Rare Fine Wine

The best vintage of Wimbushes so far... I know we said that last year, but this is even better! Very limited stock, so order while you can (but please don't be greedy). We are limiting purchases to one case of 6 per household.

This is as local as it get for wine folks! Wimbushes Solaris 2022 is ripe, tropical, clean, dry and crisp with green apple and ripe pear aromas and flavours. It has a lingering, minerally finish. We're very proud to be selling this very special wine.

Country: England

Region: St Albans, Hertfordshire

Grapes: Solaris

ABV: 12.5%

Estate grown by Wimbushes Vineyard, St Albans

Produced by the winery at Thurston Place, Suffolk

Wimbushes Vineyard St Albans

Andy and Karina Harrison decided to plant an acre of vines on their beautiful Chiswell Green property about 10 years ago, as a hobby. In 2018 they appointed Suffolk winemaker (and ex-surgeon) Michael Rhodes to turn their Solaris and Rondo grapes into wine.  In recent years, due to careful vineyard management by David Savage and the vines maturing healthily, the fruit and their talented winemaker, they have produced some seriously good English wine. These wines are produced in very small quantities, so we do tend to limit the amount of bottles purchased by any one household.

Astonishingly good Riesling from an outstanding New Zealand producer. Concentrated, explosive in the mouth! Dry, flavoursome Riesling with honeysuckle notes, aromatic nectarine, baked peach, apricot, lime and preserved lemon. One glass will not be enough!

Country: New Zealand

Region: North Canterbury

ABV: 15.5%

Grapes: Riesling

Read Wine Advocate Erin Larkin’s wonderful review of Pegasus from latest trip to the South Island

'From there, I went to Pegasus Bay, and it was here that I was so impacted. This is an iconic Riesling producer—Rieslings worth crossing the ocean for. They age slowly and gracefully, employ botrytis as a textural aid and are thundering examples of Riesling from New Zealand. I can’t overstate that. These are collectors’ wines. I have seen older examples in Australia over the years, served blind, that have taken the room by storm. My thanks to Winemaker Matt Donaldson for the afternoon; it took us in directions I think neither of us expected.'

Pegasus Bay Riesling Bel Canto 2022 – 94 points.

The 2022 Bel Canto Dry Riesling leads with loquat, kumquat and orange rind. In the mouth, the wine is floral, detailed and full—it is actually quite wide, spreading to all corners of the mouth, leaving a trail of fine chalky texture in its wake. Really good. Textural. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Erin Larkin Wine Advocate

This is very exciting!!! Red wine from Rondo Grapes grown in Chiswell Green, so this is as local as it gets guys! Gorgeous, deep ruby colour. Elegant aromas of Morello cherry, violets and cloves. Juicy, fresh acidity, with flavours of bitter cherry and raspberries on the palate with silky tannins. Only 400 bottles produced, so grab it while you can.

Country: England

Region: St Albans, Hertfordshire

Grapes: Rondo

ABV: 12%

Food Match: Great with hard cheese such as pecorino or parmesan and cured meats.

Estate grown by Wimbushes Vineyard, St Albans

Produced by the winery at Thurston Place, Suffolk

Wimbushes Vineyard St Albans

Andy and Karina Harrison decided to plant an acre of vines on their beautiful Chiswell Green property about 9 years ago, as a hobby. In 2018 they appointed Suffolk winemaker (and ex-surgeon) Michael Rhodes to turn their Solaris and Rondo grapes into wine.  In recent years, due to careful vineyard management by David Savage and the vines maturing healthily, the fruit and their talented winemaker, they have produced some seriously good English wine. These wines are produced in very small quantities, so we do tend to limit the amount of bottles purchased by any one household.

Luciously rich and decadent red made from selected grapes from three top class vineyards. 

Aromatic with ripe dark berried fruit alongside sweet spice, a ripe, rich style. The texture is rich and round with abundant, ripe, dark berried fruit supported by fine oak.

Country: Italy

Region: Valpolicella

ABV: 15%

Grapes: 80% Corvina & Corvinone, 10% Rondinella and 10% Molinara

The grapes come from the 5 hectare, steep, rocky, terraced hillside vineyard of Calcarole as well as the gently sloping clay vineyards of Rovereti and Pojega in the heart of Negrar, the most celebrated of the communes in Valpolicella. 

Made from very small quantities of selected grapes from a specific block on the Andreas estate. Intense, concentrated dark red colour with aromas of black ripe fruit and sweet spice. The palate is richly raisined with hints of charcoal and earthy minerality, softened with a hint of white pepper.

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

ABV: 13.5%

Grape: Shiraz

Andreas Wine

You can't miss this bottle on the shelf with it's distinct tactile, voluptuous shape.  This wine is produced only in the best vintages. A deep pomegranate red wine; delicate fruity fragrances, warm, remindes jam, plum and tamarind. Full bodied, soft, silky tannins, with 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 marriage 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 process occurs in bottle before release.

Black cherries, earthy tones and hints of tanned leather. Soft, supple in texture with a ripe berries and savoury notes, juicy acidity, silky tannins. Dry, minerally, structured and very long finish . Gorgeous. Drinking window: 2023-2033.

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Sangiovese

As seen in the movie 'Letters to Juliet' starring Amanda Seyfried, Gael García Bernal and Vanessa Redgrave. The Carpazo vineyard is the real deal!

A very special limited parcel wine from talented young South African winemaker Izele Van Blerk. Drinking window 2023 - 2028. Only 1300 bottles made!

The wine spent 36 months in 2nd and 3rd fill 500L French oak barrels and 24 months in bottle before release. The grapes are from 136 very old vines!

This full-bodied wine explodes with aromas of rose petals, red cherries and raspberries with hints of lavender. The palate is focused with an undertone of cloves, dried fruit and
leather. The grippy tannin structure and zippy acidity is well integrated and delivers an intense, lasting finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 14.5%

Food match: Beef Tenderloin,
braised duck, wild mushrooms and aged Gouda.

One of the most unique and long-lived white wines in the world. A blend of indigenous grapes Obaideh and Merwah, with a deep golden colour and honeyed aromas, full of tropical fruits; pineapple, banana with warm, toasty creamy notes. Pale golden colour with aromas of pear, lemon zest and apple and vanilla on the nose. Hints  of lemon, orange with good body, concentration and mouthfeel , tangy acidity with ripe fruit. 

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Obaideh and Merwah

ABV:12%

The very scarce 2015 vintage is clean and pure with a lovely vibrant energy. It is a stunning example of the indigenous Merwah grape with its origins in the mountains of Lebanon – it is a rare light skinned grape variety, closely related to Semillon in Bordeaux and gives wines of great ageing potential and elegance.

It pours an intense ruby red with hues of garnet, with an intense aromatic range: blackcurrant, tobacco, coffee and graphite. This wine has a lingering taste and is warm, powerful, spiced, with balanced and velvet-smooth tannins.

Country: Italy

Region: Umbria

Grapes: Sagrantino

ABV: 15%

Food Match: Game, roast, stewed and braised meat, aged cheese

Made from the best selection of grapes grown exclusively in a vineyard on the hills of Colcimino. The oldest vineyard in Bevagna (Pg) situated in Colcimino at 350 m heigt, exposure West on sandy clay-calcareous. Plant density: 4000 per hectare.

'Underbrush, black plum and balsamic notes lead the nose of this wine. The concentrated palate offers prune, blackberry jam, mocha and licorice flavors alongside assertive but refined tannins. Drink through 2025." 91 points, Kerin O'Keefe, Wine Enthusiast (January 2018)

Amaaaaaazing sweet wine from one of New Zealand's top producers. Rich, concentrated botrytis Sauvignon from heaven...

Country: New Zealand

Region: North Canterbury

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

Decanter 94/100

A deeply golden colour leads onto a wonderfully serene nose that shows its evolution in an expression of chamomile tincture with a lifted, ethereal scent that will thrill Riesling lovers. Around all this is an edge of candle wax. The palate is super-smooth, brimming with Mirabelle plum compote and a mouthwatering element of noble bitterness, expressed as candied orange peel. Wonderfully balanced, rich, yet not tooth-breakingly sweet at all. A lovely feat of rich, bold, yet elegant balance. The finish spells orange zest all over again.

Country: New Zealand

Region: North Canterbury

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Riesling

Produced from low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes: fully expressive of the free draining, low-fertility, glacially formed soils.
Extended “hang time” and picking the grapes where possible with a small proportion of noble botrytis results in a bouquet packed full of citrus, particularly orange zest that so defines North Canterbury Rieslings. Hints of stone-fruit, lychees, pineapple and tropical spices makes for a satisfyingly concentrated wine, which is off-set by a core of minerality and tangy acidity.

Made by traditional Burgundian winemaking methods: the various blocks were picked at different stages. Approximately 1/3 of the grapes were put at the bottom of the fermentation vats as whole bunches, with the balance being destemmed on top. When fermentation completed, the grape remnants were left to steep in the wine for up to a week, followed by gentle pressing and transfer to oak barriques (40% new). Following a natural malo-lactic fermentation, and maturation for 18mths, the batches from the many
different plots and clones were carefully blended. The bouquet evokes black cherries, raspberries and mulberries, interlaced with savoury hints of grilled mushrooms, barbequed meats and wood-smoke.

Country: New Zealand

Region: North Canterbury

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Subtle, lifted, fragrant black pepper, blueberry and rose petal nose with ripe cherry and plum fruit characters. The palate has a beautiful silky texture with fresh red berry fruit and a fine savoury tannin finish. Drinking well now and for the next 10-15 years.

Country: South Africa

Region: Swartland,

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Syrah

The Syrah grapes come mainly from the Porseleinberg vineyard - one of the best sites in the world to grow the variety. Renowned winemaker and viticulturalist Callie Louw farms the land. The 'brutal' soils (according to winemaker Marc Kent) are made up of Mica and Schist. 10% of the grapes are from the Goldmine vineyard which has brown schist soil.

Tim Atkin MW

97 points. Given that 90% of its raw material comes from Porseleinberg - the other 10% comes from Boekenhoutskloof's Roundstone property - it's no surprise that this is such an impressive Syrah. Fermented with 65% whole bunches, it combines fynbos, lavender and Asian spice aromas with a palate of white pepper, barbecued meat, oregano and blackberry framed by sappy, granular tannins. World class. 2025-35.



James Suckling

94 points. Lovely fragrance with thyme, cracked pepper, iron, coriander and black berry fruit. Medium-bodied, peppery and compact, with vibrant acidity and a focused finish. Long and persistent. Drink or hold.



Neal Martin – Vinous.

93+ The 2021 Syrah was picked later than the 2020. It contains more whole bunches than prior vintages (65%) and matured for 18 months, 90% in Stockinger foudre and Stockinger demi-muids. This is quite concentrated on the nose with dark berry fruit, bay leaf and white pepper, perhaps less floral than some of its peers. The aromatics feel tightly coiled at the moment. The palate is smooth and harmonious on the entry, with a fine structure. It is compact at the moment with cracked black and white pepper and garrigues notes flourishing toward the persistent finish. Much more backward than expected. I would cellar this for three to five years before cracking open as it’s a serious Syrah.

This property has historical importance, being farmed by a pioneering family of the wine industry in the Uco Valley. The Italian José Zingaretti immigrated to Argentina at the beginning of the 20 th century, bringing along his knowledge of vine growing and winemaking from his homeland. He was one of the first settlers of Tupungato, which at the time was a remote and nearly inaccessible area. This wine comes from vines of more than 80 years old. Aged for 18 months in a combination of new, second and third use French oak barrels. 50% of the wine underwent full malolactic and 50% partial. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Only 400 cases made. Drinking beautifully now or hold for up to 6 years.

Stunning old-vine chardonnay shows beautiful density and concentration Precise with a round, creamy texture. It’s full- bodied, refined, soft and fluffy. Fresh and bright. Intense, yet subtle with notes of pear and cherry blossom. Wonderful white with unique character.

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Chardonnay

After visiting Argentina in 1989, Californian trail-blazer Paul Hobbs became deeply interested in both the terroir and Argentine culture, noticing the unique potential for Malbec and other varietals in the region. After meeting two kindred spirits, Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud, they founded Viña Cobos in 1997 and since then there has been no looking back. Utilising gnarly old vines, careful vineyard selection, very low yields and an unerring empathy for the raw materials, Viña Cobos craft intense yet balanced wines that showcase the elegance and beauty of this region. The wines from Cobos have branched into four different brands – Felino, Bramare appellation, Bramare Single Vineyard and the super premium Cobos. Binding all of the wines from Viña Cobos is the true identity of each variety and the unique terroir of Mendoza, truly world class wines from a world class producer.