Spring Selection 2021

Fresh, zippy and oh so easy drinking throughout the year! A burst of aromatic complexity: notes of citrus fruit (grapefruit, lemon and lime), floral
notes (white flowers, linden leaves, hawthorn blossom) together with mineral notes.
Elegant and fine wine with a refreshing delicately saline finish.

Country: France

Region: Languedoc

Grapes: Piquepoul

ABV: 12.5%

The first vines planted in St Albans since Roman times - how very exciting! Bright, raspberry pink colour. Clean, fresh and dry rosé style. Packed with strawberry and cranberry flavours with a hint of spice on the finish. We're very proud to be stocking this wonderful locally grown wine.

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.

Country: England

Region: St Albans, Hertfordshire

Grapes: Rondo

ABV: 11.5%

Made by Michael Rhodes of Thurston Place, Suffolk

Fresh, crisp and clean with a hint of ripe raspberries, citrus and red cherries. A delicate pink colour. A delicious Chiaretto from the heart of Piemonte - sure to give adamant French pink wine lovers a compelling alternative.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmonte, Monferrato

Grapes: Barbera, Pinot Noir

ABV: 12%

A deep ruby red with garnet hues. With a rich and appealing scent, fresh and wide with scent of Pinot Nero grapes even if softly refined in oak. Fine on the pallet, delightful, smooth, full bodied, very well-balanced with a pleasant mineral long finish. Tannins and acidity go together very well and the result is strength and harmony at the same time.

Country: Italy

Region: Lombardy, Oltrepo Pavese DOC

Grapes: Pinot Nero

ABV: 13%

The Vistarino estate in Rocca de’ Giorgi, Oltrepò Pavese has been owned by the same family for hundreds of years. Carlo Giorgi di Vistarino introduced the Pinot Noir grape to the region at the end of the 19th Century, now his great granddaughter Ottavia is
taking the lead. Pinot Noir has become synonymous with the province, and by using state-of-the-art vineyard and winery technology, Ottavia is producing consistently high-quality, complex and elegant wines.

What an amazing wine!

Wonderfully rich and fleshy Chenin from hand harvested bushvine grown grapes in Paarl. Wild Yeast fermented and zero intervention this wine develops in the glass. We suggest not to over chill this wine and, if you can resist finishing the bottle, definitely give this a try on the second day of opening for an ethereal experience! 

Country: South Africa

Region: Paarl

Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc

ABV: 13%

https://www.wildeberg.co.za/

A deep red colour, with aromas of sweet cherry, plum and dried fruit together with a subtle spice element and hint of tobacco. The wine has a soft, rounded mouthfeel with lots of flavour and fruit concentration – caramel, mocha, ripe red fruits which are supported with soft, velvety tannins and a spicy finish.

One of the best younger vintages of Musar we tried - with wonderful rich, sweet fruit character. Don't underestimate this wine's longevity tough - this wine will still be drinking beautifully in 20-30 years time, guaranteed.

Lebanese, unique. From the historical wine producing Bekaa Valley and produced by master winemaker Serge Hochar. Concentrated plum and blackberry fruit, hints of fig, prune, distinct liquorice and spice. Fine, supple tannins, with hints of cedar and cinnamon. Long finish. Château Musar wines last for decades and can be enjoyed with just about everything!

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan

ABV: 14%

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 2021 is precise, clean, dry and crisp with green apple and ripe pear aromas and flavours. It has a lingering, minerally finish.

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 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.

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.

Soft, lively and fresh cranberry aromas and flavours - this is a wonderful introduction to the world of Piedmont reds and the Nebbiolo grape specifically.

Country: Italy

Region: Alto Piedmonte

Grapes: Nebbiolo 50%, Croatina 40%, Vespolina 10% 

ABV: 13%

Grapes for this wine are grown in Monte vineyard in Lessona and also in Brusnengo, from the "Mesola" area, which has an altitude 350 - 400 meters above sea level. The 'Rossonoah' is made up of 50% young Nebbiolo vines, 40% old Croatina vines and 10% Vespolina. 5 day maceration period for the Nebbiolo. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel and Malolactic fermentation. Aging for a further 6 months in stainless steel.

The 2021 vintage is a slightly lighter in colour due to the addition of  Frühburgunder from the winemaker's vineyard. The harvest of Rondo grapes from Wimbushes was tiny and therefore only 80 bottles of this special wine was produced. Notes of summer berries and cranberries on the nose. Dry and fresh on the palate with a clean, fruity finish. We're very proud to be selling this local English wine.

Very limited stock, so order while you can (but please don't be greedy). We are limiting purchases to 2 bottles per household.

Country: England

Region: St Albans Hertfordshire, Thurston Suffolk

Grapes: Rondo 90% (St Albans), Frühburgunder 10% (Suffolk)

ABV: 11.5%

Winemaker Michael Rhodes of 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.

The 2016 vintage is deep ruby in colour with high viscosity. Red cherries, plums, carob and figs dominate the nose with a hint of eastern spice. Kirsch and plums follow through to the palate with blackcurrant and chocolate. The tannins are velvety soft and this wine has a lot of depth and fruit concentration with a long finish.

The 2016 harvest showed without a doubt, that global warming is causing higher annual temperatures and at the same time, successive years of low rainfall have resulted in drier soils. Clearly, these factors may affect maturation of the grapes as well as the wine-making process but for 2016, with the much needed rainfall and almost perfect climatic conditions, we have high expectations for this vintages’ future for decades to come.

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: An equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan

ABV: 14%

“With crushed wild strawberries, a heady scent and beautifully balanced tannins and acid, it’s hugely impressive.  It might still be a baby, but it has such character and soul.  There’s freshness and there’s sweetness and there’s a touch of savouriness too and it’s going to age beautifully”. Jonathan Ray The Wine Spectator Magazine 26th February 2022

6 of these delicious rosés as a gift or to stock up for your summer weekend drinking!

Piquepoul Noir has been grown in Southern France for atleast 200 years, but is now rarely seen. Originally from the Languedoc, it is one of the 13 grapes permitted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Pale pink colour, light bodied and clean with refreshing acidity, bright rose petal aromas and citrus notes on the finish.

Country: France

Region: Languedoc

ABV: 11.5%

Grapes: Piquepoul Noir

Noah’s Bramaterra is comprised of 70% Nebbiolo, 20% Croatina and 10% Vespolina and is a beautifully balanced wine with flavours of cassis, cherries, wild strawberries, white truffle, rose water and orange marmalade and blending together seamlessly, followed by a wonderfully firm and mineral finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Alto Piedmonte

Grapes: Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina

ABV: 13,5%

The Bramaterra DOC is a relatively small appellation in Piedmont with the ability nevertheless to produce outstanding wines. Nebbiolo dominates the blends but the DOC allows for flexibility in small percentages of other varietals. 

Garnet, with ruby reflections. A shade that refers to the cardinal's clothing, such as "Pio Decimo" to which the label is dedicated. An elegant and layered nose of black pepper, red currant, walnut kernel, star anise, rhubarb, with blood orange blood orange and sweet notes given by the toasting of the wood. Fresh, medium body and intensity.

Country: Italy

Region: Alto Piedmonte, Boca

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13,5%

Food Match: Risottos, ravioli, aged cheeses, red meats.