Showing 91–105 of 167 results

• Red Wine

  2018 Priorat ‘Mas Blanc +7’, Bodegas Pinord

  £3395

  In the heart of the wine appellation, D.O.Q. Priorat, between the villages of Bellmunt and Falset, Pinord makes its wines from the grapes grown on the 18 hectares (44 acres) of vineyard of their Mas Blanc property.

  Due to its special location, the Mas Blanc property has been caringly transformed by building various kilometres of vine terraces and by planting, cultivating and looking after the traditional grape varieties of Grenache and Carignan (Garnatxa and Carinyena as they are known locally) as well as introducing new varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Thus, a wild space has been turned into a model vineyard, with steeply sloping terraces which mean that virtually all vineyard work must be done by hand.

  Ripe, dense black fruits, vanilla and chocolate aromas envelop the full-bodied, but elegant palate, which is rich and very silky with a long, smooth finish.  The ageing in oak is noticeable, well blended with fruity aromas which give it finesse and complexity.

  The grapes are sourced from seven different plots of vineyards, where the soils are made up of a slate known locally as ‘licorella’. Slate soils are known for their heat-retention properties, which encourages the vines to reach maturity. The vines are cultivated organically and harvested by hand.

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• White Wine

  2020 Block 6 Chardonnay, Hay Shed Hill

  £3400

  Hay Shed Hill is one of a small and prestigious group of pioneer vineyards that have established Margaret River’s reputation as a world-class wine producing region.

  Located in the heart of the Wilyabrup Valley, the premier sub-region of Margaret River, The Hay Shed Hill Block Series wines are made from small parcels of fruit from individual blocks on the vineyard to showcase the best of Hay Shed Hill.

  In the glass the wine has mineral aromatics with background savoury flinty notes. The fruit is in the fresh white pear spectrum with perhaps some citric elements. The palate is vibrant and light. The old vine depth of fruit provides a complexity not seen in most Chardonnay – there is always more to find in the wine without it being overworked or over-blown. This is a beautiful wine with depth of flavour and texture that will stand up in a fine dining situation.

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• White Wine

  2017 Rully Saint Jacques, Antoine Olivier

  £3400

  The nose reveals hints of white flowers, citrus, and yellow fruits. The palate enjoys a crisp, fresh attack with a beautiful tension. This cuvée pairs perfectly with seafood.

  The grapes are exclusively from the single vineyard of ‘Saint Jacques’ in the Rully appellation, the most northern village in the Côte Chalonnaise. Saint Jacques was one of the first named plots or ‘lieu-dit’ in Rully, which has become renowned for its high quality. The grapes are grown in mainly clay and limestone soils, producing round and appealing wines.

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• White Wine

  2022 Chablis 1er Cru, Beauroy, Agnès and Didier Dauvissat

  £3450

  Agnes and Didier Dauvissat’s Beauroy sings with racy florals and minerals with surprising richness. The wine sees a tiny amount of oak, giving it a wonderful baked apple, quince paste and citrus personality that complements the minerality and chamomile notes. Long and intriguing, with a slight hint of salinity and sea spray.

  Beauroy is a well-exposed, south-facing premier cru on the left bank of the Serein River, which cuts through the centre of the appellation. It has rich soil of clay and limestone with lots of fossilized oysters.

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• Red Wine

  2012 Syrah Le Pousseur, Bonny Doon

  £3500

  Bonny Doon Vineyards’ 2012 Syrah, “Le Pousseur,” is made from Syrah grapes grown in some nice Central Coast spots – 48% Alamo Creek Vineyard, 18% Bien Nacido Vineyard, 18% Spanish  Springs Vineyard and 16% Ventana Vineyard. These are cool-climate sites and the website states that with “a fair amount of whole clusters included, this is a savory Syrah of great restraint.”

  Randall Grahm writes that he finds Le Posseur “enchanting and captivating rather than overpowering.” He labels it as a “feminine” Syrah. I don’t make it a habit to argue with a winemaker about his wines, but I was taken to task once for the use of the term “feminine” as a sexist way to describe a wine. PC or not PC, it does not strike me as feminine. Maybe it’s feminine in a masculine way. Or masculine in a feminine way. Maybe it’s just a wine having a crisis of sexuality. Or maybe it’s just a Syrah of great restraint. It retails for $26 and 2,126 cases were produced.

  Under the screw cap is a wine which is opaque indigo. Big blueberry fruit dominates the nose with a savory undercurrent. It is possibly the fruitiest nose I’ve experienced from a Bonny Doon red, which usually lean savory. The palate shows dark fruit too, with just a hint of that black olive note Grahm’s wines often exhibit. Very nice acidity and a good tannic grip top off an entirely enjoyable experience. The oak touch is nice, just right in fact.

  90 points from PlanetGrape.com: “Seductive notes of red rose, lilac, raspberry and cherry mingle with earthy notes of game, bacon and underbrush. Smooth and silky. Decant to let oxygen do its thing.” (02/2015) According to the winery: “We’ve been in a nice aromatic groove of late with Le Pousseur, largely in virtue of the string of very cool vintages, and sourcing our fruit exclusively from cool climate sites. The ’12 Pousseur (who is to say why) is still in a Marlon Brando-like bit of a sullen funk, but there is no question that underneath that brooding exterior, there beats the heart of a Wild One. The Alamo Creek component (possibly in virtue of its extremely gravelly soil) seems to add a strong mineral/earthy/bloody note, not utterly unreminiscent of Cornas. With more air, you begin to gradually discern the characteristic anise/licorice character that typifies Syrah. On the palate, the wine has a refreshing acidity, tannins well-resolved and is remarkably savory with an exceptionally long finish. This wine is still amazingly young and will benefit from several years of ageing (if you can wait). If you can’t wait, decanting is well advised.”

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• Red Wine

  2020 Barbera d’Alba, Bruno Giacosa

  £3500

  Bruno Giacosa is considered to be one of Piedmont’s most highly regarded producers, their wines are some of the most highly sought after in the world.

  Bruno Giacosa’s Dolcetto d’Alba is an immediately appealing wine produced from grapes grown on exceptional hillside vineyards. The bouquet is full of vibrant red cherry and cassis notes and there is lovely depth of pure, ripe fruit on the palate. Dark strawberry and red cherry fruit flavours mingle with wild herbs and juicy, ripe tannins.

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• Red Wine

  2021 Hunter Valley Shiraz, Brokenwood

  £3500

  Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz is an icon of the region, it typifies the excellence of the Brokenwood winery.    This 2021 is a stunning example of young Hunter Shiraz, fresh, supple with impressive length. Dry herbs and unctous dark fruits are completed by a lovely texture in the mouth.

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• Red Wine

  2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Les Vallons de la Solitude’, Domaine de la Solitude

  £3595

  Rich, smooth and flavoursome with complex layers of black-berried fruit, brambly notes, a touch of the local wild garrigue and gentle spice. Elegant yet sumptuous.

  This Domaine stretches from the high terraces of the ‘La Crau’ and descends into the Solitude Valley. The estate covers a patchwork of soils, from sandy soil known as ‘Safres’, which offer good drainage, to clay and pebble. The vineyard has an abundance of rounded quartzite stones, known as “Galet Roulés”, which derive from the Villafranchian period. These stones absorb heat during the day then radiate it at night, promoting full grape maturity.

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• 

  RiojaAlta

  Red Wine

  2015 Martelo Reserva Rioja, Torre de Oña

  £3600

  The 2015 Finca Martelo Reserva is a juicy wine, thrilling the mouth with plentiful red and black fruit. A wise and careful ageing process in wood is appreciated in its seductive and well-balanced character and fresh sensations. It makes no attempt to hide the power of its modern profile but the character of a traditional wine and other more evolved touches are never far away. A top-quality Reserva wine produced by a winery steeped in expertise creating classic Rioja wines.

  Head winemaker Julio Saenz refers to it as “our little Burgundy” because of how closely it represents this unique location. In fact, the wine itself is a field blend, 95% Tempranillo with 5% other varieties including Mazuelo, Garnacha, and even Viura. The chalk soils and 80-year-old vines at Torre de Oña produce a fuller, riper style of Rioja, while the high altitude and Atlantic influence in Rioja Alavesa keeps the wine fresh and elegant. This style is complemented by the use of 20% French oak and shorter maturation, alongside La Rioja Alta’s ultra-traditional methods such as racking by hand.

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• White Wine

  2018 ‘Luci Luci’, Al-Cantara

  £3650

  Aromatic notes of flowers, golden apple and tropical fruit are accompanied by distinctive mineral overtones, typical of the native Carricante grape. Refreshing and crisp, with a lovely, spicy finish.

  Made from 100% Carricante which is an ancient white wine grape variety from eastern Sicily. It is thought to have been growing on the volcanic slopes of Mt Etna for at least a thousand years.

  Luci Luci grapes are grown in a vineyard is situated at an elevation of approximately 620 metres above sea level, where warm days and cool nights encourage a long ripening period concentrating the flavours in the grapes while retaining balancing acidity. The vines are grown in volcanic soils, which are rich in minerals and fossils. The soil is permeable to air and water and is rich in pumice stone and microelements, which allow the plants to produce a complex aromatic profile. The espalier-trained vines are spur pruned. The 10 year old vineyard is cultivated following the principles of organic and biodynamic cultivation and is in conversion to organic status.

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• Red Wine

  2017 ‘O’Scuru O’Scuru’, Al-Cantara

  £3650

  Perfumed aromas of ripe forest fruits are enveloped by hints of spice and vanilla. Silky smooth, warm and elegant on the palate with ripe fruit through to a persistent finish.

  Nerello Mascalese “nair-rello mask-ah-lay-zay” is a light-bodied red wine that primarily grows on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. It produces fine light to medium-bodied red wines reminiscent of Pinot Noir.

  O’Scuru O’Scuru grapes come from a single vineyard of 50 to 60 year old vines known as ‘Vigna Vecchia Contrada Feudo S.Anastasia’.  The vineyard is situated at an elevation of approximately 620 metres above sea level, where warm days and cool nights encourage a long ripening period concentrating the flavours in the grapes while retaining balancing acidity. The vines are grown in volcanic soils, which are rich in minerals and fossils. The soil is permeable to air and water and is rich in pumice stone and microelements, which allow the plants to produce a complex aromatic profile. The espalier-trained vines are spur pruned. The 10 year old vineyard is cultivated following the principles of organic and biodynamic cultivation and is in conversion to organic status.

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• Red Wine

  2021 Marsannay les Longeroies, Domaine Bart

  £3695

  The Marsannay appellation is increasingly sought after and represents excellent value.   Domaine Bart is one of the very top estates in the region producing finely crafted wines that have excellent terroir definition.

  In the glass the 2021 Marsannay Les Longeroies opens with aromas of rose and violet.  The palate is rich and lush with spice, raspberry and blackcurrant.   Overall it is a fine of excellent balance and drive.

  The grapes for this wine come from exceptional vineyard “Les Longeroies,” which is almost universally expected to be crowned one of Marsannay’s first-ever Premier Crus (along with “Clos du Roy”) in the near future.

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• Orange Wine

  2020 L’Orange de l’Ou’, Château de l’Ou

  £3700

  A refreshing orange wine with intriguing aromas of candied orange peel, citrus and a touch of curry spice. On the palate, delicious notes of grapefruit, peach and delicate ginger lead to a long, crisp finish.

  The Muscat à Petit Grains grapes come from the Côtes Catalans, which is the principle IGP allowing only mono-varietal wines. The vines thrive at an altitude of 325 metres elevation in the Haute Vallée de l’Agly, in the Roussillon region. The climate is Mediterranean, strongly influenced by cooling coastal breezes combined with mountain freshness from the foothills of the Pyrenees which balance the hot, arid summers. The terroir is made up of a mosaic of black schist soils, which date back to the Cretaceous period. The schistous marl produces shallow soils, which force the vines to send their roots deep in search of water and nutrients. The vineyard is certified organic.

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• Red Wine

  2018 Rioja L4GD4 ‘Vino De Pueblo’ Laguardia, Badiola

  £3750

  Badiola is the creation of 2 Masters of Wine, Andreas Kubach and Sam Harrop along with txakoli producer Gorka Izagirre.   Andreas and Sam along with Winemaker Tao Plantón craft modern Rioja wines with an emphasis on-site rather than how long it has aged in an oak barrel.  The winemaking philosophy is to obtain very pure, fresh and well-textured wines that reflect their origin.

  This 2018 L4GD4 is a perfumed wine with delicate floral aromas of wild strawberries and violet giving way to a juicy palate with velvety tannins and an elegant finish.   Current regulations in Rioja only permit the use of a village name on the label by the location of the winery (i.e. the building and not the vineyards) thus the wine from the Laguardia vineyards is cleverly called L4GD4!

  The grapes come from carefully selected parcels around the charming village of Laguardia, in Rioja Alavesa. Laguardia is situated on average at 640 metres above sea level and is open to the Ebro Valley with exposed sites. The mesoclimate here results in earlier ripening than other villages and produces approachable wines that are elegant, light and perfumed. The bush vines are planted in limestone soils and are cultivated with respect for the environment, using minimal sprays of copper and sulphur only when required.

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• Red Wine

  2013 Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir, Hardys

  £3750

  This fabulous Pinot Noir from Hardy’s is at its absolute peak now and is an incredible glass of wine.   Medium red in colour with vibrant hues with a perfumed, rich and complex nose full of star anise spice and red fruit intermingled with black cherry, blueberry, plum and harmonious oak influence. The use of whole bunches in the press adds subtle complexity.  The palate is a mirror image of the bouquet: this wine has a superb length of flavour, a wonderful sweet fruit overlay, mineral acid drive and silky fine tannins.

  This really is worthy of your time!

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