A rich, savoury satisfying mouthful!

Since the elevation of Cairanne to a southern Rhône cru, 'La Côte Sauvage' continues to be characterised by its finesse and finely-grained texture, due in part to the famous ‘argilo-calcaire’ of our hilltop vineyards such as La Pauline and Les Six Terrasses, slow winemaking methods and gentle maturation in different sized barrels of old French oak.

Tasting Notes

A serious, restrained and complex example of cru Cairanne. This is rich, intense and drenched in dark red fruits. With morello cherry and a touch of cinnamon spice on the nose, soft dark plummy fruit, liquorice, chocolate, a hint of black tea on the palate, this wine is full-flavoured and smooth with supple tannins. 

Method of Production

The cru of Cairanne lies in the heart of the Southern Rhône valley, northeast of Orange. For this La Côte Sauvage, fully ripe Grenache and Syrah grapes are hand-picked from old bush vines on selected hillside slopes within Cairanne. The vineyards have the classic argilo-calcaire soil of limestone pebbles over clay and the vines are harvested by hand. Vinified traditionally with only the natural yeasts present on the grapes, followed by a long cuvaison period with gentle remontage and manual pigeage. A blend of four varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre) matured for 22 months in French old oak barrels and demi-muids to develop great concentration, complexity and finesse in the wine.

Specifications

Campo de Borja is considered the 'Empire of Garnacha' - the most prevalent grape in the region, which just thrives here. Borsao have years of experience crafting ripe and appealing wines, such as this, from the variety.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright plum and berry fruit aromas

Palate

The palate is rich and welcoming with ripe cassis and bramble characters and soft, approachable tannins on the finish.

Production

Garnacha grown on alluvial soils in the foothills of the Moncayo mountain. Grapes are typically harvested in the first two weeks of October. Temperature controlled fermentation takes place in stainless steel at 22ºC - 25ºC, with a 15 day maceration period.

Producers

The winery was established as a co-operative in 1959. In 2001 it joined with two other progressive, co-operative, cellars in the Campo de Borja region to become the Bodegas Borsao that we know today.

Grapes are sourced from over 375 member growers covering 2,400 hectares - nearly a third of the region's total. Vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo mountain, ranging from around 350m to 800m above sea level. At lower altitudes, vines are younger and may require some irrigation, but higher up the slopes the vines are older, unirrigated bush vines.

The climate is rather severe and arid, with hot dry days, and cool nights - which allow optimum acidity levels to be maintained within the grapes. Garnacha thrives in these conditions and represents 65% of total production. The Cierzo wind from the Moncayo sweeps across the foothills of the mountain. This cold, dry wind reduces humidity levels and allows grapes to be picked a couple of weeks later in the harvest, at full maturity.

Borsao has access to a large number of vineyard plots at different altitudes, and hence to a wide selection of fantastic quality grapes. They are recognised for their entry-level varietals - as outstanding examples of easy-to-drink inexpensive wines - as they are for their premium wines, in particular the iconic, multi award-winning Tres Picos.

Sustainability

With 2,400 hectares of vineyards, Bodegas Borsao is a substantially sized operation in a warm, dry region and as a result the availability and usage of water is a major issue. Much of its vineyard area is planted with Garnacha which traditionally has been bush trained. Until recently, newer plantings were wire trained for easier harvesting, but because of the greater exposure to sunlight of this training method the vines can require up to 50% more water. As a result, all new plantings have reverted to the traditional style of bush training to preserve water.

Inter-row plantings are used to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil and protect it from erosion; they contribute to a better soil structure, increasing its organic, nutrient and nitrogen content; they improve biodiversity in the vineyard since organic matter is a food source for several macro- and micro-organisms; they often increase the population of earthworms which are good indicators of soil fertility; they improve fauna above the soil, providing habitat and food for beneficial insects; they regulate vine growth, helping to control the yield and quality of grapes and wine; and they reduce the vegetative vigour of vines and thus their susceptibility to grey mould and downy mildew. These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

The new cellar is well insulated to reduce the need for cooling systems and to minimise energy consumption; all the chambers are equipped with automatic LED lighting; all of the bottling lines have been designed to reduce noise and to minimise the need to move dry goods and floor stock items; all hot water installations are solar powered; the greater part of the electricity used for illumination is produced by solar panels; and every single drop of rain water from the vast roof is collected and recycled. Planned new offices will also be equipped with solar panels and other energy saving mechanisms.

Awards

• Silver - IWC 2020 (2019 vintage)
• Silver -  Sommelier Wine Awards 2018 (2017 vintage)

Specifications

A perfect pale pink that screams Provence!

Tasting Notes

This is a perfect, pale, raspberry-pink wine that is very drinkable. Delicate aromas are followed by lovely sweet fruit from Grenache grapes. Clean and well balanced with good depth.

Production Method

The Domaine's vineyards are situated in the best area of the AC Côtes de Provence with a very particular micro-climate and sandstone clay soils. A classic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, the grapes are picked by hand. This is a rosé de presse produced in an ultra-modern gravity-fed winery.

Producer

Domaine de la Vieille Tour is a 22-hectare estate in the Côtes de Provence, situated between Pierrefeu and Cuers and not far from Château Gairoird. The Domaine's vineyards benefit from lying in a slight geographical depression which has a particular microclimate, encouraging the long and even ripening of the grapes. Grapes for the rosé, Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, are cultivated on sandstone clay soils and harvested by hand, before being transported to a very modern, gravity-fed winery.

A Note on Sustainability

As a négociant, Gilardi is very keen to minimize its own environmental impact and to work with sustainably-minded growers. For example, on its bottling line, Gilardi has switched from a traditional sediment filtration system to a more efficient cross-flow filtration system and chooses eco-friendly dry goods such as Normacorc’s carbon neutral "Select Green" corks which are made from plant-based polymers from renewable resources and which are recyclable. Gilardi is expanding its collaboration with HVE Level 3 certified winemakers and currently, two of the wines it offers are organic.

Specifications

All you want from a proper Côtes du Rhône.

Tasting Notes

With attractive, bramble fruit and floral aromas, the palate is up-front and fresh with warm spice and real depth. This is a classic southern Rhône red; ripe and characterful with smooth supple tannins. Soft and Southern.

Production Method

We source La Chapelle de Marin from three parcels - La Combe d’Antide, Les Sablières and La Beraude – owned by Patrice, a Cairanne neighbour of Domaine Boutinot Rhône. His 40ha of vines, like ours in Cairanne, see plenty of sunshine throughout the year and benefit from both the Mistral wind – which keeps things cooler and disease-free – and higher than average rainfall. Soils are poor with a high limestone content and sandy soils on lower slopes, hence the name of the lower parcel ‘Les Sablières’.The three parcels comprise of 4ha of Grenache Noir, 2ha of Syrah and 1ha of Carignan, 7ha in all. Here vieilles vignes (old vines) are between 60 and 70 years old and, in their old age, are achieving low but concentrated yields of 45hl/ha. Handpicked bunches are carefully destemmed and vinified using traditional ‘minimal intervention’ techniques. This wine is made without the use of oak to retain the pure fresh fruit character.

Producer

Like all good stories, Boutinot France's is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. After 10 years, the business had grown and Samantha Bailey packed her bags to set up an office in Burgundy. Today, Boutinot 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-Véran. Drawing on the expertise of our 4 winemakers and network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality to price ratio possible at every price point.

Specifications

Bright and fruity Spanish red with - the eyecatching label design and 'El Ninot de Paper' name are inspired by the 'paper dolls' of the Las Falles de Valencia festival.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of ripe black fruits with a hint of spice. 

Palate

The palate is bright and juicy - blackberries and plums are balanced by soft tannins, juicy acidity, and a touch of pepper.

Awards

• Bronze at the 2020 Sommelier Wine Awards for the 2018 Vintage

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"This is a bit of a revelation. Loadsa ripe, juicy black fruits with more a touch of herbs than spice I think? Really soft tannins and a touch more serious than I expected. Overall a real pleasant surprise. Medium-bodied, soft, juicy & fruity, and would be really versatile with food although it drinks really easily on its own. Value but also decent quality for a crowd pleasing easy-drinking style." June 2022

Specifications

"Possibly the single greatest dry red wine value in the world, this is an unbelievable wine … any wine retailer worth his weight should be stockpiling this wine next to the cash register ...I don’t understand how anyone can make wines this good to sell at this price… 90 points.” Robert Parker, the Wine Advocate #203.

Tasting Notes 

Nose

Rich, plum and red berry fruit with a touch of spice on the nose.

Palate

Balanced yet concentrated red fruit mingles with darker spice and chocolate characters to give weight and layers to the palate. Plump ripe tannins add grip to this classic style of Garnacha.

Production

From selected 15 to 30-year-old vines grown in low yielding hillside vineyards around 600m above sea level. Soils are stony with some sand. The Tempranillo and Syrah grapes are trellised, but Garnacha is bush vine. Harvest usually takes place in the first two weeks of October. Varieties are vinified separately (22-24º C) in stainless steel with 10-15 days maceration.

History

The winery was established as a co-operative in 1959. In 2001 it joined with two other progressive, co-operative, cellars in the Campo de Borja region to become the Bodegas Borsao that we know today.

Grapes are sourced from over 375 member growers covering 2,400 hectares - nearly a third of the region's total. Vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo mountain, ranging from around 350m to 800m above sea level. At lower altitudes vines are younger and may require some irrigation, but higher up the slopes the vines are older, unirrigated bush vines.

The climate is rather severe and arid, with hot dry days, and cool nights - which allow optimium acidity levels to be maintained within the grapes. Garnacha thrives in these conditions and represents 65% of total production. The Cierzo wind from the Moncayo sweeps across the foothills of the mountain. This cold, dry wind reduces humidity levels and allows grapes to be picked a couple of weeks later in the harvest, at full maturity.

Borsao has access to a large number of vineyard plots at different altitudes, and hence to a wide selection of fantastic quality grapes. They are recognised for their entry-level varietals - as outstanding examples of easy-to-drink inexpensive wines - as they are for their premium wines, in particular the iconic, multi-award-winning Tres Picos.

Sustainability

With 2,400 hectares of vineyards, Bodegas Borsao is a substantially sized operation in a warm, dry region and as a result the availability and usage of water is a major issue. All new plantings have reverted to the traditional style of bush training to preserve water. Inter-row plantings are used to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil and protect it from erosion. These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

Awards

• 2019 Vintage - Silver at the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards
• 2016 Vintage - Silver at the 2017 Sommelier Wine Awards

Specifications

Proper, traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Tasting Notes

Nose

This is a traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with ripe black fruit aromas balanced by lightly herbal, oaky notes.

Palate

The palate is generous with dark plum and blackberry characters, and plump textured tannins balancing the significant 15% alcohol, which is expertly managed and integrated.

Production Method

The soils of the vineyard are made up of clay and chalk covered with a layer of the classic large peebles ('galets') found in this area, which naturally keep yields low. The vines are over 60 years old and situated near the plateau de Carbières (close to Château Montredon). Harvesting is by hand, with selective sorting of the grapes. The grapes undergo a traditional long 'cuvaison' at quite high temperature and with extended maceration on the skins, 21-24 days to extract plenty of colour, fruit and tannins. This is followed by ageing for between 14-18 months in 'foudres' (large oak barrels), 70% vats, 30% Burgundian pieces and casks.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the Domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

A note on Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

Specifications

Each vintage, from our base in Cairanne, we are able to select exceptional Grenache and Syrah from the best Côtes du Rhône Villages to make Les Coteaux, which we then enrich with classified wine from Séguret and Sablet.

Tasting Notes

Immediately impressive, this wine reveals its class from the start. Brambly fruit underpinned by subtle oaky nuances, lovely sweet spice - warm star anise with a touch of cinnamon. This classic Côtes du Rhône Villages is enriched with specially-selected parcels from Séguret and Sablet.

Production Method

Common practice in the Côtes du Rhône is to bottle the best cuvées as a single, named, village wine and the rest as more basic Côtes du Rhône Villages. Boutinot’s philosophy, on the other hand, is to start with the intention of making the very best Côtes du Rhône Villages possible by sourcing wine from the vineyards of named villages, and enriching them with a small proportion of barrel-aged wine from Sablet and Séguret.

Boutinot's Côtes du Rhône Villages 'Les Coteaux' is therefore a selection of the best Grenache Noir and Syrah from some of the 17 named Côtes du Rhône Villages. We source wine from a number of growers with exceptional terroir and so have the flexibility to select only the very best fruit each vintage (rejecting parcels which do not meet our high standards). Mostly unoaked, a small proportion (15%) is part-aged for up to 20 months in a few new, but mostly older, oak barrels to bring depth and subtle notes of complexity.

Producer

Boutinot’s love affair with the Southern Rhône spans thirty years of making wine in the region. In 2010, the relationship was sealed with the purchase of a winery and vineyards above the village of Cairanne. Domaine Boutinot’s seven vineyards are planted with classic southern Rhône grape varieties – old vine Grenache Noir and Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan Noir – and they all sit within the Cairanne Cru boundaries, sanctioned in 2016 when Cairanne was granted its own appellation status.

Working with our vigneron neighbours we are helping to revive traditional grape varieties such as Cinsault and Counoise, and in the cellar we prefer time-honoured winemaking methods such as a long cuvasion aided only by natural yeasts, gentle remontage, manual pigeage and patient maturation in a nursery of French oak barrels.

Awards

• A Bronze Medal in the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards (2020 Vintage)

Specifications

Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a modern way. 

Tasting Notes

Colour

Vibrant purple with bright red hues.

Nose

Wild cherries with a hint of blueberry and rose petal.

Palate

Upfront red berry fruit, midpalate richness and brightness from the Grenache. Finishes fresh and long.

Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a modern way. The Shiraz brings backbone, flesh and body to the wine with the Grenache adding a soft, vibrant juiciness. 

Vineyards

Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age 50—80 year old Shiraz and 50—100 year old Grenache. Yield 3.5 tonnes per hectare.

Vintage Conditions

A wet winter and spring coupled with cooler than average spring temperatures resulted in slower yet balanced canopy development and healthy flowering and fruit set. A mild summer with regular rainfall events followed allowing the fruit to be in no rush to mature, perfect for consistent ripening. Harvest commenced a few weeks later than recent years. The 2017 wines are of excellent quality exhibiting purity and lift with firm tannins and exceptional length.

Vinification

Old vine Barossa Grenache has a liveliness and structure that does not benefit from oak maturation—oak contact was thus minimised for the Grenache component to preserve the purity and animation of the fruit. The Shiraz was matured for 16 months in 2—3 year old oak hogshead barrels (80% French / 20% American).

About Glaetzer

This family-owned boutique winery was founded in 1995 and dedicates itself to the production of super-premium, sitespecific red wine made in small volumes. Originally from Germany, the Glaetzer family settled in Australia in the late 19th century and were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Today the winery is run by internationally acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer, who is responsible for driving the brand’s considerable loyal following. Ben sources all their fruit from the northern sub-region of the Barossa, Ebenezer, which is known for its ancient dry-grown vineyards. Glaetzer’s most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year-old, nongrafted bush vines. In the cellar, Ben believes in minimal intervention and treating musts as gently as possible.

Though only limited Glaetzer wines are produced every year, the winery is known for producing wines that are unique and intense. 

2018 Wallace from Glaetzer Wines on Vimeo.

Specifications

Head Winemaker Felipe Tosso joined Vina Ventisquero in 2000. After seriously considering alternate careers as a tennis pro and classical guitarist, he elected to enter the wine business, describing it as “one of my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”

Tasting Notes

Colour

An intense red colour with violet hues.

Nose

Notes of fresh red fruits, such as raspberries and cassis, are very noticeable on the nose. It also has some earthy notes and a hint of black pepper.

Palate

This medium-bodied wine is highly expressive and very refreshing because of its high acidity, with lots of fruit, such as cherries. It has smooth tannins and is long in the finish.  This wine reflects its origins and, being a blend of three varieties, it is a complex wine. It has red fruit from the Garnacha, structure from the Cariñena and some animal notes from the Mataro. Unfiltered and unfined.

Vinification

First the clusters of grapes were selected and 50% of them were crushed. Next, the grapes were put into small open 400-kilo containers, where they underwent a pre-fermentative maceration for 3 to 5 days. en they were fermented gently and slowly, at a low temperature of between 22°C and 26°C (72°F and 79°F), with 2-3 pump-overs each day. Next came a post-fermentative maceration for one to two weeks to ensure balanced tannins. 100% of this wine is aged in 2,500-litre foudres for approximately 1 year

Winemaker

Tosso’s winemaking travels have taken him to Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, back to Concha Y Toro in Chile and then finally to Vina Ventisquero. In 2003, Felipe began a close collaboration with John Duval (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership that continues to this day.

Specifications

Top white Châteauneuf worthy of the name.

Tasting Notes

A stylish white with inviting warm, spicey aromas. The full-flavoured palate suggests poached pears and white peaches and a long, lifted finish.

Production Method

The domaine is located in the heart of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir with the typical stony soil of “galets roulés” (rolled pebbles). A large part of the vineyard is located on the famous plateau de Cabrières, close to Château Montredon. Grapes for the white are from a 5 hectare vineyard in Travaillon. The soils of the vineyard are made up of clay and chalk covered with a layer of the pebbles, which naturally keeps yields low. Vines are 40 years old, the pruning method is Cordon Royat and harvesting is all by hand. Alexandre produces 5 times more white wine than the other producers in Châteauneuf. Manual grape harvest with selective sorting. Fermentation at low temperature (66°F) 21 days in stainless-steel vats. Lees aging for up to 6 months. No malo-lactic fermentation in order to maintain a good acidity level. The wine is bottled early to keep as much freshness and aromas as possible. Approximately 20% of each grape variety (Clairette, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc) was used.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

A note on Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

Specifications

A distinctive, intense and organic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, rich and concentrated yet with lovely balance and great elegance.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Made from organically-grown grapes, this very deeply-coloured red offers aromas of dried fruit and dark roast coffee on the nose. 

Palate

Typically bright and fresh despite its full body and intense colour, the palate shows ripe berry fruit, subtle savoury spice, and bright, upright tannins. Both savoury and fruity, with a very long finish.

Production

Château Maucoil’s vineyards are located in the northwest of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape area (on the left bank of the River Rhône) on the appellation’s four soil types: pebbles, clay-sandstone, Urgonian limestone and, more unusually, sand. Unlike the famous pebbles of the area, sand doesn’t retain and transfer heat during the night, resulting in slower ripening and more finesse. The youngest vines average 40 years old, so roots run deep to sustain the vines during the hot summer months.

For the Tradition Rouge, four main grape varieties are selected solely from sandy soils - Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Yields are around 25 hl/ha and harvesting is carried out by hand, with the grapes individually sorted by variety and by parcel before vinification in concrete tanks. After around 30 days in vat, with pumping over, rack-and return and punching down, the wine is matured separately for different lengths of time, in tanks and in 2-3-year-old barrels. The wine is then blended and bottled.

Producer

Château Maucoil (pronounced “moh-kwahl”) in Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a longer history than most estates we represent. It served as a base for Roman legions who were attracted by the spring that runs through the property and by the proximity of the Via Agrippa; it was the home of Joseph de la Pise, archivist to the Dutch royal family; and from the 17th century onwards it was owned by a succession of winegrowing families. The Arnaud family, who already owned vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, decided to purchase the estate in 1995 and devoted a great deal of energy and passion to Château Maucoil.

The estate's old vines (the youngest are merely 40 years old; the oldest date back to 1895!) grow on the appellation’s four soil types: pebbles, clay-sandstone, Urgonian limestone and, more unusually, sand. Unlike vineyards littered with the famous pebbles of the area, the fine, sandy soil doesn’t retain and transfer heat during the night, resulting in slower ripening and giving wines with more finesse.

Bénédicte, the Arnauds’ youngest daughter, and her husband, Charles Bonnet, took up the torch in 2009, with a strong desire to secure the future of the estate and to manage it in an environmentally responsible manner. They began the process of converting to organic viticulture in 2011, becoming fully certified in 2014. Along the way, in 2013, they partnered with Frédéric and Benoît Lavau and the four now run the estate together.

Maucoil is one of the few Châteauneuf-du-Pape estates that has conserved all thirteen of this famous appellation's original grape varieties, and grapes must pass through three rigourous stages of manual sorting before being deemed of high enough quality to be made into wine.

Specifications

Cicada takes its name from the famed ‘singing cicadas’ of Provence and the wine too sings of the warm vineyards of the south.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Easy-drinking, unoaked and a classic french-style table wine. Citrus and pear aromas on the nose.

Palate

Citrus flesh and nice weight on the palate, quite a ripe, round finish.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

Production

An unusual blend of Viognier (30%), Picpoul Blanc (30%) and Grenache Blanc (40%). Sourced from clay limestone soils in Richerenes in the Vaucluse for the Grenache Blanc and Picpoul, with the Viognier sourced in the Northern Rhône (so the wine is classified as Vin de France). Vinified in stainless steel, with a short maceration of one week. Alex Favier then puts the final blend together.

Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

Alan's Tasting Notes

'This is a beautiful find.  Loaded with aromas and flavours.  Fresh, unoaked but unctous fresh fruit with a persistent and compelling palate.  A great value alternative to more expensive Chateauneuf Blanc or Condrieu.'

A Southern Rhone styled red - juicy & bursting with flavour that finishes with a very moreish, lingering aftertaste.

Tasting Notes 

Nose

Cherry, raspberry, perfumed fruit notes with subtle pepper and spice on the nose.

Palate 

The elegant palate reveals dark choc and supple, cedary notes, underpinned by vanilla oak flavours. Incredibly soft on palate entry. 

History

The Megan is a tribute to Megan Mackenzie, wife of Ken "Stork" Mackenzie whose family still owns Hartenberg Wine Estate. Megan met Ken whilst still at school and once time passed, they got married and so started a twenty-four year love story. Initially assisting in the family business, but also a celebrated harpist, Megan sowed the early seeds for the decision to later buy Hartenberg Wine Estate, whilst on their honeymoon vacation to the Cape in 1952. Megan sadly passed away in the prime of her life and Ken never remarried. 

The Estate

On the slopes of Bottelary Hills bordering Stellenbosch, is a family estate where nature provides the perfect backdrop to grow, produce and share award-winning wines. Summer at Hartenberg brings picnics on the lawns followed by buoyant games of boule. Winter invites you to intimate fireside lunches and sumptuous reds, smoky charcuterie and olives, and sensorial cellar tours. Our Wetland Conservation Area, alongside the vineyards, makes for a beautiful setting for walks and shared family fun.

Grapes for Borsao's Selección range are sourced from the higher vineyard slopes of the Moncayo mountains, where soils have more sand and the grapes have greater complexity.

Tasting Notes 

Nose

A delightfully pale Garnacha rosé with intense aromas of bright red fruits, raspberries and strawberries.

Palate

The palate has ripe red berry and cherry fruit characters, balancing acidity, and an appealing red fruit finish.

Production

Selected Garnacha grapes from 15-30 year old bush vines grown on stony, sandy soils, around 450 metres above sea level. 6-8 hours cold maceration on skins followed by gentle pressing. The free run juice undergoes long, cool fermentation of between 14º-18º C in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature.

History

The winery was established as a co-operative in 1959. In 2001 it joined with two other progressive, co-operative, cellars in the Campo de Borja region to become the Bodegas Borsao that we know today.

Grapes are sourced from over 375 member growers covering 2,400 hectares - nearly a third of the region's total. Vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo mountain, ranging from around 350m to 800m above sea level. At lower altitudes vines are younger and may require some irrigation, but higher up the slopes the vines are older, unirrigated bush vines.

The climate is rather severe and arid, with hot dry days, and cool nights - which allow optimium acidity levels to be maintained within the grapes. Garnacha thrives in these conditions and represents 65% of total production. The Cierzo wind from the Moncayo sweeps across the foothills of the mountain. This cold, dry wind reduces humidity levels and allows grapes to be picked a couple of weeks later in the harvest, at full maturity.

Borsao has access to a large number of vineyard plots at different altitudes, and hence to a wide selection of fantastic quality grapes. They are recognised for their entry-level varietals - as outstanding examples of easy-to-drink inexpensive wines - as they are for their premium wines, in particular the iconic, multi-award-winning Tres Picos.

Sustainability

With 2,400 hectares of vineyards, Bodegas Borsao is a substantially sized operation in a warm, dry region and as a result the availability and usage of water is a major issue. All new plantings have reverted to the traditional style of bush training to preserve water. Inter-row plantings are used to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil and protect it from erosion. These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

Alan's Personal Notes

"Simple pleasures! Lots of summer fruits, some balanced acidity and only natural sugars. Refreshing and classy not sweet and pimped - a proper rosé! One of our most favourite Spring/Summer Rosés!"

Specifications

Traditional southern French varieties of Grenache and Cinsault are expertly blended to show the character and finesse in this great house rosé.

Tasting Notes

This luscious and textural blend is very much a food wine; tangy red berries burst from Grenache to meld with gentle spice from Cinsault before the dry and fresh finish.

Production Method

Ripened under the Mediterranean sun of southern France, then harvested at the precise point where ripe fruit and fresh acidity are perfectly aligned, Grenache and Cinsault - two traditional French rosé varieties - are vinifed using the classic rosé-de-presse method. This involves a short maceration followed by gentle pressing to obtain the pretty colour of this sweetly-fruited, carefully balanced rosé blend without extracting unwelcome tannins.

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.

Specifications

A very proper, full-bodied, organic white from the southern Rhône.

Tasting Notes

Intense and vinous on the nose, leading into a bright, mineral-inflected yet rich palate that is subtly floral and beautifully textured with a full, long finish.

Producer

Château Maucoil’s vineyards are primarily located in the sandy-soiled northwest of Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, but its white grape varieties are planted in Urgonian limestone soils close to the river in the southwest of the region.

Vineyards have been managed organically (certified in 2014) and yields are kept to around 25 hl/ha. Harvesting is by hand and grapes are sorted before vinification.

After a cold skin maceration and pressing, alcoholic fermentation is maintained at 18°C and malolactic fermentation is prevented in order to preserve the wine’s freshness and acidity. The wine is unfined and aged in vats to bring out the varietal aromas and body, synonymous with white wines from the southern Rhône.

Did you know?

Maucoil is one of the few Châteauneuf-du-Pape estates that has conserved all thirteen of this famous appellation's original grape varieties, and grapes must pass through three rigourous stages of manual sorting before being deemed of high enough quality to be made into wine.

The estate's old vines (the youngest are merely 40 years old; the oldest date back to 1895!)

Château Maucoil (pronounced “moh-kwahl”) originally served as a base for Roman legions who were attracted by the spring that runs through the property!

Specifications

Supple and moreish, this is a delightfully pale pink French rosé.

Tasting Notes

Pale raspberry pink with appealing, soft, berry aromas. Smooth, round and juicy this is an easy-drinking, vivaciously fruity rosé with a refreshing dry finish.

Production Method

Bellefontaine Grenache Rosé possesses fine aromatics, pure fruit expression, fresh acidity, varietal character and above all, a persistent finish. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel with minimal intervention during winemaking. Bottled young to capture the freshness and vibrant fruit character. The free-run juice of Grenache grapes produces a wine full of sweetly ripe yet crunchy fruit with soft and juicy flavours.

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 Notes

"This is DELISH! And definitely one of our best value roses at £8.95. Lots of ripe, crunchy Grenache fruit which delivers lots of berry aromas and juicy flavours with good acidity, balance and a dry refreshing finish. Very moreish and perfect for a long, lazy summer lunch. Absolutely delightful and retains its freshness to the end of the bottle easily. A top pick for summer!" tasted July 2024

Specifications

 Icon's of Barossa

Glaetzer Bishop is a true expression of Barossa Shiraz that is elegantly structured with a long finish.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep inky red with purple hues. 

Palate

An explosion of brooding dark tones with bright cassis and coffee bean
hints. Subtle richness with flavours of dark plum and blackberry intermingled with dark chocolate and dried spice. Generous yet restrained tannin provides exceptional palate length and persistence

Background

Bishop is the family name of Colin's wife' Judith. Fittingly the sign of Venus, a symbol which has come to represent women and feminine energy, is the centrepiece of the Bishop label. In mythology, the symbol meant the Roman goddess Venus or her Greek equivalent Aphrodite. But the sign has also been linked back to ancient Egypt – a nod to Bishop’s link to Amon-Ra and Anaperenna.

About Glaetzer

This family-owned boutique winery was founded in 1995 and dedicates itself to the production of super-premium, site specific red wine made in small volumes. Originally from Germany, the Glaetzer family settled in Australia in the late 19th century and were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Today the winery is run by internationally acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer, who is responsible for driving the brand’s considerable loyal following. Ben sources all their fruit from the northern sub-region of the Barossa, Ebenezer, which is known for its ancient dry-grown vineyards. Glaetzer’s most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year-old, nongrafted bush vines. In the cellar, Ben believes in minimal intervention and treating musts as gently as possible.

Though only limited Glaetzer wines are produced every year, the winery is known for producing wines that are unique and intense.

2019 Bishop from Glaetzer Wines on Vimeo.

Review

"The 2019 Bishop Shiraz is all Shiraz and all from the Ebenezer district of the northern Barossa Valley. Aged almost exclusively in second, third and fourth use oak (mostly French), it features slight herbal overtones to the black cherry and black olive notes. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, supple, generous and reasonably concentrated, folding in hints of peppery spice and mocha shadings on the velvety, mouthwatering finish." 91 points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"This is a real delight - loads of dense fruits with spice, herbs and vanillin in support. Super smooth tannins give it great complexity, structure and length. A real triumph Barossan beauty. Well worth double the retail price!" January 2023

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

Classic Spanish rosado - easy drinking with strawberry notes and fresh acidity. Campo de Borja is often referred to as the 'Kingdom of Garnacha', where this variety reigns supreme.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep coral pink colour with aromas of ripe berry fruit and strawberry. 

Palate

Dry, approachable and well-balanced, with more appealing juicy strawberry fruit and a creamy mouthfeel.

Production

100% Garnacha grapes grown on alluvial soils in the foothills of the Moncayo mountain. The grapes undergo 6 hours cold maceration for the must to achieve a delicate colour; followed by slow temperature-controlled fermentation at 17ºC in stainless steel tanks.

Producers

The winery was established as a co-operative in 1959. In 2001 it joined with two other progressive, co-operative, cellars in the Campo de Borja region to become the Bodegas Borsao that we know today.

Grapes are sourced from over 375 member growers covering 2,400 hectares - nearly a third of the region's total. Vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo mountain, ranging from around 350m to 800m above sea level. At lower altitudes, vines are younger and may require some irrigation, but higher up the slopes the vines are older, unirrigated bush vines.

The climate is rather severe and arid, with hot dry days, and cool nights - which allow optimum acidity levels to be maintained within the grapes. Garnacha thrives in these conditions and represents 65% of total production. The Cierzo wind from the Moncayo sweeps across the foothills of the mountain. This cold, dry wind reduces humidity levels and allows grapes to be picked a couple of weeks later in the harvest, at full maturity.

Borsao has access to a large number of vineyard plots at different altitudes, and hence to a wide selection of fantastic quality grapes. They are recognised for their entry-level varietals - as outstanding examples of easy-to-drink inexpensive wines - as they are for their premium wines, in particular the iconic, multi-award-winning Tres Picos.

Sustainability

With 2,400 hectares of vineyards, Bodegas Borsao is a substantially sized operation in a warm, dry region and as a result the availability and usage of water is a major issue. Much of its vineyard area is planted with Garnacha which traditionally has been bush trained. Until recently, newer plantings were wire trained for easier harvesting, but because of the greater exposure to sunlight of this training method the vines can require up to 50% more water. As a result, all new plantings have reverted to the traditional style of bush training to preserve water.

Inter-row plantings are used to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil and protect it from erosion; they contribute to a better soil structure, increasing its organic, nutrient and nitrogen content; they improve biodiversity in the vineyard since organic matter is a food source for several macro- and micro-organisms; they often increase the population of earthworms which are good indicators of soil fertility; they improve fauna above the soil, providing habitat and food for beneficial insects; they regulate vine growth, helping to control the yield and quality of grapes and wine; and they reduce the vegetative vigour of vines and thus their susceptibility to grey mould and downy mildew. These cover crops mean that less spraying and tending of the vines is required, thus fewer passes are made by tractors which reduces the compaction of the soil and the consumption of diesel. Pheromone treatments are also employed to sexually confuse predatory insects, reducing their populations significantly.

The new cellar is well insulated to reduce the need for cooling systems and to minimise energy consumption; all the chambers are equipped with automatic LED lighting; all of the bottling lines have been designed to reduce noise and to minimise the need to move dry goods and floor stock items; all hot water installations are solar-powered; the greater part of the electricity used for illumination is produced by solar panels; and every single drop of rainwater from the vast roof is collected and recycled. Planned new offices will also be equipped with solar panels and other energy-saving mechanisms.

Specifications

Specifications

Cicada takes its name from the famed ‘singing cicadas’ of Provence and  this is a lively, fruit-forward red from the Southern Rhône.

Tasting Notes

Fresh, ripe red berries with a bit of forest floor. Yummy, ripe red and black cherries, a pinch of spice and some softly, boisterous tannins. Lovely balancing acidity completes the picture.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

Production

Alex Favier sources the grapes for his IGPs from land the family owns in the Vaucluse; grapes for this come from 2 lieu-dits in Travaillan to the west of Gigondas – La Marteillère with clay soil for the Grenache & L’Hers on limestone for the Carignan, vines are 30 years old. Hand-harvested and de-stemmed, short maceration in concrete for the Grenache plus aging in 5 yr old Burgundy barrels for the Carignan to round out the tannins.

Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

A scrumptious Languedoc blend - one of our fine feline tipples which can be lapped up on its lonesome.

Tasting Notes

This textural dry white is bright and beautifully balanced. With fresh fruity flavours of citrus fruits, a touch of apricot, a twist of spice and aromas shining through, this is an easy-drinking wine that can be enjoyed all year round.

Production

Predominantly Grenache Blanc with Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Immediately after picking at optimum maturity the grapes are pressed and undergo cold fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is blocked in order to preserve the acidity in the wine.

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 domains, 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 Note

"Attractive French white made from white Rhône varietals. Medium-bodied with attractive dryness and acidity. The flavours really come to the fore as it oxidises in the glass. Pleasant and very easy drinking." January 2024

Specifications

A textbook fruity southern French Grenache; rich and dark with no hard edges.

Tasting Notes

This Grenache Noir from the deeps south of France is steeped in texture and character. Rich black fruit and sweet spice on the nose with more intense berry fruit and liquorice on the palate.

Production Method

In the south western part of the Languedoc, Boutinot’s Guillaume Létang found this parcel of well tended 40 year-old Grenache Noir. Cordon trained (in an area where bush vines are more common) these old vines thrive on silt and sand, their roots buring deep into the soils in search of water. Fully ripened by the Mediterranean sun, once harvested the grapes are destemmed and macerated at cool temperatures prior to fermentation. To fully expresss the ripe black / red fruit flavours of this 100% Grenache Noir the wine was vinified without the use of oak.

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.

Specifications

Crowd-pleasing, bistro-style red and stalwart of Boutinot's house wine offer.

Tasting Notes

A classic southern uncomplicated Rhône red which is deliciously drinkable yet serious enough to accompany food.

Nose

Rich fruit and an appealing herbal freshness

Palate

Lusciously textured with plum, strawberry and a touch of spice.

Production

South-eastern France is swathed in sunny vineyards and peppered with pretty villages that lend their name to famous appellations. In the bistros of these villages, local vignerons often choose not to drink the wines bearing the village name. Instead, they cannily favour a glass of IGP, aware that, although made to different guidelines, wines from the larger IGP Méditerranée can be made from plots which share very similar characteristics to these more prestigiously classified vineyards. Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge is now sourced from this wider area, working with specialist growers who own such plots. Grenache and Syrah are selected from individual vineyards, specifically for the profile they will each give to the final wine. Classic vinification techniques continue - temperature-controlled fermentation to gain immediate fruit flavours, with maceration lasting between 5 to 10 days before the wine is pressed. For the final blend, an understanding of how each component will evolve is critical in maintaining the consistent and very drinkable style expected of Cuvée Jean-Paul - a judgement which can only be made with many years’ experience of creating blends.

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 domains, 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

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep ruby ​​red color.

Nose

The nose is dominated by fresh black fruits (cherry, blackcurrant), with notes of undergrowth, delicately spicy, finishing with mineral notes.

Mouth

The palate is tense, with a dominant fruity (cherry) and a finish of sweet spices (licorice). 

Background

Specifications

Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value!

Tasting Notes 

Tasting Notes

It starts with cassis, a nose full of promise. Clove and black pepper spice. The palate is dark and sultry with a dried fruit appeal. It finishes with a gentle lick of oak from the time the wine spends in oak.

A lipsmacking house wine that is great with food.

Tasting Notes

A fresh, pretty and youthful red wine that will mellow as it develops in the bottle. Supple yet with underlying structure, it is quite lifted on the nose with raspberry and floral notes. Packed full of ripe, crunchy red berry fruit backed up with a hint of liquorice and touch of spice. Fresh, elegant and pleasingly simple. Lovely.

Production

Based in the southwest of the Languedoc, where the 40 year-old cordon-trained vines thrive on silt and sand. Grenache grapes are destemmed and macerated at cool temperatures prior to fermentation in order to gain the juicy fruit flavours.

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. 

Alan's Personal Notes

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

This is a fabulous introduction to the white wine of the Rhone Valley. Made up predominantly of Grenache Blanc, picked early to capture aromas such as citrus fruits and exotic fruits. Viognier and Clairette bring their complexity with touches of peaches and white flowers. The wine has wonderful complexity with excellent freshness and length.

Tasting Notes 

A naturally fermented old bush vine brew, Tea Leaf hails from vineyards where the vines grow amongst South Africa’s native rooibos (red tea) plants that grow wild alongside the vines.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of ripe citrus and peach with savoury, gently nutty notes. The palate combines firm, high-key fruit with a gentle, sandy texture true to the source vineyards’ soil leading to a long, lightly honeyed finish. A deeply satisfying wine, taut and concentrated, from a blend of high quality bush vine fruit.

Production

From selected coastal vineyards of Chenin, Grenache Gris and Marsanne where the indigenous rooibos tea plant grows wild. Grapes are harvested in the early hours and then a further selection is made by hand at the winery to select the best fruit. The wine is naturally fermented and aged a few months in older 600 litre French oak barrels. No fining and coarse filtered (above 1 micron).

Producer

What’s this then? SKU is a casual band of happy ferments. A circus tent of the Cape’s stranger grapes and blends. We will champion the unfashionable, experiment with the known and express the found before it gets lost. Mistakes are likely, fun certain. Welcome to Strange Kompanjie, a Kultivar Club for the Underdog.

Sustainability

Strange Kompanjie Unlimited wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.

Specifications

"An altogether glorious glass of wine - enough flavour to drink on its own but with interest, complexity and length that will complement lots of menu options. A lot of wine for the price." Alan Chapman

Traversing the beautiful vineyards of the Western Cape, I have the good fortune to often taste small and unique parcels of wine. Winemakers create blends to accentuate certain qualities or add complexity to a wine. Forager is one such blend, assembled from selected grapes each with its own special character, 'foraged' from various vineyards, barrels and batches to create a distinctive wine in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Light yellow-straw.

Nose

The nose is reminiscent of apricot, peach, and quince with hints of lychee and cardamom.

Palate

Citrus and stone fruit follow on the palate, rounded by subtle oak and punchy lime acidity. The finish is long and dry. Medium to full-bodied.

Specifications

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Another Coterie delight - you don’t see these 2 varietals together many places in the world - but this certainly works here to produce a stunning, textural white. I’m picking up some old vine vibes and malolactic creaminess. A very well balanced and interesting white - it’s also got a good dollop of oak in the finish." July 2024

Specifications

A superb Châteuneuf-du-Pape from vines in their prime.

Tasting Notes

Intense and inky dark, with a concentrated, rich and complex nose of kirsch, bay and graphite. Very full bodied and weighty with some evident tannins, and there's a brooding power from such low yields. Despite its heft, the old vines provide great complexity and interest and we are left with a lovely juicy finish.

Production Method

Alex Favier inherited 37 different blocks of vineyards from his mother, Marie-Paule Sabon, comprising 50 hectares in total, making Domaine Chante Cigale one of the larger domaines of this most famous of French appellations. The terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made up of three different soil types and those domaines with vines on all three consequentially gain in complexity For his reds, Alex has a typically large palette of varieties but his ‘old vine’ cuvée uses only Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre as these are his oldest vines and they provide the wine with great intensity and longevity. The vines for this bottling are over 65 years old, some as old as 100, and they are some of the oldest vines to be found on the plateau de Carbières (close to Château Montredon).The yield of these ‘Vieilles Vignes’ is very, very low indeed; the oldest vines may only yield a miniscule 15hl/ha, most others around 22-23 hl/ha, bringing the average to around 20hl/ha. Harvesting is by hand, with selective sorting of the grapes. Alex learned about viticulture and vinification from his father and took over from him whilst finishing his last year at school in 1999; eventually taking full control of the domaine in 2002. Each variety is vinified separately and undergoes an 18-24 day fermentation and a 32-36 day maceration period. Malolactic fermentation and ageing takes place in a combination of new oak barriques and concrete vats. Alex no longer uses the traditional larger casks known as ‘foudres’ for his Vieilles Vignes.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

A note on Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

Specifications

A great wine with character, elegant and typical, honouring the historic grape variety and king of the southern Rhône Valley: Grenache Noir.

Tasting Notes 

Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value!

Tasting Notes 

Traversing the beautiful vineyards of the Western Cape, I have the good fortune to often taste small and unique parcels of wine. Winemakers create blends to accentuate certain qualities or add complexity to a wine. Forager is one such blend, assembled from selected grapes each with its own special character, 'foraged' from various vineyards, barrels and batches to create a distinctive wine in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep ruby garnet. 

Nose

The nose is reminiscent of dark forest fruit with notes of white pepper, dried herbs, cloves and leather. 

Palate

Red berry and dark jam follow on the palate with subtle vanilla oak. The finish is elegant and perfumed. Medium to full-bodied with soft, supple tannins.

Specifications

The "Elicio" wines ("evokes", "recalls", "remembers" in Latin) were created in the early 2000s, in memory of happy days spent in the heart of Provence, between Ventoux and Luberon.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Nose

The expressive nose reveals notes of red and black fruit jam, licorice and sweet pepper.

Palate

Earthy, juicy, luscious fruit - blackberry & blueberry. A bold mouthfeel coats the entire palate and a low acid leaves balanced tannins to slowly melt away.

The Region

Elicio Red Blend hails from the southern Rhône Valley. This region has a history of delivering excellence in a bottle. Elicio builds on this reputation by bringing you a smooth Grenache and Merlot red blend. However, a blend of Grenache and Merlot is rarely seen in the wine world, which makes this bottle unique. But don’t be scared, this uncommon combination has been blended into a wine that pairs deliciously with the warm summer weather.

This wine is an excellent pair with the early warmth of the year — the subtle sun rays on pale, wintered skin. This bottle is bold, packing a punch of earthiness and juicy, dripping fruit. With a bold mouthfeel, it really coats the entire palate sliding down the sides and leaving a dusty dry feeling. The acid is low and it leaves the tannins to slowly melt away on your palate.

Specifications.