WHITES...

REDS...

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WEIßBURGUNDER PRICE: £15.59 (code 717981)

Andreas Bender ORIGIN: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder)

Andreas is a young, modern and unconventional winemaker, well regarded as a bit of a maverick and ‘one to watch’ by many Mosel winemakers. Wanting to make complex, story worthy wines but also believing they should to be fun to drink, Andreas maintains a minimalistic approach to his winemaking.

Dry and elegant wine with fine aromas of stone fruit; rich and well balanced.

A delicate match for asparagus, fish dishes, goats’ cheese salad.

Also known as Pinot Blanc, this Weißburgunder comes from 30-year-old vines on steep slopes with slate soils. Temperature controlled fermentation in old oak casks, then matured on its lees in stainless steel tanks

MARCH 2017 TASTING NOTES £180 CASE

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THE FOUNDATION STONE PRICE: £12.99 (code 717967)

Rickety Bridge ORIGIN: Western Cape, South Africa

49% Chenin Blanc, 15% Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc & Rousanne, 6% Viognier

Rickety Bridge wine estate is undoubtedly one of the most progressive boutique wineries in the Cape. The Foundation Stone range is named after the cornerstone of the original rickety bridge which straddles the Franschhoek River.

Elegant with spring blossoms, stone fruit on the nose. Subtle hints of spice, this is a rich well-structures wine that finished with elegance and freshness.

Delicious served alone, or alongside creamy pasta dishes, goats cheese tartlets or asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto.

Barrel fermented and aged in Austrian barrels. The historic wine making cellar was recently renovated and converted into a barrel fermentation centre, the new winery was built and modern cooling equipment installed.

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BOLGHERI ROSSO DOC PRICE: £17.99 (code 717970)

Donna Olimpia 1898 ORIGIN: Tuscany, Italy

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc

In 2001 Guido Folonari, decided to develop an ambitious wine project stating “What was I looking for? I did not even know myself. I was looking for a place that would thrill me.”

With vibrant notes of cinnamon, blackberry, blueberry, chocolate, and liquorice. It is well - structured, soft and harmonious. Sweet tannins and lingering jammy fruits round up the finish.

Roast spring leg of lamb with lots of rosemary.

Harvest takes place from September. Grapes are picked at complete ripeness and bunches carefully sorted and moved without delay. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures, to allow long times of contact of the must with the skins.

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SUS SCROFA PRICE: £14.59 (code 717980)

Cellar Pardas ORIGIN: Central Spain

Sumoll

Sus Scrofa is the latin term for wild boar, an animal that makes its home in the hills of the Alt Penedès. It is also the emblem of Celler Pardas, as its image is depicted on many of the wines from the winery. A bright and fruit-forward wine, meant to be a pure and ‘unmasked’ expression of the Sumoll grape.

The palate is marked by fresh acidity and minerality, with tart red berry fruit and crunchy tannins.

Wild boar sausages in a tomato-ey stew with paprika.

Grapes are sourced from two different vineyards: Pont Nu & El Muç in the Alt Penedès, at c.300 metres altitude. Soils are a mix of limestone, loam, calcareous clay and sand, and average vine age is 60 years. Wine rests for four months in cement tank before bottling.

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BLANC DE NOIRS PRICE: £13.99 (code 717968)

Ackerman ORIGIN: Loire, France

70% Cabernet Franc; 15% Grolleau; 15% Pinot Noir

Ackerman are one of the Loire’s larger producers, based in St Hilaire, in the town of Saumur. Chenin Blanc produces dry wines, sparkling wines and the super-sweet but rarely do they use the dominant red grape, Cabernet Franc, to make a fresh white.

Citrus and red fruits combine in this appetising dry white, from red grapes.

Perfect as an aperitif or pair with shellfish or desserts such as lemon pie.

All the grapes are carefully selected and harvested by hand then produced according to the traditional method with a second fermentation in the bottle. It remains on its lees for a minimum period of 18 months to develop complex aromas and a lovely minerality.

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SEVENHILLS PRICE: £15.99 (code 717957)

Mitchell Estate ORIGIN: Clare Valley, South Australia

Cabernet Sauvignon

With its distinctive ‘minty’ aroma and intense blackcurrant fruitiness, this stupendous Cabernet begs for the company of succulent lamb. Enthusiastic champion of the region, the flame-haired Jane Mitchell (based, appropriately enough, near the Clare town of Auburn) globe-trots to ensure a world-wide clamour for the style.

Distinctive minty, bitter chocolate aromas and blackcurrant fruit define this splendid old-vine Cabernet.

Rosemary-scented lamb

Sourced from ancient plots of vines in South Australia’s rarefied, relatively cool-climate Clare Valley, it’s a benchmark for the region.

March Wine Club £180 notes.indd 1 24/01/2017 10:37

REDS...WHITES...

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ARBOIS VIEILLES VIGNES PRICE: £17.99 (code 717972)

Benoît Mulin ORIGIN: Jura, France

Chardonnay

Chardonnay meets sherry but in a wonderful way. Benoît Mulin is both creatively and commercially involved in the wine business, as he has been producing his own wine and managing exports on behalf of the Cellier des Tiercelines since 2009.

Complex with fruit and spice aromas, a distinctive minerality and slightly spicy, smoky undertones and a nutty character. The palate is also rich but with excellent tension and packed with minerals, spices, and a touch of toast.

Ideal as an “aperitif” or as an accompaniment to starters, dishes with cream, fish or mushrooms.

100% Chardonnay hand-harvested by Benoit and his team from about two hectares of vineyards half planted on chalky soil and half planted on clay. Production is around 7,500 bottles.

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GAVI DI DAVI PRICE: £15.99 (code 717971)

Villa Sparina ORIGIN: Piemonte, Italy

Cortese

Villa Sparina, a vineyard founded by the Moccagatta family in the 1970’s, has always put the territory at the centre of its projects with an eye to valorising the history and culture comprising of 100 hectares of land, 70 of which are planted with local grapes to produce Gavi and Barbera wines.

Straw-yellow colour and a fragrance of flowers and fruit with hints of pints. Full and rich flavour, soft with tones of noble aromas resulting from the complete ripening of the grapes.

White meat and fish dishes.

Vines are 26 years old with 4,200 per hectare. Harvesting begins at the end of September once the grapes are fully ripened which intensifies the character.

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CORTE DE CAMPO GRAN RESERVA PRICE: £13.99 (code 717969)

Vina Vistamar ORIGIN: Cachapoal Andes, Chile

Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah

The modern era has brought us living in an over-stimulated, demanding, success-oriented whirlwind, with no time to enjoy the everyday pleasures of life. That is why Vistmar wines were created, wines offering a new approach to life, mood, and attitude that will lead you to venture out and enjoy the simple things that surround us every day.

Very extroverted but with lively and juicy aromas of ripe fruits, blue fruits and an elegant touch of rosemary. Lovely acidity, delicious and well-structured, full of mild tannins that make the mouth more rounded.

Pair with ripe cheeses, red meats, charcuterie and lamb

The wine is oaked for 14 months in French (60%) and American (40%) oak.

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DÃO TINTO PRICE: £14.59 (code 717979)

Alvaro Castro ORIGIN: Northern Portugal

Alfrocheiro (50%), Touriga-Nacional (25%), Tinta-Roriz (25%) The Dão is probably the best place in Portugal to find fresher aromatic styles of wines made from one of the many interesting Portuguese indigenous grape varieties. Alvaro Castro is widely acknowledged as the region’s best winemaker.

Imposing up-front black fruit favours with a lovely touch of spice.

Cured meat, gamey meat, pasta dishes with meat.

Soils are granite with rows of sand and clay, and climate is Continental. Grapes are hand-picked and fermentation occurs in temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks. The wine then ages for 12 months in French oak barrels.

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‘CRAI NOU’ PINOT NOIR PRICE: £13.99 (code 717869)

Dealu Mare ORIGIN: Wachau, Romania

Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir is the result of the dream of a Burgundian specialist and a Romanian engineer; vines of the Dealu Mare (“great hill slope”) are probably the most renown in Romania. They grow various grape varieties across 60km of hillside vines but their work with Pinot Noir impressed us most.

Complex autumnal aromas and a full dry palate. A classy Pinot Noir.

Grilled tuna and salmon, roasted turkey, chicken and medium-strong cheeses.

Everything here is farmed organically and the soil which their 15 hectares of Pinot is planted, consists of limestone and clay, incredibly similar to those found in Burgundy.

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SPRINZENBERG RIESLING HALBTROCKEN PRICE: £17.99 (code 717973)

Geyerhof ORIGIN: Neusiedlersee, Austria

Riesling

In the 17th century, Maria Theresia, archduchess of Austria, granted the property owner, (whose name was Geyer), a concession to transport wine on the Danube in trade with Hungary and other regions along the river. The ship on the wine label refers to this trade.

Fresh apples and a clean mineral taste. Perky but serious.

Locals pair it with white fish (trout, char etc.) and Fleischlaberl (breaded minced veal).

Grapes are hand-picked in mid-October, whole bunch press, clarification of the juice through natural sedimentation, fermentation in stainless steel tank, prolonged lees contact, bottled at the beginning of March.

March Wine Club £180 notes.indd 2 24/01/2017 10:37