‘The French Connection’ Case  - Discounted Price £89.50

We have selected four of our favourite southern French wines, all of which we think offer tremendous value for money.

3 bottles – Picpoul de Pinet ‘Duc de Mornay’

Picpoul is one of southern France’s star whites: crisp, dry but full of citrus fruit flavours. This one was rated equal top in Decanter Magazine’s Picpoul tasting last summer and is made by the famous Cave de l’Ormarine on the Lac de Thau.

3 bottles – Pasquiers Sauvignon /Vermentino

This Sauvignon Blanc has extra zip and richness given to it by the addition of one of the main white grapes of the Languedoc, the Vermentino. Aromatic and zingy, this is perfect summer drinking.

3 bottles – Bellefontaine Malbec

Although Argentina is now thought of as the home of Malbec, it has been grown in France for many hundreds of years. This delicious example from the Languedoc is unoaked and has masses of bright, blueberry fruit flavours.

3 bottles -  Pasquiers Grenache Noir

Unoaked, this stunning red made from the Grenache Noir has red berry fruit in abundance. Soft and so very easy to drink, this is one of our most popular summer reds that can even be chilled and drunk with chicken and fish dishes.

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‘The Italian Job’ Case - Discounted Price £89.50

3 bottles – Cantina di Negrar Garganega - Veneto

This is a wine I found on a buying trip to Italy two years ago. Made from the main grape of Soave, the Garganega, it has delicious citrus and white peach fruit flavours and has been hugely popular.

3 bottles – Dea del Mare Catarratto / Pinot Grigio - Sicily

This Sicilian white is made mainly from the Catarratto  – Sicily’s top white grape variety – which has a honeyed richness and is made by inspirational wine grower, Stefano Girelli.

3 bottles – Fedele Organic Red - Sicily

A new wine on our list this spring and a real find: packed with rich black cherry fruit, this organic red is made predominantly from the increasingly popular Nero d’Avola grape variety.

3 bottles -  Miopasso Primitivo - Puglia

An old favourite from the glorious Salento peninsular in the heel of Italy. Made by top winemaker, Stefano Chioccioli, this wine is laden with damson fruit and you can really taste the sunshine!

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‘Ten Green Bottles’ Case  - Discounted Price £75.00

All these wines are certified Organic and Vegan. Minimal amounts of sulphur are used in the wine making process and there is no use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in the vineyard.

2 bottles of Fedele Bianco  - Sicily

From Sicily, a superb well-balanced white that has a wonderful combination of peach and lemon fruit flavours. Made by the world-renowned winemaker, Stefano Chioccioli.

2 bottles of Running Duck Sauvignon/Chenin -  South Africa

This crisp, dry Fair Trade white is a blend of the Cape’s top two white grape varieties. Named after the Indian Running Ducks that they keep to eat the bugs in the vineyard.

2 bottles of Running Duck Rosé -  South Africa

A salmon-pink, dry and refreshing rosé from the famous Stellar Organics winery which is also Fair Trade. Delicious summer drinking. 

2 bottles of of Fedele Rosso  - Sicily

Made mainly from Sicily’s Nero d’Avola grape, this delicious rich red has a wonderful purity of damson fruit flavours, unadulterated by chemicals or pesticides.

2 bottles of Running Duck Shiraz – South Africa

 From the Stellar Organics winery in the Vredendal wine region, some four hours north of Cape Town, comes this smooth red which has pure blackberry fruit on the palate.

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‘Get Carter’ Chilean Case - Discounted Price £75.00

We have been shipping for over 20 years the superb wines from this old estate owned by the del Pedregal family since 1825 in the Loncomilla Valley in Chile.  www.delpedregalwines.com

3 bottles – Carta Vieja Sauvignon Blanc

This is the best value Sauvignon on our list. Packed with delicious gooseberry fruit flavours, it comes from a top family-owned vineyard in the Maule Valley – the perfect aperitif.

3 bottles – Carta Vieja Chardonnay

From vineyards in the Loncomilla Valley, this gold medal winning, unoaked Chardonnay has delicious pear and peach fruit on the palate with good balancing acidity.

3 bottles -  Carta Vieja Merlot

This incredibly popular Chilean Merlot has rich red cherry and plum fruit on the palate. Unoaked, it has soft tannins that create a really well-balanced wine.

3 bottles -  Carta Vieja Cabernet Sauvignon

Packed with blackberry and damson fruit flavours, this un-wooded red made from the great grape of Bordeaux has a hint of sweet chocolate and mocha on the finish.

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The ‘Fab Four’ Case - Discounted Price £79.50

Over the last few years, four grapes have become the most popular in this country – Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio for white and Merlot and Malbec for red.

We couldn’t resist putting together a mixed case of our favourites!

3 bottles – Round Stone Bay Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand

A classic Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc from the famous Marlborough wine region at the north of the South Island. Packed with typical gooseberry and elderflower fruit, this is delicious both on its own or with seafood.

3 bottles – Matra Hills Pinot Grigio  - Hungary

This is our best-selling Pinot Grigio and comes from the beautiful Matra Hills in Hungary. It has wonderful greengage fruit and has more depth of flavour than many examples from Northern Italy.

3 bottles -  Tierra del Rey Merlot - Chile

This incredibly popular Chilean Merlot has rich red cherry and plum fruit on the palate. Unoaked, it has soft tannins that create a really well-balanced wine.

3 bottles -  Finca Vista Malbec - Argentina

This gorgeous unoaked Malbec from Argentina’s leading wine region, the Mendoza Valley, has stunning blueberry fruit on the palate – delicious with food or just slurped!

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The ‘Simply Red’ Case - Discounted Price £82.50

A case of four different, unoaked reds that are soft and perfect summer drinking. All four have screw caps for ease of access! 

3 bottles – Rioja Monte Haro – Spain

Made from the Tempranillo grape, this is a fine Rioja from the famous Bodega Paternina in the Rioja Alta. It has soft red berry fruit on the palate and is extremely drinkable on its own or with food.

3 bottles – Cantina di Negrar Corvina  - Italy

Corvina is the main and best grape that goes into the blend of Valpolicella and this excellent red from the illustrious Cantina di Negrar firm close to Lake Garda is packed with delicious cherry fruit flavour.

3 bottles -  Carta Vieja Cabernet Sauvignon - Chile

From the Del Pedregal family’s estates in the Loncomilla Valley, this rich Cabernet has fine blackcurrant fruit on the palate. Unoaked, it has soft tannins that create a really well-balanced wine.

 3 bottles -  Pasquiers Grenache Noir - France

This is one of our favourite wines: a gentle Grenache from the South of France. A lighter red in colour but packed with superb red berry fruit on the palate. Delicious chilled!

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The ‘On Point Pinot Noir’ Case  Discounted price    £89-95

10 bottles from 5 excellent growers of the Queen of Red Wine Grapes

 2 bottles    Le Fou Pinot Noir  - Pays d’Oc - France

Unoaked, this Pinot is picked at optimum ripeness in the sun-drenched vineyards of the Southern Languedoc giving it a wonderful bouquet of black cherry compote and a nicely balanced structure with silky tannins and good acidity.

 2 bottles    Domaine Guy Allion Pinot Noir  - Loire Valley - France

Our favourite Pinot – indeed we had it for our daughter’s wedding in May -  from a small family-owned estate next to Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley. Aged in French oak, it has wonderful cherry fruit and is unbelievably drinkable. We can’t recommend it highly enough!

 2 bottles   Côte du Danube Pinot Noir  - Bulgaria

This stunning Pinot Noir proves that you can make great wine from this grape at under £10 per bottle. Aged in French and Bulgarian oak for 6 months, it has a real depth of flavour that you so rarely find in Burgundian Pinot Noir at more than twice the price.

2 bottles    Terra Alta Pinot Noir – Central Valley - Chile

This is new on our list this autumn and we think that Chile is fast becoming the home of top value Pinot Noir. This soft and elegant Pinot comes from 40 – 60 year old vines that are dry farmed and cool fermented to preserve the delicious strawberry fruit. Unoaked, this can be drunk on its own.

2 bottles    Mount Riley Pinot Noir  – New Zealand

This elegant Pinot comes from a family-owned Estate in the famous Marlborough region of New Zealand’s South Island. It has been aged in used French oak barrels for seven months to give the wine a greater structure and a good balance between acidity and soft red berries mingled with coffee beans.

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The ‘Six of the Best’ Case   -   Discounted Price £79.50
 

1 bottle – Chablis 1er Cru ‘Vaillons’ 2015 – France

We ship this stunning wine from the immaculate cellars of the ‘Caves La Chablisienne’ – the region’s leading cooperative. ‘Vaillons’ is a vineyard just south-west of the village of Chablis and one of the most famous of the 1er crus. Made from 25 year old vines, this unoaked white burgundy is kept on its lees for a year to develop a really complex and elegant balance of citrus fruit and fine acidity.

1 bottle – Fairhall Downs Sauvignon Blanc  2018 – New Zealand

This is our absolute favourite Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. From one of the few family-owned single vineyards, it comes from the Brancott Valley in Marlborough and is made from the free run juice of the Sauvignon Blanc with partial barrel fermentation to add depth of flavour. 94/100 Bob Campbell MW ‘Concentrated Sauvignon with grapefruit, guava, passionfruit, pineapple, toast and a hint of brioche flavours’.

1 bottle – Jordan Wines Chenin Blanc 2015 – South Africa

I have never been to a more beautiful winery in the world than Jordan, set as it is at the western end of the Stellenbosch Kloof. Inspirational husband and wife winemaking team, Gary and Kathy Jordan, who have both done tastings for us at the warehouse and have been making word class wines since 1983. Their Chenin Blanc has fabulous richness after being barrel-fermented then aged on its lees for 8 months.

1 bottle – Bodega Navajas Reserva 2013 - Spain

This wine comes from a family-owned estate in the village of Navarette just outside Haro in the Rioja Alta. Aged in American oak casks for 20 months, prior to a further 2 years bottle ageing, this is benchmark Rioja. A blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo (Carignan), this wine has deep damson fruit on the bouquet, a lovely soft vanilla finish, and opens up beguilingly in the glass as the second bottle beckons!

1 bottle – Chianti Classico Riserva 2016 - Italy

Made from 100% Sangiovese by Stefano Chioccioli – one of the few winemakers in the world to have received a 100pt Robert Parker score – this concentrated Tuscan red with fine black cherry fruit has been aged in Slavonian oak for 12 months prior to bottling. Perfect with cheese and game as well as pasta, of course!

1 bottle – Las Acequias Malbec 2015 - Argentina

The Correas family have been making wine in Argentina since 1860, and this excellent red has lots of blueberry fruit, followed by smooth tannins, hints of vanilla from the oak and lots of rich, complex and spiced fruit with a very long finish.  Made from grapes grown in the Don Angelino Estate in the High Madrano in Mendoza from 85 year old vines which give a low but intense yield.

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www.guyallion.com

Domaine Guy Allion is located in the village of Thessee-La-Romaine, close to the famous Château of Chenonceaux that straddles the river Cher just before its confluence with the Loire. Cédric is the 4th generation of the Allion family to make wine at the domaine and he does so according to the organic ‘Terra Vitis’ programme. We think that his wines are some of the most delicious that we have ever tasted with an astonishing purity of fruit and real complexity.

2 bottles – Guy Allion Sauvignon Blanc de Touraine

A superb Sauvignon Blanc that has typical gooseberry and elderflower fruit but with the balancing acidity that shows why the central Loire valley is the source of the greatest Sauvignons in the world. The 2019 is elegant, with fine acidity to balance the herbaceous fruit.  This is Cédric’s best-selling wine and deservedly so – we absolutely love it!

1 bottle – Chenonceaux Blanc 2017

This is a more complex Sauvignon grown on the best slopes close to the river where the limestone ‘perruches’ soil gives the wine extra depth and allows it to age longer after having been kept on its fine lees for a year prior to bottling and thus developing an almost tropical fruit flavour.

2 bottles – Les Parcs Pinot Noir 2018

 This has to be our best value Pinot Noir in terms of the sumptuous raspberry and cherry fruit flavours that explode in the mouth. Made from 45 year old vines and aged in oak for 9 months, it has a wonderful finesse and length that no red Burgundy I have ever tasted in this price range has achieved.

2 bottles – Les Quatres Pierres Cabernet Franc  2018

 Made from 50 year old vines, Cédric’s Cabernet Franc is a delight with deliciously perfumed, raspberry and blackcurrant flavours in the mouth. It is the main red grape of the Loire Valley and while frequently found in blends – in Bordeaux, for instance, it is the Prince to Cabernet’s King and Merlot’s Queen – it can be magnificent on its own. Here, it has been aged in large oak vats for 9 months to develop complexity and vanilla smoothness. If you haven’t tried a single grape Cab Franc before, then you are in for a treat!

1 bottle – Chenonceaux Rouge 2016

 This wine is made from an unoaked blend of 50% Malbec (or Cot as it is called in the Loire) and 50% Cabernet Franc. Again it is only grown on the best south-west facing slopes and it has restricted yields producing a wonderfully rich and complex red with serious length of smooth blueberry fruit on the palate and a gentle hint of spice on the finish.

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https://bodegasnavajas.es/

Situated in the village of Navarette just outside Haro in the Rioja Alta, the Navajas family have been making benchmark Rioja since 1918. The family own 30 hectares of their own vineyards but also buy grapes in from neighbouring vineyards but with strict control over the way the vines are grown and harvested – their attention to detail in all stages of the winemaking process sets them apart from most other growers. Red Rioja is all about oak-aging and the wines below take you on a delicious voyage through the evolving styles.

2 bottles – Navajas Blanco 2019

We have just shipped, for the first time, this delicious dry white made from 100% Viura grapes grown in 25-year-old vineyards close to the bodega. Unoaked, it has elegant citrus fruit flavours and refreshing crisp acidity on the palate. Bring on the seafood…..

2 bottles – Navajas Tinto Joven 2018

 A blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo (Carignan) grapes, this is essentially an unoaked Rioja but Antonio blends a proportion of the oak aged wine in with it to give it a more classical Rioja style. Packed with red berry fruit, it is a wine that punches above its weight.

2 bottles – Navajas Crianza 2015

 A similar blend to the above but from older vines where the grapes are hand-picked. After fermentation the wine is fined then poured into French and American 225 litre oak  barrels where it is kept for a minimum of 12 months (the legal minimum for a crianza wine) before being bottled and then kept a further year in the bodega cellar before being released onto the market. I always think that this is the benchmark Rioja with its delicious morello cherry fruit and smooth vanilla oak finish – delicious!

 2 bottles – Navajas Reserva 2013

 Again a similar blend of grapes, but this time from the oldest, lowest-yielding vineyards. The wine is aged for 24 months in French and American oak barrels before spending a similar length in bottle at the bodega. The longer it spends in oak, the softer and more complex the wine becomes with hints of spice and dried plum fruit on the finish: this is a very fine example indeed.
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The Boxing Day Case      £79-50   (£87.95 in gift box)

3 bottles   :  False Bay ‘Slow’ Chenin Blanc  - South Africa

This is simply the most appealing white wine that we have discovered this year with creamy stone fruit flavours and gentle acidity. Fermented with natural wild yeast. It comes from old bush vines and is aged for six months on its lees after fermentation to give it the delicious smooth flavours.

3 bottles  :  Carta Vieja Sauvignon Blanc  - Chile

Just arrived from Chile is our first shipment of the 2021 vintage from our old friends, the Del Pedregal family in the Loncomilla Valley. As Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc is getting scarcer and more expensive by the day, this elegant Chilean Sauvignon Blanc with a delicious elderflower fruit offers stunning value for money.

3 bottles  :  False Bay ‘Bush Vine’ Pinotage   - South Africa

A classic example of South Africa’s signature grape made from low-yielding old bush vines in Stellenbosch. Wild yeast fermentation and organically farmed, means this lightly oaked red wine has delectable damson and plum fruit. 

3 bottles  :  Tierra Alta Merlot   -  Chile

A really versatile ‘mellow’ Merlot from Chile. Unoaked with masses of juicy blackcurrant fruit flavour, this is perfect on its own or with food. Made from grapes harvested at two different altitudes so as to get the soft fruit from the lower vineyards as well as a refreshing balancing acidity from the higher ones.

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3 bottles of 4 deep, rich, powerful red wines from around the world

3 bottles    De Bortoli ‘Deen Vat’ Shiraz  -  Australia

A huge, full-bodied red from Australia’s greatest red grape, the Shiraz. Aged in American oak for 12 months, it has rich aromas of blackberry and damson fruit combined with a beguiling vanilla spice on the finish. From grapes grown in the De Bortoli family vineyards in the famous Heathcote region of Victoria.

 3 bottles    Le Cadet du Château la Claymore   - Bordeaux – France

A superb, château-bottled claret from the Lussac region of Saint-Émilion. From the fabulous 2015 vintage, this rich, oak aged red is made from Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec grapes and is really complex with fine blackberry fruit on the palate. Sensational claret from a famous winemaker, Francois Linard.

3 bottles    Vina Carta Vieja Merlot - Chile

‘This really delicious smooth but rich Chilean red is made from unoaked Merlot grown in the Del Pedregal family’s cool climate vineyards in the Loncomilla valley. It has a lovely purity of red berry and plum fruit with a soft and silky finish.

 3 bottles    Barbera d’Asti ‘Ceppi Storici’ – Italy

A massive wine made from 40-year-old noble Barbera vines, it comes from vineyards in the Monferrato hills in the south-west of Piemonte. The grapes are hand-harvested from low-yielding vines planted on a limestone-clay soil, before being aged in a mixture of small French oak barriques and large Piemonte oak vats for 12 months prior to bottling. Stunning!

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12 bottles of low alcohol wine
 

2 bottles    Bellefontaine Sauvignon Blanc  -  France   12% vol

Classic, well-balanced Sauvignon Blanc from southern France with herbaceous aromas and crisp gooseberry fruit. Made from grapes harvested both in Gascony to give the wine a delicate acidity and from cooler sites in the Languedoc to add weight and structure.

2 bottles    Matra Hill Pinot Grigio  -  Hungary  12% vol

Our best-selling Pinot Grigio comes from the beautiful Matra Hills in Hungary. Delicate but full of delicious greengage and apple fruit flavours, this is a supremely versatile wine that is unbelievable easy to drink.

2 bottles - Abadia Airén/Sauvignon – Spain  11%  vol

A delicious Spanish white made from a blend of Airén and Sauvignon Blanc from Catalonia. Packed with zippy citrus fruit flavours, this was one of our best-selling wines last year.

2 bottles    Dea del Mare Montepulciano d’Abruzzo  - Italy  12.5% vol

This smooth, medium-bodied red with classic black cherry fruit flavours is  grown on the rugged slopes of the Abruzzo hills in central Italy and is made by the highly respected winemaker,  Stefano Chioccioli.

2 bottles - Abadia Tempranillo – Spain  12%  vol

Gentle red made from the great grape of Rioja packed with delicious smooth plum fruit flavours. Unoaked, it comes from a family-owned vineyard just north of Tarragona.

2 bottles    Cantina di Negrar Corvina – Italy  12.5% vol

From the famous vineyards of Valpolicella between Lake Garda and Verona comes this delectable smooth red made from the main grape of the region: the Corvina. Full of delicate red berry fruit, this is almost too drinkable for its own good! Gold Medal – Guilbert & Gaillard 2019.

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10 bottles to broaden your wine palate!

1 bt  -  Picpoul de Pinet ‘Duc de l’Ormarine' -  France

One of the great whites from the south of France. Picpoul has wonderful zippy acidity and is delicious with fish and seafood. Rated top Picpoul in Decanter Magazine last year, it is a firm favourite.

1 bt  - Vila Nova Loureiro  -  Portugal

A new wine on the list last year and a cracker! A Vinho Verde from north-west Portugal this Loureiro has excellent citrus fruit and is crisp, dry and elegant. Grown on the aristocratic Lencanstre family estate just north of Oporto. 

1 bt – Ca di Ponti  Cataratto  -  Sicily 

This Cataratto comes from high altitude vineyards in the Marsala region on the west coast of Sicily and has delightful ripe peach and honeysuckle flavours, but with balancing acidity.

1 bt – Don Cristobal Verdelho –  Argentina 

Verdelho is one of the great grapes of Madeira but here is grown in the Mendoza region of by one of our favourite winemakers, Edouardo Lapania of Don Cristobal Estate and it has stunning greengage fruit on the palate.

1 bt - Abadia Airén – Spain 

A delicious Spanish white made from 85% Airén from Catalonia. Packed with zippy citrus fruit flavours, this was one of our best-selling wines last year. Lower in alcohol at 11% and delightfully refreshing.

1 bt  - Las Acequias Bonarda  -  Argentina

This is Argentina’s second most grown grape after Malbec.  This Bonarda has just been awarded 93 points in James Suckling: ‘lovely notes of citrus, blueberries, cinnamon and raspberry cheesecake. The palate shows real depth with vibrant acidity, structured tannins and a long finish.’

1 bt – Terranoble Carmenère Reserva – Chile

For 150 years Carmenère was sold as Merlot in Chile but it has now become to Chile what Malbec is to Argentina. This stunning Reserva has lovely plum fruit and smooth vanilla spice from oak ageing.

1 bt  -  Cantina di Negrar Corvina – Italy

From the famous vineyards of Valpolicella between Lake Garda and Verona comes this delectable smooth red made from the main grape of the region: the Corvina. Full of delicate red berry fruit, this is almost too drinkable for its own good! Gold Medal – Guilbert & Gaillard 2019.

1 bt  -  De Bortoli ‘Deen Vat’ Durif – Australia

The Durif – also known as the Petit Sirah in California – is made here by the famous De Bortoli family and the Deen Vat Durif is a wonderful, blockbuster rich red with fabulous dark damson fruit.

1 bt  -  Ca’ di Ponti Nero d’Avola – Sicily

 The Nero d’Avola is the most important red grape from Sicily and this medal winning wine comes from vines grown in the south of the island – its traditional homeland. Stylistically it is not dissimilar to an Australian Shiraz with rich damson fruit and smooth, silky tannins. Drinks beautifully on its own or as an accompaniment to meaty pasta dishes.

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12 bottles from 6 inspirational wine growing families.

 2 bt    Domaine du Gouyat  - Bergerac Sec -  France          1st shipped 1990  - 31 years

The first wine I ever shipped direct from France was Serge Dubard’s Domaine du Gouyat – would I ever be able to sell 30 dozen? Well, the Dubard family wines have been a constant delight on our list for the last 30 years and this delicious Sauvignon shows the elegance that this grape can achieve with great winemaking.

 2 bt   River Retreat Pinot Grigio  -  Australia             1st shipped 2002  - 19 years

Although we have only been shipping from the Murphy family’s Trentham Estate for a mere 19 years, they have been a stalwart on our list. This particular wine though is new to us this year and shows how Pinot Grigio is a grape that benefits from lots of Aussie sunshine. 

2 bt   Bodegas Navajas Tinto  -  Spain      1st shipped 1992  - 29 years

Another family-owned vineyard in the village of Navarrete in the Rioja Alta, where Antonio Navajas makes benchmark wines and even his entry point Tinto – a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo -  has a level of oak aging which gives it the typical damson and vanilla spice flavours.

2 bt   Château Nardou ‘Cuvée Bois de Meyney’  – France     1st shipped 1997  -  24 years

Also from the Dubard family, but this time Serge’s brother Laurent, who gave up life as a Parisian Doctor to pursue the dream of becoming a vigneron in Bordeaux. His delicious Côte des Francs Merlot based claret comes from just outside Saint-Émilion region. He also has delightful gites if you want a trip to France.

2 bt    Carta Vieja Cabernet Sauvignon –  Chile     1st shipped 1995  - 26 years

 I don’t know where we would have been over the years without the wonderfully reliable wines of the del Pedregal’s family’s Carta Vieja winery in the Maule valley. Winegrowers since 1825, this classic Cabernet Sauvignon has delicious black fruit flavours and is unoaked.

 2 bt   Jordan Estate Chameleon red – South Africa     1st shipped 1996 – 25 years

 Gary and Kathy Jordan have been great supporters of Whitebridge Wines over the years and they are privileged to own to most beautiful wine estate that I have ever been to. This blend of Cabernet and Merlot has wonderful rich red berry fruit and a percentage of each bottle sold goes towards preservation of the Cape Dwarf Chameleon.

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The 12 bottles that you enjoyed most last year

3 bt    Matra Hills Pinot Grigio -  Hungary

This was our best-selling white wine over the last year. Hungary is the original home of Pinot Grigio and this delicious wine from the beautiful Matra Hills in the north-east of the country has astonishing fruit and flavour for the price and offers far better value than many alternatives from Italy.

 3 bt   Mirror Lake Sauvignon  Blanc  -  New Zealand

Our Mirror Lake Sauvignon Blanc with its typical gooseberry fruit and elderflower aroma is hugely popular and comes from the prestigious Marlborough wine region at the north tip of the South Island of New Zealand. 

 3 bt   Finca Vista Malbec  – Argentina

This has been hugely popular since we first shipped it some 18 months ago. Packed with rich blueberry and cherry fruit flavours, it comes from 40 year old vines grown at high altitude to add balancing acidity. Lightly aged in oak to give a hint of vanilla spice on the finish.

 3 bt    Dry River Shiraz –  Australia

The top red wine sold over the past year is this deliciously soft Shiraz from South-Eastern Australia with typical damson and cherry fruit flavours. Unoaked, it typifies the versatile and easy-drinking style that Australia has become justly famous for.

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10 bottles from around France

2 bt    Réserve Saint Marc Grenache Blanc -  Languedoc

Made in the south of France by the famous Vignobles Foncalieu, this dry but fruity Pays d’Oc white has delicious vibrant peach fruit flavours on the nose with pear and stone fruit on the palate.

2 bt   Macon Blanc ‘les Préludes’  -  Burgundy

From the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy, this fine, unoaked Chardonnay is made by the 2021 Revue de Vin de France winery of the year, Cave de Prissé and has typical citrus and stone-fruit flavours.

2 bt   Domaine du Gouyat Merlot  - Bergerac

One of our favourite French reds from the Dubard family in the Dordogne. Unoaked and packed with rich black fruit flavours, this deservedly won a Gold Medal at the Concours de Bordeaux.

2 bt    Côtes du Rhône ‘La Chapelle Marin’ –  Rhône Valley

Made from old vine, hand-picked Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes owned by Patrice Armand in the southern Rhône, this excellent unoaked red has attractive juicy bramble and cherry fruit.

2 bt    Bellefontaine Malbec –  Rhône Valley

A fresh take on Malbec from the reaches of the Pyrenees in the Languedoc rather than the Andes of Argentina. Brimming with bright blueberry fruit this Malbec offers exceptional value for money and is a classic summer barbecue wine.

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1 bottle    Champagne Nominé-Renard Brut

We have shipped this excellent, small-grower champagne Simon Nominé for over 25 years. I can honestly say that there is no better champagne that I have tasted for delivering fabulous quality at a really affordable price. Soft and elegant, the champagne has good bottle age which enhances the biscuity flavour of a classic Brut Reserve.

2 bottles Wildsong ‘organic’ Sauvignon Blanc Hawke’s Bay-New Zealand

New on our list this year comes the astonishing wines of international award-winning winemaker, Rod McDonald. The wines come from the Te Awanga Estate in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island and at a Zoom Tasting with Rob, we were blown away by the intense grapefruit, nectarine and melon flavours on the palate and fine balancing acidity on the finish. Harvested in the early morning from high elevation vineyards, the organic grapes are gently pressed before fermentation and then aged on the lees for some months to gain complexity.

2 bottles  Don Cristobal ‘barrel selection’ Malbec   - Argentina

From our favourite Argentinian wine grower, Eduardo Lapania’s Don Cristobal winery in Mendoza comes this wonderfully rich and intense Malbec with great blueberry and plum fruit. Nine months ageing in French oak adds a delicious vanilla and mocha spice to the finish. Hand-harvested from vines grown in the Finca La Santa Maria vineyard at 935 metres altitude, giving the wine an extra level of complexity.

1 bottle    Krohn Ruby Port   - Portugal

Also new on our list this year is Krohn Port. Founded in 1865 by two Norwegians,  the small house of Krohn has built up an enviable reputation for fruit-driven ports. We think this classic Ruby has a delightful bouquet of pure black cherry fruit. Made from the traditional grape varieties – Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Touriga Francesa, it is delicious served as a digestif with cheese after a meal, but why not try if as they do on the continent as a warming aperitif?

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10 bottles from our daughter’s wedding!

2 bt    Cava Castillo Perelada Rosado -  Spain 

 Simply stunning rosé fizz that was served at the King of Spain’s wedding after being selected from over 180 different Cavas in a blind tasting. Dry but with superb strawberry fruit, this delectable pink is one of our favourite party drinks and hopelessly moreish! 

2 bt    Pasquiers Rosé -  France 

 Made in the south of France by Paul Boutinot, this dry but fruity Pays d’Oc rosé has delicious vibrant red berry flavours on the nose with a deliciously clean and zingy finish. Easily outperforms many a Provence rosé at five times the price! 

 2 bt   Hidden Bay Sauvignon Blanc  -  New Zealand

 A classic Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand’s South Island. Packed with the grape’s quintessential gooseberry and elderflower fruit, it is just so, so drinkable.  

 3 bt  Domaine Guy Allion Pinot Noir  - France

 Simply our favourite summer red. From a small grower in the Loire Valley close to the famous Château Chenonceaux, this wine has fantastic soft cherry fruit but a beguiling zip of acidity. Too moreish by half! 

1 bt    Belle & Co Sparkling no alcohol –  Germany

I have always scorned no alcohol wine but…. this is great! It also means that those at a wedding who are driving / pregnant etc. don’t get fobbed off with a glass of OJ. We have it in pink or white so just choose the opposite colour to the alcoholic option and you can then even give it to the children. It went down particularly well for our lunch on Sunday when there were some seriously jaded palates….

Return

13

8 fabulous wines from this stunning Chilean winery

www.terranoble.cl

1 bt    Terranoble Sauvignon Blanc Reserva  - Casablanca Valley

Supremely elegant Sauvignon from the cool climate of the Casablanca Valley. This rivals many a top quality Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé with its sophisticated clean minerality and well-balanced citrus fruit.

1 bt    Terranoble Chardonnay Reserva  - Casablanca Valley

 This has all the classic refinement of a top white Burgundy. Hand harvested, the grapes are gently pressed to keep the acidity. After fermentation 50% of the wine is aged in used French oak for 6 months which gives it greater complexity with only a delicate hint of oak on the palate.

 1 bt    Terranoble Chardonnay ‘Las Dichas’ Gran Reserva - Casablanca Valley

 Tim Aitkin MW 91 pts – Chile Report 2021 ‘A lightly wooded Chardonnay with appealing zip and drive, some cream and flavours of pear and lemon zest.’.

 1 bt    Terranoble Carmenère Reserva  - Colchagua Valley

 This is simply delicious – my favourite wine of 2021. A wonderfully complex and well-structured red with mouth-wateringly smooth damson and blueberry fruit as well as a hint of vanilla spice from gentle oak ageing..

 1 bt    Terranoble Merlot Reserva  - Colchagua Valley

 Part-fermented in French oak, this rich and smooth black fruit driven red has intriguing vanilla and gentle spice on the palate. It is grown in the Los Cactus vineyard at the western end of the Colchagua where cool nights allow the wine to develop real complexity. 

 1 bt   Terranoble Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Especial  - Colchagua Valley

This delightful Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a single vineyard, Los Lingues, which is located in this more eastern stretch of the Colchagua Valley. Red berries, plums, cassis, smoke, and chocolate dominate the nose. An intense and exquisite wine with dark ruby colour of remarkable depth. Its great tannins and good acidity hold its firm structure together.

1 bt    Terranoble Carignan Gran Reserva – Maule Valley

 ‘The hand-harvested grapes are vinified gently and divided between concrete eggs and untoasted foudres, giving the wine the finesse that so frequently eludes Carignan. With floral, redcurrant, tart cherry, cranberry and spicy balsam notes wafting over sleek tannins and rock-fresh acidity, it's the sort of red that goes with a wide range of foods.’ Joanna Simon – Wine of the Week July 2021.

 1 bt    Terranoble Carmenère Gran Reserva – Maule Valley

This wine comes from their flagship grape: the Carmenère. Winner of award after award, the latest accolades for this vintage include: 90 pts in The Wine Spectator and 92 pts in Tim Aitkin MW’s annual Chile report where he writes: 'Marcelo García has a magic touch with Carmenère, seemingly wherever it's grown in Chile. This comes from San Clemente in the Maule Valley and is the most immediate and approachable of his wines. Deftly wooded in barrels and foudres, it's a subtle, scented, well-balanced red with sweet black fruits and a capsicum top note.'