2022 Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Klein Zalze

Cabernet Sauvignon

The Vineyard Selection Cabernet from Klein Zalze is one of those wines that is immediately appealing.  This amiable red is made from grapes sourced from vines that are over 30 years old, giving an enticing red wine that is packed with classic blackcurrant fruit with eucalyptus notes mingling with cinnamon spice and gentle oak.  Rich and concentrated yet by no means overpowering, this is a finely made wine and demonstrates the tremendous value to be found in South Africa.

£19.95

2022 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Avignonese

Sangiovese

Founded in 1974, Avignonesi is the leading winery in the Montepulciano area of Tuscany, enjoying a sterling reputation amongst wine critics around the world.

£27.95

2022 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Avignonese, Half Bottle

Sangiovese

Founded in 1974, Avignonesi is the leading winery in the Montepulciano area of Tuscany, enjoying a sterling reputation amongst wine critics around the world.

£16.95

2022/23 Brezeme, Eric Texier, AC Cotes du Rhone

Syrah/Shiraz

A beautiful, finely structured style of Syrah, with vivid focus, lively black raspberry, tea, pepper and wood smoke notes, whilst the palate has an elegant freshness, dark berries, spice and a savoury note, adding to its complexity.A man of conviction but by no means a zealot, Eric Texier likes to push the boundaries.

£33.00

2022/23 Carte d’Or, Baumard, AC Coteaux du Layon, Half Bottle

Chenin Blanc

The Carte d'Or Coteaux du Layon from Baumard has a very attractive honeyed nose, with lifted yellow fruits and more golden tropical elements such as mango, guava and pineapple. It has a particularly tropical character and a very fresh feel on the palate, with steely minerality and a zippy background acidity giving invigorating tartness to keep the wine luscious and buoyant. The rounded, approachable finish has good length.

£13.95

2022/23 Eight Feet White, Kloovenburg, Swartland

White Blend

The Eight Feet White from Kloovenburg has an elegant nose with a mixture of white flowers, citrus and spice which leads to a generous, richly textured palate and fine, balanced finish.  This wonderful white is a blend of hand picked Chenin, Verdelho, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne harvested at different times to enable the final blend to have a balance of freshness, complexity and vitality.  Made with free run juice the fermentation process is natural, often taking up to 3 months.  The wine spends 10 months on it's fine lees in barrel with regular battonage (to promote texture), before final blending and bottling.  The absence of malolactic fermentation means that the wine retains freshness and acidity despite it's time in barrel.

£24.95

2022/23 Judas Malbec, Bodegas Sottano, Magnum

MALBEC

The Sottano Judas Malbec is a powerful red wine with an intense deep red/black in the glass with violet hints.  The nose and palate are complex with plum, blueberry and dark cherry fruits, well-integrated oak and notes of vanilla, spice and tobacco.

£105.00

2022/23 Saint Maur Sauvignon Blanc, Two Rivers, Marlborough

Sauvignon Blanc

The Saint Maur is a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc made by Two Rivers in Marlborough.  It is a true terroir project and the fruit is harvested from 20 year old vines that grow on the silt and gravel soils.  This fabulous white wine is fermented naturally in a mixture of concrete egg and amphora, and rested on it's lees for a further 12 months prior to release.  The result is a wonderfully textured, exotic and focussed with a complex citrus and herbal tinged palate.  Just 2000 bottles are produced of this wonderful Kiwi Sauvignon so grab it while you can.

£22.95

2023 Bandol Blanc, La Bastide Blanche, AC Bandol

White Blend

When white Bandol is as good as this it's difficult to see why they don't get as much attention as the Rosés. The Bastide Blanche Bandol Blanc is a terrific blend of  Clairette (58%), Ugni Blanc (22%), Bourboulenc (12%) & Rolle (8%) is packed with white peach and fresh herb characters on the nose. The complex palate is multi-layered and textured yet fresh, finishing with a distinct saline tang.  This cracking wine shows a beautiful balance of power and elegance and should be on the 'must try' list of every adventurous drinker.  

£32.00

2023 Beaujolais Villages ‘Cuvee Six’, Caves De Julienas Chaintre

Gamay

The Beaujolais Villages 'Cuvee Six' from Caves De Julienas Chaintre just gets better and better with each vintage, showing soft, rounded red fruits and vibrant cherry flavours.  Complex enough to make one sit up and think yet easy going and supple at the same time.  Great for lighter lunches and it can also be chilled lightly when the weather warms up!

£14.95

2023 Bel a Ciao Vin Orange, IGP Atlantique

Semillon/Sauvignon

It's Bordeaux Jim, but not as we know it! Outlandish winemaker Olivier Cazenave likes to do things a little differently and this Orange Bordeaux is testament to that.  Made with predominantly Semillon that spends two weeks on skins before being run off by gravity into a seperate tank for a further 6 months at 5 degrees Celcius until bottling.  A tiny amount of traditionally fermented Sauvignon and Muscadelle is added to add freshness and a floral edge.  No sulphur was used at harvest and is only used in the bottling process when absolutely necessary. 

£16.95

2023 Buddy Talk White, Michael Opitz

White Blend

The Buddy Talk White form Michael Opitz is a delicate, easy drinking blend of Muskat Ottonel, Muskateller and Sauvignon Blanc.  Blending gentle floral aromatics with crisp, zesty citrus and orchard fruit, this juicy white is highly enjoyable and perfect for spring summer supping.

£17.95

2023 Crozes Hermitage ‘Equinoxe’, Domaine Equis

Syrah/Shiraz

The Crozes Hermitage Equinoxe from Domaine Equis is a bright, fruit led and early drinking style of Crozes that is refreshingly light in alcohol and a joy to drink.

£26.95

2023 Director’s Reserve White, Tokara, W.O. Stellenbosch

White Blend

The Tokara Director's Reserve White represents the pinnacle of white wine production at Tokara, one of Stellenbosch's finest estates.  This delicious white is a blend of 68% Sauvignon Blanc and 32% Semillon picked from pristine south/southwest facing granite slopes.  The wine is pressed, with only the free run juice from the best blocks making the final wine.  It is barrel fermented and aged in french oak for 9 months with regular lees stirring before blending and bottling in the November following harvest.

£31.00

2023 Essensia Orange Blossom Muscat

Muscat

Quady's Essensia Orange Blossom Muscat combines the traditionally intense and sweet aromatics of Orange Muscat with soft spiciness. The perfect accompaniment to dessert.

£14.95

2023 Estate Reserve Chardonnay, Lismore, Greyton

Chardonnay

£54.00

2023 Fleurie, Domaine Jean Foillard

Gamay

£46.00

2023 Fontanario de Pegoes Tinto, DOP Palmela

Castelao

The Fontanario de Pegoes Tinto comes from a fabulous co-operative based in the Peninsula de Setubal.  Fruit forward and easy drinking, yet in no way dull, this cracking value red wine has intense aromas of red berries, spice and a hint of vanilla. This is a well-structured and smooth wine with a soft and fruity mouthfeel, complemented by attractive coffee notes on the lingering finish. 

£12.95

2023 Gamay, Domaine Moulin Camus, IGP Loire

Gamay

This 100% Gamay from Domaine Moulin Camus comes from grapes grown on a slope of pure mica schist which gives the wine juicy, rounded red fruits a bit of tautness and minerality.  A warmer than normal, sulphur free maceration for three days helps bring out some warmth and roundness to the fruit, making it slightly beaujolais'esque but without the bubble gum/commercial edge that one would normally find in this price range.

£13.50

2023 Gruner Veltliner Hasel, Weingut Allram, Kamptal

Gruner Veltliner

The delicious Gruner Veltliner Hasel by Weingut Allram comes from hand picked fruit that is fermented at a cool temperature with native yeasts and offers pure, unadulterated drinking pleasure.  Ripe fruit, very clean with an undeniable elegance and fine minerality underpinning the juicy fruit.  Extended lees ageing adds a little texture too. 

£20.95

2023 Julienas ‘Bois de la Salle’, Cave Julienas-Chaintre

Gamay

The grapes for this medium weight, fruit led Julienas are hand harvested and left in tank for 10 days to macerate in order to optimise the colour and aroma of the wine. Fermentation takes place at a warm 27/28 degrees centigrade and maturation follows until March when the wine is bottled.An intense, purple colour. Fruity aromas dominated by fragrant raspberry, blackberry and blueberry. Round, supple and rich yet balanced by a lingering freshness on the finish.

£16.95

2023 Las Etelas Chardonnay, Finca Valmore, Tupungato

Chardonnay

The Las Estelas Chardonnay is another beautiful wine from the hugely talented Estela Perinetti.  Made with Burgundian clones grown at 1380 metres above sea level in the cold Finca Valmore single vineyard, the grapes for this wine are hand harvested and de-stemmed, with 5% fermented as whole bunches. All grapes are barrel fermented with natural yeast in a combination of new and second use French oak and 70% of the wine goes through malolactic, allowing freshness to be retained. The wine is then aged in a mixture of new and used oak as well as ceramic barrels (25%). 

£26.95

2023 Lirac Rouge Cuvee Elie, Domaine La Loyanne, Magnum

Rhone Blend

This relatively young family owned Domaine was created in 2001 by vignerons with 4 generations of vinegrowing and winemaking expertise under their belts.  They own some seriously old vines in superb sites in the Southern Rhone on a mixture of soils of red sand, clay and the classic 'Galet' pebbles associated with Chateauneuf du Pape.  As a result, their wines posess a wonderful depth and concentration.

£49.99

2023 Mason Road GSM, Brookdale Estate, WO Paarl

Rhone Blend

The Mason Road GSM is a cracking value red blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Cinsault. This lovely wine shows layers of ripe bramble fruit along with cherry, blackcurrant and plum notes mingling with smoky notes from the oak.  Silky, realy well-knit and almost dangerously drinkable.

£16.95