Thursday 26 February 2015

Spring Newsletter

Spring Newsletter
Spring is sprung.....

The Easter Case


White Wines
Pallio di San Floriano Verdicchio, Marche - Italy
Intense and persistent aromas of honey and almond blossom followed by more developed ripe fruit characters. Rich and full flavoured with concentrated peachy fruit balanced by crisp acidity and stony mineral notes. The finish has zesty grapefruit and lime flavours.

Vedilhan Serica Viognier, Pays d'Oc - France
This wine was crafted by partly barrel-fermenting a proportion of the Viognier. The result is a richly textured wine with wonderful aromas of crystallized orange peel and ginger. Subtle flavours of stone fruits are enhanced by elegant creamy oak, which is all perfectly balanced. Barrel-fermentation adds texture and a creaminess to the wine rather than a dominant oak flavour.

Los Otros Pinot Grigio, Maule Valley - Chile
This is a deliciously fresh and fruity Pinot Grigio with the classic aroma and flavour of ripe peaches and a hint of cinnamon spice. Ripe and textural in the mouth, this is a very versatile and very easy drinking wine.

El Viejo del Valle Sauvignon Gris, Casablanca Valley - Chile
The rather rare Sauvignon Gris is a big, aromatic cousin of the Sauvignon Blanc. The nose is nicely evolved and there's real intensity and perfume. The fruit notes are lifted and tropical and marry beautifully with the fresh aroma of waxy lemons. An abundance of gooseberry, mango and melon fruit show throughout the palate and the finish is elegant and long.

El Tesoro Verdejo, Castilla Leon - Spain
The aromas here are of tropical fruit with hints of citrus. The palate also has lots of passion fruit and grapefruit characters with a tangy citrus finish. This is wonderfully crisp and precise dry white that has great texture and weight balanced by good depth of flavour.

Red Wines
Pierre Fine Grenat Old Vine Grenache. Languedoc - France
A ripe and luscious Grenache with plenty of character and soul. With eucalyptus and sweet vanilla on the nose mingled with ripe red fruits, it follows through to the palate brimming with the full-bodied fruit of old bush vines, dark bramble fruit flavours and oak spice with some tasty wood tannins on the finish.

Sassaiolo Rosso Piceno, Marche - Italy
Very ripe and open on the nose with cherry jam and red berry fruit characters. The palate is warm and generous, packed full of rich berry fruit, a touch of spice and a bitter plum twist on the finish. Tannins are gentle and add structure to this substantial and delicious, spicy red.

Scarmiglione Rosso, Maremma - Italy
A deeply coloured Tuscan red which comes from a blend of Sangiovese and Alicante Bouschet. An excellent wine that offers plenty of primary fruit on the nose with red cherries and a hint of black tea and spice. Smooth, savoury and characterful this is a fresh and balanced wine that is easy to drink, yet with real depth of flavour.

Silvermyn Argentum, Banghoek - South Africa
This very classy Bordeaux blend is quite serious with an underlying depth of dark brambly fruit, rich and plummy with hints of warm cloves leading to a satisfying finish. The tannins are fresh and food friendly which further enhance the wine's complexity.

Alaia Prieto Picudo/Tempranillo/Merlot, Castilla y Leon - Spain
Intense aroams or red fruit, woodland, cocoa powder and savoury mushroom notes. The palate is fruity and medium-bodied showing soft blueberry characters with some spice, balanced acidity, and good length.

Emiliana Reserva Pinot Noir, Bio Bio Valley - Chile
Fresh red fruit aromas are supported on the palate with subtle tannins, balanced acidity and a persistent finish. This is a bright, fresh, cool-climate Pinot with sweet red fruits and some seriously silky tannins. Absolutely delicious served with lamb dishes.

Burlesque Old Vine Zinfandel, California - USA
A full bodied Zinfandel, packed with ripe damson flavours and a twist of black pepper spice. Very soft and full of flavour, this is a seriously easy drinking and moreish wine with a wonderfully balanced and persistent finish.

£79.99 if collected from the shop
£88 delivered anywhere in mainland UK
Free delivery within a 30 mile radius



The Easter Treats Case
A selection of six of our most favourite fine wines to enjoy over the Easter period.

2012 Domaine de la Motte Chablis
A lovely and rich wine from the IWSC French Producer of the Year 2013.
A classic Chablis from vines grown on the famous Kimmeridgian clay with nervy, mineral fruit but added depth from a small, around 10%, addition of some oak aged wine into the blend. This is very typical of the Motte style and gives a richness and balance to the wine.

2013 Bodegas Terras Gauda 'O Rosal' Rias Baixas
This is quite simply one of the finest white wines produced in Spain. Grapes are sourced from the O Rosal Valley, with 70% Albarino, 20% Loureira and 10% Caino making up the blend. An Albarino of uncommon complexity with a multitude of citrus and stone fruits wound in a tight mineral blanket, very fresh and textural in the mouth, this is a wine to enjoy with the finest seafood.

2010 San Felice Il Grigio Gran Selezione Chianti Classico
Gran Sleszione is a new classification for the best wines of Chianti Classico - this is produced from San Felice's finest plots of Sangiovese and oldest vines. Enchanting aromas of violets, cassis, tobacco and liquorice. Full-bodied and velvety smooth, the ripe plum and black fruit characters which are enhanced by the fine tannins, beautifully balanced acidity and a touch of spice.

2013 Chapoutier Occultum Lapidem Roussillon
This powerful and highly praised (94-97 WA) Cotes du Rousillon is made from a blend of old vine Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. A wonderfully rich and hedonistic wine, sensationally fruity yet elegant and mineral with an utterly delicious smoky core. To fully appreciate this wine's complexity, allow plenty of time for it to breathe, ideally for a couple of hours.......enjoy!

Domain des Tourelles Marquis des Beys, Bekka Valley - Lebanon
Produced from specially selected parcels of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a densely packed and concentrated wine with blackcurrants and chocolate backed with fresh and spicy flavours which are distinctly Lebanese.

2009 Bodega Bressia Profundo Mendoza
A blend of Malbec, Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. The nose includes intense fruity aromas of dark plum and cherry, as well as vanilla and warm oak. An opulent and beautifully rendered palate with great concentration, elegance and length, with flavours of plum, cherry, berries and luscious blackberries. This is an awesome expression of Bressia's vineyards and ambition.

£99.95 if collected from the shop
£108 delivered anywhere in mainland UK
Free delivery within a 30 mile radius

Our Everyday Case is still available £62.99 if collected from the shop and £70.99 delivered (free delivery within 30 miles)


Wine Recommendations
White Wines
Domaine Vacheron 2013 Sancerre Les Romains - Loire £21.99
Undoubtedly Sancerre's finest producer. A wonderfully lean, intense mineral driven Sauvignon.
Domaine Matrot 2011 Bourgogne Blanc - Burgundy £11.99
An impossibly fine Bourgogne Blanc for the price. Matrot remains one of the most consistent and reliable producers of fine Burgundy.
Michel Lafarge 2010 Meursault - Burgundy £25.99
One of Burgundy's great domaines. A gloriously rich and nutty Meursault from the sublime 2010 vintage.

Chateau de Beauregard 2007 Pouilly Fuisse Les Chardonnets
Chateau de Beauregard 2009 Pouilly Fuisse Aux Charmes - Burgundy £20.99
Two very smooth and buttery single vineyard Pouilly Fuisse from the excellent Chateau de Beauregard.
Corte Giacobbe 2013 Soave del Cerro - Veneto £9.99
Ripe apples, pears and flowers, this is a soft and creamy Soave.
Fento 2012 - Rias Baixas £12.59
A wonderfully textural peachy dry white from Rias Baixas.
Larry Cherbino Ad Hoc 2012 Semillon/Sauvignon - Margaret River £12.99
A classic blend from the Margaret River, this is fresh and grassy with weight and richness.

Red Wines
Fontanario de Pegoes 2012 - Palmela £6.99
This excellent cooperative is a source for wines that offer superb value for money. This is a smooth and perfectly balanced red made from a blend of Castelo/Touriga and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tinto Pesquera 2009 Crianza - Ribera del Duero £19.59
The benchmark Ribera, and still decent value for money.
Cousino Macul 2010 Antiguas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon - Miapo £9.99
This wine consistently delivers with its concentrated crunchy black fruits. We have stocked virtually every vintage of this wine since the wonderful 1982.
Magpie Estate 2012 Wishbone Shiraz/Grenache - Barossa £7.99
In that perfect style harping back to an era when Australia produced the finest wine values of all.........this really is that good!
Teusner 2013 Riebeke Shiraz - Barossa £16.99
A beautifully crafted old vine Shiraz from the Barossa's premium Ebeneezer district.
Ossa Maremma - Tuscany £6.59
A lovely red fruited Italian full of Tuscan sunshine.
Tenuta San Guido 2012 Guidalberto - Bolgheri £29.99
The second wine of Sassicaia is one of the few remaining affordable fine wines from Europe.....for now!
Yves Cuilleron 2010 Saint Joseph L'Amarybelle - Rhone £19.99
A first rate producer and a five star vintage, a first rate, five star fine wine.
Les Pallieres 2012 Gigondas Racines - Rhone £23.99
A rich and intense southern Rhone from one of Gigondas's finest growers.
Malt of the Month
Glen Elgin 12yo Speyside £29.99
Soft and malty, honey, lightly salted butter on toasted sultana loaf.
For orders or enquiries about any of the cases or wines in this newsletter, please contact us by phone at the shop on 01200 423152 or 01200 422281, thank you.