13 products
2014 Château La Louvière Rouge (Magnum)
Regular price £99.99Precision wine making at its best!
Tasting Notes
2014 Château La Louvière is very attractive, with a beautiful dark red colour featuring multiple purple highlights. Above all, this 2014 La Louvière reflects precision winemaking to obtain the very best from the grapes. Its freshness contributes to a long aftertaste, as well as excellent ageing potential.
Production
In stainless-steel temperature-controlled tanks with patented cap-breaking system and concrete tanks with pigeage,
Producer
Château La Louvière has many fascinating facets. The sumptuous architecture of the château building dates from the late 18th century, but winegrowing here goes back more than 700 years. The first vines were planted circa 1310, although modern winemaking dates from the 17th century and was handed down by able monks from the Carthusian monastery in Bordeaux, who had acquired considerable talent as viticulturists and winemakers. The people who produce the wine in the 21st century have inherited these time-honoured methods, adding just the right amount of innovation and modernity to make the utmost of the outstanding terroir.
Specifications
| Year | 2014 |
| Bottle Size | 1.5L (Magnum) |
| Cultivar | 30% Merlot, 70% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | France |
|
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 19.5 units |
| Type | Red Blend |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Cellaring Potential | 15 years |
| Food Matches | Roast veal Orloff, venison stew, duck breast with porcini mushrooms. |
| Origin |
Pessac Leognan
|
| Appellation |
Bordeaux
|
2016 Château La Louvière Red (Magnum)
Regular price £86.992016 was one of the finest vintages in the past 20 years of this red wine which exudes an elegant bouquet and delicate hints of oak.....
Tasting Notes
Colour
This wine is garnet-red in colour with a few carmine highlights.
Nose
Its bouquet is wonderfully intense. On aeration, it releases black-berry fruit (blackberry, black cherry, plum) aromas, with hints of cake spices.
Palate
On the palate, this wine is very rich and well-balanced. The aftertaste is long, with slight tarry overtones. The tannin is not yet fully resolved. These characteristics are indicative of its good ageing potential: it would be best to wait two or three years to appreciate its full complexity.
Production
Deep Gravel terroir 26 year old vines, pruned by double guyot with debudding. Grapes are harvested by hand with small deep crates.
Wine making - In stainless-steel temperature-controlled tanks with patented
cap-breaking system and concrete tanks with pigeage. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels (40-50% new) with racking.
Producer
Château La Louvière has many fascinating facets. The sumptuous architecture of the château building dates from the late 18th century, but winegrowing here goes back more than 700 years. The first vines were planted circa 1310, although modern winemaking dates from the 17th century and was handed down by able monks from the Carthusian monastery in Bordeaux, who had acquired considerable talent as viticulturists and winemakers. The people who produce the wine in the 21st century have inherited these time-honoured methods, adding just the right amount of innovation and modernity to make the utmost of the outstanding terroir.
Specifications
| Year | 2016 |
| Bottle Size | 1.5L (Magnum) |
| Cultivar | 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | France |
|
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 19.5 units |
| Type | Red Blend |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Cellaring Potential | 15 years |
| Food Matches | Stuffed capon, succulent braised veal sweetbreads, and a selection of cheeses including robust hard sheep's milk cheese and the distinctively tangy Roquefort. |
| Origin |
Pessac Leognan
|
| Appellation |
Bordeaux
|
2017 De Toren Z
Regular price £39.95Reveals subtle hints of spices, ripe blackberries, plum and cherries. The integrated, complex and beautifully rounded tannins of this expressive and superbly vibrant blend ensure a velvety, lingering finish. At the olfactory level, there is a subtle hint of aniseed on the nose. This full-bodied blend maintains a sleek tannin structure with an immaculate developing palate.
Charles Williams | Cellar Master
Tasting Notes
This soft, approachable ruby-hued beauty is a true testament to vines lovingly reared and winemaking raised to an art form. A Right Bank-style Bordeaux blend, De Toren Z comprises a symphonic blend of five Bordeaux varietals. You’ll find it tantalizingly soft on the tongue, with a hint of aniseed, liquorice, raspberry and cranberries lending a fresh acidity to its polished finish… plus, of course, all the finesse that makes Bordeaux-style wines so prized among the world’s most enthusiastic wine lovers.
Vintage
When the stars and all the elements collide to produce a spectacularly good harvest, the results are always felt (and tasted, of course) in the wine. Industry wide the season of 2017 was earmarked as spectacular, and for De Toren, it was no different. The year 2017 is fondly remembered by our team for the incredible craftsmanship that went into producing one of the most outstanding vintages yet of De Toren Z, our famed Right Bank Bordeaux-styled blend.It was a season when perfectly ripened vine fruits were optimally harvested; gently reaped and sorted by the hands of our team of ladies, so that only the finest grapes were put forward for pressing and maturation in the cellar. This is the journey that our cellar team at De Toren undertook to co-create a superlative wine, i.e., De Toren Z 2017 vintage, in partnership with our key collaborator, Mother Nature. The favourable weather conditions of the season contributed to making the 2017 vintage one of the finest yet. It was a year in which the vines were perfectly balanced and restrained, producing the smallest, most concentrated berries. These hand-harvested grapes were transformed by sustainable and intelligent viniculture, resulting in this coveted vintage of De Toren Z being the highest awarded vintage yet and a true collector’s prize. At De Toren, the noble Bordeaux varietals are an expression of ancient South African soils and our signature winemaking style. As a result of all these factors – terroir, timing, technique and passion – commands attention on the palate when savouring the acclaimed De Toren Z 2017.
Producer
De Toren proprietors Emil and Sonette den Dulk left Johannesburg in 1991 to establish their vineyards in the Polkadraai Hills of Stellenbosch. Situated on southern-facing slopes overlooking False Bay De Toren enjoys the cooling effect of constant ocean breezes. Taking a holistic approach to keeping vineyard soils healthy and balanced viticulturalist Ernest Manuel employs sustainable farming practices throughout the property. Infrared Aerial Imaging is used extensively in order to monitor ripeness in various vineyard blocks and determine optimal picking times although actual harvesting and production are done almost entirely by hand. The winery is operated on gravity flow principles; a 4000 liter pressure tank in an elevator shaft (the Tower from which the winery takes its name) is cleverly used to exploit gravity in transporting wine between tanks and barrels without the use of mechanical pumps. As a result of De Toren’s innovative minimal intervention production methods their wines were among the first South African bottlings to qualify for IP (Integrated Production) certification by the Wine and Spirit Board.
The Den Dulks and winemaker Albie Koch seem to have found the key to success with their simple winemaking philosophy: gentle handling no pumps and minimum manipulation. Armed with this winning formula the boutique farm has quickly risen to the ranks of South Africa’s winemaking elite with their duo of dazzling stylish and complex five-varietal Bordeaux blends: the flagship Fusion V (which debuted in the 1999 vintage and has been hailed by Wine Spectator as a consistently polished outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend) and the Merlot-based Z introduced with the 2004 vintage.
Accolades
This is indeed a decidedly beautiful wine. As a result, UK-based Master of Wine (SA), Greg Sherwood, granted the De Toren Z 2017 a remarkable 95 points. British Master of Wine, Tim Atkin, was of the same opinion and awarded it a stellar 93 points. These scores make the renowned De Toren Z 2017 vintage the highest awarded vintage to date.
Such has been the demand for this superior wine that most of this reputable vintage’s production, limited-edition bottles have already found their place with eager oenophiles. There is however a small reserve still available since De Toren has finally released the last few cases for acquirement one last time. Lovers of fine wine and serious collectors alike should not hesitate to claim the last few remaining bottles. This wine will reward at nearest enjoyment and promises to be even more exceptional in time as it carries an aging potential of 18 years plus.
Specifications
| Year | 2017 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar |
16% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 54% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
14.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Cellaring Potential | Drink from 2022 to 2036 |
| Food Matches | This wine is a very versatile food pairing wine due to its great acidity and weight. It works exceptionally well with very fine spicy foods. Its aromass of mulberries and blueberries perfectly complements rich fish, lamb, duck, beef and poultry. |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2018 Dornier Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £18.99Top 100 Wine Status from the National Wine Challenge. GOLD Mundus Vini, 91 Points John Platter Winemag, Double Gold Gilbert & Gaillard
Tasting Notes
Intense black cherry colour with a full bouquet of cassis, blackberries, cigar box, pencil shavings and subtle oak with a hint of mint to ensure freshness. The palate has density and concentrated flavours of dark fruit with elegant tannins to create a well-balanced wine with a long finish. Concentrated fruit, great structure and the ability to age well.
About the Harvest
Although very dry, the ripening season leading up to the 2018 harvest provided exce lent conditions for optimal ripeness and flavour development that resulted in exceptional fruit concentration and elegance in the wines of this vintage.
In the Cellar
This wine was fermented in open tanks with pump overs and punch downs being performed four times daily to extract all possible flavours from the berries. After alcoholic fermentation the wines underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel followed by 18 months ageing in 30% new French oak barrels.
History
Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.
Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.
Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity.
Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.
Accolades
-
Dornier Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 TOP 100 SA Wine
- 91 Points Winemag | "This is a gorgeous cabernet sauvignon from Dornier in South Africa. Located in the 'Golden Triangle' area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention. Their Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon has an exuberance of concentrated fruit, intense black cherry colour with a full bouquet of cassis, black berries, cigar box, pencil shavings and subtle oak and a hint of mint to ensure freshness. Stunning value at under £20."
- The 2018 vintage of Dornier Equanimity Cabernet has received abundant local and international recognition having thus far received a Gold Medal from Mundus Vini Germany in 2022, 93 Points & Double Gold from Gilbert & Gaillard and now Top 100 Wine Status from the National Wine Challenge.
Specifications
| Year | 2018 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
14.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | From 2021 for up to 8 years |
| Food Matching |
Good as an aperitif or served with starters, seafood or cold white meat. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2019 Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £16.99A rich and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon from the very first sip!
Tasting Notes
Aromas of blackberry and raspberry are accompanied by notes of fragrant lilac and vanilla. Rich and expressive from first sip, this is a food friendly Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts with flavors of juicy plum, black cherry and strawberry, along with a hint of
sweet baking spices.
Background
Cycles Gladiator was founded in 2005 with the mission to create high quality, affordable wines that honour the iconic artwork on the label by empowering and inspiring women. Proudly sourced from some of California’s top wine growing regions , award- winning winemaker Adam LaZarre crafts each wine with passion and care from grape to glass.
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot |
| Country | United States of America |
| Alcohol content | 14.5% |
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle
|
10.87 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Features | Vegetarian approved |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matching |
Delicious with steak |
| Appellation | Lodi |
| Origin | California |
2019 Lurton Château Bonnet Réserve Rouge Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon (Magnum)
Regular price £39.99
Château Bonnet is one of Bordeaux's consistently reliable wines. Vignobles André Lurton are committed to making wines that are both full-bodied and balanced, like this Reserve cuvee, which typifies classic Bordeaux. Its faultless pedigree is revealed in its elegant balance, depth and charm.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep ruby-red colour.
Nose
The nose is intense, dominated by aromas of black fruit (blackberry, blackcurrant), mingled with delicious chocolate notes.
Palate
The attack is very supple. Round and fresh on the palate. Delightful notes of black fruit accompany us throughout the tasting. This is a well-balanced, easy-drinking wine. The finish has a lovely tannic structure that melts perfectly
Production
Fermentation In stainless-steel tanks with patented cap-breaking system Fermentation temperature 28° to 30°C Malolactic Yes Wine maturing For 12 months in oak barrels (20% new) Maturing potential 8 to 15 years.
Producer
Lurton Family is one of the largest wine Dynasty in the world. Vignobles Andre Lurton is a family estate, established in the 1950s by André Lurton, and one of today’s largest and most important producers of the Bordeaux region. A visionary and force of nature, André Lurton founded the AOC Pessac-Léognan in 1987, pioneering its aromatic white wine style. Today, both reds and whites from Pessac Leognan have earned a reputation for great value. Today one his son is the leader of the company.
Specifications
| Year | 2019 |
| Bottle Size | 1.5L (Magnum) |
| Cultivar | 42% Merlot, 58% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | France |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 20.25 units |
| Type | Red Blend |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches |
Grilled beef ribs, succulent oven-roasted duck, and creamy chicken lasagna. |
| Origin | Grézillac in the Entre-deux-Mers |
| Appellation |
Bordeaux
|
2020 Hermanuspietersfontein Kleinboet (Bordeaux Blend)
Regular price £18.99‘Kleinboet’ translates to ‘Little Brother’ from Afrikaans. This alludes to the fact that this Bordeaux Blend is incredibly elegant, with only 12.5% alcohol, compared to other South African Bordeaux Blends.
Although quite the lad, he’s not too big for his boots
Larger than life, there’s nothing small about him! The agile charmer, living life to the full. Simple, down to earth. With energy and a second breath, he’s not the kind to be second guessed…
Tasting Notes
Nose
Bright red and purple fruit such as raspberries and blueberries; savoury notes; dried herbs (oregano and rosemary).
Palate
Generous offering form entrance to finish; supple and full without over-saturating the palate with tannin; persistent with good length.
Vinification
A Bordeaux blend that is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and comprises of all five ‘noble’ varietals (Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet franc and Malbec). The use of 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill oak over 24 months ensures a beautiful “marriage” between the different varietals. The wine showcases bright red and purple fruit such as raspberries and blueberries; savoury notes; dried herbs (oregano and rosemary). On the palate this wine presents a generous offering from entrance to finish.
History
You’ve probably heard of the quaint beach town of Hermanus, situated on South Africa’s famous Whale Coast. Between 1855 and 1902, it was called Hermanuspietersfontein. In 1902, the local postmaster decided to shorten the name of the town to make addressing letters to the locals easier.
150 years later, the wine farm Hermanuspietersfontein, or HPF for short, craft outstanding wines with a serious sense of place. Their grapes come from Sondagskloof, which competes with Elgin and the Ceres Plateau for South Africa’s coolest wine growing region.
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar |
48% Cabernet Sauvignon 18% Merlot 11% Petit Verdot 11% Cabernet franc 11% Malbec. |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | 5 years and beyond, provided stored under optimum conditions |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Maturation in Oak |
24 months in French Oak 80% in old (4-10 years of age) French oak Foudres (6000L) 10% in new French oak barriques (225L) 10% in second/third fill French oak barrique (225L) |
| Food Matches |
Roast or grilled lamb chops (or other richly flavoured cuts of red meat). Barbequed or ‘braai-ed’ aubergine topped with rich sun-dried and oregano tomato sauce is a great option for non-meat eaters. |
| Origin | Sondagskloof, Walker Bay near Hermanus |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2022 Dornier Cocoa Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé
Regular price £12.49
While Cape Merchants were trading in sugar and spice
Pirates were drinking and dancing and rolling the dice
Long Ben – as fierce as he was tall,
looted and pillaged and scavenged from all
when luck ran out he settled ashore
planted some vines and battled no more
from Cocoa Hill he watched the ships sail by
savoured the wine and let out a cry – Gunsway
Pirates were drinking and dancing and rolling the dice
Long Ben – as fierce as he was tall,
looted and pillaged and scavenged from all
when luck ran out he settled ashore
planted some vines and battled no more
from Cocoa Hill he watched the ships sail by
savoured the wine and let out a cry – Gunsway
Tasting Notes
This wine has a soft, salmon pink colour and is bursting with aromas of strawberries and rose petals. The palate is vibrant with a good balance between the bright acidity and flavours of Turkish delight, strawberries and red cherries. The finish is juicy and dry and the wine has a pleasant length.
A fresh, dry and vibrant Rosé made via direct pressing of Cabernet Sauvignon providing a wine with an alluring salmon colour and appealing drinkability.
Vintage Conditions
2022 was an excellent vintage for the Rosé on Dornier. The ripening season was cooler than the previous vintage. The result of this cooler season was that the grapes ripened at lower sugar levels and with a fresher natural acidity and more delicate flavours.
Fermentation and Ageing
The Cabernet Sauvignon ripened in late February. The grapes were handpicked and pressed directly after destemming in order to obtain light pink juice. The resultant light pink juice fermented for 14 days at 12 degrees Celsius and spent a further four months on full lees to provide fullness and body to the wine.
History
Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.
Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.
Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity.
Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
| Type | Rosé Wine |
| Cellaring Potential |
Up until 2025 |
| Food Matching |
With its alluring pink colour this wine is a good pair with fresh salmon, cold meats, crayfish and salads. It is also a great match for sushi. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2022 Oldenburg Grenache Noir
Regular price £32.99A distinctive wine with a personality in place!
Tasting Notes
Nose
This Grenache offers a vibrant bouquet of rhubarb, blood orange, and watermelon, with hints of cinnamon and star anise.
Palate
On the palate, it presents a savoury sweetness, balanced by beetroot, red peppercorns, and earthy wet soil. The wine's vibrant acidity adds freshness, while elegant grainy tannins provide structure. It has excellent aging potential, with its character evolving over time. In its youth, the wine benefits from increased oxygen contact, so we
recommend decanting it to fully appreciate its intricate layers.
Winery
Oldenburg; a hot topic from a cool climate. Anyone who knows anything about South African wine should have Oldenburg fully on their radar – they are producing outrageously good wine and have, very arguably, the most beautiful tasting room to visit in the Cape. Oldenburg, situated in the Banghoek Valley of Stellenbosch, has one of the coolest microclimates in the region. A combination of a mountain amphitheatre, high altitude and cooling winds result in growing conditions about 5 degrees cooler than the rest of Stellenbosch.
Oldenburg aims to best reflect their remarkable terroir through the Oldenburg Vineyards (OV) range of wines – a range of single cultivar wines. There is minimal intervention in the vineyards and the wines are made in an uncompromising manner.
Vintage Conditions
Stellenbosch, in general, played host to a perfect winter, with steady cold units being accumulated through to the end of August with even rainfall throughout the winter. The good winter cold led to a particularly even bud break. Spring was cool and dry, which favoured the flowering and fruit set for the vintage. Good summer rainfall meant the vigour needed to be kept in check. Despite a relatively hot and dry ripening period, temperatures were kept moderate due to our higher altitude and ultimately led to an exceptionally good harvest with great sugar accumulation
Winemaking & Maturation
Grapes were picked by hand from 15-year-old bush vines on granitic soil at 410m above sea level. Bunches and berries were meticulously sorted. 1/3rd whole bunch and 2/3rd whole berry fermentation. Wild fermented in a stainless-steel tank with punch-downs and pump-overs 1-2 times per day. The wine was basket pressed and malolactic
conversion took place in barrels. The wine was then matured for 14 months in old 300L French oak barrels.
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Food Match | Excellent with meat dishes such as lamb and venison. |
| Cellaring Potential |
An exceptional wine to be enjoyed now, or in the next 8–10 years. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
