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Zinfandel ‘Heritage’, De Loach
De Loach was founded in 1973 by San Francisco Firefighter Cecil De Loach. The estate was later taken over by Burgundian Jean-Charles Boisset, who has converted all their vineyards to organic and bodynamic practices.
This wine is unusual in that it presents great Californian wine at a sensible price, usually there is the mass-produced stuff at the bottom end of the market and then a big jump to the premium £30+ end. This is a great wine at a great price. Medium/full-bodied with loads of juicy bramble fruit and smooth, velvety tannins. A crowd-pleaser and a great pizza or BBQ wine.
Cremant de Loire, Chateau des Cosse NV
Three Lions Chardonnay, Plantagenet
Cedre Heritage Malbec, Cahors
Pascal Verhaeghe of Chateau de Cedre has been the driving force behind the Cahors “Quality Charter” and quality oozes from these wines.
The estate was originally created by Charles Verhaeghe on vineyard land devastated by the frosts in 1956 in Viré-Sur-Lot.
His sons Pascal and Jean-Marc duly studied winemaking, the former in Burgundy and California, the latter in
Bordeaux. Ecological viticultural methods eschewing weedkillers and chemical fertilizers, yield reduction by serious
pruning, leaf stripping for greater sun exposure and air circulation, harvesting the grapes on the verge of overripeness
yield the superb raw material essential to create fabulous wines.
In the cellars the Verhaeghes aim for softness, richness and harmony through gentle extraction by long vattings and limited pigeage, malolactic fermentation and sensible use of oak.
The Heritage du Cèdre is the Pugsley in this Addams menagerie. The family traits of abundant dark brooding fruit are evident; the heart is black but the flesh is youthful. Its lunchtime and you could murder a Cahors, but you don’t fancy taking out one of the big guns. Heritage is for you, a bonny ruby-red, the Malbec softened
by plummy Merlot soothing to the gullet.
Great with sausages, in fact, any grilled red meat!
Fantasia Malbec, Mauricio Lorca
Mauricio's high density, high altitude vineyards are in his beloved Vista Flores in the Uco Valley; and his ever expanding, though still relatively small, winery is situated in Luján de Cuyo. It's a no-frills operation with the energy and solid work ethic of every employee channelled into getting the job done.
100% Malbec from Mauricio Lorca's own vineyards in Vista Flores in the Uco Valley, 30% of which is lightly oaked. High density, high vertical vine training, just under 7,000 vines per hectare, approximately 2 bottles of wine per plant, this is the Fantasia philosophy.
A really expressive, dark and rather serious Malbec for the money with masses of plush black fruit on the nose and the all freshness on the palate that the Uco Valley will give to the right winemaker. Superb, great value Malbec.
A great wine for BBQ's or any grilled meat!
Herdade Sao Miguel Tinto
This is a family run winery, in the heart of Redondo, in the Alentejo region, with a deep love and understanding of the viticultural heritage of their region. Alexandre Relvas started in 1997, and his two sons Alexandre Jr and António now run the show, ably supported by Head Winemaker Nuno Franco.
Herdade São Miguel is the original, flagship estate which comprises 35 Ha of vineyard as well as Cork forest and olive groves and a heathy flock of Merino sheep.
A blend that changes slightly each year, the last few vintages of this wine have been on fire. Beautifully defined dark fruit (there always seems to be a generous lick of cassis in this wine, even when the Cabernet component is actually quite modest), just a frame of toasty oak (although that roasted Alentejo character amalgamates with that too), and just enough Alicante crunch to keep it all fresh and energetic.
Older vintages are still drinking well, and with the improvements in this great value wine, there's no reason more recent vintages won't last even longer.
A great wine for a hearty roast or BBQ.
Lavradores de Feitoria Tinto
Grapes - Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca
Lavradores de Feitoria is a unique project, created in 2000. Resulting from the union of owners of 18 Quintas spread throughout the best terroirs in the 3 sub-regions of the Douro region (Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior). Together, they have a total area of vineyard of more than 600 ha.
The aim was to show the best of what the Douro can offer and to offer great value; this wine really sums up the Douro for me.
A typical Douro blend of grapes offers real character, and the modern winemaking creates a smooth rich wine. Together, we have a wine of great balance and finesse.
Goes well with grilled meats and vegetables and can handle a bit of spice!
‘La Magendia’ Jurancon Moelleux (37.5cl), Clos Lapeyre
Jean-Bernard Larrieu makes some of the best wines in Jurancon at Clos Lapeyre. This isolated area lies inland in the foothills of the Pyranees and is home to some of the best sweet wines France has to offer (without paying Sauternes prices). Petit Manseng is the main grape for producing these delicious, honeyed wines and it's bright acidity is what makes it so successful; no matter how rich and unctuous the wine, it still feels fresh and mouth-watering on the finish. In case you were wondering, La Magendia means 'the best' in the local Occitane dialect; very fitting, as this is truly stunning.
Perfect with fruit desserts (rhubarb or apple crumble...?) and is a star with blue and rind-washed cheeses.
Vina Ilusion Rioja, Plaza Medina
Ilusion is a project brought to life by Martín Alonso and Gloria Plaza in the Rioja Baja sub-zone of the region.
Here, in their chalky, iron laced clay soils at around 700m of altitude, the two organically farm their 5 hectares with the utmost care
according to the Fukuoka (author of “One Straw Revolution”) method. While it has been called “do nothing farming” for the
lack of additions (neither chemical nor organic fertilizer) and general outlook that healthy cultivation is more about long-term
planning and careful observation than it is about attempting to micromanage and control agriculture, Fukuoka farming has
become trendy with some very respectable vignerons.
Way before this came to pass, and before current luminaries such as Michael Pollan namechecked him, Alonso travelled to Japan nearly 30 years ago to learn from Fukuoka himself. Farming ideology aside, we should mention that this wine is a delicious, gulpable expression of Rioja: full of mixed berries and red fruits, juicy, delightful to drink.
A great party red, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
Le Carillon de Vendome, Cave Co-op du Vendomois
The Vendomois region is located along the banks of the river Loir (a tributary of the Loire proper) to the north of Touraine.
This Co-operative makes great value wines and this Chenin Blanc is a great example. It comes from a single vineyard and has all the lovely Chenin qualities of food-friendliness and complexity.
A great wine for fish pie or fish and chips!
Niepoort LBV Port (Half bottle)
Dirk Niepoort is often lauded as Portugal’s best winemaker, making some of Portugal’s best table wines. However, Port is always at the heart of what he does and year after year, this LBV is one of the very best. Despite it’s power and richness, it stands out from the crowd with it’s real drinkability!
...and these half bottles look cute.
Papa Figos, Ferreirinha
35% Tinta Roriz , 30% Tinta Barroca, 20% Touriga Franca, 15% Touriga Nacional
This historic producer, founded 1952, was the first in the Douro dedicated to producing light wines rather than Fortified wines. They make some great examples of the Douro at prices that are truly great value.
A modern example of Douro light wine showcasing the fresh, vibrant fruit and fine, balanced structure that can be achieved with careful grape selection from some of the finest vineyards in the region. A great wine to have in the house; everyone will love it and great to open any time you just fancy a 'nice glass of red'.
Valencay, Sebastien Vaillant
This has long been one of our most popular wines, a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc with a dash of Chardonnay. The Chardonnay adds a lovely texture and a tiny bit of weight to the wine but it still retains that classic Loire Sauvignon character. Sebastian Vaillant is a great winemaker and this is a great value alternative to the neighbouring wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.
Sauvignon de Touraine, Guy Allion, Loire
This domaine with its beautiful Touraine-style house made out of tufa produces first class Sauvignon from vines grown on
perruche (sandy-clay) soil.
The estate is managed according to the Terra Vitis programme, a codified system which posits
not only respect for the environment but knowledge of the land, parcel by parcel. This sensitivity to the environment
means that natural rather than chemical solutions can be pursued in the vineyard.
The grapes are picked at maximum ripeness and immediately transported to the winery to prevent oxidation.
This Sauvignon de Touraine, which in previousyears has garnered high praise from the Guide Hachette, has lifted aromas of elderflower cordial, Victoria plums and hints of grass. The palate is filled with gooseberry fool infused with elderflower and hints of summer fruit.
A great budget alternative to Sancerre & Pouilly-Fume; perfect with light fish and salad dishes.
Poire Authentique, Eric Bordelet
It was Didier Dagueneau who convinced Eric Bordelet, former sommelier at Paris’s three-star Arpège restaurant, to
develop a new, artisan style of cider, a natural product of character and thirst-quenching ability, which would also work
with a wide range of different food. And so Eric refurbished his family’s ancestral orchards and ciderworks and would
use his knowledge of viticulture to push for the highest level of quality.
The biodynamically farmed orchards – covering roughly nineteen hectares – are situated in southern Normandy where
the Domfrontais extends between the boundaries of the Mayenne and the Orne.
Treat this Pear cider/perry as you would a wine, it's delicate yet complex flavours, complement shellfish dishes such as grilled prawns or scallops wonderfully. Of course, it is also utterly delicious on it's own!
Falerio ‘Oris’, Ciu Ciu, Marche, Italy
Ciù Ciù winery was established in 1970 by husband and wife Natalino and Anna Bartolomei. It is located right out of Offida a medieval tiny little village full of events and traditions. The hills near Offida and its surrounding villages between the rivers Tesino and Tronto allow for the production of top quality wines thanks to their beautiful location. Seabreezes coming from the east blow on the vines to create conditions for even ripening fruit. Ciu Ciu‘s organic wines are the pure expression of care and tradition. They are the result of research and quality both in vineyards and cellar.
This wine is produced in the hilly territories of the Ascoli Piceno province, approximately 300 metres above sea level. The autochthon vines, Pecorino and Passerina, blended with Trebbiano, create a characterful wine that can be enjoyed soon after the vintage is released.
Perfect with light fish dishes and spring risottos
Valpolicella, Alpha-Zeta
Alpha Zeta was started in 1999 to produce a range of modern, fruit-driven wines from the hills outside Verona. Leading New Zealand winemaker Matt Thomson works with growers (rather than buy bulk wine, which is standard among most wines from Verona at this price) to obtain ripe grapes (by reducing yields and picking later) and then, using Matt’s expertise, preserve these flavours in the finished wines. This has resulted in wines that offer great value, quality, balance and typicity.
The Valpolicella has bright, black cherry fruit and velvety tannins; a delicious wine that is perfect with pizza and light pasta dishes.
Hacienda Grimon, Rioja Blanco Sauvignon Blanc
Hacienda Grimón is run by the Oliváns, a family with a long winemaking tradition in Rioja. Grimón was established by Paco
Grimón who runs the bodega and his brother Eliseo who takes care of the viticulture. Their 25 hectares of vineyards are
based in the Valle de Jubera, a secluded and little-known corner of Rioja Alta with a great viticultural history. Viticulture is
organic – “always has been here, why do I need certification?” – with no use of herbicides and pesticides, sheep manure is
used as fertilizer. Hand harvesting is employed for all their vineyards. Great care is taken to provide the healthiest grapes of
the highest quality.
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is aged in old 225-litre barrels following fermentation for a short period before bottling, giving up a floral and aromatic white with a lovely texture on the palate.
Goes particularly well with grilled shellfish.