Our Picks
Adam and Liam have made some personal choices of wines that are among their own particular favourites from the shop...
White wines
Adam
Colomba Bianca Vitese Zibibbo 2022 £12.95 (Sicily, Italy)
(Great value Sicilian white made from the Zibibbo grape, one of the Muscat family that is usually used for sweet wines. More producers are now making dry table wines with it too, like this fragrant, aromatic example, which has lovely peachy fruit, some subtle floral and orange zest notes, just a hint of off dry and a pleasing creamy texture, but still finishes light and fresh. Works well with all manner of Mediterranean food and even something lightly spicy)
Centopassi Grillo Rocce di Pietra Longa 2021 £17.95 (Sicily, Italy)
(fantastic vibrant, elegant Sicilian white with an intense burst of zesty tangy lemon fruit on the palate, with some lovely softness of texture coming through on the clean finish, and a streak of stony minerality running all the way through)
Gaia Estate Monograph Assyrtiko 2022 £18.50 (Nemea, Greece)
(Deliciously fresh and vibrant Assyrtiko, lighter than those from Santorini, but bursting with flavour. Bright and crisp with zesty citrus, tropical fruit and mineral notes. Great food wine)
Liam
Palliser Estate Riesling 2021 £16.95 (Martinborough, New Zealand)
(Vibrant zingy very slightly off dry Riesling with great intensity and refreshing minerality to go with the lime tinged fruit flavours, finishing with a mouthwatering freshness)
Finca Os Cobatos Godello 2021 £16.95 (Monterrei, Spain)
(Crisp and dry yet rich, textured and fruity, this is a superbly balanced Northern Spanish white made for tapas and seafood)
Moreau Naudet Chablis Vielles Vignes Les Pargues 2021 £34.50 (Burgundy, France)
(Fabulous Chablis with more rich fruit than most, lots of concentration and waxy, leesy texture, yet still crisp and dry. The finish goes on and on)
Rose
Adam and Liam
San Marzano Tramari Primitivo rose 2022 £13.95 (Puglia, Italy)
(Both of us singled this one out. Juicy, fruity rose from the Salento, with a great balance of sappy red berry fruit and fresh acidity, finishes dry and fresh)
Red wines
Adam
San Marzano Il Pumo Salice Salentino 2022 £12.50 (Puglia, Italy)
(One of the best value wines in the shop. Satisfyingly robust and fruity and yet dry and medium weight. Captures the Southern Italian sun in its ripe fruitiness, but has enough savoury character and lift of acidity to make it food friendly, as any good Italian wine should be)
Monteraponi Chianti Classico 2021 £26 (Tuscany, Italy)
(Fantastic example of Tuscan Sangiovese, fragrant and balanced, with juicy black cherry, and tart raspberry fruit, anise spice, ripe tannins, earthy, savoury notes of tea leaf and a lift of fresh acidity)
Fuentenarro Ribera del Duero Crianza 2020 £18.95 (Ribera del Duero, Spain)
(A powerful yet elegant and complex Spanish red: lots of fruit, firm tannins, high acidity, earthy spicy notes, this is great with hearty food especially if decanted an hour or two in advance. Will also age well.)
Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Frappato/Nero d'Avola 2022 (Sicily, Italy) £26
(From a dynamic winemaker in Vittoria, South East Sicily. A wonderfully vibrant, juicy and delicious wine, distinctive and mouthwateringly fresh. The Frappato gives red berry fruits, acidity and minerality, with darker fruit and structure coming from the Nero d'Avola. Organic, biodynamic, low intervention, low sulphite, unoaked, this is a wine that sings of purity, varietal character and a true sense of place. Natural in the best sense of the word.)
Liam
Ondarre Rioja Reserva 2018 £15.95 (Spain)
(soft, rich and mellow traditional Rioja with lots of savoury notes and vanilla oak to compliment the generous fruit. 75% Tempranillo plus Mazuelo and Garnacha )
Les Clos Perdus Corbieres Cuvee 181 2021 £19.95 (Languedoc, France)
( A blend of 50% Carignan with Syrah and Grenache, this is a brambly, hearty red from Southern France, with excellent balance between fruit, fresh acidity, tannins and savoury notes. Medium to full bodied but very drinkable and not at all heavy on the palate)
Herdade do Rocim Amphora red 2018 £22.50 (Alentejo, Portugal)
(both of us were bowled over by the elegant loveliness and distinctive flavours of this gorgeous and unusual red blend from Southern Portugal. Aged in amphora.)
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Contrada Santo Spirito 2020 £40 (Sicily, Italy)
(yet another Sicilian wine, and another from the exciting Etna region. This is a fabulous powerful, complex, single vineyard expression of Etna, from one of the most influential producers in the region. Fruity, smoky, spicy rich and yet balanced and elegant)
Sparkling
Adam
Davenport Limney Estate Sparkling 2018 £35 (Sussex, England)
(great quality English sparkler, can give vintage Champagne a run for its money. Sophisticated, dry, fruity, biscuity, complex, lovely fine mousse, long finish)
Liam
Meinklang Prosa Frizzante 2022 £16.95 (Burgenland, Austria)
(fun, and delicious lightly sparkling biodynamic pet nat rose from Austria. Perfect summer fizz)