Our Wines

Just a few highlights from our Wine List.

Chile:

We have listed a range of Carmen wines for more than five years. They are high quality modern wine maker’s with an excellent range of organics, reserve wines and classic varietals (the Carmenere is superb!)

Argentina:

Bodegas Septima www.bodegasseptima.com is once again an ultra modern operation in Mendoza and the Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon is one of our favourite soft, rich reds.

Familia Zuccardi, Vida Organica www.familiazuccardi.com

We list this wonderful range of organic wines and the prices are amazing

Mexico:

Vinicola L.A.Cetto

These are great wines from Baja California, the ‘99 Nebbiolo is just wonderful.

Australia:

Best’s www.bestswines.com

Viv Thompson from Best’s came to visit us in February and bought some new samples from one of Australia’s oldest family owned wine estates. Some vines were planted in the 1850’s. The Victoria range are clean, modern and rewarding but the Great Western wines are concentrated, intense and absolutely stunning!

Special mention must also go to Rolf Binder for his fantastic Barossa Valley wines, Christa Rolf, Hanisch and Heysen.

The Wilson sisters from Bremerton South Australia who bought in their Tamblyn and Matilda Plains.

Also Rollo Critenden’s Mornington Estate Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Shiraz Viognier. And watch out for Hamilton’s Ewell and their elegant Barossa Valley GSM
Trentham Estate wines from New South Wales www.trenthamestate.com. And the delightful Two Hands wines www.twohandswines.com

New Zealand:

Allan Scott www.allanscott.com popped in in Feb to show us his terrific new vintages and the Riesling ’05 was a little dryer than the outstanding ‘04 but still gorgeous, and the stickies were great too. He also showed his first vintage of Mount Michael, Central Otago Pinot Noir.

Waipara Hills www.waiparahills.co.nz have produced my favourite new world Gewurztraminer from Marlborough and their Sauvignon Blanc represents great value.

Special mention to Huia Vineyards www.huia.net.nz and to Escarpment Vineyards, Martinborough for their delicious Pinot Gris.

South Africa:

I had a memorable visit to Cape Winemaker’s Guild Auction recently and visited some old friends.

Clos Malverne www.closmalverne.co.za which is the most beautiful estate I’ve seen and the Auret ’02 is one of best Cape blends I sampled this year.

L’Avenir now under the Laroche stable whose Chenin Blanc is always enhanced by the lightest touch of botritis.

Rustenberg www.rustenberg.co.za are an exceptional company in our opinion with an extensive and delicious range especially the Bordeaux blend John X Merriman and the competitively priced Brampton range

We were delighted that Kathy Marshall, the wine maker from BWC www.barefoot.co.za was able to visit and run a couple of tutored tastings for us in store and her wines received rave reviews on the night.

Special mentions for the first vintage of WaterKloof Peacock Ridge Sauvignon a stunning vineyard overlooking False Bay. Also Jean Engelbrecht’s Guardian Peaks www.guardianpeak.com and Rust en Vrede.

Lebanon:

We have Musar of course but also the very under-rated Chateau Kefreya wines www.chateaukefraya.com and Domaine Wardy too.

Spain:

We have far too many wines from Spain to list here see our full list. But some require a special mention.

Bodegas Bilbainas, Vina Pomal www.bodegasbilbainas.com for their incredible hospitality and wonderful Vina Pomal Rioja, especially the concentrated single vineyard La Vicalanda.

Scala Dei Priorat, I will tell anyone who’ll listen that I think the Cartoixa Reserva 2001 is the best red under £20 I have tasted this year-Andy

Raimat, www.raimat.com

Continue to produce unusual and exciting style from their experimental vineyards at Costiers de Segre esp the Abadia and Albarino blends.

We also love Casa L’Ermita (who doesn’t ?), Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc, Rueda and Luis Canas, Rioja and Legaris, Ribero del Douro

Italy:

We adore the wines from Apollonio www.apolloniovini.it , the Salento ‘Vale Cupa’ and Copertino are exquisite.

Also the Montepuciano D’Abruzzo from Zaccagnini is rich and wonderfully warm.

We keep some of the Araldica, and Cavit range

France:

We list more than 100 French wines here’s a taster…

Champagne:

As well as many of the big names we also ship some smaller houses wines, we love the clean, fresh style from Gremillet.

Burgundy:

We ship most of our Burgundy range direct, our Chablis are made for us by Domaine des Malandes.

Our brilliant Cremant de Bourgogne is from Vittault-Alberti.

We also like Chartron and Trebuchet,G Prieur, Domaine Marchand Freres, Auvigue and the Co-ops in the region.

Alsace:

Caves de Turkheim www.cave-turckheim.com are a high quality co-operative
And Pierre Sparr make some absolutely stunning reserve wines.

Loire:

We keep Sancerre Blanc and Rose by Michel Girard and an ‘organic’ range from Vignoble Dauny.

South West:

I had an great visit to Corbieres, Domaine deux Anes with the charming Magali Terrier whose whole range is terrific.

One to watch is the wine maker Gavin Crisfield at La Sauvageonne, Languedoc www.lasauvageonne.net, his skill is to produce some wonderfully rich reds with a good forward minerality. His Rose and Sauvignon are great fun too.

Other regions:

Special mention must go to Chateau Moutete www.chateaumoutete.com
Provence Rose and Domaine Rimauresq Cru Classe for their fabulous wines and hospitality.

Chateau Campuget for traditional great value Costieres de Nimes.

Our ’01 Cahors from Domaine Pineraie and Domaine du Tariquet make some super Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne.

See our list for a more comprehensive range, including wine from Portugal, California, Morocco, Greece and many others.