This gorgeous Pinot Noir from Larry Cherubino is made with fruit from the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The nose shows graphite and minerals, juicy black cherries with a hint of spicy oak plays a supporting role. The palate is softly textured, fresh and vibrant, the flavours of black cherry and earthy beetroot carried along by a fine acid finish.
Wine Heroes
This page is dedicated to our wine heroes – the wines, winery, winemakers that have shaped our vinous journey over the past 20 years.
We followed, bought and collected all the wines that feature on this page for many years and their quality vintage upon vintage is without question.
In short, these are the wines we drink, and we hope you will love them as much as we do.
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2021 ‘Origin’ Pinot Noir, Saint Clair
£2075Add to BasketDark garnet colour in the glass with aromas layered with blueberry and blackcurrant fruits, intermingled with dark chocolate aromas. The palate is concentrated and fruit-driven with ripe red berries and dark fruits filling the senses. Delicate tannin and savoury oak notes to finish. Well-matched with garlic and rosemary lamb rack with a side of fresh lettuce and pistachio salad.
Drinking beautifully now, this wine can be enjoyed young or with careful cellaring will mature into a more complex wine that can be enjoyed for the next three years.
The fruit is sourced from a number of specifically chosen low cropping vineyards from the Southern Valleys region of the Wairau Plain. The vines are grown in very clay-rich, vigour moderating soils. Each vineyard is closely monitored and tasted to determine when the flavours were at their optimum and harvested in the cool of the morning.
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2019 The Feral Fox Pinot Noir, d’Arenberg
£2095Add to BasketFabulous! This wine sings in the glass. Gently poached strawberry compote with twists of maraschino cherry. Given time in the glass will leave you wanting more. As it opens the palate offers touches of truffle, spice and forest floor adding layers of serious complexity. A bright acid backbone is a guarantee that this wine will develop with attitude and grace. Classic Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir.
THE NAME: The feral foxes that inhabit the Adelaide Hills have developed an appetite for grapes and can often be found eating low hanging bunches during vintage. Chester says that he is nor bothered by this as these bushy-tailed critters act as crop thinners and enhance the quality of grapes that are too high for them to reach. It also has the secondary effect of providing a natural source of fertilisation when the laxative nature of the grapes take effect on the normally carnivorous foxes.
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2022 Laissez Faire Pinot Noir, Larry Cherubino
£2650Add to BasketEarthy beetroot, red cherry and red/flowery fruit bouquet are supported by spicy oak aromas. The palate follows suit with beetroot, cherry and flowery/red fruit, fine tannins and a soft texture
Laissez-Faire means “let it be” and this reflects the hands-off approach that winemaker Larry Cherubino employs. He has learnt from organics, bio-dynamics and natural wine practices, but is not dictated by one school of thought. Larrys says ‘ We don’t subscribe to dogma. You could call them natural wines, but we like to think of them as post-natural wines. We believe in healthy and sustainable vineyard practices and winemaking transparency with as little as possible between the vine and finished wine‘
In the Laissez-Faire wines, there’s no added tannin, or acid, or animal fining products. There is zero sulfur used throughout the winemaking and only a minimal amount at bottling. They are using alternate varieties and blends to make naturally balanced wines. From vine to bottle, the wine takes its course, hands-free. The wines are also vegan friendly.
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Champagne Collet Brut NV
£3750Add to BasketA bright golden Champagne with a fine stream of bubbles and complex aromas of white flowers, lemon zest, quince and white peach. Delicate hints of spice, anise and herbs are layered with rich notes of puff pastry. A refreshing palate with gentle bubbles, a balanced texture and a wonderful crunch of freshness on the finish.
A blend of over 100 Crus, this cuvée is a true voyage of the senses across the terroir of Champagne, from the Marne Valley to south of the Aisne. The composition was completed with 35% reserve wines in order to preserve the consistency of the Champagne Collet house style, year after year. This cuvée reached full maturity after a minimum of three years of bottle ageing in the historic, limestone cellars in Ay, which are centuries old.
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Demi-Sec, Champagne Collet
£3995Add to BasketThis delicious sweet style champagne has light aromas of meringue and praline that are swirled in delicate notes of violet and stewed fruits, through to a beautifully balanced palate with sustained freshness and fine, sweet flavours. Notes of candied citrus and candied strawberry are complemented by a warm touch of white pepper in this light Champagne which develops on the palate over time.
An assemblage of over 100 Crus, this cuvée reveals a broad array of aromas reflecting the diverse terroirs of the Champagne region. The composition is completed with 35% reserve wines in order to preserve the Collet style year after year. The blend comprises 50% Pinot Meunier from the villages of the Marne Valley and the Ardre Valley, which brings tonicity, richness and tension to the wine. The Crus of the Aisne make a tender and round wine and punctuate the assemblage with exotic fruit notes. 30% Chardonnay from the Sézannais region adds enjoyment and harmony and the Crus of southern Epernay contribute tonic citrus notes. 20% Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar contributes structure and tension.
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NV Classic Cuvee, Nyetimber
£4150Add to BasketThe signature wine of Nyetimber is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier and is a perfect balance of elegance and intensity. The blend includes wines from all the Nyetimber vineyards and also from several vintages.
The pale-golden hue and fine bubbles make the flagship Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage the ideal occasion-ready drink – whether it’s toasting a big birthday or simply finishing a busy week. Following extensive ageing in the Nyetimber cellars (usually more than three years), the Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage has distinctive toasty and spicy aromas. A palate of honey, almond, pastry and baked apples gives it a hint of decadence. Intense yet delicate, elegant yet complex – it’s no wonder it’s consistently crowned one of the best English sparkling wines.
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2018 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Talbott
£4250Add to BasketTalbott Vineyards is defined by its iconic Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, where the conditions are ideal for exceptional, cool-climate Pinot Noir. Located in the northern area of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey County, it has been designated one of California’s Grand Cru vineyards by Wine Enthusiast in 2016, for its ability to produce exceptional wines year after year. The vines were first planted in 1972 at an elevation of 168 metres and cover 228 hectares. Due to the proximity of the Pacific Ocean and the east-to-northeasterly exposure, cooling fog and frequent ocean breezes temper the warm sunshine, giving Sleepy Hollow one of the longest growing seasons in California and allowing each grape to develop concentrated flavours.
This Pinot Noir offers a distinct earthiness, minerality with hints of nutmeg and clove mingling with notes of ripe black cherry, raspberry and vanilla bean to deliver a rich, mouth-filling texture through to a complex finish.
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Brut Réserve Champagne, Charles Heidsieck
£4900Add to BasketThis is an extraordinary Champagne and in recent years the best non-vintage Champagne in the world. This statement is backed up by dozens of gold medals, trophies and winemaker of the year awards it wins EVERY year around the world. In short this is what Champagne is meant to be – extraordinary.
In the glass it has a radiant pale gold colour with fine, persistent bubbles. The nose is characterised by complex pastry aromas, with an opulent combination of ripe apricot, mango and greengages, dried fruits, pistachio and almond. The palate begins with a silky-smooth sensation, developing into ripe fleshy apricot, melon and enticing plum pastry notes and delicate spice. There is a perfect balance of freshness and generosity.
Charles Heidsieck has built exceptional relationships with the best growers across Champagne. Precise selection of grapes takes place from 60 specific sites. Vineyards which are integral to producing grapes that sustain the house style are Oger for Chardonnay for its texture, floral notes and ageing ability, Ambonnay for Pinot Noir for its power, vinosity and fruit, and Verneuil for Pinot Meunier for its acidity, body and aromatics.
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2011 Pinot Noir ‘Museum Release’, Dog Point Vineyard
£4950Add to BasketDog Point has since their first vintage in 2002, set aside a limited quantity of each vintage for later release, with this 2011 being the latest release from their museum.
In its prime now this wonderful Marlborough Pinot Noir is a deep ruby in the glass, with aromas of spice and ripe red fruits imbued with hints of leather and mushroom, together with subtle spicy oak savouriness. On the palate, deliciously flavoured with intense red fruits, subtle sweetness and excellent balance. Well-integrated oak leads to a delicate lingering soft, supple finish.
Dog Point Pinot is similar in production to some of the great houses of Burgundy and is made using 75% destemmed grapes and 25% whole bunches, which spends a total of 18 months in oak (30% new).
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2018 Pinot Noir ‘Clonal Selection’, Kershaw
£5200Add to BasketA world-class Pinot Noir from Richard Kershaw M.W and easily one of South Africa’s best. This Pinot Noir is characterised by its captivating floral attributes underscored by purity, focus and freshness framed by fine powder tannins yet cushioned by a succulent texture and flavours of black cherry, pomegranate, rose petal and raspberry. Only 8056 bottles & 33 Magnums produced.
The grapes come from 11 tiny vineyard parcels in several locations in the Elgin Valley. Elgin is the coolest wine region in South Africa and is situated on an inland, hexagonal-shaped plateau, at an altitude of 300 metres. The region is surrounded by mountains and lies just over six miles from the Atlantic Ocean, which brings occasional sea-borne mists. February is the hottest month of the year, with daytime temperatures peaking at 23°C and night-time temperatures dipping to 14°C. The benefit of this cooler climate is that the grape cluster stays connected to its roots for longer, so it develops complex characteristics and achieves physiological ripeness more gradually, resulting in lower sugar levels and consequently lower alcohol levels.
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2019 Pinot Noir, Dog Point Vineyard – Magnum
£7995Add to BasketThis beguiling Magnum of Pinot Noir from the excellent 2019 vintage has outstanding depth of colour for Pinot Noir displaying an opaque dark red-black core with a dark red-purple hue. The powerfully scented nose is dominated by ripe black cherry and dark plum aromas laced with anise over toasty cedar, light earth and spice. The palate is rich and concentrated that’s filled with dark and black cherry flavours, dark plums and anise underpinned by scorched earth and spicy cedar. Sturdy but fine-grained tannins provide some underlying muscle to the fruit. Excellent power with a long finish of dark and black fruits, anise, scorched earth and spicy cedar. Will improve for 6-8 years.
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2013 Tillington Single Vineyard, Nyetimber
£9500Add to BasketPale gold with fine bubbles, the nose is full of wild strawberries and raspberries, reminiscent of British summer fruits. On the palate, this delicate fruit is accompanied by complex flavours of toasted almonds, pastry and praline. The wine balances elegance and richness in perfect harmony, with refreshing acidity and a textured, decadent finish.
The Tillington vineyard is located in the middle of the South Downs National Park, on the narrow greensand strip formed during the Cretaceous Period. The geology is of prime importance here since it has determined the characteristics of the shallow soil above – excellent underlying drainage, low natural fertility – and influences the development of the vine roots. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines grow on a south-facing slope, ranging between a 5% and 10% incline to capture the sunlight. Every operation from pruning to picking is carefully performed so that the grapes reveal the site’s uniqueness. Winemaker Cherie Spriggs describes this plot as “something really magical.”
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Champagne Collet Cuvee No. 21
£14950Add to BasketChampagne Collet, established in 1921 as part of the oldest Champagne cooperative in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ, is proud to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. To celebrate its centenary, Champagne Collet has made a commemorative bottling called “Cuvée n°21”. It is a blend of 21 of the Champagne House’s best years dating back to 1961. Aged for 7 years in Collet’s century-old chalk cellars, this wine is exclusively sourced from the Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages of Cramant, Ambonnay, Mailly, Avize, Hautvillers, Villers Marmery, Vertus, Verzenay and Chouilly. This one-of-a-kind Champagne was made in very limited quantity and will never be seen again.
Disgorged and blended in 2021 this rare Champagne is comprised of the 21 best vintage which includes: 1961, 1969 1971, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, & 2012.
Refined bouquet of fresh honeysuckle, buttered toast and almonds. Incredible aged characteristics in this blend. Tiny, delicate bubbles with rich and decadent flavours of caramel, roasted nuts, nectarine and candied ginger. A very long, elegant and silky Champagne.
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Magnum of Prélude Grand Crus, Taittinger
£16500Add to BasketThe wine’s brilliant, pale yellow color with silvery reflections indicates the high proportion of Chardonnay. This Champagne is subtle and fresh on the nose, with mineral aromas that quickly give way to notes of elderflowers and spicy cinnamon. In the mouth, lean mineral Chardonnay notes delicately balance the aromatic strength of Pinot Noir. The lively palate is dominated by fresh citrus and white peaches in syrup. Over time, this Champagne develops to become more full-bodied, round and silky with a rich, lingering finish that bursts with flavor.
Taittinger Prélude is produced exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards, with half the blend composed of Chardonnay primarily from Avize and Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Côte des Blancs, and half of Pinot Noir mainly from Mailly, Bouzy and Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims. Following harvest, the grapes are pressed immediately in press houses located among the vineyards, yielding a first pressing which is the only pressing used in Prélude. At the winery, fermentation takes place under temperature-controlled conditions. Blending occurs after the primary fermentation, and thereafter the final cuvée undergoes the second fermentation in the bottle in Taittinger’s cool cellars, during which the wine acquires its complexity and fine, pinpoint bubbles. The wine is aged for five years on the lees, as opposed to the required minimum of one, to develop body and bouquet.
