Wines £15 - £30

The Eschenhof Holzer winery is located in Großriedenthal, in the Wagram wine region. On the ~19 hectare estate, the innovative wine maker, Arnold Holzer, draws on the unique bounty of nature, with a great deal of creativity, a distinctive style and a sense for delicious creations.

This is Müller-Thurgau like you've never seen it before! The skin contact gives exotic tropical fruit aromatics: mandarin, passion fruit, with gentle tannins on pallet.

The Pinot Noir grapes come from the family-owned ‘Someone’s Darling’ vineyard on the Bendigo Loop Road in Central Otago. This vineyard has been placed in conversion to organics (March 2022). This is a delicious Pinot Noir, with fleshy black plum, layers of cherry and sweet berries that play on the palate and dance with hints of violet and savoury notes.

Loveblock Wines

A dry Riesling with a crisp acidity and expressive peach and lychee fruit. Classic style of Pfalz, which is relatively warm region for Germany. Crisp and fresh, with those typical flavours of citrus fruits, minerality and some crunchy green apples. A refreshingly dry finish too.

A nice aroma of ripe stone fruit, melon and honey with hints of fresh nuts. Flavours come in stages: first ripe pineapple and almonds, framed in a rich body, followed by dried fruits and fruitcake.

Parcel of new top Chardonnay from Felipe Müller, sourced from a 0.7 hectare parcel from the Talinay Vineyard. One of Tim Atkins' ‘Chardonnay's of the Year’ in his 2023 Chile report and receipent of 96pts in his 2024 report. Described as ‘Chile meets Puligny-Montrachet style’.

Pale yellow in color, Caliza is a wine with great depth, long, tense, juicy and with nerve. Saline, mineral notes and linear in structure. Undoubtedly a wine with character, in which the extraordinary qualities of the Talinay vineyard are expressed.

From one of the Best Chateaux in the Cotes de Castillon owned by Bordeaux royalty Stephan von Neipperg (also owner of Bugarian producer Enira, a particular favourite of Ed), this second wine is plush with ripe autumn berry on the nose and a palate with intense bramble notes and a smotth long finish.

Formerly known as "Golden Mullet Fury" this is 100% Semillon with 60% whole bunch fruit, gently pressed and wild fermented for 3 weeks on skins before 12 months in old barriques and a further 12 in large casks

Roasted nuts, spiced peaches, dried grass on the nose. The palate is oily, viscous, spicy, luscious, textured and chewy. Like caressing a crushed velvet couch in an apricot grove.

Semillon, Muscat and Pinot Gris were vinified separately. They are picked in the morning, destemmed, fermented on skins for 10 days, pressed gently, and aged in old barrels and steel.

With up-front aromatics and florals, it starts out all skinsy and tropical with notes of tangerine and stonefruits. Refreshingly dry on the end for an easy-drinking finish. Textural and interesting, fun and chewy.

A nose redolent with plum, damson and black cherry fruit. The palate is mid weight with smooth, soft tannins and a clean acidity. The finish shows berry fruit and a hint of spice.

Bodega Los Haroldos

Daschbosch is one of the country’s oldest wineries, dating back to 1754 and this is one of my favourites from the estate. From 60 year old vines, it’s on the intense side – the fruit has been worked pretty hard to give a real richness and texture with bags of stone fruit flavours balanced by a taut acidity on the finish.

Top quality, biodynamic, Gruner Veltliner from the Terrassen single vineyard - seriously concentrated!

Citrus and herbal aromas - with typical spicy Veltliner notes and hints of green pepper and cucumber. The palate has mineral and flinty characters, oriental spice, and fresh citrus acidity on the finish.

Delicate aromas of poached pear and white spice. On the palate stone fruit flavours and white pepper lead to a gently textured, mineral and citrus finish.

In 2009 there were only 400ha of Pinot d'Aunis in France - it's a rare grape variety from a tiny appellation providing a nice alternative to very fine Pinot Noir. A separate plot about 5km north of the Loir (not the Loire, it lies just under an hour South of Le Mans). Grapes from 120 year-old vines are given a very long 12 week maceration in stainless steel. A 3 month ferment is followed by 6 months in amphora followed by minimal fining and filtration. Very fine and elegant with beautifully supple, chalky tannin. Black cherry fruit in abundance with a liquorice twist.

The grapes are cultivated on traditional trellised vines planted in marl soil at Montresor's ‘Capitel della Crosara’ vineyard on the hills of Negrar within the Classico zone. Grapes are picked by hand in October. Made by the Ripasso (literally ‘repassed’) method, which involves adding the unpressed skins from the dried grapes which were used to make an Amarone to a young Valpolicella wine. This helps to add extra flavour and alcohol to the wine (causing it to start re-fermenting) and gradually the luscious flavours of Amarone are imparted to the wine. After this the wine is aged for 12 months in French and American oak casks along with some small barriques.

A warm, inviting, richly fruity nose, with aromas of fresh morello cherry, ripe plum and hints of dried fruits. The palate is similarly full-flavoured with concentrated, crunchy black cherry, brown spice and vanilla notes and a hint of liquorice. The long finish has the classic bitter cherry fruit finish typical of ripasso.

Montressor

This is high altitude Chardonnay grown in the Tunuyan vineyards in Mendoza’s Uco Valley – 50% isfermented and aged in French oak barriques which lends a hefty creaminess to the citrus and stoneyminerality. It’s flipping good Chardonnay frankly

This is a bit of an eyebrow raising red (ish) wine from Argentina’s Uco Valley. 50% of the blend is the pale skinned Criolla Grande with the balance being Moscatel Rose, Torrontes and Pedro Gimenez. Think of it more as a rose with bright rose petal and lychee aromas to the fore. The youthful Paso a Paso team describe their work as the conjunction of art, adrenaline and contemplation which you could easily dismiss as pretentious bull were it not for the way that this scores on the drinkability stakes. It may not be for everyone but serve it with seafood or as an aperitif and I think you might warm to it.

Richly textured and intense white with citrus and stone fruit aromas, fennel and white pepper notes. Bright balancing acidity with a tight structure.

100% País, from dry farmed vines which are estimated to be over 150 years old. Grapes are hand picked and destemmed and put in to open top wooden tanks where slow alcoholic fermentation takes place over 18 days with soft pump overs to avoid extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place and the wine is aged in concrete eggs and old French oak barrels for 18 months. Red fruit aromas such as cherries and wild herbs, with an earthy hint. The palate shows firm and gentle tannins, structured and balanced, an elegant and complex wine that is reminiscent of Chile´s native forest.

A deeply personal project from Elena Pacheco and Isio Ramos, Bruma is an exciting interpretation of Jumilla and brings lightness, complexity and elegance to this hot, arid, and often monolithic region.

The idea behind making a white wine from the region’s traditional Airén grape variety falls in line with their objective of paying tribute to and enhancing the value of Jumilla’s native strains. Currently undervalued, Airén had its heyday some 50 years ago when it was prized for its notable yield. Owing to its long growth cycle, this variety is able to withstand the intense heat and scarce rainfall that characterise the DOs southern region. However, in present-day Jumilla the variety is in danger of extinction with only a few old vineyards still producing – one of which, with its 37-year old vines, gives rise to this wine.

Pale, orange in colour. Citrus fruit, spicy notes and Mediterranean herbs on the nose, crisp, sharp and mineral. This is not your usual Airén but the skin-contact maceration and biological ageing in demijohns have created a beautiful orange wine with immense character and expression.

Medium intensity yellow colour with a coppery rim. It presents a slight cloudiness due to the fact that it is unfiltered in order to give the most natural expression of the blend. Fruity notes reminiscent of quince, pear and apricot as well as an intense presence of mandarin and orange zest nuanced with aromas of beeswax and a pleasant floral bouquet. Complex on the palate, textured and with structure enhanced by the contribution of the skins, which provide chewy tannins, all supported by good acidity and volume on the palate.

Natural fermentation with prolonged skin contact maceration (30% whole cluster and the rest from destemmed grapes). Fermentation takes place in large 600L French oak barrels of over 5 years of age. These are open and positioned vertically for regular treading during fermentation. Once fermentation is complete, the barrels are closed and refilled for storage for 8 months of further maceration. After this period, the wine is separated from its skins and preserved for one month in clay and ceramic amphorae.

100% Chenin with vines grown on clay and limestone. 3 year secondary fermentation in bottle. 10-15 years ageing potential.

A vinous toffee apple - clever use of residual sugar never feels ‘sweet’ and racy acidity is present in abundance.

Francois et Julien Pinon

The Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Pinot Noir are fermented separately. After blending refermentation takes place in the bottle and the wine is then aged on its lees for over a year.

A very fine, pale pink hue, the nose is enticing, full of peachy fresh fruit, nuanced with early tinges of honeycomb, and some red fruits sprinkled with mint. Absolutely packed with vivacious fruits held up by a lively acidity. Delicious hints of strawberry and cream, sprinkled with notes of black pepper on the palate. Harmonious and polished, this beautifully crafted sparkling wine has a vibrant, lively mousse.

A Musacadet for ageing produced from the very best plots on the hillside of Moulin de la Miniere. Vinified in underground concrete tanks, matured on lees for 36 months. Rich pineapple and mango notes or complemented with a saline finish.

Certified organic and following biodynamic practices, this small estate of just 7 hectares is nestled on steep slopes in the heart of Alsace. A blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. A fine bouquet of roses and lychee, excellent balance, minerality and body with a pleasant fruity mango note and lengthy finish.

Beautiful purple color, bright and clear; the nose is rich and intense underlined by hints of black fruit, pepper and floral aromas; the palate is smooth rounded with supple tannins and very silky for an easy drinking red Ventoux.

Domaine de la Font-Sane

Although this Bodega was established back in 1886, it had remained under our radar until last year when their Predilecto and the stunning Pancrudo showed up at a tasting I was attending. Since that lightbulb moment, we’ve tasted across their range and really love this Burgundian style blend of Viura and Tempranillo Blanco, released in its second year (hence 2 Ano) after some modest ageing in oak.

If these things matter to you, it was recently awarded 92 points by Tim Atkin MW in his annual Rioja report.

Bacchus is rapidly gaining recognition as the UK’s “signature” grape variety, producing aromatic and frequently quite intense styles of white which have been compared to Sauvignon Blanc. Blended here with 25% Chardonnay it has been both toned down and fattened up to give a really well balanced, lightish white, ideal for summer drinking.

Within the eastern part of the Beaujolais cru of Morgon there are two lauded hilltop vineyards - La Côte de Py and Les Charmes. Domaine de Lathevalle's Morgon comes from the latter, covering 10 hectares in one piece and enjoying a particularly interesting exposure due to its south-east facing slopes. Since 2017, Lathevalle has been owned by Patrice du Jeu of Les Héritiers Saint-Genys; his eye for spotting potentially great terroir and a philosophy based on ‘the attachment to soils, respect of the vineyard and passion for wine’, led him to this vineyard. Beaujolais seems to be enjoying a bit of a renaissance currently as wine drinkers look to slightly lighter styles but being Morgon, this is one of the more structured styles with a crunchy, grippy, raspberry and cherry fruit character.

Porvenir de Cafayate is one of Salta's premium, high altitude wine producers. This small, family-owned winery in Cafayate, specialises in Torrontes, Malbec, Tannat and red blends from 45-50 year old vineyards which are amongst the highest in the world at 1900m asl and surrounded by 20ft, 200+ year old monster cacti. Colour in the reds here is profound due to the exposure to prolonged mountain sunlight, with soft tannins thanks in part to the extreme diurnal temperature differences... some mornings the cacti are thick with frost but within a few hours temperatures soar to the mid/high 20s! This is a light, juicy style of Garnacha, part carbonic maceration and taken off its skins towards the end of fermentation to preserve its freshness.

Four generations of the Tedeschi family have been working their magic on the vineyards of Valpolicella and whilst it may be their range of Amarone that gain all the plaudits, this lighter offering from the heart of the Classico district is a wonderfully vibrant, youthful style of Valpolicella - full of juicy red fruit it is a perfect springtime red.

This is a proper “Oh wow” single vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay which consistently ranks amongst the country’s leading whites. With the resources of Villa Maria behind her, winemaker Helen Morrison has the freedom to adopt a truly artisan, hand picking, small batch approach whilst taking advantage of all the technology that the country’s largest producer can offer.

The Mellot family’s wine trade pedigree extends as far back as 1513 and their name has been associated with Sancerre since Cesar Mellot was appointed Louis XIV’s “wine counsellor, presumably a pretty good gig to have back in the 17th century – probably less so 100 years later. Suffice to say that the family survived the wrath of Madame Guillotine and are now one of the Loire Valley’s most respected players. Some 50 miles to the west of Sancerre, Reuilly is classic Loire Sauvignon country, its wines mineral and mouthwatering and providing the perfect foil to seafood or goat’s cheese.

Larry Cherubino began his winemaking career with Houghton Winery but by 2004 he and his wife Edwina were already preparing to go solo having acquired a small plot in Frankland River. They released their first wine in 2005 and have gone on to receive worldwide acclaim including Winery of the year from James Halliday, Matt Skinner and, most recently Matthew Jukes.

Grapes were selected from various sites across the Great Southern. Great attention to harvest dates along with gentle de-stemming, minimal use of sulphur and using free-run juice from select parcels of fruit ensured the elegance and purity of flavour were maintained. Almost transparent in colour, this wine shows great purity and refinement. A fragrant bouquet, with flavours of lemon peel and bath salts all carried along by a soft texture and long fine acid.

2022 Vintage- 93 pts in 2024 Halliday Wine Companion

Intense, fruity notes of zesty citrus, ripe apple and pear are complemented by white floral blossom and mineral nuances. Fresh and beautifully balanced, with a creamy texture and a long finish.

Fruity with hints fo ripe cherry and red fruit on the nose. On the palate this is full-bodied and round with more red fruit and a poised acidity

A blend of classic Douro varieties where Viosinho from Quinta do Confradeiro is predominant, but is completed with Malvasia Fina, Gouveio and Rabigato. It ferements at cold temperatures in stainless steel vats and then is left in contact with its lees until bottling what gives it additional complexity and richness. It's a classic in our portfolio. Very elegant with some apricot and grapefruit notes and a mineral sensation. Great texture and acidity give it a really fresh mouthfeel. Very gastronomic and versatile.

Is this a slightly blush orange wine, a rose made using orange wine methods or a bit of both? Who knows and, frankly who cares - when a wine is this deliciously drinkable who cares what label we bup on it.

Made from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, fermented on skins and aged in 1000L Amphorae, this is an orange wine with a definate pink hue (OK, so maybe we do care what label we put on it). Seriously cool and refreshing and packed with stone fruits, mineral rocks and a hint of anise.

Altolandon