- Abruzzo
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- Teroldego
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- Viognier
- Viura Blanco / Macabeu / Macabeo
- Xarel-lo
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2021 Château Tirecul La Gravière, AOP Monbazillac (50cl) [Organic]
Regular price £16.25 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Make no mistake, we are in world class territory. Robert Parker compared the sweet wines of Tirecul as the most notable sweet wines from anywhere in the world.
Tasting Notes
Intense richness and bright acidity. Driven by orange peel marmalade and saffron aromatics.
Production
No one’s really sure why concentration comes from older vines, but here it is in evidence. 175g/l
Producer
Robert Parker compared the sweet wines of Tirecul as the most notable sweet wines from anywhere in the world. A lot is written about terroir, soil and microclimates. You often question how much of it is true, how do people know exactly why the wines work out the way they do? At Tirecul however, you can really see it in front of you. There aren’t many estates where you can see all the vineyard in one block. At the bottom of the hill it is too open, and the top of the hill it is too windy. It’s only in two little pockets that the fog sits to create the conditions for some truly phenomenal botrytis wines. It’s a bit of a Goldilocks site, all the quirks of nature are ‘just right’ (I haven’t tried any Tirecul in my porridge, but I am going to now).
90% of the 9ha vineyard is planted with an even split between Semillon and Muscadelle, the latter is a fascinating variety, often in the background but it can be the real star of the show. The balance is Sauvignon Blanc and the recently allowed Chenin. The exact blend of the sweet wines is unknown because the grapes are picked when they are showing the best elements of botrytis and fermented together. Bruno Bilancini has run the estate since the early 1990s, in the last few years has also produced very good dry white and red which are showing real promise.
Sustainability
Bruno Bilancini took over the estate in 1992, and has treated the environment with utmost respect since then. It was in 2009 that Chateau Tirecul started to convert to organics, with all wines beyond 2012 being certified as well as vegan.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 500ml |
Cultivar | 60% Semillon, 40% Muscadelle |
Country | France |
|
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 6.25units |
Type | Dessert Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable farming |
Food Matches |
Foie Gras and a clear conscience!
|
Origin |
|
Appellation | Monbazillac AOC |
2022 Lurton Château Bonnet Sauvignon Blanc Semillion
Regular price £13.59 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Production
The process of winemaking is both an art and a science, meticulously detailed through each step. After the initial skin-contact and settling, the must undergoes fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, ideally between 18 to 20°C, to preserve the wine's delicate aromas and flavors. Omitting malolactic fermentation retains the wine's natural acidity, providing a fresher taste. The wine matures on lees for four months in tanks, enhancing its complexity, followed by a further two months in the bottle, resulting in a wine with a maturing potential of two to three years. This careful balance of conditions and time frames is crucial for developing the wine's character.
Producer
Lurton Family is one of the largest wine Dynasty in the world. Vignovles Andre Lurton is a family estate, established in the 1950's by Andre Lurton, and one of today's largest and morst important producer of the Bordeaux region. A visionary and force of nature, Andre Lurton founded the AOC Pessac- Leognan in 1987, pioneering its aromatic white wine style. Today both reds and whites from Pessac Leognan have earned a reputation for great value. Today one of his son's is leader of the company.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Semillion |
Country | France |
Alcohol content
|
13% ABV |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Food Matches | Perfect wine as an appetizer, or to match with seafood / white meat |
Appellation | AOC Entre-deux-Mers |
a
2023 Vinazza Garganega Pinot Grigo
Regular price £7.89 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Now recognized as Garda DOC, this Garganega Pinot Grigio is chosen from premium vineyards situated between Lake Garda and Vicenza. The inclusion of Garganega lends a more distinctive and flavorful profile to the wine compared to many standard Pinot Grigios.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of fresh apple and citrus. Crisp and zesty on the palate with a lightly honeyed, floral note on the finish.
Production
Produced from Garganega grapes grown in the Garda DOC region between Lake Garda and Vicenza, with the addition of 15% Pinot Grigio. Gentle pressing, fermentation at 16 to 18C with selected yeasts, bottling after 3 months on fine 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 | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 85% Garganega & 15% Pinot Grigio |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 11% |
|
8.25 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches | Pair with grilled white fish, risotto, and light appetizers like prawn cocktail. |
Cellaring Potential | 1 year |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Garda DOC |
2023 Brotte Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun 'Bord Elegance'
Regular price £14.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Colour
This wine is a luminous golden yellow, it is complex, with a viognier signature.
Nose
Apricot first dominates and evolves towards green apple and sweet almond. Ripe mango and floral rose hints give it an elegant and exotic character.
Palate
The initial freshness is followed by harmonious smoothness and elegance. The wine has a good aromatic complexity, with long lasting citrus and white peach aromas.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested by hand at maturity early in the morning. . After a strict cold settling (10-12°C), Grenache is vinified with the aim to extract most of their freshness (very low fermentation temperatures, numerous rackings …). The cuvée is aged on fine lees to bring smoothness and elegance, which are in perfect harmony with the aromatic freshness.
History
Since 1880, five generations of the Brotte family have been making wines with passion and authenticity. The fruit for this wine comes from selected small wine producers in the Rhône Valley, all of whom have been partners of Maison Brotte for several decades. The vines are planted on a very beautiful clay-silt terroir and which benefit from a lot of sunshine. The hot and dry climate therefore favours the ripening of the grapes and the good health of the vineyard.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Viognier, and Roussanne |
Country | France |
Alcohol Content | 14% alc vol |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches |
Enjoy with fish brochettes, seafood and lime, oven grilled lobster with salted butter, grilled or creamy poultry with cèpes, fresh goat cheese and mixed salad leaves, mango soup with its red fruit coulis. |
Origin |
Southern Rhône |
2023 Brotte Esprit Côtes du Rhône Blanc
Regular price £12.50 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%This is a fabulous introduction to the white wine of the Rhone Valley. Made up predominantly of Grenache Blanc, picked early to capture aromas such as citrus fruits and exotic fruits. Viognier and Clairette bring their complexity with touches of peaches and white flowers. The wine has wonderful complexity with excellent freshness and length.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Pale yellow with green hints.
Nose
Aromas of exotic fruits, white flowers and citrus fruits.
Palate
Wonderful complexity with notes of peach and apricot, this wine displays excellent freshness and length.
Vinification
Direct light pressing if carried out with a new pneumatic press. Cold settling takes place overnight at 10°C. Alcoholic fermentation is in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature between 16 – 18°C. No malolactic fermentation is allowed to preserve the freshness. Maturation is on the fine lees with regular stirring in stainless steel vats for 6 months. Bottling is in March/April of the year following the harvest.
History
Since 1880, five generations of the Brotte family have been making wines with passion and authenticity. The fruit for this wine comes from selected small wine producers in the Rhône Valley, all of whom have been partners of Maison Brotte for several decades. The vines are planted on a very beautiful clay-silt terroir and which benefit from a lot of sunshine. The hot and dry climate therefore favours the ripening of the grapes and the good health of the vineyard.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Clairette |
Country | France |
Alcohol Content | 13.5% alc vol |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches |
Serve as an aperitif or enjoy with barbecued shellfish, seafood and citrus fruits salad, chicken dishes, sweetbreads with morilles or alongside desserts of candied fruits, vanilla millefeuille or apricot pie |
Origin |
Southern Rhône |
2022 Brotte Bouvencourt Vacqueyras
Regular price £18.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value!
Tasting Notes
Colour
It has bright, clear red.
Nose
Bouquet fine, Provence, herbs notes, garrigue, supported by aromas of red and black fruit, earth, and olives.
Palate
Following through from the nose, the palate is warmly generous and fleshy, with a smooth and elegant finish.
Vinification
Destemming of the grapes before crushing. The temperature is kept high during the fermentation (28°C) and the maceration lasts 4 weeks, in order to obtain a good extraction of tannins and colour. The malolactic fermentation takes place in concrete vats.
Maturation
12 months in 100 year old oak vats.
History
Since 1880, five generations of the Brotte family have been making wines with passion and authenticity. The fruit for this wine comes from selected small wine producers in the Rhône Valley, all of whom have been partners of Maison Brotte for several decades. The vines are planted on a very beautiful clay-silt terroir and which benefit from a lot of sunshine. The hot and dry climate therefore favours the ripening of the grapes and the good health of the vineyard.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Shiraz / Grenache |
Country | France |
Alcohol Content | 14% alc vol |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Blend |
Food Matches |
Enjoy with a traditional hare civet, beef cheeks, braised lamb shoulder or simply a chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis. |
Origin |
Southern Rhône |
2023 Brotte Baies Dorees Viognier
Regular price £11.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Only 7 miles along the road from Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not as well known globally so represents much better value!
Tasting Notes
Colour
Clear yellow wine with green tinges.
Nose
The bouquet offers a unique aromatic range including citrus flowers, exotic fruits, apricots, white-fleshed stone fruit and jasmine.
Palate
Intensely fruity and well balanced this wine is mouth-filling which works in harmony with the flavours of exotic fruit and toasted brioche.
Location
The majority of the grapes come from the Gard department, particularly the commune of Laudun on the right bank of the river Rhône.
Terrior
“Baies Dorées” (golden berries): A tribute to the Viognier grape variety. The berries of this grape variety, native to the Rhône region, turn amber and golden when ripe. We have selected vines planted on a gorgeous silty-clay terroir which receives a great deal of sunshine. The hot, dry climate helps the grapes to ripen well and also helps to maintain the vineyards in good health
Vinification
Gentle pneumatic pressing. Strict cold settling at 10°C for 48 hours before alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 15 days at temperatures of 18° to 20°C. No malolactic fermentation to preserve the freshness and primary fruit aromas. Maturation in stainless steel vats for 3 months.
History
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Viognier |
Country | France |
Alcohol Content | 12.5% alc vol |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches | Serve as an aperitif or enjoy with toasted goat’s cheese, carpaccio of tuna, white asparagus with hollandaise sauce, brandade de morue, fillet of sole in lemon butter, chicken and green olive ragout, a cheese platter. |
Origin |
Southern Rhône |
2023 La Musa Trebbiano Pinot Grigio
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Made on the beautiful island of Sicily - the island breeze cools the vines at night to ensure the palate is fresh, rounded, dry and smooth.
Tasting Notes
A fruity wine with ripe apple and pear flavours.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Trebbiano & Pinot Grigio |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 12 % |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle
|
9 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches | Ideal for fish dishes, pasta or as an aperitif |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Features | Organic |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | Sicilia Doc |
Origin | Sicily |
2022 Dornier Cocoa Hill Chenin Blanc
Regular price £12.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Among them was Long Ben – as fierce as he was tall,
he looted and pillaged and scavenged from all.
Ben fast became known for being up to no good,
and so fled from the seas and gave up his loot.
He planted some vines, as was the way,
and peered out towards the ocean almost every day.
Long Ben would have gazed longingly at the vista of Table Bay
from where our vines grow today, on Cocoa Hill.
Tasting Notes
Being a truly versatile variety and lending itself well to many different styles, we have aimed at making a wine in a fresh and fruit driven style. The wine has a lively bright colour with delicate aromas of passion fruit and litchis. The palate is vibrant with a refreshing acidity and flavours of tropical fruit.
Cocoa Hill Chenin Blanc is a delectably chic version of what used to be South Africa's Cinderella variety. The vines grow in the decomposed red granite soils of Cocoa Hill – a hilltop in the folds of the Stellenbosch Mountain, superbly positioned in prime South African terroir.
Vintage Conditions
2022 was an excellent vintage for many producers in Stellenbosch. The winter was cold and wet and the ripening season was cool. This led to grapes ripening at lower sugar levels with higher natural acidities. The lower temperatures also preserved the more delicate flavor components in the Chenin Blanc during the ripening period.
Fermentation and Aging
This wine is made with Chenin Blanc grapes from the Stellenbosch and Swartland area. The wine was fermented in stainless-steel tanks and in French oak barrels. Flavour and style specific yeast were used in order to obtain the desired fruit- and aroma characteristics.
History
Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.
Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.
Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity.
Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chenin Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential |
Up until 2025 |
Food Matching | Being a wine with vibrant fruit it will pair well with salads, pasta dishes and grilled seafood, such as line fish and will accompany calamari and scallops very well. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Stellenbosch |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2022 Dornier Cocoa Hills Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £12.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Among them was Long Ben – as fierce as he was tall,
he looted and pillaged and scavenged from all.
Ben fast became known for being up to no good,
and so fled from the seas and gave up his loot.
He planted some vines, as was the way,
and peered out towards the ocean almost every day.
Long Ben would have gazed longingly at the vista of Table Bay
from where our vines grow today, on Cocoa Hill.
Tasting Notes
This Sauvignon Blanc is made from grapes from the Stellenbosch and Elgin area. The wine has an attractive green tinge in the glass with intense aromas of gooseberry, ripe passion fruit and lime. The mouthfeel is lively with tastes of green melon and lemon with a lingering aftertaste.
Dornier aims to make a wine that is fresh, youthful and abundant. Balance between the fruit, alcohol and acidity is of utmost importance.
History
Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.
Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.
Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity.
Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.
Fermentation & Aging
Grapes were harvested between 19° and 23° Balling to ensure fresh acidity and riper flavours in the wine. Fermentation was at 14° Celsius with further time on the lees to add to complexity and texture.
In the Vineyard
Growing conditions during the 2022 season were almost hassle-free. The cold and wet winter season was followed by a cool spring and early summer that led to excellent flavour development in the grapes.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential |
Up to 2 years |
Food Matching |
With its refreshing character this wine pairs well with salads, seafood and other Mediterranean dishes. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Stellenbosch & Elgin |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2023 Ronchi di Manzano Friulano
Regular price £15.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Colour
Straw-yellow color with light green reflections.
Nose
Intense aroma of blossom and ripen fruit.
Mouth
It is dry, full, soft, very intense, hazelnut, scents of sweet almonds, pear, green apple, fresh, in a beautiful bedrock minerality.
Background
Roberta Borghese, the owner of these Ronchi (steep slopes), has understood their true values and is enthralled by the rhythm and beauty of nature.
The Ronchi di Manzano winery was established in 1969, but its vineyards have an ancient tradition of centuries. Everything started with the Counts of Trento, who had a special predilection for the Ronchi di Manzano, both for its location and for its soil composition. Its vineyards were considered to be some of the best in the whole area and the wines produced were very often requested by French and Savoy noblemen.
Vineyard
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"This is not an adventurous white - it’s a simple but top quality dry white with good citric fruit, some nuttiness and some minerality - but it’s the classiness and purity that sets it apart from basic whites.
A top notch, classy and elegant cool climate white from northern Italy. Often mistaken for Sauvignon but with none of the aromas - just great fruit, nuttiness and minerality - reminds me of a good Sancerre.
It’s an all woman wine as well, all vineyard and winery work done by a mother and her two daughters on a small, quality, premium estate." tasted July 2024
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Friulano |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food & Serving Information |
Ideal to be paired with San Daniele ham, eggs, asparagus, herbs frittata or herbs soup, Serving temperature 8-10°C. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin |
Friuli Colli Orientali |
Appellation | Friuli DOC |
2023 Ronchi di Manzano Ramato Pinot Grigio Rosé
Regular price £15.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%"Neither white nor rosé"
Tasting Notes
(Italian) Copper Pinot Grigio is red onion coloured, with a dry, fresh and balanced taste. It is very fragrant, elegant and fruity but at the same time full-bodied and powerful. Notes of fruit salad, sage, almond. With this method of vinification it is better suited to aging.
Production
Harvest strictly by hand and in crates. The must remains in contact with the skins for 36 hours, after which it is passed and put back in stainless steel until bottling.
Maturation for 6 months in stainless steel and refinement in bottle for 3 months before being marketed.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Pinot Grigio |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | Rosé Wine |
Food Pairings |
Copper Pinot Grigio is served at a temperature of 9-10° and pairs well with fish appetizers and vegetarian first courses.
|
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin |
Fruili Venezia Giulia
|
Appellation |
Fruili Colli Orientali DOC |
2023 Wild House Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £9.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%An impressive addition to the Wild House range, predominantly from Elgin grown fruit, a coastal region renowned for high quality, cool climate Sauvignon Blanc.
Tasting Notes
A vibrant cool climate style of Sauvignon with intense citrus and crushed nettle aromas. Ripe, concentrated fruit is offset by a grapefruit tang and leafy characters. Taut and mineral with a long, textural finish.
Production
Hand harvested grapes from Elgin, supplemented by small parcels from cooler sites in Paarl and Franschhoek, were gently pressed and the juice settled for 48 hours. Naturally fermented in stainless steel tanks, with no additions other than a small dose of sulphur, and kept on the gross lees for 5 months.
Producer
Wild House is a lifestyle range which reflects a place of raw energy, a weather-beaten hut exposed to the storm-swept slopes of the Cape's mountains. Inspired by the ever-shifting views of the landscape and weather from each aspect of the house, we crafted this range of wines to reflect the land we call home.
Sustainability
Wild House wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.
Awards
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 - Silver 2022 Vintage
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Simply cooked sea bass with a salsa verde, lemon roasted chicken or aromatic thai dishes. |
Origin | Coastal Region |
Appellation | W.O. Coastal Region |
Zero Regrets Pinot Grigio (Alcohol Free)
Regular price £7.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%0% Alcohol, Vegetarian/Vegan certified.
Made with grapes from a Sicilian origin - this alcohol free wine is a vibrant delicious alternative to the 'real thing'!
Tasting Notes
Straw yellow in colour, this wine has vibrant tropical and citrus fruit aromas and flavours. On the palate it is refreshing and perfectly balanced, with a clean, crisp finish.
Production
The grapes are destemmed and very gently pressed in a pneumatic press. Prior to fermentation the juice is chilled and racked after settling. Selected yeasts are added to initiate the alcoholic fermentation, which takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 8°C. Vacuum distillation at around 30°C to preserve primary aromas.
Specifications
Year | N/V |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Pinot Grigio |
Country | Sicily/Belgium |
Alcohol content
|
0% alc vol
|
Units of alcohol per bottle | 0 units |
Type | White Wine |
Calories |
20 per 100ml |
Sugar |
4,5g per 100ml |
Food Matches | A versatile wine, pairing well with a great variety of dishes, or enjoyed on its own as an aperitif. |
Origin | Sicily/Belgium |
Appellation | Sicily |
2021 Cave de Turckheim Baron D’Alsace Gewurztraminer
Regular price £15.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A great introduction to the heady delights of Gewurztraminer.
Tasting Notes
Intensly perfumed Gewurztraminer with a rich palate of honeyed and rose-scented flavours.
Production
Produced in the traditional manner by winemaker Jean Michel Lihrmann in Cave de Turckheim's gravity fed cellar - pneumatic pressing, temperature controlled fermentation, no finings and light filtration before bottling - all to preserve fruit and aromatic qualities and elegance. His philosophy is to make wines with good acidity and fruit balance, based on the belief that all the qualities of the wine are already present in the grapes.
Producer
Widely regarded as one of the best co-operatives in the world, Cave de Turckheim lies at the mouth of the Munster Valley. Working closely with 180 partners, its vineyards span the full breadth of Alsatian terroir and grape varieties. Cave de Turckheim only produces wine from the grapes of its member growers, it is a récoltant not a négociant.
Substantial investment in the winery has enabled the team to vinify many parcels of grapes separately, offering Michel Lihrmann (senior winemaker for 25 years) the chance to highlight each wine's nuances in his signature dry, yet fruit forward, style.
Committed to producing the highest quality wines, growers are encouraged to keep yields low - for example, Cave de Turckheim voluntarily caps yields for its Grands Crus vineyards at 45hl/ha rather than the permitted 55hl/ha - and to pick the grapes by hand. This is part of a long term and innovative strategy of sustainability that includes developing the largest holdings of organic vineyards in Alsace, using natural alternatives to chemical treatments, and a green overview of all vineyard practices. Alongside some great organic wines, the extensive range runs from the excellent value Tradition wines right through to individual Grand Cru bottlings, plus fantastic Crémants d’Alsace and Vendange Tardive dessert wines.
Sustainability
An awareness of social and environmental concerns has always been high on the agenda for the Cave de Turckheim’s growers. They were among the first in France to practice integrated agriculture, an approach that combines the best of modern tools and technologies with traditional practices, lowering the consumption of energy and other resources, reducing environmental pollution, conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainability. In 2014, all the members of the co-operative obtained Agri Confiance Volet Vert (Green Section) certification and in 2015, they all obtained High Environmental Value Level 2 certification. The growers are aiming for HVE Level 3 certification in late 2019.
In 2008, a number of growers decided to commit to the rigorous standards of organic viticulture. As part of Alliance Alsace, approximately 70 hectares of vines are now cultivated organically, having obtained organic certification in 2011, with a further 30 hectares in transition. These vignerons have revived ancestral practices, tilling the soil and undertaking work that facilitates the elimination of weeds and the combat against the two major diseases: powdery mildew which is tackled with sulphur and mildew which is treated with copper sulphate. Natural fertilisers are also used (nettle, horsetail, comfrey, and dandelion), fortifying the vines and increasing their natural resistance. Organic winegrowers meticulously observe their vines, enabling them to intervene in the right place and at the right time, rather than treating the plants systematically.
Turckheim’s commitment to the environment extends to the winery where it strives to conserve natural resources. Sorting waste for recycling, reducing its carbon footprint, using solar panels, and preventing pollution are just some examples of how environmental considerations are present in every aspect of its daily work. Committed to both the environment and its customers, Cave de Turckheim also plays an important role in the local economy.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Gewürztraminer |
Country | France |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable farming |
Food Matches | A classic match for spicy dishes (especially Thai) but can also be served as an alternative to red wine with strong cheeses. |
Origin |
Alsace, France
|
2022 The Tea Leaf
Regular price £13.50 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A naturally fermented old bush vine brew, Tea Leaf hails from vineyards where the vines grow amongst South Africa’s native rooibos (red tea) plants that grow wild alongside the vines.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of ripe citrus and peach with savoury, gently nutty notes. The palate combines firm, high-key fruit with a gentle, sandy texture true to the source vineyards’ soil leading to a long, lightly honeyed finish. A deeply satisfying wine, taut and concentrated, from a blend of high quality bush vine fruit.
Production
From selected coastal vineyards of Chenin, Grenache Gris and Marsanne where the indigenous rooibos tea plant grows wild. Grapes are harvested in the early hours and then a further selection is made by hand at the winery to select the best fruit. The wine is naturally fermented and aged a few months in older 600 litre French oak barrels. No fining and coarse filtered (above 1 micron).
Producer
What’s this then? 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.
Sustainability
Strange Kompanjie Unlimited wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 80% Chenin Blanc, 12% Grenache Gris, 7% Marsanne |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 13.5% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan |
Dietary Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Match | Simply cooked fish dishes, scallops, salt & pepper squid or fishcakes, light seafood pasta, risotto, rich salads and sushi. |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2022 Coterie by Wildeberg Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £12.95 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Production
Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases. In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvées that are go into Coterie by Wildeberg. Semillon from Franschhoek is barrel fermented in 600 litre French and Austrian oak then aged for 10 months in barrel. Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel and kept on the gross lees for 10 months. Once the blend is decided the wine is allowed to marry in tank for 6 weeks prior to coarse filtration and bottling. Semillon is aged in 36% new barrels, 44% 2nd fill, 20% stainless steel.
Producer
The Earth’s mantle thrusts up above the gentle town of Franschhoek, a wild slice of untamed mountain on which sits a farm named Wildeberg. An established wine region for some 350 years, sensible generations never thought to plant a vine here until a happy band of idealists recently craned their necks up at this hillside and, dizzy with hope, decided to give it a go. Franschhoek is on the very edge of the south-eastern corner of the Cape’s venerable Coastal Region, indeed Wildeberg’s property border runs over the top of the mountain where the Coastal Region gives way to the baboon-strewn road to Grabouw and the wider Western Cape.
The Wildeberg wines express the most captivating Franschhoek Valley fruit. In our Wildeberg Terroirs bottlings we look beyond our home to a clutch of exceptional sites of other origin.
A mountain rich in metaphor with the visual heft to flatter any wine, releases of Wildeberg and Terroirs express our continued purpose – exceptional wines of place, however humble the origin. If the abiding memory of our wines remains a textural sense of place then we are portraying the Cape as hoped.
Sustainability
Wildeberg is a 144ha wine farm set against the backdrop of the dramatic Franschhoek mountains, on the very edge of viticultural possibilities. To farm here you have to be in tune with nature, respecting the earth and the elements, creating wines which truly express the terroir with minimal intervention.
This special area is home to 4 endangered Fynbos species, and a key mission of Wildeberg is to conserve this vegetation type as they are critical to the biodiversity of the Western Cape. This work entails clearing invasive alien trees which can overwhelm the Fynbos and contribute to the threat of forest fires. Fynbos covered mountains like those at Wildeberg are thought to be responsible for delivering one glass of water in five in South Africa, due to the plants allowing up to 80% of rainwater to run off into rivers and reservoirs rather than being absorbed into the soil.
Water is precious in South Africa, and waste water from the winery passes through a natural wetland with indigenous reeds and plants before being pumped into our irrigation dam. We then use this water to irrigate the vines.
All Wildeberg wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.
Wildeberg is also a proud member of the Cape’s Old Vine Project (OVP), which preserves blocks of vines which are 35 years and older. The project encourages producers to farm as close to nature as possible whilst raising awareness of the inherent potential of old vines to produce outstanding and expressive wines.
Awards
- 2022 - Silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards (2021 Vintage)
- 2023 - Silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards (2022 Vintage)
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 80% Semillion, 20% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13% ABV |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Food Matches | Great with white fish, roast chicken dishes, or tiger prawns with chilli. |
Appellation | W.O. Coastal Region |
2021 Logan Apple Tree Flat Chardonnay
Regular price £12.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Once upon a time, in a little town called Apple Tree Flat, a humble winemaker created quality, true varietal wines that were affordable enough to enjoy every day.
Luckily, this story is true.
The beauty of these wines can be found inside the bottle and out. The labels feature hand-drawn illustrations depicting the people, places and experiences of our winemaker’s home and winery. Whilst inside the bottle you'll find fruit driven wines with excellent regional expression that represent astounding value for mone
Despite such humble beginnings, Apple Tree Flat wines make big waves in Australia and around the world.
Tasting Notes
Floral honeysuckle, peach and pear make up the aroma, with a smooth palate of lemon, nashi pear and nectarine before a long lingering finish.
Winemaking
After crushing and gentle pressing, the juice was clarified by flotation. The pressings were oxidatively handled as juice while the free run was treated anaerobically. The fermentations were carried out by wild yeasts and took place over 18 days in stainless steel tanks. The wine remained on yeast lees for 8 months
Region
The chardonnay grapes for this dry white were harvested at 12.5° Baumé on the 26th February and 14th March 2019 in Mudgee and Orange, New South Wales. The chardonnay vineyards were 46 and 19 years old respectively.
The 2019 growing season was warm and very dry in the NSW Central Ranges, however enough well-spaced rain events across the season allowed the grapes to progress through to ripeness without suffering undue stress. These conditions resulted in a compact harvest period with clean fruit and yields per vine a little lower than average. Ripeness occurred at low sugar levels resulting in generally low alcohol in the wines.
One vineyard is trained to Geneva Double Curtain Trellis type, with the other being Vertical Shoot Position (VSP).
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content | 12.5% |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle
|
9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | Mudgee & Orange Regions |
Origin | Australia |
2021 Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay
Regular price £16.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%This Chardonnay showcases the richness and complexity of its terroir.
Tasting Notes
Colour
The golden colour in the glass
Nose
Bright aromas of stone fruit and golden apple, underscored by rich, toasted oak.
Palate
Ripe, round tropical flavours of pineapple and mango are complimented by notes of vanilla and butter.
Winemaking Notes
The 2021 vintage saw a late harvest with great quality fruit. All grapes were taken directly to press as whole clusters, gently pressed into tanks, cold-settled, racked as clean juice, and fermented over a two-month period at very cool temperatures. Once primary fermentation was completed, select lots ofthe wine went through a complete secondary fermentation to add a rich, buttery component.
Background
Cycles Gladiator was founded in 2005 with the mission to create high quality, affordable wines that honour the iconic artwork on the label by empowering and inspiring women. Proudly sourced from some of California’s top wine growing regions , award- winning winemaker Adam LaZarre crafts each wine with passion and care from grape to glass.
Accolades
- Top 25 Best Buy Ratings by Wine Enthusiast
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | United States of America |
Alcohol content | 12.5% |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle
|
9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Features | Vegetarian approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | California (68% Monterey, 32% Paso Robles) |
Origin | California |
2023 Malat 'Crazy Creatures' Gruner Veltliner
Regular price £18.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Located a mere one-hour drive outside Vienna, the Weingut Malat wine estate has been mastering its art and building its strong reputation for over three centuries. A pioneer in the Kremstal region, this domain is among Austria's most respected. With four different labels featuring strange insects, this Grüner Veltliner-based white is from its Crazy Creatures range!
Beautifully biting, it offers charming minerality, citrus and spice notes.
This wine has four different labels. Illustrations will therefore vary.
Tasting Notes
This is gorgeous, fresh, vibrant and broad Grüner Veltliner that comes from the Kremstal region in Austria. It is a fresh and bright, mouth-watering style of Grüner that begins to show more culinary herbal characteristics so associated with this variety. It's a superb all-rounder of a white that is delicious with a very wide range of cuisine.
History
The brainchild of Michael Malat, the grapes for "Crazy Creatures" are grown in the small Austrian village of Palt, in the wine-growing region of Kremstal. The traditional Malat winery has been making wines in the region since 1722.
Varietal
The flagship grape of Austria, Grüner Veltliner is a natural cross of Traminer and St. Georgen. Grüner accounts for almost 30% of all grapes planted with around 13,500 hectares under vine in the country. The Austrian native has become an international sensation amongst sommeliers worldwide as the perfect food wine due to its high acidity. In Austria it is prized for the easy drinking wine it produces but can also wow the palate with complexity in the right winemaker’s hands. The typical flavor profile is often described as displaying elements of green apple with an unmistakable white pepper spiciness.
Specifications
Vintage | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 75cl |
Cultivar | 100% Grüner Veltliner |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 12% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units of alcohol |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matching |
A favourite among sommeliers and wine enthusiasts alike. A white wint that goes remarkably well with a great many dishes. |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Origin |
Niederösterreich
|
Appellation |
Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC), Kremstal |
2022 Waterkloof Circle of Life White
Regular price £13.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Circle of Life celebrates farming in harmony with nature, telling a story of preserving and regenerating biodiversity. This harmonious combination of 3 classic grape varieties captures the essence of Waterkloof's biodynamic viticultural amphitheatre. 94 points, Decanter July 2023.
Tasting notes
A fine and seamless blend of 3 classic white grapes. Sauvignon Blanc aromas are prominent on the nose, with lime and prickly pear notes. A tight mineral core and creamy mid palate from the Chenin Blanc gives complexity and a persistent finish while a small proportion of Semillon adds texture and depth.
Awards
- Vintage 2022 - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 - Silver
Production
Circle of Life White is neither defined by grape varietals, nor indeed a specific block within the vineyard, but instead encapsulates the myriad soils, aspects, altitudes and grape varieties found on this windswept, biodynamic farm. The windswept vineyard blocks are all, south facing (less sun exposure), 200-350m above sea-level and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes and wines with a true sense of place. Production is a miserly 4 tons per hectare. Bunches are picked early in the mornings, when they are still cool, which helps to preserve the flavours. Extracting juice from the grapes is achieved through whole-bunch pressing in our modern basket press. This is the most delicate way to extract the juice. No additions of enzymes or settling agents were made to the juice. After a settling period of 24 hours, a large proportion of the juice was destined for co-fermentation. We determined a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc prior to fermentation which went into old 600-liter barrels where it fermented for four months. After the fermentation was completed the blend was racked to a stainless-steel tank to which they added the rest of the Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillon. To have the varietals integrate the wine was left in barrel on the fine lees until its bottling date six months later. This helped to add more complexity and weight to the palate. The wine is produced as naturally as possible, with no additions of acids or enzymes.
Producer
Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004, Waterkloof is a family-owned farm using organic practices. The farm is perched high up on the windswept Schapenberg, overlooking False Bay and The Atlantic Ocean. Living soils, naturally low yields and a long growing season help provide talented Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard with naturally balanced grapes that are imbued with a truly defining sense of origin. Those grapes are then transformed into wine with a minimum of intervention. The resulting wines are fine, inimitable and best enjoyed with food.
Sustainability
As well as being ECOCERT certified as organic, and working biodynamically, Waterkloof goes much further than many in its efforts to be a highly sustainable winery. A member of The Integrated Production of Wine Scheme, a voluntary environmental sustainability scheme established by the South African wine industry in 1998, and of The Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association, a multi-stakeholder, non-profit voluntary organisation which actively promotes ethical trade in the wine industry, it is has also been a member of the World Wildlife Fund’s Biodiversity & Wine Initiative from its inception. Through a partnership between the IPW and the BWI, Waterkloof is a WWF Conservation Champion and has in place a formal nature conservation plan that includes: clearing approximately 55 hectares of land from alien invader species and restoring the Cape’s precious indigenous flora and fauna; re-establishing natural vegetation in previously disturbed areas; introducing preventive erosion control measures; providing migration corridors for species between isolated areas of natural vegetation; mulching of winter cover crops to create a healthy environment for the natural predators of vine pests and installing perches for birds of prey for natural rodent control measures.In the vineyards, drip irrigation is used only on young vines as a more efficient system to conserve water. Most of Waterkloof is dry-farmed; the biological control of pests is employed as an alternative to chemical spraying; annual legume cover crops are sown to add nitrogen to the soil and annual grain cover crops are sown in alternate rows as a carbon source and to return nutrients to the soil; earthworms are farmed and their casts are used to make a tea, which is used on the cover crops and soil as a living fertiliser; 380-400 tons of compost a year are made each year to boost carbon matter in the soil, to enhance its water holding capacity, and to boost the level of microbes in the soil keeping it fertile and alive; and, as part of the estate’s biodynamic regime, various foliar feeds are made. No damaging herbicides, pesticides or fungicide are used, only natural predatory fungi and metabolites to control mildew and to build the plants’ immunity. Six Percheron horses are used to plough, compost, spray and harvest the vineyards to reduce damage to the soil and vines and to reduce carbon emissions. Using the horses also teaches the handlers the rare skill of training these horses. A flock of chickens reduces the number of pests in the vineyard and returns nitrogen to the soil and compost, as well as providing fresh, free-range eggs for the restaurant. A small herd of cows is kept, which is key to producing biodynamic composts and teas, and a flock of sheep and a herd of goats are allowed to graze in the vineyards in winter to naturally reduce the level of weeds and vegetation between vine rows, as well as to put nitrogen back into the soil.
In the cellar, waste water gets pumped through a stainless-steel filter into a bioreactor where it is combined with the rest of the waste water from the building. Aerobic bacteria remove most of the contaminants before the water is pumped into a sand bed to remove any solids. From there, it runs into a reed bed for a final clean up and it is then used to irrigate the young vines. Peroxide is used a cleaning agent in the cellar as it breaks down in water after 15 minutes, leaving no residue. The cellar itself is built into the hillside to maintain a stable temperature, to avoid pumping the wines and hence reducing energy usage. Used boxes, dividers, bottles, screwcaps, plastics, paper and labels are recycled with an external company that take everything away for recycling. Old, unused bottles are sold to bottle recyclers who wash and resell them.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 49% Sauvignon Blanc, 41% Chenin Blanc, 10% Semillion |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | White Wine Blend |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Try with Sashimi of Tuna, smoked potato gnocchi or red snapper. |
Origin | Stellenbosch |
Appellation | WO Stellenbosch |
2022 Strange Kompanjie Old Vine Palomino
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%The label reflects the wine's provenance high up on the Piekenierskloof plateau, where stumpy bush-vines appear frozen in poses of agony. Their meagre yield gives a wine that's bright, tangy, textural and distinctly salty on the finish. Drink slowly to take all this in!
Tasting Notes
Fresh and zesty aromas with notes of almond skin, fennel and even a little jasmine. A bright natural acidity on the palate with a teasing top note of grassy fennel, almond nuttiness and the residual salinity of an old dry grown vineyard. Drink slowly to take all this in.
Production
On the fecund plateau of Piekenierskloof there exists some extraordinary bush. Dwarfish, seemingly petrified stumps punctuate a high rolling landscape of rye-grass and rooibos. Amongst these are old plantings of Grenache Noir, Chenin Blanc and, here and there, Palomino. Strange Kompanjie has isolated one such block for a teeny release of old vine Palomino, planted in 1977.
Producer
What’s this then? 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.
Sustainability
Strange Kompanjie Unlimited wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Palomino |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 12.5% alcohol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan |
Dietary Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Match | Simply cooked fish dishes, scallops or fishcakes or an asparagus and lemon risotto. |
Appellation | Piekenierskloof |
2023 Waterkloof Seriously Cool Chenin Blanc
Regular price £12.00 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
A bright, vibrant style of Chenin with aromas of citrus, white flowers and a hint of honey. Ripe and full flavoured with a rounded mouthfeel thanks to long fermentation and extended lees contact. Nice concentration of stone fruit characters with hints of dried apricot and mango. Good balancing acidity on the clean, fresh finish.
Production
Crafted from 30-40 year old bush-vine vineyards in the Helderberg area supplemented by fruit from another dry grown block in Stellenbosch. The vineyards are close to the ocean, which ensure a long growing season and allows for ripe fruit with good concentration and a balanced acidity. Production from these grand dames of South African viticultural heritage is a miserly 4 tons/hectare. Waterkloof follow a traditional, minimalistic approach in their gravitational cellar which means interfering as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavours prevalent in that specific vineyard to ultimately express themselves in the wine. To achieve this goal, all grapes are whole-bunch pressed, which ensures that juice is extracted in the gentlest way. The juice is then allowed to settle for 24 hours after which it is racked from the settling tank into stainless steel tanks, concrete eggs and older 600 liter barrels. They do not inoculate the juice with commercially cultivated yeast, but allow the wild yeast prevailing in the vineyard to ferment the juice. No additional acid or enzymes are added during the process. The natural fermentation process took 5 months to complete and only a light filtration was used prior to bottling. The only addition is a small amount of sulphur before bottling.
Producer
Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004, Waterkloof is a family-owned farm using organic practices. The farm is perched high up on the windswept Schapenberg, overlooking False Bay and The Atlantic Ocean. Living soils, naturally low yields and a long growing season help provide talented Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard with naturally balanced grapes that are imbued with a truly defining sense of origin. Those grapes are then transformed into wine with a minimum of intervention. The resulting wines are fine, inimitable and best enjoyed with food.
Sustainability
As well as being ECOCERT certified as organic, and working biodynamically, Waterkloof goes much further than many in its efforts to be a highly sustainable winery. A member of The Integrated Production of Wine Scheme, a voluntary environmental sustainability scheme established by the South African wine industry in 1998, and of The Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association, a multi-stakeholder, non-profit voluntary organisation which actively promotes ethical trade in the wine industry, it is has also been a member of the World Wildlife Fund’s Biodiversity & Wine Initiative from its inception. Through a partnership between the IPW and the BWI, Waterkloof is a WWF Conservation Champion and has in place a formal nature conservation plan that includes: clearing approximately 55 hectares of land from alien invader species and restoring the Cape’s precious indigenous flora and fauna; re-establishing natural vegetation in previously disturbed areas; introducing preventive erosion control measures; providing migration corridors for species between isolated areas of natural vegetation; mulching of winter cover crops to create a healthy environment for the natural predators of vine pests and installing perches for birds of prey for natural rodent control measures.
In the vineyards, drip irrigation is used only on young vines as a more efficient system to conserve water. Most of Waterkloof is dry-farmed; the biological control of pests is employed as an alternative to chemical spraying; annual legume cover crops are sown to add nitrogen to the soil and annual grain cover crops are sown in alternate rows as a carbon source and to return nutrients to the soil; earthworms are farmed and their casts are used to make a tea, which is used on the cover crops and soil as a living fertiliser; 380-400 tons of compost a year are made each year to boost carbon matter in the soil, to enhance its water holding capacity, and to boost the level of microbes in the soil keeping it fertile and alive; and, as part of the estate’s biodynamic regime, various foliar feeds are made. No damaging herbicides, pesticides or fungicide are used, only natural predatory fungi and metabolites to control mildew and to build the plants’ immunity. Six Percheron horses are used to plough, compost, spray and harvest the vineyards to reduce damage to the soil and vines and to reduce carbon emissions. Using the horses also teaches the handlers the rare skill of training these horses. A flock of chickens reduces the number of pests in the vineyard and returns nitrogen to the soil and compost, as well as providing fresh, free-range eggs for the restaurant. A small herd of cows is kept, which is key to producing biodynamic composts and teas, and a flock of sheep and a herd of goats are allowed to graze in the vineyards in winter to naturally reduce the level of weeds and vegetation between vine rows, as well as to put nitrogen back into the soil.
In the cellar, waste water gets pumped through a stainless-steel filter into a bioreactor where it is combined with the rest of the waste water from the building. Aerobic bacteria remove most of the contaminants before the water is pumped into a sand bed to remove any solids. From there, it runs into a reed bed for a final clean up and it is then used to irrigate the young vines. Peroxide is used a cleaning agent in the cellar as it breaks down in water after 15 minutes, leaving no residue. The cellar itself is built into the hillside to maintain a stable temperature, to avoid pumping the wines and hence reducing energy usage. Used boxes, dividers, bottles, screwcaps, plastics, paper and labels are recycled with an external company that take everything away for recycling. Old, unused bottles are sold to bottle recyclers who wash and resell them.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chenin Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Great with seafood, pasta, salads, chicken... just give it a go with anything you want. |
Origin | Stellenbosch |
Appellation | South Africa |
2022 Hermanuspietersfontein Kat met 'n Houtbeen (Sauvignon Blanc)
Regular price £16.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%‘Kat Met Die Houtbeen’ translates to ‘Cat With The Wooden Leg’ from Afrikaans.
"Humbly hobbling along while counting her blessings
She once wandered onto our yard, cool, calm, and confident and made herself at home. Independently comfortable. Where she came from no one knows. Her adventures didn’t start here, it is here where it continues…"
This alludes to the lithe nature of the wine as well as the use of oak.
This is a fuller style Sauvignon Blanc that ferments and ages in both new (40%) and older oak for 12 months.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Bright, clear, live green straw
Nose
Elegant aromas of exotic fruit (starfruit, dragon fruit), undertones of tropical aromas (passionfruit and ripe pineapple) and yellow fruit (peach).
Palate
Harmonious, elegant, and well-rounded supported by crisp freshness, good length with minerality at the end.
Vinification
A fuller style Sauvignon blanc that ferments and ages in oak for 10-12 months depending on the vintage. We use old (75%) and new (25%) French oak pigeons (500L). Certain leaner vintages might contain a smidgeon of Sémillon to broaden the texture and palate.
The earlier vintages (2012-2017) are more in a linear style and will start to showcase some tertiary flavours, where the younger vintages (2018-2022) will have elegant aromas of exotic fruit (starfruit, dragon fruit), undertones of tropical aromas (passionfruit and ripe pineapple) and yellow fruit (peaches). On the palate we strive to create a fine balance between elegant and a well-rounded wine, supported by crisp freshness, good length and minerality at the end. These wines will age for 7 years and beyond, provided stored under optimum conditions
History
You’ve probably heard of the quaint beach town of Hermanus, situated on South Africa’s famous Whale Coast. Between 1855 and 1902, it was called Hermanuspietersfontein. In 1902, the local postmaster decided to shorten the name of the town to make addressing letters to the locals easier.
150 years later, the wine farm Hermanuspietersfontein, or HPF for short, craft outstanding wines with a serious sense of place. Their grapes come from Sondagskloof, which competes with Elgin and the Ceres Plateau for South Africa’s coolest wine growing region.
Accolades
- 94 points - Platters 2024
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar |
Sauvignon blanc, with a potentially small percentage of Semillon |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.1% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential |
Vibrant acidity and a lingering finish gives the wine at least 5 years ageing potential. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Maturation in Oak |
12 months in French Oak 60% in old (2-3 years of age) French oak pigeons (500L) 40% in new French oak pigeons (500L). Then 3 months in tank, 6 months in bottle before release. |
Food Matches |
Garlic and herb roast chicken or a classic chicken Caesar Salad if you’re in the mood for something a bit lighter. |
Origin | Sondagskloof, Walker Bay near Hermanus |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2023 Hermanuspietersfontein Kaalvoet Meisie (Sauvignon Blanc)
Regular price £15.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%‘Kaalvoet Meisie’ is the Afrikaans word for ‘Barefoot Girl’, which alludes to this wine being the lighter style of Sauvignon Blanc from HPF.
"She’s the Soul of Sondagskloof. She gets a thrill kissing the earth with the souls of her feet and loves wriggling her toes in the soils of Sondagskloof.. Known for her natural freshness and mouthfeel, she offers European minerality with nuances of fresh fynbos spice and green apple. Single varietal Sauvignon blanc. Wine of Origin Sondagskloof."
Tasting Notes
Nose
Dominant yellow fruit (peaches) with undertones of pacific fruit (star fruit, dragon fruit and white pear). Also shows fresh fynbos and buchu.
Palate
Characterised by freshness and minerality. Good texture, consistency, and length.
Vinification
A lighter style of Sauvignon blanc including components from three different vinification processes. The early ripening blocks (25-35%) are subjected to a hyper-oxidation treatment. The biggest part of the blend (50-65%) undergoes skin contact for 2 days at 10 degrees C, while the last (latest ripening or final) riper blocks (10%) are treated reductively. We use small percentages of varietals such as Nouvelle and Viognier to add the proverbial ‘sugar and spice’, while the smidgeon of Sémillon adds fullness to the blend.
The earlier vintages are more in a linear style and will start to showcase some tertiary flavours, where the younger vintages will have dominant yellow fruit aromas (peaches and pineapple), with undertones of pacific fruit (star fruit, dragon fruit and white pear) and fresh fynbos/buchu. On the palate we strive to create a fine balance between freshness and minerality, supported by good texture and length.
History
You’ve probably heard of the quaint beach town of Hermanus, situated on South Africa’s famous Whale Coast. Between 1855 and 1902, it was called Hermanuspietersfontein. In 1902, the local postmaster decided to shorten the name of the town to make addressing letters to the locals easier.
150 years later, the wine farm Hermanuspietersfontein, or HPF for short, craft outstanding wines with a serious sense of place. Their grapes come from Sondagskloof, which competes with Elgin and the Ceres Plateau for South Africa’s coolest wine growing region.
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Sauvignon blanc (more than 85%), Nouvelle, Viognier and Sémillon. |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | These wines will age for 3-5 years and beyond, provided stored under optimum conditions. |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Maturation in Oak |
12 months in old French oak pigeons (500l) |
Food Matches | Pan seared Coley (Pollock) with tarragon beurre blanc. Blanched asparagus will complete a dish like this perfectly. |
Origin | Hermanus |
Appellation | WO Western Cape |
2023 False Bay Slow Chenin Blanc
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Chenin crafted the wild way – old vine fruit, fermented with yeast found naturally on the grapes. Up to six months lees ageing after fermentation gives a slow and natural evolution and a harmonious and balanced wine.
Tasting Notes
Ripe citrus and green plum fruit on the nose, with lightly bready aromas and notes of dried herbs including fennel and aniseed. Good concentration of zesty fruit with a creamy lemon character offset by taught acidity. The finish is long with great textural complexity, attributable to the long, slow, wild yeast fermentation.
Production
The grapes for False Bay Slow Chenin Blanc stem from old bush vines in the coastal region. Old vines are key to making stand-out chenin and although The Swartland is not as coastal as most of the vineyards used for the False Bay wines, it is an area where, quite frankly, grapes from old vines are available at the required prices. Thankfully, the area's old vines produce naturally low yields and retain good acidity despite being warmer and less windswept than Stellenbosch, so cooler, coastal Atlantic winds are less of a necessity for these gnarly old vines. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, fermented spontaneously with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks and then left on lees for a minimum of ten months before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa. Vegan friendly wine, sustainably farmed and naturally crafted.
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 | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chenin Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | A versatile wine equally well suited to partner lobster and other seafood, risotto or herb roast chicken. Can also handle spice very well. |
Origin | WO Coastal Region |
2023 False Bay Crystalline Chardonnay
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Crisp, unoaked, naturally fermented Chardonnay with purity of fruit and good depth of flavour from extended lees ageing.
Tasting Notes
Classy Chardonnay with flinty minerality and great purity and restraint. A citrus core with ripe apple, pear and delicate tropical notes, produces a wine with great poise. Extended time on the lees adds nutty and toasty notes. Intense yet delicate right through to the finish.
Production
The grapes for False Bay Crystalline Chardonnay stem primarily from a single vineyard in Stellenbosch located next door to one of the region's most lauded proponents of this noble cultivar. This coastal vineyard, gives lower yields, smaller berries which maintain their own natural acidity, thus obviating the need to add acid during the winemaking process. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, fermented spontaneously with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks and then left on lees for a minimum of six months before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa.
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 | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13 % alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Serve with roast chicken, pasta and creamy sauce or grilled tiger prawns. |
Origin | WO Coastal Region |
2022 Domaine de la Motte Petit Chablis
Regular price £19.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A proper baby Chablis!
Tasting Notes
Aromatic fruit with the tiniest hint of sandalwood smoke on the nose. The palate has lovely weight with ripe, fleshy cooked lemons, a touch of stone fruit and a good mineral backbone. Far superior than the name "Petit" might suggest.
Production Method
Vineyards are in the Hautes Côtes, at the top of the slopes just above Domaine de la Motte's Chablis classified plots and so achieve good ripeness. The soil is Portlandian, which is less chalky than Kimmeridgian, and typically produces wines which are less mineral and more fruity, well suited to earlier drinking. Having said that, Motte’s wine has real finesse with good fruit character – very much their house style. Cool-fermented in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation is also in stainless steel and the wine is unoaked.
Producer
Domaine de la Motte is a 25 hectare, family-run winery handed down from father to son since 1950. Now under the stewardship of Bernard Michaut, an ex-chef, who works with his son Adrien. Their winemaking is meticulous and the wines are benchmarks for the region. They are fastidious about producing concentrated, mineral and very precise wines which reflect the particular terroirs of Chablis, with vines on both Portlandian and Kimmeridgian soils. Motte's wines are regularly chosen for the Tastevinage label, a rigorous selection by the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin of wines they regard as offering the best of the region in terms of quality and style.
Sustainability
Having been already committed to sustainable viticulture, Domaine de la Motte are HVE Level 3 certified. This underlines the quality of the work carried out by the teams to support the ripening grapes, whilst protecting the biodiversity of the vineyard.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | France |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting Info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
This Petit Chablis is a light fruity wine that marries perfectly with oysters and all shellfish. | |
Origin | Chablis, Burgundy |
Appellation | Chablis |
2023 Forager White (Chenin Blanc & Grenache Blanc)
Regular price £12.75 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%"An altogether glorious glass of wine - enough flavour to drink on its own but with interest, complexity and length that will complement lots of menu options. A lot of wine for the price." Alan Chapman
Traversing the beautiful vineyards of the Western Cape, I have the good fortune to often taste small and unique parcels of wine. Winemakers create blends to accentuate certain qualities or add complexity to a wine. Forager is one such blend, assembled from selected grapes each with its own special character, 'foraged' from various vineyards, barrels and batches to create a distinctive wine in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Light yellow-straw.
Nose
The nose is reminiscent of apricot, peach, and quince with hints of lychee and cardamom.
Palate
Citrus and stone fruit follow on the palate, rounded by subtle oak and punchy lime acidity. The finish is long and dry. Medium to full-bodied.
Vineyards
Dryland vineyards in Paarl and Swartland, aged between 12-36 years. Various soil types, ranging from decomposed granite, shale, and alluvial soils.
Winemaking
The grapes were hand-picked with rigorous bunch selection in the vineyards. They were handled separately in the cellar, and only the free-run juice was cold-fermented with a selection of yeast strains to impart complexity. After fermentation, 40% of the wine was racked into a combination of 300L and 500L French oak barrels ranging from 2nd to 4th fill. The wine was given extended lees contact in the barrel for 3-5 months, after which it was racked, blended, and bottled.
Awards
- 2019: Best Value White Blend - Winemag, 90pt - Winemag, 4 Stars Platter
- 2020: Gold Gilbert & Gaillard - 4 Stars Platter, 92pt Winemag - Top 10 White blends, Winemag
- 2021: Double Gold Gilbert & Gaillard - 4 Stars Diners Club 2023 - 91pt Winemag
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"I had kinda overlooked this when we tasted in South Africa (so much to taste) - but it’s beautiful. Stone and citrus fruits dance round a core of lovely complex, textural creaminess. Good balance & length make for a thoroughly decent glass of white - lots of interest, flavour and complexity." Tasted August 2024
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 78% Chenin Blanc & 22% Grenache Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.6% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Suggestion |
Pair with wild mushroom risotto, Moroccan chicken tagine, or herb-crusted rack of lamb. Serve below room temperature: 8°C to 10°C. |
Cellaring Potential |
This wine can be enjoyed now but will reward cellaring for up to 3-4 years. |
Additional Information |
Integrity & Sustainably Certified |
Origin | Paarl & Swartland |
Appellation | Western Cape |
2021 Cortese Vanedda Bianco Organic
Regular price £18.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Pure class! Amazingly refined and almost Southern Chablis in style. Limited in production.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Intensely golden in colour.
Nose
Prominent notes of coconut and tropical fruit with an undercurrent of gentle spices.
Palate
Richly textured with well-integrated acidity and a long length.
Viticulture
The 100% organic grapes come only from the Cortese’s own vineyards grown near Contrada Sabuci, in the Vittoria area of South East Sicily. The grapes are carefully hand-harvested into small baskets and only the best quality are selected to make Vanedda. The baskets of grapes are refrigerated at 10°C for around 24 hours.
Winemaking
After this is completed the wine is carefully de-stemmed and fermented on the skins for at least 2 days, after which we separate the wine from the skins and finish the fermentation in 30 hl oak botti. Following fermentation, the wine stays on the lees for at least 7 months and remains in bottle for a further 6 months before being released on to the market.
Producer
Azienda Agricola Cortese is Stefano Girelli’s new estate in Sicily, in the South East near Ragusa. Cortese has a rich history in winemaking, and under Stefano’s guiding hand, has been brought back to life.
Cortese farms in a traditional way, using organic farming techniques from a time where organic was not a choice, but the only option. The dry, sun drenched Sicilian climate provides perfect conditions for organic farming. No chemical fertilisers or pesticides are used. Biodiversity is encouraged.
Traditional winemaking techniques are also adopted, such as fermentation in terracotta.
Cortese brings together respect for biodiversity, exclusively organic cultivation, the meeting of traditional techniques & contemporary technology and the vibrancy and colour of Sicilian life.
La Selezione is the top tier from Cortese. Distinguished by their excellent terroir, these are wines in a class of their own, without any obvious comparisons.
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 50% Grillo & 50% Catarratto |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matching | Goes perfectly with seafood and rich roasts a-like. |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian, certified Organic |
Origin | Italy |
Appellation |
Terre Siciliane IGP |
2022 De Bortoli The Accomplice Shiraz
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A fruit driven vibrant red Shiraz with plush ripe berry fruit supported by soft tannins and sweet vanillin oak providing length and structure to this ready to drink wine.
Tasting Notes
With a bright red appearance, this youthful Shiraz exhibits a chorus of juicy red berries flavours with layers of spice and a soft tannin finish.
The Season
Following good rains during winter, good soil moisture along with warm spring days leading into the 2021 vintage allowed the vines to enjoy a good growing season with crops returning to an average size. Relatively mild summer temperatures enabled the fruit to retain a good acidity and freshness of flavour. Harvest began mid-January for the white grapes, with red grapes starting a month later and all Riverina fruit harvested prior to the end of March. Good yields and very good quality.
Winemaking
Harvesting of fruit to achieve optimum berry flavours and plush tannins. A cool ferment on skins for 5-6 days. Gently pressed to maintain softness, freshness and maximise fruit drive.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Shiraz |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content
|
14% Alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.5 units |
Type | Red Wine |
Cellaring | Serve with char-grilled meats, pizza or antipasto; a plate of spaghetti bolognese, your favourite grilled BBQ meats or a chicken parmigiana. |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Origin | Riverina, Australia |
2022 De Bortoli The Accomplice Chardonnay
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A lovely luscious Australian Chardonnay!
Tasting Notes
Pale straw yellow hue. A bouquet of white nectarine and pineapple, as well as underlying vanilla oak, complementing the overall freshness of the wine. Soft and creamy palate, with textural notes as well as concentrated stone fruits. Oak is well integrated, as well as gentle acid, overall tying into a round, generous finish.
The Season
Good rains during winter and early spring allowed for good fruitfulness and healthy vines at the beginning of the growing season. A cooler than usual ripening period enabled good varietal flavours. Rain during late spring and summer increased the disease pressure but with good viticultural practices and selective harvesting we were able to begin vintage albeit about 2 weeks later than what has become the norm in recent times.
Winemaking
A large percentage of juice was handled oxidatively. This develops a richer and riper stone fruit spectrum in the resultant wine. Fermentation on oak allows for quicker and greater integration between the fruit and oak for a harmonious balance. Some parcels are left au naturel to go through malolactic fermentation, further softening the acid profile. The wines are left on light primary and secondary lees to add creaminess and weight.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Chardonnay |
Country | Australia |
Alcohol content
|
12.55% Alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring | In a good cellar this wine will last for 2-3 years. |
Features | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Origin | Riverina, Australia |
2023 False Bay Windswept Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%From cool, windswept, coastal vineyards which yield naturally balanced grapes giving a wine with pure varietal charters and vibrant acidity.
Tasting Notes
Fresh and zesty with grassy and dry bay leaf aromatics, mineral notes, with hints of richness. This is a restrained Sauvignon Blanc with a palate that has lots of minerality and citrus with lightly herbal notes. The finish is ripe and gently honeyed with crisp green apple fruit and fresh acidity.
Production
False Bay Windswept Sauvignon Blanc stems from vineyards in Stellenbosch, some of which are a mere 3 miles from The Atlantic Ocean. These vineyards allow for low yields, slower ripening, natural acidity and a greater concentration of flavours. If one wants to make sauvignon blanc naturally, these are just the type of grapes required. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, then a portion of the juice is fermented spontaneously with wild yeast and the rest is inocculated. The wine spends a minimum of 6 months on lees before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa. Vegan friendly, sustainably farmed and naturally crafted
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.
Alan's Personal Notes
"Fresh and dry with zest citric fruit and an interesting juxtaposition between maritime salinity (proximity of vineyards to the ocean) and mountainous minerality from the granitic souls - both giving great length, complexity and balance. A real snip @£9 a bottle - it delivers a great deal of flavour for little money giving incredible bang for bucks!"
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Perfect with a host of Mediterranean dishes, or with Chinese squid or Thai fish dishes. |
Origin | WO Coastal Region |
Summer Selection - Case of White Wines
Regular price £72.90 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%This Bank Holiday Weekend we launch the beginning of our "Summer Selections" with our Case of White Wines for just £60!
We have pulled together a case of crowd-pleasing summertime sipping white wines - perfect for picnics, garden parties, BBQ's or just toasting the setting sun.
Each case contains the following wines -
- South African Coterie by Wildeberg Chenin Blanc & Grenache Blanc - This is a rich, textural wine whose body and exotic jasmine notes would ably marry with gentle Malay and Thai green fish curries, dishes with lemongrass and coriander, or just simply BBQ'd linefish
- French Domaine de Vedilhan Viognier - "This is a gem! A classically French Viognier, with delicious fresh apricot fruit. Beautifully balanced with great texture. Perfect for a summer's evening in the garden, astounding value for a real quality dry, white style. Perfect on its own but will match really well with both Chicken and Pork." Alan
- New Zealands Te Merio Sauv Blanc - " Bright and fresh with good acidity and great texture. It’s more kumquat & guava/passion fruit than light and mineral in style. It says it’s sourced from Nelson on the back label but with this opulent fruit profile, it reminds me more of Marlborough! Either way, it’s a cracking wine and not too harsh on the wallet!." Alan
- French Cicada Blanc by Chante Cigale - "This is a beautiful find. Loaded with aromas and flavours. Fresh, unoaked but unctous fresh fruit with a persistent and compelling palate. A great value alternative to more expensive Chateauneuf Blanc or Condrieu." Alan
- Italy's Castel del Lupo Pinot Grigio 'Della Ginestra' - Ideal as an aperitif and excellent with summery appetizers and fish dishes.
- Germany's Bischöfliche DOM Riesling (Dry) - " This is very good. A solid Riesling characteristics with an added touch of minerality and some herbal & spicy notes. Lovely fresh fruit, balancing acidity, great complexity and good length. All in all a really decent glass of wine 10/10." Alan
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2022 La Musa Pinot Grigio Rose Delle Venezie DOC
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Colour
Rosé bright
Nose
Fresh & fruity
Palate
Light and fruity - easy to drink rosé
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | Pinot Grigio |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 12% |
|
9 units |
Type | Rosé |
Food Matches |
Great with starters, main courses and fish dishes |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | Veneto |
Origin | Veneto |
2022 La Musa Inzolia Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliana IGT
Regular price £9.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Made from Sicilian-grown grapes by Casa Vinicola Caldirola in Contra, a small hamlet in the Comune of Missaglia that’s about an hour north of Milan.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Light straw yellow with green nuances
Nose
Intense but elegant, with hints fresh fruits and slight final notes of flowers
Palate
It is a dry, light-bodied wine with primary fruit flavours of lime, lemon, pear and apple. With faint honeyed notes, floral aromas (like honeysuckle) and a saline-like minerality
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar |
Inzolia & Pinot Grigio |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 12 % |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle
|
9 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches |
Ideal for fish dishes, pasta or as aperitive |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Features | Organic |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | Sicilia Doc |
Origin | Sicily |
2022 La Musa Grillo Terre Sicliana DOC
Regular price £9.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%A fantastic terroir led Grillo, with crunchy green apple and lean minerality.
It’s made from Sicilian-grown grapes by Casa Vinicola Caldirola in Contra, a small hamlet in the Comune of Missaglia that’s about an hour north of Milan.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Light straw yellow
Nose
Fruity & Characteristic
Taste
Fresh, sourish with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Grillo |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol content | 12% |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle
|
9 units |
Type | White Wine |
Food Matches | Ideal for fish dishes |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Features | Vegetarian & Vegan approved |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Appellation | Sicilia Doc |
Origin | Sicily |
2023 Italia Pinot Grigio, Provincia di Pavia IGT (25cl Can)
Regular price £2.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Fresh and zesty Pinot Grigio from the Pavia hills south of Milan, handily packaged in a 25cl can. Picnic Perfect!
Tasting Notes
A refreshing white with apple and citrus aromas, and combining lemony acidity with lightly honeyed fruit, to give a fresh and dry finish.
Production
The Pinot Grigio grapes are harvested in the first half of September. Then crushed and gently pressed before cool fermentation at 16-18˚C in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
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 | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 250ml |
Cultivar |
85% Pinot Grigio and 15% Chardonnay |
Country | Italy |
Alcohol Content | 12.5% alc vol |
Units of alcohol per bottle | 3.1 units |
Type | White wine |
Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
Food Matches |
Great for picnics, festivals, or whenever you fancy just one glass. |
Origin |
Provincia di Pavia IGT |
2023 Groote Post 'A Pinch of Salt' Chardonnay
Regular price £23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%
Tasting Notes
Nose
The Groote Post Pinch of Salt Chardonnay shows an abundance of fresh stone fruit and vibrant citrus notes on the nose.
Palate
On the palate, a steely minerality with crisp citrus and yellow stone fruit flavours and a long, zesty acidity assure a full and concentrated structure. This lightly wooded 2023 vintage shows complexity with fresh acidity, a beautiful minerality, and a vibrant, zesty structure. Innovation and tradition blend perfectly to bring out the best in this wine.
In the Vineyard
Out with the old, in with the new—this is the story of our Chardonnay vineyards on the farm. After more than three decades of service, our Chardonnay vines faced viral challenges, leading to a transformation. Nine years ago, we started replanting Chardonnay, not just for replacement but for enhancement. We carefully chose superior clones and optimal farm locations for this grape variety. These new vineyards exceeded expectations, yielding exceptional grapes, marking the dawn of an extraordinary wine.
In the Cellar
In the cellar, a symphony unfolds as the first and last Chardonnay grapes harvested enjoy a two- to three-week interlude due to diverse microclimates. Grapes are harvested into bins, with only the best undergoing sorting before pressing. We use whole bunch pressing, carefully separating fractions during pressing. The juice settles for three days before fermentation. We ferment Chardonnay in three vessels: fifty percent in stainless steel for a crisp character, thirty percent in French oak for richness, and twenty percent in amphoras for a unique blend. This approach creates a wine with layers of flavour and depth. After fermentation, the wine rests on the lees for six months, allowing it to evolve, refine, and develop remarkable complexity.
Alan's Personal Notes
"A pure, citric and stone fruit mineral style of Chardonnay - with just a hint of oak - more Chablis style than Meursault but equally complex and with a delicious long finish for new world Chardonnay. Toasty oak and vanillin start to release themselves with a bit of oxidation and a degree or two less cold." May 2024
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Chardonnay |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content
|
13% alc vol
|
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matching | With the grapes basking in the salty wind and the West Coast sun on the highest hill of the farm, this wine will be the perfect summer companion, served with simple fish cakes and a light, nutritious salad with a refreshing balsamic vinaigrette. |
Origin | WO Western Cape |
Appellation | Darling |