A selection of our latest mentions in the UK press.
This is a great opportunity to take advantage of our 12 bottle mixed case discount – our ‘case price’ is marked in red.
DECEMBER
The Guardian, Champagne and beyond: sparkling wine for New Year’s Eve, David Williams 29/12/2019:
GONET-MÉDEVILLE Blanc de Noirs Brut 1er Cru NV
£40.95 | £37.50
Review: ‘Or you could go for one of the many grower-producers who have emerged in the past 20 years to shake up the grandes marques, such as the quite thrilling (and pound for pound, in the Champagne context, remarkable value) blancs de noir from Gonet-Médeville, with its laser-guided richness and lipsmacking, saline finish.’
The Wine Gang, December Report, The Wine Gang:
2011 WISTON ESTATE Blanc de Blancs Brut
£42.50 | £39.95
Review: ‘Ready to drink now, this 2011 Blanc de Blancs crafted by winemaker Dermot Sugrue, is showing a beautiful if fast development with ripe orchard fruit and pastry aromas. The palate is rich, broad and creamy: this is certainly not the fizz you want as an aperitif, rather requiring some rich nourishment to support its weight. Lingering spicy finish with hints of candied ginger. Pairs nicely with: Medium-cured cheeses, crème brûlée, coquilles St-Jacques.’
2015 GUSBOURNE Rosé Brut English Sparkling Wine
£48.95 | £43.95
Review: (93 points)‘A beautiful food-friendly fizz, with a very well integrated (and very English) acidity and a broad mid-palate supported by a surprising flavour complexity. There’s a pleasing crunchiness and a lingering spiciness to this wine that makes a pleasure to drink now but also promises a good future. Pairs nicely with: Mezze, baked camembert, roasted salmon.’
The Telegraph, The best red wines for Christmas 2019 – our expert guide, Victoria Moore 18/12/2019:
2017 GIGONDAS Domaine la Bouïssière
£27.95 | £24.95
Review: ‘The warm generosity of grenache (which makes up 70 per cent of this southern Rhône red) has a festive air. It’s aged in foudres (large wooden vats) and there’s a thick cloud of red-berried perfume and an undertow of pumice and dried thyme.’
2013 MONTETI Tenuta Monteti
SOLD OUT (2014 vintage available instead)
Review: ‘Tenuta Monteti is situated in the Maremma, close to the Tuscan coast. This, its flagship wine, is an unusual blend based on petit verdot with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Think Bordeaux meets Italy – there’s structure and some maturity – polished dark fruit, tobacco, furniture polish, cured meat and red cherries.’
The Telegraph, The best champagne and sparkling wine for Christmas 2019, Victoria Moore 18/12/2019:
BARNAUT Grande Réserve Brut Grand Cru Bouzy NV
£26.95 | £25.95 – On offer
Review: ‘Like Bollinger, this is made with around two thirds pinot noir, which gives it a firm structure and undertones of spice, toast and cherry compote. A serious champagne with a sappy uplift – at a bargain price.’
The Telegraph, What the wine connoisseurs want for Christmas – from oaky reds to vintage champagne , Victoria Moore 14/12/2019:
NV EGLY-OURIET Tradition Brut Grand Cru Ambonnay Champagne
£64.95 | £60.95
NV LARMANDIER-BERNIER ‘Latitude’ Extra Brut 1er Cru
£34.50 | £32.50
Review: ‘An exhilaratingly dry and focused blanc de blancs from a top grower in Champagne.’
Money Week,The top festive tipples, Matthew Jukes 13/12/2019:
2013 MOREY SAINT DENIS Vieilles Vignes Domaine Lignier-Michelot
£42.95 | £38.75
Review: ‘I first met Virgile Lignier back in the mid-1990s and I used to ship pallets of his stunning Burgundies back to London for my wine list at Bibendum Restaurant. Time has moved on and I do not see these wines as much as I would like, but I always keep an eye out as I love the lush fruit and stunning accuracy of his wines. With six years under its belt, this old vine Morey, which comes from three parcels in the village, is drinking perfectly. There is a fair slice of whole bunch fruit here and this adds spice and aromatic detail This is my pick of all red wines this year for your turkey feast.’
Spectator Life,Six cheese and wine pairings for Christmas,
Henry Jeffreys
10/12/2019:
2011 TOKAJI ASZÚ 5 PUTTONYOS Disznókő
£30.95 | £28.75
Review: ‘The 2011 Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos is simply superb with its pineapple and bitter marmalade flavours, and refreshing tang. ’
The Telegraph,The best white wines to buy for Christmas 2019, as recommended by The Telegraph experts, Victoria Moore, Susy Atkins & Hamish Anderson 09/12/2019:
2017 KUMEU ‘VILLAGE’Chardonnay Kumeu River
£12.50 | £11.50
Review: ‘The diffusion line from the revered Kumeu River on New Zealand’s North Island is just as impressive as its more expensive siblings. It has a luminosity that should please burgundy fans. VM’
2017 LE G DE GUIRAUD Bordeaux Blanc Château Guiraud
£17.95 | £16.75
Review: ‘Well, that’s smoked salmon sorted. A sophisticated beauty. It’s 50-50 sémillon-sauvignon blanc, and aged in old barrels on the lees for texture. Think roasted white grapefruit with distant glimmers of pine and tarragon. VM’
2018 LIRAC Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Blanc Domaine de la Mordorée
£27.75 | £24.75
Review: ‘Well, that’s smoked salmon sorted. A sophisticated beauty. It’s 50-50 sémillon-sauvignon blanc, and aged in old barrels on the lees for texture. Think roasted white grapefruit with distant glimmers of pine and tarragon. VM’
The Guardian,Christmas drinks: how to choose your festive fizz, Fiona Beckett 06/12/2019:
2016 RATHFINNY English Sparkling Rosé Brut
SOLD OUT £33.95 | £31.75
Review: ‘And if you want to splash out, the elegant Rathfinny Wine Estate Rosé would be delicious with the smoked salmon.’
The Telegraph,The best red wines for Christmas, as picked by our expert, Victoria Moore 04/12/2019:
2014 CHÂTEAU LE CROCK Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Saint Estèphe
£31.95 | £29.50
Review: ‘Yes, this claret is very young but it’s already approachable so I’m tempted to suggest buying a case and drinking it at intervals over the next few years. Château le Crock offers such good value. Situated in St Estèphe, it is owned by the same family as Leoville-Poyferré. A favourie with the L&S crew as well as with me.’
2017 LIRAC Rouge Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Domaine de la Mordorée
£27.95 | £24.95
Review: ‘Lirac lies in the southern Rhône just across the river from Châteauneuf du Pape. Its wines are made with a similar mix of grapes but taste more of black fruit than of Châteauneuf’s classic confit of red berries. This one’s a beauty – rich, full and wild.’
The Telegraph,The best white wines for Christmas, as picked by our expert, Victoria Moore 03/12/2019:
2017 CONDRIEU Les Ravines Domaine Rémi Niero
£42.75 | £37.95
Review: ‘An enchanting Condrieu, this Rhône viognier has a broad, heady perfume like honeysuckle, apricots, galangal and nectarines and dances beautifully in the mouth. Most of the blend is aged in stainless steel, allowing the purity of the grape to gleam through, with some oak and concrete egg ageing to add layers of texture. I think Condrieu is best drunk young so dig in to this now.’
2017 KUMEU RIVER ‘ESTATE’ Chardonnay
£23.95 | £23.95
Review: ‘Smart and satisfying chardonnay from one of the masters. Beautiful and rounded with hints of roasted almonds and hazelnuts; Kumeu River is known for providing a credible alternative to white Burgundy.’
2017 SANCERRE Monts Damnés Chavignol Domaine Vincent Delaporte
£33.50 | £29.95
Review: ‘2018 was a warm year and so I am currently appreciating the 2017 Loire sauvignon blancs that are still around. This one comes from the silex soils of the famous, steep Mont Damnés vineyard close to the village of Chavignol and has great precision and depth.’
The Times, The 50 best red wines for Christmas 2019, Jane MacQuitty 02/12/2019:
2018 BOURGUEIL Cote 50 Domaine Yannick Amirault
£16.95 | £15.50
Review: ‘Lap up this spicy and structured organic 2018. Bursting with black raspberry and redcurrant, it’s tailor-made for honey-baked ham.’
2015 CHÂTEAU BEAUMONT Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut Médoc
SOLD OUT £19.95 | £18.50
Review: ‘Make this cigar-box-scented Beaumont from a good vintage your go-to Christmas claret. Its rollicking, almost 50-50, stylishly oaked mix of cabernet sauvignon and merlot is a classic, chunky crowd-pleaser.’
Metro Newspaper UK, Lower your carbon footprint this Christmas with gourmet treats made in the UK, Rob Buckhaven 02/12/2019:
2016 RATHFINNY English Sparkling Rosé Brut
SOLD OUT £33.95 | £31.75
Review: ‘Delivers a brass band of English rhubarb and bramble fruit flavours that morph into an elegant, silk scarf of a sparkling.’
The Sunday Times, 40 bottles for Christmas: the best sparkling, white, red and dessert wines, Will Lyons 01/12/2019:
2018 SANCERRE Chavignol Domaine Vincent Delaporte
£21.95 | £19.75
Review: ‘An old favourite on these pages is this crisp, fresh Sancerre, with a long, intense flavour. A superb all-rounder, perfect with goat’s cheese and white meat.’
2017 KUMEU RIVER Chardonnay Coddington
£33.95 | £30.50
Review: ‘Splash out on what is undoubtedly New Zealand’s finest chardonnay. Coddington always has plenty of bite and the 2017 is elegant and ripe, with a nutty, generous finish while retaining its complexity.’
2015 CHÂTEAU BEAUMONT Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut Médoc
SOLD OUT £19.95 | £18.50
Review: ‘A classic, reliable medium-bodied claret that is drinking superbly now. It has notes of wild fruit, dried tobacco and oak, with enough acidity to refresh. Delightful for the festive season.’
SANDEMAN 20 Year Old Tawny
£39.95 | £37.75
Review: ‘Tawny port can be served slightly chilled and is a great aperitif or digestif with cheese, or even Christmas pudding. This is exceptional, with a dry, nutty finish.’
NOVEMBER
The Wine Gang, November Report, The Wine Gang:
2015 CROZES HERMITAGE Cuvée Lhony Domaine Gaylord Machon
£25.95 | £22.95
Review: (91 points)‘Classic Crozes showing some of the tar and pepper of cool climate, old vine Syrah and yet an opulent mid-palate of succulently textured dark fruit enveloped in softening oak for a combination of richness and elegant balance. This has a good five years’ life in it. Pairs nicely with: Rack of lamb. Shepherd’s pie, suckling pig.’
2017 ONE BLOCK ‘Yellingbo’ Yarra Valley Syrah
£30.95 | £27.95
Review: (92 points)‘Properly called Syrah rather than Shiraz by young gun winemaker Jayden Ong, because the Yarra Valley brings a cool climate element that corresponds to the Northern Rhône in character for a juicy, peppery and spicy black fruit succulence whose savoury finish brings beautiful balance.
Pairs nicely with: Chicken and ham pie, duck breast.’
Financial Times, Jancis Robinson’s best red wines to drink this Christmas, Jancis Robinson 29/11/2019:
“I approve, on the other hand, of policies such as Lea & Sandeman’s, of having a single-bottle price (such as those cited below) but rewarding customers who buy mixed dozens with a substantial discount.”
2015 CROZES HERMITAGE Cuvée Lhony Domaine Gaylord Machon
£25.95 | £22.95
Review: ‘A ripe but muscular northern Rhône Syrah that should satisfy many over the next few years.’
2013 MONTETI Tenuta Monteti
SOLD OUT (2014 vintage available instead)
Review: ‘A Bordeaux blend heavy on Petit Verdot from the south of the Maremma. Flattering. Mature with marked sweetness.’
The Telegraph, The best luxury champagne to pop this Christmas, Victoria Moore 29/11/2019:
CRÉMANT DE LOIRE Brut Domaine des Hauts Perrays
£13.95 | £12.95
Review: ‘Domaine des Hauts Perrays Crémant de Loire Brut NV France is simply superb. A crémant made in the Loire from chenin blanc, chardonnay and cabernet franc grapes, it has a touch of the warm brioche and honeyed scent you might look for on a champagne with a nervosity that makes it feel refreshing and alert.’
COATES & SEELY Reserve Brut Britagne
£29.95 | £27.95
Review: ‘Coates & Seely Brut Reserve NV Hampshire, England goes from strength to strength. It’s a pinot-based blend and carries a suggestion of fresh walnuts and cherries with a sappy energy and rapier acidity.’
www.joannasimon.com, WINE OF THE WEEK: Château Puygueraud 2011, Francs Côtes de Bordeaux, France, Joanna Simon 28/11/2019:
2011 CHÂTEAU PUYGUERAUD Côtes de Francs
£20.95 | £19.25
Review: ‘The 2011 vintage in Bordeaux tends to be dismissed with faint praise – if that. Certainly, it was uneven and not a patch on 2009 or 2010, but some good wines were produced by the right people in the right place. Some very good. Step forward Château Puygueraud, made by Nicolas Thienpont in the tiny (by Bordeaux standards) northeastern appellation of Francs Côtes de Bordeaux (previously Côtes de Franc). The 2011 – Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc and a smidge of Malbec – is absolutely perfect now: approachable, mellow and full of charm, with generous mulberry and blackcurrant fruit, cedary spice and graphite notes and easy tannins. If you drink claret or want to give it at Christmas, then this is spot on. Otherwise, feed it something like a herb-crusted roast rack of lamb, roast beef (hot or cold), parmentier de canard or some mushrooms.’
The Daily Mail, Olly Smith’s guide on how to become a wine expert, Olly Smith 23/11/2019:
2014 RIPPON ‘Rippon’ Pinot Noir
£39.95 | £36.50
Review: ‘BEST BUY For a top buy and a rare treat, New Zealand’s Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2014 (13%) is splendidly silky, farmed biodynamically and well worth splashing out for.’
2017 ONE BLOCK ‘Yellingbo’ Yarra Valley Syrah
£30.95 | £27.95
Review: ‘BEST BUY Syrah/Shiraz.’
2017 SAINT AUBIN Compendium Domaine Joseph Colin
SOLD OUT
Review: ‘BEST BUY Burgundy.’
The Financial Times, The best sparkling wines for Christmas, Jancis Robinson 22/11/2019:
2015 GUSBOURNE Brut Réserve Brut English Sparkling Wine
SOLD OUT £38.95 | £33.95
Review: ‘Quite fruity and accessible already, but with a dry finish. This would certainly make a good party wine — not too complicated, tart or dry.’
The Telegraph, The best champagne and sparkling wine for Christmas 2019, Victoria Moore 21/11/2019:
BARNAUT ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Brut Grand Cru Bouzy Champagne NV
£27.95 | £26.50
Review: ‘Like Bollinger, this is made with around two thirds pinot noir, which gives it a firm structure and undertones of spice, toast and cherry compote. A serious champagne with a sappy uplift – at a bargain price.’
SPEAR’S, Independents’ day, Jonathan Ray 19/11/2019:
2013 MONTETI Tenuta Monteti
SOLD OUT (2014 vintage available instead)
Review: ‘A Bordeaux-style red from Tuscany that gives many a so-called ‘Super Tuscan’ a run for its money.’
The Observer,The 50 best wines for Christmas 2019, David Williams 17/11/2019:
2016 ENGELGARTEN Domaine Marcel Deiss
£36.95 | £32.95
Review: ‘In a region that is known for its single varietal wines, Marcel Deiss’s biodynamically-grown single-vineyard engelgarten mixes up five varieties for a gloriously sensual, exotically scented, full-bodied but finely balanced dry white.’
2018 RUSTENBERG Straw Wine
SOLD OUT £10.50 | £9.75
Review: ‘
A South African version of what the French would call a vin de paille, this gorgeous dessert wine is made from grapes dried on straw mats in the Cape sun, tasting like sweet ripe apricots stored in a luscious syrup of orange blossom honey.’
OCTOBER
The Times, The best riojas: how to create the perfect Spanish wine, Jane MacQuitty 02/11/2019:
2017 Los Corrillos Blanco Tentenublo
£39.50 | £35.50
Review: ‘Textbook white rioja with elegant, sweet vanilla spice and stylishly integrated oak.’
The Telegraph, Why a fragrant cabernet franc is the grape to seek out this autumn, Victoria Moore 01/11/2019:
2015 PALEO Rosso Le Macchiole
£79.50 | £70.95
Review: ‘Cabernet franc in Bolgheri is really special – as a wine like Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 2015 demonstrates.’
SPEAR’S, Why a good Riesling is hard to beat, Jonathan Ray 25/10/2019:
2017 Pikes ‘The Merle’ Polish Hill River Estate
SOLD OUT
Review: ‘A fine example from the Clare Valley. Bone-dry with a clean, mineral core and a succulent finish.’
The Sunday Times, Wine review: the best sherry to buy now, Will Lyons 20/10/2019:
INOCENTE Fino Valdespino
£8.75 (Half-bottles of 37.5cl) | £7.95
Review: ‘A single-vineyard fino that has become something of a cult classic among the cognoscenti. From one of the oldest bodegas in Jerez, its fermentation in oak barrels gives it an extra layer of complexity, with fine nutty aromas. Try chilled with smoked salmon.’
Daily Mail, Our man samples the best of the UK’s indie wine sellers, Olly Smith, 12/10/2019:
2017 ONE BLOCK ‘Yellingbo’ Yarra Valley Syrah
£30.95 | £27.95
Review: ‘Intriguing as as black olive wreathed in secret spice. I bought it!’
2015 STEM THEORY Michael Klouda Wines
£24.50 | £21.95
Review: ‘Surprise wine of the day? A US blend from Lea & Sandeman: Stem Theory 2015 (14.5%), £24.50 – so good I just had to buy it.’
Life Spectator, Wines of the week: try a pink crémant from Bordeaux, Jonathan Ray, 11/10/2019:
2018 ARTUKE RIOJA Bodegas y Viñedos Artuke
£11.95 | £10.75
Review: ‘This hit the bullseye at the autumn tasting of The Bunch, of which august group of independent merchants L&S is a member. A blend of 95 per cent (red) Tempranillo and 5 per cent (white) Viura, it sees no oak at all and is as fresh and lively a red as you’ll find, far removed from the sweet, mellow Riojas of old and closer indeed to fine cru Beaujolais. It’s joyously quaffable.’
The Times, My favourite big autumnal red wines, Jane Mcquitty, 05/10/2019:
2017 GIGONDAS Domaine la Bouïssière
£27.95 | £24.50
Review: ‘Hit the heights with this hefty, deep, dark, fruity gigondas, scented with black olives and thyme.’