Wines for the Garden

Here's the perfect gift for those bon vivants who might prefer an alternative to wine. This extra virgin olive oil was pressed this season by one of our favourite Brunello producers, Laura Brunelli.

From 120 year old Pais vines, made by a legendary vineyard mapper and soil scientist, who’s worked as a consultant at some of the world’s greatest estates. It’s a peppery, floral, fragrant red, with charming acidity and a long and pure-fruited finish. Absolutely delicious: a brilliant alternative to Gamay, or to lighter cool-climate Syrah.

We were totally blown away by Lucinda’s Cinsaut, when we tasted it for the first time last year. It’s from a 1974-planted vineyard in Darling, on red sandy soils, and she’s making it in a style that’s most reminiscent of top Beaujolais. With 50% Carbonic Maceration, and the rest whole bunch fermentation, this brings out a really floral, elegant side to the Cinsaut grape. It’s a really beautiful red.

Aged for five years in bottle before release, this has developed brilliantly. Fresh acidity and citrus flavours are accompanied by more honeyed, toasty notes, with characteristic Semillon texture that finishes crisply and cleanly.

From the region of Slovenia that borders Italy, this is a beautifully floral, almost tropical white, with slightly honeyed notes. There’s a salinity here, that will make it a brilliant seafood white. Delicious.

The Birba comes from the same vineyards as the Brunellos, but sees one year in smaller oak barriques before being bottled earlier. This makes it a more forward style of wine - a Brunello for the impatient, if you will.

A lovely floral element to the nose on this Riesling, with honeysuckle, and even rose petal shining through. There’s a beautiful creaminess to the fruit here: this is so approachable, and so delicious. The finish has notes of white peach, and a vibrancy and energy that’s hard to ignore. Excellent value.

Very floral and elegant, there’s a lightness of touch here. Notes of orange blossom and plenty of citrus zest, and just a hint of spearmint on the finish. Vibrant.

Always an impressive wine in the Lafite stable, this has notes of bramble and plums, with hints of burnt earth and a touch of tapenade. The palate is long, with enjoyably grippy tannins. Another outstanding 2016.

Grown on schist and galet roulé soils between the Lac de Grandlieu and the Atlantic Ocean, where the thin topsoil produces a very fine example. In 2019 it has great body, with the concentration that comes from low yields. The perfectly ripened skins at harvest time add just a touch of tropical fruit to the creamy texture of this wine.

A rare “northern” Côtes du Rhône, Alain makes this cuvée with young vines from Cornas and other parcels from just outside the region. Nice nose, creamed dark cherries and also a hint of dark pepper. Very nice finesse and good silky acidity. Impressive density and fine mineral. Rather delicious, and quite serious.

With more concentration than the classic cuvée, a fuller nose and a palate that is dense but not overripe, this is impressive and beautifully textured. The finish has a slight saline note adding complexity, and is very long.

The 2017 Petite Lune is everything we want from everyday claret, and more. Notes of blueberries and fresh plums on the nose, with loads of finesse to the tannins and a very long and savoury finish. This is far more complex, concentrated, and pure than the price would suggest. Go long: it won’t disappoint.

Crisp acidity and drive on the palate give way to fresh flowers and crunchy pears. There’s so much complexity here, with notes of acacia and peach supported by crushed rocks and a hint of white pepper. Brilliant, and so moreish and a truly remarkable Prosecco.

Michel Chapoutier is a towering talent in the Northern Rhône, producing some of France’s greatest wines. Quick to recognise the potential in this southern corner, his investment and dedication here make for a Roussillon red of excellent value. With notes of garrigue and fresh berries on the nose, a hint of tapenade, and focussed grippy tannins, this is a charming wine from Chapoutier.

A slightly more generous example, exotic but without being over the top. Lovely saline quality to the fnish, structure is lacy but amazing length. Amazing structure and balance. Lovely depth. Cool and fresh and so much energy. Beautifully balanced. 58 grams/litre.

A mix of 33% Cinsault from Darling and Stellenbosch, 30% Grenache, 21% Swartland Syrah and 16% Wellington Carignan , this is a fine yet powerful red, with so much energy and character. Named in honour of Franco’s dad, it’s a stunning tribute.

This is made from a high quality Beaujolais village parcel, but after the wine was rejected in 2012 for being ‘too pale’, Jean-Claude decided to change its classification to the much freer Vin de France, valuing the innate character of the wine over the AOC’s regulations. It remains one of the most interesting in his range. The palate is so light on its feet, with a lifted red berry energy. 100% whole bunch Gamay gives it a cool, bright structure with lacy tannins. No sulphur dioxide is added at all here. Equally well suited as a chilled aperitif red or a superb lighter style to finish an evening off: this is natural winemaking at its finest, least-faddy best.