Our latest press reviews: The Sunday Times, Decanter, The Guardian, Tim ATkin’s wine of the week & The Wine Conversation.
Benefit from our case price discount in red by buying any 12 bottles from this selection – in a mixed case of your design or simply by the dozen.
The Guardian, Big red wines for cold nights, Fiona Beckett, 29/10/2021:
2018 LA 50/50 Domaine Anne Gros et Jean-Paul Tollot
£18.75 | £16.95
Review: ‘Côtes du Brian sounds like something out of Monty Python, but this is a serious red from the Minervois made by two acclaimed Burgundian winemakers and with an almost amarone-type richness. Needs decanting, and drinking with a big, beefy stew – ox cheek would be perfect.’
2019 FAUGÈRES Le Portails Domaine des Trinités
£14.95 | £13.50
Review: ‘Sumptuously rich, spicy, southern French blend of syrah, grenache and mourvèdre. Drink with anything big and beefy.’
The Guardian, A taste for Hungarian wine, David Williams, 24/10/2021:
2019 DRY FURMINT Disznókő
£14.50 | £13.50
Review: ‘Disznókő’s is rich and generous, but with a moreish spicy streak behind the ripe pineapple and pithy lime.’
2011 TOKAJI ASZÚ 5 PUTTONYOS Disznókő
£31.95 | £30.25
Review: ‘Aside from bull’s blood, the most celebrated and historic Hungarian wine style is tokaji, the luscious, unctuous, glowing-amber sweet wines from the Tokaj region in the hills of the country’s northeast towards Slovakia. It’s the balance of flavours such as barley sugar, orange marmalade and caramelised stone and tropical fruit with an enormous dose of (naturally occurring) sugar and an electric jolt of bright acidity that makes good sweet tokaji such as Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2011 so compelling.’
timatkin.com, Wine of the week, Tim Atkin, 22/10/2021:
2019 BUGALUGS Barossa Shiraz Tim Smith Wines
£18.95 | £16.95
Review: ‘If you think Barossa Shiraz is all about power and intensity, this wine from Tim Smith will come as a welcome surprise. Graceful, elegant and refined, it’s deceptively forward and easy to drink with the faintest touch of oak, fine-grained tannins, bramble and red berry fruit and impressive poise and precision. You could tuck some away for a few years and it will reward patience. There’s still some of the very good 2019 on the market, but wait for the 2020 if you can.’
The Sunday Times, Don’t shun the sherry. The best bottles to buy now, Will Lyons, 20/10/2021:
TIO PEPE 2021 RELEASE En Rama Gonzalez Byass
£15.50 | £14.50
Review: ‘Aficionados often get excited by “en rama”, or “raw” sherries, which are bottled unfiltered straight from the cask. These tend to display greater intensity and complexity than filtered fino, and here you’ll find savoury, briny olive notes with a lovely dry finish.’
Decanter, Brilliant Brunello, Olivia Mason, 11/10/2021:
2012 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO Riserva Padelletti
£89.95 | £80.75
Review: ‘Very elegant nose displaying fresh floral aromas with some lemon and red cherry notes over savoury nuances of mushrooms, tobacco and cedarwood. It flows across the palate with silky grace.’
The Wine Conversation, The Bunch Tasting, Sarah Kemp, 10/10/2021:
2019 CHIANTI CLASSICO Poggerino
£19.95 | £17.95
Review: ‘Lea and Sandeman have long been renowned for finding some of the most interesting producers in Italy, and here we have another example. Beautifully expressive and generous, this wine bursts with brilliantly vibrant cherry fruit and finishes with that satisfying Chianti bite. Wild Tuscan herbs intermingle with notes of dark bitter chocolate, fleshy but controlled; the overall impression is one of racy excitement..’
The Guardian, Pick of The Bunch: rising stars as chosen by independent importers, David Williams, 10/10/2021:
2020 KRATOS Fiano Luigi Maffini
£22.95 | £20.50
Review: ‘An intoxicatingly aromatic, sumptuously rich yet vivacious southern Italian white.’
Decanter, Discover the diversity of Castilla y León, David Williams, 06/10/2021:
2019 MUNIA TORO Roble Bodegas Viñaguareña
£12.50 | £10.95
Review: ‘Bright and attractive take on the Toro Tempranillo template with red as well as black fruit. Proper ripeness, well managed oak and grainy tannins in proportion. Sweet finish.’