Wine Selection

To find a good sparkling wine under £10 is a considerable challenge. After dozens of samples we struck gold with this dry Colombard, Chenin Blanc by Jules Larose.

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.

"Made by La Guardiense co-operative deep in the Sannio Hills of Campania, Italy, it’s fresh, floral and fruity. There’s a lemony touch to it too and a long, crisp finish."

Catlo Volpi’s organic sangiovese from high altitude vineyards in Le Marche is a fruit driven red that makes for perfect summer drinking.

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

A great example from Saint-Gervais - one of the best Côtes-du-Rhône Villages. A blend of ripe syrah and grenache and is gloriously rich and jammy.

"... created from 100 per cent Grillo, it's made in the appassimento style - that's to say, with a proportion of semi-dried grapes. With fine acidity, it has depth, character..."

For when you fancy the fruit, finesse and delicacy of Sancerre but not the budget, Bellevue offers spectacular value for money.

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.

This lovely blend of marsanne, rousanne and viognier made by Nathalie Blanc-Mares is fresh, lively, with ripe tropical fruits, good minerality and hints of spice.

A delicious red Rhône and a long a favourite of the Guide Hachette des Vins, Hugh Johnson, Robert Parker and ours. Grenache, syrah and just a touch of mourvedre.

Made in only the best vintages and blended for us by Jonathan Maltus, the first Englishman to be awarded 100 points by Robert Parker. Rich, ripe merlot, beautifully integrated oak.

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.

A gorgeous wine with layers of honey, tropical fruit and white flowers, rich, full-bodied, seamlessly integrated oak.

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 the wine making team at Château Clinet in Pomerol and so good that the proprietor Ronan Laborde named it after himself. Luscious merlot that is at its peak now.

A lovely off-dry white wine which is well balanced with a refreshing acidity. A rich yellow in colour, with a nose of smoky notes and dried fruit.

Here's an outstanding Vacqueyras with complex flavours of ripe, blackcurrant fruit, strawberry jam and hints of spice. Smooth and rich on the palate, with soft tannins. 

From pinot noir vines averaging 50 years of age comes this deeply fruited, peppery Bourgogne Rouge from the clay/limestone plateau in the Macon region of southern Burgundy.

Good Vouvray from the north of the Loire by Tours is one of France's hidden jewels, and one of our favourite white wines. Bernard Fouquet's fabulous Vouvray, grown on vines ...

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.

Made from 40 year old vines and aged in French oak barrels. Priorat with just Rioja has the highest designation for a wine appellation in Spain.