If January was Drearuary, here are new wines (many of them organic or sustainably farmed) to make February, Funuary!
Prosecco made the old fashioned way, the way your grandpa from Verona would have made it if you’d had a grandpa from Verona.
Prosecco Collfondo, Fratelli Collavo: A traditional Prosecco -unfiltered, cloudy, earthy, crown corked and delicious.
Second fermentation in the bottle, bung on the stopper, that’s it. There’s no filtration or adding sugar, it’s left on its lees at the bottom of the bottle ‘col fondo’ to produce a slightly cloudy, richly textured, somewhat rustic bottle of fizz. About a squillion kilometres from the stuff made in stainless steel vats. This one’s biodynamic too!
A Sauvignon Blanc, that if it was grown on the other side of the fence would be Pouilly Fumé and would cost a damn sight more…
A Peu Prés, Sauvignon Blanc: From Maison Lispaul in Tracy-sur-Loire, a Pouilly-Fumé in all but name… Unlike the parcels immediately next to it – this parcel was never designated as AOP Pouilly Fumé. At the time when the classification was being drawn up, the land owners chose to save a few francs by not paying to classify land they weren’t currently growing vines on. Oops! Their loss is our gain… same land, same geology, same weather, same vine stock, just no highfalutin name to slap on it!
Two South African wines called ‘Secateurs’ from the up and coming Swaartland region…
Adi Badenhorst – one of the leading players in ‘The Swartland Revolution’ – has become somewhat of a mentor to the young winemakers currently making South Africa’s Swaartland (just north of Stellenbosch) one of the most exciting regions in the New World. His organic Secateurs wines, the cornerstones of his range, have become a benchmark for quality and price in the area.
Secateurs Red: Southern Rhone varieties, Cinsault, Shiraz and Grenache combine to give rich, ripe brambles, lifted by perfumed top notes of spice, hillside herbs, cracked black pepper and wood smoke.
Secateurs Chenin Blanc: “A fabulous bargain. Over-delivers in the most delightful way.” Jancis Robinson. Need we say more?
And a great value Merlot from Bulgaria.
Soli Merlot: An intriguingly complex Merlot from Bulgaria. Of course it’s velvety smooth and full of plummy lushness. It’s Merlot, after all. But there’s a whole lot more to this one.
“Tobacco, cigar box, dark bitter chocolate and some attractive herbal notes. Full bodied but balanced oak and acidity which lends the wine elegance and restraint. Finishes with an appealing grip of tannin and a floral edge.” 93/100, Decanter, ‘Wines of the Year 2020’
Three sustainably farmed monovarietals from Australia’s Yarra Valley / Mornington Peninsula.
An exciting new portfolio of varietal wines made by famed Aussie winemaker Tom Carson (Yabby Lake / Yering Station). Based in one renowned winemaking area, Mornington Peninsula, Tom sources the fruit for his Distant Noises range from the nearby and well-regarded Yarra Valley. So you’re getting the heritage of two great wine regions for the price of one. He set himself the challenge of making premium wines at a price you’ll rarely see for wines from this region. Distant Noises was his chance to do that rare thing of making a cracking range of wines that punch above their weight and at prices that are accessible to most of us. We’ll take that!
Distant Noises, Chardonnay: Intoxicatingly but not overpoweringly woody with a hint of honeysuckle. Make no mistake, this is no Aussie ‘butter-bomb’!
Distant Noises, Pinot Noir: If a wine this good was a Burgundy, you could double the price. Strike that. Triple it!
Distant Noises, Cabernet Sauvignon: Beautiful aromas of blackcurrant intermingle with wood notes and cedar. There’s a little grip and a herbal touch of sage or rosemary.
And a positively regal couple of wines from Cahors…
Chateau de Cayx is the ancestral home of the last prince of Denmark (he married the Princess of Denmark, who later became Queen) and we are highly honoured to have been selected as a stockist of two of their wines:
Chateau de Cayx, Cahors Rouge – A classic Malbec from the home of Malbec, Cahors in the Lot Valley in the South West of France. (No, it’s not from Argentina!) As all good Cahors will do, this wine is deep enough in colour to turn your tongue purple.
Spicy notes, silky tannins, red berry flavours and a hint of lilac blossom – a proper Malbec from where it all started!
La Cigarelle Chardonnay – A Chardonnay to rival those of Burgundy, smooth, full of white fruits and exotic fruits with a lovey creamy finish.