Aphrodisiac Valentine Wine

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 and Mourvedre

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....

Evocatively named and beautifully packaged; the elegant aromatic profile comes from 100% Cinsault grapes grown in the Languedoc. Rose petal pink, fresh raspberry notes on the nose and complex palate with hints of cherry, pomegranate and touch of cassia.

Country: France

Region: Languedoc

Grapes: 100% Cinsault

ABV: 12.5%

Innovation is rare in the wine world, but the innovation of a new category, that of a year­round Rose drinking, is one of the few major changes of drinking habit that has occurred in the recent past. This is a style of wine that will help even the most hardened of sceptics see the wine through rose tinted spectacles!

This extraordinary speciality red sparkling wine is based on a cool climate Cabernet Shiraz blend from vines situated on the Trillians Hills in Clare Valley. It is a deep ruby colour with a lively mousse yet the savoury and plum aromas and subtle tannins give a lasting impression of elegance and well balanced restraint. Can be enjoyed in two ways - a standalone drink with friends or a beautiful accompaniment to a meal.

Country: Australia

Region: Clare Valley

Grapes: Shiraz (86%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (14%)

ABV: 13.%

Food Matches: turkey, veal and duck, pates, barbecued meats and plum pudding. Dark chocolate pudding.

Soft and velvety, bursting with dark berry and bitter cherry fruit characters.

Country: Italy

Region: Sicily

Grapes: Nero D'Avola, Merlot

ABV: 13.5%

Fleurie is the most perfumed of the Beaujolais Cru wines, which this example shows so clearly with its floral aromas and flavours.

A heady perfume of freshly picked irises and peonies drift above the crushed, berry fruit nose. The fleshy, luscious, cherry flavours and hints of rose are typically vivacious, backed up with a good touch of spice and good depth.

Country: France

Region: Beaujolais

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Gamay

'Arenite' is the terroir of pinky, crumbly sandstone of the La Madone vineyards, rated as one of the best vineyards in Fleurie. The South­ East facing vineyards are steep in places, below the Chapel of the Madonna at the top of the hill.

Straw yellow in colour with an elegant bouquet, reminiscent of pineapples and lemons. The palate shows hints of tropical fruit with a beautifully crisp acidity and a persistent finish. Only the best, handpicked, organically grown grapes are used to make this wine!

Country: Italy

Region: Sicily

Grapes: Grillo, Chardonnay

ABV: 12%

Crushed laurel on the nose with more than a nuance of residual seaside salt.... or if you want a less pretentious description...bl**dy delicious!

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

Vegan, Vegetarian friendly

Biodynamic

Waterkloof Wine

This has a big and textured palate with stone fruit and fennel hints – it is rich and minerally, showing even a slight rocky quality about it. As bracing as the wind through the vines at Waterkloof.

Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004 this majestic and fully-fledged biodynamic estate is perched high on top of hill overlooking the Western Cape’s False Bay and produces delicately fine wines with a real sense of place.

By carefully blending Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir grapes, all grown in Hertfordshire's Little Hadham, this is a handcrafted, delicate Rosé version of English Sparkling Wine.

Country: England

Region: Hertfordshire

Grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

ABV: 12.5%

The Four Acres Estate is a small family run vineyard and orchard set on a hillside above the Ash Valley in Little Hadham, Hertfordshire.
After a lifetime spent in the travel industry, Platon Loizou decided that he wanted to get back to his Cypriot roots and fulfil a long-term dream of making wine. Since 2010 he has been out in all weathers, getting closer to nature tending his precious vines, nurturing them from saplings to maturity, bolstering his knowledge by consulting at every step with some of the best vintners in the country.

A very attractive honeyed nose, with lifted yellow fruits and more golden tropical elements such as mango, guava and pineapple. It has a particularly tropical character and a very fresh feel on the palate, with steely minerality and a zippy background acidity giving invigorating tartness to keep the wine luscious and buoyant. The rounded, approachable finish has good length.

Country: France

Region: Loire Valley

Grapes: Chenin Blanc

ABV: 12%

VEGAN

Food Match: Rich starters like foie gras or sweetbreads and will see you through to dessert or cheese.

Succulent black cherry aroma, bright but delicate and hints of forest floor, with underlying floral and spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is powerful, with silk-textured length.

Country: South Africa

Region: Elgin

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food match

Beef Bourginon with mushroom or braised lamb shanks.

In early 1997, Andrew Gunn, an engineer by training was contemplating his next career move. Having always loved the outdoors, the prospect of farming appealed to him and feeling young and energetic enough to start a new career, left the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg to begin the search for the ‘perfect’ farm.

After months of searching and 40 farm visits later, Andrew and a very tired estate agent stumbled upon a solitary run down apple farm on a mountain top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The prospect of a suitable farm in Elgin intrigued Andrew and on driving through the valley, he became excited by the beauty of the area. Surrounded by the Kogelberg Biosphere and Forestry the property had no agricultural neighbours. The rolling hills and the drive up the mountain to where the farm was situated, 420 meters above sea level, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was love at first sight.

As he drove in and stopped in front of a rather run down Herbert Baker homestead, he felt, “this is where I would like to live”, and the view from the front of the house overlooking the Elgin Valley below, made up his mind.

Pretty strawberry nose with elegance! Silky and smooth, perfectly balanced Pinot. Very Burgundian in style.

Country: Australia

Region: South Australia

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Gorgeous, toasty and rich. Biscuity brioche on the nose with delicate white flower and full fruit. Citrus, red apple and 'Leesy' characters add complexity to the palate.  

Country: England

Region: West Sussex

ABV: 12%

Grapes: 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier, 

Nestled in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in West Sussex, one of the UK’s most stunning landscapes, Highweald Wine Estate is an exciting new project from a team of highly qualified and passionate young individuals, with the goal of making the best quality wine possible from their unique area of land. And it’s been a strong start for this newly established winery, winning Best English Sparkling and Best Wine in First Year of Production (World-Wide) at the International Wine Challenge 2022.

Concentrated ruby red colour with hints of violet. A ripe, full Dolcetto with wild berries, cherries and a hint of violet on the nose and palate. A long, velvety finish. Delicious!

Country: Italy

Region: Piemonte

Grapes: Dolcetto

ABV: 13.5 %

Food Match: Perfect with any tomato based pasta dishes or aubergine parmigiana.

Sorì del Cascinotto is a single vineyard planted in 1971. Sorì del Cascinotto is also an official Cru, one of the 76 official Crus of the Appellation, which is known for producing some of the best expressions of the Dolcetto grape due to its unique microclimate.  

Such an attractive, appealing nose of mixed red fruits, very bright and clean. The palate is soft and mouth-filling. Red fruits follow through with a touch of minerality. Great finesse, with a gentle and seamless finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piemonte

Grapes: Nebbiolo: 90%
Cabernet Sauvignon: 5%
Vespolina: 5%

ABV: 13%

Food Match: A wonderfully versatile red that is great just with simple antipasti or with roast lamb with all of the trimmings.

Orbello is a small village very close to the Tenuta Sella vineyard where this wine is produced from. A traditional blend that Tenute Sella has been producing for more than 50 years. Nebbiolo, Vespolina and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, all the grapes are hand-harvested. Once picked a cold maceration is carried out. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations in stainless steel tank. Aging for 1 year in barriques, and 6 months refinement in bottle.

Such an attractive, appealing nose of mixed red fruits, very bright and clean with floral hints. The palate is soft, supple and mouth-filling. Red fruits follow through with a touch of minerality. Great finesse, with a gentle and seamless finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmonte

Grapes: Nebbiolo: 90%
Cabernet Sauvignon: 5%
Vespolina: 5%

ABV: 13%

Food Match: A wonderfully versatile red that is great just with simple antipasti or with roast lamb with all of the trimmings.

Orbello is a small village very close to the Tenuta Sella vineyard where this wine is produced from. A traditional blend that Tenute Sella has been producing for more than 50 years. Nebbiolo, Vespolina and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, all the grapes are hand-harvested. Once picked a cold maceration is carried out. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations in stainless steel tank. Aging for 1 year in barriques, and 6 months refinement in bottle.

Cherry, vanilla, clove, tobacco on the palate. Smooth tannins, full-bodied, high in acidity, oaked.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

ABV: 13.5%

Food match: veal, beef, poultry, deer, venison

Heavenly sweet treat from the steep banks of the Danube!

Country: Austria

Region: Wachau

Grapes: Chardonnay, Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder

ABV: 10.5%

From a warm vintage, this wine displace beautiful aromatics with notes of guava and passion fruit paired with a wonderful freshness, which combined with its inherit intensity and complexity makes this a finely balanced, terroir focused, dry white.

Country: Italy

Region: Soave

Grapes: Garganega 70% and Chardonnay 30%

ABV: 12.5%

Food Match: Blue Cheese like Gonganzola or Dolcelatte

Soils rich in limestone and broken mountain rock on De Wetshof’s site-specific vineyards allow this wine to emit optimum varietal expression. An unwooded wine, Bon Vallon has a brisk and clean freshness leading into a wide spectrum of classic flavours including citrus, wild flowers and grilled nuts, with a nuanced minerality on the aftertaste.

Country: South Africa

Region: Robertson

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13.5%

Half Bottle

We love this wine! You can't miss this bottle on the shelf with its distinct tactile, voluptuous shape.  This wine is produced only in the best vintages. A deep pomegranate red; delicate floral and black cherry fruit aromas. Warm, plum and tamarind. Full bodied but soft with silky tannins and a long smooth finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13.5%

Travaglini Tre Vigne is the result of extensive research of the best characteristics of soil, and the blend of three historical vineyards. The Nebbiolo grapes from these vineyards are harvested during the first half of October. The grapes are gently crushed and are macerated for around 15 days in stainless steel. Maturation takes place over a 40 month period; 30 months of which 80% in Slovenian Oak and 20% aged separately for 10 months in French Barrique. The rest of the aging is in bottle before release.

Forget Prosecco...the best sparkling from Italy comes from Franciacorta. Traditional method sparkling wine from Champagne grapes as well!

An exuberant, confident and bright style  with lovely notes of toasted brioche– lively and very approachable with citrus fruits – a golden apple character which is, at the same time, both incisive yet quite gentle.

Country: Italy

Region: Lombardia

ABV: 11.5%

Grapes: 95% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir

One of the emerging estates in Italy's booming sparkling wine sector. Roberto Gatti spent 20 years as cellarmaster and viticulturalist at Bellavista, one of the early pioneers of the Franciacorta region, before creating Ferghettina in 1990. A new winery and cellars, started in 2002, were completed in 2005 and sit in a magnificent location overlooking the beautiful Lake Iseo. Roberto is assisted by his daughter Laura, also an oenologist, shortly to be joined by his son Matteo. The Gatti's control production of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, using only half of the grapes available for their production of 300,000 bottles. Meticulous attention to detail, skillful blending and long bottle maturation give wines of great finesse and individuality. The 'Italy's answer to Champagne' tag is unavoidable but these wines are much more than that.

Bright golden colour, wide aromatic complexity ranging from granny smith apple to lemon and honey with a hint of brioche. Dense and elegant with a persistent mousse.

Country: France

Region: Champagne, Epernay

ABV: 12%

Grapes:  33% Pinot Meunier, 33% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir