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  January Bin End Sale

  Red Wine

  2020 Syrah, The Language Of Yes, Randall Grahm

  £4350

  Randall Grahm is a legend of California winemaking, renowned for his trailblazing work with Rhône Varieties in the Central Coast. ‘The Language of Yes’ is his latest project, an attempt to capture the essence of Old World wines through the ‘uniqueness of the vineyards and the (mostly) sunny disposition of California’.

  This is a deliciously complex Syrah, marked by its lively acidity and layers of vivid pepperiness, black olive, violets, liquorice and white flowers. Smooth and textured with a long finish.

  The Syrah and Viognier grapes come from the single vineyard ‘Rancho Réal’, in the Santa Maria Valley which is one of the coolest sites where vines are successfully grown in California. Here, the vines enjoy a particularly long growing season, thus developing an impressive degree of complexity and articulation. For example, the formation of ‘Rotundone’, the molecule that imparts the peppery quality to wines, is favoured by cooler climates, lower light conditions and a long hang-time on the vine.

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• Red Wine

  2018 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Talbott

  £4800

  Talbott 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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  Great Wines

  Red Wine

  2021 Mission ‘Estate’, Scribe Winery

  £4900

  Scribe 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.

  A wonderful expression of California’s historic Mission variety, with wild notes of rosehip, rhubarb and delicate mint and bright, spicy black fruit enveloping a textured palate.

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• Red Wine

  2021 Pinot Noir, Scribe Winery

  £4900

  Scribe 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.

  A pure, elegant and classy Pinot Noir with bright red fruits layered with floral notes, rhubarb and a touch of cacao through to a silky palate with refined tannins and a long, smooth finish.

  The Pinot Noir grapes come from three vineyards across the Carneros AVA. This wine is made up of a blend of equal parts of clones Dijon 777, known for being dark and rich and produces rich, velvety and complex wines; Dijon 115, which delivers pure Pinot Noir flavours and Pommard, which delivers pure, dark fruit. Two of the vineyards, Sandbach and El Novillero, are both within a five-mile radius of the Scribe Estate and the remainder are on similar Huichica soils. The third, the Reinke Vineyard, lies a little further east on Bressa-Dibble clay loam soils. All three vineyards benefit from the cooling influence from the winds of the San Pablo Bay, which creates a cooler mesoclimate resulting in slow, even ripening, which helps to build concentrated fruit flavours, while retaining natural, balancing acidity. The grapes are hand-harvested at night to preserve the fresh vibrancy in the fruit.

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• Red Wine

  2020 Pinot Noir, Sanford

  £5150

  This 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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• Red Wine

  2012 3D Pinot Noir, Clifton Brewer

  £7950

  This is an outstanding Pinot Noir from the renowned Brewer-Clifton.  The 3D vineyard is nestled between Lafond and Ampelos in the Santa Rita Hills and was the first vineyard planted by the Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton in 2007.     It is pure and elegant on the nose with expressive aromas of red cherries, candied raspberry and strawberry.  The palate is expansive with flavours of sweet fruits, tea leaf and fine spices.  Lovely structure and precision here. Incredible finesse and purity.

  At Brewer Clifton they strive to remove the winemaker’s signature, allowing the voice of the vineyard to be the overriding expression.  Only neutral barrels are employed and they strive for whole cluster fermentation, interestingly the fruit from each vineyard is handled identically from harvest to bottling, allowing the true essence of each site to be expressed.

  They also farm with a focus of ripening the stems of the bunch alongside the fruit, allowing the cluster to be in harmony. Working with the stems allows for wines that are structured, earthy and balanced with the exceptional Santa Rita Hills fruit. The analogy they use is roasting fish or meat on the bone, the bone offers complex flavours very different than taking it off of the bone to cook it.

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• Red Wine

  2017 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sanford

  £8300

  The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is where it all began. In 1971 this was the first vineyard planted in what became the world-class, cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills appellation.

  Bright, ruby red, the 2016 Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir entices with aromatic spicy red fruits, complemented by notes of wet stone and dried herb. The palate delivers earthy raspberry flavours with lush, silky texture. The bright acidity and supple tannins give the wine great structure and length. To allow the vineyard to shine through, the winemakers take a gentle approach in the cellar, using traditional Burgundian techniques.

  The wine was aged in French Oak barrels (35% new) for 14 months where it gained concentration, while allowing the tannins to soften. This wine is drinking well now, but has the balance and structure to age beautifully for the next 12 to 15 years.

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• White Wine

  2021 Napa Valley Chardonnay, Chateau Montelena

  £8650

  This is an incredible vintage of Chateau Montelena’s flagship Chardonnay.

  In the glass it has a bright gold in colour and is incredibly aromatic, the ripeness of the vintage is most pronounced initially; melon, perfume, and orange blossom slowly give way to fresh peach, honeysuckle and apricot. There is very little overt oak influence on the nose, although it comes across subtly in the background as pie crust and toast.

  On the palate, it’s the suppleness and silky mouthfeel that strike first, although there’s abundant mango and citrus with Meyer lemon here as well. The minerality is chalky and distinct, a beautiful contrast that layers in with the acid adding both complexity and depth.

  The finish is exceptional: There’s slightly more wood on the transition to the finish, surfacing as baking spice and crème brûlée. However, they’re handily overwhelmed by notes of Asian pear, mango and pineapple— absolutely delicious. In time, expect hazelnuts and almonds to appear.

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• Red Wine

  2001 Old Vine Zinfandel, Seghesio

  £9500

  The Seghesio family-owned winery started in the year 1895 when Edoardo Seghesio, an Italian immigrant and winemaker, planted the first Zinfandel vineyard in the Alexander Valley located in Sonoma County.

  In the glass this 21 year old Zinfandel has lost none of its sleek smoothness, bursting with black cherry and raspberry aromas with a core of flavours that includes black cherry, cassis, cocoa, coffee, blackberry, spice and anise. Lush, harmonious, and penetrating.

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• White Wine

  2014 Chardonnay ‘Durell Vineyard’, TOR

  £9500

  Ed Durell planted the first vines in the rock-strewn, windy hills in 1979. Today, Durell Vineyard spans three AVAs: Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. The block TOR sources from lies in the famed Sand Hill section of the vineyard, which overlooks the Sonoma Valley. This 2014 Durell Chardonnay ranks among the best they have ever produced. “This has the classic seamless, almost oily palate weight and texture to it that the best Durells have but with a thread of focus that helps to pull the intensity of the palate together. This shows mandarin oranges, stone fruits and an almost cut wet grass note to it.

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  Great Wines

  Dessert Wine, Port & Dessert Wine

  2014 Dolce, Far Niente

  £9750

  Dolce is Napa’s true Sauternes-style dessert wine.  Dolce embraces the pursuit of perfection in the art of late harvest winemaking. Created in 1985 by the partners of Far Niente, Dolce stands as a standard-bearer for this type of wine in America. With a classic blend of late harvest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc inspired by the Sauternes region, Dolce is the only American winery dedicated to producing a single late harvest wine.

  After nearly three years in French oak, this luxurious vintage shows lifted and youthful aromas of orange zest, vanilla bean and butterscotch with subtle notes of minerality and oak-derived spices. The entry is juicy, and Dolce’s signature texture is lively and enduring on the palate leading to a mouthwatering finish. Flavours of orange, pear and dried apricot mingle together with rich caramel notes and hints of minerals that make this vintage a delicious expression of the season’s exceptional ripeness.

  Dolce’s 20 acres of vineyard are located in Coombsville, east of the city of Napa, and are situated at the base of the Vaca Mountains, which define the eastern border of the valley. The volcanic soil is loose and well-drained, and the west-facing vineyard is protected from the prevailing winds so that the damp, morning fog of autumn (a very important factor in the development of Botrytis cinerea) hangs longer amongst the vines, often until midday. A combination of high humidity followed by drying conditions encourages, but does not guarantee, the growth of Botrytis. As it develops, its coverage is seemingly random with individual berries succumbing to Botrytis at different rates, if at all.

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  Great Wines

  White Wine

  2020 Chardonnay ‘Charles Heintz Vineyard’, Senses

  £10500

  The grapes for this Chardonnay come from the Heintz family, who have owned their ranch in the Sonoma Coast AVA for over 100 years. Planted in 1982, Charles Heintz produces fruit for some of the top names in California. The world-class fruit that is produced here is summed up by Robert Parker, whose assessment of the vineyard is “…one of the great grand cru Chardonnay sites in California.”

  The 2020 is elegant and expressive, the palate is packed with sublime stone fruits layered with spice, cedar and candied ginger, framed by a racy backbone, with a silky texture and extraordinarily long finish.

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  Great Wines

  Red Wine

  2009 Reva Syrah, Alban Vineyards

  £12000

  Established in 1989, Alban Vineyards represents California’s first winery and vineyard dedicated exclusively to the varietals of the Rhône.  Pioneered by John Alban at a time when anything that was neither Cabernet nor Chardonnay was barely grown in California, Alban was a groundbreaking project and has gone on to be regarded as one of the U.S.A’s best and most influential producers.

  It is the Syrah releases from Alban which, justifiably, receive the most attention. Reva Syrah is Alban’s much-coveted, hard to come by top release; a 100% single vineyard Syrah which is aged in oak for 42 months before release. Upfront and highly varietal on the nose, this cult wine exudes aromas of cassis, wild herbs, violet, earth and smoke. The palate is incredibly full-bodied and decadent with immense depth and wonderful freshness. Flavours of dark fruit, coffee, toasty oak and perfumed spice build on an intense mid-palate before continuing on a long, momentous finish. We believe that this is California’s greatest example of this grape variety and will age gracefully over the next 20 years and beyond.

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  Great Wines

  White Wine

  2019 Chardonnay ‘B.A. Thieriot Vineyard’, Senses

  £18500

  This Chardonnay comes from the famed Thieriot Vineyard,over the years, the grapes from these blocks have been sold to top- class producers in the region. Vintage after vintage, this vineyard consistently produces high-scoring single vineyard wines and is renowned as being one of the premier vineyards on the Sonoma Coast.

  With incredibly salty minerality, this racy style shows beautiful lemon curd, floral notes and brioche notes through to toasty, hazelnut nuances and a rich palate with flawless balance and an exquisite finish.

  2019 stands out as one of the more exceptional vintages in recent memory. Cooler temperatures and stable weather throughout the growing season allowed for slow maturation of flavours without any heat events spiking sugar accumulation in the berries. Although 2019 also saw the devastating Kincade fire in Sonoma County, the fruit was harvested by then, so the smoke did not affect the grapes.

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  Great Wines

  Red Wine

  2019 Pinot Noir ‘Day One’, Senses

  £18500

  Classic aromas of mulled red and black fruits, forest floor, conifer, and spiced orange carry through to a velvety palate showing wonderful purity of fruit, a precise texture and supreme balance.

  The fruit comes from the Hillcrest Vineyard, a single vineyard site purchased by Myles’ parents, Carleton Briggs and Lisa Lawrence in 1988. Located just outside of Occidental, this site borders the Charles Heintz Vineyard to the west and is home to the original Chardonnay planting in the West Sonoma Coast. It has however since been replanted to Pinot Noir, which thrives in the warm microclimate which is tempered by the cool, coastal breezes and the trademark fog that lingers over the vineyards, bringing moisture and cooling the vines. The result is a long hang-time, during which the vines slowly build aromatic complexity, concentrated flavours, superbly balanced by natural, acidity.

  2019 stands out as one of the more exceptional vintages in recent memory. Cooler temperatures and stable weather throughout the growing season allowed for slow maturation of flavours without any heat events spiking sugar accumulation in the berries. Although 2019 also saw the devastating Kincade fire in Sonoma County, the fruit was harvested by then, so the smoke did not affect the grapes.

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