Introducing Our Collection

Matt Thomson and Sophie Parker-Thomson MW are among New Zealand’s most dynamic winemakers. With more that forty years joint experience making wine in New Zealand and further afield, they know better than most where to find the best parcels of grapes, to craft into refined, characterful wines. So we were thrilled when they agreed to work with us on Our Collection, using grapes grown in a single vineyard in the Dillons Point sub-region. This is a brilliant example of a Marlbourough Sauvignon Blanc, that has lots of the upfront fruit you’d expect from the style, but with an added layer of minerality and complexity. It really is a cut above.

Made by the team behind Shaw & Smith, owned by Michael Smith MW, who was the first Australian to pass the MW examination, and highly respected winemaker Martin Shaw. They’ve put the Adelaide Hills on the map for world class Chardonnay, and this barrel-fermented example from high altitude vineyards balances spice, fresh fruit, and lots of brilliant energy. It’s a delicious, ageworthy Chardonnay, that is more than a match for far pricier examples from around the world.

Made by the team at Domaines Comte de Malet Roquefort, who are one of the Right Bank’s most respected winemaking families, and own estates including La Gaffelière and Puy-Blanquet. Predominantly Merlot, with a dash of Cabernet Franc, and made in an unoaked style, this is a fruit-forward, precise red Bordeaux. With a savoury, mineral character, that comes through particularly on the finish, this is a brilliant claret for everyday drinking.

We’ve backed the wines of Eva Fricke in the Rheingau since the beginning of her journey: they’re some of the most vibrant, soulful, delicious bottlings we know. And we’ve been thrilled to see Eva receive more and more critical acclaim over recent years, as critics and consumers discover just how good her wines are. This comes from a range of sites throughout the Rheingau region, and balances ripe fruit, saline minerality, and plenty of spice. It’s a brilliant Riesling from day one, with the potential to age further.

Côtes du Rhône is a style of wine beloved for its easy, fruit-forward character, juicy tannins, and savoury, herbal complexity. But not all Côtes du Rhône is created equal, with wines designated Côtes du Rhône-Villages coming from the region’s choicest terroirs. This, made by Joséphine and Frédéric Arnaud who have run this family estate since 1995, comes from the commune of Laudun, and is an utterly delicious example of its style. A large proportion of Syrah in the blend gives this a powerful, spicy character with lots of licorice and pepper. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is just ten miles or so down the road from here, and there’s more than a little of that character about this. Savoury, mineral, and so easy to drink, it’s a wine we’re thrilled to introduce.

G.D.Vajra is one of Piedmont’s most celebrated estates, run by Aldo Vaira and his children, Giuseppe, Francesca, and Isidoro. This Nebbiolo comes from plots across the Barolo zone, and is a brilliant example of the elegance and refinement of the Nebbiolo grape variety. Notes of wild cherries and rose petals swirl from the glass, while the palate has silky tannins, and a real sense of energy. The finish is long and mineral: this is a complex, food-friendly wine that shows the best of this corner of Italy.

Adi Badenhorst is one of the original Swartland trailblazers. He is based on the Paardeberg, where deep, decomposed granite soils are perfect for growing Chenin Blanc. This is from a single vineyard - Dassiekop - a tiny plot of vines planted in the 1970s, that produces a quintessential Swartland Chenin: vibrant and tense, with lots of ripe citrus fruit, and a long, savoury finish.

We’ve worked with Bouvet-Ladubay in Saumur for years. Run by the charming Monmousseau family, who now fully own the estate again after a 41 year hiatus, they make some of the most impressive sparkling wines we know. So we were delighted that they agreed to work with us on Our Collection. This is a blend of Chenin Blanc - with naturally high acidity, a brilliant white grape for sparkling wines - and Chardonnay, made in the traditional method and spending a couple of years on the lees before disgorgement. The resulting wine is zesty, vibrant, and brilliantly complex. Not to mention a total bargain.

Château Suduiraut is one of Sauternes’ greatest estates, and was rated as a Premier Cru Classé in the 1855 classification of the region. This, from the highly rated 2016 vintage, shows why Sauternes is so highly prized. Notes of marmalade and ginger spice, with wonderful freshness coming through. Everyone should always have a bottle of Sauternes to hand: it never fails to impress.

Sancerre is the spiritual home of Sauvignon Blanc, where you’ll find the most refined, purest, most ageworthy examples of the grape variety. Domaine Paul Thomas is a small, family-run estate, with just 9 hectares of vines in Chavignol, for many the sweet-spot of the region, and the site of the most famous vineyard here, Les Monts-Damnés. This, a blend from the estate’s vineyards around the commune, shows lots of pure citrus fruit, and is all about tension, texture, and minerality from the deep limestone soils on the palate. It’s a benchmark example of a much-loved region.