A rich, savoury satisfying mouthful!

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

Tasting Notes

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

Method of Production

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

Specifications

A fresh take on Malbec, from the reaches of the Pyrenees in the Languedoc, rather than the Andes of Argentina.

Tasting Notes 

Bright blueberry fruit that develops to reveal an intriguing bitter-sweet character of blackcurrant leaf. Fine red fruits fill the palate; with raspberries and a touch of dark chocolate on the finish. 

Production

Malbec has a long history in the Languedoc and has traditionally been used in blends. We have decided not to blend, but to offer this Malbec as a stand-alone, a wine to appreciate for its difference. One of the great advantages of the region is the ideal climatic conditions: long hot days followed by cool nights allow for longer, slower ripening of the grapes. Thereby providing lots of ripeness and soft tannins, but with necessary acidity. Here it has been allowed to shine, fermented on its own in stainless steel for maximum red and black fruit flavours.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Cabernet Franc is much under-rated and rarely cultivated outside its traditional habitats of Bordeaux and Loire. At Domaine Mas Barrau in the Gard region of Southern Rhône, Boutinot’s Guillaume (Letang ) and Samantha (Bailey) have worked together with the family of this organic estate near Nîmes to produce a wine that sets new standards for Cabernet Franc.

Textured and luxurious this is a sophisticated Cabernet Franc from Gard. There is a wild 'after the rain' woodland perfume. The palate is incredibly long and layered with bramble fruit, bay and a touch of sweet prune on the finish.

Production Method

Guillaume Letang looked specifically for vines that are south-facing and can achieve the most sunlight to source the Cabernet Franc grapes for this wine. The terroir is full of limestone which gives rich yet soft and lightly acidic wine – this, in turn, gives the drinker a pleasantly sweet sensation on the palate.

Producer

Like all good stories, Boutinot France's is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. After 10 years, the business had grown and Samantha Bailey packed her bags to set up an office in Burgundy. Today, Boutinot has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and rosés from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. We don't use any single 'model' to source our wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Véran. Drawing on the expertise of our 4 winemakers and network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality to price ratio possible at every price point.

Specifications

An appealing appassimento style red from the Veneto - produced from classic Amarone and Valpolicella grapes.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright berry and black cherry aromas, and a touch of spice.

Palate

The palate has all of Valpolicella's appealing fresh cherry and ripe bramble fruit, along with added weight and complexity from maturation in oak. Supple tannins lead to a finish of delicate sweetness, offset by fresh acidity.

Producer

The illustrious Montresor family moved from France to Italy at the start of the 19th Century and settled in the Veneto region near Lake Garda. In 1892 Cantina Giacomo Montresor was established in Verona, and remains family-owned to this day.

Giorgio Montresor produces a portfolio of wines which increasingly rival the offerings of the region's more fashionable names - harnessing modern technology to craft the best wines from each site, across their 100ha of vineyard, in Valpolicella and Garda.

Production Method

Produced from Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes harvested from hillside vineyards north of Verona. 'Appassimento' refers to the process by which the grapes are dried for a few months before being pressed and vinified - this technique is more common in the Veneto than elsewhere in Italy. In this instance the grapes are dried for 30 days before vinification, and the wine spends 6 months in oak. The resulting red is rich with some residual sweetness.

A Note on Sustainability

At the end of 2019, Montresor received its organic certification. Some of its wines are already bottled in a lighter weight glass bottle (less than 420g) to reduce carbon dioxide emissions during transport, with the added benefit of reducing the amount of glass to be manufactured.

Over the next two years, solar panels will be installed at the winery to provide some of the electricity required in the production process. Alongside this, Montresor is about to install a water purification system to recover and recycle the water used at the winery.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright plum and berry fruit aromas

Palate

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

Production

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

Producers

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

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

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

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

Sustainability

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

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

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

Awards

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

Specifications

Powerful yet approachable!

Tasting Notes

Palate

All you want from a proper Côtes du Rhône.

Tasting Notes

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

Production Method

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

Producer

Like all good stories, Boutinot France's is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. After 10 years, the business had grown and Samantha Bailey packed her bags to set up an office in Burgundy. Today, Boutinot has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and rosés from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. We don't use any single 'model' to source our wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Véran. Drawing on the expertise of our 4 winemakers and network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality to price ratio possible at every price point.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Mora Mora is presented in the glass with a beautiful intense ruby ​​red color.

Nose

Palate

In the mouth, it is warm, juicy, fresh with a slightly hinted acidity. Final with a very light sweetish aftertaste given by the typical fruit of black malvasia.

Vinification

The harvest is carried out in the second decade of September with a manual harvest of the grapes completed in the early hours of the morning, in the coolest hours of the day. After harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and the crushed grapes ferments in stainless steel at a controlled temperature of 22-24 ° C for 8-10 days. The must is subjected to various pumping over and delestage that offer a technological extraction of color and tannins. Subsequently the wine is drawn off in a soft press. After the first racking, again in stainless steel, the malolactic fermentation takes place. Finally, the wine finishes its maturation for 3 months in second and third passage French oak barriques and is already ready to be drunk very young.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

This prized Brunello from San Felice's distinguished Campogiovanni estate is a complex, richly-flavoured and robust wine that will evolve beautifully.

Nose

Offers up aromas of well-ripened wild berry fruit, plum, aromatic cedar, tobacco leaf and tanned leather.

Palate

An expansive, generous palate displays rich fruit and mouthfeel with fine-grained tannins; developing into a long, persistent and fruit-filled finish with notes of graphite.

Producer

The Tenuta Campogiovanni is a sister estate to Agricola San Felice, and is located on the southern slope of the Montalcino hill, near San Angelo in Colle.

This 65ha estate comprises 19ha of vineyard across three separate parcels - amongst olive trees, woods and fields. Production here (and 14ha of vineyard) is strongly focused on Brunello, with the remainder largely used for Rosso di Montalcino. Campogiovanni Brunello is amongst the very best in the region.

1990 saw the first production of a Riserva, entitled Il Quercione, made from fruit rigorously selected from the vineyard of the same name and made only in exceptional years.

Production Method

Campogiovanni's 12-hectare vineyards are on the south quadrant of the Montalcino hill, where weather conditions and a particular combination of soils allow optimal ripening of the grapes. Harvesting is in late September. The grapes then undergo a 20-day maceration at 28-30 degrees C, and malolactic fermentation in steel. Maturation is for 36 months in large Slavonian oak botti, followed by a further 12 months in bottle.

Awards

• Gold at the Sommelier Wine Awards 2018 (2013 vintage)
• Gold at the Sommelier Wine Awards 2017 (2012 vintage) 

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Very pretty indeed, a heady perfume of freshly picked irises and peonies drifts above the crushed berry fruit nose. Ripe tannins and fresh acidity support a palate of Morello cherries, strawberries with a wonderful savoury finish.

Production Method

'Arenite' is the terroir of pinky, crumbly sandstone of the La Madone vineyards, rated as one of the best vineyards in Fleurie. At up to 450m altitude and with soils still untouched by phylloxera, goblet trained vines on the east and southeast facing vineyards lie below the Chapel of the Madonna at the top of the hill. Gamay Noir vines range from 40 to 90 years of age. Grapes are hand-picked and whole-berry fermented for 8-10 days (traditional maceration carbonique) followed by a further 2 or 3 days on the skins to assist with aromas. No use of cultured yeasts. Pressed after an 8-10 day cuvaison. First press wine was returned to vat and left for 8 months before bottling.

Producer

Like all good stories, Boutinot France's is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. After 10 years, the business had grown and Samantha Bailey packed her bags to set up an office in Burgundy. Today, Boutinot has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and rosés from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. We don't use any single 'model' to source our wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Véran. Drawing on the expertise of our 4 winemakers and network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality to price ratio possible at every price point.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of ripe black fruits with a hint of spice. 

Palate

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

Awards

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

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

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

Specifications

A great introduction to Rioja Crianza - vibrant and appealing with plum and berry fruit backed with subtle spice and vanilla.

Tasting Notes 

An attractive, modern style of Crianza with lifted aromatics of bramble fruit with some pepper and spice. Substantial on the palate, with plummy fruit, ripe tannins and a gently savoury fresh finish.

Production Method

Made from Tempranillo grapes cultivated in hillside vineyards (600 metres above sea level) in the best parts of Rioja Oriental. The vineyards have clay stone soil with some sandy areas. 80% of the vines are trained in the trellis method and 20% are bush trained. The grapes are chilled for several hours before temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel. Fermentation lasts for approximately 15 days with twice daily remontage. The wine is matured for a minimum of 12 months in American oak, plus one year in bottle, before release. The winery replaces 20% of its barrel stock, with new barrels, each year.

Producer

Bodegas Ontañón is a 5th generation family-owned and run winery in Rioja Baja (now Rioja Oriental). Here Raquel, Rubén and Maria Pérez Cuevas continue their father Gabriel's work to develop Bodegas Ontañón into one of the most highly-regarded wineries in Rioja. Ontañón has vast swathes of vineyard in this part of Rioja. Whilst wine production in the region is typically very dependent on contracts with grape growers, the Pérez Cuevas family has seen fit to invest heavily in the purchase of its own land and vines. Its 250ha is a testament to the importance it places on controlling grape quality.

The family's vineyards sit high in the Sierra Yerga mountains in the prestigious region surrounding Quel, defying misconceptions that Rioja Baja is one of the lesser sub-regions within Rioja. Many of their vineyards are actually planted at altitudes on a par with, or above, those in Rioja Alta and Alavesa; (La Pasada is their highest vineyard at 800m above sea level, planted in 1979 it is used for Reserva and Gran Reserva wines). The hot and dry Mediterranean climate allows for consistent ripening of the grapes with little disease and this has enabled them to pursue organic production across 57 hectares of vines.

Notes of Sustainability

Currently run by the fifth generation of the Pérez Cuevas family to carry on the tradition of grape growing in the southern part of Rioja, they take great pride in maintaining their vineyards in the most sustainable manner possible as it is their land that supports their family’s craft. As well as farming organically and producing a range of organic wines, Bodegas Ontañón employs a range of other sustainable processes.

These include: controlled irrigation systems to reduce water usage and evaporation; planting vineyards in cooler, well-ventilated areas in order to reduce irrigation requirements and phytosanitary treatments; using plant/grass cover in vineyards to improve soil texture, to reduce tractor working hours and to lower carbon dioxide emissions; using environmentally friendly phytosanitary products that break down quickly and harmlessly; planting several hectares of pine forest near the vineyards in Ausejo and tidying and maintaining the oak forest near the vineyards in Quel. The estate plans to install solar panels at its irrigation installations to generate the electricity they require, and it encourages its worker to carpool from its winery to its vineyards to reduce emissions.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes 

Nose

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

Palate

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

Production

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

History

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

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

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

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

Sustainability

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

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

Awards

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

Specifications

A fruity, spice Portuguese red - generous, fresh and approachable!

Tasting Notes

Nose

Lifted aromas of blackcurrant and blueberries.

Palate

The palate is bright and well-defined with layers of black cherry, plum, and dark spice, overripe tannins.

Production

A combination of hand and machine-picked grapes are sourced from Alianca's own vineyards in the Alentejo region in the south-east, not far from the Spanish border. Here low yielding, old vines are tended traditionally from plantings on clay soils. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats controlled at 30 degrees for 6 days with extended maceration on the skins to extract sufficient colour, fruit and tannins. The wine is matured in tank for a few months before bottling.

Producer

One of Portugal's largest and most progressive producers with 600 hectares spread across estates in five regions from Douro in the north to Alentejo in the south. Winemaker Francisco Antunes oversees what must be one of the most diverse ranges in Europe, from the 3rd largest Portuguese rose brand (Casal Mendes) to some of the country's most impressive premium reds from estates in Douro, Dao, Bairrada and Alentejo. Arguably, Francisco's greatest achievements lie between these extremes, a range of mid-priced wines from native varieties, full of character, quite distinctly Portuguese, but at the same time approachable and with fresh, modern fruit.

Sustainability

Although not accredited, since 2015 the Bacalhôa group is regularly audited for the scope of its ethical, social and environmental work, always with a green result. In 2020, it is planning a SEDEX Membership Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) audit of its labour and health and safety policies. It is also planning to fully convert one its vineyards to organic viticulture as soon as possible.

Awards

Specifications

Late Bottled Vintage Ports are an increasingly popular style, and this, unfiltered, wine from Krohn is no exception. LBVs are produced from just a single year's crop (but not every year), and with the vintage specified on the bottle, each LBV will express the particular characteristics of that vintage.

Colheita Ports are Tawny Ports from a single year and specify the vintage on the bottle. A Tawny Port matures for many years in small (600 litre) casks, becoming more complex and taking on a broad, silky mouthfeel and brick-red colour through slight oxidation. They typically age for a minimum of 7 years, but often longer. For the first 10-15 years, the casks are racked every year, but this becomes less frequent as they age and throw less sediment. As maturation happens in this way, in barrel rather than in bottle, decanting is not normally required. They are bottled to order and will stay fresh in the bottle for several weeks after opening. Krohn is particularly renowned for the quality of its Colheita Ports.

Tasting Notes

Colour 

Deep ruby colour

Nose

Spicy black fruit aromas

Palate

The palate has vibrant plum and blackberry characters layered with more spice, fresh acidity and firm tannins. A full and rich style with impressive length.

Production

Traditional Port grapes are sourced from Krohn's Quinta do Retiro Novo estate, and from long-standing relationships with neighbouring growers. After fermentation the wine is aged in barrel for 4-6 years before bottling. Krohn's LBV Ports are neither fined nor filtered and may thus throw a sediment. We recommend to decant them before serving.

Producers

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

Accolades

• 2013 Vintage - Sommelier Wine Awards 2020 Bronze Medal

Alan's Personal Notes

"Delicious! The perfect way to end a meal. Rich fruit, wee bit of nutmeg and spice, a wee bit sweet and only 20% alc - just half of a whisky, rum or licquer - what’s not to like? Fire on, the dog relaxed at the fire - all I’m missing is a wee cigar for ultimate pleasure." Jan 2022

Specifications

Classically French Cabernet that delivers on all fronts.

Tasting Notes 

Quite ripe blackcurrant and wild berry fruits on the nose with a hint of grassy herbs, medium to full-bodied black fruits balanced by a slight grip and length offered by underlying tannins.

Production

The Bellefontaine range has established an international reputation for consistent quality and value. Bellefontaine wines possess fine aromatics, pure fruit expression, fresh acidity, varietal character and above all, a persistent finish. The goal is to create a range of wines of consistent quality that are delicious to drink on their own but also complement food well.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

A juicy, fruity organic red from Utiel-Requena, showcasing the region's increasingly fashionable, indigenous, Bobal variety.

Nose

Vibrant aromas of blueberry and blackberry

Palate

The palate has juicy plum and spice notes wrapped in supple tannins, offering a smooth, harmonious finish.

Producer

The 67 hectare Finca Fuenteseca estate lies in Utiel Requena, a high, rugged plateau, nearly 1,000 meters above sea level just inland from Valencia. The combination of hot, dry summers, cold nights and poor, limestone soil make the area relatively free of vine diseases and so ideal for organic farming. The entire estate is now dedicated to organic production and producing blends combining indigenous and international varieties.

Production Method

Vineyards are located in the north-west corner of Utiel Requena, 900 meters above sea level. Wines are made from organically grown grapes in vineyards cultivated using natural fertilisers, cover crops, biological control of pests and not using any chemical products that may damage the health of the environment. Grapes are cooled and undergo pre ferment whole bunch maceration before temperature-controlled tank fermentation.

A Note on Sustainability

Along with all its wines being certified organic and vegan, Sierra Norte is keenly involved in projects run by its D.O. that benefit local people and which defend the products of its region. In a wider environmental sense, Sierra Norte is developing a wastewater project by installing a treatment system plant to reuse water, as well as being involved in a photovoltaic solar panel installation project.

Specifications

The Rooster, a symbol of pride, courage and honesty, watches over the vineyards. The ancient Greeks believed that the Rooster greeted the sun every morning with its cordial song, which symbolized the victory over the night but at the same time also serves as an alarm clock to mark the beginning of the day for both the animals and the winemakers! 

In Cortese, early morning is a key time to work in the vineyards thus avoiding the impetuousness of the Sicilian sun.

Tasting Notes

What is a wine with no added sulphites? 
Sulfur dioxide is naturally produced by wine during fermentation. In this case we do not add any further. This is possible because during the winemaking process we carry out all the operations meticulously so that it is not necessary to add sulphites.

Viticulture

The grapes are 100% Nero d’Avola from Azienda Agricola Cortese, our organic estate in Vittoria, south-eastern Sicily. The grapes are very carefully selected by hand in the middle of September, brought to the winery in small containers and processed immediately.

Vinification

The prime aim when producing a NSA wine is to keep everything in the winery meticulously clean in order to avoid any possible microbiological growth, except for yeast for the primary fermentation and bacteria for the malolactic fermentation. Fermentation is done in the usual way and we do the pumping over in the early stages of the process. After fermentation, we keen the wine in contact with the skins for 3-4 days, doing some pumping over in order to keep the cap wet. The wine is racked and then stored, with meticulous care not to allow any contact with oxygen.

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Approachable, unoaked, young Rioja

Nose

On the nose, a young Rioja with lifted red berry fruit and hints of spice.

Palate

Bright red fruit with smooth tannins and a fresh finish

Production

The Tempranillo grapes are harvested in early October from vineyards in Rioja Alta. Vines on average 10-20 years old and the wine is unoaked.

Producer

Spanish wine has always played an important part in the Boutinot portfolio. We represent over 50 wineries that provide wines of great quality, value and interest from all corners of the country. For over 15 years we’ve worked in partnership with a handful of these wineries on ‘own label’ projects, combining their expertise and our passion for Spanish wines to bring our customers honest and eminently drinkable wines which we believe offer good value for money. 

Specifications

A fresh, approachable style of Chianti Classico (in a half bottle) with vibrant, juicy red fruit. Villa la Pagliaia lies in the south of the Chianti Classico zone, adjacent to sister property San Felice.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of ripe plum and cherry with spicy, savoury notes. This is a fruit-forward style of Chianti - the palate is bright and sappy, with redcurrant and bramble fruit providing fresh acidity, and supple tannins giving structure.

Production

The grapes come from the estate's own 350-400m altitude vineyards in the Chianti Classico zone, near Castel Berardenga. The vines are on average 25 years old (yielding about 1.5kg of fruit per vine) - 'guyot' trained and planted in rocky clay soil. Fermentation and maceration on the skins last for 8-10 days (at 28-30ºC) followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. Matured in Slavonian oak casks for 10-12 months.

Producer

The Villa La Pagliaia property in Castelnuovo Berardenga, around 15km from Siena, has a long and aristocratic history. The elegant 18th Century villa is amidst a striking landscape of vines, olive groves and cyprus trees. Their vineyards, here in the south of the Chianti Classico region, are at 300-450m altitude, with clay and limestone soils.

Fruit from these, predominantly Sangiovese, low-yielding mature vines (over 25 years old) - combined with traditional vinification methods overseen by neighbouring property (and sister estate) San Felice - ensures consistent production of very classic and quietly impressive wines.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes

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

Production Method

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

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

Producer

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

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

Awards

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

Specifications

Traditional Rioja Reserva

Tasting Notes 

Nose

A traditional Rioja Reserva from vineyards in Rioja Alta with a nose of warm black fruit, spice and vanilla notes.

Palate

The palate has ripe plum and damson characters balanced by well-integrated oak, supple tannins and gentle cedary spice on the finish.

Production Method

This wine is produced from selected Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano grapes sourced from 30 to 40-year-old Rioja Alta vineyards whose distinctive stony soils are ideal for the long, even ripening of quality grapes. The fruit is hand harvested in mid-October. Each variety is fermented separately in small tanks using natural yeasts at 28-30° C. After 20 days on the skins the wine is gently pressed and racked to stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation. The clear wine is then racked to 2nd and 3rd year American and Russian oak barrels for 24 months maturation before blending and bottling.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"This is good! Everything I would expect from a well made, traditional Rioja - bright fruit - some vanillin and spice from good oak integration and soft, smooth tannins giving a very well balanced and long finish." Tasted April 2024

Specifications

Classic Gevrey-Chambertin, 'The King of Burgundy'.

Tasting Notes

Delicate sweet strawberry fruit, fresh acidity and a clean, vibrant palate. A restrained style, with elegance and a savoury, autumnal finish.

Method of Production

Regular ploughing, limited fertilising as well as minimal pruning is used to reduce both vigour and yield. The grapes are hand picked and transported to the winery in small containers. Hand sorting is followed by wooden vat maceration and fermentation, with regular pigeage before pressing and followed by oak barrel maturation.

Producer

In the latter years of the nineteenth century, Pierre Bourée took over a wine business in Gevrey-Chambertin and gave it his name. In 1922, his son, Bernard, succeeded him and renamed the house as Pierre Bourée Fils. In 1945, Bernard Bourée began to train his nephew, Louis Vallet, who eventually became director of the house, assisted by his brother, François. Together, they expanded the cellars and the winery, and developed the business outside Europe. As well as putting their own unique stamp upon the business, each successive generation added to the house's vineyard holdings. Today, Bernard and Jean-Christophe Vallet run the house alongside their sons, Pierre and Louis Henry.

This winery represents everything that we are proud to be associated with: attention to detail, careful selection of the best grapes, and above all a passion for making superb wines. All Pierre Bourée wines are vinified in their cuverie in Chambolle-Musigny, and are then matured in their cellars at Gevrey-Chambertin.

A Note on Sustainability

Pierre Bourée et Fils is keen to work in an as environmentally friendly method as possible, using techniques such as regular maintenance of the soil by ploughing, applying the minimum of phytosanitary treatments and the controlling of vine vigour and yields through careful pruning. The Vallets tend their vines very traditionally and advancements in the vineyards have been limited: for example, only manure has been used as fertiliser for the last half a century which has encouraged wild asparagus to grow amongst the vines. Harvesting is manual, as the family is opposed to the use of mechanical techniques.

Specifications

A really pretty and perfumed example of the Frappato grape from south-eastern Sicily.

Tasting Notes

This organic red has delicious floral and red berry characters and is surprisingly fresh and delicate given the hot climate.

Nose

Delicate and lightly floral aromas of strawberry, redcurrant and wild berries, with hints of aromatic herbs.

Palate

The palate has vibrant red berry characters balancing fresh acidity.

Producer

Is there a more dynamic place to make wine in Italy than on Mount Etna in Sicily? Cantine Nicosia is based at the foot of Etna, on the east coast of Sicily, where Carmelo Nicosia, along with his sons Franceso and Graziano (5th generation), have developed their family business into one of the area's most important wine producers. Their Trecastagni winery is where tradition meets ultra-modern technology.

Trecastagni, at the base of one of the extinguished craters dotting Mount Etna and at an altitude of around 700m, is home to the ancient vineyards of Monte Gorna, with their distinctive lava terraces. The vineyards have been completely restructured and replanted, focusing on the native varieties used for Etna DOC wines: Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for the red, and Catarratto and Carricante for the whites. The extraordinary wealth of minerals found in Etna's volcanic soils can be credited with the very rich flavour and unique character of the wines produced here.

Just a few miles from the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula is the lively agricultural center of Vittoria and the Contrada Bonincontro district - home to the large and impeccably groomed Cerasuolo di Vittoria vineyards planted exclusively with Nero d’Avola, Frappato and Syrah.

Production Method

Frappato grapes are grown on sandy soil situated at approximately 200m above sea level. Grapes are hand-picked in September. The grapes undergo maceration and fermentation for approximately 10-15 at a controlled temperature of between 22-24°C. The wine is aged in stainless steel vats and 2 months in the bottle.

A Note on Sustainability

A proportion of Cantine Nicosia’s vineyards are certified organic by SIDEL, and its wines are certified as vegan by the Istituto Certificazione Etica e Ambiente.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

A richly flavoured and approachable Amarone with layers of ripe plum and cherry fruit, mocha and spice.

Nose

Ripe, warm and generous on the nose with abundant plum and cherry aromas, roasted coffee beans and hints of dried fruits. 

Palate

Full-bodied and richly flavoured with rich berry and plum fruit, supple tannins and a spicy finish, with the characteristic dry bite of good Amarone. A balanced and very approachable style.

Producer

The illustrious Montresor family moved from France to Italy at the start of the 19th Century and settled in the Veneto region near Lake Garda. In 1892 Cantina Giacomo Montresor was established in Verona, and remains family-owned to this day.

Giorgio Montresor produces a portfolio of wines which increasingly rival the offerings of the region's more fashionable names - harnessing modern technology to craft the best wines from each site, across their 100ha of vineyard, in Valpolicella and Garda.

Production Method

Made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. The grapes are hand-harvested at the end of October. The late harvested grapes are dried for four months (until January following the vintage) and then crushed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel for four months followed by maturation in Slavonian oak casks and small barrels for 2 years.

A Note on Sustainability

At the end of 2019, Montresor received its organic certification. Some of its wines are already bottled in a lighter weight glass bottle (less than 420g) to reduce carbon dioxide emissions during transport, with the added benefit of reducing the amount of glass to be manufactured.

Over the next two years, solar panels will be installed at the winery to provide some of the electricity required in the production process. Alongside this, Montresor is about to install a water purification system to recover and recycle the water used at the winery.

Specifications

"Delicious and smoother than a dolphin in silk pajamas!"

A special edition of excellent wine launched in limited quantities on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Bodegas Palacio winery located in the prestigious Spanish wine region of Rioja DOCa.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep garnet red

Nose

Of great intensity and cleanliness where highlights the details of red fruit of the forest like blackcurrant and blackberries and in second term we find delicate aromas of spices contributed by the French oak such as menthol, black pepper and cinnamon. A delicate and subtle finish where a slight mineral touch can be seen.

Palate

In the mouth it is silky and enveloping, with a fine and sweet tannin that brings sensations of a wine with structure but at the same time respectful. A refreshing ending due to its tight acidity with memories of sweet coffee.

Glorious Centenary Selection is a red wine of the D.O.C. Rioja elaborated by Bodegas Palacio in homage to a century elaborating great wines in the Rioja Alavesa. For this, the best Tempranillo grape has been selected and it has been raised for 13 months in French oak casks.

Maturation

At least 13 months in French oak barrels and at least 6 months in bottle before being placed on the market.

Awards

• Silver IWC 2021

Specifications

The wine is soft on the palate and goes down very easily.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of black cherries and violets on the nose.

Palate

A deeply characterful wine, it is really soft and velvety, with red berry fruits, and a smooth, gentle finish. It has noticeable, but subtle and well-integrated tannins which help give this wine a lovely structure and mouthfeel. The wine is soft on the palate and goes down very easily. 

Producers

The PEMO range of wines celebrates two grapes from Abruzzo – Pecorino (PE) and Montepulciano (MO). These two grapes have been growing in this region since 200 AD. 

• Produced in a modern way, while respecting local wine making traditions.
• Eat anything from barbecued meats to stews to pizza with PEMO Montepulciano.
• Montepulciano is a native Italian grape variety from Abruzzo.
• Originates from the rugged, mountainous Abruzzo region of central Italy.

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Medium bodied with red berry/cherry fruits. A bit of spice gives it an extra dimension. Low acidity gives it a real softness and smoothness - a real easy drinker.

No oak characteristics coming through so it’s a fruity, modern, stainless steel style. As montepulciano in this area is pretty prolific these wines were historically used for blending or ended up in the German market. Now production is cut back and wines recognised on their own merits! Got to be one of our best value reds right now!" October 2022

Specifications

Leathery, resistant, attached to life: the Agave embodies the spirit of the territory that hosts it. Able to survive in all conditions, he never forgets to explode into the sky in a flowery tower.

An extremely versatile wine. Perfect with pasta, either with white meat or tomato-based sauces, but equally with roasted meats, tuna or swordfish cooked on the grill.

Tasting Notes

This lovely midweight red wine is made from Mount Etna's premium red grape.

Colour

Palate

In the mouth the Nerello Mascalese excels for its elegance thanks to silky tannins and contrasted by a marked minerality.

Vineyards

The name Nerello Mascalese derives from the small town of Mascali on the slopes of Etna, the area of ​​origin of the vine. It is a variety that in recent years has returned to production not only on Etna but also in other areas of Sicily with different expressions.

Our Nerello Mascalese grows at an altitude of about 400m above sea level, and is harvested entirely by hand in small boxes of 10-15 kg. After harvesting, the grapes are immediately separated from the stalk and vinified with an extremely soft pressing.

Vinification

The must is fermented on the skins with frequent remontage during the early stages of fermentation. Once fermentation is finished,we continue the skin contact for about 15 days with one very soft remontage a day. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally once separated from the skins. The wine is kept on its very fine lees for about 6-8 months before being bottled.

Awards

91 points - Luca Maroni - I MIGLIORI VINI ITALIANI (2019 Vintage)

Specifications

A vibrantly fruity, organically produced, red from this characterful indigenous Austrian variety.

Tasting Notes

Fruity and perfumed nose showing blackberries, white pepper and spice. Bright sappy palate with fresh acidity, crunchy redcurrant and raspberry fruit, and layers of spice, liquorice and herbs.

Cantina di Negrar Valpolicella Ripasso is a serious red at a "not so serious red" price point!

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense and persistent, with fruity aromas of cherry and plum, floral notes of violets and a touch of spiciness from black pepper.

Palate

Fresh, fruity, with an elegant balance between structure and body, harmonised by the perfect acidity and tannins, warm, medium-bodied, velvety and balanced tannins.

History

With a history of wine-making going back to 1933, Cantina Valpolicella Negrar has been at the forefront of development in the Valpolicella region since its inception. The winery was the first to make the world-renowned Amarone, and soon after, in recognition of this, was awarded the Certificate of Special Mention by the Brussels International Exposition. This firmly put Cantina Valpolicella Negrar on the map and it has continued to look forward ever since.

Awards

• IWSC Italian Winery of the Year 2013
• Bronze Medal, Decanter World Wine Awards 2018
  
• Bronze Medal, The International Wine & Spirit Competition 2018
  
• 92 Points, James Suckling 2017
  
• Gold Medal, Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada 2017
  
• Bronze Medal, International Wine Challenge 2017
  
• Silver Medal, WOW! The Italian Wine Competition 2016
  
• Bronze Medal, International Wine Challenge 2016
  
• Bronze Medal, International Wine Challenge 2015
  
• Gold Medal, Mundus Vini 2012

Personal Tasting Notes

"Lovely - full bodied and rich with an alluring blend of juicy red and black fruits, a touch of spice and a super smooth finish. Extremely well made and well balanced. A great £15’s worth. Not cloying or offering overly ripe, sweet fruit - very fresh and clean on the palate meaning each glass is a fresh mouthfeel." Tasted April 2024

Specifications

Villa La Pagliaia is the sister estate of neighbouring San Felice. It produces a similarly full-flavoured and spicy style of Chianti Classico Riserva but in a slightly more traditional style - and offers exceptional value.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Archetypal Chianti with bramble fruit notes as well as cedar and spice aromas.

Palate

The palate is richly-flavoured and complex with black cherry, plum and dried fruit characters, along with notes of spice, leather, pepper and liquorice. Supple tannins and bright acidity lead to a rich, savoury and satisfying finish.

Production

The grapes come from Villa la Pagliaia's 350-400m altitude vineyards around Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the south of the Chianti Classico zone, and are hand-picked. The vines are on average 25 years old - yielding about 1.5kg of fruit per vine - 'guyot' trained and planted in pliocene soil with 25% rocky clay. Fermentation and maceration on the skins is carried out at a controlled temperature of 28 to 30 degrees Centigrade and lasts for 18 to 20 days. This helps to extract the required amount of fruit, colour and tannins. This is followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is matured for 24 months in Slavonian oak barrels.

Producer

The Villa La Pagliaia property in Castelnuovo Berardenga, around 15km from Siena, has a long and aristocratic history. The elegant 18th Century villa is amidst a striking landscape of vines, olive groves and cypress trees. Their vineyards, here in the south of the Chianti Classico region, are at 300-450m altitude, with clay and limestone soils.

Fruit from these, predominantly Sangiovese, low-yielding mature vines (over 25 years old) - combined with traditional vinification methods overseen by neighbouring property (and sister estate) San Felice - ensures consistent production of very classic and quietly impressive wines.

Specifications

Specifications

Vibrant and fruity Merlot from the Languedoc region.

Tasting Notes 

Strong varietal French Merlot, deep garnet colour with vibrant plummy and blackberry fruit. Soft and supple on the palate with good intensity of fruit and a lovely juicy finish.

Production

This fruit-forward, easy-drinking Merlot is made from grapes sourced from sun-drenched Languedoc vineyards, vinified to showcase their fruit and varietal characteristics. By fermenting at lower temperatures than most reds to preserve primary fruit characters. The wine receives twice daily remontage to extract colour and tannins. Meticulous blending produced the ultimate approachable and fruit-driven style, which was bottled early to capture vibrant red fruit.

Producer

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

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

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Production

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

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

Producer

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

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

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

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

Specifications

Moric is considered one of the benchmark producers of Blaufränkisch in Austria, and his wines are some of the most sought-after and highly acclaimed in the country. 

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raspberry and black cherry with a hint of nutmeg and some leafy black tea notes.

Palate

The palate is plump and round with banana, cranberry and a dollop of vanilla ice-cream. 

Production

The Moric Blaunfränkisch is fermented in large wooden vats with natural yeasts, then transfered to 600-4,500 liter old French and Austrian oak barrels to age for one year before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

Boasting vines up to 85 years old on schist and limestone soils and relatively high elevation, these parcels in the foothills of the Odenburger Mountains provide extremely high-quality fruit that Rolan deftly crafts into expressive wines with a definite sense of place.

Producer

Morich was founded in 2002 by Roland Velich, who believed that the moderate climate and cool nights of Burgenland could make exceptional red wines from Blaufränkisch.

He has a passion for Blaufrankish so much so that he has set up his own wine label to focus on this delicious variety. He talks of the grape being similar to Nebbiolo or Northern Rhone Syrah and on this wine we see why. 

Roland wanted to make wines that focused on elegance and delicacy rather than the powerful examples other winemakers were pursuing. To do so, he sought out old vines from some of Burgenland's top terroirs, and found them in Lutzmannsburh and Neckenmarkt, from which he started making wines of stunning expression and finesse.

Today, Moric is considered one of the benchmark producers of Blaufränkisch in Austria, and his wines are some of the most sought-after and highly acclaimed in the country. 

Specifications

Zweigelt is Austria’s second grape with 15,000 acres of vineyard!

Tasting Notes

Colour

The wine has a deep ruby color.

Nose

On the nose, the wine shows flavours of red cherries, raspberries and sour cherries with spicy tone that appears on the palate.

Palate

The palate reveals ripe red fruit, full body, elegant tannins, and a long soft aftertaste. 

The Wine

The fermentation is carried out on the skins in order to extract the red color and tannins. To help this process, the juice is repeatedly pumped over the pomace hat. After two weeks, the young wine is separated from the skins, transferred to wooden barrels and the malolactic fermentation is started. The wine matures over two winters without filtration in old oak barrels to achieve stability and maturity.

Producer

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Appealing black fruit aromas and hints of sweet spice lead to juicy plum, raspberry and liquorice characters on the palate. The finish is elegant and poised with ripe tannins.

Nose

On the nose, one finds really enticing sweet cherry fruit, with dry, fine tannins. 

Palate

The palate is complex with juicy bramble fruit, black pepper, and lifted, savoury characters. There is a good amount of fruit-driven intensity with a vibrant, complex, spicy palate, and the oak provides some sweetness and a lick of vanilla and cream soda. An archetypal young rioja, just brilliant! 

Estate

This large, family-owned estate draws from 800 hectares of elevated hillside vineyards in some of the best zones of Rioja Baja. Thanks to a combination of the high quality of the grapes from these vineyards and modern vinification cellars, the young, unoaked wines are fresh and vibrant with good richness of fruit for wines at this level.

200 hectares of estate vineyards near Alfaro provide the basis of the Artesa range and the best of these, at high altitude (500 to 600 metre), with mature vines and poor, stony soils, have been converted to organic production. Fermented in stainless steel, and matured for 6 months in new American oak barrels, the wine produces fresh redcurrant and cherry aromas together with woody, herbal notes.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Production

The Nero d'Avola grapes are sourced from the area around Salemi (Province of Trapani) in the north-west tip of Sicily. The vines are Guyot-trained, and grown at around 250m altitude on a combination of soil types. The vineyards were converted to organic viticulture in 2007. The grapes are macerated on the skins for 8-12 days, then racked and allowed to complete malolactic fermentation.

Producer

Established in 2003, Adria Vini is a winemaking venture jointly owned by Boutinot and Araldica Castelvero, the leading co-operative in the Monferrato hills of Piemonte. Our aim is to produce authentic, well-priced still and sparkling wines from local grape varieties. All aspects of production, from grape selection through to vinification, maturation, blending and bottling are meticulously overseen by Araldica's winemaking team of Claudio Manera and Lella Burdese - assisted by Boutinot's Tony Brown MW. We source from a range of private growers and cooperatives, with whom we have long-term relationships, principally in Veneto, Friuli, Lombardy, Sicily, Puglia, Abruzzo and Sardinia.

Alan's Personal Tasting Note

"This wee beaut is destined to become one of our best sellers (cellars!) medium bodied with lots of juicy black fruits and a real easy drinking smoothness - absolutely no rough edges - a real crowd pleaser at a crowd-pleasing price. Watch this fly!" January 2024

Specifications

A hand-harvested organic wine for special occasions!

Tasting Notes

Colour

Ruby Red

Nose

The nose is intense and very complex with combinations of ripe fruit, wood, herbs, leather.

Palate

Powerful taste with a lot of finesse: fine acids, integrated alcohol and clearly present but noble tannins.

Production

The Riserva is produced with the fully ripe grapes that arrive at the end of the harvest. The fermentation is wild (indigenous yeasts) and thanks to the good quality of the grapes the use of additives is minimal. Maceration on the skins lasts three weeks and the wine is matured in oak barrels previously used to ferment Chardonnay. A wine for special occasions: it grows in elegance with the refinement in the bottle and waits six to ten years from the harvest to get to its fullest expression.

Notes from the Producer

The vineyards are the beating heart of the estate. They occupy only 14% of the land but account for over two-thirds of our working hours throughout the year. The diversity of the varieties grown in the vineyards and the variety of recently planted Sangiovese clones are the palette from which we compose the 'colour' of our wines, with labour-intensive harvests during which we pick the various types of grapes separately. The structure of the plantations has changed a lot over the past forty years. Until the 1960s there were few vineyards: most of the grapes were produced in the rows separating the small fields typical of sharecropping. The hectares planted as vineyards came later, with the end of share-cropping and the spread of tractors in the Tuscan countryside. A further change took place in the mid-1980s, when we abandoned the quantity targets for which the plantations had been designed and focused instead on improving product quality. We adopted less potent fertilisers, changed from the traditional guyot pruning to the less productive Cordone Speronato technique, and selective harvesting. Finally, for the plantations in recent years, we returned to Guyot pruning and decided to continue our policy of planting Tuscan vines rather than turning to international varieties such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. The only exception is Chardonnay, which we use with the Tuscan Malvasia white grape to produce Spareto.

In the more recent vineyards, we have planted various Sangiovese clones and complementary red varieties (Colorino, Malvasia Nera, Foglia Tonda, Abrustine and Pugnitello) to have a wider choice when creating our wines. When we introduced organic farming techniques in 2001 we also began to sharpen our focus on managing the vineyards. Indeed, the physiological balance of the plant is a crucial aspect of using organic fertilisers, which are milder than chemical ones, and products such as sulphur and copper, which offer less protection than synthetic pesticides. We harvest the grapes by hand, in several passes, so that the grapes can be taken to the cellar while they are still healthy and at various stages of ripening. The first grapes to be harvested are used in the simpler wines, while the second, riper batch is earmarked for the wines that are finished in the bottle, such as Chianti and Chianti Riserva.

More about Italian Chianti

The most commonly consumed wine in Italy, and interestingly, the most commonly consumed Italian wine in the world, Chianti is emblematic of what Italy means to the world of wine. Fermented primarily from Sangiovese, fresh cherry, strawberries, and red plum pleasure the senses when enjoying this wine.

Winemakers have spent the last couple of decades trying to change the old image of Chianti: Wine bottles in wicker basket, interestingly also called ''fiascoes". They've done so by producing very nice wines through state of the art growing and fermentation techniques. 

Chianti is a red wine that comes from Tuscany, but can contain small amounts of white grapes during blending. This is not the case with Chianti Classico, which must be solely made from red Sangiovese grapes. 

Specifications