Wine

Wine online from Great Wines Direct

Wine is typically a fermented grape-based alcoholic beverage. The sugar in the grapes is consumed by yeast, which then breaks it down into ethanol and carbon dioxide while also producing heat.

Different kinds of wine are mostly influenced by various yeast strains and grape varieties. These variations are the result of intricate interactions between the biological growth of the grape, the fermentation reactions, the terroir (growing region) of the grape, and the wine-making process.

Legal appellations are established in many nations to specify wine styles and quality. These often place limitations on the allowable grape types, geographical origin, and other characteristics of wine production.

Since ancient times, wine has been made. The Caucasus region in what is now Georgia (6000 BCE), Persia (5000 BCE), Italy, and Armenia (4000 BCE) has the earliest wine artefacts.

While there are some similarities between New World wine and alcoholic beverages manufactured by native Americans, these connections relate mostly to later Spanish practises in New Spain.

Later, as viticulture methods for Old World wine advanced, Europe would have three of the greatest wine-producing regions. Today, Italy, Spain, France, the United States, and China are the five nations with the largest wine-producing regions.

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White 13

Monte Zovo, Le Civaie 'Terralbe', Lugana 2023 75cl £21.30

A fresh, mineral wine showing tropical and citrus notes of bergamot with distinctive flinty notes through to a precise and beautifully balanced palate

Red 13.5

Bodegas Ondarre, Ondarre Reserva, Rioja 2019 75cl £16.38

Leather, vanilla and spice of traditionally made Rioja enveloped in an elegant and textured palate

Red 13.5

Hugonell, Reserva, Rioja 2019 75cl £16.37

A traditional and rich Rioja showing vanilla, red fruit and tobacco flavours, spicy and savoury

White 12.5

Trimbach Riesling 2022 75cl £19.07

Arguably the standard by which all dry Riesling should be measured, and required reading for any serious student of wine, this is absolutely classic, with tangy lime pith and aromatic beeswax character Fine balance and texture on the palate, with typical Trimbach understated elegance Still youthful and fresh, it is just starting to show hints of matured complexity Delicious now, it will continue to evolve beautifully for at least another 4-5 years

Red 14.5

Varvaglione Papale Oro, Primitivo di Manduria 2020 75cl

Varvaglione Papale Oro, Primitivo di Manduria 2021 75cl £25.82

Deep, dark, tempting and seriously seductive, Papale Oro has aromas of kirsch, plum and spicy oak, and flavours of rich dark chocolate, ripe cherries and spice This is Puglian wine at its best, with great character, warmth, and 'friendliness,' yet no shortage of delicious spiciness, complexity and pure fruit intensity, and ultra-plush, velvety texture There are layers of ripe black cherry and blueberry fruit, and everything is balanced by beautiful freshness right through to the finish

White 13.5

Cannonball Chardonnay 2022 75cl £17.33

Cannonball does a beautiful job of making a friendly, easygoing and fun Chardonnay, with scents of ripe golden apples, juicy pears and just a hint of citrus Soft, juicy and creamy-textured, this is a wine that is more about the fruit than the oak - the wood is there, but very much in the background Overall, the impression is of orchard fruits, ripened to perfection in the benign California sunshine

White 13

Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes 2023 75cl £12.72

Crisp, refreshing and aromatic, with a bouquet of citrus, passion fruit, lychee and white flowers A lively acidity, a hint of creaminess and a long finish add depth and balance to the palate

Red 13

Chateau Oumsiyat, 'Jaspe' Bekaa Valley, Rouge 2020 75cl £13.36

Lebanon with a Southern French twist A fleshy and spicy wine with baked red fruits and earthy overtones

Red 14

Seresin Estate Rachel Pinot Noir 2023 75cl | Great Wines Direct

Seresin Estate Rachel Pinot Noir 2023 75cl £24.34

A blend from all three vineyard sites, Rachel is named after Michael Seresin s mother The nose exhibits aromas of black cherry, truffle and chocolate The palate is concentrated and full with a dense core of rich fruit, alongside savoury spice and herbal notes, all underpinned by silky-fine and mouth coating tannins Long on the finish, with a cleansing acidity, this is a poised, yet powerful wine

White 12

Anselmi San Vincenzo IGT 2024 75cl £15.60

Made by maverick Roberto Anselmi, who rejected his wines' entitlement to the Soave DOCG designation, on the grounds that it did not do justice to their quality! This aromatic, fruity style offers peaches, hazelnnuts and orange blossom on the nose with refreshingly clean, crisp, flavours and a long finish Anselmi's vineyards cover 62 acres, high in the volcanic hills of Soave and Monteforte d Alpone The perfect southern exposure and elevated hillsides, well-drained volcanic tuff and rocky/calcareous slopes; together with severe pruning and green harvest, serve to reduce crop yields and ensure concentration and character in the wine

Red 13.5

San Marzano 'Talo', Salento, Malvasia Nera 2022 75cl £15.52

Delicious dense flavours of vanilla and baked orange with a touch of thyme, warm and spicy on the finish

White 13.5

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Susana Balbo Signature Barrel-Fermented Torrontes 2023 75cl £18.94

Golden color with bright reflections The nose is fragrant and complex, with hints of tropical fruits, especially lychee, and citrus notes, such as lemon peel, with delicate floral aromas The mouth is harmonious with balanced acidity, combined with intense fruit flavors This wine has good, round body, with a silky texture

Red 14.5

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Bonterra Zinfandel 2018 75cl £15.72

Aromas of black raspberry and cherry fruit, and notions of pepper and minerals on the nose A decadent palate of briery fruit, vanilla, brown spice and toasty oak is framed by polished tannins and a rich, lingering finish

Red 14.5

Benguela Cove Cabernet Sauvignon 75cl £18.98 £19.50

'Cab is King' they say and a cool climate wine region carries that crown with flair. Assertively Benguela Cove Cabernet Sauvignon with those quintessential aromas of dried herbs, salty licorice, robust dark fruit and astute tannins. The broody fruit is elevated by a youthful acidity that adds to its power with sour cherry and a silky texture that trails behind.

Red 14.5

Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 75cl £17.81

Aromas of bright cherry, currant, and raspberry with notes of toasted oak and vanilla The palate displays flavours of cherry and currant with a lingering and thoughtful finish Good structure, a moderate weight, polished tannins and a balanced acidity

Red 14

Jim Barry Wines 'The Barry Bros', Clare Valley, Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 75cl £16.28

A fruit driven and intensely flavoured blend brimming with red and black fruits combined with a touch of chocolate and spicy eucalyptus on the finish