NV    Première Cuvée Brut

           Hambledon

 

One of England’s top sparkling wines, this blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier is aged for a minimum of five years on the lees. A complex nose of orange, lemon and brioche, dried flowers and toasted hazelnuts leads to an intense palate showing apple tart, almond, dried apricot and citrus plus mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long with salted caramel, vanilla and another brush of orange on top of a mineral/chalky undertone. This fizz goes a long way towards explaining why the French are buying vineyards in England as fast as they can! Drink it on it’s own to savour or match with shellfish/seafood, fish and chips or anything else that takes your fancy. 12% ABV. 96 points (Gold Medal) Decanter. £75

NV    Classic Cuvée

           Nyetimber

 

Produced in West Sussex, using the traditional Champagne grapes of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this is matured on the lees for at least three years, leading to a toasty citrus nose with honey and almond, then brioche and vanilla appearing on the palate, with hints of smoke. Fine and elegant with great length and gentle, small bubbles. A great wine to celebrate, well, anything! Matches with shellfish and seafood, canapés and the like. 12% ABV. 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson MW. £65

NV    Prosecco Superiore DOCG

           Della Vite

 

Made from hand-picked Glera grapes in Valdobbiadene, this is some of the best Prosecco available. Citrus blossom and camomile on the nose with hints of herbs, followed by a rich but extra dry lingering palate with surprising minerality. Antipasto, cold meats and salads would go well with this sophisticated wine. 11.5% ABV. Gold Medal Prosecco Masters 2024. £34

NV    Prosecco Rosé Spumante DOC

           Della Vite

 

A sister to the Prosecco Superiore from Della Vite, this adds Pinot Noir to the Glera used there to produce a delightful nose of strawberries, raspberries, fragrant rose petals and a hint of citrus, leading to juicy red fruit with a touch of ripe melon and peach on the palate and a long dry finish. Would pair with canapés, seafood, salads and pastry/fruit based desserts. 11.5% ABV. First Prize Prosecco Masters 2022. Gold Medal Prosecco Masters 2024. £34

2022    Chablis

             Christophe Camu

 

Christophe Camu, a 7th generation winemaker, uses cool fermentation and natural yeasts to produce pure, crisp and mineral whites from the Chardonnay grape. Fresh aromas of green apple, lemon peel, and a wonderful saline stoniness. Round on the palate and well-balanced with a crisp acidity. Perfect with seafood or on its own to savour. 12% ABV. £54

2019    Vouvray Sec

             Château Moncontour 

 

This dry Vouvray comes from a unique parcel of land in the village of Rochecorbon, near to Vouvray itself. After fermentation, the wine is aged on the lees for four months with regular racking to add body and richness. It has a nose of fresh green apples and white flowers with a crisp, clean and beautifully balanced palate, plus a long, elegant finish. This is Old World Chenin Blanc showing how delicious it can be. £47

2022    Gavi di Gavi "Terre Antiche”

              La Giustiniana

 

This wine is scented and delicate, with hints of lime zest on the nose, pear fruit with a lovely zip and verve on the palate and a mineral finish. Terre Antiche is made from the same wine that goes into the blend for their single vineyard “Lugarara”, mostly made from Cortese grapes. The estate is ancient but their methods are modern and produce a wine of serious quality. Goes well with fish and seafood but also vegetable dishes and light salads. 13% ABV. £45

2022     Mâcon-Lugny Les Genièvres

               Maison Louis Latour

 

Delicious Burgundy from one of the best vineyards in the village of Lugny. Smooth and buttery unoaked Chardonnay with white fruits, honeysuckle, apple, wildflowers and just a tiny hint of lemon and pepper on the palate. Pairs well with grilled fish, seafood and hard cheeses but great to have on its own. Super value for the quality, as you’d expect from Louis Latour. 13% ABV. £42

2021    Elgin Highlands Chardonnay

              Iona, Monopole

 

From a cooler, higher altitude area on the Southern Cape with its own sea-influenced microclimate, this elegant, lightly oaked wine has serious complexity. The grapes are picked much later than is normal for the Cape, resulting in flavours of white stone fruits with a hint of brioche and lime, with traces of marzipan and hazelnut alongside impressive seashell minerality, plus a long and pleasant finish. Matches with fresh seafood, oily fish and poultry. Proof, if any was needed, that South Africa can produce wines of restraint and subtlety that are a match for the Old World. 12.8% ABV. 93 points Tim Atkin MW, 97pts Decanter. £40

2018    Sémillon Rouge Gorge

             L’Entremetteuse

 

This Sémillon is from old vines in the Colchagua Valley, Chile. Barrel aged for six months before bottling, it has a perfumed nose of ripe apples, pears, tropical fruits and vanilla with spiced peaches, apricot and honey on the palate, lively acidity and a delicious slightly oily textured body with a long finish. Pairs with seafood, veal, pork, chicken, game birds and creamy dishes. Blue cheese goes with it surprisingly well, too. 14% ABV 91 points Tim Atkin MW. £38

2022    Elgin Highlands Sauvignon Blanc      

              Iona, Monopole

 

Classic Sauvignon from cooler and moister vineyards 1,300’ up in the Elgin Highlands. Gooseberry, lime, tropical hints, ruby grapefruit with a touch of pear drop; they’re all there. Has 10% oaked Sémillon blended in to add weight and complexity, with the end result being very subtle, with delicately balanced minerality. Would go nicely with potted fish/seafood or fish and seafood without the potting! Not bad with poultry either. 12.8% ABV. 88 points Tim Atkin MW. £35

2019    Chardonnay

              Little Rascal

 

Easy drinking dry Chardonnay from Southern Australia, this has mango and pear flavours on the nose, with citrus acidity and a bit of melon and green apple on the palate, plus a touch of minerality on a soft finish with lingering acidity. Overall quite delicate, this would compliment smoked or grilled fish, chicken, turkey, light veal dishes, pasta with mushrooms and the like. 13.5% ABV. £23

2022    Pinot Grigio

              La Deliziosa

 

Crisp, dry and classic Pinot Grigio from Lazio, Italy. Citrus fruits on the nose with a refreshing palate of zesty green apple and cut pear. Moderate alcohol and ideal on its own but also a good accompaniment to grilled fish, salads and cold meats. 11.5% ABV. £22

2021    Bordeaux Rosé

             Rosé de Reaut

 

Unusually for a Bordeaux property, this was bought back from a large corporation and is now jointly owned by over 500 wine enthusiasts from around the World, under the watchful eye of the ubiquitous Michel Rolland. Their Rosé is delicately coloured with red berries, currants and cherries on the nose with a hint of pineapple citrus. On the palate it has red fruit along with citrus with a fresh acidity that gives it lightness. Would suit salads, white meats, seafood, fish and vegetable dishes. 12% ABV. £44

2022    Mediterranee Rosé

             M by Famille Sumeire

 

This pale pink rosé comes from one of the oldest producers on the French Mediterranean coast and has a light strawberry, raspberry and spice nose, with a dry, juicy red fruit palate plus notes of cream and wood with a hint of apricot on the finish. It is elegant and subtle, making it a great food wine. A blend of 7 different grape varieties, including several white ones to add lightness. Vibrant acidity holds everything together and it would partner well with fish, seafood, vegetable dishes, salads and poultry. 12.5% ABV. 90 points Decanter. £32

2022    Pinot Grigio Rosé

             La Deliziosa

 

This dry, crisp Pinot Grigio Rosé from the province of Lazio in Italy is packed with juicy strawberry and raspberry flavours, with a touch of red apples and citrus, lifted by refreshing, mouth-watering acidity. Balanced and easy-drinking, it is moderate in alcohol, enjoyable on its own or with savoury snacks, light salads or white meats. Light pasta dishes and seafood pair well, too. 11% ABV. £23

2018    Rioja Reserva

             Marqués de Murrieta

 

This winery could be said to have made the first Rioja, back in 1852. Since then they have gone from strength to strength and the 2018 Reserva is no exception: tobacco, grilled spice, cherry and green olive on the nose, then flavours of ripe plum, red cherry and berries blend with herby notes, liquorice and sweet balsamic, progressing to silky and well balanced tannins with refreshing acidity. The long, mineral finish has notes of sweet spice, eucalyptus and ripe plum fruit. Would pair well with red meat, casseroles, game, pork, veal and strong cheeses. 14% ABV. 94 points Tim Atkin MW, 94 points Wine Advocate. £59

2021    Fleurie

              Jean Loron

 

Now in their 8th generation of winemaking, Loron & Fils are renowned for the quality and reliability of their products and this is a classic example of a Fleurie from one of Beaujolais’ top producers. 100% Gamay grapes, giving a bright purple colour with intense aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, liquorice and dark chocolate. Rich, well balanced with silky tannins and a persistent finish on the palate. About as far from Beaujolais Nouveau as you can get. Partners with almost anything although meat and game, cheeses and stuff you’d think of as coming from a delicatessen work as well as any. 13% ABV. £46

2016    Rioja Reserva

             Paternina

 

With a history of wine-making excellence going back more than a century, Paternina is one of the few pre-phylloxera wineries in Rioja. Made in one of the better years for the region, this Reserva has deep fruit character, great elegance and complexity. Fermented using Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo, then aged for 24 months in American oak, it has a mature nose with vanilla, toasted nuts, dried fruits and just a hint of spice. Full in the mouth with a rich long bouquet and a highly persistent finish, it also shows red fruits with a complex, harmonic structure and ripe tannins, finishing with subtle flavours of coffee and spices. Matches beautifully with any lamb dish but also pork, spiced food, roasts and hard cheeses. What’s not to like? 13.5% ABV. £42

2019    Pinot Noir Rouge Gorge

             L’Entremetteuse

 

Set in the Colchagua Valley in Chile, this winery excels in low-volume, minimal intervention wines without artificial additives and emphasis on selecting only the best grapes to begin with. This wine is a collaboration between native Chilean Laurence Real and Burgundian legend Claire Naudin, so some serious know-how has gone into it. With lots of red fruits on the nose and on the palate, it has a fresh, slightly earthy taste with a long and satisfying finish. Being unfiltered, there may be some slight cloudiness or bottle deposits on occasion. Goes well with a wide variety of food, but especially things like terrines and charcuterie, grilled green vegetables, pastas and young cheeses. Game, beef and highly flavoured fish could also work well. 14% ABV. 93 points Tim Atkin MW. £38

2020    Barbera

             Casali del Barone 150+1

 

Made from 85% Barbera and 15% Nebbiolo this wine is aged in small oak barrels for 3 months, giving an intense ruby colour with ripe red fruit aromas. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round, with a soft finish of dark chocolate and black pepper. It’s ideal with red meats and mature cheeses and perfect with chocolate desserts. 150+1 is a reference to the head winemaker Daniele Ress and the 150 members of the Vallebelbo cooperative who provide the grapes for this remarkable collaboration. 13.5% ABV. £36

2020    Banda Azul Rioja

             Paternina

 

Old-style Rioja from Paternina. Soft but rich, with vanilla and tobacco on the nose and elegant peppery black fruit flavours with an oaky character. Full, long and harmonious, this would complement the usual mix of red meats, game, pork and lamb plus hard cheeses. The little brother of the Reserva from the same producer but still showing very well. 13.5% ABV. £29

2021    Shiraz

             R&R

 

From Roberts and Reeves (Hardys). Well integrated and softly textured, with spicy plum and berry flavours and a longer finish than you might expect plus hints of spice and vanilla. This is a good introduction to Australian Shiraz, a.k.a. Syrah and would go well with steak, robust pasta dishes and roasted vegetables, to name a few. 14%ABV. £25

2021    Merlot

              Pais de Poetas

 

Made in the Valle Central of Chile, it has aromas of coffee and chocolate, with intense juicy fruit flavours of black cherry and plum plus mature strawberry and herbs complimented by medium tannins and fruit acidity with a spicy, fresh finish. Mixes well with grilled pork, roast lamb and tomato-rich dishes. 12.5% ABV. £25

2020    Malbec

              Sierra Alta

 

From high altitude vineyards near Mendoza, Argentina, this is medium bodied and smooth Malbec, with forest fruits and black plum on the nose. Black cherry and ripe plums with hints of chocolate on the palate overlay supple tannins and hints of red berries. Pairs well with tomato-based pasta dishes, hearty stew or even pizza! 13.5% ABV. £22