£15 to £20

In the early 1990s, Magpie identified this special site - a single vineyard of Grenache and Mourvèdre. After an olympic blending exercise one night with the wine from here, they name the vineyard 'Clovella'. This wine is a heady embrace of dark spice; it's no coincidence that there’s a distinct clove note in this wine. Bright, fresh, textural in spite of 22 months ageing in older French oak. Soft, moreish and foody.

Country: Australia

Region: Barossa

Grapes: Grenache 60% , Mataro 40%

ABV: 14%

Food Match: Slow cooked lamb shanks or Fillet of Beef for a special occasion.

The label design inspiration is all about the meeting of mouths, that energy before lips meet, whether meeting a glass of wine or each other. Two varieties blending into one....

Lemon yellow colour which is clean and bright. A very expressive aroma with citrus and grapefruit, spices and vanilla scents. A fresh and very well balanced wine with balanced acidity and a long citrus finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Viura

ABV: 12.5%

This Rioja winery, Ontañón, has called the wine "Kaori" (meaning "aroma" in Japanese) and is known for its Viura and Tempranillo blends, which are well-suited to Japanese cuisine, especially sushi and sashimi. 

Medium to full bodied with a dark ruby colour and aromas of black cherries and berries, sweet spices and vanilla. The finish is soft and long with hints of black pepper and tobacco.

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Struma Valley

Grapes: Melnik 55

ABV: 14%

Food Match: Red meat dishes especially roast lamb, charcuterie and hard cheeses.

The floral aromas and white peach flavours are complimented by vanilla, toasty notes, a lovely creamy texture and mineral tones through to a classy finish. An absolute must buy for any lover of elegant French Chardonnay, at a fraction of the price you’d pay for village Macon.

Country: France

Region: P Haute Vallée de L’Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Chardonnay

Such a brilliant winery - individual, high quality, delicious.. leading the way for all of South Africa wineries

Smooth full-bodied red wine has velvety soft tannins, with classic aromas and flavours of blackcurrant, fruits of the forest, vanilla and warm spices.

Country: South Africa

Region: Robertson

ABV: 13.5%

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

True to the name “Whole Berry” the grapes used to make this wine are fermented uncrushed. Fermentation lasts 2-3 weeks, with punching down and pumping over occurring 3 times daily to aid colour and flavour extraction. 100% malolactic fermentation is carried out. The wine is then matured in second fill French oak barrels for 1 year before bottling. The wine is bottled without filtration or stabilisation and ages in bottle for at least 1 year before release.

Springfield Estate goes against the grain in order to make sure the drinking experience is perfect at the consumer end and sustainable at its end. The wines are all about the rocky, unforgiving terroir of Robertson, and stand head and shoulders above most producers for sheer quality.

Rich plum and dark berry-fruit flavours with a silky finish.

Country: New Zealand 

Region: Hawkes Bay

Grape: Merlot

ABV: 14%

Oaked

Wonderful, ripe and warming wine, full of sunshine and brightness. Subtle hints of sweet spice, coffee grounds and milk chocolate on the finish. Yummy.

Country: Italy

Region: Puglia

Grapes: Negroamaro

ABV: 13.5%

Food match: great with antipasto cured meats. 

Caiaffa are certified organic, they do not use insecticides or pesticides in order to encourage a balanced ecosystem.

https://www.caiaffavini.it/en/

A super soft, fruity, but structured wine made from a blend of indigenous Portuguese grapes.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: 42% Touriga Nacional, 31% Touriga Franca, 22% Tinta Barroca, 5% Sousão

ABV: 13.5%

Wonderfully well balanced, pure, juicy and ripe Montepulciano.

Ruby red in colour with a strong fruity scent, containing hints of spices, cherry plum and jam. Well balanced and plenty of length. This is a rich, deeply savoury, complex version of that old Italian classic.

Country: Italy

Region: Abruzzo

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Montepulciano

Certified Organic

Bursting with citrus, passion fruit and pineapple flavours with great texture and a lingering salty finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: 52% Rabigato, 48% Gouveio

ABV: 12.5%

Food Match: Fresh prawns, BBQ sardines, pan fried chicken breasts

Drink now, but will gain further complexity over the next 3 to 5 years.

Vegan/Vegetarian friendly

Fresh, zesty and full of life, with aromas of wild, ripe black currants and citrus zest. On the palate it is crisp, clean with notes of minerality and an almond skin finish.

Country: Georgia

Region: Kakheti

Grapes: Mtsvane

ABV: 13%

Food Match: Fresh goat's cheese salad with grilled asparagus or grilled seafood with pan fried fleshy white fish with a rich, mushroom sauce.

Read all about Penny's recent trip to the cradle of wine, Georgia in her blog here.

We love this orange wine with it's pale amber colour. Beautifully pure and textured palate with fresh nuttiness and fine spices. Tangerine and a hint of marmalade and lovely pure citrus fruits. Juicy linear and expressive with a salty tang on the finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisbon

Grapes: 20% Fernão Pires from Lisbon; 80% Siria from Beira Interior

ABV: 13%

Winemaker Andre is always interested in experimenting with new and old methods. He is the 5th generation of winemakers at Quinta do Montalto, the farm has 15Ha of Vineyards grown with organic certification since 1997 in Clay and Chalk soils under the Lisbon DOC Encostas D’Aire.
He uses ancient methods the create DOC Medieval Ourem, but also made new Portuguese Amphoras and uses the most modern low intervention techniques for his traditional range.

Notes of plums, dark chocolate and raspberries. Yum!

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisbon

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 14.5%

Floral nose combines with ripe stone fruit on the palate to make a rich and satisfying Viognier with plenty of weight , depth and complexity.

Country: South Africa

Region: Paarl, Western Cape

Grapes: Viognier

ABV: 13%

Rich, ripe and fruity red with black plum and dark cherry fruit. Soft, silky tannic structure.

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon 40% , Syrah 40% , Cinsault 15%

ABV: 14%

Vegan.  Fermented with indigenous yeast in concrete vats for 10 days. Malolactic fermentation begins spontaneously, after which the wine was blended and then aged for 16 months in concrete vats.

Food match: Mediterranean meat dishes with grilled vegetables

A fresh, crisp and fruity Chenin with a dash of Sauvignon Blanc. Complex and weighty beyond its style with flavours of pear, white peach and lychee.

Country: South Africa

Region: Voor Paardeberg

Grapes: Chenin, Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

Whispering Angel is today's worldwide reference for Provence Rose. A beautiful pale pink in colour, full of fresh red berry flavours with great concentration and smooth and round finish . Enjoyable with a broad range of cuisine, Whispering Angel is a premium rosé that you can drink from mid-day to midnight.

Country: France

Region: Provence

Grapes: Cinsault, Grenache

ABV: 13%

Fresh, but textured and full Douro blend. Aromas of coffee and vanilla with concentrated blueberry and black current. Ripe chewy tannin with a hint of star anise on the finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: Touriga Franca 50% , Touriga Nacional 25% , Tinta Roriz 25%

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Hearty bean stew

The local grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Roriz - grow in fine soils with some schist in vineyards near Cambres, in the western part of the Douro valley and south of the river. The climate here is warm and dry, and some of the vines are over 50 years old. After harvesting fermentation takes place in stainless steel, with a small portion (around 10%) ageing for 4 months in 2nd year French oak barrels, before the final blending and bottling.

The nose is abundant with fruit and has complex notes of citrus fruit, tomato leaves with a hint of tropical lychee fruit.  The palate is fresh and vibrant with a near perfect balance of fruit and acidity, the finish has a wonderful salinity and length. Stunning wine.

Country: Italy

Region: Marche

Grapes: Incrocio Bruni 54

ABV: 13.5%

Incrocio Bruni 54 is a crossing by pollenation of Sauvignon Blanc and Verdicchio which was done in 1936 by Professor Bruno Bruni while working for the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. It is only found in the Marche region and Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo are championing it as one of Marche's flagship grapes. Rightly so!

Fresh and appealing, this lychee coloured wine offers white flowers and red berries on the nose with a hint of grapefruit. The flavours are complex, dominated by ripe tropical fruits and balanced by a lovely mineral structure.

Country: France

Region: Côtes de Provence

Grapes: Grenache 60%, Cinsault 20%, Shiraz 20%

ABV: 12.5%

Chateau de L’Escarelle of one of the most prestigious wine estates in the heart of Provence, with 100 hectares of organically certified vineyards set in 1,000 hectares of beautiful woodland.

Deep, incredibly dark red colour. Aromas of wild spice, fynbos and cranberry. Medium bodied with good freshness and an array of complex, clean flavours. The oak is well integrated and the wine has a lingering, soft velvety finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes: Pinotage

ABV: 13.5%

Fresh, zippy and zesty from native Portuguese grape Fernão Pires. Medium lemon yellow in colour. On the nose: citrus and pear, mineral, developed petrol notes and
hints of the wood. The palate is dry, firm and intense. Well structured, good texture, clean
and fresh. Long and moreish finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisboa

Grapes: Fernão Pires

ABV: 13.5%

Ageing “sur lie” with regular sterling in barrels. Bottled Unfiltered.

Sparkling Wine....from Brazil! Yes, and its a great wine too

A gorgeous rose pink hue, Miolo Cuvée Tradition Brut Rosé has a fine and persistent mousse with delicate strawberry and cherry fruit aromas and is creamy, with a balanced, fresh and lemony acidity.

Country: Brazil

Region: Campanha, Serra Gaúcha

ABV: 12.5%

Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

The Sauvignon Blanc aromas are prominent on the nose, with beautiful lime and prickly pear notes. Intense flavours, with great balance. A tight mineral core and creamy mid palate from the Chenin Blanc allows for great complexity and a persistent finish. The Sauvignon Blanc lends lovely, fresh acidity to the wine. Waterkloof are champions of Biodiversity and Sustainable Biodynamic Farming.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Semillon

Waterkloof Wine

Organic, Biodynamic

WATERKLOOF estate was founded in 2004, ending Paul Boutinot’s persistent and uncompromising 10 year search for a vineyard site with the potential to produce truly fine wine with a defining sense of origin. Located on the south-facing slopes of Schapenberg Hill near Somerset in the Stellenbosch district of the Western Cape’s Coastal Region, Waterkloof shares its magnificent Atlantic views with free-roaming peacocks and other natural fauna and flora attracted to this haven. Certified by Demeter in 2015, their vineyards are of only a few in the Cape to boast official biodynamic approval and status. The estate has 56 hectares under vine and Tim Atkin’s Cape Classification currently ranks Waterkloof as 5th Growth level. With production around 165,000 bottles per year, Waterkloof make “honest wines” from their unique biodynamic coastal site. Respect for nature, traditional winemaking practices and minimal intervention are all key to their success.

A stunning bouquet of floral notes and soft citrus fruits.

A fresh and dry white wine, crisp floral notes with hints of underlying minerality, leading through to a piercingly pure finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

ABV: 12.5%

Grapes:  100% Cortese

Food Match:  Light cheeses, shellfish

Vegan/Vegetarian

Tenuta Olim Bauda is one of Piedmont's top producers, run by the Bertolino Family since the 1960's. After Sr. Bertolino died in 1985, the winery shut for 15 years. But in 2000, his 3 children bought back what was sold off and have successfully revived the estate and the Tenute Olim Bauda name.