New Wine: Organic Under a Tenner, Great Value Nebbiolo & Much More...
Despite all the uncertainty currently playing havoc with the high street it has been great to see some familiar faces in the shop this week. It's been a little tough, and we still don't know what is still yet to come, but whilst we're open we won't let it beat us! With that in mind, I'm delighted to let you know that we've got a little selection of new wines in-store this week - including an old favourite in half-bottle form!
Colomba Bianca: 'Vitese; Zibibbo, 2017
Organic, Siciliane IGT, Italy, 12%, £9.95 click to buy
Colomba Bianca is a co-operative of wine growers and producers on the island of Sicily. It is also Italy's largest producer of organic wines - which helps explain how they can produce such a lively and enticing wine, organically, at such a great price-point.
This crisp, fruity Zibibbo shows lifted notes of succulent white peach combined with soft floral aromatics of orange blossom and jasmine. Elegant and perfumed with a long, zesty citrus finish.
Domaine Lavigne: Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes, 2017
Saumur-Champigny AOC, Loire Valley, 13%, £15.85 click to buy
I tried this at our supplier's trade tasting earlier in the year and it really checked a number of the boxes I love about Cabernet Franc! As such, I was sold, I hope you are too. Produced from 35+ year old vines by Pascale Lavigne and her husband on their family estate.
A silky Cabernet Franc showing rich aromas of raspberry, blackberry and hints of graphite through to a supple and generous palate with a refreshing dryness on the finish.
San Silvestro: Nebbiolo d'Alba 'Brumo', 2017
Nebiollo d'Alba DOC, Piedmont, Italy, 14%, £15.85 click to buy
Another wine I was very impressed with at a recent tasting. I'm always on the lookout for Nebbiolo at a slightly more approachable shelf price than Barolo, but I am so often disappointed by tannic monsters with no elegance or refinement once the price drops below £30. This I was rather taken with though - traditionally made in large Slavonian oak casks, it still maintains structure, but with layers of complexity one always hopes for in Italy's most noble varietal.
A refined and stylish garnet coloured wine with a full flavoured palate of ripe red cherries and spicy notes typical of the Nebbiolo grape. The evident varietal fruit and vanilla overtones are supported by a full bodied structure through to an elegant, lingering finish.
San Silvestro: Barbera del Piemonte 'Ottone 1', 2018
Piemonte DOC, Italy, 13%, £10.95 click to buy
A long-consistent summer in northern-Italy made 2018 an ideal year for wonderfully ripened fruit with great balance. This wine doesn't disappoint.
Bright cherry tones combine with aromas of wild raspberries. Soft on the palate but still with structure and finesse. A very approachable style of Barbera with excellent ripe fruit and a fresh finish.
Poderi Parpinello: Cannonau di Sardegna 'San Constantino', 2018
Cannonau di Sardegna DOC, Sardinia, Italy, 14%, £17.35 click to buy
The Parpinello family has run their 15ha estate and winery with dedication and passion for three generations. Giampaolo Parpinello and his son Paolo strive to reflect the Sardinian terroir and reveal the typicity of the wines. The vineyard is situated on a gentle slope between Alghero and Sassari in the north west of the island. In order to reflect this typicity, modern winemaking technology is successfully combined with traditional farming methods, resulting in high quality wines with intense aromas and flavours.
A deep, rich red colour, this Cannonau (aka Grenache) shows lashings of mature red fruits combined with delicate hints of spice on the nose. The supple and pleasantly flavoured palate is elegant, yet full bodied in style.
Celliar des Princes: 'Les Vignes du Prince' Vieilles Vignes Cotes du Rhone, 2018
Cotes du Rhone AOC, Rhone Valley, France, 14%, £7.90 (35cl) click to buy / £11.75 (75cl) click to buy
One of our go to favourites in the shop, this Cotes du Rhone is back in stock, and now available as a half-bottle too!
Full of juicy red-berried fruit interwoven with typical warm and savoury flavours from the Southern Rhône. Smooth and easy drinking with a supple structure, light tannins and a fruity finish.