Today, we return to our roots. Domaine Gayda have been with us since our humble beginnings and they shall continue to grace our shelves. This one is pretty well known by you guys but sometimes it's nice to learn a little more, don't you think?

Situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees, surrounded by its vineyards, Domaine Gayda is a new destination in the Languedoc, 25km south west of Carcassonne, in the village of Brugairolles. Domaine Gayda has a passion for the traditional ‘cépages’ grown across the many diverse soils and climates of their vineyards situated throughout the Languedoc, giving “Provenance” to all the wines. While the grapes are rooted in tradition, the winery itself is all about the new, with investments in all the latest equipment and technology.

The latest addition to the estate’s collection is a limited edition range designed as an ode to Domaine Gayda’s spirit of creativity and inventiveness.

Inspired by The Passenger, the classic pop-rock anthem by Iggy Pop, its inherently restless character is expressed through a red and a white wine that are made from a different vineyard, terroir and grape variety every vintage, underscoring its ephemeral nature. This ‘rolling stone’ concept is clearly mirrored in the labelling of En Passant with constantly changing imagery designed as a storyboard.

Domaine Gayda 'En Passant' Rouge 2017 @ £14.95 - Buy it here!
Dark in colour, with aromas of black fruits, violets and a little spice. Fresh on the palate, with juicy fruit, good tannins and a hint of liquorice

A genuine beauty. And not a bad price for it either. Cheers!

 

Pinot noir is a staple of any wine drinkers cellar. From simple and easy new world pinots to elegant and complex Burgundian examples. This one is of the latter category and is head and shoulders above many of its competitors.

The Ragot family have traced their wine growing history back to 1760 when Gabriel Ragot tended vines in Mercurey. About a century later, Louis Ragot established a property in Givry. There he not only grew grapes, but also a number of different crops and raised livestock.

Two centuries after the Ragot family began their winemaking, they chose to abandon their other sources of income and focus solely on their five hectares of grapes. By 1973, all of the production on the property, having grown to 7 hectares, was sold in bottle around France. The name of the domaine changed from Ragot Frères to Domaine Ragot, and was run by cousins Jean-Paul and Jean-Pierre Ragot.

Domaine Ragot 'Givry' Vieilles Vignes 2012 @ £30.95 - Buy it here!
"The 2012 Givry Vieilles Vignes has that lovely red currant and red-plum bouquet, this time with accentuated floral scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky texture and a refined blackberry finish." Robert Parker 

Not much of this left so don't miss your chance to get a couple before it's gone for good! Cheers!

Notorious Pink. We absolutely cannot get enough of this stuff and if you've never given it a go then you're just missing out. Everything about it just shouts "DRINK ME!".

Notorious Pink is a special blush cuvée made from 100% Grenache, the leading grape varietal at Domaine la Colombette in the south of France’s Lanquedoc region. The innovative name, packaging and luxury appeal are the creation of Notorious Wines Inc. Notorious Pink Rosé on it’s own works as a “session” beverage, meaning, you can sip on it responsibly throughout an activity and not worry about getting overly intoxicated. It’s relatively lower alcohol than drinking cocktails and lower in sulphites than white or red wine. Because it’s dry, it yields a lot less calories too.

Notorious Pink Rose 2018 @ £13.95 - Buy it here!
Blush pink in color, Notorious Pink is very aromatic with citrus and red fruit. Floral with crisp and refreshing mineral character.

Simple and amazing. You'll be back for more before you know it. Cheers!

If you've never heard of Bisol then where have you been?! They're one of, if not the greatest producer of Prosecco in the world. The quality is three steps above anything else. You need to know more about these guys!

What makes this Prosecco label cherished throughout the world is their steep history in the region with their family originally grape growing back in 1542. All the If you've never heard of Bisol then where have you been?! They're one of, if not the greatest producer of Prosecco in the world. The quality is three steps above anything else. You need to know more about these guys!

What makes this Prosecco label cherished throughout the world is their steep history in the region with their family originally grape growing back in 1542. All the Prosecco produced by Bisol is Superiore from their 20 vineyard plots in the DOCG region to include holding 2 hectares in the Cartizze. They export to 69 countries internationally and produce 389,000 bottles to include 20,000 production of their Cartizze label.

Bisol is proudly located in the DOCG region of Prosecco which, as Mr Gianluca Bisol says, is the finest area for producing wonderful Glera grapes to make the best Prosecco which is rightly called Superiore.

“Remember, if you want to have the best impression of the value of this kind of grape (Glera) then the best results are from the hills, the highest and steepest hills that my family has owned since 21 generations of family from 1542.” Gianluca Bisol

Bisol 1542 'Crede' Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV @ £16.95 - Buy it here!
The color is a brilliant, light straw yellow with nuances of green, while the perlage features a myriad of minute and persistent bubbles. The bouquet of wildflowers is suitably intense, fresh and elegant and emanates an extremely agreeable fruitiness. The flavor reflects the fruity bouquet with its scents of apples and pears and the overall harmony is completed by a rich and fine sapidity.

Perfection in a bottle and there is nothing else to say. Cheers!

I'm rather excited to talk about this! We finally have a new malbec and it's a rather serious one to say the least. Shall we find out a little more?

Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902. His grandson, Nicolás Catena, is known as the man who revolutionized Argentine wine and introduced high altitude Malbec to the world. The Historic Catena Zapata vineyards are planted with the Catena family’s proprietary selection of malbec plants: the Catena Cuttings. Catena Alta Malbec is sourced from Block 18 of the Angélica vineyard, Block 4 of the La Pirámide vineyard, Block 1 of the Nicasia vineyard and Blocks 3 & 9 of the Adrianna vineyard.

Cantena Alta 'Historic Rows' Malbec 2015 @ £32.95 - Buy it here!
"Wonderfully fresh violets on the nose with just a hint of clove. Rich, powerful, creamy and fresh, with a long, polished finish. A serious Argentinian malbec with great balance. Drink or hold"
James Suckling 93/100

You will not be disappointed by this. It's glass after glass of perfection. Come and get it. Cheers!

I think this has somehow escaped our loving gaze. Personally, I cannot get enough of this. Its perfectly balanced and has a little bit of everything you could want. Let's have a read.

The Château is not only architecturally impressive, but it has an equally impressive winemaking history. The castle was built in the 16th century and attests to the presence of vines having been planted around it in 1785. It became the property of the Luquot family in 1907 and has subsequently been managed by the family and handed down through the generations. The Luquot family has invested in the vineyard and the cellar with the aim of expressing the authentic quality of their unique soils. The Château is now in the hands of the fourth generation who continues to invest and produces a wine which is truly expressive of this historic Grand Cru terroir.

Chateau Cruzeau, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 @ £23 95 - Buy it here!
A Grand Cru Saint-Emilion of great finesse and character, showing ripe dark berried fruits complemented by toasted notes of cedar and spice. Silky on the palate, the ripe black fruits and Morello cherry notes are enveloped by well-integrated oak, it is harmoniously balanced with supple tannins and a long, elegant finish.

Doesn't that just sound like perfection? You cannot beat this stuff in this price range. Cheers!