Counoise has been part of Rhône blends for centuries but it is rarely seen as a varietal wine. Organically farmed from a tiny plot in Ukiah, Mendocino County, this is a light-coloured and medium-bodied wine with aromas of redcurrants, raspberries, and red cherries. Intense and concentrated in structure with flavours of ripe, dark raspberries, black liquorice, wild thyme and dry-aged beefsteak. Smooth, friendly texture sort of like a silky California Pinot Noir. We will serve this slightly chilled as it brings the best out of the grape variety. 48 cases produced!
California
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Starboard Batch 88, Quady
£2695Add to BasketBatch 88 is an easy drinking port-style wine with ripe fruit and nutty elements, that place it somewhere between a ruby port and a tawny port. It is warm, smooth and rich with a chocolate raisin character. Delightfully warming by itself, Batch 88 also pairs well with cheeses or with chocolates.
Why does Quady call its “port” Starboard?
Port is a geographic term for fortified wines that come from the Douro River Valley in Portugal. Starboard, the nautical term for right, (as opposed to port – left) is unique to our place, the San Joaquin Valley, California, on the other side of the world from Portugal.
Quady use the same grape varieties and similar methods as in the Douro, but their climate is warmer and the soils different. Instead of 140 proof fortifying brandy, they use a neutral grape spirit of 190 proof. 60 gallon barrels are used instead of the 140 gallon pipes used in Portugal. Starboard matures earlier and has a riper more voluptuous flavour.
The grapes in Batch 88 are primarily Tinta Roriz. The vineyard is managed to give loose bunches and a small crop. Several different vintages aged an average of five years are used in the blend. In the port business this type of blend is called “Vintage Character.” The first year this wine was made in this style was 1988, thus the nickname Batch 88.
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2017 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Peterson Winery
£2695Add to BasketThis wine is primarily made with Zinfandel with a little dollop of Petite Sirah, Carignan and Grenache.
The subtle berry and toasty oak aromas belie the delicious, mouth-coating flavours that follow. The luscious fruit is seamlessly balanced by the oak and restrained tannic structure, though to a long, seductive finish.
The Dry Creek blend, is a wine which reflects the overall Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel terroir, as opposed to a single-vineyard character. The grapes come from five carefully selected vineyards -Funsten, Bradford Mountain Estate, Bernier, Forchini, and the West vineyards, which are located throughout the appellation. Each vineyard has its distinctive soil type and microclimate, providing a cross-section of Dry Creek Valley typicity.
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2019 Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, Le P’tit Paysan
£2800Add to BasketLe P’tit Paysan Cabernet Sauvignon offers intense blackberry, dark cherry aromas, chocolate, herbaceous and toasty notes on the palate. Medium-bodied, well-balanced with moderate and integrated tannins that give structure and liveliness to the wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from two vineyards, a 44-year-old vineyard planted in the calcareous alluvial deposits of the San Benito River and a 25-year-old vineyard east of Gilroy, which grows in deep, extremely sandy soils against the foothills of the Diablo Range. The Petite Verdot from the Paicines AVA and grows in rocky alluvial deposits above the Tres Pinos arroyo. All three vineyards experience the warm days and cold nights typical of the Central Coast, allowing these late-ripening Bordeaux varieties to be picked at high acidity and moderate sugars. Fermented whole berry in several lots with endemic yeasts, pressed after approximately 20 days. Aged for 11 months (3% new) French barrels. Pairs well with steak, duck, game, hearty stews, ribs, and dark, rich sauces. Drink now to 2035
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2015 Old Vine Carignan, Calder Wine Company
£3500Add to BasketThe 2015 Carignane is built from two great sources in Mendocino County, both farmed by the father-son team of Don and Darrin Colombini. The primary source is the Rovera vineyard, planted in 1942 in the sandy, quartz-flecked soils of the eastern bench of Redwood Valley. The Rovera vines have incredibly small clusters and berries, with correspondingly low yields—less than 2 tons per acre in 2015. This gives the fruit tremendous intensity and depth, backed by lightning-rod acidity. The Cemetery vineyard planted 1954, is dry-farmed in almost pure gravel and contributes bright cherry fruit and aromatic lift.
The resultant wine features vivacious blackberry and raspberry aromas inflected with iron-like mineral complexity. Carignane has an intensely savoury edge to its fruit: stones, smoke, and celery seeds, evoking the wild herbs and rocks of its homeland in the Priorat of Spain. The palate is rich and generous, with plenty of structure from Carignane’s characteristic acidity and tannin.
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2012 Syrah Le Pousseur, Bonny Doon
£3500Add to BasketBonny 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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2021 Chardonnay ‘Reserve Selection’, Raymond Vineyards
£3500Add to BasketSteeped in rich family history, Raymond vineyards can trace it’s origins in winemaking back to the days of the ‘old’ Napa Valley. Founded in 1970, Raymond vineyards produce high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
This 2020 Chardonnay ‘Reserve Selection’ has fragrant aromas of tropical and stone fruits that lead to notes of honeysuckle, accentuated by a touch of toasted almonds. This is a beautifully balanced wine with bright acidity and a creamy texture with a hint of minerality on the finish.
The grapes come from the estate vineyards in Jameson Canyon and selected Napa Valley growers. The estate vineyards are planted on rolling hills at the southern end of Napa Valley. The growing conditions in the Jameson Canyon are very similar to Carneros, the neighbouring appellation just west of the Napa River. Winds flow through Jameson Canyon, bringing the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and providing a long, cool growing season which enhances and concentrates the intensity of the varietal characteristics. A proportion of grapes are harvested from vineyards in Carneros and the Napa Valley which lend more texture and structure to the blend.
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2019 Linda Vista Chardonnay, Matthiasson
£3750Add to BasketSteve Matthiasson is a bit of a legend in Napa Valley and this wine is made from the Linda Vista Vineyard in the Oak Knoll region of Napa Valley. Oak Knoll is regarded as one of the classic Chardonnay spots in Napa as the cool winds and clay soils preserve zesty acidity and freshness, while the Napa sun provides richness and ripeness.
Steve leased the vineyard in 2011 and set about making a classic Napa Chardonnay. To get complexity, completeness and balance in his Chardonnay, Steve harvests grapes a number of different times during the ripening period to achieve a diversity of ripeness, the earlier harvests contribute acidity and minerality, and the later harvests contribute flesh and richness.
This 2019 Linda Vista Chardonnay has an exotic nose of Golden Delicious apples, yellow peaches, musk melon and honey that leads through to the palate. The medium acidity is balanced by pleasant fleshiness, finishing very clean with a hint of minerality. Refreshing and with moderate alcohol, this wine is all about pleasure, begging to be drunk up, with some oysters or a roast chicken and a big smile.
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2016 Zinfandel ‘Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard’, Peterson Winery
£3800Add to BasketThis Mountain-grown Zinfandel opens in the glass with tempting notes of opulent dark berries, spicy black pepper and a rich mineral essence, underpinned by beautifully integrated oak nuances through to a long, elegant finish
The grapes are ‘Estate Grown’ from the Bradford Mountain Estate vineyard. Overlooking the western edge of Dry Creek Valley, the vineyard spans six and a half hectares on the very top of the 385-metre peak that Fred cleared and planted in the 1980s. The well-drained, red-clay soil, combined with sunny days and cool nights, produces small, intensely flavoured grapes. This wine encapsulates all of the best qualities found in mountain-grown Zinfandels from the Dry Creek Valley appellation: the poorer soils and cooler nights harness and preserve more of the bright acidity and freshness in the grapes. More sunlight hours at the higher elevation means thicker-skinned fruit which translates as darker, richer fruit. The key characteristics of mountain-grown Zinfandel are that it has a peppery quality and more intense black fruit characteristics.
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Offer
2020 Pinot Noir, Sanford
Original price was: £5150.£4050Current price is: £4050. 21% savingAdd to BasketThis Pinot Noir is dark ruby in colour and is very spice-driven on the nose with fresh cherry, wild strawberry, spice cake that are complemented by white pepper and rose. The palate delivers spice and savoury, dark fruits, espresso, and leather with balanced acid and suave tannin structure, which carries the lovely finish. The wine was aged in French Oak barrels (25% new oak) for 11 months where it gained complexity and elegance.
The grapes come exclusively from the two estate vineyards in the cool-climate area of Sta. Rita Hills AVA: the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and the La Rinconada Vineyard. The unusual east-west orientation of the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains allows the cooling maritime breezes from the Pacific Ocean- just seven miles away- to flow over the vineyards, bringing with them cooling morning fog. Afternoon breezes dry out any residual moisture and reduce disease pressure. Temperatures rarely exceed 27°C, which suits the delicate Pinot Noir vines. The vineyard is split into 52 blocks and each block has an individual soil composition. Broadly, the marine-based soil in the ‘Sanford & Benedict Vineyard’ is a mixture of clay, loam, fractured shale and chert (a rocky soil), which forces the vine’s roots to dig deep for nutrients and hydration. The result is naturally low yields of small-berried, concentrated fruit delivering excellent minerality and acidity. The ‘La Rinconada Vineyard’ is made up of sandy, gravelly soil which imparts precise minerality to the wine. There are 33 different Pinot Noir clones planted across the vineyard and 40% of the vines are from the original 1972 ungrafted plantings
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2018 Ribolla Gialla, Benevolent Neglect
£4100Add to BasketRibolla Gialla is an ancient variety that originated in Greece and is mostly found in northeastern Italy and across the border in Slovenia, where it is known as Rebula.
This California version is sourced from the Bengier Family Vineyard, a hidden gem inside of the Napa Valley’s nested ava Oak Knoll District. Fermented traditionally on skins for 15 days, this wine takes on a completely unique character for white wine. Due to its time on its skin and in the barrel it shows quite a bit of minerality, citrus skin with a core of tropical fruit with much in between.
Tasting Note: Light, bright and fresh lemon sherbet draw the nose in followed by almond and acacia. On the palate, the wine is mineral, with slight notes of sour pear drop. The finish is long and refreshingly sour. This is a perfect oyster wine, match it with foods equally as bright, like a fresh arugula salad with a racy vinaigrette.
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2021 Estate Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Talbott
£4100Add to BasketTalbott Vineyards is defined by its iconic Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, where the conditions are ideal for exceptional, cool-climate Chardonnay. 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.
A bright, elegant Chardonnay, with aromas of Pink Lady apple, juicy pineapple, pear and caramelised brown sugar. Unctuous and opulent on the palate, with refreshing acidity offering beautiful balance to the ripe tropical fruit.
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White Wine2021 Chardonnay ‘Along The Palms’, Scribe Winery
£4150Add to BasketScribe Winery produces vibrant, terroir-driven wines from Sonoma, California. The winery was founded in 2007 on a property that helped pioneer pre-prohibition Sonoma Valley wine-making and is managed by fourth-generation California farmers and brothers, Andrew and Adam Mariani.
In the glass, this is a fresh, textured and complex Chardonnay with expressive notes of pineapple and orange zest layered with a touch of jicama and sea spray, through to a long, exquisite finish.
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2021 Chardonnay, Sanford
£4200Add to BasketA luxurious and elegant Chardonnay with enticing notes of grilled peach, lemon and toasted hazelnuts. The palate of bright fruit and honeycomb is beautifully framed by crisp acidity and has a rich texture that carries through to the long, clean finish.
The fruit comes exclusively from the two estate vineyards in the cool-climate area of Sta. Rita Hills AVA: the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and the La Rinconada Vineyard. The unusual east-west orientation of the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains, allows cooling maritime breezes from the Pacific Ocean- just seven miles away- to flow over the vineyards, bringing with them morning fog. Afternoon breezes dry out any residual moisture and reduce disease pressure on the vines and clusters. This distinctive mesoclimate promotes a long growing season. The vineyard is split into 52 blocks, each with individual soil composition and microclimate. Broadly, the marine-based soils in the ‘Sanford & Benedict Vineyard’ are a mixture of clay, loam, fractured shale and chert (rocky soil) which force the vine’s roots to dig deep into the soil for nutrients and hydration. The result is naturally low yields of small-berried, concentrated fruit delivering excellent minerality and acidity. The ‘La Rinconada Vineyard’ is made up of sandy, gravelly soil, which imparts precise minerality.
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2018 Chardonnay, Benevolent Neglect
£4250Add to BasketThe 2018 Benevolent Neglect Chardonnay was one of the most talked-about wines of 2019. They’re also one of the wineries that the eminent Jancis Robinson was referring to when she urged her readers to “ take advantage of the creativity of California’s new generation of wine producers.” So naturally, we are delighted to have finally secured a small allocation.
Don’t expect a big, over-the-top bottling, though—like all of Benevolent Neglect’s wines, the 2018 Chardonnay showcases precision and purity. Winemaker Matt Nagy says of his wine, “The goal with this wine was to eschew traditional ‘California Chardonnay’ as a style and make something more akin to a Cru Chablis.” As you might expect, the wine delivers on Matt’s vision. The nose leans towards fresh citrus flavours of yuzu and tangerine, with orange blossoms and hints of oyster shell. The palate is electric and direct, with white peaches joining the party alongside lemon marmalade, white pepper, and a mouth-watering finish.
This Chardonnay comes from a vineyard site that was special enough to warrant “a rehab project,” according to Matt. Organically farmed since the 1970s, the Chardonnay was ungrafted—a rarity in California that trades the eventual death of the vines by phylloxera, a soil-based parasite, for an extra layer of precision and intensity of flavour in the finished wines. The vines had been not-so-benevolently neglected over the last decade, but the raw material was so promising that Matt and his team poured in the work to bring the site back to greatness—and this bottling is proof that their effort was worth it.
As you might expect from the name, the winemaking style at Benevolent Neglect is to stay out of the way. The wines are fermented with native yeasts and this Chardonnay is aged in a minimal amount of new oak to allow the innate quality of the vineyard to shine through. Drink now – 2028.
