Staff Picks
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Country: France, Languedoc-RoussillonGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13.5%Style: Juicy Lively RedThe husband-and-wife team behind A23’s wines, Thomas and Gunhild, have a unique approach to winemaking. Above all else, they aim to produce wines that capture the essence of the grape they are using. While many winemakers are all about terroir and a taste of place, for Thomas and Gunhild, the grape’s the star. Taking this approach with Pinot Noir makes a lot of sense. Pinot’s innate complexity and style means it needs no augmentation or assistance. The A23 Pinot Noir is full of fresh strawberry, -
Country: USA, CaliforniaGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 15.5%Style: Rich Full RedSourced from some of the best sites in California, Sourced, Rancho Real, Annapolis, Del Rio, Laguna to name a few, the 2022 Slander is an example of great winemaking and the sum being greater than its parts. Bright and enveloping on the entry, notes of fresh strawberry, watermelon, thyme and a hint of funk come through. Spicy on the finish, the wine closes with a flash of blue fruits and lift. Vivino Rating: 4.2 (Jul 2024) Taste The 2022 Slander delivers a medium ruby core with a lucid rim that’ -
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: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13%Style: Savoury Classic RedGivry is known as one of the best value wines in Burgundy, but few – if any – can match Domaine Masse for quality and value. Produced from the family’s old vine Pinot Noir in the exceptional 2022 vintage the this is a red Burgundy lover's dream. The Domaine’s policy of rigorous pruning meant yields were low and the tiny amount of Givry Premier Cru they made is concentrated, complex and well-structured. It is wines like this that have seen demand for Domaine Masse’s wines soar in recent years. TaRegular Price£35.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£30.56
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Country: France, Languedoc-RoussillonGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13.5%Style: Juicy Lively RedThe husband-and-wife team behind A23’s wines, Thomas and Gunhild, have a unique approach to winemaking. Above all else, they aim to produce wines that capture the essence of the grape they are using. While many winemakers are all about terroir and a taste of place, for Thomas and Gunhild, the grape’s the star. Taking this approach with Pinot Noir makes a lot of sense. Pinot’s innate complexity and style means it needs no augmentation or assistance. The A23 Pinot Noir is full of fresh strawberry, -
Country: France, BordeauxGrapes: SemillonABV: 12.5%Style: Rich Fruity White91 Points - Hudun.com. The A de Château d’Arche Bordeaux Blanc is the dry white wine from the Sauternes Grand Cru Classe, Château d’Arche. 2021 was an outstanding vintage for white Bordeaux wines as growers were able to harvest before the rains came. A blend of 85% Semillon and 15% Sauvignon Blanc, the grapes came from selected plots that weren’t affected by botrytis, the fungus that makes Sauternes sweet. The grapes were hand-harvested and hand-sorted before being gently pressed and fermented i -
Country: France, ChampagneGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Crisp Classic SparklingThis Award Winning Rose, the Gallimard Père et Fils Rosé Brut is an absolute treat - It is a delicious blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay with fresh, bright raspberry and strawberry flavours. Beautifully matched with duck or poultry with a cream sauce, or sublime with a red fruit dessert, think Panna Cotta with a raspberry coulis. Beautiful freshness blended with some subtle notes of red and black fruits. A lively and rich mouthful, dominated by flavours of strawberry and cherry jam. The -
Country: France, Bordeaux, GravesGrapes: Semillon, Sauvignon BlancABV: 12%Style: Aromatic Floral WhiteThis classy award winning white Bordeaux showcases the unique terroir of the tiny commune of Cerons. The château itself is an old vineyard charterhouse built at the beginning of the 18th-century on a terrace overlooking the Garonne. The dominant Semillon brings richness and tropical fruit flavours along with a smooth texture. The Sauvignon Blanc and Gris bring vivacity, minerality, classic citrus and floral aromas to the blend. The wines are magnificent, colourful, fruity and concentrated. Colou -
Country: New Zealand, WaihekeGrapes: Sauvignon Blanc, SemillonABV: 13.5%Style: Aromatic Floral White96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. Gravestone 2019 is a blend of 78% Sauvignon blanc and 22% Semillon. "Complex, vinous and Bordeaux-like on the nose with gooseberry, capsicum, lime skin, herb-garden and smoky/savoury notes. Rich, textural and weighty on the palate with concentration and power that lasts through to it's delicious bone dry finish." This is a blended white wine that oozes sophistication with a touch of lime, fresh pear, honeysuckle and a hint of orange marmalade leading towards aRegular Price£21.95Christmas Sale - 25% off£16.47 -
Country: USA, CaliforniaGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 14.3%Style: Rich Full Red92 Points - James Suckling. Located in the heart of Los Carneros, Napa Valley, summer temperatures are tempered by the cooling fog rolling in off the nearby San Pablo Bay, providing perfect conditions for producing beautifully balanced and complex wines that showcase the vineyard-driven character of this cool-climate estate. 10 months in French oak barrels (33% new) gives this Pinot Noir a spectrum of bright red and black fruits, notes of lilac and ginger weave into the fresh berry, cherry and p -
Country: USA, CaliforniaGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 15.5%Style: Rich Full RedSourced from some of the best sites in California, Sourced, Rancho Real, Annapolis, Del Rio, Laguna to name a few, the 2022 Slander is an example of great winemaking and the sum being greater than its parts. Bright and enveloping on the entry, notes of fresh strawberry, watermelon, thyme and a hint of funk come through. Spicy on the finish, the wine closes with a flash of blue fruits and lift. Vivino Rating: 4.2 (Jul 2024) Taste The 2022 Slander delivers a medium ruby core with a lucid rim that’ -
Country: France, ChampagneGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Crisp Classic Sparkling95 Points - DWWA. Arguably the most beautiful rosé champagne in the world, the most common criticism of this wine is that the bottles aren’t big enough. The Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rosé is bottled summer. Deep ruby pink, the bouquet wafts waves of concentrated strawberries, red cherries, and raspberries into the air. On the palate this a serious joy. It opens up with an intense, Burgundy-like rush of cherries, loganberries and brambles, only for cherry sherbet acidity, flowers, liquorice and dried -
Country: Argentina, MendozaGrapes: SemillonABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Fruity White94 Points - Descorchados. The El Enemigo Semillon is a rare find, a great Argentinean Semillon. Plantings of Semillon in Argentina have plunged over the last half century, with just 578 hectares of the once 5,500 hectares remaining in production. The innovative and quality-obsessed team at El Enemigo have seen the potential of this noble variety and have plantings in their high-altitude, 70-year-old vineyard in Agrelo in the Mendoza sub-region of Lujan de Cuyo that are producing exceptional wine -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Chardonnay, Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Crisp Classic Sparkling90 Points - Decanter. The Albert Bichot Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Reserve is a seriously impressive sparkling wine. It’s made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from fruit grown in Burgundy’s southern Cotes Chalonnaise and Cote Maconnais regions. Produced using the champagne-style methode traditionnelle which involves a secondary fermentation in the bottle after which it rests for 18 months before release. With 10% of the wine being given 6 months of oak-ageing and with 15% reserve wines beiRegular Price£26.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£22.91 -
Country: France, AlsaceGrapes: GewurztraminerABV: 13%Style: Aromatic Floral WhiteGold Medal Winner - Concours des Vignerons Indépendants 2022. It was at Zellenberg in 1785 that Thomas Rentz became fascinated in winemaking, setting up his own vineyard and producing his own wine for his family’s consumption and some local taverns. This is a beautiful sweet white wine, a Grand Cru Gewurztraminer that is so delicate on the nose. One of the few wines that pairs excellently with spicy food. Try this next time with your Chinese, Indian or Thai meal. This wine will also age beautifuRegular Price£22.95Christmas Sale - 25% off£17.22 -
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, OtagoGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13%Style: Smooth Fruity Red92 Points - Decanter World Wine Awards. Purity elegance combine with texture, concentration and length. A true reflection of the three Central Otago sub regions that contribute to this Peregrine Pinot Noir. Concentrated aromas of dried strawberries with notes of black cherry, vanilla and gamey scents. Fined-grained, mouth coating tannins, supported by a juicy and firm acidity. Vivino Rating: 4.2 (Sept 2024) Taste Concentrated aromas of dried strawberries with notes of black cherry, vanilla and g -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13%Style: Savoury Classic RedThis exceptional wine is made by Pierre Jean Villa and will delight any Pinot Noir enthusiast. The colour is intense and deep, the powerful nose unfolds on a bouquet of ripe fruits, cherries and prunes. With ageing more spicy notes will reveal. In the mouth, we are struck by the power of the sensations and the fullness of the flesh. About the Producer Domaine Decelle-Villa was started in 2008 when two distinguished winemakers from other regions of France decided to pool their talents and producRegular Price£33.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£28.86 -
Country: France, ChampagneGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 12.5%Style: Rich Complex Sparkling91 Points - Decanter. Champagne Bonvalet began with a wild dream: to create a Maison de Champagne from scratch. In 2012, Guillaume created his first cuvée, which took two more years of patience to distribute the first 2000 bottles of Champagne Bonvalet. 2014 – A very distinctive year, that of the very first production of House Bonvalet. The Premier Cru Horae represents patience and serendipity, both needed to lead beautiful projects and produce great wines. The rich power of Pinot Noir and the d -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13%Style: Savoury Classic RedGivry is known as one of the best value wines in Burgundy, but few – if any – can match Domaine Masse for quality and value. Produced from the family’s old vine Pinot Noir in the exceptional 2022 vintage the this is a red Burgundy lover's dream. The Domaine’s policy of rigorous pruning meant yields were low and the tiny amount of Givry Premier Cru they made is concentrated, complex and well-structured. It is wines like this that have seen demand for Domaine Masse’s wines soar in recent years. TaRegular Price£35.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£30.56 -
Country: England, KentGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Elegant Crisp RoséSilver Medal - Global Rosé Masters. Folc's 2023 Dry English still rosé is crispier, fresher & brighter. Crafted from a blend of Pinot Noir Precoce, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Bacchus, and Ortega grapes sourced from family-run vineyards in Kent, Suffolk & Sussex, including the legendary Kits Coty. Consistently winning accolades, in 2021, it received a Gold at the Independent English Wine Awards and one of the only two medals for still English rosé at the Internatio -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 14%Style: Savoury Classic Red95 Points - Jasper Morris. The Château Gris castle was built in the 18th century in the middle of its 3.5 ha (8.6 acre) walled vineyard. After the vineyards were destroyed by phylloxera, the roof of the castle was covered with grey slate although tiles are the traditional material used in Burgundy. The people of Nuits-Saint-Georges therefore began to refer to it as Château Gris (grey castle) and the name stuck. Further to a court ruling in the 1920s, the name “Château Gris” was allowed to prevaiRegular Price£73.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£62.86 -
Country: England, SussexGrapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot MeunierABV: 12%Style: Fresh Fruity SparklingBronze Medal - DWWA.The growing season started well in the spring with an early budburst followed by dry, sunny weather in May and June. The vines were able to bask in a long, relatively warm ripening period throughout the summer and autumn months. Picking commenced at the start of October and the grapes benefited from a longer than usual hangtime resulting in an excellent quality harvest. Wine Press Reviews Bronze Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 "Nicely restrained aromatic soft herbs an -
Country: France, Loire ValleyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13%Style: Juicy Lively RedAged for 10 months in Oak barrels and released for sale 12 months after harvest, this Sancerre has had time to develop its complex and balanced flavours and a beautiful ruby colour. This wine displays aromas of strong ripe red berries with tones of cherry in particular, whilst the palate experiences intense aromas and a finish both fresh and crisp. The concentrated palate, ample and harmonious, prolongs the complexity of aromas and supple tannins, and leads to a persistent finale which leaves yo -
Country: France, Bordeaux, Pessac LeognanGrapes: Sauvignon Blanc, SemillonABV: 13.5%Style: Classy Complex White90 Points - vwWine. The vines of Lamothe-Bouscaut thrive in the vicinity of the Garonne River, where they have flourished for an average of 35 years, rooted in deep clay soils with a limestone base. Nestled 200 meters above sea level, these vineyards boast a composition of 20% Semillon and 80% Sauvignon Blanc. Exhibiting a pale gold hue, the wine offers a fragrant bouquet that combines notes of asparagus, acacia, lemon, and toast. On the palate, it unfolds with opulent richness and a creamy text -
Country: France, ChampagneGrapes: Chardonnay, Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Rich Complex Sparkling96 Points - bettane et desseauve. Laurent‑Perrier is selective when declaring vintages from only the very best years to create a rare and exceptional wine, characteristic of the House’s style. The 2012 wine year was complicated with winter and spring frosts, hail and cryptogamic diseases, which had an impact on the yield, which was rather moderate. The dry, sunny summer allowed the grapes to ripen to perfection allowing for an exceptional harvest. Sensory Characteristics EyeThe wine is white gol -
Country: France, BurgundyGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 13.5%Style: Savoury Classic RedThe Hill of Corton lies in the midst of a cluster of famous wine-growing villages, Ladoix-Serrigny, Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Savigny-lès-Beaune. The vineyards lie at heights of 250-330 metres and form a kind of amphitheatre not found elsewhere in the Côte. Corton is the only Red Grand Cru in the Côte de Beaune, and this cuvée from Decelle Villa is a limited production of only 300 bottles from the 'Climat' of Le Rognet. Solid and opulent, Corton is an icon of Burgundy, highly complexRegular Price£107.95Burgundy Sale - 15% off£91.76 -
Country: England, SussexGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Rich Complex SparklingSilver Medal - Wine GB. Blanc de Noirs 2015 is crafted exclusively from hand-picked Pinot Noir grapes grown at Roebuck Estates Roman Villa vineyard. After careful selection, the grapes are whole-bunch pressed and partially fermented in the finest French oak casks. A generous lees ageing for a minimum of 36 months gives this wine depth, complexity and richness. It is drinking well now but will undoubtedly, continue to improve with bottle age. It was a cold winter which vines tend to enjoy. Sprin