Bordeaux
An area of France famed for its reds but also well known for its whites, the sweeter wines of southern Bordeaux, but also the wonderfully dry and flavoursome wines from the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes.
| N/V Bordeaux Blanc |
btl |
£15.00 |
| Johan d’Arnaud. Bordeaux, France |
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| A light, easy drinking white Bordeaux with juicy citrus fruit and a soft finish. |
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| 2002 Pessac-Leognan Blanc |
btl |
£26.00 |
| Domaine de Grandmaison, Bordeaux. France.. |
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| The traditional blend of Sauvignon and Semillon gives crisp citrus fruit married with hints of creaminess on the palate. |
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Burgundy
An area to eastern side of France, rich in history, running all the way from Chablis in the north, down through the Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune, The Chalonnaise, Maconnais and finally ending up in Beaujolais, the most southern region of Burgundy. The Chardonnay grape is king, being the only grape variety allowed in the making of white wines, except of course for Bourgogne Aligote in the Chalonnaise.
| 2006 St Veran |
btl |
£26.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Maconnais |
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| Well balanced wine with hints of ripe grapefruit on the nose and a mineral edge on the palate. |
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| 2006 Pouilly Fuisse |
btl |
£32.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Maconnais |
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| With a touch of oak and hints of bright sweet apple fruit on the palate, this wine shows how good the wines of the Macon can be. |
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| 2003 Chablis |
btl |
£32.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Chablis, France. |
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| A chance to taste a Chablis with a young bottle age, showing the ripeness of what was a hot summer vintage, but still showing great acidity. |
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| 2003 Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons |
btl |
£47.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Chablis, France |
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| A Chablis from a seriously good 1er cru site that shows a wonderful richness of flavour from this ripe vintage. |
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| 2005 St Aubin, 1er Cru ‘La Chateniere’ |
btl |
£49.50 |
| Domaine Gerard Thomas et Filles. Cote de Beaune. |
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| Delicious white burgundy from one of the lesser known but increasingly sought after villages in the Beaune. Delicate oak offsets lively easy fruit with great balance of acidity. |
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| 2005 Meursault ‘Narvaux’ |
btl |
£58.50 |
| Domaine Borgeot, Cote de Beaune. |
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| Ripe yet mineral edged white burgundy from the highly talented Laurent Borgeot in the village of Meursault in the Cote de Beaune. |
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| 2000 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux |
btl |
£63.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Cote de Beaune. |
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| A great 1er Cru site just outside the village of Puligny, with a wine of great length And depth of flavour, now showing the richness of age. |
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Loire Valley
The longest River in France and probably the most diverse region for wine making in the world. From the crisp whites of Muscadet on the Atlantic coast, through the Sparkling and still wines of Saumur from the delightful Chenin Blanc grape. The light and fresh Sauvignon Blancs of Touraine and the beautiful Central vineyard areas around Sancerre and Pouilly sur Loire, with some of the best Sauvignon Blanc’s one will find anywhere in the world.
| 2006 Muscadet |
btl |
£14.00 |
| Chateau Elget. Muscadet, France |
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| Fresh bright and easy drinking, perfect for seafood and shellfish. |
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| 2006 Saumur Blanc |
btl |
£17.00 |
| Domaine Lavigne, Saumur, France |
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| A delightful wine area heading towards the central Loire valley, with wines made from the delicious Chenin Blanc grape. Crisp acidity balanced with rich fruit flavours. |
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| 2005 Quincy, Vieilles Vignes |
btl |
£22.00 |
| Central Loire Valley, France |
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| A good alternative to Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, with a little AC to the south west of these two famous wine producing areas. A great quality Sauvignon Blanc. |
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| 2006 Sancerre |
btl |
£28.00 |
| La Vigne Duclos, Central Loire Valley, France. |
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| Precise and lively Sauvignon based wine with citrus fruit flavours and a delicately dry finish |
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| 2006 Pouilly Fume |
btl |
£28.00 |
| Domaine Chantereine, Pouilly Sur Loire. France |
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| Well known wine area in the central vineyards with a bright, floral, lemon fruited wine of good balance. |
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Rhone Valley
Well flavoured whites are produced in both the Northern and Southern Rhone, areas which are normally deemed as being red wine country! Here Marsanne, Roussane, Granache Blanc and Viognier dominate.
| 2005 Cote du Rhone Blanc |
btl |
£15.00 |
| Domaine Gentilhomme, Cotes du Rhone, France |
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| A traditional blend of Viognier and Grenache Blanc with hints of lemons and herbs and a powerful finish. |
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| 2006 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc |
btl |
£34.00 |
| Domaine Reine Jeanne, Southern Rhone Valley, France. |
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| A lively blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane with rich apricot fruit flavours and gentle oak hints. Good concentration and length. |
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Alsace
Right up in the North eastern part of France on the border with Germany, Alsace produces a stunning range of white wines from the minerally dry to the intensely rich and sweet. Riesling is the main grape but other ‘noble’ varieties give us plenty to choose from in this fascinating region.
| N/V Edelzwicker |
btl |
£18.00 |
| Domaine Liter, Alsace. France |
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| A fruity and floral wine with off dry to medium fruit flavours from this little known wine region of France. |
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| N/V Riesling |
btl |
£23.00 |
| Domaine H Haeffelin, Alsace. France |
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| Classically pungent Riesling with pure mineral edged fruit and a floral finish. |
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| 2005 Pinot Blanc |
btl |
£25.75 |
| Domaine Jean Sipp, Ribeauville, Alsace, France. |
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| This wine leaps out of the glass with vitality, elegance and restrained fruit salad flavours. A lovely alternative to the crisper styles of wine. |
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Southern France
Whether on the eastern side of Southern France around Provence or heading west along the coast to Languedoc Roussillon or even futher to the foothills of the Pyrenees, the wines of Southern France are a real revelation and have totally turned the corner in improved quality wine making.
| 2006 Viognier Les Gres |
btl |
£19.00 |
| Vin de Pays d’Oc, France. |
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| Crammed with ripe exotic flavours and white peaches and a richly smooth palate. A wine that goes well with spicier dishes. |
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| 2006 Cotes de Provence Blanc |
btl |
£24.00 |
| Chateau L’Aumerade Cru Classe Cuvee Sully, Provence, France. |
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| Lively, fruity and incredibly fresh white with some weight of flavour and hints of a creamy palate. |
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Italy
| 2006 Pinot Grigio, ‘Gregoris’ |
btl |
£22.50 |
| IGT Veneto, Italy. |
175ml |
£5.15 |
| A substantial Pinot Grigio with apple and pear flavours and a much broader palate than most wines of this type. |
250ml |
£6.85 |
Spain
| 2006 Rioja , Vina Ijalba |
btl |
£18.00 |
| Genoli, Rioja, Spain. |
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| Typical Viura with a dry twist on the palate of green fruits and softness on the finish. |
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| 2005 Mas d’en Compte Blanco |
btl |
£45.00 |
| Cellar Cal Pla, Priorat, Tarragona, Spain. |
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| A richly textured barrel-fermented white of real quality and concentration from the small but famed wine region of Priorat, located on the steep hills behind Tarragona. More like a white burgundy in style, this Granacha Blanco dominated wine is a sheer delight |
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Germany
| 2006 Dr Burklin Wolf, Estate Riesling |
btl |
£29.50 |
| Pfalz, Germany. |
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| For those of you that do not believe in the quality of German wines, try this beautifully dry Riesling, showing fresh pineapple, grapefruit and pear aromas with juicy mouth watering acidity. |
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Austria
| 2006 Satzen, Gruner Veltliner |
btl |
£24.50 |
| Weingut Manfred Felsner, Kremstal, Austria. |
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| Dry and very refreshing with hints of ripe fruit and spice and a juicy finish. |
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Australia
| 2007 Devlins Mount Chardonnay (Unoaked) |
btl |
£19.00 |
| South Australia. |
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| A well balanced Chardonnay from a modern style of producer who does not believe in oaking the wine. |
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| 2005 Moss Wood Semillon |
btl |
£34.50 |
| Margaret River, Western Australia. |
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| A deliciously rich, well balanced and generous, mouth filling wine showing fig, honey and citrus notes. A very well known and respected wine maker in this exciting wine region of Australia. |
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South Africa
| 2006 Jordan Chenin Blanc |
btl |
£21.50 |
| Stellenbosch, South Africa. |
175ml |
£5.00 |
| Soft and creamy Chenin Blanc with subtle use of oak and tropical fruit undertone. |
250ml |
£7.25 |
New Zealand
| 2006 Montana Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon Blanc |
btl |
£28.00 |
| Marlborough, New Zealand. |
175ml |
£7.25 |
| Classic New Zealand sauvignon with ripe gooseberry fruit and plenty of depth and balance. |
250ml |
£9.85 |
California
| 2005 Damaris Reserve Chardonnay |
btl |
£55.00 |
| Landmark Vineyards, Sonoma County, California. |
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| This award winning wine from a super little producer of fine wines in the cooler climate of the Sonoma valley nestled underneath the Sugarloaf Mountain. This chardonnay has a bouquet of grilled nuts and a subtle yet intense palate with hints of orange peel on the finish. |
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Bordeaux
Some of the finest wines in the world lie in this region with the rich and powerful wines of the Medoc, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and the softer more forward wines of St Emilion and Pomerol to the east of the Gironde and Merlot based.
| 2003 Chateau Balac, Cru Bourgeois |
btl |
£25.00 |
| Haut Medoc. Bordeaux, France. |
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| A very ripe and rich vintage for Bordeaux with a wine of real depth of cedar wood and spice. |
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| 2005 Chateau Bel-Air |
btl |
£28.00 |
| Lussac, St Emilion. France. |
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| With a large proportion of Merlot in the blend, this soft, plum jam fruited wine drinks well now despite its youthful appearance. |
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| 2002 Chateau Moulin de Lagnet |
btl |
£30.00 |
| St Emilion. France. |
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| Velvet smooth tannins with classic richness of fruit yet not over-powering due to the lighter nature of this vintage. |
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| 1999 Chateau Beau-Site, Cru Bourgeois |
btl |
£34.00 |
| St.Estephe. Bordeaux, France. |
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| Superb vintage exuding all the power and weight of the commune of St Estephe, with a Cabernet dominated wine. |
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| 2004 Chateau Cote de Baleau, Grand Cru Classe |
btl |
£33.00 |
| St Emilion. France. |
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| An easy drinking Bordeaux with lots of juicy Merlot fruit and a dash of backbone given with the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon. |
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| 1999 Chateau La Bridanne |
btl |
£38.00 |
| St.Julien. Bordeaux, France. |
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| Great little property, again from a super vintage, showing a softer style of Cabernet based wine, ripe fruit and a velvet smooth texture on the finish. |
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| 2002 Chateau Le Becasse |
btl |
£48.00 |
| Pomerol. France. |
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| Here, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are the dominant grapes with real earthiness, spice and jammy fruit and a luxurious finish. |
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| 1996 Chateau Bel Air Marquis D’Aligre |
btl |
£67.00 |
| Cru Bourgeois Superieur. Margaux, Bordeaux. |
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| A cracking Claret with typical smooth, ripe blackcurrant fruit and firm tannins from the commune of Margaux. |
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| 1999 Chateau La Couspade, Grand Cru Classe |
btl |
£88.00 |
| St.Emilion. |
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| Well known property in St Emilion producing soft and fleshy plum fruit wines with real balance and ripe tannins on the finish from this spectacular vintage. |
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| 2002 Chateau Talbot |
btl |
£112.00 |
| 4th Growth St Julien, Bordeaux. |
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| A very forward drinking vintage of this popular St Julien with delightful aromas of cassis, red berry fruits, cedar wood and spice. Very smooth and luxurious on the finish. |
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| 2001 Chateau Pontet Canet |
btl |
£110.00 |
| 5th Growth Pauillac. |
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| A more muscular style of Claret with Cabernet sauvignon dominating the blend. Firm tannic structure with full flavoured blackcurrant fruit and aromas of cigar box wood with plenty of depth on the finish. |
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| 1996 Chateau Nenin |
btl |
£97.00 |
| Pomerol. |
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| A wonderful ‘right banker’ from the region of Pomerol, to the north of St Emilion. Merlot dominates with soft, juicy damson fruit and complex layers of old wood, cedar, leather and spice leading to an incredibly velvet smooth finish. |
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Burgundy
The Cotes de Nuits is the heart of Pinot Noir production in Burgundy, however, lighter but equally great reds are produced in the Cote de Beaune and the Chalonnaise. One must not forget the fruity ripe wines of Beaujolais in the south, where the Gamay grape holds sway.
| 1998 Mercury |
btl |
£32.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Chalonnaise. France. |
175ml |
£5.25 |
| A lighter style of Pinot Noir with ripe raspberry fruit and showing signs of entering into real maturity, this is a great chance to drink Pinot from a lovely vintage. |
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| 2003 Cote de Nuits villages |
btl |
£36.00 |
| Domaine du Grand Contour, Cote de Nuits. France |
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| A gentle spicy red with fragrant fruit aromas and a soft finish. |
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| 1998 Savigny Les Beaune |
btl |
£37.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Cote de Beaune. France. |
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| Delightfully fruity and smooth Pinot Noir from the Cotes de Beaune. Great vintage, now showing signs of gentle ageing. |
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| 1998 Gevrey-Chambertin |
btl |
£49.00 |
| Dom de Bourgogne Cote de Nuits. France. |
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| A more powerful red burgundy with layers of red berry fruit interlaced with good balance of acidity and richness on the finish. |
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Beaujolais
| 2006 Morgon |
btl |
£20.00 |
| Cuvee Luquet, H. Fessy Beaujolais, France. |
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| One of the key ten villages of the region that has the quality of wine allowing it to put its name to the wine. Fresh red berry fruit from this delightful wine. |
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| 2006 Brouilly |
btl |
£26.00 |
| Domaine du Plateau de Bel-Air, Beaujolais, France. |
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| Made from 100% Gamay, as are all Beaujolais, this softly scented wine exudes plenty of ripe fruit flavours. |
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| 2006 Fleurie, Le Roitelet |
btl |
£26.00 |
| H. Fessy Beaujolais, France |
175ml |
£5.00 |
| Delightfully fragrant and soft Beaujolais with classic bubblegum aromas and smooth finish. |
250ml |
£7.50 |
Rhone Valley
Here Syrah dominates the big, bold wines of the North and Grenache dominated blends steal the show in the south.
| 2006 Gigondas |
btl |
£29.00 |
| Duc de Mayreuil. Southern Rhone. |
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| A great alternative to the beefier Chateauneuf’s, this terrific damson jam scented red is packed with power and richness. |
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| 2006 Crozes Hermitage |
btl |
£26.00 |
| Comte de Raybois, Northern Rhone. |
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| Made from mainly Syrah with a dash of the white grape, Viognier, this dry red has plenty of earthy, spicy red fruits. |
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| 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape |
btl |
£38.00 |
| Reine Jeanne. Southern Rhone. |
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| A traditionally made southern rhone red with rich, ripe, spicy fruit and a long, creamy finish. |
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Southern France
Big, bold spicy wines are to be found here with the reds showing plenty of the warmth of the south.
| 2005 Chateau Meunier St Louis |
btl |
£22.00 |
| Corbieres, France. |
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| Packed with intensely fragrant dark fruit flavour and so supple. A classic mix of Southern French grapes with Grenache, Syrah and old Carignan vines. |
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| 2003 Cote de Roussillon Villages |
btl |
£24.00 |
| Domaine Eternel. Roussillon, France. |
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| Delightful southern red with all the warmth and spice of summer fruits and softly smooth textures. |
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Italy
| 2006 Barberra dei Monferrato ‘Volpi’ |
btl |
£19.50 |
| Carlo Botter, Piedmont, Italy. |
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| A delightfully fragrant red from vineyards south east of Turin in the Piedmont wine region of Italy. |
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| 2003 Barolo, ‘Roggeri’ |
btl |
£59.95 |
| Azienda Agricola Marco Oberto, Piedmont, Italy. |
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| Classic single-vineyard Barolo with heady aromas of spice, violets and truffle fruit. Great length and definition, a real treat. |
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Spain
| 2006 Castillo de Montblanc, Tempranillo |
btl |
£28.50 |
| Concavins, Conca de Barbera, Spain. |
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| A soft and juicy Tempranillo with a hint of gentle spice and no oak. |
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| 2006 Castillo de Montblanc, Tempranillo |
btl |
£18.50 |
| Concavins, Conca de Barbera, Spain. |
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| A soft and juicy Tempranillo with a hint of gentle spice and no oak. |
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| 2004 Rioja Crianza |
btl |
£29.00 |
| Vina Ijalba, Rioja, Spain. (Organic) |
175ml |
£5.00 |
| With only six months wood ageing this medium bodied, fresh Tempranillo is so full of ripe redcurrant fruit and good balance of acidity. |
250ml |
£7.50 |
| 2003 Rioja Reserva |
btl |
£29.00 |
| Vina Ijalba, Rioja, Spain. |
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| With at least one year wood maturation, this velvet textured red has all the perfumed qualities one would expect from good Rioja. |
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| 1995 Gran Reserva 904 |
btl |
£58.50 |
| La Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain. |
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| Renowned and revered, vintage after vintage with real depth and complexity on the nose. Full bodied, broad but with that silky smooth ‘Rioja’ texture. Produced by one of the top estates in Rioja. |
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Australia
| 2005 Devlins Mount Shiraz |
btl |
£19.00 |
| South Australia. |
175ml |
£4.65 |
| Succulent red berry fruit and so easy to drink! Expressive Shiraz without being over the top. |
250ml |
£6.25 |
| 2005 Amy’s blend Cabernet Sauvignon |
btl |
£32.50 |
| Moss Wood, Margaret River, Western Australia. |
175ml |
£5.25 |
| Mellow, ripe and very forward Cabernet from this famous producer in Western Australia. A real chance to experience the Moss Wood style. |
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South Africa
| 2005 Lutzville Cabernet Sauvignon |
btl |
£18.00 |
| Cape Diamond Vineyards, Oliphants River Valley, South Africa. |
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| A richly flavoured, characterful Cabernet Sauvignon full smooth blackcurrant fruit and soft texture. |
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Chile
| 2006 Carmen Pinot Noir |
btl |
£20.50 |
| Aconcagua Valley, Chile. |
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| Soft, elegant raspberry fruit from this quality valley area, north of the main Central valley. |
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Argentina
| 2000 Cavas de Weinert, Gran Vino |
btl |
£19.00 |
| Bodega Y Cavas Weinert, Mendoza, Argentina. |
175ml |
£5.25 |
| The flagship wine from Weinert showing maturity, velvet softness and wonderful ripe fruit flavours. |
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California
| 2005 Grand Detour Pinot Noir |
btl |
£44.50 |
| Landmark Vineyards, Sonoma County, California. |
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| A finely honed, true Pinot Noir from this small family owned and run estate in the Sonoma Valley. Brimming with juicy black fruit flavours and gentle hints of French oak, this wine really hits the spot! |
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