New new new! Everything for the next couple of weeks will be new stuff and it's all fantastic. This one is a new malvasia from Italy and you won't be disappointed!

San Marzano is a small village in the centre of the Primitivo di Manduria DOC region, a strip of land kissed by the two seas of the Salento: the Ionian and the Adriatic. In 1962 the DOC appellation did not yet exist, and the Primitivo di Manduria was far from becoming a cult wine for wine lovers. Even so, 19 winemakers came together to follow a dream and founded Cantine San Marzano.

In 1982, Francesco Cavallo was appointed Chairman of the board of directors. A fiery and visionary figure, he continues to make plans for the future, while overseeing the present of the winery. He has uninterruptedly been the true helmsman of this company.

At last, the first bottles came out of the cellar, thanks to a modern bottling plant financed by the members of the Cantine. This purchase marked the transition from commodity to brand, from the economics of bulk to the direct relationship with the end consumer.

Cantina San Marzano Talo Malvasia Nera Salento 2016 @ £12.95 - Buy it here!
An intense and complex bouquet of ripe red fruits combined with hints of spice. A full-bodied wine with delicious flavours of blackberry jam and vanilla notes through to a smooth finish.

Come and give it a go and let us know what you think as well, we always love a bit of feedback! Cheers!

Well it's about time we had a Vinho Verde in the shop. You've all been asking for it for literal years now and, finally, it makes an appearance. Let's find out what it's all about, shall we?

Quintas do Homem is one of those estates that immediately captivates you with its charm, its passion and dynamism.

Nuno and his father, Antonio, work the vines of their two vineyards, Quinta do Veiga and Quinta do Paço, where they grow predominately Loureiro and Arinto. Ana, their long term winemaker, is a fierce taskmaster, demanding quality fruit that enables her to deliver the pure, fine and elegant Vinho Verdes that Nuno expects.

It's very much a family exercise with Nuno and his father working the vineyards, Nuno's mother preparing delicious, traditional Portuguese dishes for visitors and Ana, almost a family member, making sure the wines are always perfect.

Vale do Homem Loureiro 2017 @ £11.95 - Buy it here!
100% Loureiro, this wine is a bright citrus colour, full of fine floral and fruity aromas. Fresh and elegant in the mouth with well balanced acidity.

 

This is going to be a staple of ours for sure. Absolutely beautiful. Cheers!

I feel as if just continuing to show off our new bottles is easily the best idea. Our buyer has found some true hidden gems!one from rioja here.

Bodegas Ondarre, is based in Viana, a historic town six kilometres from Logroño, Rioja's capital. Founded in 1986 it has quickly become one of the standout producers in the region with its elegant and distinguishable style. Their most acclaimed wines are their Reservas, which win top awards and critical approval every year. They attribute their success to the hard work in the vineyards and their continual investment into the winery and barrel stock. They use both French and American oak casks to help them obtain the incredible character in their wines. As well as their Reservas they produce a few thousand cases of a single varietal Graciano. A real rarity due to the low yielding nature of the vine.

Bodegas Ondarre Graciano Rioja 2016 @ £14.95 - Buy it here!

Balsamic aromas of mint and aniseed are accompanied by ripe fruit and hints of flower blossom and white pepper. Medium to full bodied, with a rich but elegant palate of black fruits, coffee and sweet spice with a soft finish.

 

A serious addition with a serious style to it. Come and get it! Cheers!

The
Chocolate & Wine Tasting

On Wednesday 27th February 2019
 


 

Dear Customer,

It would seem that food matching is one of the most popular styles of tasting we do. The tickets absolutely fly! The food pairing tasting was possibly our best tasting ever and the cheese tasting was a close second. What next?

I can tell you what next: Chocolate. There is a world of possibility with this stuff, so many styles and additions allow for a good matching with specific wines. Sweet, salty, bitter and possibly even nutty; all of these flavours can be drastically changed by the wine you choose to enjoy with it and we are here to show you how to choose and what suits your palate in a calm and enjoyable manner.

The tasting is going to be held at the shop on Wednesday 27th of February from 7.30 to 10pm. As our licensing requires us to close the shop by 10pm latest we kindly ask participants to arrive at the shop by 7pm in order to begin on schedule.

This tasting is NOT suitable for customers with a nut allergy and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.

If you're a chocoholic or just absolutely love wine this evening will be perfect for you. From powerful pink champagne up to ports and sauternes; there's something we can all enjoy.

Due to the busy nature of the tasting we will be skipping the usual meat and cheese portion of the evening but don't think we will be skimping on the chocolate too! We have put together a selection of amazing chocolate which will blow you away.

The cost of a ticket is £40 and can be purchased either by coming to our highstreet shop (open Tuesday, Wednesday 10am-8pm and Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am-10pm)
Or by paying through Paypal using our website at:

http://www.grandcruco.com/wine-tasting/public-tastings/chocolate-wine-tasting-evening-26-02-2019-detail

In order to get yourself booked you can drop us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or call us on 020 8650 0085. We will get your place booked but remember we can't hold to a booking for more than five days if payment is not received.

IMPORTANT ! Customers who have purchased tickets online or vouchers which they wish to spend on tickets are kindly asked to confirm ASAP their attendance to the event.

We are looking forward to seeing you there !

Best regards,

The Grand Cru team

Another new one today but not a new producer. In fact we have stocked these guys for a long time and will continue to do so. Let's have a look at our new addition, shall we?

The Cantine Belisario co-operative was founded in 1971. Today, it is the biggest producer of Verdicchio in the Matelica DOC, a smaller zone than Castello di Jesi. The climate here is more continental than in Castelli di Jesi and the combination of warm days and cool nights gives a longer growing season, and lovely aromatic qualities to the wines.

Belisario's vineyards are situated inland, where the climate is more continental. This combination of warm days and cool nights gives a longer growing season, which in turn ensures good flavour in the grapes. The Lacrima vineyards lie in Morro d'Alba on hillsides at approximately 180 metres above sea level. The mixed soils are predominantly clay. Belisario use a cordon spur training system.

Cantine Belisario Lacrima di Morro D'Alba 2017 @ £13.95 - Buy it here!

Intense ruby red with violet reflections. Rose, geranium and violet perfumes are supported by notes of myrtle and cinnamon. Fresh and fruity on the palate, the Lacrima is dry and velvety with balsamic hints and good acidity. Medium bodied, it has pleasant tannins and a floral finish.

Doesn't it just sound absolutely amazing? And it's more than reasonably priced too. Cheers!

For those of you who came to visit us over the Christmas period you may have tried this stonker of a bottle. And for those of you who haven't... well you have only missed out on one of the best wines we have ever had! Let's find out a little more shall we?

 

Ulysse Cazabonne is a Bordeaux merchant based in Margaux, with close links to many top Châteaux. It is owned by Chanel, which also owns Château Rauzan Ségla and Château Canon. Director John Kolasa was previously régisseur of Château Latour. Using these connections Ulysse Cazabonne has been able to source wines from famous estates that have not made the cut into the 'grand vin' for whatever reason - young vines or parcels that in these years have not been quite as successful, but which nevertheless benefit from the considerable expertise available in these top properties. We were frankly surprised (and delighted) by just how true the back-label claim proved to be for all these characterful clarets:"Vinified by a famous estate of the region, this wine is showing the typicity of its terroir".



Ulysse Cazabonne Pauillac 2015 @ £29.95 - Buy it here!
A beautiful dark, intense colour with a brooding nose of ripe blackcurrant fruit and hints of cedar and liquorice. A full, robust palate with good fruit depth and a firm but fresh finish.

It really is a step up from most things we drink so don't miss your chance to grab a couple of these. Cheers!