Showing all 13 results

• Red Wine

  2019 Granite Rock Red’Winemakers Collection’, Swartland Winery

  £1350

  Small berries big taste! The Swartland wine region of the Western Cape encompasses a uniquely diverse topographic area, with a myriad of microclimates, soils and sites which give rise to wines of full flavour and complexity.  Swartland Winery produces premium single varietal wines from the characterful bush vines grown in the heart of the Swartland, yielding wines of distinctive depth and concentration.

  The Winemaker’s Collection is an expression of Swartland’s finest terroir. These wines are crafted using carefully sourced grapes from site-specific vineyards and are planted in granite rich soils expertly suited to the cultivation of Rhône varieties

  The 2019 Granite Rock Red has ripe mulberry and raspberry flavours with a hint of spice are complemented by soft, rounded tannins and a smooth finish.

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• 

  DWWA

  Red Wine

  2020 Limited Release Mourvedre, Swartland Winery

  £1450

  Small berries big taste! The Swartland wine region of the Western Cape encompasses a uniquely diverse topographic area, with a myriad of microclimates, soils and sites which give rise to wines of full flavour and complexity.  Swartland Winery produces premium single varietal wines from the characterful bush vines grown in the heart of the Swartland, yielding wines of distinctive depth and concentration.

  This 2020 Limited Release Mouvedre has benefited from a few years in bottle to give an intensely coloured wine with a perfumed nose of mocha, chocolate and dark berry flavours, which follow through onto the palate.  Complemented by spicy undertones and soft mouthfeel that lingers on the palate, this is an excellent interpretation of the classic Rhone grape and a bargain to boot!

  Interesting Fact: The Swartland name originates from a description of the indigenous “renosterbos” or rhino bush, which appears to turn black, (“Swart” in Afrikaans), during the summer months.

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• Red Wine

  2019 Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu Vielles Vignes, Domaine Saint Damien

  £1695

  An opulent and spicy full-flavoured wine, with layered flavours of prunes and garrigue from this award-winning producer.

  The vineyards are located in the relatively new appellation of Plan de Dieu, which translates as Plan of God in English. Despite the first historical mentions of the “Plan Dei”, which date back to a parchment from 1326, the lieu-dit of Plan de Dieu was only designated a red wine producing appellation in 2005. The climate here is classic Mediterranean with the additional influence of the Mistral winds. The terroir sits on an alluvial plateau with calcareous gravel, which retains water, helping to preserve the vines during the hot and often arid summer months.

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• Red Wine

  2020 Côtes du Rhône, Domaine de la Solitude

  £1725

  Domaine de la Solitude’s wines are renowned for their characteristic elegance whilst expressing the true origins of their terroir.

  This 2020 Côtes du Rhône has an enticing nose of concentrated, ripe red berry fruits, enhanced by subtle notes of black pepper and spice. Supple and rounded on the palate, supported by a delicate tannic structure.  The Côtes du Rhône vineyards are situated mainly in Gard, with over 50% of the grapes coming from Côtes du Rhône Villages vineyards; the remainder coming from the named parcels of Plan de Dieu and Rasteau. The vineyards all have a stony, granitic soil structure.

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• Red Wine

  2019 Lirac, Domaine des Cigalounes

  £1750

  Domaine des Cigalounes winemaker Emmanuelle Gauthier is a non-interventionist and looks for finesse and silky tannins in his wines rather than over-extraction.  His 2019 Lirac is just that – a concentrated wine with aromas of deep, wild cherry fruits and spicy notes. Full flavoured with a smooth texture, silky tannins and a long, satisfying finish.  A portion of the blend was matured in barrel imparting a lovely subtle complexity.

  Lirac is an appellation on the western side of the southern Rhône Valley. Domaine de Cigalounes is a seven-hectare property which has been certified organic since 2012. It is located on the rocky plateau between the villages of Tavel and Lirac, on the opposite bank of the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The vines are grown according to traditional philosophies, in red soils with pebbly topsoil.

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• Red Wine

  2018 Rasteau, Domaine Combe Julière

  £1950

  An opulent wine with a depth of concentrated black fruit. The tannins are present but enjoyable as they are polished and integrated. Black fruits on the nose are echoed on the palate with a touch of liquorice and spice through to a long, silky finish.  The 2018 summer was very hot and dry in the southern Rhône, which allowed the grapes to reach excellent maturity, resulting in expressive wines with wonderful fruit concentration.

  The vineyard is situated in the Rasteau appellation on hillside slopes which offer good drainage and sun exposure. The soil layers are complex due to their various origins. Brown clay, which comprises sediment from the Alps from the miocène period, and grey clay, which is made up of sediment from algae, overlap here at root level imparting extra complexity to the wine. The sunny weather and strong northern wind, known as the Mistral, keep the vines dry and healthy. The vines have an average age of 70 years and are cultivated according to sustainable methods.

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• Red Wine

  2018 ‘The Independent’ Shiraz & Mataro , Teusner

  £1950

  Let it be known that Kym Teusner once said to his peers that Barossa Shiraz could be a bit boring. Fairly independent thinking coming from a Barossa winemaker. Defending himself, Kym will insist what he did say was that as good as Barossa Shiraz is, adding Mataro will make it taste even better!

  This wine is jam-packed with Barossa Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvedre) flavours….plums, black fruits and warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and 5 spices. There’s a touch of mid-palate sweetness, some mocha and black olive and the soft tannins are integrated seamlessly through the mid-palate. The subtle use of oak allows the rich dark fruit to take centre stage.

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• Red Wine

  2019 ‘The Joshua’ Grenache, Mataro & Shiraz, Teusner

  £2200

  Joshua is the wine that started Teusner as a wine producer.   Kym Teusner and his business partner Mick Page were in a pub sipping a few beers.  They overheard a couple of old growers having a conversation about the low, low prices being paid for their old vine Grenache…to the point they were going to rip out the vines and plant Chardonnay!   Horrified they hatched a rescue plan, scrambling together some cash, the grapes found a new home and the vines stayed in the ground where they belonged and Teusner Wines was born.

  Named after Mick’s first son, Joshua is a blend of Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz.  Made from 100-year-old vines it has a delicious mix of light and dark fresh ripe berried fruits, cured meats and lifted spice on the nose that sets you up for a mouthful of savoury and gamey flavour in the mouth. Kept away from oak and released young it showcases the juicy, spicy, flavoursome red wines of the Barossa.

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• Rose Wine

  2022 M by Saint-Maur Rose, Château Saint-Maur

  £2350

  Located in the southernmost part of Côtes de Provence, Château Saint-Maur benefits from a unique terroir. Nestled between the foothills of the stunning Massif des Maures mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea, this picturesque estate is just 10 km from Saint-Tropez. The oak tree-covered hillsides of Cogolin provide the ideal setting for cultivating grapes that yield iconic, pale pink, Provencal rosé wines.

  This shimmering salmon pink rosé offers a delightful expression of Provence’s terroir.   In the glass, it opens with profound scents of strawberries and raspberries, hints of citrus, and herbaceous undertones. On the palate, it is crisp, indulgent, and sophisticated. This wine boasts a lively acidity, a delightful mouthfeel, and a graceful finish with a subtle lemon zest.

  It is a fabulous food wine and pairs marvellously with meats (veal roulade with herbs and parmesan, lemon chicken), vegetables, (stuffed, Thai stir-fry), fish (salmon tartare, spaghetti alle vongole) or cheese and dessert (fresh goat’s cheese and redcurrant jelly, strawberry tart).

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• Red Wine

  2020 `Wanderer’s Heart` Cape Red Blend, Thorne & Daughters

  £2395

  This wine from Thorne & Daughters is an intense and complex red blend from Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah carefully sourced from prime vineyard sites across the Western Cape.   On the nose, well-defined aromas of red cherry and violet combine with spicy notes of cinnamon and cardamom to burst from the glass. On the palate, the wine is poised with supple tannins and juicy acidity, leading to a multi-layered and moreish finish.

  The ‘Wanderer’s Heart’ is made from a blend of grapes from carefully selected growers across the Western Cape. The Grenache is sourced from dry-farmed vineyards on the Paardeberg Mountain in the Swartland which has a combination of clay and granite soils. The Mourvèdre is the fruit of 12-year-old vines planted on clay/gravel soils in Bot River. The Syrah also comes from Bot River from 12-year-old vines planted on shale. The vineyards are all farmed sustainably and harvesting is done by hand.

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• Red Wine

  2019 Domaine Gauby`Calcinaires` Rouge IGP Cotes Catalanes

  £2495

  Domaine Gauby is located close to the small town of Calce in the Roussillon. Now run by Gérard Gauby, his wife Ghislaine and their son Lionel, who is responsible for the winemaking, the domaine has gained a reputation for making wines of exemplary freshness in a hot climate.

  This 2019 `Calcinaires` Rouge is bright with red and black fruit, notes of wild rosemary and thyme mingle with spice and dark cherry fruit on the palate, balanced by bright acidity and ripe supple tannins.  Worth decanting beforehand to allow to fully open and express.

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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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• Red Wine

  2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine de la Solitude

  £4250

  Domaine de la Solitude’s wines are renowned for their characteristic elegance whilst expressing the true origins of their terroir.    This 2021 is a rich and opulent wine with ripe blackcurrant aromas layered with notes of the garrigue and cistus (a hardy shrub) flowers. Full-bodied but with a soft texture on the palate; this wine retains the estate’s characteristic elegance whilst embracing a modern style of winemaking. Ripe fruits combine with notes of cocoa and cherry and a hint of liquorice on the finish.

  Domaine de la Solitude has one of the best terroirs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape with its abundance of rounded quartzite stones from the Villafranchian period. These stones absorb heat during the day then radiate it at night, promoting full grape maturity. Yielding just 30 hectolitres per hectare, the vines are carefully managed throughout the year. The grapes are hand-harvested, once each variety has reached full maturity, which is based on tastings undertaken by an expert panel. The vineyard is farmed sustainably; the domain promotes and develops biodiversity in the vineyard by maintaining a flourishing wine-growing ecosystem.

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