A very ripe and unusually rich example of Loire Sauvignon Blanc.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A honeyed and gently aromatic nose with a savoury, toasted fennel seed note.

Palate

The palate is a rich and ripe reflection of this warm vintage, balanced by smoky, grassy flavours typical of Sauvignon Blanc.

Production

The vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgian soil (fossilised clay-chalk, superb for low yields and mineral content) and face south-southwest, giving increased exposure to the sun. They are fertilised organically. Harvesting is done partly by hand and partly by machine, depending on the vintage. Vinification is old fashioned and hands-off. Fermentation is done by indigenous yeasts and is followed by naturally occurring malolactic fermentation. This helps to soften the wines by converting the harsher acids to more palatable ones. Most unusually for a producer of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, winemaker Gilles Maudry believes in allowing full malolactic fermentation to run its natural course. The wine remains on its fine lees for 15 months after harvest, intensifying and enriching the flavours to balance the incredible freshness.

Producer

Domaine de Maltaverne is one of the few producers in the Loire that allows full malolactic fermentation to run its natural course. The owner, Gilles Maudry, is a former biologist who returned to his family’s Tracy-sur-Loire estate in 1984 when his father retired. Now working with his son Matthieu, who finished his viticultural and oenological studies in 2015, Gilles is a firm believer in minimal intervention: as long as his vineyards produce healthy grapes, picked at optimum maturity and vinified with care, then the wine can be left to determine its own evolution. The beautiful label features an illustration of the fossilised ammonite shells found in the vineyard, sketched by an artistic wine lover following a tasting to represent what he visualised upon tasting this wonderful wine.

Specifications

Traditional white Burgundy.

Tasting Notes

This beautifully balanced and classic white Burgundy has a savoury, salty, baked peach and biscuity nose with a rich and broad palate that is balanced with moreish, acidity. The oak is well-integrated on both the nose and palate giving texture followed by a long, intense finish.

Method of Production

Chardonnay grapes sourced from Gevrey Chambertin and Auxey Duresses. Regular plowing and minimal fertilisers as well as minimal pruning to promote vigour and reduce yield. The grapes are hand picked and transported to the winery in small containers. Fermentation in foudre followed by transfer to 1 year old French barriques (Berthoumieu) for 12 months. During this time the barrels are rolled to stir up the lees - this happens 4 times a year after which the wine is left on its lees for a further 3 months. The wine is fined with bentonite prior to bottling but not filtered.

Producer

Founded in 1864 by Pierre Bourée, Vallet Frères is now in the hands of the fourth generation of the family, Bernard and Jean-Christophe Vallet. The family owns vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin, in the Beaune Premier Cru of Les Epenottes, and in the Grand Cru of Charmes-Chambertin, as well as the entire monopole vineyard of Clos de la Justice, also in Gevrey-Chambertin. Vallet Frères is also a négociant, and sources the best grapes from growers in other areas, with whom it has worked closely for decades.

The wines it produces are complex, fine and authentic examples of Burgundian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Vallet family’s wines have been imported to the UK by Boutinot for over 30 years and today they’re distributed to top independent wine merchants and Michelin-starred restaurants across the country. 

A Note on Sustainability

Vallet Frères 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 stunning wine from the star of Menetou.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of ripe white peach and blackcurrant leaf, with hints of super-ripe fruit and lime notes.

Palate

The palate has lots of refreshing citrus zest, nettle and grassy characters, lovely minerality and a slightly creamy, honeyed finish. Refreshing acidity and good balance.

Production

The grapes are sourced from seven different parcels of vines in the commune of Morogues, all planted in Kimmeridgian limestone-clay marl soil which imparts elegant mineral tones. The vineyards face south-west, south or south-east and gain the maximum benefit of the morning sun to fully ripen the grapes. The individual parcels of grapes are vinified separately to allow the fullest expression of their unique terroirs and each parcel adds a different dimension to the whole. The wines are left on their fine lees until bottling to enhance complex flavours and regularly stirred to gain richness.

Producer

Straddling the Loire appellations of Sancerre and Menetou-Salon, Domaine Pellé produces world-renowned, terroir-expressive wines from its family-owned vineyards. Fourth-generation winemaker Paul-Henry Pellé pays meticulous attention to viticulture and winemaking, ensuring that the pure varietal flavours and aromas of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir and the natural characteristics of the Kimmeridgian vineyards are expressed in your glass.

A Note on Sustainability

Domaine Henry Pellé began its sustainable approach to viticulture in 2007, by using no weed killers, chemical insecticides nor anti-rot products. The 10-hectare domaine is cultivated using methods that maintain natural balance and that work the soil in the traditional way, for example weeding, clearing and grape thinning by hand. This year, the company is taking a further leap towards sustainability, aiming to become carbon neutral and seeking to develop geothermal and solar panel projects. As of 2020, the domaine will be certified as organic by ECOCERT.

Specifications

A complex and elegant Haut-Médoc, from a good vintage.

Tasting Notes

Drinking beautifully now, this has a classic Médoc cigar box nose, followed by a textured, fleshy, plum fruit and aniseed-scented palate.

Production

From a total of 32 hectares of 30 year old Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot vines, planted on gravelly soils. After harvest, grapes are manually sorted to ensure optimal maturity. Temperature controlled open fermentation in concrete vats, with extended maceration and regular pumping over.

Producer

Château Lanessan has belonged to a succession of eight generations of the Bouteiller family since the 18th century. You might assume such a longstanding family to be traditional and staid, but in fact they are very open and receptive to new influences. In 2009 they employed winemaker Paz Espejo (who came to Bordeaux from her native Spain in the 1990s) to inject new vigour into the estate. Paz’s goal is to “grow excellent fruit while remaining loyal to our fantastic terroir”. Working alongside oeneologist Eric Boissenot and advised by Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus, she has made significant changes in the vineyard and in the cellar that now are being reflected in the quality of the wines.

Sustainability

In 2011, Château Lanessan joined the Environmental Management System launched by the CIVB to promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly viticulture and in 2014, it was certified HVE Level 3.

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Colour

The wine has an attractive deep red hue. 

Nose

The nose leads with appealing spicy aromas –  white pepper supported by notes of both red and black berries, some violets and a hint of fynbos. 

Palate

Dark fruits follow through onto the palate with an appealing juicy entrance supported by savoury white pepper notes, a touch of salinity and rounded off with fine subtle tannins.  A wonderful example of high altitude Syrah.  A wine, whilst still youthful, displays the finesse we expect from cool climate, high altitude wines yet shows enormous maturation potential should you be patient enough to cellar the wine. 

Background

Seizing the opportunity when it presented itself has culminated in this remarkable wine.

This is the second vintage of the Off the Record Syrah, produced from a small parcel of Shiraz grapes, sourced from a truly unique site.  This vineyard, situated on the Ceres Plateau, is planted in fertile Bokkeveld shale soils at an astounding altitude of 1000 meters above sea level.  Not many vineyards in South Africa can boast that they are covered in snow over the winter months.

Only 1 540 bottles were produced from the 2021 release.

Vinification

This wine was 100% whole-bunch fermented in two small batches before being pressed and undergoing maturation in 4th fill barrels for a period of 10 months. No commercial yeasts, enzymes or fining agents were used in the production of this wine. The wine received a light filtering prior to bottling.

Accolades

• 95 Points | Tim Aitken

• One of those serendipitous discoveries that puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day, this is a remarkable new release from Bobby Wallace that rates among the best Syrahs in South Africa. Showing the freshness and perfume of its high altitude terroir on the Ceres Plateau, it’s graceful and refined, with rose petal and fynbos aromas, undertones of fennel and blood and a juicy, refined, silky, red-fruited palate. An awesome début. 2023-29. Tim Atkin 2022 SA Report

Specifications

Its name derives from the average height of the selected parcels for this Blend.

Tasting Notes

Cabernet Franc 50%, Malbec 45%, Casavecchia 5%. Three are the varieties that compose this complex and balanced wine of intense purple colour. Cabernet Franc provides spicy and floral notes, while Malbec provides berries notes. It presents a good length and it is very persistent due to its tannins. It is an elegant blend with a great structure.

Vineyards

Doña Paula 1350 comes from 2 quarters (N° 10 and N° 7) from Finca Alluvia, Gualtallary, located at 1350 meters above sea level. The ground is sandy, with alluvial and calcareous stones. The weather of Valle de Uco represents mild days and cold nights, with a thermal amplitude of 12,5°C, and an annual rain average of 280 mm. The vines are planted in ESPALDERO, and they are watered by drip feed. The performance per hectare is of 10 tons. In Doña Paula, we have always been practicing sustainable agriculture methods

Vinification

The harvest starts with Malbec and Casavecchia by mid-April, and it finishes with Cabernet Franc at the end of the same month. The grapes are hand-picked and then they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Each variety undergoes cold maceration separately, in stainless steel tanks, to extract the primary aromas. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the blend is made, and the aging process is carried out in 20% new French oak barrels, for 16 months.

Awards

• 93 points Tim Atkins MW Argentina Report
• 93 points James Suckling

Specifications

Complex and full-flavoured expression of Chablis from vines averaging over 50 years of age.

Tasting Notes

More full-bodied, complex, and intense than the regular Chablis from Domaine de la Motte. The nose is very much Chablis with an earthy, chalky element. The palate is rounder, however, with ripe fruit and herbs - the small amount of oak influence in this cuvée gives the wine a rounded aspect with old vines bringing depth and complexity.

Production Method

Low-yielding vines grow on north-facing kimmeridgian and chalky clay soils surrounding the village of Beine. From here Adrien selects parcels from vines approaching a minimum age of 50 years for his Chablis Vieilles Vignes. Harvesting is both by hand and machine 50/50. After a short cold maceration and gentle pneumatic pressing, the wine is racked and fermented in stainless steel for 15 days at 21ºC. Around 10% is fermented in large (600l) oak barrels for 15 days and remains in oak for 8-12 months - the rest in stainless steel. Malo follows the alcoholic fermentation in early January.

Producer

Domaine de la Motte is a 25 hectare, family-run winery handed down from father to son since 1950. Now under the stewardship of Bernard Michaut, an ex-chef, who works with his son Adrien. Their winemaking is meticulous and the wines are benchmarks for the region. They are fastidious about producing concentrated, mineral and very precise wines that reflect the particular terroirs of Chablis, with vines on both Portlandian and Kimmeridgian soils. Motte's wines are regularly chosen for the Tastevinage label, a rigorous selection by the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin of wines they regard as offering the best of the region in terms of quality and style.

Awards

• 2022 IWSC Silver Medal (2020 Vintage)

Specifications

When they created Senia, they took their inspiration from traditional fermentation techniques. For this reason the Nero d’Avola is fermented in open top barriques, in small quantities of around 150 litres. Senia has a extremely limited production of about 8.000 bottles per year.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Palate

A very full-bodied wine, with a refreshing acidity, and a long finish showing soft and intense tannins.

Vineyards & Vinification

We ferment the grapes in open top barriques in small lots of around 150 litres. Using this method, it’s not possible to control the temperature during fermentation, but it never exceeds 18-24C°. The small volume allows it to adjust itself naturally.

The grapes undergo fermentation for 10-12 days. The use of open top barrels allows us to carry out “follatura” (manually pushing down the skins) as often as is necessary for the natural and delicate extraction of colour and tannins from the skins.

We leave the wine in contact with the skins for about 20 days after the fermentation and then for a total of 30-35 days.

Once the maceration on the skins has ended, the wine is placed in barriques for the malolactic fermentation, after which it remains in barrel for 12 months before bottling. The wine stays a further 6 months in bottle before being released on to the market.

Accolades

91 pts points | James Suckling
I like the dried-spice, tobacco and ash character to the black plum and black cherry fruit. It’s medium- to full-bodied with plenty of spicy and smoky flavours. Soft tannins. Delicious now.

17/20 points | Jancis Robinson

Specifications

Hugh Johnson has written that Mandois is a "house to watch" and the Wine Spectator has previously awarded this fizz a terrific 91 points, outperforming some rather more famous rivals... 

Tasting Notes

Colour

A pale golden yellow color with a rich perlage

Nose

The nose releases a bouquet rich in fragrance and intensity with ginger brioche, white flowers and fresh plums.

Palate

The flavor is straight and elegant but pleasantly opulent: candied cedar, salted caramel and honeysuckle.

Production

Champagne Brut Origine from Mandois represents the purest and most typical expression of the elegance of this great Maison. Produced from a traditional assembly of the 3 prince vines of Champagne (40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier) from all the crus of the property in the Epernay area, it is further enriched in elegance and intensity by wines of 3 consecutive vintage.

History

The Mandois family have been growers in Pierry, a suburb of Epernay since 1735. Their estate grown fruit still supplies them with 70% of their needs for the 20,000 cases per year that they produce. Claude Mandois believes firmly in the use of barrels for making top-notch Champagne, and his whole range of wines are produced in oak. The Origine is a brand new cuvee from the family that is tank fermented and then aged in old barrels for 6 months before being aged an additional three years on the lees.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are blended to create this complex and balanced wine of a deep violet color. In the nose, it has floral aromas – such as violet and rosehip – typical of the Malbec variety.  The Syrah contributes spicy notes, good volume in the mouth and silky tannins, whereas the Cabernet Sauvignon complements the blend with a great structure.

Vineyards

Doña Paula 1100 comes from 3 blocks in our Los Indios Vineyard, which is located in El Cepillo, San Carlos, Uco Valley, at 1,100 meters (3,610 feet) above sea level. The sandy loam soil here has great drainage; in some sectors, there are gravel and stone deposits of colluvial origin, always bound by a thick, 70 cm (27.5 in) deep layer of black caliche. Days are warm and nights cold; the average temperature variation is 16 °C (60.8°F), and the average annual rainfall reaches 300 mm (11.8 in).      The vines yield 7 to 9 tons per hectare. At Doña Paula, our vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices.

Vinification

The harvest starts with Syrah in the first week of April, it continues with Malbec by mid-April, and it finishes with Cabernet Sauvignon at the end of the same month. The grapes are hand-picked and then they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Each variety undergoes cold maceration separately, in stainless steel tanks, to extract the primary aromas. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the blend is made, and the aging process is carried out in 20% new French oak barrels, for 16 months.

Awards

• 92 points in the Tim Atkin Argentina Report
• 92 points James Suckling

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Light yellow with a hint of lemon. 

Nose

The aroma is elegant and intense. Aromas of white flowers and fruits with a spicy background.

Palate

The palate is crisp, with a creaminess of bread and butter complemented by ripe white flesh. Balanced, full-bodied, with a refreshing acidity on the finish that energises the whole. A joy to carry the aroma of the Rioja landscape.

Winemaking

With grapes from old vineyards in Viura de Rioja Alavesa, this wine recovers the classic way of making Rioja whites, which was to age them in barrels to extend their longevity. A careful process in which this white has been aged for 10 months on the lees in French oak barrels from different cooperages, to have more profiles of aromas and flavour nuances.

Producer

A man of his time, an essential figure in the political and social life of Bilbao at the end of the 19th century, in 1894 Cosme Palacio Bermejillo took over the reins of the family winery that his father founded in Laguardia in 1863 to turn it into the most advanced winery in the Rioja Alavesa. With his characteristic vision of the future and with his sights set on the main wine reference, Bordeaux, he introduced fundamental changes that laid the foundations for modern DO Ca. Rioja wine.

At the end of the 1980s, Cosme Palacio marked a before and after in the history of the wines of this land, creating a style of winemaking at the forefront of its time. Today, Cosme Palacio enjoys great international recognition for being considered the bridge between the Classic Rioja style and the Modern Rioja.

Specifications

This fine wine is born from the areas of Monforte d'Alba, Novello and Madonna di Como with their steep, plastic soils, rich in clay and sand.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant grenade red in colour with soft orange notes, it is rich, complex, tannic and pleasant on the nose with hints of raspberry.

Vineyards

It is quite possible that the Franco Conterno estate has one of the most enviable views of any winery. In the heart of the Langhe, in the hamlet of Bussia di Monforte d’Alba, the farm sits alone atop a tiny hill overlooking La Morra, Fontanafredda and Castiglione Falletto. 

Franco Conterno comprises 28 hectares of vineyards, located in the territories of Monforte d’Alba, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Novello and Madonna di Como.

The labels bear the names of the most prestigious vineyards: Bussia and Panerole. The hectares of land are dedicated to the cultivation of Lampia and Michet Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Merlot, Freisa and Chardonnay. Bussia is the first cru to have been declared a member of the "modern" era.

As always, our growing techniques are specially chosen to bring together respect for the environment and agricultural work, as required by the Regional Rural Development Plan to which Franco Conterno first subscribed in 1996. All this is possible thanks to the extraordinary nature of the soil, made up of sand, silt and clay. The elevation above sea level ranges from 250 to 400 metres.

The soil, the extraordinary microclimate, and the excellent south/south-west exposure allow for the creation of wines with unique and valuable characteristics.

From 2015, Franco Conterno has been a certified organic company, dedicated to a production philosophy based on natural ​​vineyard cultivation and a completely wholesome vinification process.

History

In the heart of the Langhe, in the hamlet of Bussia di Monforte d’Alba, is Cascina Sciulun, a typical historic farmhouse, constructed according to Piedmont architectural traditions. Built in the mid-nineteenth century and extended in the 1940s, the house has always belonged to the Conterno family.

The company Franco Conterno has deep roots, and has been a part of the family for many decades. It was nonno Pietro who allocated 18 hectares of land to Nebbiolo vineyards, initially to sell to other wineries for vinification, later destined for the creation of prestigious wines.

The business passed to his son Giacomo, and then to his grandson Franco, who took the helm of the winery in 1995 with his wife Vilma, bringing his own name and identity to the company.

In recent years, Franco’s two sons—Daniele and Andrea—joined the company, following in the footsteps of their grandfather, bringing fresh insight and innovation to the winery and vineyards, continuing the family business with passion and dedication.

Cascina Sciulun now includes a farmhouse where you can stay, for a relaxing visit immersed in the peace and tranquility of the green hills of the Langhe.

Specifications

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

Tasting Notes

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

Producer

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

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

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

Did you know?

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

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

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

Specifications

Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value! Freshness and Harmony are two words that can sum up this wine.

Tasting Notes 

For moments when good food and wine
are at the heart of a gathering.

Tasting Notes

Production

The grapes are hand-harvested and processed using a pneumatic press in whole bunches, followed by juice fractionation. The pure cuvée is then selected, and cold static sludge removal is carried out. Selected yeasts are used for alcoholic fermentation at low temperatures, with grape varieties fermented separately. The wine is grown on full lees until December, when the first racking is done without sulfites. Blend tasting takes place in December, and bottling occurs from January to June.

Producer

Over 150 years of History! Founded in 1859, this independent and family run Maison Louis de Grenelle has passed down its expertise through the generations. It continues the tradition of making sparkling wines in the depths of its cellars burrowed underneath Saumur in the heart of the Valley of Kings, the Val de Loire.

Specifications

Sourced from a 6 hectare plot on the Campogiovanni estate, where the vines naturally produce a brighter, more approachable and early ripening style of Sangiovese well suited to Rosso di Montalcino.

Tasting Notes

Nose

An inviting nose, warm and open, with ripe cherry and blackberry fruit combined with cedarwood and spice notes

Palate

The palate has rounded plum and red fruits balanced by fresh acidity. Spice and savoury characters and fine tannins lead to an elegant finish.

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 year.

Production Method

These 6 hectares of Sangiovese vines were planted in the 1990s on the Campogiovanni estate. The vineyard is at a 250-300m altitude, south to southeast-facing. After a 12-day maceration, and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel, the wine was matured for 12 months in Slavonian oak botti, followed by a further 2 months in bottle.

Specifications

Araldica's top-tier Barolo from selected vineyards. An approachable, richly-flavoured style expertly blended by Lella Burdese.

Tasting Notes

A fine, expressive style with Barolo's classic combination of mature, lightly floral aromas with richness and structure.

Nose

Dark plum, leather and delicate violet aromas, plus notes of woodsmoke and brown spice.

Palate

A full, firm and ripe red with rich, powerful flavours. All are balanced by ripe tannins, complex savoury notes and a long finish.

Production

Vines are trained on a low Guyot trellis at 4-5,000 vines/ha. The grapes were hand-harvested, de-stemmed and then crushed to small fermenters, for 12 days, with daily pumping-over. The wine was drained off at dryness, and the skins transferred to a small press. After pressing the wine was settled for two days, and then racked to stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation. After three years maturation in 50hl Slavonian oak casks it was racked from oak and gently fined.

Producer

Araldica is Piemonte's most forward-thinking co-operative, situated in Castel Boglione, in the heart of Barbera d'Asti territory. Here they work with 230 grower members to source quality grapes from around 690ha of vineyards. Many of their members joined the cooperative in the 1950s and have a long and loyal relationship with the winery. They produce wines from Piemonte's main DOC / DOCG regions - predominantly Barbera, Gavi and Moscato, but also including Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero Arneis.

Founded in 1954 by Livio Manera, father of the current Managing Director and winemaker Claudio Manera, Araldica has developed over the past 60+ years to become a major winemaking force in Piemonte, supplying wines across the globe. Claudio's wife Lella heads up quality control at Araldica, where she is responsible for the blending and approval of all wines.

Their son Carlo, also a qualified winemaker, is now part of the Araldica winemaking team. Livio pioneered developments in winemaking techniques - especially with regard to the production of Barbera - and Araldica have since continued to be instrumental in the distribution of Barbera and Gavi within the UK market and internationally. As Claudio states their aim is "...to provide a range that is both understandable and accessible. Quite simply, wine for drinking and enjoying."

Awards

Specifications

250 million years ago, there was only one continent, one ocean, one valley. This is Pangea. The experience, philosophy and creativity of two winemakers -John Duval and Felipe Tosso- joined forces to make an exceptional Syrah.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Purple-red 

Aroma

Pangea is a well-rounded, distinguished wine with an intense, dark color. It has delicious, complex aromas which come through in the mouth with soft notes of red and blueberries, harmoniously intermingled with spices like black pepper, dark chocolate and subtle notes of vanilla and caramel.

Palate

This wine has an exceptional combination of concentration, flavors and aromas. Pangea is in essence a Syrah from the Apalta Valley that faithfully expresses its terroir of granitic soils with high quartz content, properties that are reflected in every glass. This is a well-structured wine with plenty of acidity and ripe, firm tannins. 

Fermentation

The grapes first underwent a pre-fermentative low-temperature maceration for 5-7 days to bring out the maximum colour and aromas. Then the grapes were fermented in small 3-5-tonne stainless steel tanks and open 1-2-tonne vats. The fermentation took place at between 22°C and 26°C. Next came a post-fermentative maceration for at least 15 days. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrels with native yeast, to lend greater complexity to the win.

Aging

This wine had extended ageing, maturing for 22 months in extra-fine French oak barrels - half in new barrels and the other half in second-use. Each component of the wine was kept separate until the blend was made 2 weeks prior to bottling. The wine was then bottle-aged for at least 18 months. Pangea is neither clarified nor filtered, so over time sediment may appear.

Producer

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

"Not at all like a 2015 Penfolds Shiraz would taste like! Attractive, ripe, upfront black fruit aromas and flavours, very soft, smooth, with no tannins whatsoever.

Lots of power and complexity in the background and excellently balanced. Not sure how long it will last but it’s absolutely delicious at the moment! Will definitely try another bottle in a couple of years to see how it’s developing." August 2021

Specifications

Tasting Notes

The Pocketful of Stone Distillery only make their Pens Sans Summer Cup when the Cornish weather starts to warm, and the first of the soft fruits start to appear. Strawberries are always the first, around April, making the first few batches very strawberry heavy.

Next, gooseberries and raspberries start to ripen, and they get included in the recipe. Towards the end of the summer, it is the blueberries and blackberries that are at their best, so they, too, are embraced.

The distillate stays the same, but the ingredients they use reflect the changing British summer and therefore make every bottle unique.

Perfect served over ice with Ginger Ale on a warm summer's evening.

Specifications

This Manzanilla Pasada of Sanlúcar is aged for 7 years in a solera of 80 barrels and the butts used for this are over 80 years old!

Tasting Notes 

Pale straw in colour, this Pastured Chamomile is deliciously aromatic, with almond and aniseed hints and the characteristic nuance of the sea breeze. Dry, fresh and light, still with the essence and body of a Chamomile and with a refreshing acidity. 

Producers

• 2019 IWSC Silver Award Winner

Specifications

This Cuvee, named after Francoise, honors the strong character of the family's sixth-generation daughter. It celebrates her role in guarding her heritage and shaping their future.

Tasting Notes

Producer

For over five centuries, Maison Antech has tamed the magical terroir of Limoux to make fine sparkling wines.

The secret of their character lies in the combination of Limoux's three terroirs, which form the backbone of the cuvées: freshness from the Pyrenees, vinousness from the ocean, and roundness from the Mediterranean. From these terroirs, Mauzac and other grapes are cultivated, each bringing their own complexity and purity to the wines. This Cuvee, named after Francoise, daughter of the family and a member of the sixth generation celebrates her strong character and the part she plays in guarding her heritage and shaping their future.

Production

Antech produce high-quality, authentic sparkling wines under the sustainability philosophy of Terra Vitis since 2013. Adopting the most sympathetic approach to viticulture, they also work to recover any waste, reduce energy consumption and work with like-minded sustainable suppliers across all aspects of production.  Exclusively hand-harvested grapes are immediately pressed and the finest juice is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. After blending and second fermentation, the wine is stored sur lattes for 18 months to develop additional complexity and character.

Specifications

Tasting Notes

This golden, almost amber coloured wine has a very intense, appealing nose of sweet tropical fruits, peach, apricot, citrus fruits and some spice. The palate is packed full of white fleshed and stone fruits, with the medium body ending with a long sweet finish, supported by crisp acidity. Clean and fresh, very mineral, hints of honey and plenty of persistence.

Producer

Owner & winemaker, Rosalia Molina, makes organic wines in one of Spain's highest altitude wineries. Her mission is to make wines that express the typicity of DO Manchuela: the vineyard, the altitude and the varieties planted.

This is a climate on the edge of what is possible: at 1,100 metres above sea level, the grapes experience a large diurnal range that encourages even ripening and helps to retain natural acidity. Rosalia's vineyards are certified organic, she uses only natural fertilisers, promoting biodiversity by welcoming chickens, sheep and pigs from local farms to roam the vineyards freely. Grapes are hand harvested and vinified as naturally as possible with native yeasts and little other intervention. The wines are then aged in clay amphora and some in French oak to give texture and complexity.

Winemaking

Harvested in January, when the grapes have frozen due to temperatures remaining below minus five degrees for at least five days but never below minus 13 degrees. These weather conditions mark the beginning of the harvest, which is why it is only produced in exceptional years. A manual harvest of frozen but healthy grapes without any trace of rotting are quickly pressed in the same vineyard as the grape, with the ice crystals still in the grape causing s a high concentration of sugars in the must and plenty of acidity. Due to the dehydration, this improves the extraction of aromatic components.

As the water is first to freeze within the grape, an increased concentration of sugars are obtained from the must. The grapes must be pressed before the ice crystals break down. The yeasts for fermentation are native, providing much of the character and personality of the terroir. Fermentation is a very slow process, it can take 2 to 3 months and is carried out in small stainless steel tanks to provide a completely natural wine, with no added sulphites and the stabilisation and clarification are also a natural sedimentation process.

Specifications

Elegant and beautifully crafted rosé from this highly regarded English sparkling wine producer.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Henners Rosé NV is made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, using the saignée method to draw colour from the grapes at the pressing stage.

Palate

This sparkling rosé delivers classic English red berry fruit flavours including raspberries, redcurrants and rhubarb. A minimum of 18 month ageing on the lees brings a delicate creaminess to the wine.

Producer

When it comes to English wine there’s a lot to shout about, not least the stunning sparkling wines from Henners. Based just 4 miles from the sea in Herstmonceux, East Sussex, the 7 acre vineyard was created in 2007 by ex-Formula One engineer, Lawrence Warr. The winery was named in honour of Larry's French ancestor, Henners Dubois, who was forced to flee Paris for England during the French Revolution in the in the late 18th Century.

Boutinot was the sole distributor of Henners from this time and developed strong ties with the winery and its wines… so when the opportunity arose 10 years later to buy the estate, they jumped at the chance. Planted with traditional Champagne varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the vines thrive in an idyllic microclimate created by the vineyard’s proximity to the sea, low altitude (only 24 metres above sea level) and steep, sunny, south facing slopes.

All Henners wines are hand-crafted from start to finish; with separate fermenting of varietals and their vine clones to allow a broader range of wines for final blending; extended lees ageing for added complexity; and holding back of all bottles for at least 3 years prior to release to add depth and richness to every wine. Hand-crafted with every attention to detail, our winemakers create award winning wines of depth, complexity and elegance that are perfect for any occasion.

Production Method

Henners Rosé is produced solely from grapes grown on our outstanding estate in Herstmonceux, East Sussex. We found the unique combination of warm well drained sandstone soils, a southerly aspect slope coupled with low altitude, three miles from the sea and at just 24m above sea level. Harvest usually takes place in late September. The result is perhaps the finest vineyard microclimate in the country. We take a non-interventionist approach in the winery, made possible by the quality of the fruit. Vine clones and varieties are fermented separately to allow a broad palette of wines for final blending. This wine will have spent a minimum of 18 months on lees at time of release, and a minimum of 5 months in cellar post-disgorgement to create a deliberately vibrant and fresh sparkling Rosé. Dosage of 7.5g/l.

A Note on Sustainability

Already a founder member of WineGB’s Sustainability Programme Henners Vineyard can now announce it is one of just 18 accredited members to have been certified as sustainable by Wine GB. This is an endorsement to Henners’ commitment to winemaking and winery management that have minimal environmental impact, as well as the ongoing promotion of biodiversity in the vineyards and protection of soils. This is no easy task to attain, requiring annual review for accreditation and ongoing improvement in methodology.

Awards - Non Vintage

Specifications

A Stellenbosch classic from one of the Cape's star Cabernet producers. Expertly crafted from 4 specifically diverse terroirs, from the cool gravelly slopes facing False Bay to the rich red granitic soils around Stellenbosch. 2022 vintage 93 points in Tim Atkin's 2024 South Africa Report.

Tasting Notes 

Nose

A pure varietal nose with fine cassis and black cherry aromas and notes of violet and cedar spice. 

Palate

The palate is ripe and fruit forward with nice depth of fresh blackcurrant fruit and fresh acidity. Well-integrated oak and fine-grained tannins support the lengthy finish.

Production

Fruit is sourced from a variety of sites ranging from the sandy gravel soils of the Firgrove and Raithby ward to sandy/loamy granite soils of the Jonkershoek ward, all harvested by hand at optimal ripeness. Once harvested, the grapes are bunch sorted and pumped into open top fermenters. Here, Christo and the winemaking team vinify each vineyard block separately, allowing the unique characteristics and flavours of each block to develop. After a few months ageing, the final blend is made and the wine spends 12 months in French oak barriques, 25% new, before bottling.

Producer

Le Riche is a family run estate founded by Etienne Le Riche in 1996. Situated close to the historic town of Stellenbosch, the winery is perched on the slopes of the Heldeberg Mountain and surrounded by the majestic Hottentots Holland Mountain range.

If youre based in Stellenbosch and going to specialise in something, Cabernet is a great choice! Le Riche are known as ‘Cabernet Masters’ and rightly so. They select grapes from the best possible Stellenbosch terroirs to craft top quality Cabernets with superb cellaring potential. The estate was founded by Etienne Le Riche in 1996 and remains a family affair.

These wines are elegant and classy with fine grained tannins and subtle oak integration, and while not aiming to be Bordeaux replicas, they do have much in common with the balance and poise sometimes found in top Margaux. With most of their wines sold domestically, it’s a rare treat to find these wines on UK soils. Production is 8000×6 cases a year, with the Reserve range consisting of only 1000 cases. These wines are rare but worth sourcing.

Sustainability

Le Riche work strictly with organic viticultural practices (though not certified), maintaining healthy soils and minimum spraying to ensuring our growers form part of the local Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of guidelines specifying good agricultural practices related to grape production (farm component), as well as a set of guidelines specifying good manufacturing practices related to wine production (winery component) and packaging activities (bottling activities). Their compliance with the IPW guidelines is assessed on an annual basis through the completion of a self-evaluation questionnaire and is independently audited on a spot check basis.

Accolades

• 93 points | Tim Aitkin

Specifications

Get the BBQ and garden furniture dusted down and ready – warmer days are coming! To celebrate, we’re excited to introduce our Taste of Spring Case, packed with tried-and-true favourites.

Each case contains a bottle of:

From the winery responsible for the invention of Amarone! 

Tasting Notes

Nose

This has a highly perfumed nose - intense and persistent, ethereal, fruity with hints of cherries and dried prunes, dried flowers, sweetly spiced. This is full bodied with a deliciously smooth mouth-feel and velvety tannins.

History

Consisting of 230 growers and 700 hectares, Cantina Valpolicella Negrar is a co operative located just a few kilometres from Verona, in the heart of Valpolicella. They are one of the major producers in Valpolicella Classico owning a quarter of all Classico Vineyards, and are the only winery to have vineyards in all 5 communes of the region. They have a long and distinctive history of winemaking going back to 1933 and were the first to produce Amarone in 1939, a%er a serendipitous mistake producing Recioto.

Production

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

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

Tasting Notes 

Today marks the dawn of a new epoch, with Mád Moser at the helm, ushering in a 'new' grape onto the global stage. This initiative is set to revolutionize the wine industry, sparking a fresh enthusiasm, generating excitement, and allowing the distinguished quality of dry Furmint to carve out its own distinct niche.

Tasting Notes

This zesty dry Furmint leads the way with aromas of citrus fruits, jasmine and freshly cut pineapple. It has delightful flavours of apple, peach and quince with a nice amount of heft on the palate. There’s a great deal of minerality and the finish is creamy at the same time. Well balanced with a crisp, clean long finish.

Producer

Specifications

Widely considered to be one of the best producers in Slovenia, Edi Simčič’s wines are truly unique, stoically traditional and proudly Slovenian.

Malvasia, or Malvazija as it is known in Slovenia, is a classic Mediterranean grape variety that is perfectly suited to the warm conditions in the Gorizia Hills. The Simcics make their version in a rich, structured style which is in direct contrast to many lighter versions from more coastal regions.

Tasting Notes

Ripe peaches and apricots define the nose along with hints of cigar box spice, woodsmoke and dried herbs from the maturation period. The first sip reveals a robust medium body, subtle tannins and a bold structure which will help the wine age gracefully over the next few years.

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

 It's a delightful journey to discover wines that stand out, providing a taste experience that's as rare as it is enchanting. 

Tasting Notes

Gold in colour with an intense perfume of apricot, violets and almond. A well rounded and complex palate, full of stone fruits such as apricot giving this wine an ample mouthfeel.

Production

Planted on calcium rich soils in small south facing plots in Chignin, Francin and Montmélian, the grapes are manually harvested.  Vinified at 20 °C over a period of three weeks with native yeasts. When alcoholic fermentation ends, malolactic fermentation begins, creating a round wine and long finish on the palate and decent ageing potential.

Producer

Tradition is hardly sufficient a word to sum up the Perrier family who have lived and worked in the Alps for more than seven generations. They seem to be hewn from the very rock that surrounds them.

The wine style and dedication to local varieties such as Jacquère has not wavered and like their mountains, they remain resolute. And all the better for it. These are wines are stunning, different and enthralling creating flavour and palates that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Embodying their landscape and being resistant to change has made these wines special, delightful and truly regional.

Specifications