Wines £15 - £30

Bright and tangy with a nose of freshly picked limes, lemon meringue and lifted floral aromas. The palate shows great fruit purity with a juicy natural acid line. Lots of citrus flavours intertwined and a waxy minerality. Slight fruit sweetness balances the acidity and allows for good length on the finish.

Semillon, Muscat and Pinot Gris were vinified separately. They are picked in the morning, destemmed, fermented on skins for 10 days, pressed gently, and aged in old barrels and steel.

With up-front aromatics and florals, it starts out all skinsy and tropical with notes of tangerine and stonefruits. Refreshingly dry on the end for an easy-drinking finish. Textural and interesting, fun and chewy.

You may be more familiar with Carménère as a Chilean wine, but the variety actually originated in Bordeaux. After phylloxera, its temperamental nature and difficulty in reaching full ripeness meant it wasn’t replanted and, for all intents and purposes, became extinct in France.

Fortunately, some vines had already made their way to Chile, where, during the 1980s and ’90s, cracking wines labelled as “Chilean Merlot” began appearing in the UK. These wines were clearly different from true Merlot — at first this was put down to clonal variation or climate — but later research revealed they were, in fact, Carménère. Since then, the grape has been making a quiet comeback in its homeland.

Michel planted a small vineyard of Carménère around 12 years ago. In particularly hot years, enough grapes ripen fully to produce a single-varietal wine. The previous release was in 2018 (they’re keeping rather quiet about the possibility of a 2025). After four weeks of maceration during fermentation, the wine rests on its lees for 12 months in steel, developing an inky dark colour, loads of forest and dark fruit on the nose, silky tannins, and a touch of liquorice on the palate. It really is excellent — rich and complex, far beyond what its modest 12.5% ABV might suggest.

Produced exclusively from hand harvested grapes in predominantly clay and limestone vineyards, from a dozen of the most favored localities in and around Riquewihr. Gentil "Hugel" allies the suave, spicy flavour of Gewurztraminer, the body of Pinot Gris, the finesse of Riesling, the grapiness of Muscat and the refreshing character of both Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner.

Hugel

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.

Domaine de Colette

It’s called Austrian Pepper as you’ll find plenty of peppery spice in it. Perhaps the hottest thing from Austria. It’s not just wine. It is just the most peppery-fruity Grüner Veltliner on the block. Spice up your life!

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.

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.

Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta

Revealing fresh fruit flavours of wild strawberry, this rosé has gentle acidity showing a smooth elegance and intensity with a plump finish.

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.

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.

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>

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.

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.

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.

Domaine de Bila-Haut

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.

This is a wine with delicate fruity aromas, typical notes of white flowers, some herbal notes and tropical fruits. Its freshness reminds of just-picked grapes. This is followed by a fruity acidity, and no oak, resulting in a good mouthfeel to be enjoyed now. Los Poetas Semillón is an elegant and approachable wine, making it ideal to accompany simple food.

La Despensa Wines from Chile’s Colchagua Valley is owned, organically-farmed and operated by Matt Ridgway, originally from Dorset, and his Chilean wife Ana

Grenache and Syrah harvested together and co-fermented in concrete with native yeast. Pulp and skins from Roussanne which was harvested for a straight white wine 10 days earlier (also co-fermented). Mourvèdre comes in 2.5 weeks later and with much lower Brix so we leave some Grenache and Syrah hanging to over-ripen and co-ferment with the Mourvèdre. This helps reduce the green notes that Mourvèdre can sometimes produce. The blend is made as soon as all the wine is pressed. Aged in concrete (lined, so neutral).

Fresh and easy drinking with the acidity and tannins to help the wine age over the years to come. Drink now or hold your peace for 5+ years! Grenache provides the fruit-forward part of the wine and also some grippy tannins, with Syrah adding structure and color. Mourvèdre adds elegance and finesse, and the Roussanne helps add some roundness and mouthfeel alongside a slightly tropical kick.

A subtle and restrained white with delicate stone fruit and lightly nutty aromas. The palate is textural with more nutty characters and good concentration, all beautifully balanced by peachy fruit, a dash of lime, and taut acidity on the finish.

Not your usual Muscadet, Francois Menard has crafted this single vineyard cuvee as part of his expressions series- somewhat experimental one-off wines from vary small parcels of vines showcasing how varied Muscadet can be. Coming from a Gneiss terroir on the Févrie plot in Maisdon, this single-vineyard cuvée of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie has benefited from a short skin maceration before pressing the grapes in order to give this wine the aromatics, complexity and structure that characterize it. Wild yeast fermentation and with 8 months lees aging in glass lined concrete tanks. Overt and very ripe apricot notes make up a rich full bodies wine with a generous texture and incredibly long finish.

Chateau de L’Escarelle of one of the most prestigious wine estates in the heart of Provence, with 100 hectares of organically certified vineyards set in 1,000 hectares of beautiful woodland.

In the past year this property has made impressive steps to establish itself as a major player of sustainable agriculture in France. In 2016 the estate achieved Haute Valeur Environnementale certification (France’s most stringent environmental certification scheme, level 3), demonstrating their deep-rooted commitment to protecting the natural world. Their vines are planted at up to 500 metres above sea level, hugging the slopes of the Montagne de La Loube and adapting to the estates' clay and limestone soil profile. The terroir’s distinctive character is perfect for creating highly-expressive, elegant Rosé wines.

Chateau de L'Escarelle

Stéphane Bourret and his team have improved La Bastide wines’ quality beyond recognition. Despite the pressure of the many tourists ready to buy almost anything at any price, he has chosen a path of quality and hard work. All of the 28 hectares estate is now run using biodynamic methods and the results are a joy to behold, with many of their wines awarded great accolades in the national and international wine press. ‘Estagnol’ is produced from their best vineyards and improves after 3 or 4 years cellaring.

Very impressive Cabernet dominated Bordeaux, packed full of black plum fruit, rich tannins and excellent potential.

Chateau Cissac

Sometimes on our travels we taste wines made from near extinct varieties and frankly begin to understand why natural selection is a thing. However, the Albillo variety which Bodegas Arrayan are known for is the real deal. This is a genuinely interesting grape and can make wines with a proper ‘spark’. Style wise it’s akin to a rich Albarino, perhaps an Albarino/Pinot Gris cross, delicious stuff. Interestingly (to me anyway) the grapes are hand harvested before being foot trodden with the juice remaining in contact with the skins for a couple of days before spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks. It’s then given 7 months in old 500 litre French oak barrels to add some texture but very little in the way of oak character. Jancis Robinson MW had this to say of the 2018 vintage: Bright stone-fruit nose, with some attractive fennel character. There’s a little touch of honey which I’m reliably told will increase with time. The palate is pretty exciting with chalky texture and bright acidity. It’s not racy, but very persistent with a fresh mineral finish.

Situated in the Haut Medoc, sandwiched between Margaux and St Julien, Chateau Beaumont has long been a favourite of ours, producing classic Bordeaux from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with just a dash of Petit Verdot. It’s a property with a long history dating back to the 1770s whilst the Chateau itself was built in 1854. Over the years ownership has passed between some of Europe’s wealthiest families but it now rests with Grands Millesimes de France, falling ultimately under the control of Suntory and Castel.

Chateau Beaumont

70% Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

A full bodied red with bags of character. Expressed in a seductive ruby colour, with dominant notes of spice, herbs & a liveliness from fresh blueberries. Some discrete aromas of dark chocolate & cocao nibs. Tied together with a freshness on the palate that develops to a warm & long finish with a blast of ripe fruit

Great with venison or beef in stews, pâté. Red & white cabbage meals, schnitzel & goulash

• Nose. intensive, lasting and engaging, complex combination of fruit nuances and delicate oak.
• Mouth. powerful and complex. The taste impresses with its velvety softness and warmth.
• Tannins. woody tannins, very well structured.
• Aftertaste. Excellent with a long finish.

Domaine Bessa Valley

Founded in 1987 but with a pedigree extending back 100 years, Emilio Moro was one of the first bodegas to put the region of Ribera del Duero on the map, so to speak. As their reputation grew, so did their vineyard holdings both in Ribera del Duero and elsewhere and we were delighted to encounter this gem towards the end of last year. El Zarzal is a real treat - 100% Godello from their Bierzo estate it has all the hallmarks of the house with notes of ripe stone fruit and dry flowers, harnessing varietal typicity and harmonious balance with 8 months in French oak foudre adding a beautifully integrated oak influence.

Created in 2017, Bourgogne Cote d'Or is a Burgundy classification intended to bridge the (ever growing) gap between straight Bourgogne Rouge (or Chardonnay) and Village wines (Nuits St Georges, Santenay, etc). Grapes can be blended from across the 40 villages of the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits but can only be Chardonnay or Pinot Noir (Gamay and Aligote are excluded)

Harmonious and balanced, with a plump fruitiness and silky texture offset by round, gentle tannins in a wine of medium body and elegant structure.

Maison Roche de Bellene

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.

Classic expression of the indigenous Savatiano grape from vineyards just outside Athens. The wine is textural with a crisp, citrus-tinged, and lightly saline finish. This is much more than a simple refreshing white wine, it is refreshing but it also has wonderful texture, complexity and good length.

A brilliant yellow colour with hints of green. A bouquet of wild flowers and a salty minerality typical of our regions soils. A fresh and fruity palate; well balanced, aromatic, with intense aromas of citrus, grapefruit and lemon, green peppers and fresh grass.

The Pinot Noir grapes come from the family-owned ‘Someone’s Darling’ vineyard on the Bendigo Loop Road in Central Otago. This vineyard has been placed in conversion to organics (March 2022). This is a delicious Pinot Noir, with fleshy black plum, layers of cherry and sweet berries that play on the palate and dance with hints of violet and savoury notes.

Loveblock Wines

From one of the Best Chateaux in the Cotes de Castillon owned by Bordeaux royalty Stephan von Neipperg (also owner of Bugarian producer Enira, a particular favourite of Ed), this second wine is plush with ripe autumn berry on the nose and a palate with intense bramble notes and a smotth long finish.

Top quality, biodynamic, Gruner Veltliner from the Terrassen single vineyard - seriously concentrated!

Citrus and herbal aromas - with typical spicy Veltliner notes and hints of green pepper and cucumber. The palate has mineral and flinty characters, oriental spice, and fresh citrus acidity on the finish.

Richly textured and intense white with citrus and stone fruit aromas, fennel and white pepper notes. Bright balancing acidity with a tight structure.

A deeply personal project from Elena Pacheco and Isio Ramos, Bruma is an exciting interpretation of Jumilla and brings lightness, complexity and elegance to this hot, arid, and often monolithic region.

The idea behind making a white wine from the region’s traditional Airén grape variety falls in line with their objective of paying tribute to and enhancing the value of Jumilla’s native strains. Currently undervalued, Airén had its heyday some 50 years ago when it was prized for its notable yield. Owing to its long growth cycle, this variety is able to withstand the intense heat and scarce rainfall that characterise the DOs southern region. However, in present-day Jumilla the variety is in danger of extinction with only a few old vineyards still producing – one of which, with its 37-year old vines, gives rise to this wine.

Pale, orange in colour. Citrus fruit, spicy notes and Mediterranean herbs on the nose, crisp, sharp and mineral. This is not your usual Airén but the skin-contact maceration and biological ageing in demijohns have created a beautiful orange wine with immense character and expression.

Medium intensity yellow colour with a coppery rim. It presents a slight cloudiness due to the fact that it is unfiltered in order to give the most natural expression of the blend. Fruity notes reminiscent of quince, pear and apricot as well as an intense presence of mandarin and orange zest nuanced with aromas of beeswax and a pleasant floral bouquet. Complex on the palate, textured and with structure enhanced by the contribution of the skins, which provide chewy tannins, all supported by good acidity and volume on the palate.

Natural fermentation with prolonged skin contact maceration (30% whole cluster and the rest from destemmed grapes). Fermentation takes place in large 600L French oak barrels of over 5 years of age. These are open and positioned vertically for regular treading during fermentation. Once fermentation is complete, the barrels are closed and refilled for storage for 8 months of further maceration. After this period, the wine is separated from its skins and preserved for one month in clay and ceramic amphorae.