2022 Showdown ‘Man with the Ax’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £9.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%The ‘Man with the Ax’ is the nickname for the King of Diamonds in Poker-parlance, and in California, Cabernet is undoubtedly ‘King’. Rich cassis fruit and a good lick of oak make this a plush, easy-drinking example of why it is so highly prized.'.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Ripe blackcurrant and wild berry fruit on the nose complemented sweet vanilla oak.
Palate
Rich cassis and black cherry fruit on the palate with a soft, juicy, yet long finish. Framed by the subtle American oak.
Production
This wine is sourced from vineyards in the northern part of California’s Central Valley. The region around Lodi and Manteca enjoys significant influence from San Joaquin and Sacramento river deltas, which act as a natural cooling system to the often-searing heat. The effect is to provide freshness to the ripe, fruit-charged Cabernet grapes. Individual Cabernet blocks are vinified separately and then blended to produce a wine that reflects the right balance between fruit and structure. The wine then spends 6 months in oak to provide a broad frame for this rich wine.
Producer
Boutinot has been working with growers in California for over 10 years, finessing our offering from vintage to vintage, increasingly with specific estates sourcing old vine material and site-specific fruit.
The current range of wines are sourced from the warm region of Lodi in Central California, to which Samantha Bailey brings her esteemed palate and decades experience to hone these elements into the brightest wines of The Sunshine State.
Alan's Tasting Notes
"Outstanding - really easy on the palate with loads of smoky blackcurrant fruit, a hint of spice and a glug of vanilla from the oak ageing giving a really well balanced, smooth drinking red!"
Awards
- Silver at the Sommelier Wine Awards 2019 (2017 Vintage)
- Silver at Catavinum 2018 (2015 Vintage)
- Silver at the IWSC 2018 (2015 Vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Country | USA |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Almost any red meat, especially served rare, is going to do the trick! |
Origin | California |
Appellation | Central Valley |
2022 Adobe Reserva Organic Rosé
Regular price £10.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Chile does Provence minus the £££'s!
Refreshing and delicious predominantly from Emiliana's organic vineyards in Colchagua and Cachoploal valleys.
Tasting Notes
A lovely pale and delicate rosé.
Colour
Pale almost Provencal-pink in colour.
Nose
Gentle strawberry and red cherry aromas.
Palate
The palate is medium in weight with fresh summer fruits and a silky yet refreshing finish. Delicate and easy to drink.
Production
The Rapel Valley lies with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, and the province of Curicó to the south. This area is particularly well suited for growing Carmenère, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a transversal valley of Chile’s central zone with unique climatic conditions, including four clearly defined seasons and a unique blend of maritime breezes and Andean winds. The hand-picked grapes were transported to the winery and selected from a conveyor belt to ensure maximum quality. Vinification took place in stainless steel tanks for 3 months with selected yeasts. The finished wine was fined using bentonite and cold stabilized to prevent the formation of tartrate crystals and 1 and 0.45 micron cartridge filters were used at the time of bottling.
Producers
Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.
Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Sustainability
Emiliana began its conversion to organic production in 1998, and today 100% of its properties are organically managed. It is the world’s largest organic winery. It holds organic certifications in accordance with the standards of the United States, Canada (NOP), Brazil, Chile, Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe. In 2006, Emiliana was the first winery in Latin America to produce a wine with biodynamic certification. Since then, the use of biodynamic practices at its farms and cellars has been accredited and today 100% of its properties are certified. Emiliana received its Fairtrade and Fair For Life certifications in 2011 and 2017, and has been selling fair trade wines since 2012.
Emiliana was a pioneer in the implementation of the Wine of Chile Sustainability Code certification in 2012. This standard was developed for the Chilean wine sector to support the implementation of sustainable practices at a national level, as well as social and environmental responsibility at Emiliana.
Emiliana is certified to use the Vegan Society trademark, which attests that its wines are produced without any animal-derived products.
Emiliana also produces an annual sustainability report.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 40% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | Rosè |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Ideal as an aperitif or with sushi, creamy cheeses, and ethnic foods, among others. |
Origin | Rapel Valley |
Appellation | D.O. Valle Del Rapel |
2021 Les Coteaux Côtes du Rhône Villages
Regular price £9.77 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%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
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah |
Country | France |
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
Vegan, Vegetarian
|
Food Matches | A delicious accompaniment to hearty food: grilled meats, meaty sausages with mash or, as would be served in France, with puy lentils; shepherd's pie, mushroom ragoût or simply a good pizza. |
Origin | Rhône |
Appellation | Côtes du Rhône Villages |
2022 Domaine de Vedilhan Viognier
Regular price £9.99 Sale price £8.79 Save 12%A well-balanced expression of French Viognier.
Tasting Notes
Honeysuckle on the nose; richly textured and nicely balanced with flavours of apricots and a satisfying delicate bitterness on the finish.
Production
Domaine de Vedilhan (pronounced 'Domaine de Ved-ee-ohn') is the estate of the Fayet family, based in the village of Moussan close to Narbonne. Uniquely, a brook runs around the estate which provides much-needed water in this very hot climate, giving the wines their freshness and appeal. Vines are managed using the 'lutte raisonnée' method and terroir is a combination of limestone, sand and sea shale, meaning the vines dig deep for their nutrients and thus produce excellent quality grapes. 50% of the production from this Domaine is used for Boutinot wines. Since 1999, our winemakers have been working closely with the Fayet’s on all aspects of the production, from when to harvest to the exact blend or style of wines. The Viognier was picked early and carefully selected and handled in the winery to maintain its acidity and fresh aromatics, and was vinified without oak.
Producer
Like all good stories, that of Boutinot France is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. Paul Boutinot himself began by personally selecting the wines from France, back in the UK he would unload the trailer by hand. And deliver the crates of wines to customers himself. But good things grow and by the end of the decade we had become a bigger and better company. A company that not only sought out great wines but made them too. After 10 years later, Boutinot France started in January 1990. The first office was in the middle of the vines in Julienas; perfectly located to navigate the Beaujolais and Macon regions on the quest to make beautiful wines.
Samantha Bailey, who started as a wine enthusiast, was there at the beginning of this adventure. Since then, she has grown into our Master Blender and has key responsibilities: building long-standing relationships, tasting, understanding the terroir and appellations, and pushing the boundaries. She is at the heart of the whole process from blending to quality assessment, making sure there is always a Boutinot touch in every cuvée. We are proud to also count Guillaume Letang and Julien Dugas in our winemaking team. Guillaume oversees the South of France and Languedoc, whilst Julien looks after our property in Cairanne. Together they have the local knowledge to select and blend the very best wines from throughout. Eric Monnin oversees every aspect of production and makes sure everything our winemakers blend and source is top quality.
Alan's Tasting Notes
'This is a gem! A classically French Viognier, with delicious fresh apricot fruit. Beautifully balanced with great texture. Perfect for a summer's evening in the garden, astounding value for a real quality dry, white style. Perfect on its own but will match really well with both Chicken and Pork. Really love it!' June 2023
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Viognier |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Delicious with Thai or fusion food, or meats cooked in creamy or fruity sauces. |
Origin | Languedoc |
Appellation | IGP Pays D'oc |
2022 Cicada Blanc by Chante Cigale
Regular price £10.99 Sale price £9.67 Save 12%Cicada takes its name from the famed ‘singing cicadas’ of Provence and the wine too sings of the warm vineyards of the south.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Easy-drinking, unoaked and a classic french-style table wine. Citrus and pear aromas on the nose.
Palate
Citrus flesh and nice weight on the palate, quite a ripe, round finish.
Producer
Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.
Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.
Production
An unusual blend of Viognier (30%), Picpoul Blanc (30%) and Grenache Blanc (40%). Sourced from clay limestone soils in Richerenes in the Vaucluse for the Grenache Blanc and Picpoul, with the Viognier sourced in the Northern Rhône (so the wine is classified as Vin de France). Vinified in stainless steel, with a short maceration of one week. Alex Favier then puts the final blend together.
Sustainability
As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.
Alan's Tasting Notes
'This is a beautiful find. Loaded with aromas and flavours. Fresh, unoaked but unctous fresh fruit with a persistent and compelling palate. A great value alternative to more expensive Chateauneuf Blanc or Condrieu.'
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 30% Viognier, 30% Piquepoul Blanc, 40% Grenache Blanc |
Country | Rhone France |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches |
Coconut flavoured Thai and Vietnamese dishes, or as a delicious foil to barbecued or grilled mackerel. |
Origin | Vin de France |
Appellation | Vin de France |
2023 Pablo Walter Malbec
Regular price £10.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A celebration of Mendoza - the colour, culture and flavour and a celebration of friendship. Visit Mendoza in Argentina and you can't help but be struck by the vibrant street life of this exciting city. This wine was created to reflect the vibrancy and life Mendoza oozes.
It's the lovechild of Argentinean winemaker Walter Bressia and Boutinot winemaker Guillaume Letang. We've been working with Walter for many years (the Pablo referring to our original owner, Paul Boutinot) and this Malbec is the perfect way to celebrate their long friendship.
Tasting Notes
A really pure expression of Malbec, deep red almost purple in colour and wonderfully aromatic with lifted violet, red currant and cassis notes. Muy, muy fantasticó – richly bloody, vibrant, Latin and velveteen.
The Estate
Established in 2000 the Vinecol estate is located in La Paz at the eastern end of Mendoza. Their 60 hectares adjoin the UNESCO-protected biosphere at Nacunan and thus benefits from its unpolluted waters. At around 1000m, their 100 hectares are all hand-harvested and are planted mostly with Malbec, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Torrontes. They've invested in their local environment with a reforestation programme and have a vegetable garden for their staff and sponsor local schools!
Production
Produced from 25-year-old vines in the Agrelo district of Mendoza, close to Walter’s bodega in the rain shadow of the Cordon del Plata. The unwooded Malbec vinified in stainless steel to preserve the freshness and brightness of the fruit. Walter bought three spankingly new 25000-litre steel tanks specifically for this project and subsequently somehow crow-barred them into his small family bodega.
Awards
Bronze - Sommelier Wine Awards 2020 (2019 Vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Malbec |
Country | Argentina |
Alcohol content | 14 % alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.8 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Food Matches | A juicy steak, churrasco de chorizo marinated with garlic, parsley and olive oil, grilled vegetables with chimichurri sauce. Or try it chilled - seriously, a cool version of this wine opens up a whole new world! |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation |
Agrelo |
2022 Domaine de Vedilhan Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £10.79 Sale price £9.50 Save 12%A richly flavoured yet very proper Sauvignon Blanc from a single Domaine in the south of France.
Tasting Notes
A wonderfully sunny style of Sauvignon Blanc, broad and quite tropical with delicate smokey notes, ripe citrus acidity and a richly-textured finish
Production
Domaine de Vedilhan (pronounced 'Domaine de Ved-ee-ohn') is the estate of the Fayet family based in the village of Moussan, close to Narbonne. Uniquely, a brook runs around the estate which provides much needed water in this very hot climate, giving the wines their freshness and appeal. Vines are managed using the 'lutte raisonnée' method and terroir is a combination of limestone, sand and sea shale, meaning the vines dig deep for their nutrients and thus produce excellent quality grapes. 50% of the production from this Domaine is used for Boutinot wines. Since 1999, our winemakers have been working closely with the Fayets on all aspects of the production, from when to harvest to the exact blend or style of wines.
Producer
Like all good stories, that of Boutinot France is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. Paul Boutinot himself began by personally selecting the wines from France, back in the UK he would unload the trailer by hand. And deliver the crates of wines to customers himself. But good things grow and by the end of the decade we had become a bigger and better company. A company that not only sought out great wines but made them too. After 10 years later, Boutinot France started in January 1990. The first office was in the middle of the vines in Julienas; perfectly located to navigate the Beaujolais and Macon regions on the quest to make beautiful wines.
Samantha Bailey, who started as a wine enthusiast, was there at the beginning of this adventure. Since then, she has grown into our Master Blender and has key responsibilities: building long-standing relationships, tasting, understanding the terroir and appellations, and pushing the boundaries. She is at the heart of the whole process from blending to quality assessment, making sure there is always a Boutinot touch in every cuvée. We are proud to also count Guillaume Letang and Julien Dugas in our winemaking team. Guillaume oversees the South of France and Languedoc, whilst Julien looks after our property in Cairanne. Together they have the local knowledge to select and blend the very best wines from throughout. Eric Monnin oversees every aspect of production and makes sure everything our winemakers blend and source is top quality.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"This is quite a full, rich, B-road style of Sauvignon. It’s fresh enough with good acidity but the fruit is more tropical than citric and the palate is long, complex & textural. All in all - a decent drop of wine." Tasted March 2023
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 11.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 8.6 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | A fuller-bodied Sauvignon which works well with a vegetable pilaf, a chicken tagine or a saffron-infused risotto Milanese. |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Origin | Languedoc |
Appellation | IGP Pays D'oc |