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WHITE WINES
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£5.25 |
The Lizard Chardonnay Vin de Pays
d'Oc 2010
No, not from
Oz as you might think, but from France. For decades Languedoc-Roussillon
was a vast sink of mediocre wines which filled the EU wine lake.
Around ten years ago the light dawned that it didn’t have to be this
way. Trained winemakers and viticulturists realised that it was a
perfect region for producing high quality wines and that
inappropriate varieties, lack of investment and a rather parochial
attitude was all that was holding the area back. Lazy Lizard is
produced from the chardonnay grape variety, and allegedly the
vineyard lizards love to bask in the warmth of the late summer sun,
which slowly ripens the chardonnay grapes to their full maturity,
producing a zingy wine, full of flavours of grapefruit, melon and
green apples.
The open fruity style hasn’t needed any oak overlay and more than
matches the Aussie competition at this price. |
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£5.65 |
Pico Mas Alto Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Medium bodied and dry this wine has
great freshness and flavour intensity with green apple character and
aromas of cut grass. An elegant and refined wine with a long finish
providing some minerality on the finish. Why such good value? This
wine is actually the overstocks, relabelled, from one of Chile’s
best known and respected wine brands. More than that we cannot say!
The wine is made near Casablanca just a few miles from the Pacific
which provides a perfect environment to produce fresh and fragrant
Sauvignon Blanc. Made on stainless steel, fermentation took place at
low temperatures and was left on the lees for four months to provide
additional character and richness. Ref
PMSB11 |
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£5.95 |
Marktree
Semillon/Sauvignon 2010
A blend of 50% Semillon
and 50% Sauvignon Blanc , the cool
fruit aromas from the Sauvignon Blanc and richness and weight
from the Semillon combine to provide peach and tropical fruit
flavours on the palate. A soft creamy mouthfeel, real fruit
concentration and good length on the finish combine to make this
an appealing wine, and fermentation in temperature controlled
stainless steel ensures it retains its fresh fruit character.
Delicious as an aperitif, or serve with roast chicken and pasta
salads.
Ref MW10
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£5.95 |
Ancora Pinot Grigio 2008
A truly delicious, bright and refreshing example of this popular
Italian white. Pinot grigio is the Italian synonym for pinot gris
and is grown all over northern Italy. A lovely concentration of
fruit flavours, with some residual grape sugars which add to the
appeal, balanced by a refreshing zingy finish, make this a versatile
white - great as an aperitif or as a perfect accompaniment to your
favourite white wine dishes. Ref PG08
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£6.75 |
Domaine du Pre Baron Sauvignon Blanc 2011
If you are one of the large number of fans of
assertive Sauvignon Blanc, then this is the wine for you. The
classic Sauvignon nose of hedgerows and blackcurrant leaf lead into
a hugely concentrated mouthful of rich gooseberry flavour. The 2007
vintage proved to be one of the most successful in recent years and
the good news is that the 2011 is even better! It is a very ripe
vintage and the wine is more than a match for its more expensive
neighbours in Menetou Salon or Sancerre. Ref PBSB11
Vineyard website -
http://www.domaineprebaron.com/ |
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£6.75 |
Les Vignerons de Pomerol Beavignac Viognier
2009
Founded
in 1932, this co-operative in the Herault region has never ceased to
grow and modernise. Merging with two other local co-operatives in
2003 and 2007, they now represent 450 vignerons and make a variety
of wines. We’ve chosen this viognier, which has a typical nose and
palate of apricots, greengages and lychees, with a citrus twist on
the finish. A wine for drinking fairly young, it will nevertheless
keep until 2012. Ref PBV09
Vineyard website -
www.cave-pomerols.com |
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£7.25 |
Domaine de Beauvignac Picpoul de Pinet 2011
This
distinctive white comes from the south of France - picpoul is the
grape (much-treasured for its freshness and light lemon flavours)
and Pinet the village. It’s powerful and firmly structured, with a
fresh taste of white peach, fresh flowers and pear drops mixed with
creamy cloves and spice resulting in a refreshing and complex wine.
The grapes are left with their skins for about four hours to gain
maximum flavour from them. Winemaker Jean Luc Lavergne has
twenty-five years' experience with this appellation, starting at
Beauvignac in 1986, and has been chief winemaker there for the last
five years. . He is a man used to claiming gold medals for his
wines, receiving 22 in 2011 alone!
Our taste is evidently shared by the M&S wine
buyer as the wine is also available there retailing at £9.99,
although you may be lucky enough to pick it up at on special offer
with 25% off, in which case it’s only slightly more expensive than
us…
Vineyard website -
www.cave-pomerols.com
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£7.45 |
Domaine La Madeleine Saint Jean Chardonnay
2010
Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth
Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the
Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau. Marseillan is a beautiful
little fishing port. It is here that the family run domaine of
Madeleine Saint Jean is situated. Consisting of 30 hectares of
vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow
a wide range of grapes, ranging from familiar reds like Syrah,
Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to the frankly obscure
Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola. The whites include Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat petit grain. It is run by two
brothers, Max and Jeremy, together with their sons. Jeremy is
responsible for viticulture and vinification and has wide experience
both in the Languedoc and the Rhone which he brings to bear in his
winemaking here.
Much maligned, Chardonnay at its best is
wonderful, and this wine proves it. On the nose the wine has
concentrated fruit with aromas of toasted hazelnuts. On the palate
it is full and buttery with flavours of honey and green apple,
underpinned with nice acidity and showing good length. In the words
of the producer “it will seduce those who are lovers of proper
chardonnay” Ref DMSJC10
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£7.50 |
Clos Bagatelle Quatre Vents 2009 £7.50
A well judged blend of Sauvignon Blanc,
Vermentino, Roussanne, Chardonnay and Muscat, the grapes are
pressed gently with a pneumatic press and the fermentation occurs at
a low temperature to maximise the fruit flavours. There is a pretty
floral nose, the palate is bursting with grapey flavours and there
is long aftertaste with enticing hints of aniseed. This is a
delightfully quaffable white full of character and fantastic value
for money.
Ref BQV09 |
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£7.50 |
Borsao Seleccion Blanco 2011
100% Maccabeo, this staple white grape of many
Spanish wines is found here in a ripe, fruity and refreshing wine.
Bodegas Borsao was established in 2001 and is to be found in the
Campo de Borja zone southeast of Rioja. Grapes come from 620 member
growers covering 2,500 hectares, nearly a third of the region's
total. The vineyards lie in the undulating foothills of the Moncayo
mountain, up to 700m above sea level and this varietal, as you might
expect from a well-equipped cellar of this size, is an outstanding
example of an easy-to-drink inexpensive wine.
Vineyard website -
www.bodegasborsao.com |
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£7.95 |
Adobe Reserva Gewurztraminer 2012
A new find from Chile, a delight to drink and
amazing value. The nose has jasmine tea notes with a touch of lychee.
On the palate there are bright floral and mineral nuances with a
lingeringly spicy and exotic finish. A stunning wine, the absolute
essence of Gewürztraminer. The producer, Emiliana, is South
America’s largest organic producer, and their spectacular vineyard
and winery at Los Robles has the added benefit of being biodynamic
and features the sensory delights of roaming Alpacas, dung heaps and
dynamised biodynamic mixtures to treat the vineyards.
Vineyard website -
www.emiliana.cl |
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£7.95 |
Château Bastide Abondance Blanc AC Corbières
2010
Between the towns of Narbonne and Carcassonne
stands the imposing Château la Bastide, owned and run by Guilhelm
Durand. This is a new wine from Guilhelm, which successfully blends
80% Roussanne with 20% Vermentino. It has a pretty floral nose with
a hint of menthol, which leads into a juicy mouthful of exotic fruit
salad flavours, ending with a crisp finish and good length. Ref
BAB10 |
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£7.95 |
Domaine La Madeleine Saint Jean Viognier
2010
Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth
Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the
Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau. Marseillan is a beautiful
little fishing port. It is here that the family run domaine of
Madeleine Saint Jean is situated. Consisting of 30 hectares of
vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow
a wide range of grapes, ranging from familiar reds like Syrah,
Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to the frankly obscure
Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola. The whites include Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat petit grain. It is run by two
brothers, Max and Jeremy, together with their sons. Jeremy is
responsible for viticulture and vinification and has wide experience
both in the Languedoc and the Rhone which he brings to bear in his
winemaking here.
Good Viognier is always enjoyable, but can be
hard to find. This wine is easy to appreciate, with concentrated
fruit. On the nose it has delicious flavours of guava, melon and
pineapple and finishes with good length. Ref DMSJV10 |
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£7.95 |
Chateau la Bastide Corbières
Blanc 2008
From one of our favourite producers a
lovely white Corbières made from classic southern French grape
varieties Roussanne, Vermentino and Bourboulenc. Tropical fruit
flavours are balanced by a lovely steely acidity. Great with fish in
creamy sauces, chicken and other white meats.
Ref BCB08
Vineyard
website -
www.chateau-la-bastide.fr |
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£8.25 |
Denbies Surrey Gold NV
The best-selling English wine from England’s largest
vineyard, Denbie’s in Surrey. Made from the little known Muller,
Bacchus and Ortega grapes, this deliciously fragrant medium dry
white wine is rich in fruit and floral aromas with subtle hints of
spice.
Unusually, the winemaker has
decided to mix wine from two different vintages (normal practice
with champagne but rarer with still wines) to achieve the desired
result which has worked very well.With only 11.5% alcohol, gently
refreshing.
Ref DSGNV
Vineyard website -
www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk |
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£8.95 |
Domaine La Madeleine Saint Jean La Maison Blanche 2010
Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth
Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the
Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau. Marseillan is a beautiful
little fishing port. It is here that the family run domaine of
Madeleine Saint Jean is situated. Consisting of 30 hectares of
vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow
a wide range of grapes, ranging from familiar reds like Syrah,
Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to the frankly obscure
Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola. The whites include Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat petit grain. It is run by two
brothers, Max and Jeremy, together with their sons. Jeremy is
responsible for viticulture and vinification and has wide experience
both in the Languedoc and the Rhone which he brings to bear in his
winemaking here.
This is their top wine, and is made from a
fascinating blend of Chardonnay and Viognier with a little Sauvignon
Blanc to add freshness and acidity. It was awarded a Coup de Coeur
this year in the prestigious Guide Hachette, and justifiably so! It
has a complex floral nose with hints of exotic fruits, which leads
into a big, silky-textured, mouthful of delicate stone fruit
flavours with apricot and hints of grapefruit and minerality at the
finish. It has great length with a lovely aftertaste. Ref DMSJLMB10 |
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£8.95 |
Domaine Treloar One Block Muscat 2006
Jonathan Hesford, the owner and winemaker at Domaine
Treloar, used to work for an investment bank in New York as an IT
specialist. On September 11th 2001 he was working one block away
from the World Trade Center. The aftermath of this prompted a
fundamental re-appraisal of what he and his Kiwi wife Rachel Treloar
wanted from life, and after subsequent study and training, he
followed his wine passion and bought a vineyard in Roussillon in
France. The name also reflects the fact that this wine is made from
a single block of vines.
The wine is light, fresh and aromatic, with an array
of aromas - spring flowers, passionfruit, lemongrass and a hint of
aniseed.
It tantalizes the tongue with crisp fruit and a touch
of honey but the palate has a creamy texture. It is a long and
complex wine, very drinkable either on its own or with food -
seafood, salad with fruits and fresh goats' cheese seem to work
especially well.
Ref TOB06 |
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£8.95 |
Domaine Meyer Fonné Gentil 2009
Located in the pretty village of
Katzenthal which lies at the base of the beautiful sloping vineyards
of the Vosges mountains. Meyer- Fonné’s wines are always in demand
but this year we’ve managed to lay our hands on some! Until Autumn
2009 they were represented by Lay & Wheeler, who have now closed
down their agencies.
The vineyard of 12 hectares has been
in the same family for three generations and covers 12 communes,
which gives them a marvellous range of terroirs to craft the wines
lovingly. The rest of the family all contribute towards the running
of the vineyard, and Felix returned to the domaine in 1992 to
modernise the equipment, breathing new life into the wines. They
pride themselves on using organic farming, with no use of chemical
fertilisers. Over the years Alsace wines have become perceptibly
sweeter and a major priority for us has been to find wines with
residual sugar kept to a bare minimum.
This is a wonderful mix of Pinot
Blanc, Riesling, Muscat and Gewürztraminer. On the nose there are
lovely rose petal aromas, which lead into a clean, fruity wine with
slight muskiness, hints of violets and a long dry finish. Perfect
aperitif! Ref MFG09
Vineyard
website -
www.meyer-fonne.com |
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£10.75 |
Ninth Island Chardonnay 2009
100% Chardonnay with 13.5% abv this
wine is a million miles away from the headache inducing over-oaked
Aussie Chardonnays you may have tasted. The wine is completely
unoaked. The
juice is fermented slowly at low temperatures in stainless steel
vats and the resultant wine is bottled early to capture fruitiness
and freshness. This result is a very pale straw colour, with
fragrant aromas of fresh peach, melon and tropical fruits. A
delicate palate with tropical fruit flavours and cool climate
acidity dominates the finish, and a crisp mineral edge gives a
fresh, dry aftertaste. Try with seafood, especially mussels, and all
firm fleshed white fish.
Vineyard
website -
www.kreglingerwineestates.com |
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£10.75 |
Domaine Fonne Meyer Riesling Reserve 2008
Located in the pretty village of
Katzenthal which lies at the base of the beautiful sloping vineyards
of the Vosges mountains. Meyer- Fonné’s wines are always in demand
but this year we’ve managed to lay our hands on some! Until Autumn
2009 they were represented by Lay & Wheeler, who have now closed
down their agencies.
The vineyard of 12 hectares has been
in the same family for three generations and covers 12 communes,
which gives them a marvellous palette of terroirs to craft the wines
lovingly. The rest of the family all contribute towards the running
of the vineyard, and Felix returned to the domaine in 1992 to
modernise the equipment, breathing new life into the wines. They
pride themselves on using organic farming, with no use of chemical
fertilisers. Over the years Alsace wines have become perceptibly
sweeter and a major priority for us has been to find wines with
residual sugar kept to a bare minimum.
A lovely archetypal
citrus/lime nose with hints of aniseed leads into a racy, ripe and
concentrated lime/lemon zest fruity mouthful of almost Australian
proportions. A dry wine with great minerality and length, that
cries out for shellfish or fish. Ref MFR08
Vineyard
website -
www.meyer-fonne.com |
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£10.95 |
Domaine
Chenu Savigny Blanc 2008 AC Savigny-les-Beaune
This fourth generation vineyard is
now managed by Louis Chenu’s daughters, Juliette and
Caroline.Together the two sisters have moved this respected Burgundy
domaine on to another level. Situated only a few minutes walk from
the picturesque Château de Savigny-les-Beaune, the Chenu vineyard is
made up from 9 hectares, which includes three Premier Cru plots.
The oldest vines are 60 years old. Caroline is responsible for the
vineyard and wines, while Juliette manages the marketing. They are
wines of great concentration yet with the finesse and freshness,
that underlines their femininity. We have been fortunate to have
been offered a small parcel of these lovely 2008s. They are almost
impossible to find now, and for Burgundy of this quality are simply
amazing value. As with all White Burgundy, this barrel fermented
wine is made from 100% Chardonnay. It has a gentle toasted brioche
nose, while on the palate there are flavours of nuts, apples and
honey, with a hint of vanilla. Lovely to drink now, but it will
develop and become more complex over the next five years. |
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£11.75 |
Domaine de
Nerleux Les Loups Blancs 2007 AC Saumur
Domaine de Nerleux is home to
Elisabeth and Régis Neau, who are the eighth generation of
winemakers to reside in the 17th Century mansion that lies at the
hub of the domaine. We have imported sparkling wines as well as a
Saumur from them for many years now, but this wine was a new
discovery at the annual Loire Wine Faire held in Angers which John
visited in 2009. The average age of the vines is 25 years, the
oldest vines having been planted in1933. The terroir is largely
limestone. Since 1996, and only in great vintages, they have made a
concentrated Saumur Blanc, carefully harvested from selected parcels
of Chenin Blanc grapes. Matured partly in new barrels, the wine is
rich and beautifully balanced with aromas of tropical fruits. Whilst
drinking beautifully now it will continue to mature until 2015. Ref
DNLB07
Vineyard website -
www.domaine-de-nerleux.com
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£13.95
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Silex Chardonnay Le Mas des Masques NV
From a low yielding smallish vineyard
of 15ha on a plateau overlooking the Arc Valley above Aix en
Provence, the altitude of 550m provides some relative coolness and
extends the growing season.
And what a find! Hear the
great Jancis Robinson: “This wine is a steal. It was a wine I came
back to again and again over several nights. In fact it was a sample
bottle that got finished - almost a record in our household. It has
a really interesting story. It’s sold as a non-vintage wine because
the 2007 stubbornly refused to go through malolactic fermentation,
so the winemaker blended 30% of the thoroughly lactic 2008 into the
blend. Et Voilà!”
Her tasting note goes on to
say, “17/20. Pretty ripe fruit. There's a strong salty character to
this wine as well as its satiny palate. Finishes bone dry. Quite a
lot of luxurious sensation for the money. Just a little faint, even
faintly austere, on the end. Definitely a good buy. Good value.” Or
listen to Sarah Ahmed, from Wine Detective: “Likened to top
burgundy, it’s a snip.” [at £14.50!] Or Simon Hoggart, in the
Spectator: “I cannot recall such power, such intensity of taste,
apart from in the most expensive burgundies.”
How many would you like? |
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£18.95
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Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc Vallet Frères 2008
The real deal! From the
Gevrey-Chambertin area of Burgundy, this winery represents
everything that we are proud to be associated with; attention to
detail, delicate selection of the best grapes and above all a
passion for making superb wines. The Vallet family own holdings in
Gevrey-Chambertin - the entire single vineyard of Clos de la Justice
- Beaune Epenottes (Premier Cru) and Charmes-Chambertin (Grand Cru).
They also source the best grapes from growers in other areas, with
whom they have worked closely for many years.
The wine is fine bright golden in
colour with rich and complex aromas of hazelnuts and honey followed
by an intense and persistent flavour. A versatile wine that would
match fish, poultry or cheese. Try with a traditional Burgundian
dish such as pike dumplings in a sorrel sauce, or with baked
Epoisses cheese.
Gordon Ramsay is a great fan of this
producer and has sourced five of their wines for his restaurants -
although you'll pay a little more than £18.95 there! Noel Young,
another independent and wine merchant of the year in 2004 has
written of it: "I had never tried any of this particular Burgundy
before but I will certainly be on the look out for more if this is
an indication of quality. Cracking nose to start with of toasty,
nutty oak and a squeeze of citrus. This leads onto a hugely rich
palate laden with melon and nectarine and a really classy amount of
just the right oak. Not at all alcoholic or overblown. Terrifically
long in the mouth with again the lovely nutty toasty character going
on for ever. Having tried it before knowing the price I wouldn't
have been surprised if this had a Burgundy price tag of £30-40 so
was overjoyed to find it was £16". |
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