Wine List 2015

WINE LIST 2015

Ceci Paolo Limited

21 High Street, Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 1DS Tel: 01531 632976 Fax: 01531 631011 e‐mail: [email protected] www.cecipaolo.com

RED WINES ITALY from north to south

VALPOLICELLA, ALLEGRINI, 2010/2012 With the 2007 vintage, Franco Allegrini took the brave step of declassifying his wine to Valpolicella so that 2012 he could use a screwcap closure to preserve the purity and vibrancy of the fruit. This proved to be a huge £11.99 success. The wine, made primarily from Corvina and Rondinella, is a triumph. To produce this sort of Stelvin quality consistently through difficult as well as good vintages, and at such a reasonable price, is a remarkable feat. Deep ruby in colour with a youthful rim, the Valpolicella has brilliant cherry perfumes. 2010 The palate shows perfectly balanced fresh and baked cherry fruit characters, and slightly higher acidity than the previous vintage lis the ripe fruit and gives a fresh finish. If you ever had a prejudice against £6.99 Valpolicella, this is the wine to convert you to what can be a most exuberant wine. Abv 13% AMARONE CLASSICO, ALLEGRINI, 2004 This vintage (made solely from Corvina) marks another step forward in Franco Allegrini’s style revoluon. This is modern winemaking at its best; a wonderful fusion of concentrated fruit and fine, toasty oak that enhances a tradional style of wine. The volality and aldehydes that tradionally characterised Amarone have been banished forever from this wine. Franco has now achieved his long‐expressed goal of £26.49 combining purity with balance and the tradional power and intensity of Amarone. The success of Amarone in general has put grape prices under pressure so later vintages have seen significant price increases. Buy while we sll have this earlier vintage. Abv 15%

‘A’ AMARONE, ALPHA ZETA, 2009 This Amarone is impressively rich and modern, with an aracve freshness of perfume. Ma Thomson £28.99 felt that 2009 was “probably the best harvest that I've seen here since I started making wine in the region in 1999. The wines are full and ripe with excellent aromac qualies.” Abv 15%

‘V’ VALPOLICELLA, ALPHA ZETA, 2013 £9.99 A lively, youthful ruby wine with fresh cherry aromas that develop into a rich cherry pie character in the mouth. Body comes from soft, supple tannins that match the concentrated fruit through to the Stelvin characterful finish. Abv 12.5%

‘C’ CORVINA, ALPHA ZETA, 2014 Winemaker Ma Thomson provides a super example of innovave winemaking turning the potenal £7.99 inherent in Veronese viniculture into a reality. Winemaker Ma Thomson provides a super example of innovave winemaking turning the potenal inherent in Veronese viniculture into a reality. 2014 was one of the trickiest vintages seen since 1984. Nevertheless, wines from around Verona look Stelvin good and are more aromac than last year and lighter in body than previous vintages. A youthful bright ruby wine with fresh, vibrant aromas of ripe cherries and red berries. The palate is balanced and juicy with a supple structure, bright plum and cinnamon ﬂavours and a lively ﬁnish. Abv 12.5%

‘R’ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE RIPASSO, ALPHA ZETA, 2013 Made by re‐fermenng the young wine on the skins of grapes that were laid down to dry (like those for Amarone but for a shorter period). The blend of modern and tradional winemaking produces a wine with £13.99 a combinaon of freshness, structure and depth. Ruby red in colour, with a concentrated perfume of red and black cherries, with the ripasso adding a dried cherry intensity. Full‐bodied on the palate, with a lovely balance between opulent cherry‐pie character and supple structure. Good length with a mouthwatering bier‐cherry twist on the ﬁnish. Abv 13.5%

DOLCETTO D’ALBA, GD VAJRA, 2013 Great depth of colour with the lovely herbal berry notes characterisc of good Dolceo. Red, black and blueberries with a touch of dried summer herbs such as marjoram and thyme follow through to the palate £17.99 where the solid tannic structure of this variety gives structure and weight to the berry fruit character. Black cherry notes carry through to the ﬁnish. A lively drinkability that few other examples of this variety can match but this is to be expected from this top Barolo producer. Abv 12.5%

2 RED WINES ITALY from north to south

/ LANGHE NEBBIOLO, GD VAJRA, 2008 Nebbiolo is Piemonte’s supreme grape variety and the source of some of Italy’s finest wines. Its perfume, complexity and austerity make it a great food wine. The 2008 Nebbiolo has a lovely floral perfume on the nose, with spring flower aromas that are both delicate and intense and underpinned by red fruit and £19.99 mineral notes. On the palate, it has the characterisc tannins of Nebbiolo but a ripe, rich dark fruit character balances the tannin, giving the wine immediate appeal. This Nebbiolo from this top Barolo producer is a tremendous wine and great value and a good introducon to this Pinot‐like grape. Technically this is Barolo without the barrel ageing. Abv 13.5%

BAROLO 'LE ALBE', GD VAJRA, 2010 Brilliant and finely sculpted on the palate, the 2010 dazzles from the very first taste. Expressive, floral £36.99 notes give way to bright red fruit, mint and crushed berries in a vibrant, striking Barolo. In most vintages, Le Albe is juicy and fruit‐driven, but in 2010 it is above all the wine‘s minerality that shines through. Abv 14.5%

BAROLO BRICCO DELLE VIOLE, GD VAJRA, 2003 I’d been searching for some me for the “right” Barolo to include in the Wine List. When I tasted this one, I thought—this is it. Obviously the judges of 2008 Internaonal Wine Challenge agreed with me, £42.99 awarding it a Gold Medal. Aldo Vajra is a master of Nebbiolo, as exempliﬁed in this Barolo. It is aromac with perfumes of violets, roses and raspberries. It has the characteriscs of a top Barolo with GOLD ‐ IWC beaufully balanced and crunchy tannins that carry the lovely rose petal ﬂavours through the palate— 2008 Perfecon! It is drinking well now. Please note that the prices of later vintages have soared so this price represents good value for such a top wine. Abv 14.5%

CHIANTI CLASSICO, FONTODI, 2011 £21.99 One of our very best wines, capable of ageing for quite some me. The wine is beguilingly elegant and is as a result a superb drink. Its combinaon of accessibility, depth of ﬂavour and a velvety texture make it diﬃcult to resist. The wine is made solely from Sangiovese, for the quality of fruit obtained from Fontodi’s vineyards obviates the need for any other variees as a remedial blender. Abv 14%

CHIANTI, DA VINCI, 2012 The Da Vinci label is the premium range of wines from Canne Leonardo and Canne di Montalcino. The winemakers work with the viculturists to ensure a style of wine that is fresh and vibrant yet rich and £9.99 supple. Bright ruby red in colour with a darker core and youthful rim. This wine is ripe and plummy, with perfumes of spiced cherry, black pepper and fresh red fruit. It is well‐structured, with rounded, supple tannins, prominent blackberry and cherry fruit ﬂavours and a long, spicy ﬁnish. Abv 13%

CHIANTI, CANTINE LEONARDO, 2013 Winemaker, Alberto Antonini, is a star in Italy, and also proving his worth in Argentina, California and Chile. This is Chianti as you’ve never tasted before and better than most Chianti Classicos sold at twice the £9.99 price. A bright, youthful ruby red in colour. Attractive red fruit aromas lead to a palate full of juicy, ripe berry fruit and hints of smoke and spice. A lifted fresh wine ensured by early bottling that finishes on a perfumed, blackberry note. Abv 13%

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO ‘PALAZZO COMUNALE’, CANTINA DI MONTALCINO, 2010 Oﬀers superb value and excellent quality. On the nose the wine has intense aromas of blackberries, £15.99 blackcurrants, cherries and spice; while, on the palate, it had good depth and richness, aracve fruit and well‐balanced acidity. Abv 13%

3 RED WINES ITALY from north to south /

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, DA VINCI, 2008 The Da Vinci label is the premium range of wines from Canne Leonardo and Canne di Montalcino. The winemakers work with the viculturists to ensure a style of wine that is fresh and vibrant yet rich and £39.99 supple. The Brunello is clear, purple red in colour. The nose is ﬁlled with intense blackberry, blackcurrant and cherry perfumes. Rich and full‐bodied, the wine has so fruity nuances on the palate, complex spice characters and a well balanced, fresh acidity characterisc of Sangiovese. Abv 13.5%

PRIMITIVO DI PUGLIA, A MANO, 2009/2012 Mark Shannon is the Californian winemaker who fell in love with Puglia after a short consultancy in the 2009 region. He and his partner, Elvezia Sbalchiero, decided to create their own label “to make one wine under the A·Mano label, the single best wine from the region. As a result, we settled on Primitivo from 70 to 100 year old vines”. £8.99 By paying high prices for the best grapes from these vines and focussing solely on quality and a modern 2012 style, they are now getting access to some of Salento’s best grapes and have revolutionised the style and quality of Primitivo, making it one of Italy's most talked about grape varieties. Deeply coloured and £9.99 exuberant on the nose, with perfumes of ripe, red fruit, especially raspberries and a spicy, smoky edge from the oak ageing. On the palate it is youthful and full‐bodied, with a great balance between ripe, rounded fruit characters including blackberry and blueberry, sweet, toasty oak and ripe, full tannins. Stelvin Abv 13.5%

PRIMA MANO, A MANO, 2012 Prima Mano is only produced in truly extraordinary years when there is a parcular vat of wine that has great individuality. Tasng Notes A deep purple wine with a rich, full bouquet showing black cherries, violet and mocha notes. Full of juicy blackberry, cherry and plum fruit, with dark mineral and peppery £15.99 spice on the palate. Impressively concentrated and lush without being heavy or sweet. This wine has a Stelvin freshness and an acidity that is instantly inving, leading to a persistent aertaste with balance and structure. For the ﬁrst me since A Mano started making the Prima Mano, there was no use of oak to maintain the wine‘s purity. It is probably the best wine coming out of southern Italy. Abv 14.5%

NEGROAMARO DI PUGLIA, A MANO, 2012 The Negroamaro grapes for this wine are grown in an 11 hectare vineyard, in the heart of Salice £9.99 Salenno. Deep ruby in the glass. Aromas begin with crushed berries, black cherries and spices followed by a light ﬂoral note. The exuberant palate is full and rich with lingering spice on the ﬁnish. It is a wonderful example of this undervalued variety, although it has long been the source of Puglia’s great red Stelvin wines. Abv 13.5%

AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 'PIPOLI', VIGNETI DEL VULTURE, 2012 The vineyards are superb: low‐trained and planted on the volcanic soils of the slopes of Mount Vulture. The wine growing area is one of Italy's most remote and poorest, isolated and uncontaminated. The Aglianico grapes that are grown here are prized for their quality. The wine is £10.99 garnet red. The nose has layered, highly complex aromas with hints of underbrush, violets and cocoa. The full body has a sweet red fruit character with delicate oak nuances. Fruit notes linger on the finish. This is a firmly tannic wine, but has good acidity to counter and it will develop well with age. Abv 13.5%

SHERAZADE IGT SICILIA, DONNAFUGATA, 2012 A blend of 50% Nero d’Avola and 50% Syrah. Tank fermented and aged, it has lovely bright, deep ruby red colour, a ripe spicy fruit and good texture on the palate. The fruit is more blackberries with a touch £11.99 of chocolate, so, ripe tannins and a good balance through to the ﬁnish. The name of this wine derives from 'Scheherazade', the legendary Persian queen, main protagonist and storyteller of 'A Thousand and One Nights'. The wine is made in a lush, spicy style to ﬁt with her exoc personality. Abv 12.5%

4 RED WINES AUSTRALIA from west to east /

GREAT SOUTHERN PINOT NOIR, OMRAH, 2011 Cherry and raspberry with the disncve spice of Pinot and subtle undertones of oak‐derived vanilla. Supple and smooth with lashings of sweet fruit, finely polished tannins and balanced acidity that provides £12.99 a finely poised backbone for the vibrant fruit flavours and varietal spice notes that provide great length and focus. Abv 14%

CABERNET MERLOT, OMRAH, 2010

Plummy, mulberry, blackberry notes, a pinch of tarragon and thyme, along with a whisker of vanilla £12.99 derived from its me in oak. The cooler growing condions enhanced varietal definion. Generously proporoned with smooth, finely polished tannins, balanced acidity and lively flavours that are the hallmark of the variety. Great balance: an easy drinking style with depth of flavour. Abv 13.5%

CLARE VALLEY SHIRAZ, MOUNT HORROCKS, 2005 The Shiraz is highly individual but stunning nonetheless. 20% of the fruit was whole bunch crushed in open £18.99 fermenters & the blend was aged in French oak for 17 months prior to boling. Unique among Aussie Shiraz, it is a sign of Stephanie Toole's individuality. Abv 14%.

ADELAIDE HILLS SHIRAZ, SHAW SMITH, 2009 The wine is spicy yet ripe, with superb elegance and balance; a thoroughly modern Aussie Shiraz. The 2008 won a Silver Medal at the 2010 Internaonal Wine Challenge. This vintage which is closed with £24.99 stelvin is similar to the highly regarded 2006 vintage but with greater concentraon and palate weight. It Stelvin has been selected by Mahew Jukes as one of the ﬁnest Australian wines available on the shelves in the UK in 2012. Abv 14.5%

ADELAIDE HILLS PINOT NOIR, SHAW SMITH, 2012 £32.99 Shaw & Smith have accepted the challenge of the temperamental Pinot Noir grape. Through careful site selecon, the right clonal mix, miniscule yields and fasdious vineyard management they have produced Stelvin an aromac, medium bodied and thoroughly delicious single vineyard Pinot Noir. There is only a ny allocaon for the UK so grab it while we’ve got it. Abv 13.5%

NINE POPES, CHARLES MELTON, 2012 Charlie Melton’s tongue‐in‐cheek homage to Châteauneuf‐du‐Pape (“New house of the pope”) is a rich £33.99 and spicy mix of old‐vine, dry‐grown Barossa Grenache (48%), Shiraz (48%) and Mataro (4%) that brings together concentrated, dark, sweet fruit, a touch of earth and spice, and sparingly handled cedary oak. Stelvin Lux Abv 14.5%.

‘GRAINS OF PARADISE’ BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ, CHARLES MELTON, 2009 Grains of Paradise producon reflects Charlie’s wish to exemplify his interpretaon of the classic Barossa £38.99 Shiraz style. A warm, rich wine with dark plum and prune aromas. The sweet cedar oak character is sll Stelvin evolving, along with dark, rich fruitcake flavours. The palate is rich, full and weighty with length and a firm mouthfeel. Definitely built for the long term. Abv 14%

RED LAYERS, PETER LEHMANN, 2012 Since its first vintage, the Peter Lehmann winery has championed Shiraz and Semillon, the two great tradional variees of the Barossa. The Layers blends use these two variees as a base upon which to build a wine that expresses the new face of the Barossa, using variees that are new or innovave. £10.99 Stelvin The colour is vibrant red with a burst of dark cherry and spice on the bouquet leading to a soly textured finish. Shiraz (64%) delivers fruit depth and structure, while the Tempranillo (13%) is firm and savoury. Mourvedre (12%) brings a wild earthiness and all are bound together by the aromac and spicy nature of Grenache (11%) which soens the palate. Abv 14.5%

YARRA VALLEY PINOT NOIR, INNOCENT BYSTANDER, 2011 £14.99 This superb wine shows what heights can be reached with modestly priced wines in outstanding vintages. Stelvin Briary chocolate and just a hint of stemmy spice on the nose. Musk and brambly red berries combine with orange peel, dark cocoa powder and roasted coﬀee beans. Wet red earth and undergrowth. The palate SILVER ‐ shows spicy clovey notes with a Campari like stalkiness. Tight and brooding with a touch of savoury peat. A Sommelier round fresh palate with a twang of chalky tannin. A lighter style with gentle structure for drinking young. Wine Awards Best now to ﬁve years. Abv 13% 2012

5 RED WINES

NEW ZEALAND

NEW ZEALAND PINOT NOIR, KIM CRAWFORD, 2010/2011 The grapes for this wine are sourced from some excellent cool climate vineyards in the Marlborough (70%) and Central Otago (30%) regions of New Zealand's South Island. £12.99 Medium red colour. Bright fruit aromas of fresh crushed berries, hints of spicy oak, and some forest floor notes. The palate is rich, with red berry flavours providing some nice fruit sweetness. So tannins ensure Stelvin that the wine is approachable in its youth, however, it does have structure to enable the wine to develop over the years. This Pinot Noir offers superb value. Abv 13%

HAWKES BAY MERLOT, KIM CRAWFORD, 2013 In 2013 New Zealand experienced the driest growing season in 70 years and the sunniest first three £13.99 months of the year since 1930, providing the perfect grape growing condions. Add this to the ideal harvest condions and wine experts are already hailing it as the "Vintage of a Lifeme". Stelvin Deep ruby with a purple hue. An intense nose of ripe plums is complemented by liquorice aromas. Rich, dark berry fruit flavours with hints of mocha. Fine, so tannins promote a round texture with a lingering finish. Closed by stelvin. Abv 14%

CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR, WILD EARTH, 2009 This house’s Pinot Noir scooped a remarkable list of Trophies at the 2008 Internaonal Wine Challenge and Decanter World Wine awards. It was the winner of 5 Trophies: Internaonal Pinot Noir Trophy, New £21.99 Zealand Red Trophy, New Zealand Pinot Trophy, Central Otago Pinot Noir Trophy from the IWC and the New Zealand Pinot Noir Trophy over £10 from Decanter. The 2009 won a Silver Medal at the Decanter Stelvin World Wine Awards 2011. Deep red with purple‐red hues. Red and dark cherry, black liquorice and musky oak. The palate is full with ripe black cherry, plum, orange peel and cassis, supple tannins and a lingering ﬁnish. Abv 14%

PINOT NOIR, GREYWACKE, 2009 Released in February 2011, this was the first vintage of Pinot Noir from Greywacke. Reminiscent of tree‐ £29.99 ripened black cherries and homemade plum jam, ripe fruit aromas intermingle with a sweet‐scented floral perfume. The palate blends blackberries and cherry with hints of smoky vanillin oak—seasoned with a Stelvin sprinkle of dried oregano and cinnamon. This is a deliciously fragrant, finely structured wine with intense varietal expression. Abv 14%

USA

OREGON PINOT NOIR, FIRESTEED, 2010 The estate is now one of the leading wineries in Oregon, parcularly renowned for its complex Pinot £17.99 Noirs. Garnet in colour with aromas of raspberries, cedar, leather and exoc spices, the wine's berry and cherry ﬂavours are framed by so tannins and connue throughout its lingering ﬁnish. Abv 12%

6 WHITE WINES ITALY from north to south / GAVI DI GAVI ‘VIGNETI LUGARARA’, LA GUISTINIANA, 2008/2013/2014 La Giusniana has 30 hectares of vineyard in producon and makes two single vineyard Gavis, of which we 2013/2014 stock just the ‘Vigne Lugarara’. Unoaked so the character of the vineyard shows through the wine. An £16.99 open style, as beﬁts the sandy soil in the vineyard.

2008 A straw yellow wine with hints of green. Lightly perfumed with fresh green apples and pears on the nose. half btl The palate is riper with ripe, golden apples, fresh almonds and honey but sll has the characterisc lively £7.99 twist on the ﬁnish found in good Gavi. The vintages have produced fresh and aromac wines of good complexity. Abv 12.5%

SOAVE, PIEROPAN, 2013 Fresh, full ﬂavoured, a bouquet which leaps out of the glass. Melons, fresh peaches and almonds with a dash of lemony acidity to give perfect balance. No pescides or chemicals are used. Aer almost 80 years £13.99 of boling Soave Classico, Nino Pieropan reluctantly abandoned the Classico appellaon from 2008, believing it was me to move to a stelvin closure to protect the aromac characters of his wine. Now, with Stelvin the recent changes to DOC law this wine can now be closed under screwcap and labelled as Soave Classico. The wine is the same but this change in labelling is now reﬂected on the back label. Abv 12%

'LA ROCCA' SOAVE CLASSICO, PIEROPAN, 2012 This award winning Soave can be found on the wine lists of most of the world's best restaurants. This £25.99 wine is from Pieropan's single vineyard 'La Rocca' in the Veneto region in northeast Italy. This vineyard has limestone and clay soils which Nino Pieropan feels give suﬃcient ripeness in his Garganega to make SOAVE TROPHY a wine solely from this variety. ‐ IWC 2013

The wine is golden yellow in the glass, with intense, concentrated perfumes that follow through to the ITALIAN WHITE palate. Classic La Rocca aromas of almond essence and honey lead to an elegant and beaufully WINE TROPHY ‐ balanced palate, with notes of vanilla and almond kernel, ripe apricots and exoc fruit. The long ﬁnish IWC 2013 has a light minerally edge. This delighul wine would work well with cured meats or so cheeses as well as pasta with seafood sauces. Abv 13%

PINOT GRIGIO SINGLE VINEYARD ‘TERRAPIENO’, ALPHA ZETA, 2014

A single vineyard Pinot Grigio of great intensity and balance. It has lied aromas of pear and bread crust, £10.99 classic for Pinot Grigio from this region. The nose gives way to lovely weight and a silky texture on the Stelvin palate, with hints of delicate spice and biscuit. The wine ﬁnishes dry with zesty acidity to maintain freshness and an impressive length. Abv 12.5%

2014 ‘P’ PINOT GRIGIO, ALPHA ZETA, 2013/2014 £8.99 This wine has a purity of fruit rare in a Pinot Grigio from the Veneto. It has a scented, spicy character on 2013 the nose, good weight and breadth on the palate and good acid on the ﬁnish which is surprisingly long. Half btl Unrivalled at this price level. Abv 12.5% £5.49 Stelvin

‘G’ GARGANEGA, ALPHA ZETA, 2014 Garganega is a grape that unl recently was seldom boled as a variety on its own, being more oen £7.99 found in cheap Soave. Ma Thomson has shown what a lovely wine it makes when given the New World treatment! The wine is clear, pale straw in colour with fresh, delicate perfumes of stoned fruit, honey suckle and apple blossom. On the palate, it is fresh but with surprising depth and a lovely peachy Stelvin character. A lively, lemon‐zesty finish offsets the ripe fruit on the palate. This is a really aracve, quaffable wine that will appeal to those looking for something new from Italy. Abv 12.5%

‘S’ SOAVE, ALPHA ZETA , 2014 £7.99 Winemaker Ma Thomson has produced this delicious Soave by working with a number of growers to obtain ripe grapes that are full of ﬂavour. The wine is fragrant and long with good green‐gold colour and a ripe, perfumed nose with hints of lime and almonds. Abv 12.5% Stelvin

7 WHITE WINES ITALY from north to south /

PINOT GRIGIO 'RAMATO', SPECOGNA, 2011 The quality of the fruit grown by Graziono Specogna and his family is impeccable. Ripe Pinot Grigio grapes are red and, because of Specogna’s passion for maceraon and his aversion to fining, this wine is one of the few remaining that are coppery (or “ramato”) in colour. It has a wonderful bouquet reminiscent of £17.99 acacia flowers, grapefruit and fresh apricots. The palate is rich and full, elegant and crisp, with a balanced acidity and a rich lingering finish. This is a highly individual wine with a great richness of flavour and it was just made to go with the very best prosciuo. Abv 13.5%

VERMENTINO SOLOSOLE, POGGIO AL TESORO, 2011/2012 Deep straw yellow in colour, the wine is fine and clean on the nose, with floral and fruity perfumes £16.99 characterisc of Vermenno including white flowers, apricot and tropical fruits. On the palate it has a lovely balance, with rounded, ripe fruit given a lift with a fresh finish. This wine develops nicely, taking on lanolin characters after a year in bottle. Abv 14% (2011); 13% (2012)

GRECO/FIANO ‘PIPOLI’, VIGNETI DE VULTURE, 2014 The low trained vineyards are situated on the volcanic slopes of Mount Vulture at altudes of up to 800 metres. The long slow growing season, due to the high altude of the vineyards, ensures that Vulture is one of the last areas in Italy to harvest, so late ripening nave grapes such as Greco, Fiano and Aglianico £10.99 are ideally suited to the poor soils of this zone.

Pale lemon in colour, with perfumes of citrus and a touch of stone fruit. Rich yet fresh with a lime zest character, which comes from the Greco fruit, balancing the richness. Abv 12.5%

BIANCO FIANO/GRECO, A MANO, 2013 This is the ﬁrst white to come out of A Mano. Mark Shannon has produced this stunning wine from a £9.99 50/50 blend of Fiano and Greco di Tufo nave Puglian grapes grown together. The Fiano is very aromac and the Greco di Tufo gives the body. On the nose there are perfumes of apricots and citrus which follow Stelvin through on the palate. A great crisp and aromac wine ‐ really interesng stuﬀ. Abv 13%

POLENA IGT SICILIA, DONNAFUGATA, 2011 The unoaked Polena is a blend of equal parts of Catarao and Viognier. Both are harvested separately (the £11.99 Catarao in September, the Viognier in August) and cool fermented in stainless steel prior to blending and boling. Light gold in colour, the wine has an appealing perfume of citrus and stoned fruit, with the Viognier adding its characterisc peach and apricot aromas. Abv 13%

8 WHITE WINES

AUSTRALIA from west to east

GREAT SOUTHERN UNOAKED CHARDONNAY, OMRAH, 2012/2013 £12.99 Aromas of fragrant lime and lemon peel, a hint of cantaloupe and an undertone chalky, stony note greeng the nose. The palate is succulent, supple and juicy with those citrus ﬂavours driving through the Stelvin core and ﬁnishing with a lick of fresh acid and savoury minerality. Drink now or stash a few away for a rainy day in a few years me. Abv 13.5%

GREAT SOUTHERN SAUVIGNON BLANC, OMRAH, 2012 £11.99 Punchy citrus and gooseberry aromas with just a suggeson of rain washed stones. A supple yet lithe palate with a ﬁne core of crunchy acidity running the length of the palate with lots of mouth watering, juicy fruit ﬂavours. Abv 13.5% Stelvin

‘M3’ CHARDONNAY, SHAW & SMITH, 2012 There is no doubt that this is Shaw & Smith’s best wine. The Chardonnay produced from the M3 vineyard has vaulted them into the top rank of Australia’s Chardonnay producers. It is subtle, supple and elegant, £24.99 the oak beaufully integrated with the fruit. 2012 was a terrific vintage—beauful weather, without extremes of temperature, produced prisne fruit with great flavours. The only downside was that crops were lower than expected. The 2012 M3 shows the characters of the cool summer and autumn, with Stelvin primary fruit notes of nectarine and cumquat, and vivid fresh acidity that provides structure and focus. Youthful at this early stage, it will develop in complexity over the next five years. Abv 13% WATERVALE RIESLING, MOUNT HORROCKS, 2013 When Stephanie Toole put her 2000 Watervale Riesling in a bole closed under Stelvin, it focussed a great deal of aenon on her and her wines. Such a radical move (as it was then), undertaken to preserve the £19.99 quality of her Riesling, was typical of Stephanie. Each release from Stephanie (who ensures that her wines Stelvin are as consistent as they are brilliant) seems to eclipse the quality standard set by the previous vintage.

This Riesling is ﬁne and delicate yet with amazing persistence & length. The dry‐grown Watervale vineyard gives Stephanie Toole some wonderful fruit, and her sure sense of style comes through in the ﬁnished wine. Abv 12.5%

MASTERS MARGARET SEMILLON, PETER LEHMANN, 2009 Peter Lehmann winemakers rewrote the rulebooks of Barossa Semillon in the early 90s, eschewing oak and opng for an early‐picked style that lent itself to ageing. The result is Margaret Semillon. Released aer ﬁve years cellaring, it has youthful lemongrass aromas and citrus acidity that belie its age; and complexity you would expect from an aged white with a bounful trophy cabinet. £14.99

Stelvin The colour is pale gold with a green nge giving the impression that the wine is younger than it is. The bouquet shows hints of lemon flower together with some waxy, honeyed development so typical of great, aged Semillon. The grapes have been picked early to retain more natural acidity and the palate is dry with a zesty finish. It can be aged for a further 5‐10 years if so desired, during which me it will become more golden in colour and richer and more complex in flavour. Abv 10.5%

WEIGHBRIDGE UNOAKED CHARDONNAY, PETER LEHMANN, 2013 These wines are named aer the Weighbridge where the growers deliver their fruit each autumn. They are easy drinking, but sll bear the stamp of Peter Lehmann quality. £8.99

The wine is aracve light green and gold in colour. Appealing aromas of freshly cut white peaches. It has Stelvin a beauful so depth of fruit on the middle palate and ﬁnishes clean and dry. A delighul example of a youthful, fruit driven, unoaked style of Chardonnay. Grape variees: 98% Chardonnay/2% Semillon. Abv 12%

WHITE LAYERS, PETER LEHMANN, 2013 Since its ﬁrst vintage, the Peter Lehmann winery has championed Shiraz and Semillon, the two great tradional variees of the Barossa. The Layers blends use these two variees as a base upon which to build a wine that expresses the new face of the Barossa, using variees that are new or innovave. £10.99

An aracve pale yellow with green nts, has the aroma of citrus and hints of peach, floral notes and an Stelvin aromac lied spiciness. It has excellent structure, with a lemon nged backbone provided by the Semillon and a so zesty mouthfeel. Finished wonderfully with a mouthful of crunchy fruit. Grape variees: 44% Semillon; 19% Moscato/Muscat; 19% Gewürztraminer; 18% Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris Abv 11.5% 9 WHITE WINES NEW ZEALAND / MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY, GREYWACKE, 2011 The barrel fermented Greywacke Chardonnay, made primarily from the low‐yielding Mendoza clone, known for its concentraon of flavour and crisp acidity, has been in short supply. A bright fragrance of Clemenne orange, fresh limes and a honeyed floral sweetness mingle with rich almond buer and flinty, mealy savouriness reminiscent of freshly mown meadow hay. The palate is smooth and textural with lemon and grapefruit top notes wound into a warm marmalade brioche. Good for cellaring as it will age well. Abv 14.5% £29.99

Stelvin "Kiwi Chardonnay can be great. It is relavely neglected, but when it’s good, it’s really good, and this is one of the gooduns. It is from Greywacke, whose 2012 Sauvignon Blanc is also really good, but this Chardonnay stood out as even beer. It isn’t cheap, but I reckon it’s the qualitave equivalent of serious white Burgundy, and will repay ageing. So complex, with a bit of matchsck minerality on the nose as well as ripe pear and peach fruit and some toasness. The palate is bold, full and concentrated, with nectarine, pear and spice notes. Good acidity. A complex wine." Jamie Goode, wineanorak.com, 17 Nov 2012

GRUNER VELTLINER, THE PADDLER, 2012 The Paddler is a wine label dedicated to craing unusual, cung edge wines launched by Ma Thomson. Gruner Veltliner, endemic to Austria, is a very new grape variety in New Zealand. While planngs remain £15.99 comparavely minute, it shows promise as a serious contender for the Marlborough region. The Paddler Stelvin

Gruner Veltliner vineyard is located in Rapaura, Marlborough. These crop vines produced fruit of exceponal quality. The free draining alluvial soil had a signiﬁcant part to play. As the vines age, the fruit quality will only SILVER ‐ Sommelier get beer. Wine Awards 2013 The wine has wonderful, pure aromacs exemplifying classic notes of mandarin, ripe peach and white pepper. With a lengthy textural ﬁnish the wine will delight the palate. Abv 13%

MARLBOROUGH RIESLING, THE PADDLER, 2012 The Paddler embodies Ma Thomson’s philosophy of high‐quality winemaking, and enables him the ﬂexibility to produce wine that has a point of diﬀerence. £14.99

Stelvin The 2012 Riesling from Blind River is a low‐alcohol fruit focused wine that echoes the Spatlese style. Its lemonade citrus characters and bright acidity balanced with a hint of sweetness bestow it with a lengthy, bold ﬁnish. Abv 9.5%

MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC, KIM CRAWFORD, 2011 (half bole) /2012 £11.99 Bright, pale lemon‐green in colour. Citrus and tropical fruit aromas are backed by the characterisc herbaceous notes that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is renowned for. An exuberant wine brimming with ﬂavours of pineapple, passionfruit, stonefruit and a hint of herbaceousness. The ﬁnish is fresh, zesty and 2011 lingering. Abv 13% £6.49

Its popularity is due not only to the quality of the wine, but also to its inherent drinkability. As journalist Stelvin Simon Woods wrote:

SILVER ‐ “The empty bole test is always a sign of a decent wine. Aer a lengthy tasng of Sauvignons, I plonked down four of Decanter the best on the dinner table and invited guests to dig in. Not long aer, a cry of ‘Is there any more Kim Crawford?’ was World Wine heard—when the other three boles were sll more than half full.” Awards 2013

10 WHITE WINES NEW ZEALAND / MARLBOROUGH RIESLING, GREYWACKE, 2012 Another wine from Greywacke. The Riesling is a fragrantly composed wine exuding delicate aromas of apple £19.99 blossom, the lusciousness of sweet melon and the headiness of lemon sherbet. The palate delivers a burst of Stelvin lime sorbet and a suggeson of ﬂinty minerality, which combined within its Yin‐Yang structure of delicate sweetness and vibrant acidity produces a wine of sumptuous vivacity. Abv 12%

CENTRAL OTAGO RIESLING, WILD EARTH, 2008 2008 was a superb season that ensured good ripening and clean, high quality fruit. The wine is clean and lush £12.99 on the palate, with the sweet honeyed‐fruit characters being perfectly balanced by the nicely focused acids Stelvin that typify the region. Created in a medium‐dry style, this wine makes an extremely versale food match. Good cellaring potenal. Abv 12.5%

MARLBOROUGH ‘SPITFIRE SP’ SAUVIGNON BLANC, KIM CRAWFORD, 2013 The Spiire is superb Marlborough Sauvignon from first cropping vines on a vineyard situated in the foothills of the delta in Marlborough’s southern hills. The unique posioning shelters the vineyard from the cool £15.99 Stelvin southerly winds and becomes a heat trap, which leads to lower acids and higher pH along with high sugar levels. An exuberant Sauvignon Blanc emanang passionfruit, grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas. Rich and full, a concentrated blend of sweet and citrusy fruit flavours kiss the palate with plenty of weight through a long, delighul finish. Abv 12.5% MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC, GREYWACKE, 2012/2013 This is one of the most excing wines we've ever had (and we've had quite a few!). It is the Sauvignon Blanc from Greywacke, the Marlborough label of ex‐Cloudy Bay pioneer winemaker, Kevin Judd. This is serious wine, deliciously aromac, exuding encing fruit fragrance with a spicy tomato twist and the zest of yellow grapefruit. The palate is succulent and tangy ‐ long and concentrated, finishing with a hint of flinty £16.99 minerality. Abv 13% (2012)/13.7% (2013) Stelvin

Kevin describes the wine as “a vibrant combinaon of fresh basil and spicy tomato leaves, tossed with tangy nashi pear and mandarin, sprinkled with a lile lemon zest. A highly perfumed wine with blossom‐like floral aromas and a subtle flinness that alludes to an underlying core of minerality. A mouth‐watering, refreshing style with a deliciously crisp, yet luscious finish”.

WILD SAUVIGNON, GREYWACKE, 2010 This ‘wild’ sauvignon from Kevin Judd is so called because it is a sauvignon blanc that is transformed by £24.99 naturally occurring fermentaons. This is an alternave style of Sauvignon Blanc that is both intricate and textural. An intriguing fusion of homemade apricot jam and lime marmalade is layered with dried tarragon Stelvin and a doughy, ﬂinty complexity. The palate is loaded with succulent fruit, pithy citrus rind and laced with minerality – a ‘wild child’ Sauvignon with weight and persistence that ﬁnishes with a crisp grapefruit twist. Abv 14%

11 ROSÉS

No longer deemed frivolous, compromise wines, rosés are now loved for their versality and broad appeal. And, although they come into their own in summer, their popularity seems to be sustained throughout the year. This recognion has led to far greater choice.

Rosés can be made from any of the grape variees used to produce red wine. Their pink colour comes from a period of contact between the grape juice and the grape skins – the longer the contact, the deeper the pink. Aer this contact me, the skins are removed by pressing and the juice is fermented, just like white wine. However, in pracce, some red grape variees seem to be beer suited to rosé producon than others.

These are wines that can be drunk on their own, will match a variety of dishes and will also please diverse palates. ITALY /

‘R’ ROSATO VERONESE, ALPHA ZETA, 2014 Alpha Zeta's delicious Rosato is made from juices drained from the skins of the Corvina before £7.99 fermentaon. Pale pink in colour with a hint of red. Aracve strawberry and sweet cherry aromas are complemented by subtle ﬂoral notes. Dry on the palate, the wine has a vibrant red fruit character and Stelvin fragrant ﬁnish. A rosato of impressive gulpability. Abv 12%

VIN RUSPO, CAPEZZANA, 2010/2011 ‘Ruspo’ means ‘Stolen’: This wine is made from the free run juice racked oﬀ or ’stolen’ from the Capezzana £12.99 Carmignano. Striking pink, with delicate scent of cherries. Pure fruit, with none of the cloying sweetness oen associated with rosés. It has all the character of a red wine, but with none of the hard edges. A Stelvin favourite of ours because it is so versale. Abv 13.5%

FRANCE

CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ, MIRAVAL, 2013/2014 Pale pink in colour, with aromas of white flowers, crushed strawberries and ripe morello cherries on the nose. The palate is round and so, with notes of lied berries, minerality, hints of salness and a long finish. Grape variees are 50% Grenache/Garnacha, 20% Cinsault, 20% Rolle and 10% Syrah/Shiraz. Abv 13% £18.99 What the Press has to say: Stelvin "Your chance to try Brangelina's very own wine from the Côtes de Provence. Boled under cork, it is pale, interesng and beaufully refined, the dry redcurrant and hints of strawberry sundae perfectly pitched and poised. A gorgeous and glamorous summer rosé..." Tom Cannavan

"Uerly scrumpous! Brangelina’s wine that everyone who comes round will want to taste." Olly Smith NEW ZEALAND

PANSY, KIM CRAWFORD, 2013 The wine is made from 63% merlot and 37% malbec grapes from selected vineyards in the Hawkes Bay £12.99 area. Vibrant pink in colour, with aromas of ripe strawberries. Ripe, juicy and loaded with strawberries and cream, this refreshing rosé is full of sweet summer berries, hints of watermelon and an oﬀ‐dry ﬁnish. Stelvin Abv 13.5%

12 SPARKLING WINES

FRANCE /

CHAMPAGNE

BRUT RESERVE, CHARLES HEIDSIECK, NV Radiant pale gold with ﬁne, persistent bubbles. Complex pastry aromas, with an opulent combinaon of ripe apricot, mango and greengages, dried fruits, pistachio and almond. The palate begins with a silky smooth sensaon, developing into ripe ﬂeshy apricot, melon and encing plum pastry notes and delicate spice. A perfect balance of freshness and generosity. Abv 12% £42.00

AWARDS GOLD ‐ Sommelier Wine Awards 2014 BEST IN SHOW ‐ Sommelier Wine Awards 2013 NON VINTAGE TROPHY– IWC 2013

ROSÉ INTENSE CÔTE des BAR, CHAMP DEVAUX NV Due to their locaon, Devaux are specialists in Rosé Champagne and this delighul Rosé Intense is made solely from ‘bleeding’ the Pinot Noir grapes, allowing the juice to remain in contact with the skins for a short period aer pressing. The wine is deep salmon pink in colour, with a crushed strawberry and redcurrant fruit £32.49 character, and great intensity and richness on the palate. Abv 12%

"Like red burgundy with bubbles" Joanna Simons

UNITED KINGDOM BRUT ROSÉ NV, COATES & SEELY A pink sparkler from Hampshire. The vineyards total 24 hectares and are planted with the Champagne variees Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. The Rosé was the first release. The terms ‘Méthode Britannique’ and ‘Britagne’ on the label, a testament to the quality and individuality of sparkling wines here that will at least rival their French neighbours! The Brut Rosé is salmon pink in colour, with aromas of cranberries, strawberries and hints of brioche. The palate is fairly full, with intense, red berry flavours that £29.99 are nicely balanced by refreshing acidity and an elegant, long finish. Abv 12%

“Very prey nose (and pale salmon pink)...Fun and nicely balanced. A very creditable, well‐made addion to the swelling ranks of superior English ﬁzzes or, as C&S would have it, Britagnes”. 16 points, JancisRobinson.com, Jancis Robinson MW, 3 Jul2011

13 SPARKLING WINES

ITALY /

PROSECCO I have long been a lover of Prosecco and I’m pleased to say that since we started selling and serving it over 15 years ago we have made a lot of converts. Now the rest of the world, with its increased interest in Italy, is catching on to what is essenally a good product at a good price. Quality Prosecco is not a cheap alternave to Champagne, it is a delicious drink in its own right. However there are a lot of cheap so‐called Prosecci out there, parcularly in the supermarket sector.

From 1 August 2009 it has been easier to tell the real from the upstarts as from that date ‘Prosecco’ is only allowed to be used on the labels of wine from Veneto and Fruili Venezia Guilia in north‐eastern Italy and the only status used is DOC and DOCG. DOCG, which is the highest quality status level under the Italian wine regulaons, is for the Conegliano Valdobbiadene producon area, and DOC for those outside of this superior area. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco has used the term DOCG since 1 April 2010 giving the consumer a clear quality guarantee. At the same me the grape formerly known as Prosecco is now called Glera , an old synonym of the Prosecco grape. Glera is the name approved by the EU for the green‐skinned Prosecco grape of north‐eastern Italy and was chosen by the Italian authories to avoid confusion between the Prosecco region and grape variety.

Prosecco’s lightness and delicacy set it apart from the legion of Champagne wanabees. It makes a great cocktail base as well as being delicious as an aperif served with a lump of aged parmesan cheese. Best of all, I think, is how well it lends itself to being matched to Asian cuisine—simple, light, refreshing and low in alcohol. Perfect! With the increase in popularity of pink wines, some Prosecco producers have also introduced rosé sparkling wines by blending the Prosecco grape with other local grapes. Many of these are absolutely delicious and are included overleaf. PROSECCO FRIZZANTE DOC TREVISO, CA’ MORLIN £10.99 This wine is sealed under stelvin to protect against random oxidaon and cork taint. It is fresh, so, scented and grapey, with delicious lightness and good length. Abv 11%

PROSECCO DOC CONEGLIANO E VALDOBBIADENE, MIONETTO (SPAGO) £13.75 My ﬁrst introducon to Prosecco was with this wine which is semi‐sparkling, having been boled under lower pressure and closed with ‘spago’ (string) across the cork. The bubbles are less intense as a result. Aromas are fruity to ﬂoral, from apple to acacia. The colour is pale yellow with greenish highlights. Abv 11%

JEIO PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE, BISOL, NV Jeio Prosecco, produced by the Bisol house, offers a so fruity flavour, and is perfect to celebrate the most £14.99 hedonisc event. Fairly intense honeysuckle aroma, good mouthfeel and plenty of fresh fruit flavours. Ideal as an aperif or for using in cocktails. It represents excellent value for money. Abv 11.5%

PROSECCO SUPERIORE DOCG ASOLO, CA’ MORLIN £14.99 The `spumante` style of Prosecco is fully sparkling, with more carbon dioxide retained at boling. Due to the quality of the fruit, there is a lower level of residual sugar than is usual with Prosecco, so the wines are drier SILVER ‐ and more drinkable as a result. This is reﬂected on the label, which states ’Extra Dry’. Decanter World Wine Asolo, Valdobbiadene and Conegliano are the three areas that produce DOCG Prosecco. This Asolo Spumante Awards 2011 is so, scented and grapey, with delicious lightness and a long lasng `mousse`. Perfect as an aperif, it is best served between 6‐8°C. Abv 11%

CREDE PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE, BISOL, NV "… I find that for sheer pleasure it is the tank‐method wines that retain the primary floral and fruit flavours the best and give that ‘moreish’ aspect to the wines that makes you want to keep pouring – and at 11.5% alcohol and at this price, it’s possible to do that without causing damage to wallet or the morning aer. It’s not just that this is good sparkling wine, it is very good wine that happens to be sparkling – as a bonus, almost. It has a so but refreshing start which brings delicate elderflower and sweet almond notes with a citrus acidity and a delighul lingering finish. More fun than you could possibly hope for, I would be very happy to drink this at prey much any me as an aperivo or as an accompaniment to anpasto, seafood or white meat. The slight sweetness means £18.95 that it works well with spicy and chilli‐flavoured food (Thai and Pacific food in parcular)". Marn Saxon, Italia! Magazine

Intense bouquet of wild flowers and fruit, which is echoed on the palate with flavours of apples and pears. There’s a small percentage of Verdiso grapes in the blend, which provides a bit more acidity to balance the soness of the Prosecco. As a consequence, this is the ‘liveliest’ of Bisol’s sparklers. Very classy with a long finish. The best Prosecco for Bellinis. Abv 11.5%

14 SPARKLING WINES ITALY /

PINK SPARKLERS

SPUMANTE ROSATO, A MANO

New is a Spumante Rosato from A Mano, interesngly inspired by French‐made sparkling wine in California. Made from a blend of 50% Greco, 25% Negroamaro and 25% Primivo, the salmon pink wine has £14.99 astonishing complexity; raspberries, fresh cherries, orange blossom and toasted hazelnuts all come through. On the palate there is a minerality and lemony crispness that persists through the long ﬁnish. Abv 12.5% ROSATO SPUMANTE, CA’ MORLIN

Made solely from Raboso, the grapes are lightly crushed and, following a short fermentaon to extract a coral pink colour, the wine is fermented at low temperatures. It has a brilliant colour, and is so and £12.99 fragrant, its perfume of strawberries suggesng just how appealing this wine can be over summer into early autumn and at Christmas me. Abv 11.5%

ROSE LEGATURA FRIZZANTE NV, MIONETTO (SPAGO)

Bursng with bright, lively and refreshing red fruit ﬂavours in a lightly sparkling frizzante style, this wine is £12.95 ideal served as an aperif, or to accompany white meats and grilled ﬁsh. Abv 11%

LOW ALCOHOL SPARKLERS

MOSCATO D’ASTI DI STREVI DOCG, CONTERO 75cl: “True, luscious, grapey, seducvely musky, soly sweet, and just 5.5% alcohol, Moscato d’As is as far removed from nasty As Spumante as homemade pasta is from dull, dried pasta. What you get with this Moscato is a £14.99 lingeringly ﬂoral, faintly bosky bole with those hot house‐ripened muscat grape, dribble‐down‐the‐chin ﬂavours I remember as a child snitching grapes from my parents’ greenhouse.” 37.5cl Jane MacQuiy, The Times £7.99 What more need we say? Now it’s also available in a 37.5cl bole. Abv 5.5%

BRACHETTO D’ACQUI DOCG, CONTERO 75cl: Sparkling reds are not the most popular wines in the UK (bad memories of cheap Lambrusco perhaps) but £17.99 other countries like Italy and Australia have really taken them on board. This invigorangly delicious lightly sparkling one, with its superb perfume of crushed rose petals, sweet grapey fruit on the palate and a dry 37.5cl: ﬁnish and just 5.5% alcohol, is really worth a try. Once tried, I guarantee you’ll be hooked! Abv 5.5% £9.99

AUSTRALIA

MASTERS BLACK QUEEN SPARKLING SHIRAZ, PETER LEHMANN, 2009 Intensely ﬂavoured Shiraz grapes from old‐low yielding vines create this wine inspired by the groundbreaking ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ of the 1950s – one of Australia’s unique contribuons to the wine world. Named aer the Queen of Sheba, this Black Queen is deep in colour, with aromas of chocolate and dark cherry and full of exoc fruit ﬂavours. £19.99

Beaufully deep in colour with a persistent ﬁne bead. The bouquet shows hints of Satsuma plum and black cherry leading to an explosion of dark, exoc fruits on the palate‐ a very special sparkling red for mes of celebraon. Abv: 14%

PINK MOSCATO, INNOCENT BYSTANDER, 2014(CROWN CLOSURE) 75cl This is a totally fun wine. As the owners and winemaking team say “Make great wine for drinking and £9.99 enjoying; not crowing over”. Made of 57% Gordo Muscat and 43% Black Muscat, the wine is an exoc mix of watermelon, musk and rose petals on the nose with touches of red apples. On the palate there are hints of 37.5cl sherbet and strawberry ﬂavours with a slight spritz and a cleansing acid zing and a really refreshing ﬁnish. £5.49 Just yummy. Abv 5.5%

15 DESSERT WINES ITALY /

MARSALA RISERVA SUPERIORE, CURATOLO NV £15.99 Curatolo is one of the few remaining family producers of Marsala. Dark amber colour with a rich, smoky ﬂavour, Marsala varies from sweet to dry. It is used as a dessert wine and in famous desserts such as 75cl Zabaglione. Curatolo’s Marsala Superiore Riserva is the real thing and well worth trying. It has intense, SILVER‐ long‐lasng ﬂavours with characterisc wood scents, toasted almonds, citrus, and perfumes of vanilla, Sommelier caramel and honey. Aside from being a delicious bole of wine, the art deco label is stunning, having been Wine Awards designed by Ernesto Basile, a famous architect in Palermo in the laer part of the 19th century. Abv 18% 2013

VIN SANTO, LA PIEVE Vin santo, literally ‘sacred wine,’ is enjoyed nowadays as a sophiscated dessert wine, typically with cantuccini almond biscuits. Following the strict regulaons of the Consorzio Chian D.O.P., this superior vin santo is aged for a minimum of ﬁve years in chestnut wood barrels. Made from 75% malvasia (giving £19.95 bouquet and aroma) and 25% trebbiane toscano (giving essenal body and structure), the fruit is allowed to mature on the vine unl late September, then hung from the airy raers of La Pieve estate’s main 50cl hunng lodge, unl the February snows. For every 100kg of grapes harvested, 70 litres of juice is le aer pressing and ulmately 30 litres of this precious vin santo is ﬁnally boled. La Pieve produce about 2000 boles a year. This vin santo has a very enjoyable complexity and leaves the palate clean. Abv 15.5%

£26.99

VIN SANTO TEGRINO D’ANCHIANO, LEONARDO, 2005 50cl Deep amber in colour, with perfumes of dried fruit on the nose, together with figs, almonds and honey. GOLD ‐ Rich and velvety in the mouth, although sweet, it is well balanced with good acidity which prevents it from Sommelier being cloying. Delicious as an aperif or with dessert as well as strong cheese. Abv 16.5% Wine Awards 2011 IWC 2011 BEN RYÉ PASSITO DI PANTELLERIA, DONNAFUGATA, 2008 Expensive it may be but, when on a recent trip to Sicily, even people who claimed not to like sweet wines asked for more of this luscious wine, I knew I could no longer resist the urge to stock it. £34.99 A modern take on the classic Moscato Passito, the name Ben Ryé derives from the Arabic ’Son of the 37.5cl Wind’, aer the wind that sweeps around the island. Made from Zibibbo grapes, the wine is bright gold in colour with perfumes of dried peaches, ripe apricots and savoury, salty notes. On the palate it is sweet and luscious, with rich powerful flavours of peach and stoned fruit with a fresh finish. Abv 14%

PORTUGAL

COLHEITA 1996 MADEIRA, JUSTINO’S The robustness and longevity of Madeira, even once opened, allows for endless experimentaon with food pairings and drinking occasions. With fruit sourced from a single harvest, this wine took the coveted £34.99 ‘Masters’ tle in the 2013 Forfied Masters tasng, topping all other Madeira entries. Deep amber in the glass. Elegant aromas create a rich, ripe nose with hints of grapefruit and roast walnut notes. The palate 75cl combines caramel, almond, orange peel and toffee apple notes before a very round and complex finish. Abv 19%

16 DESSERT WINES

/ AUSTRALIA

CORDON CUT RIESLING, MOUNT HORROCKS, 2006

“ Cordon Cut is a must‐have wine on any wine list or in any cellar.” The Mahew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines 2010 £23.99 Australia’s best and most famous sweet Riesling is a stunning wine that is ﬂoral‐scented, with candied 37.5cl orange and fragrant lime cordial notes. It is the perfect match for fresh fruit or cheese, or fruit‐based desserts. Cordon Cut refers to a unique, risky process involving cung the canes when the grapes are ripe, allowing the remaining fruit to concentrate and raisin naturally on the vine. This results in intense ﬂavours and sweet, rich fruit. Drink now or cellar for up to ten years plus. Abv 11.5%

MASTERS BOTRYTIS SEMILLON, PETER LEHMANN, 2011 This wine was inspired by Chief Winemaker Andrew Wigan’s visit to the iconic Château d’Yquem in 1981, home to one of the world’s greatest sweet wine. His me in their vineyards and winery inspired him to recreate the style in the Barossa. Barossa’s warm lingering summers oﬀer ideal condions for the “noble rot”, Botrys Cinera. A small block next to the winery has been isolated speciﬁcally for this wine, showing £10.99 the beauty and diversity of the Semillon grape. 37.5cl

A beauful bright gold colour which will deepen with bole age. It has wonderful tropical fruit aromas with just a hint of citrus. It is a truly harmonious wine with a delicious lusciousness on the middle palate counterbalanced by tantalizingly complex acidity, the hallmark of botrys wine. Enjoy with creamy blue vein or washed rind cheeses. A delicious accompaniment for fruit ﬂans, warm winter puddings and great with scrambled eggs for a luxurious brunch. Can be cellared for 20 plus years. Abv 11% NEW ZEALAND

LATE HARVEST GEWURZTRAMINER, GREYWACKE, 2009 This is an exocally scented sweet wine with aromas of very ripe mandarin, quince and fresh lycee intermingled with the scent of damask rose and hints of cinnamon. The palate is silky and voluptuous—a luscious sweet wine with elegant structure and a clean lingering ﬁnish. Abv 12% £22.99 “ Elegantly lychee and rose petal scented wine, with hints of honey and orange rind. It’s not 37.5cl overly sweet‐it has a restraint and reserve typical of all Judd’s wines in this range. Lightness of touch so that its 90 g/l of residual sugar seems de and lied on the palate.” Peter Richards, 21 January 2011

LATE HARVEST RIESLING, GREYWACKE, 2011 A wine of intense aromacs ‐ exoc honeysuckle blossom, candied lemon and vanilla custard, infused with £23.99 a hint of cloves. The luscious palate has a marmalade‐like combinaon of lemons and limes mingled with the richness of honeyed apricots and a dollop of crème caramel. Silky, succulent and harmonious ‐ 37.5cl ﬁnishing with a lively citrusy crispness. Abv 12%

17 THE WINE PRODUCERS ITALY

PIEMONTE

CONTERO, Strevi This estate is owned by the Marenco family, Moscato and Bracheo specialists in Strevi. This 11 hectare estate remains one of the best producers of the most invigorangly delicious Moscato d’As and Bracheo d’Acqui. The vineyards, situated in a perfect amphitheatre in Strevi, the heart of one of the best zones for Moscato in Piemonte, are superbly tended, producing fruit of stunning quality. The ripest and best Moscato grapes are used for Moscato d’As rather than As.

LA GIUSTINIANA, Rovereto di Gavi This outstanding estate is now producing Gavi of remarkable character and originality. Donato Lana, one of Italy’s best young consultants, began working with La Giusniana at the beginning of 1998. His indelible stamp of quality has become increasingly evident in the intervening years. The current quality, even in diﬃcult vintages, puts this estate among the top handful in the zone. La Giusniana has 30 hectares of vineyard in producon and makes two single vineyard Gavis, of which we stock just the ‘Vigne Lugarara’.

G.D. VAJRA, Barolo Aldo Vajra’s wines have an indelible stamp of individuality, being characterised by prisne flavours and clearly defined perfumes. These characters are aributable to the posion of Vajra’s 44 hectares of vineyards at an altude of about 400 metres above sea level in the village of Vergne in the commune of Barolo. Aldo Vajra is a tradionalist. He adheres to old‐style winemaking methods, such as ageing his Barolo in barrel for three and a half years prior to boling, though blends these with new techniques. Vajra’s vineyards ripen later than in many other areas and crus in the region, with the result that his Barolos have always been quite disncve: wines with fresh and lied aromas, showing a judicious acidity that balances the generous fruit to give a lively and crisp style. Thanks to Aldo’s skill in the vineyard and his de touch in the winery, his wines have a sinewy texture, a Burgundian intensity and a purity of flavour that makes them stand out in Barolo.

VENETO

ALLEGRINI, Fumane Producers such as Allegrini are very rare indeed. The quality of the wines they produce from their 70 hectares of vineyard‐across the range and from vintage to vintage‐is both stellar and impeccable. They have superb fruit, balance, intensity, length, elegance, picity and, above all, drinkability. In short they are among the elite of the world’s best producers of red wines.

ALPHA ZETA, Verona Most of our wines are imported through Liberty Wines, consistently voted Italian Merchant of the Year at the annual Internaonal Wine Challenge. The Alpha Zeta range of wines has been developed by Liberty Wines, using as consultant winemaker, Ma Thomson (Kim Crawford’s winemaking partner in New Zealand’s leading consultancy company). These wines go from strength to strength. Ma is now working with two co‐operaves, whose vineyards cover about 1700 hectares of vineyard in the hills northeast of Verona. This increased vineyard resource has given him greater selecon, and has resulted in a further increase in quality. In addion, the wines are now sealed under stelvin although the Amarone and the Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso will remain under cork because of legal spulaons.

BISOL, Valdobbiadene The ﬁrst traces of the Bisol family in the heart of the Prosecco producon zone date back to the 16th century. Bisol is one of the very few houses that follow directly the enre producon process, ensuring the quality in every phase from the selecon of the terrain to the boling of the wine. The house’s vineyards cover a total of 50 hectares, three of which are in the Carzze area and are divided among 15 farms. The Proseccos produced are in fact single estate Proseccos from diﬀerent named sites and the quality is astonishing.

CA’ MORLIN, Conegliano Liberty Wines have worked hard to find a Prosecco producer with a Liberty profile – control of grapes, a quality ethos, one of the best producers in the zone and a wine that offers value for money. By early 2004 they decided to make their own with Andrea Morlin, the Technical Director at Canna di Custoza, with some help from Ma Thomson. Picking later in order to obtain riper grapes; fermenng cooler in order to preserve the delicate aromacs of the grape, and ensuring that the yeasts had sufficient nutrients so as not to produce deviant aromas that would mask the aromacs were all key to the quality of the wine. As of the 2015 vintage, all Ca‘ Morlin wines will be cerfied organic. The current 2014 vintage represents the final year of the three year conversion period whereby the vineyards must be farmed according to organic methods before qualifying for cerficaon. The organic status of the Ca Morlin wines sets them apart from other Prosecco on the market. Ca Morlin already offers exceponal value for money – their Prosecco, both Frizzante and Spumante, is clean, fresh, gulpable and affordable. This transion to organic status underlines their commitment to quality and confirms their status as a worthy Liberty producer.

18 THE WINE PRODUCERS ITALY

VENETO LEONILDO PIEROPAN, Soave Pieropan’s wines outstanding quality derives from his aenon to detail at all stages of the wine cycle. The vineyards are planted primarily with Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave (he is probably the only producer in the zone with any of this rare variety le in his vineyards). The Garganega gives structure and acidity to the wines; the Trebbiano di Soave perfume and richness of ﬂavour. Aer almost 80 years of boling Soave Classico, Nino reluctantly abandoned the Classico appellaon from 2008, believing it was me to move to a stelvin closure to protect the aromac characters of his wine. Nobody else has spent the past 35 years geng to know Garganega and the vineyards of Soave Classico in the same inmate detail as Nino Pieropan. In great years this gives his wines an amplitude that other producers lack, while in more diﬃcult years it ensures that he sll makes a very good wine.

FRUILI SPECOGNA, Colli Orientali The Specogna family has 15 hectares of vineyard in the Rocca Bernarda Hills, perfectly situated at 200 meters above sea level, in the heart of the Colli Orientali DOC zone. All the local wines are produced using natural and tradional methods. The quality of the fruit grown by Graziano Specogna and his family is impeccable. As a result, he is keen to get as much ﬂavour as possible out of the grapes. Because of their quality, he is able to macerate the skins in the must for 18 to 24 hours prior to fermentaon. These are wines of remarkable individuality and character in a market that is suﬀering more than ever from reduced diversity.

TUSCANY

DA VINCI, Montalcino Winemaker Riccardo Pucci has developed a style of Chian that builds on the freshness and vibrancy characterising Leonardo, resulng in excing wines which are both a step up in quality and stand out against their peers. A lile oak in each of the wines gives them a a bit more depth, texture and complexity than is to be found in the Leonardo wines, while their elegant packaging brings a renewed lustre to the Chian category. This quality is derived from the vineyards. The work being done by the technical team at Leonardo has ensured an improvement in the quality of the grapes arriving at the winery each year. This in turn results in deeper coloured and richer wines that stand out against their peers. The co‐operave has approximately 150 members, whose vineyards are located on the hilly areas around Vinci and Cerreto Guidi.

CANTINE LEONARDO, Vinci This co‐operave, situated in the town of Vinci (hence the name) west of Florence, connues to make beer and beer wines. The quality of the wines is aributable to the ethos of quality that has spread through Leonardo since the arrival of Alberto Antonini as consultant winemaker at the end of 1996. This ethos encompasses every aspect of their operaon: beer work in the vineyard; a more careful selecon of fruit; viniﬁcaon of separate parcels of fruit; ‘bleeding’ the must in order to increase the proporon of solids to liquids in the fermentaon tank, thus ensuring greater extracon of ﬂavour and colour. Early boling ensures that the fruit is retained rather than dissipated.

CANTINA DI MONTALCINO, Montalcino These wines come out of the same stable as Canne Leonardo, which also controls Canna di Montalcino. The strength of this producer is their ability to draw fruit from all over the zone, something that enables the power of wines from the south to be moderated by the elegance and aromacs found in those wines from the north.

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA, Carmignano Capezzana’s wines have never been beer—and they will connue to improve over the years. The reds have a freshness and purity of ﬂavour that shines through the glass and a suppleness on the palate that yields great pleasure. The younger generaon of the Conni Bonacossi family is now ﬁrmly in charge of this estate, with daughter Benedea Conni Bonacossi as winemaker.

POGGIO al TESORO, Bolgheri This is one of the most excing estates to have emerged from Italy in recent years. Its pedigree is faultless: the Allegrini family from Verona teamed up with their US importer, Leonardo Lo Cascio and bought land in Bolgheri where they now have 30 hectares of vineyard planted. Alberto Antonini was consultant here unl 2009 when Nicola Biasi took over.

TENUTA FONTODI, Panzano Few properes in Tuscany are as immaculately tended, or produce such meculously made wines, as Fontodi. The Mane family has worked with winemaker Franco Bernabei since 1980. Their 62 hectares of vineyard are situated in the prime ‘conca d’oro’ (golden shell) of Panzano, giving wines of supreme elegance and longevity. Giovanni Mane who has run the property since 1980 has converted to organic viculture in the past six years and is now following biodynamic principles in order to obtain the best quality fruit. In the winery his approach is similarly non‐intervenonist in order to ensure that the quality of the fruit is preserved in the ﬁnished wine.

19 THE WINE PRODUCERS ITALY

BASILICATO

VIGNETI DEL VULTURE, Potenza Valenno Scio (of Vesevo, Gran Sasso and other Farnese estates) took over this small co‐operave in Basilicata in the heart of the Aglianico del Vulture zone in 2008. Consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini, now works with talented young Dennis Verdicchia, and together they managed to capture the character of the grapes and the zone superbly in the bole. According to Alberto, this is a beauful area, isolated and uncontaminated, and almost like stepping back in me a few centuries. It is certainly one of Italy’s least explored and poorest regions which is nevertheless producing some excing wines. The low trained vineyards are situated on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Vulture at altudes of up to 800 metres above sea level.

PUGLIA

A MANO, Madonna delle Grazie Mark Shannon and his partner, Elvezia Sbalchiero, have succeeded in making Primivo one of Italy’s most talked about grape variees. By paying high prices for the best grapes from old vines and focussing solely on quality and a modern style, they have revoluonised the style and quality of Primivo. Part of the reason for the connued success of A Mano is the greater knowledge gained aer almost a decade of vintages in the region.

SICILY

DONNAFUGATA Contessa Entellina, Marsala, Pantelleria The Rallo family have been involved in wine producon in Marsala for over 150 years but were one of the ﬁrst families to move into the producon of high quality table wine when sales of Marsala started to decline. They have two estates in Sicily: 260 hectares at Contessa Entellina in the hills east of Marsala; and 68 hectares on the island of Pantelleria, a small island closer to the coast of North Africa than it is to Sicily. Their winery in marsala is ultra modern and serves to preserve the ﬂavours obtained in the vineyard.

CURATOLO, Marsala Curatolo is one of the few remaining family producers of Marsala and they have been producing quality Marsala for well over a century. Sll made in the tradional way, the Marsalas are the real deal and make a great alternave to Sherry. The stunning art deco labels designed by Ernesto Basile, a famous Palermo architect in the laer part of the 19th Century, are sll used today.

FRANCE CHARLES HEIDSIECK, Champagne Charles Heidsieck is one of the most admired Champagne houses thanks to the unrivalled and consistently high quality of its wines. The current range is one of the most awarded collecons of wines in the world. The intricacies of the champagnes’ complex make up have been perfected over the years by one of the most celebrated winemaking teams in Champagne – between three winemakers they have been awarded ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ at the Internaonal Wine Challenge fieen mes. This winemaking legacy, paired with the house‘s flamboyant history since its foundaon in 1851 by the man who would become known as ‘Champagne Charlie‘, makes it a unique offering from Champagne: a house with great, hand‐craed wines, heritage and proven quality.

Charles Heidsieck have built exceponal relaonships with the most experienced growers across the Champagne region, and can draw on a rich palee of crus. Precise selecon of grapes takes place from specific sites. Vineyards which are integral to producing grapes which build the house style are Oger for Chardonnay for its texture, floral notes and ageing ability, Ambonnay for Pinot Noir for its power, vinosity and fruit, and Verneuil for Pinot Meunier for its acidity, body and aromacs. To achieve the depth and complexity required by the house style, Charles Heidsieck age their Non‐Vintage Brut for three years, much longer than the legal requirement of 15 months. CHAMP DEVAUX , Champagne The Champagne house of Devaux dates back to the 19th century. The brand was bought and developed by the Union Auboise, a dynamic co‐operave located in the southern part of Champagne, and one of the biggest vineyard holders in the region. Each cuvée endorsed by Devaux owes its character to the 1.400 hectares of vineyard situated in the heart of the Côte des Bar which produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the whole appellaon. Here 800 vignerons grow the finest grapes possible for Devaux. Due to their locaon, Devaux are specialists in Rosé Champagne. The quality of its wines illustrates why Tom Stevenson, the UK’s leading writer on Champagne, listed Devaux as one of his top 10 fastest improving producers in Decanter magazine.

MIRAVAL, Provence Château Miraval is located in the Provence village of Correns, the ﬁrst 100% organic village in France. All of the crops, including grapes, are grown organically in this wild and picturesque village. The Miraval rosé is a joint venture between the Perrin family (of Maison Nicolas Perrin and Château de Beaucastel) and Hollywood actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pi, who also make Miraval their summer hideaway.

20 THE WINE PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

PLANTAGENET, Mount Barker Plantagenet connues to produce some of Western Australia’s most excing yet classically elegant wines. Their blend of elegance and varietal character marks them out as one of Australia’s outstanding producers. Rated by most independent experts as one of the best producers in Western Australia, Plantagenet is unique not only for being the only producer in the Mt. Barker appellaon, but also for the fact that they are one of the few producers in the West who sell at reasonable prices. The new wines emerging under the watchful eye of the new winemaker, John Durham, are already making their mark. While the Plantagenet wines all come from grapes grown in mature vineyards in Mt. Barker, their second label, the Omrah range, is made from fruit from younger vineyards, or from bought‐in fruit. These wines have nicely focussed fruit with lied perfumes and good balance and oﬀer excellent value for money. They have also relabelled the Omrah wines with really stunning new labels.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA MOUNT HORROCKS, Clare Valley With an annual producon of only 5,000 cases, Mt. Horrocks is as bouque as wineries come. Everything is hand picked and hand made. But this bouque approach is allied to a rigorous and technocrac approach to quality in order to preserve the classic Clare characters of the fruit. Stephanie Toole is uncompromising on quality. The result is a range of wines that are as consistent as they are brilliant and impress more with every tasng and vintage. CHARLES MELTON WINES, Barossa Valley Charlie Melton is now a legendary figure, in the Barossa and the UK. His wines, first imported in the early 1990s, have won many admirers and accolades. As his fame has grown, he has connued to move forward. He is one of the first producers to put his top red wines under stelvin as he is convinced the wine will age beer—more gradually and consistently. Charlie’s wines are not your usual burly Barossa beasts. Instead they have wonderful balance and freshness, with the use of French oak giving them a supple intensity that few Barossa wines have.

SHAW & SMITH, Adelaide Hills The wines produced by cousins Marn Shaw and Michael Hill Smith are, collecvely, as sleek, elegant and beguiling as they have ever been. The increase in quality since they moved into their own winery in 2000 connues to be evident and there is an excitement about each of the wines. Having helped to pioneer the Adelaide Hills as a source of zesty sauvignon blanc, their recent progress with shiraz and merlot have cemented their reputaon as producers of classically elegant reds.

PETER LEHMANN HILL & VALLEY, Eden Valley Peter Lehmann, with 33 vintages already ‘under his belt‘, started his own winery in 1979, partly as a means of helping with the glut of grapes then aﬄicng the Barossa. Without this acon, it is widely thought that the Barossa would have lost a large swathe of its old vines. The crisis passed, in large part thanks to Peter’s energy and vision, and the Lehmann winery became one of the Barossa’s – and Australia’s – outstanding wineries. And it was for his role as saviour of the Barossa and as the creator of this winery, that Peter was named ‘Personality of the Year’ by the Internaonal Wine Challenge in 2009.

The passion of Peter Lehmann and his growers sll exists in the winery today, despite Peter’s recent death died last year and selling most of the business to Donald Hess, his American distributor, a decade ago. He sold to Hess because he recognised someone who shared his philosophy and would ensure that the winery didn’t become a ‘brand’ in a corporate porolio run by number crunchers in Sydney. His foresight ensured that the quality of the Peter Lehmann wines has never wavered.

VICTORIA

INNOCENT BYSTANDER, Yarra Valley Innocent Bystander takes the quality and regionality message very seriously, but manages to have fun along the way. Set up in 2004 by Phil Sexton, Innocent Bystander is a Yarra Valley based estate producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay alongside several other emerging varietals and blends. The fruit for their wines is sourced from vineyards in Yarra Valley as well as selected vineyards throughout Victoria.

21 THE WINE PRODUCERS

NEW ZEALAND

GREYWACKE, Marlborough Kevin Judd can lay as much claim as any person for the high internaonal proﬁle now enjoyed by Marlborough. Aer studying at Roseworthy and then working in Australia for a few vintages, he joined Cloudy Bay as their winemaker at its incepon in 1985. He was responsible for the groundbreaking early wines produced by Cloudy Bay; wines that paved the way for a whole generaon of producers who were able to push on doors that had already been opened by the success of Kevin’s wines. He remained at Cloudy Bay unl early 2009, when he ﬁnally did what his friends had been urging him to do for years: start his own label.

KIM CRAWFORD, Marlborough Kim Crawford's bold move towards texture and weight in his wines, and away from simple primary ﬂavours, has taken New Zealand onto the next level in the internaonal arena. Kim produces small volumes of hand craed, high quality wines. The grapes are selected from some of the best vineyard sites in the main grape growing regions of New Zealand. All of Kim’s wines are now closed under stelvin. We believe that this has given his wines consistency in every bole. Although the label is now owned by Constellaon and Kim has moved on to pursue other interests, the quality and range appears to have been maintained.

WILD EARTH, Bannockburn Wild Earth shot to world‐wide acclaim when it won an impressive ﬁve Trophies at the Internaonal Wine Challenge and Decanter Awards in 2008: Internaonal Pinot Noir Trophy, New Zealand Red Trophy, New Zealand Pinot Trophy, Central Otago Pinot Noir Trophy from the IWC and the New Zealand Pinot Noir Trophy over £10 from Decanter. Wild Earth founder Quinn Quider is an expatriate Californian who spent many years living in the South Island. He has gathered a small, dedicated team to produce his Wild Earth range in Central Otago.

THE PADDLER, Marlborough Winemaker Ma Thomson’s two greatest pursuits in life, wine and kayaking, take him around the world. As well as working as a winemaking consultant across both hemispheres for a diverse range of clients, he competes on an internaonal level as a ﬂat‐water marathon kayaker. The Paddler represents these two enduring endeavours. Launching his own label with a Grüner Veltliner in 2010, The Paddler range has allowed Ma to explore and create wines he’s always wanted to cra.

UNITED STATES FIRESTEED, Oregon Firesteed aims to produce wines that are true to type with a forward and accessible character, offering great value for money. The estate owns 121 hectares of vineyard in the Willamee Valley of Oregon and buys the remainder of the grapes needed from growers with whom they have long term contracts. All of the vineyards, both the estate‘s and those of their contracted growers, are L.I.V.E. (Low Input Viculture and Enology) cerfied, a programme which, along with Biodynamic and Organic standards, falls under the umbrella of Oregon Cerfied Sustainable viculture and enology.

Established in 1992, the change from ‘virtual’ to ‘physical’ came in 2003 for Firesteed when Howard Rossbach bought the Flynn winery in Oregon, allowing the brand to evolve from the virtual winery it had been since its incepon to something more tangible. The estate is now one of the leading wineries in Oregon, parcularly renowned for its complex Pinot Noirs.

PORTUGAL

JUSTINO’S, Madeira Jusno’s is one of the oldest producers of Madeira, having been in existence since 1870, when it was known as Jusno Henriques. Today, Jusno’s is owned by the French company La Marniquaise. Fruit is sourced from all over the island, with only the best areas and vineyards selected for the diﬀerent grape variees. A new winery, located in Cancela, Santa Cruz, was built in 1995.

22 PERRY, CIDER & ‘OWLER’ We are delighted to stock Gregg’s Pit Perry and Cider locally made using tradional techniques from 100% juice of the fruit from James Marsden’s and his neighbours’ orchards in nearby Much Marcle. James manages his orchards "for the beneﬁt of local wildlife, landscape and cultural tradion as well as to provide vintage fruit". He markets his products as ‘Herefordshire Cider’ and ‘Herefordshire Perry’ which in 2003 were awarded Protected Geographical Indicaons (European status) meaning they originate from Herefordshire and "have the quality and characteriscs aributable to the county." Gregg’s Pit produces about 800 gallons a year of arsanal single variety and named varietal blended perrys and ciders.

James Marsden isn’t our only local food hero. There’s also Charles Martell ‐ known as the man who saved the Old Gloucester Cow and Single Gloucester cheese from almost‐certain exncon. Charles now has a new cause: the embaled perry pear. On his picture‐postcard farm in Dymock, he’s using an ancient disllery to turn his tradional pear crop into Owler, the purest and mellowest of spirits. The intense pear ﬂavour is amazing. Think "Poire William" and then some....this is a real luxury drink because the amount you get out of a batch of pears is ny. We have a tasng sample that makes a great stocking ﬁller as well as the real thing in a box that makes a super man gi.

BEER AND SPIRITS

We stock a variety of Beers, Aperifs and Liqueurs including Aperol, Amaro, Amareo, Cynar, Frangelico, Galliano, Grappa, Limoncello, Liquore al Caﬀe, Maraschino, Sambuca, Strega and Fernet Branca. These change from me to me so check out the shelves.

WINE GLASSES

“Riedel glasses are a wine’s best friend”

We keep a wide selecon of Riedel glasses and decanters in stock and online.