We've decided to go back and discuss a wine which we've had since before our shop even opened and that is the Chakana Ayni Malbec. Such a beautiful wine which deserves so much recognition. Time to learn a little more!

Chakana winery was founded by Juan Pelizzatti on May 2nd, 2002. Juan was driven to enter the wine industry first and foremost by his passion for wine, and also by the desire to invest his time and money on a product of agriculture. Although Juan did not know it at the time, the company was founded on the same day the Chakana was celebrated on the Andes highlands: on that same day, the Southern Cross (the Chakana for the Inca people) becomes vertical in the night Andean sky.

Juan's mission is to create an integral experience to introduce world consumers to the taste and culture of the Andes. His vision is to become one of the top 20 exporters of wine from Argentina, by consistently offering outstanding value for money.

"An incredible discovery for me, this winery was founded a decade ago and named after the Southern Cross ("Chakana" is the local Indian dialect for that constellation). It is located approximately 20 miles south of Mendoza in Agrelo. All three of these wines are highly recommended, and all are fabulous bargains in Malbec."

Chakana 'Ayni' Malbec 2017 @ £21.95 - Buy it here!
Herbaceous and floral character complemented by plums blackcurrant and blackberry notes. Silky tannins with a lovely, fresh finish.

This stuff brings you back to how malbec should be and we're keeping it! Cheers!

In celebration of a new vintage being released we've decided to put a little offer together on our amazing Puech Haut.

When you buy 2 bottles get 15% off straight away! No need for a full case at all, just a couple is all you need. Just in time for a bit of sun too!

Never tried the Puech? Here's a little bit of info for you!

Puech-Haut Prestige Rose 2017 @ £15.95 - Buy it here!
The 2017 Prestige Rosé is another beautiful rosé from this estate. Spice, underbrush, cherries, citrus blossom and beautiful minerality all emerge from the glass and it’s rich, yet also fresh and crisp. It's a food rosé to drink over the coming year. It’s a blend of 60/40 Grenache and Cinsault aged in tank.

This stuff will blow you away so why not come and grab a few whilst they're a little cheaper than normal?

 

Cheers!

A nice new carignan from Mont Rocher. Its something we should have had for a while but it finally appears and does everything it should! Let us find out a bit more.

Southern France, with its diverse regions, indigenous grapes, cultures and traditions is home to some of the most exciting, characterful wines in the world at present.

Mont Rocher is a collection of wines produced from indigenous varieties, produced in a style that lets them clearly express their varietal typicity and sense of place. Pure, authoritative packaging that lets the wines do the talking meets delicious, well-balanced wines that offer a taste of the real France.

Mont Rocher Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2017 @ £10.95 - Buy it here!
This juicy wine has a beautiful bright cherry red colour. The nose shows an abundance of intense red berry fruit and hints of vanilla flavours. The palate is soft, light, full flavoured with a smooth easy drinking finish.

A fantastic variety showing off how fantastic it can be! Cheers!

Spain are a consistent winner for us. Always showing off their endless ability in their production. Shall we find out a little more?

In the centre of Spain, a stone’s throw west of Madrid, is Bodegas Bernabeleva. At the feet of the Cerro de Guisando and Gredos mountains this winery lets its vines stretch out their roots through the thin infertile sandy soils, formed from decomposed granite, to cling on to life. Four generations have tended these old hardy vines that have repaid the care and attention with quality fruit hand harvested from the organically managed vineyards. Plots of Garnacha, Albillo and Moscatel de Grano Menudo are vinified separately, neither fined nor filtered to ensure that both the land and love shown shine through.

All the fruit is hand picked from the San Martin de Valdeiglesias area which is a high altitude vineyard area. The practice organic and biodynamic viticulture (not certified), and use fruit from bush trained vines on small plots.

Bodegas Bernebeleva, Camino de Navaherreros 2017 @ £13.95 - Buy it here!
An easy to drink wine, the beautiful aromatics of fresh lavender and wild berries. The palate is lively with bright acidity and there’s plenty of rich juicy dark fruit in the finish with super fine tannins. 

You will not be disappointed. Perfection on a sunny day. Cheers!

 

Time for the wine of the day again. Spain seem to be almost ignored by us and that really does need to change! Let me break the ice with this amazing red.

As the lands starts to rise, inland northwest of Valencia, you will find Roselia Molina heading up Bodegas Altolandon. The property consists of 120 hectares with the winery resting right in the centre, not only making it aesthetically satisfying but also extremely practical. At 1,100 metres above sea level, the altitude serves to benefit the grapes with large diurnal variations which encourage even ripening and also helping retain their natural acidity. Organic methods are used to manage the vines utilising only natural fertilisers and some green pruning to further guarantee the quality of fruit prior to hand-harvesting. The grapes are vinified as naturally as possible with native yeasts and little other intervention. The wines are then aged in French oak and some in clay amphora to retain purity, but build complexity

Mil Historias de Altolandon Garnacha 2017 @ £12.95 - Buy it here!

Intense and bright picota cherry colour. The nose is clean and intense, lots of black fruits, candy and floral notes. A medley of plum, strawberry, black cherry and black currant with undertones of white pepper, earthy notes, and a very pleasant balsamic end with a hint of sweetness. This is elegant, crisp with mineral undertones and notes of rosemary and cedar that emerge as the wine evolves – not to mention the sweet but vibrant tannins that promise a bright future.

You won't forget this in a hurry, its bloody brilliant. Cheers!

 

This load of new wines just seems to go on and on doesn't it? Well this is something many of you have asked for and we have finally managed to find one of sufficient quality. Muscadet you beautiful grape!

Chéreau-Carré is one of the leading Muscadet producers with substantial family owned vineyards in some of the best locations in the region. Their vineyard area totals 135 hectares of the highest quality soil, making them one of the largest producers of Muscadet. The wide variety of 'terroirs' available within the estate enables Bernard Chéreau to offer a comprehensive selection of styles including those bottled 'sur lie' where the wine is drawn straight off the lees prior to bottling, resulting in a wine with more weight and complexity.


Chéreau Carré 'La Griffe', Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie 2017 @ £10.95 - Buy it here!
A pure wine delivering delicate citrus fruit and floral aromas. Refreshing, with crisp acidity and a bright minerality on the palate, through to a lemony hint on the finish. "Sur Lie" means the wine was matured on its lees, imparting an attractive "spritz" and a nice weight on the palate. 

This is going to be the wine of the summer I can feel it now. Come and give it a go before the warmth arrives. Cheers!