With Christmas behind us and Easter so very early this year we have decided to hit the ground running and release both our 'Easter' and 'Easter Treats' cases, together with some great wine and whisky recommendations.
El Provenir Amauta Absoluto Torrontes – Argentina
Bright and appealing yellow colour with lovely fresh tropical fruit and citrus blossom notes. Alsatian in style, with lovely Eastern nuances of rose-petal, lemon grass and ginger. The palate is rich and aromatic, fresh and beautifully structured, with lovely rich ripe fruit and crisp acidity.
Magpie Estate ‘The Next Big Thing’ Chardonnay – Australia
With the faintest whiff of oak this bright, tangy Barossa Chardonnay is an absolute delight. It has that classical Barossa charm, elegance, poise, tang and a very moreish quality that makes one wonder why we don’t drink more Australian Chardonnay.
Domaine de Vedilhan Sauvignon Blanc – France
A wonderfully elegant Sauvignon Blanc from the Languedoc.
Tropical fruit, citrus, slightly honeyed, with hints of flint on the nose. The palate has lots of peach, guava, other stone fruit and fruit pastilles with good palate weight and crispy acidity.
Bottega Vinai Trentino Pinot Grigio – Italy
Rich and round with distinct floral, apple and citrus notes on the nose. Palate flavours include white spice, green olive and almond characters that finish rich and nutty. This is a Pinot of uncommon quality, weight and richness.
Boutinot ‘La Fleur Solitaire’ Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc – France
The nose is pretty and delicate, with hints of hedgerow flowers. The palate flavours are subtle and refined, with elegant tropical fruits and just a hint of oak adding texture.
Il Cascinone Soliti Merlot – Italy
A ripe, opulent nose with plum and blackberry characters. Full flavoured and spicy on the palate with ripe black fruit and structured tannins. A soft, well rounded merlot with plenty of character.
Emiliana Reserva Pinot Noir – Chile
Perfumed red fruit aromas are supported on the palate with bright and crunchy red fruit’s, this is a soft and fruity wine that is well balanced and persistent on the finish.
Domaine Bresquieres Ventoux ‘Les Contreforts’ – France
A classic southern Rhone with bright, juicy Grenache notes streaked with some Syrah spice. A tasty red with elegance and balance, black cherries, woody herbs and a backbone of tannin giving the wine structure.
Clos Bagatelle Rouge a L’Origine St Chinian – France
This is a very characterful wine blended from equal measures of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache with a dash of Mouvèdre. The flavours here sing of the south of France, with plum, black olive, liquorice and herbs leading to an intense spicy finish.
Bottega Vinai Teroldego Rotaliano – Italy
A complex, savoury nose with hints of tar, wood-smoke, dark fruit and tobacco. Good structure and weight, with great concentration of dark plum and sour cherry characters, balanced by fresh acidity and ripe easy tannins. Rich on the finish with dark chocolate, liquorice, white pepper notes.
Vega del Rayo Vendimia Seleccionada Rioja – Spain
The nose has warm spice, ripe plum and cherry aromas while the palate is richly flavoured and substantial with black fruit and a smoky, spicy character from time in oak. This is a very well-balanced, fruity and approachable Rioja made in the modern style.
Le Riche ‘Richesse’ Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – South Africa
A wine that over delivers on all fronts! This is the only red wine produced by Le Riche that is not 100% Cabernet. A reincarnation of Le Riche's classic Cab Merlot blend, this is an exceptionally lovely, classically Bordelaise blend.
£85.99 If collected from the shop and £94 if delivered in the UK.
THE EASTER TREATS CASE
2014 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre – Loire
A wine of style marked by richness, elegance and smoothness. Lifted aromas of flint, and citrus zest, leading to a fine and fruity palate with real focus and intensity. Enjoy this classic dry white with shellfish or as an aperitif.
2014 Domaine Faiveley Rully Blanc ‘Les Villeranges’ - Bourgogne
Fresh, mineral, flinty aromas mix with ripe fruit to give a nice fresh bouquet. This wine is very pleasant on the palate, sophisticated and rounded with soft lightly tropical notes backed by a touch of nutty oak.
2012 Domaine Madeloc Collioure Rouge ‘Cuvee Serral’
Dark in colour with intense aromas of red berries, liquorice and vanilla. This is a fine Languedoc red blended from Grenache and Mourvedre that offers soft fig fruit notes and some smoky spice.
2012 Circle of Life Red - Stellenbosch
A deeply refined single estate expression showing bounds of character, finesse, length, breadth and structure, a testament to biodynamic viticulture. A classically styled wine with notes of cassis and cedar, seamless, elegant and encased by fine tannins. It is a wine whose flavours become more complex if the wine is allowed to aerate for a while.
2012 Zenato ‘Ripassa’ Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore - Veneto
A close relation to Amarone, Ripassa takes its name from the ancient process of Ripasso, literally meaning repassed. After the Valpolicella is fermented, it is put into vessels recently vacated by the Amarone. The wine soaked skins and lees that remain in these vessels initiate a slight re-fermentation, subsequently increasing both the alcohol and body of the wine. This is a lovely velvety wine.
2013 Clos du Val Zinfandel – Napa Valley
This luscious Zinfandel has a deep ruby red hue. Brambly and cranberry notes of spice, minerals, black pepper and cherry marry with some subtle tobacco aromas. Ripe, red berry fruit dominates throughout the palate, with savoury notes and vanilla. It is a beautifully balanced wine with a silky mouth-feel and moderate tannins. A classic Zinfandel in every sense.
£95 If collected from the shop and £103 if delivered in the UK.
Just a reminder……..
Our Everyday Case is still available in store & for order
£62.99 if collected from the shop
£70.99 delivered anywhere in mainland UK
Free delivery within a 30 mile radius
EASTER WINE RECOMMENDATIONS
2014 Bodegas Juan Gil Moscatel Seco – Jumilla £6.99
Fresh peach, grape and lychee aromas - backed by notes of jasmine and white pepper. The palate is complex - juicy, yet also broad and savoury with more stone fruit characters, a touch of spice and a long, zesty finish.
2014 Circumstance Sauvignon Blanc – Stellenbosch £8.99 **SPECIAL OFFER**
This is a very fine Sauvignon with real intensity and minerality.
2014 Cusumano Shamaris Grillo – Sicily £11.99
Lovely and fruity on the nose with flavours of melon and nectarine.
A very fine, crisp, fruity and textural dry white showing good minerality. Something new and tasty.
2009 Michel Lafarge Meursault – Bourgogne £25.99
This is a very fine Burgundy from the rich and delicious 2009 vintage…..a great price.
2012 Cousino Macul Antiguas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon – Maipo £10.99
This is one of our longest serving new world reds and a model of consistency. A soft, leafy Cabernet.
2014 Larry Cherubino Ad Hoc Shiraz – Frankland River – Australia £10.99
A ripe and spicy shiraz from one of WA’s most respected producers.
2013 The Rude Mechanicals Three Monkeys Red – South Australia £9.59
A classic Aussie blend - bright, really juicy, not too rich and highly quaffable.
2013 Cantine San Marzano Negroamaro ‘Il Pumo’, Puglia – Italy £7.99
This is very soft and packed with bright red fruits.
2011 Leone de Castris Salice Salentino Riserva – Puglia – Italy £12.99
Intense garnet colour wine, derived from grapes Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera. Classic Salice with blackberry and black cherry, hints of dried herbs and sweet spices.
2009 Il Faggeto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva – Tuscany £19.99
One of Andrews better finds…a powerful and concentrated Sangiovese.
2001 Bodegas Artadi Pagos Viejos – Rioja – Spain £39.99
We still have stock of this modern classic, 2001 was an outstanding Rioja vintage…..compare this price you will be amazed!
2013 Bodegas Juan Gil 12 Meses Monastrell – Jumilla - Spain £9.99
A massive and intense modern Spanish red from Juan Gil, the masters of Monastrell.
2013 Pierre Fine Grenat Grenache – Cotes Catalanes £6.99
A new and slightly improved vintage of one of our most popular reds.
2011 Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Rouge £10.99
This is very good value, a light and fruity Burgundy.
2011 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas ‘Les Racines’ £23.99
This is drinking perfectly, a lifted and succulent Gigondas from one of the regions finest domains.
Whisky Recommendations
Something a bit special:
Mortlach 18 Year Old, Signatory Vintage 1997,
Un-chillfiltered Collection £41.99
Woody, fruity nose with hints of marmalade
and raisins. Ground almonds, stem ginger and a touch of honey. The palate is
fruity and clean initially, leading on to flavours of cooked banana,
butterscotch, apple peel and allspice. Malty and spicy to finish with.
For the Speyside Whisky lover:
The Singleton Spey Cascade £29.59
Smooth, rich and perfectly balanced. The maturation in
American and European oak casks gives a cascade of flavours with layers of rich
stewed fruits, soft brown sugar and toasted nuts.
Talisker Skye £33.59
Introduced in 2015, named after the beautiful island on
which the distillery resides. An easy drinking Talisker, taking the
distilleries classically rugged character and softening it out. Fresh citrus,
sweet smoke, peppery spice and traditional maritime notes.
Great value Bourbon:
Bulleit Kentucky Straight Bourbon £22.99 Previously it
had been bottled at 40% abv for the UK market, but now we can get the Frontier
Whiskey at 45% abv, just like they have in Kentucky. Bright with orange zest,
toasted oak, vanilla, warming spices and a hint of tobacco leaf. Very smooth
and spicy finish.
Something a little different:
Produced by John distilleries in Goa, India, the Paul
John range of single malt whiskies (named after their Chairman) represents a
move into premium spirits for a company who are already big players in the
Indian molasses 'whisky' market.
Paul John Brilliance £36.99
Lots of chewy caramel and chocolate flavours. Lively
spiciness, with a little bit of waxy orange on the mid palate. Long, lingering finish
with flavours of the and again more orange notes. *94.5 points - Jim Murray
Whisky Bible 2016*
Paul John Edited £38.99
A peated Indian single malt showing
really well at what most would consider a young age. Toasted cereal, barley and
honey notes. Slight vegital peatiness, but it's not overpowering. A touch of
mocha, oak and hints of liquorice. Only lightly smoky but with a good earthy
peat underneath.
For orders or enquiries about any of the cases or wines in this newsletter, please contact us by phone at the shop on 01200 423152 or 01200 422281, thank you.
