertaste of mineral and fruit.
£20.45
Alpha Estate is located in Amyndeo, North West Greece. This pristine estate in the cool highlands of Western Macedonia comprises 220 hectares of privately owned single block vineyards, which are certified sustainable, and employs the most up to date vineyard techniques.
The Malagouzia grapes come from a single vineyard site, known as "Turtles" because it is a nesting site for the local turtle population. The vineyard covers 36.35 hectares in the Amyndeon plateau. The vines are grown at an altitude of 620 to 710 metres above sealevel. Planted at a density of 5,900 vines per hectare, they yield 65 hectolitres per hectare, following green harvest and selection. The soil is sandy to sandy-clay over limestone which offers the vines excellent drainage. When the grapes have reached optimal maturity, they are hand-harvested in 15 kilogram baskets, to preserve the quality of the fruit.
The grapes were destemmed, carefully sorted and then lightly crushed, before being cold soaked with skin contact. The must was fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and was then maintained on its fine lees or "sur lie" for two months with regular stirring, imparting a creamy texture and added complexity to the wine
A lively nose of grapefruit, nectarine and hints of almond blossom leads to a richly textured palate, has superb length, balance and plenty of finesse. Bright and zesty on the finish.
91 Pts, Robert Parker, 2023 16.5 Pts, Jancis Robinson , 2023 91Pts, Decanter, 2023
£26.00
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.
Made only in exceptional years and from the oldest parcels of Bacchus the Orpheus is a richer and heavier proposition than most UK produced Bacchus. Aromatic with gooseberry and elderflower on the nose and hints of tropical fruits, on the palate it builds from rich, creamy lemon to subtle tropical fruits. It has great flavour length and structure, lingering long on the finish which is dry and well rounded.
£25.80
Chenin vines grown on sandy clay and limestone soils. Natural fermentation lasts 2-3 months. Aged in used oak for 4 months.
Green apple with sherbert citrus notes and tight, clean acidity.
£22.30
The white Santenay Clos de Malte is a rich and structured wine. It is elegant and fresh, with fruity, citrusy aromas and a hint of woody notes.
£23.30
£27.75
Château Dauzac is a 5th growth Grand Cru Classé wine with 49 hectares of vineyard in a single continuous block. Labastide Dauzac is their second wine and is produced on clayey gravel conducive to the best expression of Merlot and the intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon, Labastide Dauzac is characterized by its great suppleness and fruitiness. True to the Margaux terroir, Labastide Dauzac is a well-balanced wine.
The 2016 vintage is extremely rich and precise without being excessive, revealing bright fruit and a dense and complex raw material. The high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon gives it an exceptional acidity/alcohol balance that is an indication of a great vintage.
Appearance: purplish red with purple tints.
Nose: the fruity nose is underlined by spices.
Palate: the attack is full, immediately conveying the pedigree of this balanced, complex wine. A precise Margaux with a fresh finish.
£27.95
£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.
£29.75
£21.75
Juicy bright flamboyant Montepulciano with a quickening beetroot tang. This has a really more-ish acidity with a bitter cherry attack crying out for fatty carpaccio.
£27.50
£28.41
£25.00
Eshcol was the original name of the estate. First planted in the 1800s, the wines made here helped establish Napa’s early reputation for quality. Eshcol Red is an authentic Bordeaux-style blend sourced primarily from the younger blocks of the main ranch.
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
This red blend opens with bold fruit-forward aromas of blackberry and dried cherry. On the palate, bright red fruit gives way to modest tannins and nicely balanced acidity, making it ready to open for almost any occasion.
£18.75
£18.75
£18.49
Medium ruby red colour with a pure nose of ripe dark fruits, cherry, plum and sweet spices like ginger and aniseed supported with discreet oak. The palate is round and textured with a well balanced freshness, ending with a long and broad spicy finish.
£25.95
£28.25
Aromas of ripe cherry, plum and vanilla. Bright cherry, strawberry and baking spices on the palate. This pinot is medium bodied with well balanced acidity and silky tannins.
£21.50
This light red wine has plentiful red fruit aromas, cherries and raspberries. Its is fleshy and soft with juicy fruit and a lively acidity. The supple tannins are ripe and light, the finish is silky and persistent.
£15.99
£15.99
£27.00
£15.95
Aromas of ripe plum and cherry with spicy, savoury notes. This is a fruit-forward style of Chianti - the palate is bright and sappy, with redcurrant and bramble fruit providing fresh acidity, and supple tannins giving structure.
£29.30
£15.95
Cracking Pet Nat made from Verdelho, suatainably produced with wild yeast fermentation and a further 4-5 months on lees before disgorgement
Aromas of lime, crisp apple with freshly baked pastry, and toasted almonds on the nose. The palate is ripe and full flavoured with bright citrus fruit offset by vibrant acidity and a soft creamy mouthfeel.
£19.85
£15.49
Seriously classy Kiwi Pinot Noir crafted by flying winemaker Samantha Bailey whom Chris first met on a trip to southern Burgundy back in the early 90s. She is now applying her skills across the globe and this Pinot is a real testament to her experience – full flavoured and generous but still retaining the acidity and freshness that make it a perfect foil to roast duck.
£15.49
£15.00
Taking grapes from Magaret River and Pemberton this is classic Aussie Chard- bold fresh fruit, toasty notes and and long fine acidity at the finish
£29.50
Tangible proof of elegance, balance and constancy characteristic of the Marques de Murrieta Winery and its surrounding vineyards situated in the Ygay Estate, it is a red Reserva wine with a balanced aging of two years in new and partly new American oak barrels and a year and a half in bottle. The result is an elegant wine that combines complexity and fineness, summing up the best attributes of our identity and actuality. Marqués de Murrieta is more than a brand in the international market, it represents age-old wisdom expressed in one of the most recognized wines of Spain. With our daily work, respect and love for our land, the selection of the best grapes and the attention to detail throughout its almost four years of production, Marqués de Murrieta is a safe and constant value of the best quality.
In the mouth the wine is harmonious, fresh and it has polished tannins that provides the wine with a pleasant texture. Its fruity long finish keeps an extraordinary freshness.
£17.49
Revealing fresh fruit flavours of wild strawberry, this rosé has gentle acidity showing a smooth elegance and intensity with a plump finish.
£20.49
A blend of Cataratto, Grillo & Fiano, hand harvested and fermented on skins for 2 days before finishing in oak botti (large barrels). The wine then spends at least 7 months aging on its lees.
Intensely golden in colour, which comes from the skin contact and ageing in large oak botti. The prominent bouquet has notes of coconut and tropical fruit, with an undercurrent of gentle spices. On the palate, there is a richness, balanced by well-integrated acidity. Excellent structure and length.
£16.65
Made following organic pricciples but not certified, this is a lovely wild yeast fermented Negroamaro. Ruby red, with a nose of flowers and berries. This is full-flavoured with youthful fruits, distinctive acidity with a nice persistence through the palate.
£18.99
Picpoul Jim but not as we know it. Extended lees ageing blesses this with a disarming richness; it’s all honeysuckle and peach but just beautifully balanced with great acidity.
£17.50
Old Grenache and Carignan vines grown at altitude provide the fruit which is harvested slightly earlier than the norm to give balance to a wine which could otherwise risk stumbling into clumsy territory. The Grenache provides the driving beat pushing things forward with an intensity of dark fruit whilst the Carignan plays the accompanying harmony. No oak just small concrete tanks. Flippin, flippin gorgeous.,/P>
£26.95
Christophe Cordiers estate comprises of 30-odd hectares over a number of village appellations in Mâconnais region, including Mâcon-Fuissé Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint Veran. The full bunches undergo a gentle pressing then fermented without decantation using native yeasts. Exotic and spicy aromas this is well-balanced, with herbaceous and floral notes. This wine is light, charming and fresh.
£18.99
£19.95
The wine on which Domaine J.Laurens built it’s reputation and a delicious and serious alternative to Champagne. In the glass, this Crémant is brilliant with a pleasantly gentle fizz. Bright and citrusy, with just a hint of yeasty savouriness overlaying the lovely sweet fruit.
£15.99
Harvested from Chenin blanc bush vines planted in 1977. Skin fermented (naturally) until dry. Punch down, once daily. The wine was then pressed and matured in 400 litre Ceramic eggs for 7 months.
A briny nose of lemon zest, beeswax and freshly crushed sea-salt, the palate delights in an immediate attack of tangy citrus twang, sandpaper texture and cheek-tickling breadth of freshness. Rich and generous nonetheless, this has a long, lemon drizzle cake texture, flavour and nuance, if that cake was made absolutely bone dry.
£19.45
Bodega Bresesti was founded in 1937 by immigrants from the Northern Italian region of Lombardy. Bruno Bresesti, still only in his thirties, is the fourth generation of the family to head up winemaking. This is very much a family affair with Bruno as the driving force but still aided by and benefitting from the experience of his hardworking parents. The winery, with its 15 underground concrete fermentation vats, is located on the outskirts of Montevideo
A cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat, this is intense purplish-red colour. The nose is fresh, with aromas of mint, blueberries, red fruits and spices and leads to a succulent palate with rich, sweet fruit balanced by firm ripe tannins. A rich wine enlivened by the refreshing acidity of this singular grape . Fermentation in concretes tank with subsequent passage through 80% American oak and 20% French oak for 3 or 4 months, subject to tasting.
£17.95
Founded in 1985, Le Val is one of the pioneering wineries for the Albarino grape and was instrumental in the founding of the Rias Baixas appellation in 1988. They have recently been purchased by Rioja giant C.V.N.E (or Cune as it is colloquially known) and although not small, do make exceedingly good wine- gorgeous florality on the nose coupled with peach and citrus notes.
£20.95
COLOUR. from garnet red to mahogany according to the age.
NOSE. powerful, balancing between black fruits and stewed fruits subtly brought by cocoa aromas.
MOUTH. sumptuous balance between the solar strength of the wine and the fineness of its tannins. It has a great persistency with sweetness which develops greedily.
£17.99
Love a bit of Saumur Champigny. The town may be more famous for its sparkling wines from the likes of Gratien & Meyer, Ackerman and Bouvet-Ladubay, not to mention its Disneyesque chateau which looks down over the town but this Cabernet Franc from 9 neighbouring villages is definitely worth getting to know. Bright, crunchy and perfect with most red meats, I think you’re really going to like this.
Serve chilled as an accompaniment to an entire meal or with pâtés, grilled fish, red meats, game, cheeses or red berry desserts.
£15.95
Arboleda is a relative newcomer to the Chilean wine market but its founder, Eduardo Chadwick, has been around for a while as the fifth generation of the family behind the Errazuriz label. With the confidence that comes of so much experience and a multi-million dollar bank account he set up Arboleda as more of a niche producer, crafting vineyard specific wines from sustainable vineyards. Syrah probably isn’t the first variety you think of when considering Chilean wine but I think it’s got a great future here, particularly at the mid to higher end of the market. This is gloriously full with ripe, soft tannins but still retains a classic Syrah acidity on the finish to add freshness.