NV Krohn Ruby Port, DOC Porto
Regular price £14.99 Sale price £13.19 Save 12%Rich and full Ruby Port, with a smooth, soft finish. Krohn's 'entry-level' is in a different category to most Ruby Ports - mature and versatile.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep red colour.
Nose
Fresh, plummy fruit aromas with a hint of spice.
Palate
The palate has plenty of lively cherry and curranty black fruit - rich and full with a soft finish
Production
Traditional grape varieties are sourced from Krohn's own vineyards, and supplemented by fruit from neighbouring farms working in partnership with Krohn. Here old vines are planted in schistous soils. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, which is interrupted by the addition of grape spirit to preserve a certain degree of natural sweetness. This wine is a blend of different grapes, vineyards and vintages. Maturation - aged for 2 to 3 years in large, old oak barrels.
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 an 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.
Sustainability
The Krohn estate - which is part of the Taylor Fladgate portfolio has long been committed to the ecological well-being of their vineyards and the Douro valley. To this aim they have developed a model for sustainable vineyard cultivation designed for the steep hillsides of the Douro, where 28,000ha of vineyard (62% of the vineyard area of the region) is planted on hillsides with a gradient over 30%. This involves the construction of narrow terraces inclined at 3º to the horizontal – to allow the perfect balance between rainwater run-off and its penetration of the soil. This avoids top soil erosion which is a key challenge in mountain viticulture.
These terraces each support just one row of vines, and alongside the vines a temporary carpet of selected plant species is sown. This flourishes between November and late spring, preventing invasive plants from taking hold, and eliminating the need for herbicides to control unwanted vegetation.
The cover crop dies back naturally with the onset of summer, when the vines are active. The terrace system leaves tracks between the single row of vines and the foot of the bank, allowing access for machinery to mow any unwanted vegetation into a natural mulch. The mulch reduces water loss and restores natural organic matter to the soil. The absence of herbicides means that vegetation can regenerate easily and naturally each year. They also work hard to ensure the correct selection of vine varieties and their distribution within the vineyard, so that varieties can thrive naturally in each location, developing their own unassisted natural resistance to drought, disease and vineyard pests.
Alongside this Sustainable viticulture model the estate produces renewable energy with photovoltaic panels and has robust energy, water and waste management policies.
This vineyard model earned the Partnership the prestigious BES Biodiversity prize in 2009 (recognising achievement in the fields of conservation and environmental sustainability).
Specifications
Year | NV |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa,Tinta Barroca |
Country | Portugal |
Alcohol content | 20% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 15 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Dietary Information |
Vegetarian, Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Serve after a meal as a digestif with hard cheeses, chestnuts, cashews and hazelnuts. Works as a perfect accompaniment to berries, summer pudding and chocolate too! |
Origin | Douro Valley |
Appellation | DOC Porto |
2023 Moscato d'Asti Luigi Tacchino DOCG
Regular price £13.99 Sale price £12.31 Save 12%The Moscato d’Asti is light and refreshing with well-balanced sweetness and acidity. Fresh citrus fruit characteristics accompany warm honeyed notes.
Tasting Notes
Light, lemony citrus flavour with a honeyed finish.
Production Method
Whole ripened bunches; the must is kept in steel tanks at a temperature of 0° C. After fermentation at a temperature of 16° C, it is microfiltered and bottled in order to maintain freshness and aromaticity.
Producer
For more than three generations the Tacchino family has produced superb fresh and vibrant wines in Castelletto d'Orba in Monferrato, Piedmont. This is perfect wine country as the hills provide a natural amphitheatre which protects the vineyards from the northerly winds.
Today brother and sister duo Alessio and Romina run the Tacchino estate, blending a respect for tradition with modern winemaking methods and rigorous attention to detail to produce a range of wines of outstanding elegance and purity. Tacchino's vines are spread over 25 hectares, about half of which benefit from a south/southeasterly aspect. Great care is taken to restrict yields. The Araldica winemaking team of Claudio Manera, Lella Burdese and Carlo Manera oversee all production.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Moscato Bianco |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content
|
5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 3.75 units |
Type | Fortified and Dessert |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
Organic, Vegan & Vegetarian approved
|
Food Matches | Perfect with Lemon Mousse. |
Origin | Castelletto d’Orba in Monferrato, Piedmont |
Appellation | DOCG Moscato D'Asti |
Lustau Manzanilla Pasada de Sanlúcar Almacenista Cuevas Jurado (500ml)
Regular price £28.49 Sale price £24.22 Save 15%This Manzanilla Pasada of Sanlúcar is aged for 7 years in a solera of 80 barrels and the butts used for this are over 80 years old!
Tasting Notes
Pale straw in color, this Pastured Chamomile is deliciously aromatic, with almond and aniseed hints and the characteristic nuance of the sea breeze. Dry, fresh and light, still with the essence and body of a Chamomile and with a refreshing acidity.
Producers
Accolades
- 2019 IWSC Silver Award Winner
Specifications
Year | Non Vintage |
Bottle Size | 500ml |
Cultivar | Palomino |
Country | Spain |
Alcohol content | 17% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 8.5 units |
Type | Fortified Wine - Dry Sherry |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Serve at 7 - 9ºC. Perfect as an aperitif, with tapas or as an accompaniment to seafood, oysters, white fish, smoked salmon and asparagus. |
Origin | Cadiz, Andalucia |
Appellation |
DO Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda |
Lustau Manzanilla Solera Familiar Papirusa Sherry N/V (375ml Half Bottle)
Regular price £11.00 Sale price £9.68 Save 12%A bone dry Manzanilla from the bodegas of the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda.
Light, delicate & very dry
Tasting Notes
Palate
Light and fresh, very tangy, clean and crisp with just a hint of saltiness.
Manzanilla Papirusa is part of the Solera Reserve range from Bodegas Lustau. These wines come from old soleras mostly founded or acquired from 1900 until the 1930s. It is produced for Lustau by Bodegas Cuevas Jurado, which also provides wines for Lustau’s Almacenista range. At the time of bottling it is said to be around 4,5 years old.
Production
After hand-harvesting the grapes into small plastic buckets the bunches are transferred to the winery for pressing. The resulting liquid is fermented at warm temperatures (around 25 degrees) for around 12 days to give a fairly neutral, dry base wine at around 11% alcohol. This base wine is then classified depending on the type of sherry being made. For Manzanilla, a more delicate base wine is required. This wine then enters the Papirusa solera, located in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barremeda, where it ages for around 4 years under a protective veil of 'flor' (dead yeast which prevents oxidisation) before being fined and bottled under screwcap to retain freshness.
Producers
Accolades
- 92 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"The non-vintage Light Manzanilla Papirusa Solera Reserva (with an average age of five years in this solera) possesses an extraordinary, penetrating nose of salty brined nuts intermixed with crisp fruit, terrific acidity and intense, powerful, authoritative flavors that are ethereal in their lightness." (08/12)
- IWSC 2017 Gold Medal Winner
Lustau has, over the years, won multiple medals and trophies, including 'Best Spanish Winery' and 'Best Sherry Producer' at the IWSC and the Len Evans Trophy for consistency (won in 2011 and 2016) at the IWC. Current cellar master Sergio Martínez took charge of the winery's oenological team in 2016, after more than 14 years' worth of experience with Lustau. Sergio has been awarded the 'Best Fortified Winemaker' trophy by the International Wine Challenge three years in a row, following in the footsteps of the late Manuel Lozano who had won this award seven times.
Specifications
Year | Non Vintage |
Bottle Size | 375ml |
Cultivar | Palomino |
Country | Spain |
Alcohol content | 15% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11.2 units |
Type | Fortified Wine - Dry Sherry |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
It is an ideal aperitif with tapas or as a wine with a meal, with seafood or fish. The Manzanilla 'Papirusa is best served chilled, in a copita or white wine glass. |
Origin | Cadiz, Andalucia |
Appellation | Jerez |
N/V Skillogalee Liqueur Muscat
Regular price £32.95 Sale price £28.01 Save 15%Tasting Notes
Colour
It is bright, red/amber in colour with a light young sweet raisin nose.
Palate
The palate shows nutty raisin apricot flavours, very full and sweet but not cloying. The finish is lingering – very smooth and liqueur-like!
Vinification
This fortified wine is made in the same way that tawny port is made. It is a blend of different vintages all made from fruit growing on Skillogalee vineyards. These separate wines are fermented and fortified and left to age in oak puncheons (500L). The current blend is made from 1992 and 1993 vintages predominantly, with a little older material to contribute some aged, rancio character and some younger wine to give freshness and lift.
Around 2000 litres are made each year depending on the vintage.
Winery
A family-owned and operated winery located in the heart of the Clare Valley in South Australia, Skillogalee is known for the exceptional quality of their red and white wines and is widely recognised as one of the region’s top estates. They also lead the way in responsible farming, having practised sustainable methodologies in the vineyard and the winery for many years. The original Skillogalee vineyards were planted in the early 1970’s on stony soils and steep, eastern-facing slopes at almost 500 metres above sea level.
The first wines were released in 1976 and quickly gained acclaim: the 1978 Dry Riesling won major trophies at the Adelaide Wine Show and the National Wine Show, putting Skillogalee firmly on the Australian winemaking map. Aware of the exceptional quality of the vineyards and their potential to produce world-class wines, current owners David and Diana Palmer acquired the property in 1989. In 2002 they purchased next-door neighbour Waninga Vineyards, with 30 hectares of 30-year-old vines, bringing the size of the estate to 60 hectares.
While production increased, the Palmers have taken great care to maintain the quality and characteristic style of the wines. Deciding to avoid the bureaucracy of organic or biodynamic certification does not stop a producer from holding soil health and sustainability as a top priority, and this is the case at Skillogalee. Every effort is taken to ensure the best quality grapes are harvested each year, the vines are hand-pruned, and the fruit is mainly hand-picked, with yields kept extremely low. All wines are produced exclusively from estate-owned vineyards.
Specifications
Year | N/V |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Muscat |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content | 18.6% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 13.95 units |
Type | Fortified and Dessert |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Origin | Clare Valley |
Appellation | South Australia |
2016 Il Cascinone Palazzina Moscato d’Asti Vendemmia Tardiva (375ml Half Bottle)
Regular price £9.99 Sale price £8.79 Save 12%We can't recommend this enough. A beautifully balanced dessert wine, lovingly crafted, and an absolute steal!
Tasting Notes
Nose
A nose of intense lemon curd, marmalade, and orange peel with fragrant honeysuckle notes.
Palate
The palate has lots of ripe apricot and acacia honey characters with honeyed sweetness, well-balanced by a fresh citrus zest bite on the lingering finish.
Production Method
Palazzina vineyard is on the Il Cascinone estate. Vine yield is 3000 liters per hectare. The fruit is hand-harvested in the second half of October (about one month later than the usual Moscato harvest). The grapes are dried on 'graticci' - a traditional Italian rush mat. During this time 40% of the fruit's weight is lost by water evaporation. In mid-December, the whole bunches are pressed and then a slow fermentation is undertaken in oak barrels for 2 months followed by 12 months ageing prior to bottling.
Producer
Il Cascinone was acquired by leading Piemonte producer Araldica in 1999 - an exceptional estate in the Monferrato hills which has undergone extensive restoration and replanting. Now around 70ha of the total 102ha are in full production, with the warmer, southwest-facing slopes used to grow Barbera, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - whilst the northeast slopes are ideal for more aromatic varieties Brachetto and Moscato, along with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
The 'Il Cascinone' range (and part of the Alasia range) is produced with grapes sourced from Araldica’s most prized vineyards, both on the estate itself and from other selected sites. This includes the further d'Annona vineyard in the village of Fontanile - purchased by Claudio Manera in 1998. This south-west facing vineyard is a source of premium quality Barbera, from vines over 60 years old. Grapes from d'Annona are brought to Il Cascinone for vinification.
All harvesting at Il Cascinone and d'Annona is by hand. The Araldica winemaking team of Claudio Manera, Lella Burdese and Carlo Manera oversee all production.
Awards
- Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2016 (2013 vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2016 |
Bottle Size | 375ml (Half Bottle) |
Cultivar | 100% Moscato Bianco |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 5.25 units |
Type | Fortified and Dessert |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable |
Food Matches | Delicious with mature cheese or desserts. |
Origin | Piemonte, Italy |
Appellation | DOCG Moscato D'Asti |
2017 Vistamar Late Harvest Moscatel (375ml Half Bottle)
Regular price £6.15 Sale price £5.75 Save 7%The modern era has brought us to a point where we live in an over-stimulated, demanding, success-oriented whirlwind, with no time to enjoy the everyday pleasures of life. That is why Vistmar wines were created, wines that offer a new approach to life, a new mood, an attitude that will lead you to venture out and enjoy the simple things that surround us every day.
Tasting Notes
Colour
A straw-yellow wine with golden highlights
Nose
It has great aromatic intensity, with hints of white flowers, white peaches, apricots and quinces.
Palate
In the mouth, it is silky, juicy and fresh. Its flavour is reminiscent of recently picked grapes, blended with figs and dried peaches. It has a long, pleasant and persistent finish, excellently balanced by its natural acidity.
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 375ml |
Cultivar | 100% Moscatel Rosada |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content | 12% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 4.5 units |
Type | Dessert White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian |
Food Matches |
Roquefort cheese, pâté de foie gras, tarts, cheesecake and desserts |
Origin | Limari |
2016 Krohn LBV Port
Regular price £17.99 Sale price £15.83 Save 12%Late Bottled Vintage Ports are an increasingly popular style, and this, unfiltered, wine from Krohn is no exception. LBVs are produced from just a single year's crop (but not every year), and with the vintage specified on the bottle, each LBV will express the particular characteristics of that vintage.
Colheita Ports are Tawny Ports from a single year and specify the vintage on the bottle. A Tawny Port matures for many years in small (600 litre) casks, becoming more complex and taking on a broad, silky mouthfeel and brick-red colour through slight oxidation. They typically age for a minimum of 7 years, but often longer. For the first 10-15 years, the casks are racked every year, but this becomes less frequent as they age and throw less sediment. As maturation happens in this way, in barrel rather than in bottle, decanting is not normally required. They are bottled to order and will stay fresh in the bottle for several weeks after opening. Krohn is particularly renowned for the quality of its Colheita Ports.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep ruby colour
Nose
Spicy black fruit aromas
Palate
The palate has vibrant plum and blackberry characters layered with more spice, fresh acidity and firm tannins. A full and rich style with impressive length.
Production
Traditional Port grapes are sourced from Krohn's Quinta do Retiro Novo estate, and from long-standing relationships with neighbouring growers. After fermentation the wine is aged in barrel for 4-6 years before bottling. Krohn's LBV Ports are neither fined nor filtered and may thus throw a sediment. We recommend to decant them before serving.
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.
Accolades
- 2013 Vintage - Sommelier Wine Awards 2020 Bronze Medal
Alan's Personal Notes
"Delicious! The perfect way to end a meal. Rich fruit, wee bit of nutmeg and spice, a wee bit sweet and only 20% alc - just half of a whisky, rum or licquer - what’s not to like? Fire on, the dog relaxed at the fire - all I’m missing is a wee cigar for ultimate pleasure." Jan 2022
Specifications
Year | 2016 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa,Tinta Barroca |
Country | Portugal |
Alcohol content | 20% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 15 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Dietary Information |
Vegetarian, Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Perfect with blue cheeses, a decent mature cheddar or a slab of dark chocolate. |
Origin | Douro Valley |
Appellation | DOC Porto |
2020 Classique Sauternes Ginestet (500ml)
Regular price £16.99 Sale price £14.95 Save 12%The classic dessert wine - elegant, fresh and very moreish.
Tasting Notes
A classic botrytis nose; rich in honey and sweet floral tones with hints of citrus marmalade. The palate is rich and smooth with similar sweet floral and honeyed apricot flavours but with a faintly citrus note in the finish which makes it very moreish.
Production
Grapes are sourced from vineyards within the Graves district of Bordeaux. Botrytis (noble rot) is allowed to affect the grapes, concentrating their sweetness and flavour. The grapes are hand-picked late in the vintage and, on average, it takes 3 passes through the vineyard to ensure that the maximum quantity of grapes has been beneficially affected by botrytis. The grapes are treated very carefully during pressing so as not to damage them and to maintain their delicate characteristics.
Producer
For over a decade Boutinot has been in partnership with leading Bordeaux négociant Ginestet, to offer high-quality wines from a selection of châteaux in key appellations as well as consistently fine, benchmark Bordeaux wines.
Sustainability
As both a négociant and a producer of its own wines, Maison Ginestet has long been convinced of the need to work the land in a viable manner and it places substantial emphasis on partnerships with sustainable agriculture-accredited winegrowing estates. Some growers are fully organic, and Ginestet is certified to bottle wines made from organically grown grapes.
In 2006, Maison Ginestet set up an international wine school at its Carignan-de-Bordeaux site. Through the Ginestet Wine Academy, Maison Ginestet shares with its commercial partners the expertise it has gained over more than a century of producing and marketing Bordeaux wines.
Awards
- Silver at the 2017 International Wine Challenge - 2016 Vintage
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 500ml |
Cultivar | 75% Semillon, 20% Sauvignon, 5% Muscadelle |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | Dessert Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable farming |
Food Matches | The ultimate dessert wine - serve chilled with a host of fruit or cream based desserts. Try also with blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Stilton. Or serve it as the French also do, as an apéritif, or with pâté based canapes. |
Origin | Bordeaux, France |
2019 Domaine de Grange Neuve Monbazillac (500ml)
Regular price £11.99 Sale price £10.55 Save 12%Utterly luscious - fine, balanced and exceptional value
Tasting Notes
A fabulous dessert wine, sweet and luscious with a great backbone of fine acidity for a clean finish. The nose is fresh with classic botrytis marmalade and ripe nectarine. Flavours on the palate are richer: honey with a finishing twist of bitter orange.
Production
Vineyards are based in the heart of Perigord, near Bergerac along the valley of the Dordogne river. Here, on the river slopes, there is a particular micro-climate which favours the development of the botrytis necessary to make this style of sweet wine. Vines average 25 years of age. Grapes are hand harvested at a very late stage of maturity, in three successive 'triage', to ensure that only the most mature grapes are picked. Grapes are harvested in October and November. Grapes are gently put into a pneumatic press and the juice is transferred to temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine is matured for 24 months.
Producer
Located in Pomport near Bergerac, in the heart of Périgord, Domaine de Grange Neuve belongs to the Pichon and Castaing families, and it has grown from being a small farm with just 4 hectares of vines in 1898 to a vineyard of 70 hectares today. Dedicated to making wine that respects tradition while not neglecting technological advances, both in the cultivation of vines and in winemaking techniques, today the property is still run by three generations of the same family. The vineyard consists of approximately 26 hectares of red grape vines (Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon), and 44 hectares of white (Sémillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc), the average age of which is 25 years.
Sustainability
Domaine de Grange Neuve is constantly working to implement practices that preserve the environment and have a positive impact on climate change, and sustainable development is one of their major concerns. The estate has been certified HVE Level 3 since 2012, regarding this course of action to be wider reaching and of greater impact than “mere” organic practices as it evaluates their impact upon a broader range of environmental issues.
Grange Neuve goes much further than required by the HVE certification, having its own biological water treatment facility, a machinery hangar with a roof covered in solar panels to generate its own clean electricity and a comprehensive waste management strategy - it is a member of the Adelphe programme, it uses eco-packaging and recycles as much of its waste packaging as possible, it uses a minimum amount of consumables, and it uses eco-friendly cleaning products.
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 500ml |
Cultivar | 80% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Muscadelle |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 12.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 6.25units |
Type | Dessert Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable farming |
Food Matches | The French would serve this as an apéritif but it is also good with paté or blue cheeses such as Roquefort. |
Origin | South West France |
Appellation | Monbazillac AOC |