- Alicante Bouschet
- Bonarda
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carignan
- Carmenère
- Catarratto
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Cinsault
- Feteasca Alba
- Gewürtztraminer
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Malbec
- Malvasia Fine
- Merlot
- Mourvèdre / Mataró / Monastrell
- Muscat
- Palomino
- Petit Verdot
- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Riesling
- Roussanne
- Sangiovese
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Tannat
- Tempranillo
- Tinta Barroca
- Torrontés
- Touriga Nacional
- Verdejo
- Viognier
- Alicante Bouschet
- Bonarda
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carignan
- Carmenère
- Catarratto
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Cinsault
- Feteasca Alba
- Gewürtztraminer
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Malbec
- Malvasia Fine
- Merlot
- Mourvèdre / Mataró / Monastrell
- Muscat
- Palomino
- Petit Verdot
- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Riesling
- Roussanne
- Sangiovese
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Tannat
- Tempranillo
- Tinta Barroca
- Torrontés
- Touriga Nacional
- Verdejo
- Viognier
2020 Gnarli Head Old Vine Zinfandel
Regular price £20.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Gnarly Head wines began with a vision and a vine. In 2004, on a mission to make a serious Zinfandel, our winemakers journeyed to Lodi in central California in search of the famed old vine Zinfandel vineyards. Grown in the head-trained, spur-pruned method for over a century, these vigorous gnarled vines produced more ripened red fruit than they had ever seen. They took it as a challenge to create the biggest, boldest Zinfandel they had ever made. The result was authentic, structured wines with a hint of something unexpected. Something Gnarly.
These wines are the perfect complement to life's bold moments.
Tasting Notes
Colour
The color is a dark cherry red but still transparent.
Nose
The nose is rich and heavy, a pleasant surprise, there is depth in the aromas.Palate
This bold Old Vine Zinfandel has a twisted flavour of blackberry jam and mocha rich with layers of spice and vanilla balanced by complex toasted French and American oak core.

History
Old Zinfandel Vines date back to the early 1900s when Italian immigrants settled on the west side of Lodi and planted Zinfandel. The best vineyards are still owned and managed by these families, some going on their fourth generation as farmers.
Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin is sourced from these family-owned and managed vineyards with long term contracts; many that began with a handshake years ago.
Vineyard
Vine Zinfandel old knotty head is made from grapes from knotty strains 35-80 years old. As some of the oldest wineries in California, the fruit produced is exceptional, intense and full flavor. Zinfandel vines planted in these older vineyards are among the oldest in California and grown independently in the traditional "head-trained". These gnarled vines provide the inspiration for Gnarly Head, as the wines that create these older vines are bold, full-bodied, juicy and, in other words, gnarled.
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Zinfandel |
| Country | USA |
| Alcohol content | 14.5% alc vol |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches | Enjoy with raised ribs, chicken enchiladas or black chocolate. |
| Origin | California |
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
2024 Round Stone Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £11.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Where tropical brightness meets herbal elegance, crafted to refresh and delight every sip!
Tasting Notes :
Bright and aromatic bursting with tropical fruits with underlying herbal notes on the nose. On the palate the full refreshing punch of the herbal notes shines through.

Production
Machine Harvested, Juice cold settled or floated to clarify, cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Enjoy with Thai or Fresh White Fish dishes |
| Origin | Marlborough |
2024 Tiki Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury
Regular price £16.29 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Colour
A delicate, pale green/gold.
Nose
Passionfruit driven on the nose, this wine presents with soft acidity across the palate, showing tropical notes of lemongrass and grassy flavours.
Palate
A rich and complex wine with a lovely balanced finish, range of flavour and length.

Vintage
The La Niña weather pattern was the dominating influence of our 2023 growing season, which brought less hot North-westerly winds, normally a mainstay of our season, and replaced them with regular cooling Easterly winds. The start to spring was cool with temperatures below average. Despite that, as the season progressed, temperatures picked up and we experienced good flowering conditions, resulting in a healthy and balanced crop. Summer saw us experience 30+ degree days mixed in with considerably colder spells. Over Autumn we experienced more of the same, with temperatures fluctuating between spells of beautiful warm sunny days, followed regularly by cold southerlies.
These weather patterns, while presenting a challenge, meant the team started picking later allowing for sugar levels to rise. Minimal rain over this time meant the fruit could be held on the vine allowing it to reach our desired levels of ripeness.
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as assessed through frequent tasting in the vineyard by the winemaker. We picked across the vineyard at different times and degrees of ripeness to allow the individual cuvees a range of site expression. Extended skin contact time was used prior to crushing to enhance extraction of the aromatic compounds. The fruit was then very gently pressed to avoid harsh phenolic extraction and the juice allowed to cold settle. The clear juice was fermented at low temperatures using a range of yeast renowned for their ability to enhance the Sauvignon Blanc aromas. A balanced amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the acidity and to add palate weight and structure.
Awards & Accolades
- 17/20 Jancis Robinson
- 5 Stars (94 points) | Sam Kim Wine Orbit
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.38 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential |
2023-2025 – will continue to develop for a further 5 years |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches |
Fresh grilled fish like calamari or swordfish, this wine is lovely with salmon flavoured with dill and recipes that include fresh herbs like basil, coriander, rocket and mint. |
| Appellation | Waipara Valley, North Canterbury |
2024 Peculiar Mr Pat Merlot
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%
Tasting Notes
Bright, plush, deeply tasty Merlot from Riverland vineyards, this is abundant in freshly picked red fruit with a soft tannic profile and a long, moreish finish.
Production
The Merlot grapes that make this wine were grown in the glorious Australian sunshine. Merlot thrives along the banks of Australia’s largest river, the Murray, near the bustling inland town of Mildura, in the middle of Australia’s food bowl. A Mediterranean climate, with plenty of sunshine, we carefully tend the vines and enrich the ancient, sandy soils with recycled organic matter from other crops that also thrive locally, to make the most of every precious drop of water. Speckled light reaches through lush green vine canopies to ensure the berries ripen steadily throughout late summer in time for harvest in Autumn.
Producer
Quintessentially Australian, this range offers consistent quality, hugely appealing, commercial wine styles that have gained a loyal following. Reflecting our skill and experience in seeking out the very best of Australia, our wines capture ideal climatic conditions and pure varietal definition.
Boutinot's Samantha Bailey brings her signature palate and decades of experience to finessing our components into the loveliest Boutinot expressions of Oz.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Merlot |
| Country | Australia |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.3 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Food Matches | This wine can be enjoyed with a wide range of meat dishes, and minimal winemaking intervention means that this wine can also be enjoyed, guilt-free by Pescatarians, Vegetarians and Vegans. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegetarian and Vegan Approved |
| Origin | South East Australia |
2019 Signos de Origen 'Los Morros' Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £19.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Genuine non-interventionist winemaking from Emiliana, this matches up to all levels of the natural wine criteria. A lovely example of cabernet sauvignon with beautiful purity.
Colour
Ruby red in colour
Nose
A bright nose that offers aromas of ripe blackcurrant and licorice along with cedarwood notes.
Palate
The palate recalls black currants and red cherry fruit with star anise spice, ripe tannins and a full juicy finish.

Production
Soils are alluvial with good porosity and drainage. The land is flat, rich in minerals with a loamy-clay and muddy texture, irrigated by water coming from snow thaw in the mountains. The season 2014-2015 in the Valley of Maipo was characterized by being warm. The spring was favourable as there were no rains in flowering, which gave rise to a healthy and good harvest. The few frosts that occurred did not affect cabernet sauvignon since they were prior to sprouting. The rains, following the trend, were and concentrated in winter with a total of 230 mm fallen. The temperatures during maturation were high with maximum averages of 30 ° C in January and February and averages of 12.5 ° C for the same months. This led to an early harvest, together the oscillation thermal helped maintain natural acidity. The reception included a triple selection using conveyor belts before and after passing through the destemmer-crusher. The grapes then dropped gently (by gravity) into the fermentation tanks, where they underwent a 5-day pre-fermentation cold soak at 8ºC. Alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks using only native yeasts at 24º–26ºC with a program of pump-overs determined by enological criteria. The new wine remained on its skins for an 8-day post-fermentation maceration at 22º–24ºC, for a total maceration (skin contact) time of 28–30 days. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally in barrels. The wine was then aged for 12 months. The wine is stabilized naturally, without treatments, and is only very lightly filtered at bottling with a 3–5 micron (absolute) cartridge. The wine was aged for 12 months, 48% in French oak barrels, 28% in concrete eggs, and 24% in a 2,000-liter French oak foudre.
Producers
Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.
Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Sustainable
Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.
Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.
Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.
Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.
Specifications
| Year | 2019 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | Chile |
| Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting Info |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Sustainable |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | An interesting wine with meat-based dishes and stews. Ideal with oven-roasted pork ribs, grilled beef, or slow-cooked lamb. It is also excellent with duck magret and with strong, aged cheeses such as Emmental or rich, creamy cheeses such as Camembert. |
| Origin | Maipo Valley |
| Appellation | D.O. Valle del Maipo |
2024 Estampado Red Blend Malbec Bonarda
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A vibrant red blend of Mendoza's favourite red varieties, the label is equally animated, depicting Mendozancontempoary and classic culture.
Tasting Notes
With lifted aromatics and a bright, brambly palate this is a really appealling expression of a classic Mendozan blend. Bonarda is dark and juicy, freshened by the gently tart Cab with the aromatic lift of Malbec all making for a deliciously vibrant wine.

Production
This wine marries the best of Mendoza’s widely planted cultivars. Grapes such as Bonarda, Cabernet and Malbec have long been favored in the Barrancas region and have been well suited to the warm dry climate. Whilst Malbec stole the limelight, lots of these vineyards have become older and produce excellent fruit. These grapes are co fermented in stainless steel and then spend time in concrete where it’s tannin and acidity softens before the wines’ release.
Producers
Boutinot has been working with growers in Argentina for over 15 years, constantly sourcing the best value from vintage to vintage. Winemaker Eric Monnin has been working tirelessly over the last few years to secure the best long term contracts for these important wines sourced from specific old vine estates in Mendoza. Recent vintages have really started to show the results of this long-term vision with regards to quality and value.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Malbec 70%, Bonarda 30% |
| Country | Argentina |
|
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | This versatile wine pairs well with pizzas, pasta dishes and grilled meats. |
| Origin | Mendoza |
| Appellation | Mendoza |
2022 Smalltown Vineyards 'The Good Luck Club' Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £17.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%
Tasting Notes
Summer pudding reaches from the glass, there is an abundance of blackberry and cassis fruit with a naughty creaminess of oak that marries on the palate for a bold pastiche of old vine Barossa Cabernet.

Production
The Smalltown block was purchased in 2016, 40 hectares of 28-year-old Shiraz and Cabernet in the premium Ebenezer District of the Barossa Valley. This wine was aged in new and tertiary French oak for 24 months. The oak lends a subtle texture and structure to the fruit leaving the palate fresh so this is a bright, varietal Cab that wears its oak lightly as a structural veil rather than anything more monstrous.
Producer
Smalltown Vineyards express many of the Barossa’s prized districts form Gomersal, Kalimna as well as the Eden Valley and beyond. We work with exceptional vineyards simply expressed using minimal intervention, basket press where relevant, natural ferments in open-top fermenters to best capture the Barossa’s magical flavours. We have a lot of fun with labels because, well because we can. It’s only wine after all…
A note about Sustainability
As of the 1st July, 2019, Australia changed from its previous sustainable programme called EntWine to Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Smalltown Vineyards is a participant in this programme, which assists with tools and resources to enhance business sustainability, meeting customer sustainability requirements and sustainability claims made by participants.
Awards
- 2020 IWC Bronze (2017 Vintage)
Alan's Tasting Notes
"This is a cracker - loads of red berry and blackcurrant aromas and flavours with a structural creaminess as scaffolding in the background. Balance, complexity and length are all perfect - a real well put together glass of wine - sublime and great value at £13.99" Tasted Dec 2021.
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | Australia |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | It’s lovely with steak tartare, seared tuna, roast Mediterranean veg and some crunchy, matured hard cheese. |
| Origin | South Australia |
| Appellation | Barossa Valley |
2024 Tohu Awatere Valley Pinot Gris
Regular price £16.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A complex and fruit-driven Pinot Gris from Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, this wine shows aromas of juicy pear and citrus blossom leading to a palate of fresh quince, golden apple, and hints of sweet spice. With integrated fine phenolics and smooth acidity this is a fresh and richly textured wine with a long and lingering finish.

Viticulture
The grapes from this wine are sourced from two vineyards located in the cool southern Awatere Valley region of Marlborough. The majority of the grapes come from a vineyard near the coastal planes of the Awatere, with a smaller portion of the grapes sourced from a vineyard located further inland on young fertile river terraces.
The 2018/2019 growing season in the Awatere began with some unsettled weather over the flowering period which resulted in lower yields throughout the vineyards. However, the warm and dry summer that followed provided a dream run for both the vineyard and winemaking teams. With no disease pressure in the vineyard and ideal weather over the harvest period, grapes were able to be picked at optimal ripeness, resulting in a wine with outstanding aromatics, palate weight and texture
Vinification
Grapes sourced from a number of prime sites in the Awatere Valley are gently pressed once at the winery to obtain beautifully clear free-run juice, with the harder pressings keep separate and allowed to oxidise and soften phenolics before being re-combined with the free-run. The juice is then settled and racked into stainless steel tanks for warming and inoculation with carefully selected yeasts.
Fermentation is carried out at cool temperatures of around 10-13°C to help preserve the fruity characters and lasts around 21 days until the balance of residual sugar and acidity/phenolics has reached the ideal point. Post-ferment the wine is held in tank and matured for a short period of time before being stabilised ready for bottling. With no additional finings judged necessary, this wine was ready for bottling in early July 2019.
Producer
Tohu produces award-winning New Zealand wine crafted from grapes grown in our breathtakingly beautiful, Awatere Valley vineyard. When Tohu launched in 1998 we were the world's first Maori-owned wine company. Since then we’ve grown a reputation for producing premium wine in a range of varieties, winning awards for our Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Méthode Traditionnelle.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Gris |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
|
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.1 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
| Food Matches |
Chilli, ginger and battered fish soft tacos with fresh coriander and salsa verde |
| Appellation | Marlborough |
2023 Te Mério Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £11.29 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%With more texture than aromatics alone, this is a food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Bright, crisp and aromatic, with generous aromas of cut grass, tomato leaf and asparagus.
Palate
A tangy palate of citrus, bell-pepper, and bay leaves.

Producer
Boutinot's New Zealand wines are sourced from vineyards in each sub-regions of Marlborough - the Awatere, Waihopai and Wairau Valleys, as well as the breezier region of Waipara. These valleys have their own micro-climates and terroir which give a unique personality to the vineyards, grapes and finished wines.
Samantha Bailey brings her blending expertise and experienced palate to the fore in expressing the loveliest Boutinot wines from The Land of the Long White Cloud.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"Bright and fresh with good acidity and great texture. It’s more kumquat & guava/passion fruit than light and mineral in style. It says it’s sourced from Nelson on the back label but with this opulent fruit profile, it reminds me more of Marlborough! Either way, it’s a cracking wine and not too harsh on the wallet!" May 2023
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches |
A great all-rounder with fresh fish, cold cuts and salads.
|
| Origin | Marlborough |
| Appellation | Marlborough |
2023 Majella Sparkling Shiraz
Regular price £26.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Majella have kept the Australian tradition of making sparkling red wines. This is a delicious Sparkling Shiraz to add to your list of 'must try'!
Tasting Notes
One of Australia's best sparkling red wines. Full flavoured with a subtle balance of fruit and vanilla wood, hints of spice cinnamon and pepper with a presence of yeasty bread characteristics with soft acid balance to finish the palate.

Production Method
Primary fermentation is in 10 tonne stainless steel static fermenter's pumped over twice daily and finished in hogsheads. Secondary fermentation carried out in bottle on the lees for almost 12 months. The wine is then disgorged and a small amount of "liqueur" (sweetener) is added. In the true Aussie tradition they use some really fantastic vintage port.
Producer
Majella are an absolute stalwart within our portfolio and regarded as one of Coonawarra’s, if not Australia’s, best producers with an abundance of awards to support this.
However, the effusive Brian ‘Prof’ Lynn would never brag. Self-depreciating to the end, he describes himself as the humble custodian of top quality vineyards on world-famous ‘terra rossa’ soils. Every step of production is engineered with sustainability in its heart. This combined with the immense talent of winemaker Bruce Gregory, has been the magic on which Majella’s reputation has been built; with their sparkling Shiraz reaching cult like status on both sides of the globe and their impeccable Cabernet Sauvignon listed in Langton’s Classification of Australia’s Best Wines.
Awards

Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Syrah |
| Country | Australia |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Food Match | One of Australia's best sparkling red wines. Full flavoured with a subtle balance of fruit and vanilla wood, hints of spice cinnamon and pepper with a presence of yeasty bread characteristics with soft acid balance to finish the palate. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin | South Australia |
| Appellation | Coonawarra |
2023 Camarada Malbec
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A wine with a conscience! It was bottled using only clean and renewable energy. So you can drink this wine and know that it didn’t ‘cost the earth’ (in more ways than one).
Tasting Notes
Nose
Rich and vibrant with notes of blueberry and blackberry on the nose.
Palate
This Malbec is well-balanced with lush fruit flavours of boysenberry and brambles, complimented by hints of dark chocolate, vanilla and spice with a long, spicy finish.
Production
Grapes are hand-harvested at the beginning of March and delivered to the winery in the same day. Stems are removed, then traditional fermentation at 22-24C for 6 - 10 days. Grapes are crushed using gentle pneumatic bag presses. Malolactic fermentation takes place to give organoleptic complexity to the wine. 50% of the wine is aged in new inner-staves for 5 months (70% French Oak and 30% American Oak) and micro-oxygenation.
Did you know?
The province of Mendoza is larger than England!
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"Wow - this is stunning - I bought it because it hits a price point between entry toro Pintado/ steakmaket and the more premium la Linda/quinde etc. if ever a wine was needed to demonstrate ‘bang for buck’ - this is it!! Delicious red and black fruits with great balance, complexity and length - this is close to knocking quinde off my ‘best Malbec’ trophy in our range - Almost but not quite but it is much better value!! 17/20 for taste/flavour but 20/20 for value!!" November 2022
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Malbec |
| Country | Argentina |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Suggested Serving Temp | Between 15°C and 18°C. |
| Features | Vegan, Vegetarian approved & Sustainable practises |
| Food Matches | It may be a cliché but this big red will go very well with a medium-rare sirloin steak, served with peppercorn sauce or other grilled meats, and pastas. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Appellation | Mendoza |
2017 Tohu Whenua Awa Single Vineyard Pinot Noir
Regular price £42.99 Sale price £29.99 Save 30%Nose
Intense ripe dark fruit aromas, underlined with bright florals and harmonious spicy oak notes.
Palate
Flavours of red and dark fruits balanced with soft, silky tannins. Long, lingering and mouth-filling finish.

Vineyard
Awatere Valley Marlborough, New Zealand. Blocks: Araroa, Moana, Rotokaro, Taumauri & Tohu. Planted 2002. 19.22 ha. Loam soils varying from shallow to deep silt, and fine sand.
Viticulture
A relatively frost-free spring resulted in good early shoot growth. Leaf plucking facilitated bunch exposure and promoted fruit flavour development. Slightly lower than normal brix levels resulted in clean, concentrated flavours.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested grapes gently destemmed then chilled for seven days in open top vessels. Warmed for a fast ferment; the wine was pressed directly into dedicated Pinot Noir French oak barriques for the winter. Malolactic fermentation once the temperatures started to warm again in spring. Rigorous blending and barrel section, with the final blend left to settle a few more months before being bottled without the need for fining or filtration.
Bottled May 2018 – 3276 bottles produced
Awards
- Gold - 2020 IWC
- 91 points James Suckling
Specifications
| Year | 2017 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.8 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Until 2024 |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches |
Lamb Rack, baba ganoush, tomato & coriander salad. Light enough to pair with a grilled salmon pasta, but it will also compliment rich red meats. |
| Appellation | Marlborough |
2020 Ventisquero 'Grey Glacier' Pinot Noir
Regular price £18.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%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
Deep ruby red with violet hues.
Nose
The nose initially reveals aromas of black and red berries, such as murtillas (commonly known as Chilean guava, or strawberry myrtle), cranberries, black plums and raspberries.
Palate
The palate has balanced acidity and flavours of juicy black fruit, along with smooth, well-rounded tannins sustained by the notes of soft French oak.

Vinification
The grapes first underwent a cold pre-fermentative maceration to extract their colour and aromas. They were then fermented in open stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of between 24°C and 26°C. Manual pump-overs were used for 100% of the extraction during fermentation. 100% of the wine was aged in 300lts French oak barrels for a period of 12 months. 15% of them were new, 30% second-use and 55% third-use.
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.
Alan's Tasting Notes
"Another Grey Glacier triumph- red and black fruits vye for your attention balanced by a fresh acidity - all framed in soft tannins from some subtle oak ageing. Incredible balance with an extended finish that stops you reaching for your glass - except that it’s so delicious that you want more. This really is an over-delivering range that demands tasting that will never disappoint. Try it once - any varietal - and you’ll be hooked. One of our fuller, richer, riper styles of Pinot noir." Tasted July 2022
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Country | Chile |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
| Type | Red Blend |
| Dietary Information | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Best served at between 14°C and 15°C. This wine pairs well duck, with oily fish, pasta, creamy soups, different lean meats and hard cheese. |
| Appellation |
|
2024 Waterkloof Circle of Life White
Regular price £14.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Circle of Life celebrates farming in harmony with nature, telling a story of preserving and regenerating biodiversity. This harmonious combination of 3 classic grape varieties captures the essence of Waterkloof's biodynamic viticultural amphitheatre. 94 points, Decanter July 2023.
Tasting notes
A fine and seamless blend of 3 classic white grapes. Sauvignon Blanc aromas are prominent on the nose, with lime and prickly pear notes. A tight mineral core and creamy mid palate from the Chenin Blanc gives complexity and a persistent finish while a small proportion of Semillon adds texture and depth.

Awards
- Vintage 2022 - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 - Silver
Production
Circle of Life White is neither defined by grape varietals, nor indeed a specific block within the vineyard, but instead encapsulates the myriad soils, aspects, altitudes and grape varieties found on this windswept, biodynamic farm. The windswept vineyard blocks are all, south facing (less sun exposure), 200-350m above sea-level and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes and wines with a true sense of place. Production is a miserly 4 tons per hectare. Bunches are picked early in the mornings, when they are still cool, which helps to preserve the flavours. Extracting juice from the grapes is achieved through whole-bunch pressing in our modern basket press. This is the most delicate way to extract the juice. No additions of enzymes or settling agents were made to the juice. After a settling period of 24 hours, a large proportion of the juice was destined for co-fermentation. We determined a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc prior to fermentation which went into old 600-liter barrels where it fermented for four months. After the fermentation was completed the blend was racked to a stainless-steel tank to which they added the rest of the Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillon. To have the varietals integrate the wine was left in barrel on the fine lees until its bottling date six months later. This helped to add more complexity and weight to the palate. The wine is produced as naturally as possible, with no additions of acids or enzymes.
Producer
Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004, Waterkloof is a family-owned farm using organic practices. The farm is perched high up on the windswept Schapenberg, overlooking False Bay and The Atlantic Ocean. Living soils, naturally low yields and a long growing season help provide talented Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard with naturally balanced grapes that are imbued with a truly defining sense of origin. Those grapes are then transformed into wine with a minimum of intervention. The resulting wines are fine, inimitable and best enjoyed with food.
Sustainability
As well as being ECOCERT certified as organic, and working biodynamically, Waterkloof goes much further than many in its efforts to be a highly sustainable winery. A member of The Integrated Production of Wine Scheme, a voluntary environmental sustainability scheme established by the South African wine industry in 1998, and of The Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association, a multi-stakeholder, non-profit voluntary organisation which actively promotes ethical trade in the wine industry, it is has also been a member of the World Wildlife Fund’s Biodiversity & Wine Initiative from its inception. Through a partnership between the IPW and the BWI, Waterkloof is a WWF Conservation Champion and has in place a formal nature conservation plan that includes: clearing approximately 55 hectares of land from alien invader species and restoring the Cape’s precious indigenous flora and fauna; re-establishing natural vegetation in previously disturbed areas; introducing preventive erosion control measures; providing migration corridors for species between isolated areas of natural vegetation; mulching of winter cover crops to create a healthy environment for the natural predators of vine pests and installing perches for birds of prey for natural rodent control measures.In the vineyards, drip irrigation is used only on young vines as a more efficient system to conserve water. Most of Waterkloof is dry-farmed; the biological control of pests is employed as an alternative to chemical spraying; annual legume cover crops are sown to add nitrogen to the soil and annual grain cover crops are sown in alternate rows as a carbon source and to return nutrients to the soil; earthworms are farmed and their casts are used to make a tea, which is used on the cover crops and soil as a living fertiliser; 380-400 tons of compost a year are made each year to boost carbon matter in the soil, to enhance its water holding capacity, and to boost the level of microbes in the soil keeping it fertile and alive; and, as part of the estate’s biodynamic regime, various foliar feeds are made. No damaging herbicides, pesticides or fungicide are used, only natural predatory fungi and metabolites to control mildew and to build the plants’ immunity. Six Percheron horses are used to plough, compost, spray and harvest the vineyards to reduce damage to the soil and vines and to reduce carbon emissions. Using the horses also teaches the handlers the rare skill of training these horses. A flock of chickens reduces the number of pests in the vineyard and returns nitrogen to the soil and compost, as well as providing fresh, free-range eggs for the restaurant. A small herd of cows is kept, which is key to producing biodynamic composts and teas, and a flock of sheep and a herd of goats are allowed to graze in the vineyards in winter to naturally reduce the level of weeds and vegetation between vine rows, as well as to put nitrogen back into the soil.
In the cellar, waste water gets pumped through a stainless-steel filter into a bioreactor where it is combined with the rest of the waste water from the building. Aerobic bacteria remove most of the contaminants before the water is pumped into a sand bed to remove any solids. From there, it runs into a reed bed for a final clean up and it is then used to irrigate the young vines. Peroxide is used a cleaning agent in the cellar as it breaks down in water after 15 minutes, leaving no residue. The cellar itself is built into the hillside to maintain a stable temperature, to avoid pumping the wines and hence reducing energy usage. Used boxes, dividers, bottles, screwcaps, plastics, paper and labels are recycled with an external company that take everything away for recycling. Old, unused bottles are sold to bottle recyclers who wash and resell them.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 49% Sauvignon Blanc, 41% Chenin Blanc, 10% Semillion |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | White Wine Blend |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Try with Sashimi of Tuna, smoked potato gnocchi or red snapper. |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Appellation | WO Stellenbosch |
2024 Painted Wolf The Den Chenin Blanc
Regular price £12.29 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Winemaking
This wine was made from ripe grapes picked to deliver a rich flavour and texture. It is made up from 3 different tanks produced in different ways. Approximately 50% of the wine was made with standard tank fermentation, and about 30% being fermented with a small number of French oak staves and the balance a “funky” ferment with lots of lees in the tank and a very slow fermentation to build glycerol and texture in the wine. The final blend was put together from these components.
The Background
In 2005, Emma and Jeremy Borg's vinous adventure began when they were approached to make their own wine. Despite Jeremy's two decades of experience in the world of winemaking and Emma's expertise with wine photography, the couple was thrown into the deep end and had to bottle and cork the bounty of their friend's surplus grapes by hand.
The endeavor sparked their dreams of creating their own brand and so Painted Wolf was born. The inspiration came from the endangered African wild dog - highly social, organised, persistent and efficient hunters true to Emma and Jeremy's own vineyard hunts for their expanding range of wines.
Consequently, a percentage of profits from each bottle is donated to support charities dedicated to the conservation of the species, and the painted wolf proudly graces each of their labels. From organic Swartland vineyards to Cape South Coast cool climate sites, the couple has since established a network of esteemed growers and winemakers to ensure quality as grapes are hand-selected and some wines are
TPainted Wolf Wines supports the conservation of the highly endangered painted wolf (African wild dog) and the protection of the diminishing wild spaces of Africa, through its donations to the EWT – www.ewt.org.za and Tusk – www.tusk.org.
Awards
- 3.5 stars – Platter's Wine Guide 2020
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"Yet another triumph from the winemaking genius that is Jeremy Borg. It astounds me how much flavour he gets out of his wines. A real winemaking and blending skill. Beautiful tropical fruit, a soft but constant stream of refreshing acidity and enough wood/lees ageing to give fabulous texture and heaps of complexity & balance for the price point. At £12 this is a real triumph, this mouthfeel and flavour usually costs around £20 - at least. Works well either on its own or with food - just astounded by the flavours, texture and complexity at the price point. Painted Wolf range delivers with every drop." Tasted October 2023
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Viognier |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% ABV |
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
| Food Matches | Complementing such classic dishes as coronation chicken, trout with almonds, or even macaroni cheese. Great value for good everyday drinking with enough class for special dinners, high days, and holidays. |
| Appellation | W.O. Swartland |
2022 Emiliana Animalia (Orange Wine) Organic
Regular price £15.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Emiliana have ventured into the world of orange wines, this being a Sauvignon Blanc fermented on skins. Really successful and has some Casablanca typicity to it.
Tasting Notes
Colour & Nose
Golden orange in colour and aromas of ripe stone fruits, figs and dried herbs on the nose.
Palate
Where as most Orange wines anonymise varietal, Animalia actually has a grassy Sauvignon tange beneath the Orange structure. Clever, tasty stuff from Emiliana.

Production
This Orange wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Casablanca Valley where the vineyards are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and the Humboldt Current. With high humidity rates, its average temperatures reach 25°C in summer and 14°C in winter. The grapes were destemmed and crushed, and left with their skins. They fermented in concrete tanks at approximately 18º C, soft punch downs obtained a subtle extraction. Once the fermentation was finished, the wine was aged in concrete eggs for five months with the skins. After that, it was prepared for bottling.
Producers
Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.
Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Accolades
- Silver at the IWC 2022 (for the 2021 Vintage)
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"After 40 years tasting wines there’s not many wines I taste now that gives me an instant buzz - but this does - fresh and clean with stone fruit flavours and a herbal touch. Most orange wines I’ve tasted have a very pure, anonymous edge to them but this is different - great flavour, huge intensity and a texture to die for. It’s a Boutinot wine from Emiliana Wines in Chile. A stunning intro to orange wine at an affordable price point - defo worth a try!" August 2022
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
| Country | Chile |
| Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.5 units |
| Type | Orange Wine |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Sustainable |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | This is a versatile wine that makes a great pairing with cheeses and charcuterie. It can also be served to match with white meats and fish. |
| Origin | Casablanca Valley |
| Appellation | D.O. Valle De Casablanca |
2022 Edi Simčič Chardonnay
Regular price £30.59 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%This sublime Chardonnay shows off the full potential of this top-rated Slovenian wine region with richness and complexity perfectly balanced by freshness and elegance.
Tasting Notes
There are enticing hints of caramel, tropical fruit, woodsmoke and vanilla while the first sip reveals a full body and bright fruit flavours held in check by a vibrant acidity. The well-defined structure makes this a good contender for additional cellaring.

The fruit is sourced from the estate’s top vines and the young wine ages in small oak barrels for 10 months to add body and intensity to the overall flavour profile.
Information about Edi Simčič
Three generations are still at work here, passing knowledge and experience from father to son every day. Edi himself is still very much a key character at the centre of the business, with his son Aleks working alongside him and taking the winery into a new era, while Aleks’ two sons learn their trade to take up the family mantle one day. Historically, Slovenia has experienced more than its fair share of hardships, re-shaping the lives of the whole population. In the case of Goriška Brda, the whole region was under fascist rule by Mussolini’s Italy up until the end of World War II, after which it passed into Communist rule as part of the reestablished Yugoslavia.
Like many other regions in the area, Goriška Brda’s whole agricultural industry suffered greatly under Communist rule, as all growers were expected to surrender a large portion of their grapes to the government, thus leaving growers with no resources to even consider quality growing and winemaking.
Upon independence and the formation of the Repubic of Slovenia in 1991, the family spared little time in pursuing their true calling as one of the leading winemakers of the country. Today their reputation is well-established, very deservedly so. Everything about Edi himself exudes gentleness, and this certainly comes across in the wines, thanks to patient growing, gentle handling in the cellar and utter perfectionism when it comes to ageing. Down in the cool cellars, none of the wines are rushed to be ready, and a masterful use of oak results in complex and slightly (but very attractively) oxidative wines.
Within Edi’s wheelhouse is a delicious Chardonnay, a wine he considers to be the first step everyone must take to fully understand his approach, after which comes the Sivi Pinot, the local name and style of Pinot Gris. The defining grape and wine of this project and indeed region is the indigenous Rebula, the true jewel in the Edi Simčič crown. Finally the range is rounded off with a red called Duet, a harmonious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These wines are very special, and Edi and family have worked tirelessly to show the world what their region and country is capable of. This is Slovenia.
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Chardonnay |
| Country | Slovenia |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring | Drink now through to 2028. |
| Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
| Food Matches | It pairs brilliantly with strongly-flavoured dishes like grilled octopus and chicken served in a rich creamy sauce. |
| Origin | Goriška Brda |
2020 Cline Cellars Ancient Vines Mourvèdre
Regular price £24.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A juicy characterful Mourvèdre which comes from Cline’s original Contra Costa ranch. It’s here where the 100-year-old bush vines thrive on the sandy soils.
Tasting Notes
Distinct and luscious. Flavours of dark plum and chocolate leads to a medley of integrated oak spice and a smooth and juicy finish. A blockbuster of a wine that has plenty of earthy soul and character.

Producer
Cline Cellars is a family-owned vineyard and winery in Sonoma’s Carneros Valley. Established in 1982 by Fred Cline, a descendant of Italian US settlers, he originally founded the winery in Oakley, Contra Costa County, cultivating Rhône varieties and Zinfandel on vines dating back to 1906.
In the 1990s, the family moved their winemaking operation to a 350-acre ranch in Carneros Valley, adopting sustainable farming in 2000, and building the largest solar paneled winery in California. While others in California were focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Fred Cline saw the potential of Rhône varieties and Zinfandel in his vineyards and continues to produce focussed terroir-driven wines.
Production Method
The Ancient Vines Mourvèdre draws from some of our oldest, most historic and shyest-bearing vineyards. These blocks produce fruit of stunning concentration as a result of sensitive farming practices, the singular Oakley terroir, and a unique cooling band of air that flows in from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. By naturally restricting yields to only 2 to 3 tonnes per acre, we achieve a sublime expression of the Mourvèdre fruit. These grapes hold characteristics of dark, dusty berry fruit that makes their Ancient Vines Mourvèdre so lustrous. Individual lots of grapes were harvested separately according to ripeness and balance of acidity. Grapes undergo total de-stemming and a very gentle crushing to ensure a large proportion of whole berries in the must. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks with select cultured yeasts. It was then maintained at the ideal temperature to aid in the extraction of flavor and colour. The wine was pressed off its skins at dryness before being racked to dark toasted American Oak (approximately 30% new) where it was gently aged for 10 months and then stored in neutral cooperage.
A Note on Sustainability
Cline is proud to be a Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery. The program acknowledges a long-term commitment to continual improvement in the field of sustainable winegrowing and business practices, from grape to glass. It is located in Sonoma County, which is committed to becoming the first 100% sustainable wine region in the US by 2019.
Fred Cline and Bob Cannard founded Green String Farm and the Green String method of sustainable farming in 2003. Green String Farm is a 57-hectare natural process, sustainable farm near Petaluma, California. The Green String method meets the highest standard of environmental sustainability practices, which is different from certified organic. The methods reduce soil erosion, pesticide dependency, and loss of biodiversity; and increase resistance to natural predators.
In 2005, Cline was one of the first wineries to fully adopt solar energy. In 2018 it upgraded the original array with the latest technology, designed to offset 100% of its winery’s electrical consumption.
Instead of herbicides, Cline has 1,500 sheep and 500 goats that roam its vineyards, tasked with removing invasive weeds and instead of harmful pesticides, Cline provides owl boxes and raptor perches in the vineyard. These birds of prey are the predators of gophers and mice and help to maintain ecological control.
Cline composts and re-uses all digestible organic waste and materials from its winery, including 3,000 tons of grape pomace per year, prunings from trees and vines, plus chipped materials from the landscape. This waste is turned into a biological stimulant and food for the soils. Cline also grinds its own volcanic rock and then spreads the crushed cinder onto the soil. Having a wide spectrum of mineralogy, these cinders provide the vineyards with a complex array of nutrients and trace minerals, ensuring that the vines have all the necessary components to build fullness of character in the wine.
Awards
- Bronze from the Decanter World Wine Awards 2017 (2014 vintage)
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Mourvèdre |
| Country | USA |
| Alcohol content | 15% alc vol |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting Info |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable |
| Food Matches | This scrumptious and unusually delightful wine goes exceptionally well with grilled lamb or pork, sautéed asparagus and curried deviled eggs. Also, fab with rack of lamb, duck confit and steak tartare. |
| Origin | California |
| Appellation | Contra Costa |
2023 Los Cardos Dona Paula Malbec
Regular price £11.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Los Cardos means "The Thistles" in Spanish. Their presence indicates an unmistakable sign of good terroir. Also
100% Vegan Approved.
Tasting Notes
Deep violet red color. Spicy and rich with juicy black fruit and a long jammy finish.

Vinification
The grapes are harvested from mid to late March. In the winery, they are first destemmed and softly crushed. A cold pre-fermentative maceration takes place to preserve the primary aromas. Then, the must is cooled and traditional fermentation starts. Post-fermentation maceration lasts between 10 and 15 days. Malolactic fermentation is carried out after maceration.
The Estate
El Alto Vineyard is located in Ugarteche, in the southern part of Luján de Cuyo, at 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) above sea level. The soils range from sandy loam to clay loam, with variable content of stone. The climate typically presents warm days and cool nights, with an average temperature variation of 14 °C (57.2 °F) and an average annual rainfall of 250 mm (9.8 in). The vines yield 12 tons per hectare, and they are grown in espaliers, using drip irrigation. At Doña Paula, our vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices.
Accolades
- Bronze Medal Winner - International Wine Challenge 2022
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"This is lovely, fairly full bodied with lots of vibrant red and black fruits with a super smooth jammy finish. Great value too. A fabulous easy drinking introduction to Argentinian Malbec." tasted June 2024
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Malbec |
| Country | Argentina |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Aged | Oak aged |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Features | Vegan and Vegetarian, Sustainable practises |
| Food Matches | Enjoy alone or pair with red meat, empanadas or pasta. Serve 14-16C |
| Appellation | Mendoza |
2020 Anthonij Rupert 'Optima'
Regular price £25.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Nose
Opulent but genteel and tempting violet-tinged soft black fruit abundance on the nose.
Palate
The palate is all about texture: silky, velvety, smooth and simultaneously plush. Ripe plums, hedgerow fruit, cocoa, cedar and spice, cigar box flavours make for an enveloping mouthful. Complex, elegant and beautifully integrated, the oak is seamlessly balanced with the fruit. Lingering & harmonious with not a single element out of place.

Each component was aged separately and then matured in 225L French oak barrels for 20 months with only 30% first fill barrels being used.
In the Vineyard
The grapes selected for the Anthonij Rupert Optima, comes from our L’Ormarins Estate in Franschhoek and Rooderust farm in Darling. Specific sites, each with their own unique soil type and climatic conditions, were identified for the ideal grape selection, which make up unique components of the final blend in Optima. With lower rainfall bringing challenging conditions, the total wine grape production was lower than 2015. With drier weather conditions, the vineyards produced smaller healthy berries with high flavour concentration and good colour.
In the Cellar
An Optical sorting machine was used to ensure that only the best quality grapes are used. Wine was fermented dry on the skins and underwent extended post-fermentation maceration. This ensures deep colour and a good tannin structure enhancing the maturation potential in the wine. Malolactic barrel fermentation completed before the wine was racked off the lees.
History
Anthonij Rupert Wyne was founded on the farm, L`Ormarins in Franschhoek. Originally owned by the late Anthonij Rupert, who passed away in 2001, the farm was eventually taken over by his brother Johann Rupert in 2003 and the brand named after him. It was Johann Rupert who constructed a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, catapulting the farm into a prestigious wine estate and the beginnings of what is now a sprawling enterprise.
The focus is on terroir specific wines and therefore it would seem obvious that the brand is made up of an impressive portfolio of farms representing the best in grape producing locations. The portfolio is made up of L`Ormarins situated in Franschhoek, Rooderust in Darling, Riebeeksrivier in the Swartland and Altima in isolated Elandskloof. Individually each site offers optimum varietal specific growing conditions, allowing Anthonij Rupert Wyne to adhere to the requirements of their different brands.
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
14.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | 10 years + |
| Food Matching | Fillet with a mustard & brandy sauce. Delicious with hard cheeses, beef, lamb & vegetables. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin | Franschhoek |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
Primordial Soup Red Blend N/V
Regular price £8.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%At the Western Cape’s Pinnacle Point, evidence remains in maritime caves of our earliest known ancestors - a primitive culture that combed the beaches and fished in the same rock-pools from whence they came. Our aim with Primordial Soup is to introduce South African wine in its most accessible form, red and white familial twins made up of multiple classical cultivars, named without variety. The design inspiration is from the illustration’s of Ernst Haeckel, German naturalist, who identified then drew some of the simplest forms of life on Earth. We then use these to relate to Darwinism and the subject of Creation and evolution as a whole. It’s the story of everything.
Tasting Notes
A rich and bloody bouillabaisse of the Western Cape’s classical cultivars, packed with juicy life, red in tooth and claw. It has a nose of creamy summer pudding and a palate of crushed cherries with a cranberry tang and texture. It’s the Natural Selection.
Production
This cultured concoction is derived from the Western Cape’s classical cultivars, blended to represent nature’s selection and packed with juicy life. An artful mix of classic South African varieties chosen and blended by our winemaker Ryno Booysen.
Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw, Ryno Booysen and Pierre Louw drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
| Year | N/V |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Blend |
| Country | South Africa |
| Alcohol content | 14.5% alc vol |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
| Type | Red Blend |
| Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
| Features | Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches |
A fantastic match to a huge variety of dishes from steak and chips, bangers and mash, juicy pink sunday roast, to beef stirfry. |
| Origin | Swartland |
| Appellation | Western Cape |
2023 Coterie by Wildeberg Cabernet Franc Malbec
Regular price £13.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvees that are again selected to go into Coterie by Wildeberg. All fruit is hand-harvested in February from selected sites in Franschhoek and Paarl. Both cultivars are fermented whole bunch, with some whole berry fruit, there is no crush, just a daily pump over during the natural fermentation. We want to express place over cultivar so this slow, gentle extraction gives wines truer of origin than winery. The components are racked to French and Austrian oak, new and old, for 20 months before blending and bottling.
Producer
The Earth’s mantle thrusts up above the gentle town of Franschhoek, a wild slice of untamed mountain on which sits a farm named Wildeberg. An established wine region for some 350 years, sensible generations never thought to plant a vine here until a happy band of idealists recently craned their necks up at this hillside and, dizzy with hope, decided to give it a go. Franschhoek is on the very edge of the south-eastern corner of the Cape’s venerable Coastal Region, indeed Wildeberg’s property border runs over the top of the mountain where the Coastal Region gives way to the baboon-strewn road to Grabouw and the wider Western Cape.
The Wildeberg wines express the most captivating Franschhoek Valley fruit. In our Wildeberg Terroirs bottlings we look beyond our home to a clutch of exceptional sites of other origin.
A mountain rich in metaphor with the visual heft to flatter any wine, releases of Wildeberg and Terroirs express our continued purpose – exceptional wines of place, however humble the origin. If the abiding memory of our wines remains a textural sense of place then we are portraying the Cape as hoped.
Sustainability
Wildeberg is a 144ha wine farm set against the backdrop of the dramatic Franschhoek mountains, on the very edge of viticultural possibilities. To farm here you have to be in tune with nature, respecting the earth and the elements, creating wines which truly express the terroir with minimal intervention.
This special area is home to 4 endangered Fynbos species, and a key mission of Wildeberg is to conserve this vegetation type as they are critical to the biodiversity of the Western Cape. This work entails clearing invasive alien trees which can overwhelm the Fynbos and contribute to the threat of forest fires. Fynbos covered mountains like those at Wildeberg are thought to be responsible for delivering one glass of water in five in South Africa, due to the plants allowing up to 80% of rainwater to run off into rivers and reservoirs rather than being absorbed into the soil.
Water is precious in South Africa, and waste water from the winery passes through a natural wetland with indigenous reeds and plants before being pumped into our irrigation dam. We then use this water to irrigate the vines.
All Wildeberg 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.
Wildeberg is also a proud member of the Cape’s Old Vine Project (OVP), which preserves blocks of vines which are 35 years and older. The project encourages producers to farm as close to nature as possible whilst raising awareness of the inherent potential of old vines to produce outstanding and expressive wines.
Awards for 2021 Vintage
- Bronze - 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards
- Silver - 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 67% Cabernet Franc, 33% Malbec |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
| Food Matches | Grilled meats, especially lamb and spiced meat dishes. |
| Appellation | W.O. Coastal Region |
2022 Adobe Reserva Organic Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £11.39 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%This is the fundamental organic South American Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting Notes
Colour
A clear, bright pale yellow in colour
Nose
The complex nose presents citrusy notes of grapefruit and lime with a subtle touch of freshly crushed bay leaf
Palate
The smooth palate bursts with citrus freshness balanced by good volume and persistence

Production
Casablanca Valley is hugely influenced by its proximity to the cool breezes which blow in of the chilly Pacific Ocean. The vineyard soils are alluvial in origin, with sandy textures, high permeability, whose shallow depth restricts yield. These cooler temperatures and poor soils, in consequence, give great character in both flavour and aroma, especially for aromatic white varieties like Sauvignon Blanc. The landscape generally consists of rolling hills that rise toward the east and the Coastal Mountains. The poor, shallow soils are alluvial in origin with sandy loam textures, good permeability, and relatively low yields with respect to other Chilean wine regions. Cool climate conditions allow the fruit to ripen more slowly, resulting in grapes with a tremendous concentration off aromas and flavours in white varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and others. The grapes that went into this wine were hand picked during the first week of March, when the fruit had reached the desired level of ripeness. The fruit came from the Casablanca estate, where the vertically positioned vines produce an average yield of 11 tons per hectare. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts in our Maipo Valley winery. Temperatures were carefully managed to remain cool, with pumpovers and delicate lees stirring to reach the desired results. The wine was fined with bentonite and cold-stabilized before bottling to prevent tartaric precipitations in the bottle.
Producers
Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.
Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Sustainable
Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017 and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.
Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.
Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.
Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.
Awards
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2020 - Bronze (2019 vintage)
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"Just WOW! The last Adobe to the VF party - but this is the best-selling varietal for Boutinot. Dry, fresh & clean with wonderful complexity for this price point. Lots of lime & grapefruit citric aromas and flavours. Very well made, well balanced and good length makes this an organic masterpiece for me - real respect for this winery and a wonderful addition to our range - even if we are late to the party!!" November 2022
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
| Country | Chile |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting Info |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Sustainable |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Ideal with shellfish and lighter fish prepared with lemon, such as ceviche. It also makes a good companion for sushi and pastas with seafood sauces, or to enjoy as an aperitif with fresh chees |
| Origin | Casablanca Valley |
| Appellation | D.O. Valle De Casablanca |
2022 Luigi Bosca De Sangre Malbec DOC
Regular price £25.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Nose
A bright violet-coloured red wine featuring varied aromas, highlighting sharp red fruit, reminiscent of ripe cherry. Spicy notes can also be perceived, thus adding complexity and very well integrated slightly roasted hues evoke coffee - the result of its aging process.
Palate
A round wine, rich in red fruity notes, that is also a little spicy in the palate. Including firm tannins of balanced acidity, this robust red of great character vigorously fills the mouth with ripe fruit and offers a lingering and compact finish.

Producer
The winery that today produces Luigi Bosca wines was founded in 1901 by Leoncio Arizu, a Spanish citizen from Navarra who settled in Mendoza in 1890. Located in the Vistalba valley, in the Luján de Cuyo region, an area that, due to its characteristics, achieved the first " Denomination of Controlled Origin "of America. Luigi Bosca launched the first Malbec DOC in Argentina and Latin America.
Winemaking
The grapes are manually harvested in 18 to 20-kilogram boxes, followed by the bunch selection and stalking processes, and, subsequently, berry selection. The grape juice is cold macerated at a temperature ranging between 8 and 10 °C for five to seven days. After that, it is fermented in small stainless steel tanks, undergoing various extractions, such as plunging and rack and return (délestage). Once maceration is completed, wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels, where it goes through malolactic fermentation. The wine is then filtered and bottled, and then stowed in the wine cellar for at least six months before it enters the market.
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Malbec |
| Country | Argentina |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.8 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | For up to 10 years |
| Ageing in Barrels | 12 months in oak barrels |
| Suggested Serving Temp | Between 16°C and 18°C. |
| Food Matches | Perfect to enjoy with special dishes, such as a rack of lamb with sautéed mushrooms, or a rib eye steak with quinoa risotto, and a semi-hard cheese platter. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Appellation |
|
2019 Chateau Montelena Estate Calistoga Zinfandel
Regular price £59.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Chateau Montelena shot to fame in 1976 at the iconic Judgement of Paris that shook the wine world to its core when their 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay won first place against an enviable line-up of top French Burgundies. The result was a shock to the wine trade all over the world and changed the history of California wine - and Chateau Montelena - forever.
Tasting Notes
Zinfandel is California’s heritage grape, and as anyone who has tasted long-lived examples from the 1970s, it can produce wines of tremendous quality, both immediate pleasure and age-worthiness, and all in a rich and spicy berry profile that is unique in the world of wine. Like every wine they produce, Montelena looks first and foremost to take the tremendous fruit they work with and transmit it in a complex, balanced package.
Colour
Beautiful and dark garnet in colour.
Nose
This Zinfandel opens with aromas of bright raspberry and floral top notes; followed by cedar, dried berries, dried plums, and the classic Zinfandel briar-berry along with hints of pipe tobacco and dusty cocoa.
Palate
The palate opens softly, with exceptional balance, and builds nicely into a good full finish. Dried fruit notes are perfectly complemented by fresh, red currant and mature black fruit flavors. Very juicy on the palate, it is ripe and sweet, with good length and just a hint of herbs on the finish. It shows good weight and velvety tannins throughout – very fleshy without being overbearing.

Vintage Weather
Not a hot or incredibly early vintage like ‘96 or ‘87, respectively, the weather cooperated and helped us produce wines of finesse, elegance, and balance – aspects that are critical for wines that exhibit a purity of expression and our wonderfully unique growing site.
Producer
Established in 1882 and located in Calistoga, California– the Montelena Estate is one of the oldest and most notable wine-producing properties in the Napa Valley. Click below to explore our beautiful grounds and see for yourself.
Chateau Montelena Winery, originally called A.L. Tubbs winery after its founder Alfred Tubbs, was constructed in 1888 and intended as a barrel-aging facility. The Chateau was unique in materials, plan, size, and style for its era. In nineteenth-century Napa Valley, the majority of wineries were constructed of wood. Instead, the Chateau is made of stone with walls three to twelve feet thick, which provides natural insulation against outside heat or cold. Similarly, the structure built into a hillside, to further regulate temperature - something necessary for producing quality wines but uncommon at the time. Also rare among Napa Valley wineries, the Chateau resembles an English Gothic castle gatehouse complete with rusticated stone walls, battlement with crenels and merlons, narrow arched windows, large arched door in the place of a portcullis, and bartizans with faux arrow slits.
Accounts of the stone winery’s designer, masons and source of materials vary. The design has been attributed to Hamden McIntyre, the well-known local winery designer; however, McIntyre relocated to Vina in 1887 where he took charge of the vineyard and winery of Leland Stanford. The building is unlike McIntyre's other wineries, none of which were designed in a Gothic style. Some sources also suggest that while in Europe, Tubbs hired a French architect to draw plans for the building, brought back French masons to build it, and imported European stone for the walls. Other accounts suggest the design was inspired by the Cellar of Chateau Lafite in France.
Originally, the interior was one large space with a second-story crushing floor, but in 1960, a second-floor apartment was inserted so the Chateau could be used as a home. The space was then converted into our current Tasting room though parts of the private residence remain and are used on occasion today for family guests and private events.
Vineyards
The vineyard is comprised of varied terrain, from flat to steep hillsides. Extending out from the Napa River is the alluvial soil, the most prevalent type on the property. In the back and outside areas of the vineyard are volcanic soils, formed by ancient lava flows caused by tectonic uplifting. The decades-old Zinfandel, planted in craggy volcanic soil, combined with 10-year-old vines in cobbly alluvial soil, produces a wine with complex character.
Specifications
| Year | 2019 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Zinfandel |
| Country | USA |
| Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle |
10.5units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches | The Chateau Montelena Zinfandel can stand up to the big, meaty flavors, such as barbeque pork ribs, leg of lamb or a well-seasoned beef dish. The spicy notes of the wine will also complement dark chocolate dishes quite well. |
| Origin | California |
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
Our Autumn Reds
Regular price £72.00 Sale price £60.00 Save 17%Settle in for cooler days with this collection of Autumn Reds, selected for a range of food pairings and occasions.
Each case contains one bottle of:
2023 Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge, IGP Méditerranée (France)
A classic southern Rhône red with ripe fruit and herbal notes. Textured with plum, strawberry, and subtle spice. Suitable with grilled meats, casseroles, BLTs, pizzas, and mature hard cheeses.
2024 Da Vero Nero d’Avola (Organic) (Italy)
Aromas of black fruit with a hint of spice. The palate shows plum and bramble fruit alongside savoury and herbal elements, with soft tannins supported by fresh acidity. Works well with rich pasta dishes, casseroles, and grilled meats.
2024 Ancora Sangiovese (Italy)
Fresh red fruit aromas with a light black pepper character. Medium-bodied with red and black berry notes and balanced acidity. Suitable with pasta, pizza, and tomato-based dishes.
2023 Camarada Malbec (Argentina)
Produced using clean and renewable energy. Displays dark fruit with supporting structure. Suitable with medium-rare steak, peppercorn sauce, grilled meats, and pasta dishes.
2023 Ananto Organic Bobal Tempranillo (Spain)
An organic red from Utiel-Requena featuring the Bobal variety. Aromas of blueberry and blackberry lead to a palate of plum, spice, and soft tannins with a balanced finish. Complements roasts, stews, red meat, small game, cheese, and cold meats.
2023 False Bay Bush Vine Pinotage (South Africa)
Plum aromas with savoury and smoky notes. The palate is ripe with vibrant fruit, firm tannins, and a persistent finish. Pairs with pork belly, barbecued meats, boerwors, game, or sausage and mash.
Save £12 on this selection of red wines plus Free Delivery.
2023 MOKOBlack Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
Regular price £11.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Nose
Zesty citrus with white stone fruits.
Palate
Luscious, abundant gooseberry aromas follow through onto the palate where it explodes with a full on citrus zing that is balanced by fantastic texture. The finish is clean, crisp and refreshing.

Production
The wine is dominated by 50% Awatere Valley fruit, with vineyards located on both sides of the river in three sub-regions. Soils on the south bank are deep silt loams and fertile, while the north bank sites are stony, shallow silt loams, and lighter in structure.
A dry and windy climate in this valley leads to small, thick-skinned berries with an emphasis on herbal intensity. Wairau Valley sites in the Rapaura district and the Southern Valleys make up much of the rest of the blend. These are warmer areas, and the soils vary between deep fertile loams, gravelly alluvium and clays. Fruit from these sites is often more tropical, with some ripe citrus characters.
Vines are all managed with vertical shoot positioning, and pruned to leave balanced bud numbers and crop levels consistent with individual site capacity. Picking decisions are made entirely on flavour, skin-contact is minimised and cool fermentations with neutral yeast in stainless steel tanks preserve the crisp, fresh varietal nature of the fruit.
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
|
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
| Food Matches |
The bright, crisp Sauvignon is a perfect match with all sea beasties from delicate freshly caught seafood to rich and meaty barbecued king prawns. |
| Appellation | Marlborough |
2023 Adobe Reserva Merlot Organic
Regular price £11.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Juicy, organic Merlot with fruit and freshness in abundance.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Bright ruby-red colour
Nose
Plum and red cherry aromas and subtle black pepper notes.
Palate
The palate is juicy with ample fruit character. Supported by gently wooded influence giving good structure and rounded tannins. It has a soft palate and a fruity finish.

Production
Rapel Valley is located on the 6th Region, 160 kms south to Santiago. This zone has good drainage, excellent fertility and great characteristics for agriculture, especially for red varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Merlot. This valley has a Mediterranean climate, it has coastal influence because it limits with the Cordillera de la Costa, which is low. There’s a great concentration of rain during winter (710 mm average) and in summer this valley receives southern winds with morning mist. Summers are very hot and have big temperature fluctuation. The grapes were manually harvested in mid April. Vinification begins with a prefermentation cold soak at 8°C for a week in order to extract the fruit. Alcoholic fermentation takes place between 25°C and 28°C with a pumpover program determined by daily tasting. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in stainless steel tanks and 20% of the wine was aged in barrels for 6 months; after this the wine blended in order to obtain a more complex character.
Producers
Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.
Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Sustainable
Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017, and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.
Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.
Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.
Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Merlot |
| Country | Chile |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Sustainable |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Ideal with lean red meats and white meats such as chicken and turkey. Also pairs well with ripe cheeses such as Camembert, Roquefort, Mozzarella, and Gruyere, with goat cheese, and with nuts, walnuts, and dried figs. A pleasing companion to vegetable stews and pastas with mild sauces. |
| Origin | Rapel Valley |
| Appellation | D.O. Valle del Rapel, Chile |
2020 Ventisquero 'Grey Glacier' Single Block GCM
Regular price £18.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%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
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 58% Garnacha (Grenache), 27% Cariñena (Carignan), 15% Mataro (Mourvedre) |
| Country | Chile |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Dietary Information | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | It is recommended to drink at a temperature between 16-18°C. Accompany mature cheeses and grilled red and well seasoned meats. It is recommended to decant 30 minutes before consuming. |
| Appellation |
|
2021 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz
Regular price £59.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Amon-Ra Shiraz is an iconic wine that epitomises Ben Glaetzer’s passion to create wines that are full flavoured, multi layered and intense but still elegant, stylish and finely balanced.
Tasting Notes
In Egyptian mythology, Amon-Ra is considered to be the king of all gods. The temple of Amon-Ra was believed to be the first temple to ever plant a monoculture vineyard to produce wine for the citizens of the temple.
The eye on front of the label is the all-seeing eye of Horus or wedjat ("whole one") - a powerful Egyptian symbol of protection. It is represented as a figure with six parts, corresponding to what Egyptians regarded as the six senses; touch, taste, hearing, sight, smell and thought.
Ben created Amon-Ra Shiraz to appeal to all these six senses.
Colour
Deep purple in youth, will evolve to a lovely dark red hue with maturation.
Nose
Blood plum showing hints of dark cherries and dried garden herbs.
Palate
Rich and mouthcoating yet with the balance, finesse and elegance that epitomises Amon-Ra. An earthy spice complements the brooding dark fruit flavours.

Vineyards
Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age 50—130 years old. Yield 2 tonnes per hectare.
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.
Reviews
"The 2019 Amon-Ra Shiraz is 100% Shiraz and 100% from the 2019 vintage, as Ben Glaetzer felt it – unlike many previous vintages – didn’t need to be freshened with a small proportion of younger wine. From old vines in the Ebenezer district of the northern Barossa Valley, it offers classic notes of blackberries and spice, framed by hints of cedar and vanilla (it’s aged in 100% new oak hogsheads, mostly French). It’s full-bodied yet crisp, supple but tight and really long. Offering lovely dark fruit, hints of espresso and black olive, it finishes mouthwatering and firm. Give it some time in the cellar and drink it from 2025 – 2040." 96+ points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Specifications
| Year | 2021 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Shiraz |
| Country | Australia |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11.6 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Cellaring | 2025-2040 |
| Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
| Origin | Barossa Valley |
| Appellation | South Australia |
2021 Te Awanga Estate 'Wildsong' Organic Pinot Noir
Regular price £18.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Black cherry, violet, and subtle herb characters on the nose, with liquorice and earth notes on the palate. The tannins are firm yet integrated, contributing to the overall structure.

Vinification
The Pinot Noir was harvested at a relatively ripe stage and allowed to soak on skins for around five days before fermentation began. Fermentation temperatures reached over 30 degrees to support colour and tannin extraction.
Viticulture
The Maraekakaho Vineyard is situated on an ancient river terrace formed by the Ngaruroro River, which now flows around 60 metres below the site. Originating in the Kaweka Ranges to the west of Hawke’s Bay, the river has shaped the landscape over hundreds of thousands of years through glacial melts, floods, and droughts. The remaining terraces consist of greywacke boulders and gravels, with topsoil composed of windblown loess, volcanic ash, and humus from historic vegetation.
The New Year brought long, warm summer days and moderate–cool nights that supported balanced ripening while maintaining acidity. Favourable harvest conditions allowed for timely picking with no weather pressure. The resulting wines from Hawke’s Bay show reduced yields but high quality across varieties, with full flavour and tannin development in reds and balanced acidity with defined flavour profiles in whites.
Producer
Te Awanga Estate is a family-owned wine business established in 2006 with the aim of identifying strong vineyard sites across Hawke’s Bay. The team focuses on growing, harvesting, and crafting wines that reflect the region.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
“A Pinot Noir from Hawke’s Bay showing light to medium body, cherry fruit, a slight herbaceous note, and soft tannins that contribute to a refined style.” February 2022.
Specifications
| Year | 2021 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Country | New Zealand |
|
|
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Organic Wine |
| Food Matches |
Lamb, Beef, Venison, Duck, Mushrooms |
| Appellation | Hawke's Bay |
2024 Percheron Chenin Blanc Viognier
Regular price £9.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Nose
Vibrant and aromatic with subtle perfumed aromas, white peach and hints of jasmine on the nose.
Palate
On the palate it has tight, white, fleshy, stonefruit and fresh citrus flavours balanced by bright and lively acidity. A crisp, incisive finish with a touch of minerality helps deliver a delicious, flavoursome and characterful wine.

Alan's Tasting Note
"This is a delightful, cheeky wee white that delivers a lot of flavour for not a lot of cost. I get the jasmine notes but the fruit is more pear than peach to me. It’s unoaked but has a beautiful richness and length to the fruit that hides /balances the high acidity. As easy drinking as the red - a brilliant pair together."
Production
This wine is made of 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier. Grapes are grown on 30+ year old trellised Chenin and 15 year old Viognier in the Coastal region, mainly from Swartland vineyards. The climate is perfect for viticulture with the low rainfall summer months, tempered by cool afternoons and the cold winters allowing the vines to rest and to build up the reserves. Part of the Chenin Blanc is wild yeast fermented and kept on the yeast lees for as long as possible in order to achieve a rounded palate with good fruit concentration.
Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, terroir.. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthuasiam for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 75% Chenin Blanc 25% Viognier |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.37 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
| Features | Vegetarian & Vegan |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches |
Grilled prawns with plenty of garlic and chilli, whole lemon sole fried in butter and also delicate freshwater fish dishes. |
| Origin | Swartland |
| Appellation |
WO Coastal Region
|
2023 Painted Wolf Teardrop Viognier
Regular price £19.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%The Background
In 2005, Emma and Jeremy Borg's vinous adventure began when they were approached to make their own wine. Despite Jeremy's two decades of experience in the world of winemaking and Emma's expertise with wine photography, the couple was thrown into the deep end and had to bottle and cork the bounty of their friend's surplus grapes by hand.
The endeavor sparked their dreams of creating their own brand and so Painted Wolf was born. The inspiration came from the endangered African wild dog - highly social, organised, persistent and efficient hunters true to Emma and Jeremy's own vineyard hunts for their expanding range of wines.
Consequently, a percentage of profits from each bottle is donated to support charities dedicated to the conservation of the species, and the painted wolf proudly graces each of their labels. From organic Swartland vineyards to Cape South Coast cool climate sites, the couple has since established a network of esteemed growers and winemakers to ensure quality as grapes are hand-selected and some wines are
TPainted Wolf Wines supports the conservation of the highly endangered painted wolf (African wild dog) and the protection of the diminishing wild spaces of Africa, through its donations to the EWT – www.ewt.org.za and Tusk – www.tusk.org.
Awards
- Double Silver – National Wine Challenge/Top100 wines 2019
- 4 stars, 88 points – Platter 2020
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Viognier |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.1 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Now - 2025 |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
| Food Matches | Pairs well with mild Indian curries like korma and tikka masala. It is wonderful with roast pork with a mustard and apple sauce or a creamy seafood dishes. Viognier is a great partner to washed rind cheese. |
| Appellation | W.O. Swartland |
2024 Peacock Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc
Regular price £11.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A fine example of South Africa's signature grape variety.
Tasting Notes
Nose
The nose is both savoury with stone fruits, pear, notes of the local fynbos and a distinct note of oregano.
Palate
On the palate it is delightful to find notes of wild honey often true to naturally fermented Chenin Blanc.

Production
The grapes for Peacock Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc are sourced from The Helderberg Ward on the coastal outreaches of Stellenbosch. Old bushvine vineyards (20 - 50 years old), planted in Chenin-friendly soils, have over time found their natural balance and it definitely shows in the wine. The Helderberg and Schapenberg are also known for the large expanses of indigenous flora (fynbos and proteas) and fauna such as caracal, bat-eared foxes, leopards and of course, peacocks.
In fact, four of South Africa's twenty WWF Biodiversity & Wine Initiative Champions (which includes Waterkloof amongst their number) are located on the Schapenberg and Helderberg alone. In addition to sourcing fruit from neighbouring vineyards, there is also a portion of wine from Waterkloof's biodynamic vineyard used in the Peacock Wild Ferment range.
Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand-harvested, then whole-bunch pressed in a horizontal basket press for only the finest juice. Fermentation takes place spontaneously with wild yeast in a combination of old 600litre barrels and concrete eggs. The wine then spends a minimum of 6 months on lees before bottling. No additions other than sulphur. Vegan friendly wine.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Chenin Blanc |
| Country | South Africa |
|
|
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian & Sustainable |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches |
A really versatile wine that will go with a variety of dishes. Try creamy chicken dishes, belly of pork, fresh pasta and carbonara. |
| Origin | Western Cape |
2022 Smalltown Vineyards 'The Next Big Thing' Chardonnay
Regular price £13.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%
Tasting Notes
With the faintest whiff of biscuity oak this bright, tangy Barossa Chardonnay is an absolute delight. It has that classical Barossa charm, elegance, poise, tang and naggingly more-ish elusive something-or-other which makes one wonder why there isn't more Australian Chardonnay.
Production
Grapes are hand-harvested from an old block on the Binder family Barossa vineyards. Small batches of Chardonnay are picked and pressed through a tank press with some skin contact. 25% is fermented in French puncheons and American hogsheads for 6 months, aged on lees then blended with the 75% unoaked juice, settled, and bottled. Into the main Barossa blend, a small component of Eden Valley Chardonnay is blended and the whole sees a tiny bit of secondary use oak for some fine structure.
Producer
Smalltown Vineyards express many of the Barossa’s prized districts form Gomersal, Kalimna as well as the Eden Valley and beyond. We work with exceptional vineyards simply expressed using minimal intervention, basket press where relevant, natural ferments in open-top fermenters to best capture the Barossa’s magical flavours. We have a lot of fun with labels because, well because we can. It’s only wine after all…
A note about Sustainability
As of the 1st July, 2019, Australia changed from its previous sustainable programme called EntWine to Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Smalltown Vineyards is a participant in this programme, which assists with tools and resources to enhance business sustainability, meeting customer sustainability requirements and sustainability claims made by participants.
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
| Country | Australia |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Anything with chicken, pork, prawns, seafood... Brilliant as a quaffer or perfect with a lovingly cooked meal. |
| Origin | South Australia |
| Appellation | Barossa Valley |
