- Abruzzo
- Alentejo Region
- Amarone DOCG
- Bio-Bio Valley
- Bordeaux
- California
- Casablanca Valley
- Castilla y León
- Central Valley
- Clare Valley
- Colchagua Valley
- Dao Region
- DO Jerez
- Douro Valley
- IGP Collines Rhodaniennes
- Maipo Valley
- New South Wales
- Pays du Gard
- Rapel Valley
- Sicily
- South Australia
- Victoria
- Vin de France
- Vinho Verde
- Vouvray
- Western Cape
- Alicante Bouschet
- Alvarinho
- Aragonês
- Arinto
- Bobal
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carignan
- Carmenère
- Catarratto
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Cinsault
- Corvina
- Durello
- Espadeiro
- Frappato
- Gewürtztraminer
- Glera
- Goldmuskateller
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Grillo
- Grüner Veltliner
- Loureiro
- Malbec
- Malvasia Fine
- Merlot
- Molinara
- Mourvèdre / Mataró / Monastrell
- Muscat
- Nebbiolo
- Palomino
- Passerina
- Pedro Ximénez
- Petit Verdot
- Pinot Bianco/ Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Riesling
- Rondinella
- Roussanne
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Tempranillo
- Tinta Barroca
- Tinta Roriz
- Torrontés
- Touriga Franca
- Touriga Nacional
- Trincadeira Preta
- Verdejo
- Verdicchio
- Viognier
- Viura Blanco / Macabeu / Macabeo
- Zweigelt
- Abruzzo
- Alentejo Region
- Amarone DOCG
- Bio-Bio Valley
- Bordeaux
- California
- Casablanca Valley
- Castilla y León
- Central Valley
- Clare Valley
- Colchagua Valley
- Dao Region
- DO Jerez
- Douro Valley
- IGP Collines Rhodaniennes
- Maipo Valley
- New South Wales
- Pays du Gard
- Rapel Valley
- Sicily
- South Australia
- Victoria
- Vin de France
- Vinho Verde
- Vouvray
- Western Cape
- Alicante Bouschet
- Alvarinho
- Aragonês
- Arinto
- Bobal
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carignan
- Carmenère
- Catarratto
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Cinsault
- Corvina
- Durello
- Espadeiro
- Frappato
- Gewürtztraminer
- Glera
- Goldmuskateller
- Grenache / Garnacha
- Grillo
- Grüner Veltliner
- Loureiro
- Malbec
- Malvasia Fine
- Merlot
- Molinara
- Mourvèdre / Mataró / Monastrell
- Muscat
- Nebbiolo
- Palomino
- Passerina
- Pedro Ximénez
- Petit Verdot
- Pinot Bianco/ Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
- Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Pinotage
- Riesling
- Rondinella
- Roussanne
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz / Syrah
- Tempranillo
- Tinta Barroca
- Tinta Roriz
- Torrontés
- Touriga Franca
- Touriga Nacional
- Trincadeira Preta
- Verdejo
- Verdicchio
- Viognier
- Viura Blanco / Macabeu / Macabeo
- Zweigelt
The type of fining agent used in creating wine will determine whether it is awarded Vegan-Friendly status (no animal-derivative agent is used i.e. the winemaker may use Bentonite Clay) or Vegetarian-Friendly status (the use of egg white or casein - a milk product) or neither (where gelatin, isinglass or chitosan may be used).
Here is our offering of Vegan and Vegetarian approved wines - you might be surprised to see some of your old favourites here!
2019 Marras Shiraz Cinsault
Regular price £10.99 Sale price £9.67 Save 12%Tasting Notes
Nose
Showing complex aromatic nuances of rose petals, violets and sappy grilled herbs.
Palate
The palate is supple and fleshy yet also displays a weightless concentration of red berry fruit, plum spice and savoury woodsmoke.
Winemakers Notes
Handpicked grapes, cooled overnight. 10% whole bunches. Grapes were cold soaked and partially natural fermented while minimal extraction was done. Maturing separately in older oak barrels.
Vineyards
If you can talk to a grape, it will tell you that the Piekenierskloof region is the ideal spot for a tough top class wine-producing grape, as it’s exposed to extreme conditions. Piekenierskloof is the mountain pass between Piketberg and Citrusdal, over the Olifants River Mountains. With warm inland temperatures rising from the Swartland during the day and cool Atlantic sea breezes rolling in overnight, these grapes grow in a dryer soil with just enough water to produce grapes that add depth and complexity to every single sip.
The Region
The Swartland begins some 50 kilometers north of Cape Town and consists of the regions between the towns of Malmesbury in the south, Darling in the west, Piketberg in the north and the Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel in the east. It is so called because of the endemic Renosterbos that appears dark mainly when it rains in winter. The Swartland area is mainly known for wheat, but the crown prince in this area is the small concentrated berries of the vines that produce well-balanced and exceptionally ripe and deep-flavoured wines.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"Very soft, supple and juicy for a Shiraz-dominant wine. Red berry & plum fruits - herby more than spicy and reasonably long. Had it opened for an hour before serving which helped enormously. Medium to full-bodied and good value shiraz. It’s long, soft and smooth and everything you’d expect from a wine such as this. Fruit definitely starts to open up and come to life with time in the glass." December 2022.
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Cinsault, Shiraz |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Cellaring | 2019 - 2024 |
Features | Vegan & Vegetarian approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Duck, lamb and mushrooms |
Origin | Swartland |
Appellation | WO Swartland |
2019 Luigi Bosca Signature Range Gewürtztraminer
Regular price £14.99 Sale price £13.19 Save 12%Tasting Notes
Colour
Selección de Granos Nobles is a sweet, bright yellow-white wine with golden hues.
Nose
It has intense and syrupy aromas, with ripe tropical and citrus fruit and white flower notes.
Palate
It is greasy and expressive in the mouth, clean and fresh in the palate, with a well-balanced body. Long, attractive and gentle finish with a spicy touch. It is an original late harvest wine with a strong personality.
Winemaking
Handpicking when grapes reach 28 Brix. Destemming and manual selection of grains. Pressed from 4 to 6 hours. Fermentation is conducted in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 16°C with selected yeasts. After reaching from 12° to 12.5° of alcohol, and from 60 to 70 g of sugar, it is chilled to stop alcoholic fermentation. Then it rests 4 months on fine lees. Filtered while bottled.
Comments by the winemaker
With Bodega Luigi Bosca’s Insignia collection, we seek to communicate each vine’s varietal identity by means of expressive, elegant, complex and top quality wines. Grapes are grown in vineyards located in the best areas of Mendoza, harvested at the optimum moment to achieve precision and clarity in each variety’s fruity expression. The winemaking and ageing processes are carefully conducted to obtain the grapes’ full potential. These wines are conceived to enjoy meals and accompany the best moments.
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 500ml |
Cultivar | Gewürztraminer 100%. |
Country | Argentina |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 6.25 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | 5 years |
Suggested Serve Temp | Between 8°C and 10°C |
Food Matches | Ideal to enjoy with desserts such as apple pancakes or pumpkin in syrup with Quartirolo cheese. |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation |
Mendoza
|
2017 Ventisquero 'Grey Glacier' Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £15.50 Sale price £13.64 Save 12%Head Winemaker Felipe Tosso joined Vina Ventisquero in 2000. After seriously considering alternate careers as a tennis pro and classical guitarist, he elected to enter the wine business, describing it as “one of my big passions because it’s more than work – it’s a lifestyle.”
Tasting Notes
Colour
Yellow-green colour
Nose
Citrus aromas, mixed with notes of green chili
Palate
Fresh and great volume, this is a wine structured in the palate and high in acidity that gives tension with a minerality in the mouth, granting a clean and persistent final where is left to feel slight saline touches, making this, a wine with high complexity in the mouth.
Vinification
The must first underwent a cold maceration for a period of between 6 and 8 hours. The must was protected from contact with the air throughout the process, the fermentation took place slowly at a constant low temperature of 120C to 150C so that the yeast activity could draw out the maximum varietal aromas and the expression of the northern Chile desert. After fermentation, the wine was aged over its lees for ten months and battonage was used to gently move it so as to maximize the contribution made by the wine coming into contact with the fine sediment.
Winemaker
Tosso’s winemaking travels have taken him to Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, back to Concha Y Toro in Chile and then finally to Vina Ventisquero. In 2003, Felipe began a close collaboration with John Duval (ex Penfolds) in the production of icon wines Pangea and Vertice, a partnership which continues to this day.
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content | 12.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian & Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Ideal to accompany oysters, sea urchins, and fresh seafood in general. Also cebiches, fish, white meats and goats cheese. |
Origin | Atacama Valley |
2021 Uva Non Grata Gros Manseng
Regular price £9.49 Sale price £8.35 Save 12%Thick-skinned and wild, Gros Manseng is relatively unknown. For years, it was held in lower regard than its equally obscure parent, Petit Manseng, and blended away anonymously. We've captured its winemaking potential in one of the fruitiest and fun wines you're likely to taste.
Tasting Notes
Zingy, incense-smoked and glorious, this is loud and proud Gros Manseng.
Production Method
Gros Manseng, with its thick skin and small berry size, can both ripen beautifully or over-ripen whilst retaining its acidity and shunning the advances of botrytis, giving both dry and sweet wines. To show this fascinating variety at its best, we've made two wines and blended them together: a bright and zingy Gros Manseng fermented to dryness into which we've blended a smaller proportion of late harvest Gros Manseng, bringing with it a delightful fruitiness and exotic spice.
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.
Today, Boutinot’s French office has recently relocated to Macon, and 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-Vérand. Drawing on the expertise of our four winemakers and a network of partner growers, we seek to deliver the highest quality-to-price ratio possible for every wine.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"This was good - it had that lovely exotic aroma & flavour that I always associate with Gros Manseng- along with a touch of residual sugar that always follows. But it’s also got a searing acidity which keeps it fresh, attractive and very drinkable. Many won’t have heard of this grape but it’s definitely one where the adventurers among us will be rewarded with trying out. Very good value and loads of flavour and complexity for the price." Tasted February 2024
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Gros Manseng |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 12% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting Info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | This makes for a mega apéritif, otherwise try with stinky cheeses and aromatic middle-eastern and eastern cuisines. |
Origin | Vin De France |
2023 Percheron Chenin Blanc Viognier
Regular price £8.49 Sale price £7.47 Save 12%Tasting Notes
Nose
Vibrant and aromatic with subtle perfumed aromas, white peach and hints of jasmine on the nose.
Palate
On the palate it has tight, white, fleshy, stonefruit and fresh citrus flavours balanced by bright and lively acidity. A crisp, incisive finish with a touch of minerality helps deliver a delicious, flavoursome and characterful wine.
Alan's Tasting Note
"This is a delightful, cheeky wee white that delivers a lot of flavour for not a lot of cost. I get the jasmine notes but the fruit is more pear than peach to me. It’s unoaked but has a beautiful richness and length to the fruit that hides /balances the high acidity. As easy drinking as the red - a brilliant pair together."
Production
This wine is made of 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier. Grapes are grown on 30+ year old trellised Chenin and 15 year old Viognier in the Coastal region, mainly from Swartland vineyards. The climate is perfect for viticulture with the low rainfall summer months, tempered by cool afternoons and the cold winters allowing the vines to rest and to build up the reserves. Part of the Chenin Blanc is wild yeast fermented and kept on the yeast lees for as long as possible in order to achieve a rounded palate with good fruit concentration.
Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, terroir.. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthuasiam for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 75% Chenin Blanc 25% Viognier |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.37 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Grilled prawns with plenty of garlic and chilli, whole lemon sole fried in butter and also delicate freshwater fish dishes. |
Origin | Swartland |
Appellation |
WO Coastal Region
|
2022 Cape Heights Shiraz
Regular price £9.49 Sale price £8.35 Save 12%Deliciously juicy, forward style of Shiraz from cool Coastal vineyards.
Tasting Notes
Nose
A vibrant juicy style of Shiraz with ripe bramble and black cherry on the nose.
Palate
Fresh summer pudding fruits and gentle spice on the palate lead to a mellow and satisfyingly rich finish.
Production
The vineyards for this Shiraz clamber up the foothills of the Swartland mountains which are comprised of sandstone and alluvial soils. This region is hot and dry which forces these unirrigated vines to work hard to produce low yields and small berries. Produced from only free-run juice and fermented on skins in stainless steel tanks, a portion of the grapes are whole bunch fermented as the ripe stems add to the overall tannin quality of the wine. The remainder of the grapes are destemmed and pressed. After a third of the sugar has fermented, delestage is done once per day. The wine is drawn off at the bottom of the tank and transferred into a separate tank. Once complete, it is then transferred back into the fermentation tank onto the skins and stems. This method ensures more air is incorporated into the wine which helps to release the fresh, fruity, and spicy aromas known so well in this wine. When the final blend has been made, it is aged on fine lees for an extended period in French oak barrels along with around 15% from the previous vintage. This ensures a more complex wine with greater palate weight and mouthfeel.
Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, and terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules, and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature, and science to create versatile, expressive, and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Shiraz |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.2 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
This wine was made with the barbecue in mind, it's a great partner to homemade burgers or sticky spare ribs. |
Origin | Western Cape |
2022 Cape Heights Chardonnay
Regular price £9.49 Sale price £8.35 Save 12%Pure unoaked Chardonnay from the Western Cape.
Tasting Notes
Fresh, tangy stone fruit and pineapple on the nose. The fruit follows through on the palate with a ripe, juicy mouthfeel and crisp acidity. There is breadth and character in this wine that follows through to a refreshing finish.
Production
The Chardonnay grapes for this unoaked wine are sourced from long-established vineyards on the Wellington/Swartland borders of the Western Cape. This area receives little rainfall and the soil is a mixture of alluvial riverbed stones, decomposed granite, and shale. The vines are low-trellised and the grapes are picked by hand in the early hours of the morning to retain their freshness. On arrival at the winery, grapes are chilled and the juice settled in tank prior to fermentation. A proportion of the grapes are full bunch pressed, the rest are destemmed and cold fermented. We keep the wine on its fine lees in stainless steel tanks for as long as possible prior to bottling.
From the Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, and terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Grilled white fish and seafood, roast chicken, pasta with cream and mushrooms. |
Origin | Western Cape |
2022 Vila Nova Vinho Verde Rosé
Regular price £9.99 Sale price £8.79 Save 12%This is a pretty, soft and fruity Vinho Verde rosé made from the local Espadeiro grape.
Tasting Notes
Fresh red berries on the nose, the palate has delicate wild strawberry and zesty redcurrant fruit, off-dry with a soft and appealing finish.
Production
Produced from the red Espadeiro grape which is cultivated here in Vinho Verde (also found in Galicia, northern Spain). The must undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel.
Producer
Casa de Vila Nova is owned by the Lencastre family, of aristocratic Portuguese lineage (one of their ancestors became the first Baron of Varzea do Douro in the 1800s). This land has been in their family since the 12th century - the ivy-clad tower that still remains from that time is now surrounded by Vila Nova (new house) that was built in the 1700s, and the property was gradually extended over the centuries.
The estate is near the town of Penafiel, close to the eastern border of Portugal's Vinho Verde wine region, around a 30-minute drive east from Oporto. In the late 1970s the family planted vines over 12 hectares - mainly local Portuguese varieties. In 2008 Bernardo Lencastre and his brothers took over the running of the property, revitalised the vineyards, and began making vinho verde and bottling their own wines - the first generation to do so. They now have around 42 hectares of vineyard.
Here, in the Entre-Douro-e-Minho sub-region of Sousa, their vineyards are influenced by winds from the Atlantic Ocean - creating the perfect climate to ripen varieties such as Avesso, Loureiro and Alvarinho.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Espadeiro |
Country | Portugal |
Alcohol content
|
11.5% alc vol
|
Units of alcohol per bottle | 8.63 units |
Type | Rose |
Allergy Information | Contains sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Food Matching |
Perfect with simple pasta dishes, salads and white meats.
|
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Origin | Vinho Verde |
Appellation | DOC Vino Verde |
2022 Painted Wolf Teardrop Viognier
Regular price £17.99 Sale price £15.83 Save 12%The Background
In 2005, Emma and Jeremy Borg's vinous adventure began when they were approached to make their own wine. Despite Jeremy's two decades of experience in the world of winemaking and Emma's expertise with wine photography, the couple was thrown into the deep end and had to bottle and cork the bounty of their friend's surplus grapes by hand.
The endeavor sparked their dreams of creating their own brand and so Painted Wolf was born. The inspiration came from the endangered African wild dog - highly social, organised, persistent and efficient hunters true to Emma and Jeremy's own vineyard hunts for their expanding range of wines.
Consequently, a percentage of profits from each bottle is donated to support charities dedicated to the conservation of the species, and the painted wolf proudly graces each of their labels. From organic Swartland vineyards to Cape South Coast cool climate sites, the couple has since established a network of esteemed growers and winemakers to ensure quality as grapes are hand-selected and some wines are
TPainted Wolf Wines supports the conservation of the highly endangered painted wolf (African wild dog) and the protection of the diminishing wild spaces of Africa, through its donations to the EWT – www.ewt.org.za and Tusk – www.tusk.org.
Awards
- Double Silver – National Wine Challenge/Top100 wines 2019
- 4 stars, 88 points – Platter 2020
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Viognier |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Now - 2025 |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Food Matches | Pairs well with mild Indian curries like korma and tikka masala. It is wonderful with roast pork with a mustard and apple sauce or a creamy seafood dishes. Viognier is a great partner to washed rind cheese. |
Appellation | W.O. Swartland |
2022 Weingut Franz Hirtzberger Setzberg Riesling Smaragd
Regular price £69.99 Sale price £59.49 Save 15%From the World Heritage Site and enchanting feel-good landscape - that is the Wachau, the narrow Danube valley between Melk and Krems. A great Riesling—full and generous, yet focused with precise acidity. An aromatic bouquet of yellow apple, pear, lemon, and pineapple. Elegant and balanced with a long, lovely finish.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Medium greenish yellow, silver reflections.
Nose
Inviting nuances of fresh tropical fruit, underlaid with vineyard peach and fresh orange zest, a hint of lime, seductive bouquet.
Palate
Full-bodied, tight-knit, shows fine fruit expression, fresh acidity, yellow peach, mineral-taut finish, very good length. Secure ageing potential, already very inviting and accessible in its youth. Please let it mature!
Producer
The Wachau Valley is one of the most beautiful historic landscapes in the world and has been included, since 2000, as part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Here in between the Danube on the one side and the mountains on the other side is the village of Spitz.
Five generations of Hirtzbergers have lived here, tending the vines which have been planted in the Wachau Valley in the 13th Century. Today wine is produced with all the modern know-how at our disposal, but still following the tradition of the Wachau Valley and our family.
Accolades
- 96-98 points - Falstaff 2020
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Riesling |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Should be stunning in 5-10 years. |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian & Vegan Approved, Sustainable Farming |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Origin | Wachau |
2021 Vallet Frères Bourgogne Blanc
Regular price £21.99 Sale price £18.69 Save 15%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
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | France |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan & Vegetarian |
Food Matches | Glam up your Roast Chicken dinner with this classic white Burgundy |
Origin | Burgundy |
Appellation | Bourgogne |
2021 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Merweh Obeidi
Regular price £16.49 Sale price £14.51 Save 12%A 50/50 blend of Merweh and Obeidi - indigenous Lebanese varieties from low yielding old vines. The Merweh vineyards are over 100 years old and have not been pruned for the last two decades, resulting in extremely low yields and concentrated flavours.
Tasting Notes
Colour
This blend of Merweh and Obeidi is golden in colour.
Nose
The nose has natural aromas of ripened grapes, apple skin and a mix of herbs and spices.
Palate
Mineral and savoury on the palate, the wine shows notes of dried figs and fresh almonds on the finish.
Production
A blend of two indigenous Lebanese varieties that likey trace their lineage back to the Phoenicians, this wine is made from very old vines grown in altitude. Merweh vineyards are spread over the mountians of Bsharreh to the west of the Bekaa Valley at 1,400m altitude, in amongst the famous cedars of Mount Lebanon. Merweh is a resistant variety which has adpated very well to the Mediterranean mountain climate and ecosystem. Due to the wild nature of the Merweh vines, the ripening was uneven abd required several passes and a skilled team to select only perectly ripe grapes. Obeidi vineyards are grown on the hills of Zahleh - the capital of Bekaa Valley - at 1,100m altitude. These 50 year old vines are trained using a pergola system to ensure they enjoy the best sun exposure to reach maximum ripeness an balance on this late-ripening grape. Obeidi is a reliable and very resitant grape, considered to be the backbone of Behaa Valley's vines throughout its winemaking history. Both varieties were cold fermented separately, using wild yeast widely present in the winery. Once fermentation was complete, the wines we blended and stored for a short period of time in stainless steel tanks to keep the original freshness of the blend.
Producer
Domaine des Tourelles was founded in 1868 by French adventurer François-Eugène Brun and is one of the most highly acclaimed and oldest wineries still operating in Lebanon. It was also the first commercial cellar in 'modern' Lebanon to produce wines, arak and other spirits. This place has history! The Brun family owned and ran the winery up until the last descendant died in 2003 but luckily two local families - the Issa and Issa el-Khoury families - joined forces to buy the property and continue the fine tradition of winemaking.
Today, this Bekaa Valley estate is run by the three Issa children - twins Faouzi and Johanne and their sister Christiane, alongside Emile Issa-el Khoury, son of one of the co-owners. This young and dynamic combination have introduced a handful of practices in the vineyards and cellar including the use of indigenous natural yeasts, no fining or filtering, and only very small amounts of sulphur. These techniques along with fruit from 40 hectares of ancient, organically cultivated and dry-farmed vineyards (among the oldest in the valley) and a winery perfect for hands-off winemaking, make Domaine des Tourelles one of the finest boutique wineries in the Middle East.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Obeidi 50%, Merweh 50% |
Country | Lebanon |
Alcohol content | 11% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan, Organic |
Dietary Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | Try with baba ghanouj or Sea bream with smoked vegetables. |
Appellation | Bekaa Valley |
2018 Polz Klassik Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £17.99 Sale price £15.83 Save 12%This is exactly how a classic Sauvignon Blanc from southern Styria should taste.
Tasting Notes
Expressive nose of elderflower, gooseberry and Granny Smith apple. Racy and bold on palate, with menthol and white fruit. Good length and a fresh finish.
The crisp acidity gives it a bite and represents the region exactly. Fresh in the reverberation, very dry and yet with a delicate touch of blossom honey.
Producer
Since this year this region and this wine are classified as Südsteiermark DAC. Harvested from different locations, expanded in a steel tank and always ready to be enjoyed.
Specifications
Year | 201 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | Austria |
|
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food matches | Apéro pastries, Goat's cheese, light appetizers and salad. |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
|
Origin | Styria, Südsteiermark DAC |
2021 Franco Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo Doc Cascina Sciulun
Regular price £28.99 Sale price £24.64 Save 15%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
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Nebbiolo |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 14% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Vinification |
Must and skins are kept in contact for 7-9 days, punched down daily and finally racked. Fermentation varied with peaks of 30°C. |
Aging | In the cellar: the new wine is kept 3 months in steel tanks and undergoes malolactic fermentation; it is decanted several times, and finally aged in Slavonian oak barrels where it ages 8 to 12 months. Aging in bottle: 6 months |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches |
Excellent if combined with red meats, cold cuts and medium-aged cheeses. Serve between 16-18C. |
Features | Certified Organic since 2015, Vegan & Vegetarian friendly |
Origin | Langhe, Piedmont |
Appellation | Langhe Nebbiolo Doc |
Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royale Brut Rosé Champagne NV (375ml Half Bottle)
Regular price £22.87 Sale price £19.44 Save 15%The Drinks Business Gold Medal Winner
'Aged on the lees for 3-to-5 years in cellars dug out of ancient Gallo-Roman chalk pits, this rosé Champagne is serious, and seriously delicious. Displaying a medium ‘vieux rose’ hue and narrow cordon, the wine exudes summer pudding fruits and fresh bread notes. On the palate, the wine shows finesse in its light body, zippy acidity and ‘crackling’ mousse texture. Nicely balanced with good length. Quite vinous, this wine is a lovely aperitif but will also work well with wild salmon or even light desserts.' Patricia Stefanowicz MW
Tasting Notes
This champagne has a special place in the history of the House. It is from a family plot of Pinot Noir in Cumières that this precious red wine comes, giving our blend a unique personality.
Colour
An elegant light pink colour with shards of gold. Extremely delicate, lively and regular bubbles.
Nose
The first aroma reveals gourmet aromas of cherries and red currents, followed by notes of blood orange after aeration.
Palate
Delicately straightforward in the mouth. Flavours of wild strawberries enhanced by notes of mint produce a freshness combined with a very pleasant sweetness.
History
Founded in 1825, Joseph Perrier has been owned and run by the same family since 1888. Current director Benjamin Fourmon represents the 6th generation. Champagne Joseph Perrier owns 21 hectares of vineyards, situated in the heart of the region on the right bank of the River Marne, around Hautvillers and Cumières – two villages classed 93% in the ‘échelle des crus’.
They are mostly planted with Pinot Noir but include 2 hectares of Chardonnay. The cellars stretch over three kilometers and date back to the Gallo-Roman period. The chosen name for these cuvées is no accident, nor any false claim to grandeur - ‘Cuvée Royale’ alludes to the historic relationship between Joseph Perrier and Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, as the royals’ Champagne of choice - probably the highest honour any Champagne House can hope to earn.
All the wines are made with a keen focus on freshness and purity, a theme which runs right through the range and really shows its worth in the vintage cuvées which show impressive energy and poise and remarkable ageing potential. Aside from the royal connection, Joseph Perrier has been associated with some pivotal events, which represent great human achievements, from the celebrations around Concorde’s inauguration in 1976 to, more recently, the Noble Prize in Medicine.
Aged for 3 years, the Cuvée Royale Brut of Maison Joseph Perrier brings together more than 20 different vintages with great terroirs such as Cumières, Damery, Hautvillers and Verneuil.
Accolades
- Gold Medal - The Drinks Business
- Vinum: 17/20
- The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Silver
Specifications
Year | Non-vintage |
Bottle Size | 375ml |
Cultivar | 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, of which about 10% is red wine from our own vineyards in Cumières. |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 12% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9 units |
Type | Champagne |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dosage |
7g/L |
Food Matches | With its strong personality based upon a vinous and robust fruity heart combined fresh fragrances, this wine is perfect as a summer aperitif, or as a partner to white meats, a dish of wild salmon, and desserts that are not too sweet. |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Origin | Champagne - France |
Appellation | AOC Champagne |
2019 Sepp Moser Grüner Veltliner Breiter Rain
Regular price £22.99 Sale price £19.54 Save 15%Tasting Notes
An inviting and voluptuous nose with spicy fruit and hints of honeysuckle. Textural and weighty on the palate - slightly honeyed with smoky notes, stone fruit, fresh balancing acidity and a long, dry finish.
Production
This wine is made from Gruner Veltliner grapes from vines (with an average age of 18 years) on the fine loess soils of the Breiter Rain, Sepp Moser's exceptional single vineyard in the Kremstal region. Average yields are only 5,000 kg/ha, which accounts for the wine's amazing concentration. 80% of the de-stemmed grapes were fermented in stainless steel and 20% in 500 litre Austrian oak barrels. 50% is aged in 500 litre Austrian oak barrels, and the other 50% matured in a big oak barrels, which have a gentle influence on the wine. Then they come together in a steal tank. 20% undergoes malolactic fermentation and is matured on the lees for 6 months. Unfiltered.
Producer
The Sepp Moser Estate was founded by the famous Austrian wine producing pioneer, Lenz Moser. Lenz Moser's son, Sepp Moser, began operating under his own name in 1987 and handed over the direction of this family-owned estate to his own son Nikolaus in the year 2000.
The Sepp Moser Estate comprises of 50 acres of vineyards in two prominent wine regions; Kremstal (22 ha) and Neusiedlersee (28 ha). In the Kremstal, Nikolaus produces an international range of varieties as well as the ever more important local varieties of Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. The reds are produced on the gravelly soils of the warm southern Neusiederslee village of Apetlon. All Sepp Moser wines have been organic (and all estate wines biodynamic) since 2007.
Sustainability
The Sepp Moser estate produces a wide range of wines every year thanks to its vineyards in two diverse regions. There is one main aim in the cellar: the quality of the grapes shall be brought with as little influence as possible to the bottle. The grapes in the Sepp Moser vineyards are harvested by hand and at the cellar of the Atrium House Nikolaus Moser emphasizes gentle vinification and tries to interfere as little as possible with the process so that each wine can develop its own individual style. The fermentation starts spontaneously, and the maturing of the wine takes place on its own.
In 2006, Nikolaus officially moved the estate to biodynamic viticulture – one of the first to do so in Austria – and became Demeter certified. 2009 saw the release of Sepp Moser’s first certified organic wines. Nikolaus is very keen to reduce the amount of copper and sulphur used in the vineyards, and this year saw a reduction of two thirds over what was sprayed previously. He composts all the estates' pomace and vine trimmings, and there is an ongoing effort to plant trees around the vineyards.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Grüner Veltliner |
Country | Austria |
|
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | 8 years + |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Biodynamic |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Pair with sea-food such as lobster or gambas. |
Origin | Kremstal |
Appellation | Kremstal DAC Reserve |
Lustau Manzanilla Solera Familiar Papirusa Sherry N/V (375ml Half Bottle)
Regular price £11.00 Sale price £9.68 Save 12%A bone dry Manzanilla from the bodegas of the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda.
Light, delicate & very dry
Tasting Notes
Palate
Light and fresh, very tangy, clean and crisp with just a hint of saltiness.
Manzanilla Papirusa is part of the Solera Reserve range from Bodegas Lustau. These wines come from old soleras mostly founded or acquired from 1900 until the 1930s. It is produced for Lustau by Bodegas Cuevas Jurado, which also provides wines for Lustau’s Almacenista range. At the time of bottling it is said to be around 4,5 years old.
Production
After hand-harvesting the grapes into small plastic buckets the bunches are transferred to the winery for pressing. The resulting liquid is fermented at warm temperatures (around 25 degrees) for around 12 days to give a fairly neutral, dry base wine at around 11% alcohol. This base wine is then classified depending on the type of sherry being made. For Manzanilla, a more delicate base wine is required. This wine then enters the Papirusa solera, located in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barremeda, where it ages for around 4 years under a protective veil of 'flor' (dead yeast which prevents oxidisation) before being fined and bottled under screwcap to retain freshness.
Producers
Accolades
- 92 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"The non-vintage Light Manzanilla Papirusa Solera Reserva (with an average age of five years in this solera) possesses an extraordinary, penetrating nose of salty brined nuts intermixed with crisp fruit, terrific acidity and intense, powerful, authoritative flavors that are ethereal in their lightness." (08/12)
- IWSC 2017 Gold Medal Winner
Lustau has, over the years, won multiple medals and trophies, including 'Best Spanish Winery' and 'Best Sherry Producer' at the IWSC and the Len Evans Trophy for consistency (won in 2011 and 2016) at the IWC. Current cellar master Sergio Martínez took charge of the winery's oenological team in 2016, after more than 14 years' worth of experience with Lustau. Sergio has been awarded the 'Best Fortified Winemaker' trophy by the International Wine Challenge three years in a row, following in the footsteps of the late Manuel Lozano who had won this award seven times.
Specifications
Year | Non Vintage |
Bottle Size | 375ml |
Cultivar | Palomino |
Country | Spain |
Alcohol content | 15% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11.2 units |
Type | Fortified Wine - Dry Sherry |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
It is an ideal aperitif with tapas or as a wine with a meal, with seafood or fish. The Manzanilla 'Papirusa is best served chilled, in a copita or white wine glass. |
Origin | Cadiz, Andalucia |
Appellation | Jerez |
2020 Weingut Hajszan Neumann Nussberg Zweigelt
Regular price £19.75 Sale price £17.38 Save 12%Biodynamically Farmed & Vegan Approved
Our lively wines have subtle corners and edges. And it’s good this way, because we love natural, authentic wines. Each one has a characteristic soul, which develops from the natural flavours of the grapes and the terroir. All this comes to fruition thanks to our biodynamic cultivation. We also work gently and reductively in the wine cellar.
Tasting Notes
The grapes for this Natural Zweigelt come from two particularly old vineyards in Ried Weisleiten on Vienna`s Nussberg. This bright, polished Zweigelt is quite dark and intense.
Nose
In the nose the wine is dominated of dark stone fruits together with nougat notes and a touch of orange zest.
Palate
In the mouth soft with taste of caramel, balanced with a good acidity. Sweetly extracted fruit lingers on the finish of this multifaceted, refreshing accompaniment to food. Fine texture and freshness on the palate with an engaging spiciness that leads to a fruity, cool finish.
Vineyard and cellar
Like all our vineyards, this one is also treated in a biodynamic way after the rules of Rudolph Steiner, the founder of biodynamic agriculture. After meticulous grape selection via hand–picking, the grapes for the Nussberg Zweigelt 2017 were destemed and after 3 weeks gently pressed. After the second fermentation, the malolactic fermentation, the wine was filled in Barriques.
We used mainly used oak barrels around which 25% were new oak barrels. After 18 months maturation, the wine was filled without filtration in the bottle. Following a moderate amount of time on the fine lees, the wine was bottled without any fining and less SO2. For that reason, this wine is also vegan.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Zweigelt |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Biodynamic and Vegan |
Origin | Vienna |
2020 Weingut Weszeli Riesling Loiserberg
Regular price £23.99 Sale price £20.39 Save 15%Agile, dynamic and straightforward.
Of all our Rieslings Loiserberg is the most uncompromising and coolest, pulling its tracks straight forward on the palate. Ends juicy, mineral, invigorating and long. Single Vineyard site - most Northern, highest & coolest.
Tasting Notes
Elegant fruit melange of citrus and stone fruit with a touch of pineapple, a tinge of ciabatta, fragrant, delicately floral, balanced and discreet. Juicy mid-weight, elegantly with a lot of fruit in the entree, tighter behind with a fine bite and a pleasantly dry finish.
Producer
Weingut Weszeli, in Langenlois, a now-famous wine village located on the river Kamp where it wends its way down to the Danube at Krems. There is a crazy patchwork of Burgundy-like Cru vineyards which have helped put Austria on the map as a source of world-class whites.
The story of this winery echoes that of many others. A former city-slicker, Davis Weszeli struck out in search of something new, with one clear goal: to feel closer to nature. He discovered his calling in the form of a traditional Kamptal winery in 2011, and from then on he has been on a mission to create authentic, unique wines whilst always prioritising sustainability in organic viticulture, and a principle coined by Davis himself: Terrafactum, the importance of the unique nature of the earth and terroir of Kamptal.
Davis makes charming and impressive Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, the two grapes he feels best suit the climate and soils of Kamptal.
Location
The first thing that strikes you when you stand at the top of the Loiserberg is its meagre, rocky soil. It consists almost exclusively of Gföhler gneiss, covered only by a shallow layer of humus. Our Riesling vines are growing at an altitude of 380 metres; there is no higher point around Langenlois. And you can feel this in every sip. Although the vines look to the sun all day long, they are properly cooled as soon as twilight falls over the vineyards. As a result, full ripeness always arrives in late October, when the grapes have crystal-clear aromatics and immense vitality.
Altitude means everything at the Loiserberg. If you are at the crest of the hill, where our largest parcel is located, you’ll soon feel that the conditions here are quite different from those down below. Although our vineyard lies under the sun almost all day long, its power is relativised by the altitude and the wind that whistles through the vines.
Riesling also benefits from the climatic conditions mentioned earlier. Sun and dryness in combination with nocturnal cooling allow the grapes to ripen slowly. And finally, when it’s the right time to harvest, there’s an ideal balance of precise aromas, energy and acidity structure.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Riesling |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.38 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | Appetizer Salad, Antipasta, beef or rabbit in aspic |
Origin | Kamptal |
2015 Weingut Weszeli Grüner Veltliner Käferberg ÖTW
Regular price £40.99 Sale price £34.84 Save 15%"Turning grapes into wine is a great privilege. Ideally, you're really an observer when it comes to making wine."
Single Vineyard Grüner Veltliner Käferberg ÖTW, a Premiuer Cru site that is undoubtedly destined to be promoted to Grand Cru once the classification is finalised.
Just one taste of this wine is a mind-blowing example of what this grape is truly capable of in the right hands.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Dense, elegant, radiant yet powerful.
Nose
Complex with notes of dark spices, ripe apple, rhubarb and red pepper colour the aromatic profile, with a soft yellow fruit core on the palate.
Palate
Juicy, full-bodied with a clear-focused palate. Combines a robust backbone of acidity with firm power.
The Wine
Without a doubt, Kaferberg is the most sophisticated Gruner Veltliner of Weszeli’s range. Grown on limestone, this mineral bomb is flush with white pepper, dried orange peel, Indian spices, and discreet notes of framboise and kirsch. As the wine unfolds, chamomile and earl grey tea infused into a back-palate wired with fresh, surprisingly persistent acidity, keeping the wine sharp and tense.
Limestone—which this vineyard is almost exclusively made from—can often push wines to flaunt their power, but this is not the case with Kaferberg. When compared to neighboring Gruners grown on loess soil, this wine is more tense and sleek, perhaps even more intellectual.
Producer
Range
All the wines are attractively labeled with an illustration of a local animal or insect, reflecting the estates' dedication to working harmoniously alongside nature and providing natural shelter for the endangered and more elusive creatures of the area. In turn, they all do their bit to protect the grapes, whether through natural fertilization, biodiversification of the soil, or pest control.
Specifications
Year | 2015 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Grüner Veltliner |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Drink from 2020 - 2024 |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan |
Food Matches | Serve at 8-10°C - pair with fish-based main meals, or white meats |
Origin | Kamptal DAC |
2020 Weingut Weszeli Grüner Veltliner Felix (11.5% abv)
Regular price £17.99 Sale price £15.83 Save 12%The Grüner Veltliner ‘Felix’ introduces us to the grape in its simplest, most charming form: ‘Austria in a glass’
Tasting Notes
The grapes going into Felix are picked from vineyards undergoing organic conversion and tended with a priority to protecting the natural biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Slightly cool and spicy nose, with pronounced varietal characteristics on the palate: orchard fruit and a hint of green beans. Very light-bodied and lean with citrus notes, subtle juiciness and a bittersweet, slender finish.
Producer
Weingut Weszeli, in Langenlois, a now-famous wine village located on the river Kamp where it wends its way down to the Danube at Krems. There is a crazy patchwork of Burgundy-like Cru vineyards which have helped put Austria on the map as a source of world-class whites. The story of this winery echoes that of many others. A former city-slicker, Davis Weszeli struck out in search of something new, with one clear goal: to feel closer to nature.
He discovered his calling in the form of a traditional Kamptal winery in 2011, and from then on he has been on a mission to create authentic, unique wines whilst always prioritising sustainability in organic viticulture, and a principle coined by Davis himself: Terrafactum, the importance of the unique nature of the earth and terroir of Kamptal. Davis makes charming and impressive Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, the two grapes he feels best suit the climate and soils of Kamptal.
There are three levels of Grüner Veltliner - Felix, Langenlois & Käferberg ÖTW, offering a fascinating journey into a grape oft-overlooked for its more famous stablemate, Riesling.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Grüner Veltliner |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 11.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 8.63 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan |
Food Matches | Great as an aperitif, with fish, shellfish, Japanese cuisine, tofu. |
Origin | Kamptal |
2020 Weingut Hajszan Neumann Nussberg Grüner Veltliner
Regular price £19.75 Sale price £17.38 Save 12%The Nussberg Grüner Veltliner comes from the single vineyard 'Weisleiten', which brings by its cooler location very much freshness in the wine.
A racy and mineral Veltliner.
Tasting Notes
The Nussberg Grüner Veltliner offers a lovely precise, fresh and aromatic yet elegant bouquet of white pip fruits and chalk. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, this is a rather lean but tension-filled Grüner Veltliner with clearly defined white fruit and lots of ripe phenols and minerals.
The Producer
Vintage
Soil
Vineyards and cellar
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Grüner Veltliner |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
Biodynamic, Vegan |
Food Matches | Complex salads, Baked white fish, Vegetables, Aperitif |
Origin | Vienna |
2019 Glaetzer Anaperrenna
Regular price £45.99 Sale price £39.09 Save 15%Glaetzer Anaperenna is a seamless fusion of the two varieties Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Voluptuous, opulent and yet refined, with a very long and satisfying finish.
Tasting Notes
The name Anaperenna has been inspired by Anna Perenna, the Roman goddess of the New Year. Anna Perenna symbolises the year's cycle and her name translates as 'enduring year'. Romans honoured Anna Perenna with a festival held on the first full moon of the Roman calendar. On March 15th they would ask Anna to grant them longevity, and a healthy year for each glass of wine they drank on that day.
The symbol on the label is the Egyptian Ankh (pronounced: onk). Historically the ankh symbolised sunrise, regeneration, regrowth and renewal.
Colour
Impenetrable black with a hint of purple.
Nose
A spectrum of spicy yet plummy fruit, intense notes of liquorice and mixed herbs.
Palate
Displaying dense dark flavours yet with freshness and drive.
Vineyards
Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age 30—100 year old Shiraz and 30—130 year old Cabernet. Yield 2.5 tonnes per hectare.
Vintage Conditions
A wet winter and spring coupled with cooler than average spring temperatures resulted in slower yet balanced canopy development and healthy flowering and fruit set. A mild summer with regular rainfall events followed allowing the fruit to be in no rush to mature, perfect for consistent ripening. Harvest commenced a few weeks later than recent years. The 2017 wines are of excellent quality exhibiting purity and lift with firm tannins and exceptional length.
Vinification
Fermented in 1 and 2 tonne open fermenters, hand plunged 3 times daily. Matured for 16 months in 100% new oak hogshead barrels (92% French and 8% American) and matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation. Bottled unfiltered to ensure minimal intervention with the wine’s natural characteristics.
About Glaetzer
This family-owned boutique winery was founded in 1995 and dedicates itself to the production of super-premium, sitespecific red wine made in small volumes. Originally from Germany, the Glaetzer family settled in Australia in the late 19th century and were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Today the winery is run by internationally acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer, who is responsible for driving the brand’s considerable loyal following. Ben sources all their fruit from the northern sub-region of the Barossa, Ebenezer, which is known for its ancient dry-grown vineyards. Glaetzer’s most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year-old, nongrafted bush vines. In the cellar, Ben believes in minimal intervention and treating musts as gently as possible.
Though only limited Glaetzer wines are produced every year, the winery is known for producing wines that are unique and intense.
2018 Anaperenna from Glaetzer Wines on Vimeo.
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 82% Shiraz and18% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content | 15.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 11.6 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Cellaring | A wine that will mature extremely well with long term cellaring up to 20 years. |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Origin | Barossa Valley |
Appellation | South Australia |
2019 Hartenberg Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £11.95 Sale price £10.52 Save 12%Tasting Notes
Colour
Pale straw in colour with tints of green.
Nose
Aromas of fresh gooseberry, ripe fig, asparagus and crushed nettles.
Palate
The palate has an opulent feel on entry, offset by a steely linearity and flavoursome, clean structure. The wine ends with great purity, definition and a moreish acidity.
Estate
On the slopes of Bottelary Hills bordering Stellenbosch, is a family estate where nature provides the perfect backdrop to grow, produce and share award-winning wines. Summer at Hartenberg brings picnics on the lawns followed by buoyant games of boule. Winter invites you to intimate fireside lunches and sumptuous reds, smoky charcuterie and olives, and sensorial cellar tours. Our Wetland Conservation Area, alongside the vineyards, makes for a beautiful setting for walks and shared family fun.
We are passionate about preserving our natural wealth as evidenced by our sustainable farming practices and conservation programs. We are proud members of Biodiversity and Wine (BWI) and Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), and the estate is home to plentiful wildlife and over 120 species of birds – inspiring us to combine the best of nature with fine wine. Our stated intention is for a pristine environment where nature thrives.
History
The first settlers to cultivate the virgin land of the estate now known as Hartenberg were friends Cunraad Boin and Christoffel Esterhuizzen who were granted permission to work 60 morgen (20 ha) of the land in 1692. In 1704, Christoffel Esterhuizzen was granted the title deed to "Het Hartenberg" by Governer (Willem Adriaan van der Stel) and by 1718, he had 10 000 vines on his property.
The well-known elephant hunter, Paulus Keyser, bought Hartenberg in 1721 and continued the practice of vineyard cultivation and winemaking on the farm until he sold it to Jacob van Bochen in 1725. Van Bochen, a former accountant of the Dutch East India Company butchery and holder of the liquor retail monopoly, also bought Weltevrede adjoining Hartenberg.
For about one hundred years after van Bochen, the farm passed through the hands of various owners. Some with colourful names like Arrie Lekkerwyn (delicious wine), and Aaron van Ceylon (a freed slave) and in 1838 it became the property of the brothers Jacobus and Johannes Bosman.
An important period in the farm's development was ushered in by the Hampf family when they bought Hartenberg in 1928. Mrs Hampf extended the vineyards and planted the many beautiful trees still to be seen around the farm and cellar, while her husband became the first officially recorded winemaker on the estate.
In 1948, Hartenberg was bought by the late Dr Maurice Finlayson (a well-known Cape Town pathologist) and his wife, Eleanor. Discovering the true potential of the estate, they soon began marketing their wines under the label "Montagne". Besides good wine, the Finlaysons also produced two sons, Peter and Walter, who were to become renowned South African winemakers. Uncompromising and sophisticated, Eleanor Finlayson's presence is still felt on Hartenberg today.
Gilbeys were the next owners of the estate, purchasing it from the Finlaysons in 1977. They eventually released the present Hartenberg range as their flagship brand in 1985. On 1 January 1987, Ken Mackenzie, purchased Hartenberg, having seen the potential that the perennial under-achiever offered.
His daughters continue a program of investment in the farm, focusing on three key areas: the replanting to specific sites of premium varietals, the development of production facilities, and upliftment, through knowledge and skills for employees.
The Mackenzie vision, though extremely ambitious, remains simple: to do whatever it takes to produce wines of outstanding quality.
Accolades
- 2018 Vintage 3.5 stars Platter’s SA Wine Guide
- 2017 Vintage 90 points Wine Enthusiast
- 2015 Vintage 3.5 stars Platter’s SA Wine Guide
- 2014 Vintage 3.5 stars Platter’s SA Wine Guide
- 2013 Vintage 4 stars Platter’s SA Wine Guide
- 2012 Vintage 3.5 stars Platter’s SA Wine Guide
- 2011 Vintage 3.5 stars Platter’s SA Wine Guide & 90 points Robert Parker
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 12.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | 1-3 years from vintage |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Goats cheese - either baked, in a salad or on its own. Fish - whether it be baked, steamed, fried or served as a soup. Also, lime, coriander, light chilli and garlic when cooked with fish, chicken or vegetables. |
Origin | WO Western Cape |
Appellation | Stellenbosch |
2019 Mantlepiece Cinsault
Regular price £7.99 Sale price £7.03 Save 12%Tasting Notes
Nose
This is a deep yet pretty Cinsault being generous of fruit yet full of life. The nose is alluringly aromatic with heady aromas of fresh damsons, plum sauce, hoisin and star anise.
Palate
The palate reflects these with its bright, fresh and gently textural notes that marry together with delicate finesse. From 35-40-year-old, unirrigated vines in Paarl, this old dame is remarkably light on her feet and says so much about why Boutinot has championed Cinsault from SA for over 10 years. This is just plain posh!
Production
Cinsault has bewilderingly been overlooked in the Cape for too long but is a grape variety Boutinot has proudly been championing for years - so it's great that this voice of the Cape's cool Atlantic vineyards is finally finding favour with wine drinkers. The 35-40 year old, dry-grown, Cinsault bush-vines are grown on Paarl’s deep sandy loams where only the fittest of the fit survive these harsh, dry growing conditions. Due to the age of the vines, yields are naturally restricted and very little crop control is required in these unirrigated vineyards. The climate is perfect for viticulture with the low rainfall in summer months, tempered by cool Atlantic afternoon breezes, and the cold winters allowing the vines to rest and build up reserves. All grapes are picked by hand at optimal phenolic ripeness (polyphenols are the source of wine's colour, flavour and mouthfeel), followed by fermentation using delestage, a process whereby the juice is racked off and pumped back over the cap, facilitating the extraction of colour and flavour. This process along with being stored in older 500lt French oak barrels to gently shape the wine further, oxygenates the wine which reduces tannin concentration and boosts esters, key compounds that allow the fruit characters to be expressed. Along with the Cinsault, we've added around 5% Franschhoek Cabernet Franc which releases subtle fragrant herbal notes, minerality and freshness, along with a tiny blob of Swartland Malbec for its smooth lushness. The result is a wine full of lovely juiciness in which ripe red fruit dominates.
Producer
What’s this then? The Strange Komanjie Unlimited, SKU, is a casual band of happy ferments. A circus tent of the Cape’s stranger grapes and blends. We will champion the unfashionable, experiment with the known and express the found before it gets lost. Mistakes are likely, fun certain. Welcome to Strange Kompanjie, a Kultivar Club for the Underdog!
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 95% Cinsault 5% Cabernet Franc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Anything driven by hoisin and plum sauce flavours, duck, goose and other dark meats. |
Origin | Coastal Region - Paarl, Franschhoek and Swartland |
Appellation | WO Coastal Region |
NV Casalotta Durello Brut, Vino Spumante
Regular price £9.25 Sale price £8.14 Save 12%A lesser-known, yet great alternative to Prosecco - the sparkling wine of choice in Verona bars!
Tasting Notes
Citrus and gently floral aromas lead to a very fresh and zippy palate with crisp green apple and lightly honeyed characters. A refreshing and approachable style of fizz - yet with texture and depth underlying the bright fruit.
Production Method
Production of Durello Spumante is mostly in the hands of a few small growers, traditionally producing bottle fermented wine with up to 6 years on lees. However the variety is also well-suited to the production of fresh, zesty tank method wines such as this - aged for 2-3 months on lees.
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.
Specifications
Year | N/V |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Durello |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 11% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 8.25 units |
Type | Fizz |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian, Vegan approved |
Food Matches | Serve chilled as an aperitif or with peach juice for the perfect Bellini. |
Origin |
Veneto |
NV Krohn Ruby Port, DOC Porto
Regular price £14.99 Sale price £13.19 Save 12%Rich and full Ruby Port, with a smooth, soft finish. Krohn's 'entry-level' is in a different category to most Ruby Ports - mature and versatile.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep red colour.
Nose
Fresh, plummy fruit aromas with a hint of spice.
Palate
The palate has plenty of lively cherry and curranty black fruit - rich and full with a soft finish
Production
Traditional grape varieties are sourced from Krohn's own vineyards, and supplemented by fruit from neighbouring farms working in partnership with Krohn. Here old vines are planted in schistous soils. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, which is interrupted by the addition of grape spirit to preserve a certain degree of natural sweetness. This wine is a blend of different grapes, vineyards and vintages. Maturation - aged for 2 to 3 years in large, old oak barrels.
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 an 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.
Sustainability
The Krohn estate - which is part of the Taylor Fladgate portfolio has long been committed to the ecological well-being of their vineyards and the Douro valley. To this aim they have developed a model for sustainable vineyard cultivation designed for the steep hillsides of the Douro, where 28,000ha of vineyard (62% of the vineyard area of the region) is planted on hillsides with a gradient over 30%. This involves the construction of narrow terraces inclined at 3º to the horizontal – to allow the perfect balance between rainwater run-off and its penetration of the soil. This avoids top soil erosion which is a key challenge in mountain viticulture.
These terraces each support just one row of vines, and alongside the vines a temporary carpet of selected plant species is sown. This flourishes between November and late spring, preventing invasive plants from taking hold, and eliminating the need for herbicides to control unwanted vegetation.
The cover crop dies back naturally with the onset of summer, when the vines are active. The terrace system leaves tracks between the single row of vines and the foot of the bank, allowing access for machinery to mow any unwanted vegetation into a natural mulch. The mulch reduces water loss and restores natural organic matter to the soil. The absence of herbicides means that vegetation can regenerate easily and naturally each year. They also work hard to ensure the correct selection of vine varieties and their distribution within the vineyard, so that varieties can thrive naturally in each location, developing their own unassisted natural resistance to drought, disease and vineyard pests.
Alongside this Sustainable viticulture model the estate produces renewable energy with photovoltaic panels and has robust energy, water and waste management policies.
This vineyard model earned the Partnership the prestigious BES Biodiversity prize in 2009 (recognising achievement in the fields of conservation and environmental sustainability).
Specifications
Year | NV |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa,Tinta Barroca |
Country | Portugal |
Alcohol content | 20% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 15 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Dietary Information |
Vegetarian, Vegan |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Serve after a meal as a digestif with hard cheeses, chestnuts, cashews and hazelnuts. Works as a perfect accompaniment to berries, summer pudding and chocolate too! |
Origin | Douro Valley |
Appellation | DOC Porto |
2021 Doña Paula Estate High Altitude Malbec
Regular price £10.99 Sale price £9.67 Save 12%Doña Paula is a winery that produces Premium wines, established in 1997 in Mendoza, Argentina. They own 100% of the vineyards used for the production of all their wines, planted in the best areas of the country, looking for the most faithful expression of each terroir.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Intense violet color.
Nose
Lovely notes of blackberry and plum along with a hint of violet and spice.
Palate
This follows through into the palate which has a lovely play between the concentrated black fruit and the spices, along with a hint of minerality that really rounds out the palate. It is wonderfully balanced with a nice freshness that makes the wine seem not quite as heavy as it should be with an ABV of 14.5%.
Vinification
The grapes are hand-picked the first week of April. In the winery, they are destemmed gently, without breaking the berries. Then, a cold pre-fermentative maceration is carried out to preserve the primary aromas. Fermentation takes place at low temperatures, and a post-fermentation maceration is later performed for 15 to 20 days. The wine is aged in first, second and third-use French oak barrels for 12 months.
The Estate Vineyards
90% of these grapes are sourced from our best vineyards in Alluvia, Gualtallary, at 1,350 meters (4,430 feet) above sea level and 10% from Los Indios, El Cepillo, at 1,100 meters (3,610 feet) above sea level. The soils are stony in the first location and sandy loam in the second one, and both have high calcareous content.
Doña Paula Estate Malbec displays the unique characteristics of the Uco Valley, a terroir where the climate is cold, with an average temperature variation of 16 °C (60.8°F) in Los Indios and 12.5 °C (54.5°F) in Alluvia, and an average annual rainfall of 280 mm (11 in) in El Cepillo and 300 mm (11.8 in) in Gualtallary. The vines yield an average of 8 tons per hectare, and they are grown in espaliers, using drip irrigation. At Doña Paula, our vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices.
Accolades
- 91 points - Tim Atkin
- 91 points - Descorchados
- 90 points - Wine Enthusiast
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"As I thought - this is absolutely stunning. Lots of fresh black fruits with some spice. It’s big, full-bodied, complex, and long, but there’s a freshness to the fruit and silky tannins that can only come from high altitude, cool climate fruit. Drinking exceptionally well now but it's got the power to last a few years yet. Certainly over-delivers at £10.99!!" 14 Dec 2023
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Malbec |
Country | Argentina |
Alcohol content | 14.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.8 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Aged | Oak aged |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian, Sustainable practices |
Food Matches |
Sirloin strip steak, chimi-churri butter, French fries with herbs and roasted tomatoes. A pairing par excellence! And when it comes to preparing it, simplicity makes this dish even more exquisite. |
Appellation | Finca Alluvia in Gualtallary (Tupungato, Uco Valley) and Finca Los Indios in El Cepillo (San Carlos, Uco Valley) 100% Malbec |
2022 Cape Heights Viognier
Regular price £9.29 Sale price £8.18 Save 12%Crisp unoaked Viognier from young vines, an attractively fresh and approachable style.
Tasting Notes
A ripe, fresh palate packed with citrus fruit and hints of jasmine and white spice. A tight, focussed style of Viognier with subtle varietal flavours.
Production
Grapes are sourced from the Worcester area, where a continental climate brings very cold winters that enable vines to rest before a vigorous summer. Here the vineyards need to be irrigated, but yields are controlled by suckering in November - this ensures the vine's energy is directed to the most important shoots and also to promote good air flow in the canopy. Given the high summer temperatures, the grapes are picked at a good maturity and ripeness using machine harvesters to ensure speed to cellar at cool temperature. Careful winemaking results in terrific varietal expression and freshness.
Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, and terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules, and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature, and science to create versatile, expressive, and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Viognier |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content |
12.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle |
9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Fish, chicken and spicy Asian-inspired dishes. |
Origin | Western Cape |
2022 False Bay Bush Vine Pinotage
Regular price £9.49 Sale price £8.35 Save 12%Wild yeast fermentation, low yielding bush vines and ageing in large French oak foudre inform this richly-fruited, yet savoury and satisfying Pinotage.
Tasting Notes
Fresh, plummy aromas with savoury, smoky notes. The palate is ripe and rich with vibrant fruit, slightly rustic yet moreish tannins and a persistent finish.
Production
The grapes for False Bay Bush Vine Pinotage stem from a single vineyard of unirrigated bush vines in Stellenbosch. The attraction to this mature (planted in 1996), coastal, bush vine vineyard were the cooler temperatures and small, naturally balanced and concentrated berries. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, fermented spontaneously with wild yeast and then raised in large wooden casks (or 'foudre' en Francais). The resulting wine therefore, is perhaps more 'Pino' than 'Tage'. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa. Vegan friendly wine. False Bay - Real Wine, Coastal Vineyards, Sustainably Farmed, Hand Picked, Naturally Crafted, Wild Ferment, Cask Aged.
Producer
An independent company, owned by Waterkloof founder Paul Boutinot, False Bay Vineyards aims to make 'real' wine affordable. These are sustainable certified wines bottled in South Africa and naturally crafted from mature and often old vineyards that, crucially, are naturally in balance. This means that, unusually at the price, the grapes from these coastal gems can be transformed into wine with wild yeast and an absolute minimum of intervention.
False Bay Vineyards is proud to be a WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Biodiversity Champion and certified by WIETA (Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association). All of their wines are Vegan friendly.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Pinotage |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Perfect with pork belly dishes or barbecued meats, boerwurst, game or good, old fashioned sausage and mash. |
Origin | WO Coastal Region |
2021 Castel del Lupo Limes Barbera (Organic)
Regular price £12.09 Sale price £10.64 Save 12%This organic, unoaked Barbera is a new project from Castel del Lupo, and has bags of red berry fruit and bright acidity.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Aromas of summer fruits with touches of spice and black pepper.
Palate
The palate has bright redcurrant and cranberry characters, violet hints, ripe tannins and vibrant acidity.
Production
The Barbera vines grow in silt, clay and chalk soils on south and south-west-facing slopes at 250 metres altitude. The Barbera grapes are hand-harvested and undergo selection, before a 6-7 day maceration on the skins. After fermentation, the wine spends over 9 months in stainless steel before bottling
Producer
Castel del Lupo, in the heart of Oltrepograve; Pavese, dates back centuries - and includes the eighteenth-century Palazzo Pegazzera. In 1974 three entrepreneurs took over this historic estate and began a regeneration process. Giovanni Doglio, whose father and grandfather were both Piemontese winemakers, has over 40 years experience managing wineries. Recently joined by his daughter Federica, he has worked tirelessly to develop the estate. They have purchased more vineyards (to cover 100ha at around 300m altitude), planted new vines and built a new cellar. The vineyards are now certified organic. The winery's main focus is high-quality bottle-fermented sparkling wine, and much of the vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir for this purpose. However, these vines are also the source of fine still red wines.
A Note on Sustainability
Led by Giovanni Doglio since 1974, the team at Castel del Lupo is very keen to honour the long heritage of its estate which existed even before its inclusion on a map of the region in 1301. All of Castel del Lupos grapes are estate grown and the 100-hectare property is now fully certified organic to maintain the integrity of the environment, the ecosystem and soil fertility without resorting to artificial substances at any stage of the production processes.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 80% Barbera; 20% Syrah |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content
|
14.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable, Organic
|
Food Matches | Enjoy with risotto prepared with pork sausage and a little of the wine too! |
Origin | Lombardia, Italy |
Appellation | Provincia Di Pavia IGT |
2022 Cape Heights Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular price £8.89 Sale price £7.82 Save 12%Wonderfully expressive Cabernet from the Cape's blowy Atlantic coast.
Tasting Notes
Nicely expressive Cabernet from the Western Cape with good concentration of cassis and red berry fruit. Taut and leafy but also brambly, ripe and succulent with ripe tannins.
Production
The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from vineyards that border the warm Swartland/Wellington area and also the Breede Rivier Valley. The vast variety of soils gives the final wine an interesting complexity. As the vines are over 25+ years old, lower yields of 6-8 tonnes/ha help to deliver flavoursome, concentrated fruit, and the berries are picked when fully phenologically ripe. The grapes are destemmed and crushed, with a slow start to fermentation at a low-temperature 17C then gradually increasing after three days to 22 - 24C for full fermentation. Pump-over takes place twice daily to wet the cap and aerate the fermenting wine. Wine is fermented down to 5 g/litre residual sugar and pressed before being pumped back into stainless steel tanks. This ensures soft tannins and no-over extraction of any harsh tannins. Malolactic fermentation follows and the wine is kept on the lees until bottling.
Producer
Boutinot South Africa is driven by our passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led us to South Africa in 1994, where we pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region.
Since then we have been exploring the country's amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, and terroir. Our home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthusiasm for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey's expertise in finesse. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries. We use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive, and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches |
Grilled red meats and roast lamb. |
Origin | Western Cape |
Castel del Lupo Pinot Noir Brut N/V
Regular price £14.95 Sale price £13.16 Save 12%This appealing north Italian organic sparkler, produced from 100% Pinot Noir, has layers of honeyed fruit and toasty character.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Aromas of lemon and brioche with lightly toasty notes.
Palate
The palate is fresh and dry, with citrus and apple characters balanced by crisp acidity. The wine has a fine and persistent mousse with honeyed fruit on the long finish.
Production
Produced from a selection of estate-grown grapes in Casteggio and Calvignano - where the Pinot Noir vines are planted on south-westerly facing hillside sites (around 300m altitude), in chalky clay soils. The wine is then produced according to the Charmat method, with second fermentation in tank.
Producer
Castel del Lupo, in the heart of Oltrepò Pavese, dates back centuries - and includes the eighteenth-century Palazzo Pegazzera. In 1974 three entrepreneurs took over this historic estate and began a regeneration process. Giovanni Doglio, whose father and grandfather were both Piemontese winemakers, has over 40 years of experience managing wineries. Recently joined by his daughter Federica, he has worked tirelessly to develop the estate. They have purchased more vineyards (to cover 100ha at around 300m altitude), planted new vines and built a new cellar. The vineyards are now certified organic. The winery's main focus is high-quality bottle-fermented sparkling wine, and much of the vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir for this purpose. However, these vines are also the source of fine still red wines.
A Note on Sustainability
Led by Giovanni Doglio since 1974, the team at Castel del Lupo is very keen to honour the long heritage of its estate which existed even before its inclusion on a map of the region in 1301. All of Castel del Lupos grapes are estate grown and the 100-hectare property is now fully certified organic to maintain the integrity of the environment, the ecosystem and soil fertility without resorting to artificial substances at any stage of the production processes.
Specifications
Year | NV |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Pinot Nero |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content
|
12% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9 units |
Type | Fizz |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information |
Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable, Organic
|
Food Matches | A great match with rich pasta dishes and middle aged cheeses. |
Origin | Lombardy, Italy |
Appellation | DOP Pinot Nero Dell'ltrepò Pavese |
2011 Vallet Frères Marsannay Blanc
Regular price £26.99 Sale price £22.94 Save 15%Marsannay is described as 'the Golden Gate' to the Côte de Nuits and this is a classic example from Vallet Frères.
Tasting Notes
Soft creamy oak notes on the distinctive Vallet nose. Lemons and hints of cloves and vanilla follow with surprisingly but pleasantly taught and savoury notes; the lemon zings through and the acidity is well judged.
Production
Traditional practices have remained relatively unchanged both in the vineyard and cellar since Vallet-Frères formation in 1864. Very low yields are controlled by strict pruning practices. Limestone/clay soils are ploughed, and the grapes are hand harvested. Rigorous grape selection and no destemming (Vallet, like Domaine de la Romanee-Conti are just one of a number of producers who still favour this technique). Grapes undergo immediate pneumatic pressing (to avoid oxidization) and fermentation in oak barrels with "batonnage" every day. Barrels are rolled to gently combine the lees and wine. After 14-16 months in cask the wine is bottled following a light filtration.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"Well well - this was a pleasant surprise! To be honest - I wasn’t expecting too much from this 12 YO burgundy from a very traditional producer - but it’s delicious. Initial high toast aromas (signifying new oak) prevailed but soon gave way to a lovely rich creaminess. The fruit has a lovely savoury element to it and the still high lemony acidity keeps it fresh. Worked perfectly with my fabulous wife’s bacon & tomato risotto. The wine also evolved well in the glass through a little oxidation and developed very well with time. A 2011 vintage could easily have been over the hill but this is still fresh, vibrant and very together - and will still improve in bottle for another 2-5 years." Tasted July 2023.
Specifications
Year | 2011 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | France |
Alcohol content | 13% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | 2025-2028 |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
Food Matches | Of course match with classic Burgundian chicken dishes, such as Poulet de Gaston Gerard (plump chicken in a mustard sauce), but this Marsannay can be matched to sushi when drunk young, and the lemony notes would suit a grilled sea bass. If you decide to cellar it, then try with a regional cheese such as Epoisses. |
Origin | Marsannay |
Appellation | Burgundy |
2022 Sancerre Domaine Michel Girard
Regular price £20.99 Sale price £17.84 Save 15%A well-crafted and pure Sancerre. Expressive and enjoyable.
Tasting Notes
A ripe and generous style of Sancerre with a real depth of fruit; the crunchy, herbaceous aromatic notes often found in Sauvignon Blanc have been skilfully restrained, allowing fruity layers of green apples and lemons as well as a sweeter note of dried apple rings and a hint of peach to show through.
Method of Production
Terroir plays such an important role at this estate. The Girards are fortunate enough to be able to blend grapes from each of Sancerre's three key soil types, Terres Blanches (limestone), Caillottes (chalky limestone) and Silex (flint). The grapes are hand-picked and gently pressed, fermented at 18°C by indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats - all to preserve natural aromas, elegance and complexity. The final blend brings together the different elements of the three terroirs to create a balanced, complete wine.
Producer
Domaine Michel Girard comprises of 12 hectares of vineyards, made up of 30 parcels of vines with an average age of 15 years. Terroir plays an important role at this estate. Michel, Philippe and Benoît Girard's vines are planted on each of Sancerre's three different soil types: Terres Blanches (clay and limestone), Caillottes (chalky limestone) and Silex (flint). The brothers favour judicious blending of the separately-vinified cuvées to create wines with real complexity and balance.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | France |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Drink within 2 - 5 years |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Features | Vegan & Vegetarian |
Origin | Loire |
Appellation | Sancerre |
2017 Weinhofmeisterei Zier Riesling Federspiel
Regular price £24.99 Sale price £21.24 Save 15%Tasting Notes
Colour
Bright yellow green, silver reflections.
Nose
Delicate bouquet, somewhat restrained, with nuances of yellow tropical fruit, and a hint of meadow herbs.
Palate
Elegant, fine sweet fruit, refined acid structure underlay, mineral and long-lasting, with a lemony touch on the back palate, it has development potential.
Producer
Mathias Hirtzberger had a brief career in banking before finding himself drawn back home to the Wachau. His brother Franz is now well established at the famous Franz Hirtzberger estate in Spitz, and wine production seemed more attractive than the world of corporate finance. By happy chance, some family vineyards farmed by another (retiring) Hirtzberger became available at Wösendorf in 2014, and Mathias jumped at the chance to create his own domaine.
More vines from another property in the village also became available to rent at the same time, so he now has 9 hectare estate. He has named the estate Weinhofmeisterei Hirtzberger, and taken some heraldic themes for his labels and wine names, to reflect some of the traditions of the area. The labels feature the coat of arms of St Florian. The monastery of St Florian, located in Upper Austria, had a wine production site in the village from the 13th Century until mid-20th C. A new smart red brick winery was completed just in time for the 2017 harvest.
Accolades
- Falstaff 92 points (2018 tasting)
Specifications
Year | 2017 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Riesling |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 12.6% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Origin | Wachau |
2018 Franco Conterno Barolo DOCG Pietrin
Regular price £40.00 Sale price £34.00 Save 15%Pietrin, a wine dedicated to the winery’s founding great-grandfather, is a true traditional Barolo whose grapes come from the best cru located in the communes of Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba and Novello.
This is a wine for those in the know - the wine experts, a gift for the boss or to mark a special occasion.
Tasting Notes
It shows a rich bouquet that ranges from ripe fruit notes to sweet spices, while at the sip it is elegant, harmonious and with great power
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
Year | 2018 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Nebbiolo Michet and Nebbiolo Lampia |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 14.5% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Vinification |
Maceration with skins in wooden vats. Must and skins are kept in contact for 15 days, on which alcoholic fermentation takes place, and punched down daily. Fermentation temperature is variables with peaks of 31°C. |
Aging | The wine is aged in Slavonian oak barrels (2030hl capacity) for 24 months. Aging in bottle for 12 months. |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches |
Braised beef, red meat, shank, duck, long seasoned cheese. Serve between 16-18C. |
Features | Certified Organic since 2015, Vegan & Vegetarian friendly |
Origin | Langhe, Piedmont |
Cru | Bussia, Pugnane and Panerole |
Appellation | Langhe Barolo DOCG |
2021 Franco Conterno Langhe Freisa Doc Cascina Sciulun
Regular price £21.00 Sale price £17.85 Save 15%A lively red wine perfect to enjoy with Salami!
Serve chilled in the summer months (5-7C)
Tasting Notes
Colour
Deep purple red colour with purple undertones, has a lovely foam when poured into the glass.
Nose
Notes of cherry, raspberries and sweet spices
Palate
Medium intensity and texture - fresh and harmonious with a beautifully persistent finish.
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
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Freisa |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 14.5 % alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.9 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Vinification |
Fermented with skins in stainless steel tanks. The must remains in contact with the skins for 4-7 days with continuous daily pressing. The WIne is subsequently drawn off with a residual sugar contact of approx 6-7g/L. |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches | Perfect with cured meats and rich dishes; excellent served chilled in the summer (5-7°). Serving temperature: 14° - 16° |
Features | Certified Organic since 2015, Vegan & Vegetarian friendly |
Origin | Langhe, Piedmont |
Denomination |
Langhe Freisa Doc |
2021 Franco Conterno Langhe Nascetta DOC del Comune di Novello
Regular price £24.99 Sale price £21.24 Save 15%From vines cultivated in the challenging and malleable clay-rich soils of the comune of Novello, from which the wine takes its name.
Tasting Notes
Vibrant yellow with green undertones; rich aroma with hints of pineapple, orange blossom, exotic fruits, banana and honey.
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
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Nascetta |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 13% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Vinification |
The must is separated from the skins and fermented in steel tanks for 25-30 days. Aged in steel barrels for 5 months. |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches |
Excellent as an aperitif; excellent with fish and shellfish dishes. Serve between 10-12C. |
Features | Certified Organic since 2015, Vegan & Vegetarian friendly |
Origin | Langhe, Piedmont |
Denomination | Commune di Novello, Langhe Nascetta Doc |