2020 Vintage Wines
2020 Vintage Wines
Staff Picks
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Country: Argentina, MendozaGrapes: MalbecABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red92 Points - Tim Atkin MW. The El Enemigo Malbec 2020 is the product of one of Mendoza’s finest estates in a superb vintage. Crafted from Malbec with a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot adding further colour, it’s shaping up to be a classic Argentinean Malbec. Quite reserved – it contains a relatively modest 13.5% alcohol – it’s a wine with a real taste of place, with dusty minerals reinforcing its structure. Given 92/100 from both James Suckling and Robert Parker, this limited release wineRegular Price£25.95Christmas Special£21.90 -
Country: New Zealand, WaihekeGrapes: Syrah / ShirazABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red93 Points - Cam Douglas MS. The Man O' War Dreadnought 2018 is a classically styled Syrah with really lifted spice and floral notes overlaying a more savoury umami character. Underneath the aromatic lift is a layer of red berry fruit characters which lead into a soft and supple palate following with a clear focused acidity and fine tannins, all finishing with a trademark long persistence that is fresh and slightly salty. Vivino Rating: 4.1 (Aug 2024) Wine Press Ratings 93 Points - Cam Douglas MS -
Country: New Zealand, MarlboroughGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 14%Style: Smooth Fruity Red96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A wonderful Burgundian style Pinot Noir from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. An aromatic, savoury nose with notes of damson plum, dark berry, forest floor, nori, peppercorns, salami and salted, black liquorice. Medium-bodied, with plush fruit but still a seriously structured wine with layered tannins. Wine Press Ratings 96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater (2 -
Country: Italy, UmbriaGrapes: ChardonnayABV: 13.5%Style: Classy Complex WhiteLungolago is Viandante del Cielo’s white, a blend of Chardonnay with the native variety of Grechetto, producing a complex white that can evolve in the bottle for years. Named Lungolago, or ‘lakeside’, in honour of the body of water that has so much influence on the life and health of the vines, Lungolago has a delicate nose of white peach and hints of pineapple. A spicy and savoury character with distinctive fennel and peppermint from the Grechetto, the lively acidity and the wet-stones mineraliRegular Price£68.95Boxing Day Sale - 25% off£51.72
Members Price
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Country: South Africa, StellenboschGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 14.5%Style: Rich Full RedThis is a gorgeous cabernet sauvignon from Dornier in South Africa. Located in the 'Golden Triangle' area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention. Their Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon has an exuberance of concentrated fruit, intense black cherry colour with a full bouquet of cassis, black berries, cigar box, pencil shavings and subtle oak and a hint of mint to ensure freshness. Stunning -
Country: France, AlsaceGrapes: RieslingABV: 13.5%Style: Aromatic Floral WhiteThe Trimbach Riesling Brand Grand Cru 2020 was produced from fruit grown on the Grand Cru Brand vineyard which sits above the village of Turkheim. Brand sits on steep slopes at the beginning of the Vallée de Munster and its aspect is south/southeasterly, bringing the vines excellent exposure to the sun. Its name comes from the German for fire, a reference to the legend that a dragon and the sun once did battle here and how the sun warms its fine granite soils quickly. One of the driest sites in -
Country: Argentina, MendozaGrapes: MalbecABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red92 Points - Tim Atkin MW. The El Enemigo Malbec 2020 is the product of one of Mendoza’s finest estates in a superb vintage. Crafted from Malbec with a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot adding further colour, it’s shaping up to be a classic Argentinean Malbec. Quite reserved – it contains a relatively modest 13.5% alcohol – it’s a wine with a real taste of place, with dusty minerals reinforcing its structure. Given 92/100 from both James Suckling and Robert Parker, this limited release wineRegular Price£25.95Christmas Special£21.90 -
Country: Argentina, MendozaGrapes: MalbecABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red95 Points - Robert Parker. The Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2020 is one of the jewels in Argentina’s wine crown. It’s produced from vines that are up to 90 years old from the Catena Zapata Family Vineyards, Nicasia and Angélica vineyards, which lie at between 920m and 1095 metres above sea level. With their mix of gravel, loam and clay, these sites provide a wonderfully vivid and varied palate from which the winemakers can work. Such is the diversity that several weeks can pass between harvest -
Country: Spain, RiojaGrapes: TempranilloABV: 14%Style: Juicy Lively Red90 Points - Tim Atkin MW. This 90+ point Rioja from a modern style, family run winery is incredible value for a wine with this amount of complexity and style. The Solarce Tinto is a blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mazuelo & Graciano and is aged for 8 months in American and French oak barrels. Full-bodied and silky smooth with layers of fruit and spice. Fantastic Value for money for this superb Rioja. Wine Press Ratings 90 Points - Tim Atkin MW (2021 vintage) Taste Intense ruby-red colour wit -
Country: Spain, RiojaGrapes: TempranilloABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red95 Points - Tim Atkin MW. San Vincente 2020 is a singular Rioja in several ways. It’s produced from a single, rare grape, the excellent Tempranillo Peludo which are grown in a single vineyard, and it enjoys an Atlantic climate with some continental influences on calcareous-clay soils. This unique combination allows for the creation of a singularly fine red Rioja. Organically farmed, nothing is left to chance here. Grapes are hand-harvested according to strict rules regarding the health and ripen -
Country: Spain, Castilla y LeonGrapes: VerdejoABV: 13.5%Style: Classy Complex White92 Points - Wine Enthusiast. Ossian is one of Spain’s greatest white wines. Remarkably, it is made from pre-phylloxera vines that are between 100 and 200 years old, and its levels of concentration and complexity have made many a wine lover and critic revise their opinions of Spanish white wines. Having been hand-picked, the tiny, organically farmed grapes are transported to the state-of-the-art winery for fermentation. The wine is then matured in oak vats in the coolness of the old Monastery -
Country: Portugal, AlentejoGrapes: Alicante BouschetABV: 14.5%Style: Smooth Fruity RedThe Cartuxa Evora Colheita Tinto 2020 is a glorious wine from a sublime vintage that is now at its drinking peak. It was produced from a blend of old, low-yielding Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Trincadeira, and Casteloa grapes, sourced from the estate’s vineyards in the prized Evora sub-region. The fruit was hand-picked, sorted, and de-stemmed to achieve the perfect tannic structure. Following a long, temperature-controlled fermentation – something of a rarity in the region – it was aged for 12 m -
Country: Australia, South AustraliaGrapes: ChardonnayABV: 13.9%Style: Classy Complex White92 points - Falstaff. The Tapanappa Piccadilly Valley 2020 Chardonnay is a wonderful example of the new wave of cool-climate Australian wines. Produced in the Piccadilly Valley, a sub-region of Adelaide Hills, it’s made from thirty-year-old vines that enjoy a long, slow ripening period on poor, rain-leached sandy loam soils. Once ripe the grapes were harvested by hand and chilled to 2oC before pressing to preserve the aromas and freshness. Using innovative air-bag presses, the juice was fermente -
Country: Australia, Barossa ValleyGrapes: SagrantinoABV: 14%Style: Rich Full RedThe Barossa’s tiny 2020 vintage – yields were 50% lower than the ten-year average – tested the winemaking mettle of all producers. The Lou Miranda team routinely take a fanatical approach to vineyard care, but in 2020 daily assessments were undertaken to ensure grapes were picked at the optimum moment. This turned out to be up to three weeks earlier than usual. The rarely seen Sagrantino grapes loved the hot, dry conditions and performed spectacularly well. The tiny harvest was sorted, pressed aRegular Price£29.95Party Wines - 15% off£25.46 -
Country: Australia, Barossa ValleyGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 14%Style: Rich Full RedThe Barossa’s tiny 2020 vintage – yields were 50% lower than the ten-year average – tested the winemaking mettle of all producers. The Lou Miranda team routinely take a fanatical approach to vineyard care, but in 2020 daily assessments were undertaken to ensure grapes were picked at the optimum moment. This turned out to be up to three weeks earlier than usual. The tiny harvest was sorted, pressed and fermented in stainless steel for nine days. The team watched fermentation like Goshawks to ensuRegular Price£29.95Boxing Day Sale - 25% off£22.47 -
Country: France, Rhone ValleyGrapes: GrenacheABV: 15%Style: Smooth Fruity RedProduced using sustainable methods on light, sandy soils of Mont-Joli the Chateau de Gourdon Jolie Balade is an arrestingly elegant style of Cotes du Rhone. Produced from a classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre, sensitive vinification methods such as destemming and ageing in cement vats keep this wine refined and well-delineated. Each grape’s characteristics shine through to give an intense, fruit-driven glassful. Vivino Rating: 4.1 (Jul 2024) Taste Deep ruby with taRegular Price£21.95Boxing Day Sale - 25% off£16.47 -
Country: New Zealand, WaihekeGrapes: Syrah / ShirazABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red93 Points - Cam Douglas MS. The Man O' War Dreadnought 2018 is a classically styled Syrah with really lifted spice and floral notes overlaying a more savoury umami character. Underneath the aromatic lift is a layer of red berry fruit characters which lead into a soft and supple palate following with a clear focused acidity and fine tannins, all finishing with a trademark long persistence that is fresh and slightly salty. Vivino Rating: 4.1 (Aug 2024) Wine Press Ratings 93 Points - Cam Douglas MS -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13.5%Style: Savoury Classic RedThe Les Argillieres is one of the rarer Pommard 1er Cru wines, one that Burgundy insiders regularly seek out. It sits high on the border with Beaune on soils of stony clay-rich marl and tends to give Pinot Noirs that are elegant and deeply coloured. Domaine Jean Monnier & Fils Pommard 1er Cru Argillieres 2020 was produced from old, low-yielding vines and has the intensity and concentration that this freakishly hot year brought. Powerful and robust when released, time has softened it and alloRegular Price£76.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£65.41 -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13.5%Style: Savoury Classic RedIf you have so much as a vague interest in red Burgundy, then this is a must-try wine. The 2020 vintage was as challenging as it was exceptional and Vincent’s obsessive attention to detail came into its own. He deliberately kept his hand-tended Pinot Noir vines’ yields low, boosting the concentration and structure of this classic year still further. The downside to this was he wasn’t able to produce much wine, but what he has created is of memorable quality. Taste Still deep red, the Vincent PruRegular Price£76.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£65.41 -
Country: France, Bordeaux, Saint EstepheGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 13.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red93 Points - Decanter. Chateau Meyney 2020 is probably the best wine this impressive property has produced since its acquisition by Crédit Agricole Grands Crus in 2004. 2020 was an exceptional year in Bordeaux and the conditions seem to have agreed with Chateau Meyney’s well-placed vines. Scoring 93 from Falstaff Magazine and Jeff Leve who described it as, ‘Rich, ripe, supple and lush, the wine is polished, fresh and offers layers of fruit-filled pleasure with every sip’, this is a seriously good -
Country: France, Bordeaux, MargauxGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 14%Style: Savoury Classic RedZédé de Labégorce is the second wine of Château Labégorce, one of Margaux’s oldest estates with a history dating back to the fourteenth century. The estate lies on the plateau to the northwest of Chateau Margaux and just to the north of Chateau Lascombes. In keeping with the rest of the commune, Labégorce produced exceptional wines in 2020. The Zédé de Labégorce shows all of Margaux’s style and elegance but has a powerful structure thanks to the heat and the high levels of Cabernet Sauvignon in -
Country: New Zealand, MarlboroughGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 14%Style: Smooth Fruity Red96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A wonderful Burgundian style Pinot Noir from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. An aromatic, savoury nose with notes of damson plum, dark berry, forest floor, nori, peppercorns, salami and salted, black liquorice. Medium-bodied, with plush fruit but still a seriously structured wine with layered tannins. Wine Press Ratings 96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater (2 -
Country: New Zealand, MarlboroughGrapes: ChardonnayABV: 14%Style: Classy Complex White96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A wonderful Burgundian style Chardonnay from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. A polished, complex nose that leaps from the glass. Bursting with appealing grapefruit and peach aromas with complex notes of toasted sourdough, popcorn and white pepper lees influence. The most impressive thing about this wine is the poise, balance and restraint on the palate. It' -
Country: New Zealand, MarlboroughGrapes: RieslingABV: 11.5%Style: Aromatic Floral White95 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A beautiful Mosel like Riesling from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. Expect aromas of lemon, gala apple, Roses lime juice and a hint of manuka honey. A compelling, finely balanced wine with impressive concentration and texture, delicate, tangy acidity and a fine, lingering finish. Wine Press Ratings 95 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater (2020) "Wonderfully pur -
Country: Italy, PugliaGrapes: Primitivo / ZinfandelABV: 14.5%Style: Rich Full Red91 Points - Falstaff. Deep, dark and tempting, and seriously seductive, Papale Oro has aromas of kirsch, plum and spicy oak, and flavours of rich dark chocolate, ripe cherries and spice. This is Puglian wine at its best, with great character and warmth, and a 'friendliness' sometimes lacking from its northern Italian cousins. It has delicious spiciness, complexity and pure fruit intensity, with ultra-plush, velvety texture. There are layers of ripe black cherry and blueberry fruit, and everythin -
Country: South Africa, Western Cape, Walker BayGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 12.5%Style: Smooth Fruity RedKleinboet (Little Brother) is a Bordeaux blend, featuring all 5 varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot aged in french oak for 24 months. The cool climate sub region of Sondagskloof, Walker Bay, brings natural acidity and minerality to the wines. Expect intense blackcurrant, lavender, black olive and fynbos on the nose with a supple and and round palate. Vivino Rating: 4.2 (Sept 2024) Taste Brick red to deep purple with aromas of blackcurrant, lavender, bla -
Country: Italy, UmbriaGrapes: ChardonnayABV: 13.5%Style: Classy Complex WhiteLungolago is Viandante del Cielo’s white, a blend of Chardonnay with the native variety of Grechetto, producing a complex white that can evolve in the bottle for years. Named Lungolago, or ‘lakeside’, in honour of the body of water that has so much influence on the life and health of the vines, Lungolago has a delicate nose of white peach and hints of pineapple. A spicy and savoury character with distinctive fennel and peppermint from the Grechetto, the lively acidity and the wet-stones mineraliRegular Price£68.95Boxing Day Sale - 25% off£51.72 -
Country: France, ProvenceGrapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah / ShirazABV: 14%Style: Savoury Classic RedDomaine de Margüi can trace its roots back to Roman time through ruins and amphorae discovered in 2002. In 2017, the Domaine was fully renovated and became part of the Skywalker Vineyards collection. The Bastide de Margui is the Domaine's Grand Vin, and the grapes are rigorously de-budded, hand-picked, and sorted to produce a wine of exceptional quality. Aged for 20 months in new French oak barrels, on the nose, there is an abundance of black fruits with notes of plums, blackcurrants, hints of v
