Wine & Chocolate

Sweet, but balanced, powerful, rich and full bodied with aromas and flavours of blackberries, baked plum and sweet spice. Concentrated, long finish with notes of cocoa and baking spice. 

Country: Spain

Region: Castilla a Mancha, Jumilla

ABV: 11.5%

Grapes: Monastrell

Food Match: Dark chocolate mousse or Christmas pudding

The Gil family have been major wine producers in Jumilla since the early 20th Century. Bodegas Juan Gil is dedicated to producing powerful, yet approachable and modern wines, mainly based on Monastrell (aka Mourvedre) which is grown on about 80% of the vineyard.

The winery has invested heavily in its Organic and Sustainability programmes in recent years.

Aromas of plum, bramble leaf, and a hint of black pepper and spice. The palate is complex with ripe black fruits, prune, fig and an orange zest hint balanced by savoury characters of cloves and cedar. A rich wine with supple tannins and a graphite minerality, finishing long and elegant.

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Grape Variety: Corvina 30%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella 30%

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Sausages and rich stews

The rich-styled Malmsey is the most famous of the Madeira grape varietals, located today mostly in the region of São Jorge on the north of the island. The wine is matured in small oak casks, which are naturally heated for 10 years at the Blandy?s Wine Lodges in the centre of Funchal.

Country: Portugal

Region: Madeira

Grapes: Malvasia

ABV: 19%

A dark, rich, sweet style of wine.

Food Match: Chocolate Torte with vanilla Ice Cream

This is a vegan wine with a potential to bottle age. A ripe red wine with the notes of dried herbs, plums and cherry. The tannins are ripe with the flavour of liquorice. A long and complex finish that leads to the notes of orange peel and ripe red fruit.

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Grape Variety: Corvina 30%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella 30%

ABV: 17%

Food Match: game, roast beef, mature cheeses

Deliciously plump fruit, poised, refined and very approachable. Plum, some bitter cherry fruit, clove, cinnamon nose. Spicy up front and smooth, rounded fruit.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Montagne St Emilion

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Rich, concentrated aromas of black, ripe fruit, candied peel, rose petals and sweet spice with a hint of tobacco leaf and menthol. The palate is complex with ripe plum, blackberry and black cherry, fine tannins and notes of black pepper. Elegant and long.

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Grape Variety: Corvina 35%, Corvinone 35%, Rondinella 25% 

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Cumberland Sausage and mash or beef casserole

Twenty year old vines from their the Morandina vineyard near the Lessini mountains is at 450 metres altitude. Soils are limestone, calcareous and the site has a south-easterly exposure.It is a blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, plus a tiny bit of Oseleta, the vine shoots are cut allowing the grapes to dry for a month on the vine before harvesting. After fermentation the wine is aged for 18 months in barrel.