Wine Selection

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."

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.

Bright, warm and full of ripe bramble fruit – all we look for in a Ventoux – but also with Mediterranean spice and liquorice. 

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

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

"...it's made from organically farmed, low-yielding vines in the Veneto. It spends a short time in oak and is dry to off-dry, fresh, honeyed, herbal and extremely potable..."

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

Everyday-drinking Côtes-du-Rhône reds don't get much better than Vidal-Fleury's GSM. Then again, their 250-years-plus experience of making wines among the great Rhône appellations, it's hardly surprising.

A savoury Côtes du  Rhône Villages marked by expressive notes of violets and peony. The palate is round with bright fruit underlined by sweet spice.

"... 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..."

Nathalie Blanc-Mares’ Mas Carlot white is a lovely blend of marsanne, roussane and the glorious viognier grapes made at her 18thC bastide, built by Admiral Grasset.

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.

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.

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.

From 3rd-growth Château Giscours (Margaux) and sumptuous, abundant, well-balanced proof that you need not always pay £20+ for a bottle of Left Bank pedigree and finesse.

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.

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.

An exquisite expression of Pinot Gris from the Riquewihr environs of Alsace. Matured on fine lees for 4 months; aged in stailess steel for freshness and depth of flavour.

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.

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.