Teso la Monja Teso la Monja 2018 75cl
£1,295.71
Top of the range Teso La Monja is crafted in miniscule quantities - only around 900 bottles are made each year It comes from a small, 18 hectare plot of vines, with more limestone in the soil than is typical for Toro It is famously fermented in a wooden egg, whose precious contents are then transferred to three new Bordeaux barrels Deep ruby in hue, it is aromatic and complex, combining ripe fruit with hints of toasted wood and laurel Full-bodied, and yet with a sense of weightlessness, it is effortlessly well-balanced, with good acidity and excellent persistence on the palate The flavours and texture are superbly well-integrated on the long, silky finish
Vinedos Sierra Cantabria CVC 88 75cl NV
£865.09
CVC88 is a special limited edition, a tribute to Guillermo Eguren by his sons, Miguel and Marcos, of which only 2,057 bottles were made This 100% Tempranillo is elegant, with great character, complex and a unique identity destined to last over time The wine originated in the old vineyard of San Pelayo in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, which is exposed to the north, providing the freshness and acidity necessary for long ageing The plot covers just 149 hectares, and was planted with Tempranillo vines by Guillermo himself in 1960 CVC stands for ´Conjunto de Varias Cosechas´: a collection of several harvests Marcos Eguren chose the 2007, 2010 and 2012 vintages for their exceptional virtues 2007 was cold, 2012 was relatively warm and extremely dry, and the 2010 was exceptional and balanced, making it perfect to knit together the older and younger vintages All of them were aged separately, in new French oak barrels, respecting their purity and individual personality The average aging of the three vintages has been 98 months, ie just over 8 years The union of all the pieces of this wonderful puzzle took place in January 2019
Kleinood Tamboerskloof John Spicer Syrah 2016 75cl
£66.38
It's structured and balanced, with a beautiful garnet colour with a magenta rim and a deep intensity The nose develops with medium, but pronounced intensity, showing pure ripe plum, maraschino cherries, mixed spice with a hint of cedar and cinnamon On the palate, the wine is loaded with cassis, garrigue and meaty flavours and ends with a white pepper finish The wine finishes in a medium plus body with great depth of flavour, elegant structure and firm, grainy tannins
Rovellotti Colline Novaresi DOC Vespolina Ronco al Maso 2020 75cl
£20.88
A quintessential northern Italian red, the Vespolina has deep ruby-purple colour Macerated rose, redcurrant, spicy and peppery notes, and some woody, earthy liquorice root character On the palate it is crisp and clean with bright acidity and hints of aromatic red berry fruit
Jean-Michel Gaunoux Pommard Les Perrieres 2016 75cl
£47.05
Vibrantly bright, with a touch of mahogany The nose is generous in its complexity with fine and elegant red berry fruits and hints of earthy spices The palate is medium bodied, soft, juicy and lengthy showing piercing strawberry and cherry fruits layered over a carpet of mushrooms, strawberry leaf and forest floor complexity The finish is firm, clean and long
La Spinetta Barolo Campe 2018 75cl
£149.53
Bright, intense ruby red in colour with ripe berry fruits and well-integrated woody aromas, the palate is balanced and the tannins supple, with a long, full finish The Campe vineyard is up the hill from Garretti, in the village of Grinzane Cavour There is very little topsoil here, and the vines are aged seventy years or more, leading to exceptional concentration in the wine
Vinedos Sierra Cantabria Rioja Finca El Bosque 2020 75cl
£77.04
An incredibly distinguished wine from the tiny, 14 hectare, El Bosque vineyard, planted on a deep gravel terrace overlooking the Ebro River Sierra Cantabria's Eguren family recognised the similarity of this well-drained site to the great growths of Bordeaux, and the concentration and complexity of its miniscule annual yield are truly awesome A wine for an extremely special occasion The exceptional quality of the vineyard is reflected in the intensity of aromas and flavours, exquisite finesse and extraordinary length, and the ability to mature for many years
Meinert Synchronicity 2016 75cl
£47.32
Fabulously rich, complex and chocolatey, this is the deepest and most powerful of Martin Meinert's wines, and yet it retains the hallmark 'family likeness' of beautiful elegance and balance It has an amazing velvety texture that fills the mouth, yet leaves the palate feeling refreshed and clean Meinert's masterpiece!
Swinney Farvie Syrah 2020 75cl
£78.91
An awe-inspiring wine with the aroma of Hermitage and the texture of Richebourg, Farvie Syrah is a selection of fruit picked exclusively from the 'morning' side of the vine rows, which ripens more slowly and gently than fruit exposed to the afternoon sun With an exuberant, fruit-forward nose, this smells of plump, juicy, utterly yummy blackberries at perfect ripeness Take a sip, and it is succulent and scrumptious, with almost-hidden tannins that just peek through on the finish This is so delicious that it doesn t need time, but it should evolve beautifully if given the chance Drink 2023-2034+
Swinney Farvie Grenache 2020 75cl
£78.91
This smells very like fine red Burgundy, with rosehip and red cherry character on the nose 2020 was a warmer year (like 2018), and this shows in the relative richness of texture - super-supple and refined, with more subtle, integrated acidity than either of the previous vintages While I love the 2018 for its vibrancy, the 2020 has an extra layer of sophistication It has potentially a long life ahead of it, but it s so irresistible already that I can t see all that many bottles surviving to find out Drink 2023-2033 and beyond People told Matt Swinney that he was insane when he planted Grenache in the Frankland River region The 'Albany Doctor' wind blows along the river valley direct from the Southern Ocean, meaning that summertime afternoons and evenings can be distinctly chilly Combined with reliable sunshine, this promotes the long, slow ripening shared by many of the world's finest wine regions Was Matt right? Does the Grenache ripen? Absolutely, and reliably so: under cool but dry and sunny conditions, and helped by the impoverished ironstone gravel soils, well-drained hilltop sites and established bush vines Farvie Grenache is the result of a ridiculously painstaking selection effort, involving visiting each vine three times to pick out the fruit that has reached the 'sweet spot' of optimal ripeness - neither too exposed to the sun, nor too shaded
Wynns Michael Limited Release Shiraz 2016 75cl
£89.54
A beautifully refined Shiraz, with the texture of top Burgundy, this has fragrant, delicate aromas of freesia, clove, allspice and cinnamon, with allusions to both a summertime dusty vineyard track and the barrel cellar After sitting in the glass a while, sumptuous, generous plum and cherry fruit builds in intensity The wine caresses the palate, with its super-silky texture gorgeous fruit and the merest touches of eucalyptus and liquorice Beautifully-proportioned, with just the right levels of acidity and tannin, this is fully ready to enjoy straight away If you want to cellar some, it should also be very long-lived and should evolve beautifully over at least another 15 years Michael Limited Release is made from the top 2% of Wynns Shiraz production, and only produced in top vintages Shiraz was the first variety planted here in 1857 by John Riddoch, and the fruit of some of the earliest vines planted is used in this wine
Rojomoma Raj's Pick Shiraz 2015 75cl
£73.90
The flagship Rojomoma wine, Raj s Pick, is made from the best hand selected parcels of grapes Named after Sam Kurtz and Bernadette Kaeding's son Raj, it is only made in vintages that produce fine enough fruit Concentrated basket-pressings have added great richness, intense flavours and dense tannins to the wine This is delicately balanced with beautiful French oak If you have the willpower, it can be cellared for many years to come Only 60 dozen made, this is listed in Matthew Jukes's 100 Best Australian Wines 2022/23
Rojomoma Raj's Pick Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 75cl
£74.10
A complex wine displaying the many characters of Cabernet Sauvignon from vibrant hercaeaous flavours through to cocoa and dark chocolate Well balanced with delcious chewy tannins A wine of great length and persistence
Patz and Hall Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2018 75cl
£41.00
This appetising Chardonnay offers a wealth of golden apple, peach, toast, cream, butterscotch and vanilla aromas, which evolve into alluringly tropical notes as it opens up with air Beautifully well-balanced and proportioned, with freshness but not sharpness, subtle oak and succulent, satisfying, embracing texture
Frescobaldi Remole Bianco 2020 75cl
£14.98
With its bright, delicate straw-yellow colour, Remole Bianco 2020 is a delight to behold Fresh on the nose, hints of white fruit, including apple and pear, are immediately apparent and are accompanied by delicate hints of gooseberry The lively citrus notes are pleasant and blend perfectly with the others The journey continues with chamomile-like notes of white flowers Its freshness on the palate and tangy quality combine beautifully
Frescobaldi Ammiraglia, Aurea Gran Rose 2020 75cl
£39.24
This delicate pale pink rose' is markedly intense and complex Characterised by delicate hints of fresh pink grapefruit followed by sweeter notes of yellow peach Fresh, soft and juicy on the palate with delicate spiced finish The wonderful mineral notes give Aurea its unique character, providing persistence and depth when tasted