Top 20 Wines for Summer

Winemaker Enrico Mercato has crafted this sumptuous lightly oak aged wine which is soft and full of rich black fruit flavours with a hint of spices and a lovely finish.

The Gran Reserva red from Altos, invariably 8-10 years old, has long been a favourite of ours and of many of our customers, and at this price, astonishingly great value.

A beautifully textured, Viognier-dominant blend organically produced by one of the highest quality co-operatives in France. Outstanding value.

Made from low-yielding Grenache vines averaging over 70 years of age for a delicious example of how good modern Spanish winemaking gets.

From northwestern Spain's verdant Salnés Valley in Gallicia (D.O. Rías Baixas), comes the crisp, fruity Albarino varietal, one perfectly matching the region's seafood-heavy cuisine.

From their glorious 200-acre estate just SE of Bordeaux, a refreshing, classic blend of (mostly) sauvignon blanc/sémillon that is crisp, fruity and alarmingly easy to drink.

A silky Merlot blend from the Côtes de Castillon to deliciously demonstrate just how good - and ageworthy - the wines of Bordeaux's more affordable regions have become.

Picpoul de Pinet has become one of summer’s most fashionable light white wines and Bruno Lafon’s and Francois Chamboissier’s is one of the very best.

A sumptuous blend of Sangiovese and Merlot from one of Chianti's most ancient estates, representing over 5 centuries of Siennese winemaking. Loves grilled red meats, game, mature cheeses.

Fine example of the glorious and fashionable viognier grape that nearly disappeared in the 60’s and 70’s from our favourite southern Rhône vineyard vineyard les Grands Bois.

Domaine les Grands Bois was recommended to us as the best local grower by the owner of the best bistro in Cairanne, itself the best of the 21 Cotes-du-Rhone villages.

Our number one selling white wine. Truly delicious white burgundy from the Rousset family and quite extraordinary good value.

An enticing take on white Rhone via Languedoc via 100% Roussanne from the tiny Pays de Cucugnan appellation in the Hautes Corbieres. Matured in amphorae, textured, extremely delicious.

This pinot noir / gamay made by the Devillard family of Chateau de Chamirey in Mercurey is the house red burgundy of Alain Ducasse’s great left bank bistrot Chez Allard.

A delicious Beaujolais made by the Loron family from hand-picked 100% gamay grapes at the lovely 18thC Château de Fleurie. The last two vintages have had a coup de Coeur.

The utmost expression of Loire Sauvignon Blanc sophistication and sourced across 30 different limestone, marl and flint parcels for a Pouilly-Fume of remarkable aromatic complexity.

Gigondas is the greatest of the smaller appellations in the southern Rhône and Christian Meffre of Château Raspail makes one of its best wines.

An outstanding Cru Bourgeois from one of Bordeaux's all-time greatest vintages that is now at its drinking peak for just under £20 a bottle. An unmissable opportunity.

From the south-facing, limestone-rich  En Paradis  single vineyard for chardonnays of exceptional purity, opulence, power and minerality. What the very best of the Maconnais should taste like.