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We've always stuck with these guys for a number of reasons but mostly because absolutely everything they produce is excellent. Let us read more about the giants of Burgundy that are Maison Potel.
Nicolas Potel decided to set up his own wine négociant business after the death of his father in 1996 and the subsequent sale of Domaine Pousse d`Or, which his father had been managing.
The Nicolas Potel label became an excellent source of predominantly red wines, from Bourgogne Rouge to the Grands Crus of the Cote de Nuits. His hallmark has been to make wines which respect both their vineyard provenance and the style of the vintage while remaining attractively priced.
Nicolas Potel Corton Grand Cru 2010 @ £59.95 - Buy it here!
Intensely fruity with Morello cherries and black fruit such as blackcurrant and blackberry. Fantastic on the nose which translates perfectly into the palate with a beautifully crafted style all round. Fantastic with casseroles, fine beef cuts and hard cheeses.
Not often you find a grand cru at that price let alone one from Burgundy! Cheers!
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Regardless of personal preference you can't ignore chardonnay. It is everywhere and in so many different styles. If you claim to hate chardonnay I can assure you that something will take your fancy. How about this? Australia's answer to a high-end chardonnay.
Robert Oatley Wines, founded by the late Robert Oatley AO BEM in 2006, is a family owned winery led by his eldest son Sandy Oatley who with his father, brother and sister, planted the first Oatley vineyards in the late 1960’s. The trio of labels celebrates Bob Oatley with the Signature Series, exceptional vineyard sites with Finisterre, and the best of the best barrels under The Pennant. Focussing on wines from Margaret River and McLaren Vale, their home is in the stunning Margaret River, with a vineyard, cellar door and restaurant on Caves Road, in the heart of this great wine region. Consistently scoring over 90 points with the critics and having collected too many medals to detail, a number of the wines have been or are trophy winners but most importantly they’ve resonated with the wine-loving public around Australia and the world. As Bob Oatley said ‘they must be a darned good drink.’
Robert Oatley "Finisterre" Chardonnay 2015 @ £21.95 - Buy it here!
Reminiscent of a white Burgundy, this wine displays aromas of nectarine and lemon peel. The palate is rich, complex and generous with citrus and melon fruit, minerality and finely integrated oak characters.
A real bottle of wow here! Come and grab a couple as they're disappearing quickly. Cheers!
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It's finally Thursday and we can all begin slowly winding down and finding the mood for the weekend. I've got a great one for you. It's relaxed with a glass of this: Balnaves of Coonawarra Cab Sauv 2012.
These guys are a small family owned winery proud of the wines they produce. The endless awards constantly being won are testament to their commitment to search for quality in the wines.
Balnaves wines are 100% Coonawarra, and produced exclusively from fruit grown by the Balnaves Family in Coonawarra. The aim is to produce consistently high quality wines from fruit sourced from their own Coonawarra vineyards, reflecting the unique flavours, character and quality of fruit grown in this area, as well as the variation of seasons in this cool climate area.
Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 @ £28.95 - Buy it here!
Deep rich red in colour, the nose is intense with aromas of cassis, blueberry, mint and seaweed, combined with fine mocha-coffee French oak. The palate is structured and lean with ripe cassis fruit and a fine tannin finish.
Honestly we are beyond excited to show this stuff off. The Aussies always come out winning but this time they're running away with it. Cheers!
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Large formats have always been a passion of ours. You honestly cannot beat the look of a magnum or two on a table at a party. Let us have a look at our newest addition to the family.
It was in 1981, when the Swiss couple Brigitte and Bruno Widmer fell in love with the at the time abandoned Brancaia estate (Castellina in Chianti) and purchased it. Only two years later, Brancaia made the first rank in an important Chianti Classico tasting and then rapidly gained international recognition.
This lead to a continuous extension of the activities resulting in purchasing the Poppi estate (Radda in Chianti) in 1989, followed in 1998 by the founding of Brancaia in Maremma, only 10km from the Mediterranean coastline.
Since 1998 Barbara Widmer, oenologist and daughter of the founders, has been responsible for the winemaking as well as for the vineyards on all three estates - she thereby relies on the consultancy of the famous oenologist Carlo Ferrini.
Brancaia "Tre" Toscana 2014 Magnum @ £109.95 - Buy it here!
A rich, full-bodied, ruby color catches the eye, a gorgeous bouquet of ripe cherries and coffee draws you in, and a silky soft texture brings you back. This Tuscan red blend has the bombast necessary to entertain a large gathering, and an intriguing complexity for the more thoughtful sipper.
Not one for the faint of heart as you can see. Don't miss out on this absolutely stunning super Tuscan. Cheers!
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I cannot remember the last time we spoke about a wine on the sweeter end of the spectrum. It seems as if everything we drink here in the UK is dry as a bone but that is not the case and today I will show off one that we have stuck with for a long time!
Located close to Chateau dYquem, the massive 200 hectare Sauternes vineyard of Chateau Suduiraut has 92 hectares under vine. The terroir is mostly gravel, sand, limestone and clay soils that are on sloping hillsides.
The best parcels are located close to the chateau. The vines average 30 years of age and are planted to a vine density of 7,000 vines per hectare.
To produce the wine of Chateau Suduiraut, vinification takes place in French oak barrels. The wine is aged on its lees in 50% new, French oak barrels for 18-24 months, depending on the character of the vintage. On rare occasions, Chateau Suduiraut has also produced a special wine from time to time, Cuvee Madame, which usually has much higher sugar levels.
Lions de Suduiraut Sauterenes 2012 @ £12.95 - Buy it here!
This wine is full, rich and opulent. It has light acidity, concentrating more on richness. Apricot jam and wildflower honey are dominant flavors, lightly touched with acidity. This generous wine from the estate will be ready from 2019.
It is almost time for this wine to open itself up but don't expect it to hang around for long! Cheers!
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If you like it bold and structured then our wine of the day will be a divine blessing for you. Torbreck are absolute masters of the Rhone blend and are worth a bit of everybodies time!
Torbreck was established in 1994 and is located at Marananga on the western ridge of the Barossa Valley. It is named after a forest situated just south of Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. Founded by David Powell, a former lumberjack who worked in various vineyards to hone his oenological skills, Torbreck’s first releases in 1997 of a 1995 Runrig (Shiraz/Viognier) and 1996 The Steading (Grenache/Mataro/Shiraz) were greeted with rapturous applause by critics and connoisseurs alike. The winery is overseen by Senior Winemaker Craig Isbel and his team.
The overwhelming majority of his vines are dry-grown, nearly all are 100 - 165 years old and are tended and harvested by hand. The wines have an extraordinary combination of power, intensity, complexity and great finesse.
Torbreck Barossa Valley Old Vines GSM 2013 @ £15.95 - Buy it here
Garnet red robe with flicks of purple, a gorgeous high-toned aroma of five spice, crème de cassis, black cherries, and spring flowers with a rich background of roasted earth, leather and herbs which follows through into the taste. The palate refuses to disappoint with a soft latent richness and silken-like texture - all neatly wound together by a lovely acidity.
Honestly an extraordinary juice that you will tell your children about with a longing gaze. Cheers!
