Expressive Cabernet crammed full of varietal character and finesse.

Tasting Notes

Bursting with red and blackcurrant fruits, this is a really soft and pure Cabernet with gentle tannins and a hint of green pepper on the finish. Cool herby flavours mingle with red fruits and a nice touch of acidity.

Production

Sourced from selected areas of the Central Valley. Relatively cool short fermentation to preserve fruit aroma with maceration on the skins for only a few days to extract a nice colour but minimal tannins. Early bottling to keep the wine's youthful style.

Producer

Our winemaking team have been building relationships across Chile over the past two decades, sourcing fruit and wine from across the Central Valleys. We work with a number of small family growers who pay particular attention to quality and ensure that our winemaking team has the best possible fruit to work with . Freshness and purity are the preferred hallmarks of Boutinot's Chilean wines.

Each vintage Boutinot winemaker Guillaume Letang travels the vineyards of our grower partners, blending that year's truest expression's of Chile's unique terroirs.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Bouncy, crunchy Gamay, this is an irresistible fruit bomb packed with fresh, primary fruit aromas and the delicious soft red berry flavours of gorgeous Gamay at its best.

Production Method

Gamay loves the granite/siliceous soils of the vineyards in the hills to the northwest of Lyon in eastern France. Grapes were hand-picked deliberately early to maintain freshness. In the cellar, they are vinified using traditional carbonic maceration techniques (where fermentation is started by the weight of berries in the vat, crushing those below) followed by a short cuvasion to maintain the up-front, juicy fruit character.

Producer

Like all good stories, that of Boutinot France is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. Paul Boutinot himself began by personally selecting the wines from France, back in the UK he would unload the trailer by hand. And deliver the crates of wines to customers himself. But good things grow and by the end of the decade we had become a bigger and better company. A company that not only sought out great wines but made them too. After 10 years later, Boutinot France started in January 1990. The first office was in the middle of the vines in Julienas; perfectly located to navigate the Beaujolais and Macon regions on the quest to make beautiful wines.

Samantha Bailey, who started as a wine enthusiast, was there at the beginning of this adventure. Since then, she has grown into our Master Blender and has key responsibilities: building long-standing relationships, tasting, understanding the terroir and appellations, and pushing the boundaries. She is at the heart of the whole process from blending to quality assessment, making sure there is always a Boutinot touch in every cuvée. We are proud to also count Guillaume Letang and Julien Dugas in our winemaking team. Guillaume oversees the South of France and Languedoc, whilst Julien looks after our property in Cairanne. Together they have the local knowledge to select and blend the very best wines from throughout. Eric Monnin oversees every aspect of production and makes sure everything our winemakers blend and source is top quality.

Today, Boutinot’s French office has recently relocated to Macon, and has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and rosés from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. We don’t use any single model to source our wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines, as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Vérand. Drawing on the expertise of our four winemakers and a network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality-to-price ratio possible for every wine.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Another delight. Medium to full-bodied with lovely ripe fruit, some spiciness, and a silky smoothness that lets the flavour linger and makes this a long-lasting mouthful. Got the weight and length of a much more expensive wine than it is. Delicious and keeps on giving until the last drop! Paired beautifully with our Venison Steaks." Tasted February 2024

Specifications

Redolent of roses and ripe-for-the-picking strawberries, the refreshing De Toren Délicate is an elegant red blend that combines red’s seductiveness with the undeniable drinkability of white.

Medium-bodied and immeasurably gentle, it offers up an abundance of juicy fruit and velvety, smooth tannins that lead to a sophisticated finish. Delicious on its own as an apéritif, it’s also the perfect consort to the lingering pleasures of Spanish tapas or a platter of the finest French charcuterie.

Tasting Notes

Specifications

Altitude Series contains some of the most recognizable labels from the Doña Paula winery. Its three members are blends that seek to reflect the expression of the different farms, and in particular the different dreams and altitudes at which the vines are planted. But at the same time, the common thread that sustains the line - and the winery - is clear: freshness.

Tasting Notes

The line begins with 2021 Doña Paula Altitude Series 969 : its yellow line logo represents the clay soil of Finca El Alto, located 969 meters above sea level in Ugarteche, Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza). It is a cut of Petit Verdot (55%), Bonarda (40%) and Malbec (5%) with an intense violet colour. On the nose, Petit Verdot brings aromas of blueberries and jasmine while Bonarda adds intense aromas of blackberries and raspberries. It stands out for its firm tannins and good volume in the mouth, Malbec offers an attractive structure and a long finish.

The 2019 Doña Paula Altitude Series 1350, with a greyish-white logo, comes from the stony and calcareous soils of Finca Alluvia, Gualtallary, Valle de Uco (Mednoza). It is a blend of Cabernet Franc (50%), Malbec (45%) and Casavecchia (5%) with an intense violet color. Cabernet Franc provides spicy and floral notes, while Malbec provides berries notes. It presents a good length and it is very persistent due to its tannins. It is an elegant blend with a great structure.

 Finally, 2019 Doña Paula Altitude Series 1100, the one with the red logo, comes from pink caliche soils from Finca Los Indios located in El Cepillo, San Carlos. Uco Valley (Mendoza). It combines Malbec (60%), Syrah (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) blended to create this complex and balanced wine of a deep violet color. In the nose, it has floral aromas – such as violet and rosehip – typical of the Malbec variety.  The Syrah contributes spicy notes, good volume in the mouth and silky tannins, whereas the Cabernet Sauvignon complements the blend with a great structure.

Specifications 

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This 10 year old is a classic Tawny with the typical appealing aromas and flavours of wood-aged Ports, particularly nuts and caramel.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Lovely tawny colour with golden hues.

Nose

Complex aromas of ripe red fruits, damson jam, raisins and toasted nuts.

Palate

Smooth and rounded on the palate, with notes of caramel balanced by fresh acidity to give great length. A very well balanced, elegant and harmonious port wine.

Production

Made from selected red ports produced from the best vineyards of the Douro Valley, and varieties including: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Roriz. Aged in small oak casks, typically of around 630 litres. As the wine ages it gradually loses the ruby red colour of its youth, becoming tawny in colour, more smooth and mellow on the palate, and aromas gaining richness and complexity.

Producers

Wiese & Krohn was founded in 1865 by two Norwegians - Theodor Wiese and Dankert Krohn - shipping initially to Scandinavia and Germany. In the century and a half since its foundation, Krohn has built up an outstanding reputation. Long renowned for the quality of their sublime Colheitas (single vintage tawnies), they produce a remarkably complete range for a small house, and each wine excels in its category. Much of the secret lies in the high quality of their vineyards - the magical combination of terroir, locality, aspect, incline and low-yielding vines. Their Quinta do Retiro Novo estate in Sarzedinho, in the Rio Torto valley (where vinification takes place), is all A grade vineyard. Indeed Krohn only work with grapes from A-graded vineyards across all of their ports, and their top wines are still trodden by foot. Since 2013 Krohn has been part of the Fladgate Partnership - alongside Taylor's, Fonseca and Croft.

Reviews

• Wine Enthusiast Magazine
  “Elegant and balanced, with a good acidity. Fresh and delicious, exactly as it should be a 10 year old.”

Specifications

A traditional sweet style produced from the Grasparossa grape - widely considered to be the highest quality of the Lambrusco varieties, with thicker skin and ripe tannins. It has lashings of vibrant cherry and berry fruit.

Tasting Notes

Dark ruby red in colour with intense aromas of plum and ripe black cherry. The palate is fresh and vibrant with pure crushed black fruits balanced by fresh acidity and a touch of sweetness. The finish is clean and bright with a nip of tannin.

Production

The Lambrusco Grasparossa grapes are sourced from sandy-clay vineyards in the Castelvetro region south of Modena. Made using the Charmat method, with its second fermentation in tank.

Producer

This new range of high quality Lambrusco is a partnership between the Soliera cooperative and Medici Ermete, one of the most influential producers in the renaissance of ‘proper’ Lambrusco. Cantina di Soliera, with 422 member growers and a 40 year tradition of Lambrusco production, is situated in the heart of the Lambrusco di Sorbara zone north of Modena and is the DOC’s largest producer. The alluvial soils here are ideal for the cultivation of the low yielding Sorbara variety, the mixture of sand and clay produces wines which balance elegance and structure and are regarded by many as the finest Lambrusco. Grapes for the Cantina di Soliera range come from 20 ha of selected ‘cru’ vineyards here and in the neighbouring Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC.

The Lambrusco family of grapes (there are many varieties, once numbered at 56) is thought to be one of the oldest in Italy and is predominantly found in Emilia-Romagna. Today the focus is on a handful of varieties, and Cantina di Soliera specialise in Lambrusco di Sorbara and Lambrusco Grasparossa, the most important of the 5 Lambrusco DOC’s in terms of quality. The former produces light, elegant, floral wines, while Grasparossa typically gives deeply coloured, weightier and more structured wines. Both make fantastic food wines – the delicate Sorbara with cold meats and seafood, the richer Grasparossa a perfect match for fatty sausages, charcuterie, tomato-based pasta dishes and cheeses.

Sustainability

Specifications

Light that fire! Curl up on the couch with a great book, series, friend or loved one, and a glass or three from this collection of Autumn Reds.

Each case contains one bottle of:

2022 Broken Record Shiraz (Australia). Broken Record captures Southeast Australia’s essential joy. Soft and juicy plummy fruit flavours are balanced by smooth, savoury tannins.  Enjoy with spicy red meat dishes like kofta or tagine, or grilled vegetables and halloumi. 

2022 Percheron Old Vine Cinsault (South Africa) From gnarly 40-year-old bush vines - an elegant national treasure from dry-grown coastal vineyards. Serve slightly chilled with Asian Duck dishes, pork belly, stir-fried beef and indeed carpaccio of tuna, beef or game.

2022 Showdown ‘Man with the Ax’ Cabernet Sauvignon (America)  The ‘Man with the Ax’ is the nickname for the King of Diamonds in Poker-parlance, and in California, Cabernet is undoubtedly ‘King’. Rich cassis fruit and a good lick of oak make this a plush, easy-drinking example of why it is so highly prized.'  Almost any red meat, especially served rare, is going to do the trick! 

2022 Melea Organic Tempranillo (Spain)The creation of Melea Organic wines was a labour of love, named after a rare species of bee! Simple Tapas dishes including olives, Manchego cheese and sundried tomatoes.

2021 Miopasse Nero d'Avola Appassimento (Italy)  The bouquet is very intense, with deep notes of dark cherries, damsons and blackcurrants. The palate is powerful, yet approachable, with silky smooth tannins, great depth of flavour and layers of complexity

2021 Adobe Reserva Malbec (Chile) Vibrant aromas of redcurrant and blackberries, elegantly combined with mild notes of white pepper.  Medium-bodied on the palate with silky ripe tannins and a long, broad finish. An elegant wine that is easy to drink.

Save £12 on this collection of delicious reds plus Free Delivery!

At the Western Cape’s Pinnacle Point, evidence remains in maritime caves of our earliest known ancestors - a primitive culture that combed the beaches and fished in the same rock-pools from whence they came. Our aim with Primordial Soup is to introduce South African wine in its most accessible form, red and white familial twins made up of multiple classical cultivars, named without variety. The design inspiration is from the illustration’s of Ernst Haeckel, German naturalist, who identified then drew some of the simplest forms of life on Earth. We then use these to relate to Darwinism and the subject of Creation and evolution as a whole. It’s the story of everything.

Tasting Notes 

A rich and bloody bouillabaisse of the Western Cape’s classical cultivars, packed with juicy life, red in tooth and claw. It has a nose of creamy summer pudding and a palate of crushed cherries with a cranberry tang and texture. It’s the Natural Selection.

Production

This cultured concoction is derived from the Western Cape’s classical cultivars, blended to represent nature’s selection and packed with juicy life. An artful mix of classic South African varieties chosen and blended by our winemaker Ryno Booysen.

Producer

Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.

Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw, Ryno Booysen and Pierre Louw drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.

Specifications

The Whole Shebang is a truly exciting wine. It’s a multi-vintage blend, which is aged in a solera system. 

Tasting Notes

It’s made from, predominantly, old-vine Zinfandel, but there is literally “the whole shebang” in here with white grapes, and other varietals, included to ensure the quality and balance of the wine is maintained. 

Lots of berry fruit intermixed with lavender, pepper and meaty black cherry and black currant flavours emerge from this satisfying, round, expansive, generous red.

Producer 

Press Reviews

"A Mediterranean blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Alicante Bouchet, Syrah and assorted mixed blacks fermented with native yeasts and aged in primarily neutral containers (15% in new French oak), it is a California version of a high-class Cotes du Rhone. Lots of berry fruit intermixed with lavender, pepper and meaty black cherry and black currant flavors emerge from this satisfying, round, expansive, generous red. An outstanding, killer value that should provide pleasure over the next 1-2 years. If there is a better value in California wine, I would like to know about it." - The Wine Advocate.

"This multi-vintage, multi-variety blend is made with an in-house solera system to produce consistency (and as such the cuvée will change every nine to 12 months). It is made with declassified fruit from the Bedrock vineyard. The blend is predominately Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Alicante Bouschet, Grenache, Syrah and Barbera, aged in French oak. Annual production is 8,000 cases. Really interesting nose! Well melded and fascinating. So much more interesting than the average Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh and ripe and beautiful. Long. VGV" - 17/20 jancisrobinson.com.

Specifications

0% Alcohol, Vegetarian/Vegan certified.

Made with grapes from a Puglian origin - this alcohol free wine is a juicy, plush alternative to the 'real thing'!

Tasting Notes 

This Primitivo is rich and ripe, with an abundance of dark berry fruit on the nose, and a plush, smooth texture on the well-balanced palate.

Production

Primitivo grapes are transported in small containers and softly destemmed, taking care to keep the skins intact. Temperature controlled fermentation around 22°C with frequent pumping over of the must achieves optimal extraction of colour, a fruity bouquet and soft tannins in the finished wine. Vacuum distillation at around 30°C to preserve primary aromas.

Specifications