1982 armagnac, veuve goudoulin

A slightly herbaceous nose with hints of hay and warming cocoa. The palate is beautifully balanced with a note of caramel to sweeten the oak finish. 

£115.00

1997 moulin touchais, coteaux du layon

Chenin Blanc

History documents that the first sweet wines were produced along the banks of the Layon in 1579, with Dutch merchants encouraging their production, since they appeared to have the stamina to survive the journey by boat back to the Low Countries. Whilst the family Touchais cannot claim to have pioneered the production of moelleux, their ancestors were certainly making wine as far back as 1787. That’s eight generations so far, and counting… The first six were situated not within the town, but in Tigné, the location of the original Moulin and it was from here that the original vineyard holding was built up, mostly to support the requirements for Cuisse de Bergère, a hugely successful inexpensive branded rosé that was developed by Joseph Touchais in the late 1940s and around the same period the business was transferred to the cellars in Doué-La-Fontaine. One of the best vintages of the decade there are some wonderfully tropical elements as well as plenty of Botrytis evident. Pairs perfectly with Crème Brulee, Pate or strong cheeses.

£50.00

2010 chateau kirwan, 3ieme cru classe margaux

Bordeaux Blend

For over a decade Chateau Kirwan has undergone a massive overhaul both in the cellar and vineyard and has also had a change of winemaker.  Meticulous care and attention is paid to every part of the viticultural and vinification process and as a result the wines are truly delicious.  The grapes used for Chateau Kirwan are hand picked from the very best plots from the predominantly gravel (with some clay) soils, and then go through two sorting processes, by hand, before being vinified in seperate batches according to the vineyard plot they came from.  The wine spends 18 months in oak prior to bottling and half the barrels are brand new each year. 

£95.00

2010 sauternes, chateau lamourette

Semillon/Sauvignon

Lamourette is a tiny domaine which lies within a kilometre of the mighty Ch d'Yquem, and covers a mere 10 ha, making it a truly artisan estate. The soil, which is largely sandy/clay with a sub-soil of limestone, gives the Semillon a freshness and a fruitiness. Hand-harvested over 2-4 ‘tries’ (passages through the vineyard), to ensure the ripest berries are selected.  Fermentation takes place in small stainless steel vats, and partially in oak, depending on the age of the vines, terroir and ripeness of the grapes.  This is a beautifully balanced Sauternes with dried fruits, honeycomb and quince with perfectly poised acidity which freshens the wine.  Already showing nicely with a bit of time in bottle, this will continue to evolve for years to come.

£29.95

2011 chateau bellegrave, ac pomerol

Bordeaux Blend

The 2011 vintage had a hard act to follow coming after two exceptional years in Bordeaux and whilst the wines aren't as showy as the '09's and '10's they are charming and drinking beautifully with a decade in bottle. 

£55.00

2011 chateau grandis, cru bourgeois medoc

Bordeaux Blend

Grandis has been a Cru Bourgeois property since the 1930's and has maintained it's status ever since by producing fabulous quality, classic wines.  Beautifully balanced cigar box and spice alongside dark fruits and finely balanced tannins.

£18.95

2011 comtes de champagne, grand cru blanc de blancs, taittinger

Chardonnay

Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne is a rare treat and only made in the finest vintages from 100% Chardonnay from 5 of the greatest Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne.  2011 was a particularly good vintage for Chardonnay, marked by its early ripening and drought conditions which forced the vines to delve deep in search of water for growth. 

£150.00

2012 chateau fourcas hosten, listrac medoc

Bordeaux Blend

Quite possibly the finest property in Listrac, Fourcas Hosten can date it's history back to the 18th Century and has  47 hectares of vines.  The Merlot is mostly planted on the clay soils, whereas the gravel is favoured by the two Cabernets, Sauvignon and Franc.  Up until 2010 the property used to produce very traditional, muscular styles of claret but has since been undergoing conversion to organic farming methods, eschewing the use of pesticides and carrying out as much of the work by hand as possible.  The results are a softer, more fruit led and approachable style that offers superb value for money.  There has also been much investment in the winery too which has led to the wines getting better and better. 

£22.99

2012 grand millesime brut, champagne gosset, ay

Champagne Blend

Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne. It was founded in Aÿ in 1584 by Pierre Gosset an alderman and wine-grower who made mostly red wines. At that time the region’s still wines competed for pride of place on the best tables of France with the wines of Beaune which were made from the same grape varieties as they are today.

£72.00

2012 quarts de chaume, baumard, half bottle

Chenin Blanc

We have a soft spot for the incredible Chenin Blancs from Baumard and gems such as this truly spectacular wine highlight the quality of winemaking at this Domaine.  Baumard eschew traditional trellising methods for this part of the Loire and have also flown in the face of tradition by switching excluisively to screwcaps for their range.  The Quarts de Chaume vineyard enjoys a superb terroir and a unique situation producing wines of rare elegance.  This remarkable wine is wonderfuly textured and manages to comine power and clarity alongside richness and precision. Complex with floral bouquets and notes of citrus and orchard fruit with impeccable acidity, this is a wine to savour.

£32.00

2013 noir de terroir extra brut, champagne levasseur

Pinot Noir

The Levasseur vineyards are organically farmed and certified for their high environmental value, and produce a mere 30,000 bottles per year. The Noir de Terroir is made with 100% Pinot Noir and shows distinctive Strawberry, redcurrant and Nectarine fruit on the nose. The complex palate is well-structured with a fine mousse and long finish. This is outstanding grower champagne and highlights what fantastic value you ccan get when you stray from the well-trodden path of the bigger houses.

£65.00

2014 blanc de blancs extra brut, champagne germar breton

Chardonnay

Germar Breton are a relatively young Champagne House that started in 2005.  Based in the southerly Aube region, they make approachable, terrific value wines solely from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, eschewing the use of Pinot Meunier as they believe that it brings a harshness ot the final wine. 

£45.00

2014 chateau cantemerle, haut medoc grand cru classe

Bordeaux Blend

The 2014 is just starting to show really nicely yet has plenty of life ahead of it.  This is by no means a blockbuster, being mid weight with classic Haut Medoc characters of dark fruits, pencil lead and touches of cedar perfectly balanced by well integrated tannins and decent acidity on the finsh.

£45.00

2014 chateau saint-pierre, 4ieme cru classe st.julien

Bordeaux Blend

The 2014 vintage of this 'under the radar' Chateau is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.  Chateau Saint-Pierre is the smallest classed growth in Saint Julien but has a growing reputation for producing excellent, deeply coloured reds.  It is part of the Chateau Gloria stable and often eclipses it's more illustrious stablemate in blind tastings.  Prices are creeping up as their reputation grows but these beautifully made wines still represent good value.

£60.00

2015 banyuls traditionnel, gerard bertrand

Grenache/Garnacha

Crimson red in colour with delicate purple tints, this wine reveals aromas of very ripe red fruits and wild berries on the nose. The full and rounded palate shows beautifully balanced sweetness, with jammy blackcurrant and blackberry fruit underpinned by distinctive oaky notes through to a long, elegant finish.

£24.95

2015 chartron la fleur, ac bordeaux, magnum

Bordeaux Blend

The Chartron la Fleur AC Bordeaux is a lovely, easy going blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon taht is soft and forward providing a great value, everyday claret.

£22.00

2015 chateau saransot-dupre, listrac medoc, magnum

Bordeaux Blend

Chateau Saransot-Dupre is a favourably sited 17 hectares property that lies between Fourcas Dupré and Fourcas Hosten in Listrac.  Due to Listrac’s cooler temperatures, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are favoured over Cabernet Sauvignon to form the majority of the blend, helping them achieve optimum ripeness.  Much like Chateau Fourcas Hosten, the wines have improved year on year since 2010 and the property were put on the radar thanks to a certain Robert Parker hailing the 2010 vintage as 'classed growth quality'.  High praise indeed!

£50.00

2015 crozes hermitage ‘nouvelere’, philippe jaboulet

Syrah/Shiraz

The Crozes Hermitage Nouvelere is made from 100% Syrah from old vines that is fermented and aged in oak. This is wonderfuly complex and concentrated, showing brooding dark fruits, liquorice, herbs and spice.  An absolute joy and a terrific example of Crozes Hermitage.

£23.95

2015 grand cru brut, champagne delavenne, bouzy

Champagne Blend

Delavenne are an outstanding family run grower based in Bouzy making elegant, organic and vegan friendly Champagnes exclusively from their Grand Cru vineyards.  Minimal intervention and no malolactic fermentation means that the wines are clean and lively with a distinct purity.

£59.95

2015 lledoner pelut, domaine la colombette, magnum

Lledoner Pelut

We are massive fans of the wines from Domaine La Colombette.  It all began in 1890 when Louis Pugibet a blacksmith, fell in love with a winemaker and she gave him his first hectare as a gift for the marriage. Four generations later Francois and son Vincent work side by side creating exciting wines. Colombette are pioneers in the region and are at the forefront of exploring and developing new techniques with disease resistant grape varieties as well as continuing to produce outstanding wines from known varieties.  They produce a wide range of styles and whilst all teh wines are distinctive they posess a common thread of having restrained alcohol levels without compromising on fruit or body.

£37.95

2015 saint ser prestige rouge, provence 75cl

Syrah Blend

The area of the Sainte-Victoire is bathed in a fascinating light which makes it a preferred site for wine growing and is also the highest vineyard of Sainte-Victoire mountain’s slope, Domaine de Saint-Ser which has particularly distinctive soils and enjoys a southern exposure.

£19.95

2015 sancerre la pente, emile balland, magnum

Sauvignon Blanc

This tiny 6.5 hectare domaine in the Loire was started by Emile Balland in 1999. The Ballands have been making wines in the Loire since 1650 and his father was instrumental in achieving recognition for the young AOC Coteaux du Giennois in the 1980s.The La Pente is a first class Sancerre and the pinnacle of Emile' production.  It comes from vines are grown on Emile's finest sites in teh limestone soil of Beauregard, and he only uses the first juice from the pressing is used. After a careful fermentation, the wine is matured for large barrels for 18 months to develop complexityWonderful, textured Sancerre showing restrained tropical fruits, fine minerality and a wonderful length on the finish.  We are thrilled to have got our hands on a few magnums of this stunning wine.

£85.00

2016 ch. lynch-moussas, 5eme cru classe pauillac

Bordeaux Blend

83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot with 60% new oak used during maturation, the 2016 Chateau Lynch-Moussas is just begining to hit it's drinking window but is defintiely set to improve.

£55.00

2016 chassagne montrachet les benoites, emma & christian sorine

Chardonnay

The Sorine estate is owned and run by the heirs of one of the oldest families in Santenay. The family estate was rebuilt in 1946 by Jean Sorine and was then taken over by his son Christian in 1990. Today Christian is joined by his wife Emma in the vineyards and winery. With limited vineyards available in Santenay the estate has grown and now also includes some Maranges.

£42.95