THE 2021
Fine Wine JA N UARY TO M A R C H
thewinesociety.com/finewines
FWJAN21
Whether 2021 calls for comfort in the familiar or a desire to ring the changes and discover an exciting new region or grape, our first Fine Wine List of the year is ready and waiting with the bottles for the job; while our anniversary selection of vintages ending in ‘one’ will deliver the perfect present to those with cause for celebration. We’ve also raided our cellars for Bordeaux and Burgundy, summoned sparkling trios from Champagne and England, and put together some adventurous selections from countries and growers that deserve your attention. South Africa’s new wave, Hungarian Péter Wetzer’s border-straddling low-intervention reds, an Oregon update and a vertical tasting case of one of Australia’s best-value fine cabernets represent just some of the flavours to be discovered. We hope you’ll enjoy doing so.
CONTENTS SMALL WONDERS: FINE WINE AT £20 AND UNDER
3
We set out our stall for 2021 with an exciting selection of wines that offer price-tag defying sophistication and pleasure.
ENGLAND: SPARKLING SUCCESSES
6
Explore three different and delicious sides of England’s thriving sparkling wine scene: Breaky Bottom, Ridgeview and Raimes.
CHAMPAGNE FOR BEFORE, DURING & AFTER A MEAL
7
Sarah Knowles MW shares a trio of serious Champagnes, capable of partnering rather than merely preceding a special dinner.
SPECIAL ‘ONES’: ANNIVERSARY BOTTLES
8
From 2011, 2001 and 1971, this Aladdin’s Cave of commemorative bottles is just the thing for those with a birthday or anniversary in 2021.
MUST-TRY SOUTH AFRICA: A NEW WAVE OF WINEMAKING
9
Joanna Locke MW celebrates three of the Cape’s most exciting producers via six different wines and as many different grapes.
BURGUNDY: A TRAWL THROUGH OUR CELLARS
10
Toby Morrhall nets a fine catch of red and white Burgundies spanning a range of vintages, styles and prices.
RIGHT BANK ROYALTY: BORDEAUX 2014 & 2015
12
Tim Sykes makes the case for two contrasting vintages via some of the smartest buys from the right bank of Bordeaux.
PÉTER WETZER: GARAGE WINES FROM SOPRON
13
Organic, unadulterated, pure and exciting small-batch wines from Hungary and Austria.
OUTSTANDING OREGON
14
Quality and diversity from one of North America’s top regions, featuring old friends and new kids on the block
NEUDORF: A NEW ZEALAND PIONEER
15
Precious quantities of sauvignon, chardonnay and pinot noir from one of New Zealand’s best and brightest names.
LENTON BRAE CABERNET 2016-2018 A great opportunity to try three different vintages of one of Australia’s best-value fine cabernets, care of Margaret River’s Lenton Brae.
16
Small Wonders Fine wine at £20 and under
After one of our press tastings, Jancis Robinson MW wrote that ‘The Wine Society is almost certainly the best UK retailer for value – not cheapness, but real quality per penny.’ Arguably no selection proves this better than our regular, and very popular, ‘Small Wonders’ sections, where we highlight those bottles that we believe offer true fine-wine quality for the price. Explore with confidence.
Small Wonders Reds Case
£95
Drink or store to 2022. A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following: • Morellino di Scansano, Podere 414 2018 • St Nicolas de Bourgueil ‘Les Rouillères’, Domaine Frédéric Mabileau 2018 • The Society’s Exhibition Victoria Shiraz 2018 • Sobon Estate Rocky Top Amador Zinfandel 2018 • Domaine Joseph Burrier Chiroubles Saint-Roch 2017
• The Liberator ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU #2’, Simonsberg-Paarl 2017
REDS
ref E-MX2127
bottle
dozen
Morellino di Scansano, Podere 414 2018
£14.50
£174
St Nicolas de Bourgueil ‘Les Rouillères’, Domaine Frédéric Mabileau 2018
£14.95
£179
ref E-AU22601 w
The Society’s Exhibition Victoria Shiraz 2018
£15.50
£186
ref E-US9291 s
Sobon Estate Rocky Top Amador Zinfandel 2018
£16
£192
ref E-BJ8221
Domaine Joseph Burrier Chiroubles Saint-Roch 2017
£17
£204
The Society’s Exhibition Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
£18
£216
£19.50
£234
£18
£216
ref E-IT30831
ref E-LO16091
ref E-NZ11971 s
Splendid, generously flavoured and spicy, with the balance and structure to age well. From a husband-and-wife team, this organic Italian red is mainly sangiovese, with touches of ciliegiolo, colorino, alicante and syrah completing the blend. Enjoy its red-berry fruit, cedar complexity and long silky finish. Drink now to 2026. 14.5% Older vines worked organically, a light hand in the cellar and a lovely red Loire vintage make this a delightful and fragrant cabernet franc benchmark, and a delicious glass to raise to a talented winemaker sadly lost last year. Drink this year and next. 12.5%
We are very proud of this exclusive shiraz from Mt Langi Ghiran’s Dam Block vineyard, which sits against a stunning backdrop of the Great Dividing Range. With its generous nose of lush bramble and blackcurrant fruit, sprinkle of cocoa and twist of spiced orange peel, this full but fresh Aussie red is complex and classy yet easy-going and delicious with it. Drink now to 2026. 14.8% Amador County produces some of California’s most powerful zinfandels and this is a benchmark of the style: a bold, rich wine with plenty of black-cherry, blackberry and chocolate notes, soft tannins, a full-bodied palate and a long finish. Drink now to 2026. 14.5% The high-altitude Saint-Roch vineyard, in the Beaujolais cru of Chiroubles, produces its best wines in warm vintages like 2017. In this excellent domaine’s hands, the result is a vibrant and attractive wine with a lovely floral aroma and flavour. Drink now to 2027. 13.5% A textbook Central Otago pinot, from one of New Zealand’s most respected winemakers, Paul Pujol. Cool nighttime temperatures here give freshness to the wine, which has an expressive nose of cherry and clove and a well-structured palate, with inviting dark cherry and plum flavours. Drink now to 2027. 13.5%
ref E-IT30841
Contucci Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016
ref E-SA15611
The Liberator ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU #2’, Simonsberg-Paarl 2017
A true Vino Nobile worthy of the name, courtesy of a distinguished cellar in the heart of the Tuscan town of Montepulciano. This stands out for its violet perfume and spicy, naturally sweet but gentle flavour, enhanced further by a great vintage. Highly recommended. Drink now to 2026. 14% A deep and seductive but unusually subtle ode to petite sirah – the P.S. in question – a grape more usually found in North America. We say, look beyond the US and try PS! Drawing on the limited supply of this grape in the Cape, its deftly handled American oak complements rather than overpowers this attractive and original wine. Drink now to 2025. 14.5%
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 3
REDS continued
bottle
dozen
ref E-CA201
Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard Niagara Escarpment Pinot Noir 2017 A thrilling, bright and crunchy Canadian pinot with spice, red-berry scent and a refined long finish. Drink now to 2024. 12.5%
£19.50
£234
ref E-BJ8541
Moulin-à-Vent Les Thorins, Jean-Paul Brun 2018 Plenty of poise, perfume, purity and pleasure from maverick winemaker Jean-Paul Brun, one of the brightest stars of the Beaujolais region. From the cru of Moulin-à-Vent, this is a delightful and elegant expression of the gamay grape with a lovely lightness of touch. Drink now to 2026. 12.5%
£20
£240
ref E-RH53781 2
Costières de Nîmes, Cuvée Excellence Blanc, Mas des Bressades 2018
£12.50
£150
ref E-FC37481 2
Collioure Blanc, Domaine du Col de Mollo 2017
£12.95
£155
ref E-FC37291 2
Corse-Calvi Fiumeseccu, Domaine Alzipratu 2018
£14.95
£179
ref E-BW6891 2
G de Château Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc 2019
£15.50
£186
ref E-AU22851 s1
Peter Lehmann Wigan Eden Valley Riesling 2013
£15.50
£186
ref E-RH54301 2
Sablet Blanc, Bertrand Stehelin 2018
£15.50
£186
WHITES Made from roussanne and viognier in the main, this is a full-bodied, unctuous, rich and creamy Rhône white. Though fermented in oak, it doesn’t show, and the wine has a real sense of balance, not to mention great texture and complexity. Drink now to 2024. 14.5% Distinctive, full-flavoured, herby southern white from some of the most remarkable vineyards in France. A blend of mostly grenache blanc, aged in oak, this has beautiful, persistent flavours of wild herbs and citrus with a salty twist that makes it a great all-rounder for food. Drink now to 2023. 14% This fresh, fruity white from a top estate in Corsica is made from the vermentino grape, giving a round and full-bodied wine enlivened by refreshing citrus fruit. Well worth trying. Drink this year and next. 13.5% More famous for its sweet wines, Guiraud’s classy dry white is something of a fine-wine bargain. A blend of equal parts sauvignon and semillon, aged for seven months in Sauternes barrels, it is a beautifully balanced white with mouthwatering, aromatic fruit and a long finish. Drink now to 2025. 14% Archetypal fine dry Aussie riesling, bottle aged to perfection by the winery before release. The time in bottle means the fruit has now been joined by notes of beeswax, kerosene and spice on the beautifully aromatic and expressive nose, while the palate is joyous, with generosity and finesse. Drink now to 2024. 11% Packed with crushed-pear and white-peach flavours, this delightfully, fresh and fruity dry white is a great find from Sablet, a Rhône village better known for its reds. Drink now to 2024. 13.5%
4 To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177
WHITES continued
bottle
dozen
ref E-LO16041 1
Pouilly-Fumé Mademoiselle de ‘T’ du Château de Tracy 2019
£18
£216
ref E-US9301 s2
Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2018
£18
£216
ref E-IT30771 2
Soave Classico Vigneti di Carbonare, Inama 2018
£18
£216
ref E-CA191 1
Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard Chardonnay 2014
£19.50
£234
ref E-NZ11981 2
Prophet’s Rock Central Otago Pinot Gris 2018
£20
£240
Walhalla Dry Riesling, Loosen-Barry, Mosel 2016
£20
£240
ref E-GE13771 2
A beautifully presented wine, made by the prestigious Château de Tracy exclusively from estate-grown fruit, this is a fine expression of Loire sauvignon, ripe and seductively aromatic but fresh and long. Drink now to 2024. 13.5% This California chardonnay has benefitted from the cooling fogs of Santa Barbara County that balance the effect of the glorious summer sunshine. With honeydew melon, apple and vanilla on the nose, this is a full-flavoured but well-balanced chardonnay with a particularly refreshing finish. Drink now to 2023. 14% An almost Chablis-like Soave with lovely ‘mineral’ character and length of flavour. From vineyards planted on east-facing, cooler hillside slopes that have kept this wine taut on the palate, with delicious hints of lemon, oyster shell and nectarine. Drink now to 2026. 13% Ontario is one to watch for elegant yet complex chardonnay and this is a lovely example. There’s a touch of flint on the nose, with green apple, chalk and almond on the palate. Drink now to 2023. 13% A fresh, full New Zealand pinot gris made by the talented winemaker Paul Pujol. This treads a wonderful balance of opulence and tension, its focused acidity lifting and enhancing its weighty, food-friendly palate. If you’ve yet to try New Zealand pinot gris, this is a superb place to start. Drink now to 2025. 13% A godly partnership on the Erdener Treppchen site in the Mosel between two outstanding winemakers. A dry Mosel riesling but using winemaking techniques from Down Under, offering fabulous fruit and sense of minerality coming from the red slates. Drink now to 2025. 12%
£95
Small Wonders Whites Case Drink or store to 2022. A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following: • • • •
Corse-Calvi Fiumeseccu, Domaine Alzipratu 2018 G de Château Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc 2019 Peter Lehmann Wigan Eden Valley Riesling 2013 Sablet Blanc, Bertrand Stehelin 2018
• Pouilly-Fumé Mademoiselle de ‘T’ du Château de Tracy 2019 • Soave Classico Vigneti di Carbonare, Inama 2018 ref E-MX2128
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 5
Multi-award winning Augusta & Robert Raimes & their dog, Poppy
England Sparkling Successes I’m delighted to introduce three effervescent English highlights of my 2020 tastings, including the return of one of England’s true originals. 12 years ago, whilst on a family holiday, I went to my first ever vineyard: Breaky Bottom, home to the charming Peter Hall. One of the greats of English viticulture, he’s championed the lesser-used seyval blanc grape to create aromatic, delicate and eminently ‘English’ wines since the 1970s. Although production is now 100% sparkling, we sold his still seyval blanc back in the early 90s and I’m thrilled to be offering his wines to our membership once again.
Travel north-west from Breaky Bottom and you get to Ditchling, where the Roberts family have been producing some of Sussex’s finest sparkling wines since 1995, with their Blanc de Noirs the finest in their range. Raimes are one of the most exciting growers in Hampshire and produce wonderful vintage sparkling wines which have a deft combination of richness from extended lees ageing and freshness from the region’s chalky soils. I’d encourage you to try three delicious and dramatically different styles of English sparkling wine.
Matthew Horsley bottle
dozen
ref E-SG3071
Breaky Bottom Cuvée Jack Pike Seyval Blanc 2015
£30
£360
ref E-SG3051 2
Raimes Classic 2014
£30
£360
ref E-SG2511 2
Ridgeview Blanc de Noirs Brut 2014
£47
£282
All of Peter Hall’s cuvées are dedicated to a close friend or relative, and each bottle is numbered. Jack Pike helped Peter plant the vineyard in 1974 and this 100% seyval blanc, aged on the lees for four years, is named in his memory. With aromas of fresh elderflower, green apple and white flowers this is fresher, firmer and more aromatic than classic Champagne blends. A truly ‘English’ sparkling wine that will age beautifully. Drink now to 2025. 12% Exquisite fizz from Raimes, a family of growers based in Hampshire who have their wine made at multi-award winning Hattingley Valley. This classic Champagne blend (with 51% chardonnay at its core) is structured and expressive after 32 months on the lees giving flavours of lemon curd, baked bread and apple pie. A name to watch; a wine to savour. Drink now to 2024. 12.5% One of Ridgeview’s flagship wines and a stunning combination of power and precision. Made purely from pinots noir and meunier, this is packed with flavours of pink grapefruit, redcurrants and brioche whilst maintaining impressive finesse and elegance, now with savory autolytic characters coming through thanks to extended time on the lees and some bottle age. Once opened, leave out of the fridge and the wine will get broader, richer and more complex with time and air. Drink now to 2026. 12%
A Sparkling English Trio Drink or store to 2024. A three-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the above wines.
6 To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177
six
£105 ref E-MX2118
Champagne for Before, During & After a Meal I had a great conversation with another buyer recently about our love of Champagne, and reflecting on how these wonderful wines can sometimes be unfairly pigeonholed as a pre-dinner drink. On such occasions, we acknowledged we would often leave our glass of fizz until the end of the meal, and that this glass – benefitting from some air and, usually, a ‘normal’ wine glass - is often the best.
often hailed as a great match for Champagne as the crisp acidity of the wines can offset the oil in the dish well; but this also extends to fried chicken, or cream-based sauces. These expressive Champagnes will benefit from a ‘proper’ wine glass (rather than a flute), where they can open up and develop more complex rich perfumes. I hope you enjoy them.
It is with this in mind that I selected these Champagnes. They are delicious apertifs but so much more, capable of complementing a wide range of dishes. Fish and chips is
Sarah Knowles bottle
ref E-CH2111 1
Laherte Frères Ultradition Brut NV
£33
ref E-CH2871 1
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV
£45
ref E-CH3691 1
Gosset Grand Réserve Brut NV
£49
Aurélien Laherte works this small, scattered vineyard outside Epernay. The pinot meunier grape provides the base and explains the wine’s precision, fruitiness and joie de vivre. 12.5% The base wines for Heidsieck’s much-loved non-vintage wine are well aged – some of the wines are up to 16 years old. Blended using almost equal parts of the three main Champagne grapes, this is broad, crisp, biscuity and very alluring. Drink it on its own, or enjoy it with food. 12% Gosset have been making wine in Aÿ since 1584. This is their flagship Champagne that showcases their elegant house style. A bright and crisp wine with very precise mouthfeel, pin-head bubbles and a fine toasty finish. 12%
MW
six £165
special 6 for 5 price
£225
special 6 for 5 price
£245
special 6 for 5 price
£115
Three Fine Champagnes A three-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following: • Laherte Frères Ultradition Brut NV • Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV • Gosset Grand Réserve Brut NV
ref E-MX2119
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 7
Special ‘Ones’: Anniversary Bottles If you, or someone you know, has a celebration this year – or you’d just like to stock up on some aged treats – we’ve got just the thing. All the vintages here end in the number one; whether 2011, 2001 or in one very special case, a 1971. Visit thewinesociety.com/finewines to find even more, including parcels in quantities too small to feature in print.
WHITES
bottle
dozen
ref E-AL10441 2
Alsace Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergbieten, Domaine Mochel 2011
£24
£288
ref E-AU18821 s1
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Hunter Valley Semillon 2011
£31
£372
ref E-BW4341 8
Château Climens, Barsac 2011
£80
£960
ref E-BW4342 8
Half bottle of Château Climens, Barsac 2011
£45
£540
ref E-LO9321 5
Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux, Domaine Huet 1961
£195
£2340
ref E-SP14191
Urbina Crianza, Rioja 2011
£11.95
£143
ref E-CM23161
Château Coufran, Haut-Médoc 2001
£19
£228
Barolo Bussia Silvano Bolmida 2011
£21
£252
Grosset Gaia Clare Valley 2011
£36
£432
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
£37
£444
ref E-SP15541
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva, Rioja 2011
£42
£504
ref E-BU53471
Comte Armand Domaine des Epeneaux, Pommard Premier Cru Clos des Epeneaux 2011
£86
£1032
From a warmer Alsace vintage, this is essentially dry, with hints of cinnamon, citrus and evening rose, and great generosity on the palate. Still wonderfully fresh, so we have extended our original drinking window to 2023. 14% The 2011 vintage in this part of Australia allowed this wine to retain superb natural freshness and develop delicate aromas, all while ensuring the ingredients for it to age particularly well. An intense wine with plenty of lemon notes, candle-wax complexity and a long finish. Drink now to 2025. 11.5% A top-notch sweet Bordeaux from one of the region’s greatest producers, the 2011 Climens displays a delicate, floral nose with a luscious, complex palate of apricots and pineapple, all balanced by lovely freshness typical of Barsac. Drink now to 2050. 13.5% Drink now to 2040. 13.5%
An exquisite mature Vouvray shipped direct from the cellars of the region’s most famous estate. From a very good vintage for the sweeter, rather than sweetest styles, this is deep gold in colour, with restrained butterscotch, apple and citrus notes and terrific concentration, Mellow and seductive on the palate, enough to partner salty foods like cured ham and briny olives. 11.5%
half bottle
REDS
ref E-IT20581
ref E-AU16731 s
ref E-AU17661 s
An elegant Rioja made in the traditional style and at its peak. This is pale brick-red with wonderful aromas of spice and leather and a silky, soft texture. Drink this year. 14% A fully mature old-school claret with notes of cigar box and tobacco, mediumbodied fruit and sweetness on the finish. This cries out for a Sunday roast! Drink this year. 12.5% A wonderful example of Barolo from a prime vineyard in Monforte. Silvano Bolmida’s attention to detail in the vines, long gentle maceration in the winery and slow development in barrel have resulted in an Italian standard-bearer with superb rich, naturally sweet fruit and full rounded flavour. Drink now to 2026. 14.5% 2011 was a cool and small vintage in Australia’s Clare Valley and thanks to the freshness and rigorous fruit selection, this is a remarkably elegant wine with great purity of blackcurrant fruit and wonderful perfume too. Perfectly ready to enjoy this year. 13.7% An elegant black-fruited, cassis-scented cabernet from one of Australia’s greatest and most renowned wineries. This wine benefits from decanting to allow the heady perfume to develop. The flavours continue to develop on the long finish, revealing sweet anise and ripe plum. Drink now to 2026. 13.5% Only made in excellent vintages, Prado Enea is consistently in the top class of all Rioja’s gran reservas. The 2011 has depth, polish and a finish that lasts and lasts. It is tempting to drink it now, but it will age magnificently! Drink now to 2033. 14%
Comte Armand makes one of the greatest Pommards of all. Having waited to harvest until the grapes were fully ripe this medium-bodied wine has ripe tannins and pure pinot flavours. A lovely red Burgundy. Drink now to 2026. 13%
Must-Try South Africa
A New Wave of Winemaking
In these pages back in 2018 we featured three of the Cape’s most exciting New Wave producers: Alheit Vineyards, Thorne & Daughters and Van Loggerenberg Wines. Revisiting the Cape’s exciting contemporary scene two years later, I make no apology for including newest kid on the block Lukas Van Loggerenberg once again (with a new vintage and a new wine).
He is joined by Samantha O’Keefe of Lismore, and PeterAllan Finlayson of Crystallum. With them we explore six different grape varieties from three of the finest producers of the contemporary Cape style. Volumes are limited, quality exceptional.
Joanna Locke
MW
Crystallum RED
ref E-SA14991
bottle
dozen
Crystallum ‘Peter Max’ Pinot Noir, Western Cape 2018
£24
Low stock: limited to three bottles per member
Crystallum ‘The Agnes’ Chardonnay, Western Cape 2019
£22
Low stock: limited to three bottles per member
Lismore Syrah, Cape South Coast 2017
£28.50
£342
Lismore The Age of Grace Viognier, Western Cape 2019
£19.50
£234
Van Loggerenberg ‘Breton’, Stellenbosch 2019
£30
£360
Van Loggerenberg ‘Trust Your Gut’, Western Cape 2019
£30
£360
First made in 2008 and named after the growers who supplied the grapes for the maiden vintage, Peter Max is a multi-vineyard blend of prime cool-climate fruit, bright, with a hint of spice, and developing silky texture on the palate. Drink now to 2025. 13.5% The 2019 follows.
WHITE ref E-SA16541 2
Superb chardonnay from five cool-climate sites, classically vinified to deliver a wonderful balance of multifaceted ripe fruits, generous palate with a fine mineral backbone. Drink this year and next. 13.5%
Lismore RED
ref E-SA16531
Refreshing, beautifully crafted cool-climate syrah, with lovely violet and cassis perfume sprinkled with classic white and cracked black-pepper notes and finishing fine and long. Drink now to 2025. 14%
WHITE ref E-SA16861 2n
As delicious as the 2018 offered last year, this is a delicate expression of the heady perfumed viognier grape, offering lovely texture without excessive weight. Drink this year and next. 13.5%
Van Loggerenberg RED
ref E-SA16591
Breton is an old French name for the cabernet franc grape and this wine displays the energy and freshness of a Loire red made with the sensitivity to show it at its elegant, fragrant best. Drink now to 2024. 13.5%
WHITE ref E-SA16581 2
Just five barrels of this fine chenin blanc were made in this second vintage, which wowed us like the first. Delicate, creamy barrel-fermentation and lemon citrus aroma gives way to delicacy and a seductive energy on the long palate. Drink now to 2024. 13.5%
New Wave South Africa Case Drink or store to 2022. A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the above wines.
£154 ref E-MX2125
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 9
Burgundy A Trawl Through our Cellars A trawl through the cellars has netted a fine catch of Burgundies. There is a wide range spanning different styles and prices. The reds include Rollin’s 2005 Pernand which remains bright and fresh. Maume Tawse’s 2012 Gevrey Pallud is round, plump and generous. Comte Armand’s Pommard is a fine and elegant wine with none of the rustic tannins sometimes associated with this commune.
The whites comprise an unusually crisp and mineral Mâcon from limestone soils in Lugny, a top Chablis Montmains from Duplessis and a remarkable Pouilly-Fuissé from special marnes soils that seem to unite the richness of Fuissé with the elegance of Pouilly.
Toby Morrhall
REDS
bottle
dozen £348
ref E-BU52671
Domaine Jean Chauvenet, Nuits-Saint-Georges 2011
£29
ref E-BU37321
Domaine Rollin, Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge Premier Cru Les Fichots 2005
£30
Offering excellent quality for a village wine, this is round and velvety with blackberry aromas and flavours, and a dense, rich palate. Drink now to 2023. 13%
The combination of a cool vineyard in a warm year has produced a ripe yet fresh wine with remarkably youthful and intense black-fruit aromas. Rollin’s Pernands have the physiognomy of a marathon runner; apparently lean, more sinew than muscle, but goes the distance. Drink this year and next. 13%
Low stock: limited to six bottles per member
ref E-BU55091
Domaine Maume, Gevrey-Chambertin en Pallud 2012
£42
£504
ref E-BU49381
Bouchard Père et Fils, Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets Ancien Cuvée Carnot 2010
£60
£720
Lovely generous, ‘plumptious’ Gevrey in this producer’s typically round and attractive house style from the excellent, warm 2012 vintage. Drink now to 2024. 13.5%
A graceful, lacy wine which at first appears crushingly delicate yet its great length of flavour demonstrates its persistence and resilience. Drink now to 2024. 13.5%
10 To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177
REDS continued
bottle
dozen
ref E-BU50111
Louis Jadot, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Baudes 2010
£80
£960
ref E-BU45641
Domaine des Epeneaux, Pommard Premier Cru Clos des Epeneaux 2008
£88
£1056
Situated just below Bonnes-Mares, Baudes is a top vineyard combining Chambolle’s purity of fruit with quite a broad, ripe and sensuous palate. Drink this year and next. 13.5% Made from low yields (just 25hl/ha), this has fine, intense pinot aromas, while the palate delivers plenty of matter and ripe tannins. Drink this year and next. 13.5%
Red Burgundy From Our Cellars
£99
Drink or store to 2022. A three-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following wines. • Domaine Rollin, Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge Premier Cru Les Fichots 2005 • Domaine Jean Chauvenet, Nuits-Saint-Georges 2011 • Domaine Maume, Gevrey-Chambertin en Pallud 2012
ref E-MX2120
WHITES ref E-BU69161 p2
Domaine Saint-Denis, Mâcon-Lugny Calcaires de Mépilly 2016
£18
£216
ref E-BU63081 2
François d’Allaines, Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2015
£22.50
£270
Château du Clos, Pouilly-Fuissé Pouilly 2015
£24
£288
ref E-BU64161 2
Domaine Remi Rollin, Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru ‘Les Cloux’ 2015
£29
£348
ref E-BU76061 2
Domaine Duplessis, Chablis Premier Cru Montmains 2018
£31
£372
ref E-BU61181 2
Domaine Coche-Bizouard, Meursault Ormeau 2014
£32
£384
ref E-BU63201 2
The domaine is tiny, the attention to detail meticulous and the yields low. This accounts for the wine’s concentration, while the limestone soils lend this Mâcon a delightful freshness and minerality. Drink this year. 12.5% An excellent assemblage of Auxey-Duresses, over a third of which comes from the appellation’s best vineyard, Les Autés. Fermented and then matured for a year in barrel (15% new oak), it has an intense honeysucklescented nose, rich and powerful palate and good length of flavour. Drink this year. 12.5% Pouilly is the name of both the vineyard and the village here, the former superbly sited on some of the best soil of the entire appellation, marnes. It produces big, powerful, firm and dense white Burgundy with a velvety texture. Excellent. Drink now to 2023. 14.5%
A firmer wine than the same producer’s straight Pernand-Vergelesses, this comes from a 1.2ha east-facing plot, and was fermented and matured in 50% 400-litre and 50% 228-litre barrels. Drink this year and next. 13% Excellent Montmains with unusual depth of flavour for this cru. This is matured for 12 months in stainless steel and six months in old barrels, and the wood ageing just rounds the wine out a little and opens it up and contributes only the merest whiff of oak. Drink now to 2024. 13% This family-run domaine is a popular favourite among members. In this excellent white Burgundy vintage, the 2014 Ormeau – from a warm vineyard planted on heat-retaining gravel soils – is soft and ready to enjoy. Drink this year. 13.5%
2015 White Burgundy Collection
£150
A six-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the following: • François d’Allaines, Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2015 • Domaine Remi Rollin, Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru ‘Les Cloux’ 2015 • Château du Clos, Pouilly-Fuissé Pouilly 2015
ref E-MX2121
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 11
Right Bank Royalty Bordeaux 2014 & 2015
This assortment features some of my favourite right bank Bordeaux reds from two contrasting vintages. The 2014 vintage is considered the more old-school in style, the wines displaying a certain structure and savoury fruit character, whilst the 2015s are more rich and opulent. All the wines are made predominantly from merlot, which enjoys its finest expression in the vineyards of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion.
Tim Sykes
2014
bottle
dozen
ref E-CS9611B
Château La Dauphine, Fronsac 2014
£18
£216
ref E-CS9641A
Château La Pointe, Pomerol 2014
£35
£420
Château Puy Blanquet, Saint-Emilion 2015
£17
£204
Château d’Aiguilhe, Castillon 2015
£26
£312
ref E-CS11541
Château Taillefer, Pomerol 2015
£28
£336
ref E-CS10031A
Château Grand Corbin Despagne, Saint-Emilion 2015
£34
£408
Roc de Cambes, Côtes de Bourg 2015
£52
£624
From well-sited, limestone-rich vineyards overlooking the Dordogne river, this excellent-value claret is a blend of 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. The wine has deep red colour, a perfumed nose of violets and cloves, and plenty of plush, vibrant black-fruit character on the palate. Drink now to 2026. 14.5% Winemaker Eric Monneret was understandably delighted with his 2014, its precision and elegance the result of investment in the vineyards over previous years. A blend of 82% merlot and 18% cabernet franc, it offers a lovely perfume with notes of coffee and chocolate, with structure and balance on the palate. Drink now to 2030. 13.5%
2015 ref E-CS10121
ref E-CB4841A
ref E-CB4901
Fresh, juicy and perfumed, with crunchy merlot fruit in abundance and silky, ripe tannins on the finish. Deliciously satisfying Saint-Emilion that won’t break the bank. Drink now to 2027. 13.5% Reassuringly, the leading château in Castillon produced the best wine of the appellation in 2015. A very complete wine whose intense stone-fruit and balsamic aromas on the nose give way to lush fruit and velvety tannins on the palate. Drink now to 2026. 14.5% A generous, chocolatey wine exhibiting plump, succulent merlot fruit with a hint of toasty oak, and blueberry and graphite notes on the finish. Textbook Pomerol at a sensible price. Drink now to 2030. 14.5% The 204th vintage by the Despagne family on the Grand Corbin terroir, and the knowledge built up over generations is clearly reflected in the wine. A fresh and vibrant Saint-Emilion with silky tannins and plush texture. François Despagne believes passionately that wine is produced in the vineyard rather than the winery, and the 2015 certainly bears this out. Drink now to 2033. 14% François Mitjavile, owner of Tertre Roteboeuf in Saint-Emilion, makes the star wine of the Bourg appellation in Roc de Cambes. In the 2015 vintage, it is ripe and opulent with real energy and weight, showing notes of incense and coffee on the nose, with perfumed fruit character on the palate. Drink now to 2030. 14%
Bordeaux Right Bank Royalty Case
£190
Drink or store to 2026. A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the following: • Château La Dauphine, Fronsac 2014 • Château La Pointe, Pomerol 2014 • Château Taillefer, Pomerol 2015
• Château Grand Corbin Despagne, Saint-Emilion 2015 • Château d’Aiguilhe, Castillon 2015 • Château Roc de Cambes, Côtes de Bourg 2015
12 To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177
ref E-MX2126
Péter Wetzer
Garage Wines From Sopron Where Hungary interlocks like a puzzle piece with Austria sits the sleepy (Hungarian) town of Sopron. The home of the blaufränkisch (AKA kékfrankos) grape, this was once the mighty capital of Burgenland… but is now known mostly for its abundance of dental practitioners! Yet it is here that Péter Wetzer makes his spellbinding wines from a very small cellar underneath his house. He works a number of vineyard sites, initially surrounding the town but now a little further afield too, entirely by hand. This is a passion project for Wetzer, and all are very smallbatch wines, with often only a few hundred bottles of each being made. These are organic, unadulterated, pure and exciting red wines, which we thought were very special finds.
Matthew Horsley bottle
dozen
ref E-HU1321
Kékfrankos, Péter Wetzer 2017
£14.95
£179
ref E-HU1351
Blumenthal Kékfrankos, Péter Wetzer 2017
£19.50
£234
ref E-HU1331
Leithaberg Blaufränkisch, Péter Wetzer 2017
£21.50
£258
ref E-HU1341
Spern Steiner Kékfrankos, Péter Wetzer 2017
£22
£264
Wonderfully pure and fresh kékfrankos with aromas of redcurrant, hibiscus, lavender and liquorice. The palate is elegantly structured with finely grained yet mouthcoating tannins and fresh acidity, with flavours of cherry kernel, damson fruit and cedar spice on the long, fresh finish. Outstanding value and best served cellar cool. Drink now to 2025. 13% Péter’s Blumenthal is a completely different kettle of fish. The warmer site gives rise to deeper, darker fruits such as blueberry and blackcurrant, with hints of cumin, cardamom and tobacco. The palate is fuller, warmer and riper, with rounder, suppler tannins. A more ‘blockbuster’ wine that’ll benefit from some hearty food alongside it. Drink now to 2027. 14.5% The elephant in the room, Leithaberg is just across the border in Austria, and arguably where the finest blaufränkisch is found. This is possibly Péter’s most ‘complete’ wine: the nose is disarming but not obvious, with warm red fruit mixing with cracked black pepper and sweet spices, and the palate is full but not heavy, with grippy tannins that’ll soften with time and a long, linear finish. Drink now to 2030. 13.5% Spern Steiner is certainly Péter’s ‘wildest’ wine in 2017, with aromas of blood orange and nectarine alongside flavours of red-apple skin, nutmeg and cinnamon with tangy acidity and powdery tannins. We’d recommend pouring a hearty glug into your glass to see how the flavours and texture change over time. Drink now to 2027. 14%
The Péter Wetzer Collection Case
£125
Drink or store to 2027. A six-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the following: • Leithaberg Blaufränkisch, Péter Wetzer 2017 • Spern Steiner Kékfrankos, Péter Wetzer 2017 • Blumenthal Kékfrankos, Péter Wetzer 2017
ref E-MX2122
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 13
Outstanding
Oregon
It’s no longer a secret that Oregon is making some of North America’s finest wines, and I am always keen to showcase them. Not only does the quality shine by any international standard, but I’m also confident there is a style and a wine for everyone; whether wellestablished names like Eyrie, Elk Cove and members’ favourite Lemelson or newer kids on the block, Salem. The wines and mixed case below give a good broad picture of what’s exciting me in the Pacific Northwest, but you can also find an additional selection of pinots in quantities too small to feature in print at thewinesociety.com/finewine
Sarah Knowles
MW
WHITES
bottle
dozen
£18
£216
ref E-US9391
NEW Elk Cove Vineyards Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Blanc 2019
ref E-US9421
NEW Salem Wine Co. Oregon Chardonnay 2018
£20.50
£246
ref E-US9431
Bergström Old Stones Oregon Chardonnay 2018
£25
£300
Lemelson Thea’s Selection Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2017
£22
£264
Elk Cove Vineyards Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir 2018
£24
£288
The Eyrie Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2016
£36
£432
Pioneering, philanthropic and making some of Oregon’s best wine, Elk Cove make a delightful pinot blanc. The nose is subtle and elegant with notes of chalk and lime, before the refreshing palate shows off intense nectarine flavours backed up with complex minerality. This would be wonderful paired with baked salmon or cream sauces. Drink now to 2024. 13% Salem is a project managed by Evening Land Vineyards – the Oregon property of Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman (also of Domaine de la Côte and Sandhi in California). Made with a light touch in a richer, drier vintage, this chardonnay has a fine balance of lemon and nectarine fruit along with flinty complexity, almond-skin notes from oak. Impressive. Drink now to 2025. 13% Ample proof that Oregon is producing world-class elegant chardonnays. Here the oak is well balanced and offers great support to the bright acidity and lovely appleskin and lemon flavours, which continue on the long finish. Drink now to 2024. 13.3%
REDS ref E-US9471
ref E-US9401
ref E-US8821
Elegant and complex pinot, blended from across Eric Lemelson’s prime Willamette sites. The grape’s signature perfume of redcurrant, raspberry and spice is represented beautifully, with some darker berry fruits on the poised, finegrained and bright palate. Drink now to 2024. 13% This has a bright cherry and raspberry perfume, fine tannins support the concentrated redcurrant and clove spice on the palate, with a little cedar and mulberry on the finish. An excellent wine worthy of this estate’s fine reputation. Drink now to 2028. 13.5% David Lett was the first to plant pinot noir in the Willamette Valley some 50 years ago. His son Jason now makes the wines, which have a dedicated following around the world. Made in tiny quantities, this pinot has great elegance and complexity truly showing what can be achieved in Oregon. Drink now to 2025. 13.5%
The Oregon Collection Drink or store to 2024. A six-bottle case containing one bottle of each of the above wines.
14 To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177
£145 ref E-MX2129
Neudorf
A New Zealand Pioneer The Neudorf winery has achieved something few manage, becoming more well known than the region in which they are situated. In the 1970s, Tim and Judy Finn’s search for ideal sites with clay soils took them to the Moutere Hills’ north-facing slopes in Nelson, over the mountains from the famous region of Marlborough.
Today, Neudorf is one of the best-respected wineries in New Zealand and a byword for quality. With winemaker and general manager Todd Stevens now on board, farming is done organically and the wines are made in a rigorously environmentally conscious way. It’s a thrill to be able to offer these wines, which are a delicious testament to Tim and Judy’s pioneering spirit.
Freddy Bulmer
Nelson winemaker pioneers Judy and Tim Finn, with their daughter Rosie – the second generation at this family winery
WHITES
bottle
dozen
£13.95
£167
ref E-NZ12211 s2
Neudorf Tiritiri Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2019
ref E-NZ12221 s2
Neudorf Rosie’s Block Nelson Chardonnay 2018
£20
Low stock: six bottles only per member
Neudorf Moutere Nelson Chardonnay 2019
£48
Low stock: six bottles only per member
Neudorf Tom’s Block Nelson Pinot Noir 2017
£20
£240
Neudorf Moutere Nelson Pinot Noir 2017
£30
Low stock: six bottles only per member
ref E-NZ12241 s2
From the great 2019 vintage, this is a classic and restrained wine, focused and stylish with a ripe, fleshy palate of melon and apple, complemented by fine minerality. Drink now to 2023. 13% A brilliant example of all the joy new world chardonnay can offer. The nose demonstrates a brilliant and skilful use of oak, with oaty, nutty and saline notes, all backed up with delicious quince and citrus fruit. The palate is unctuous and full but focused. A delight. Drink now to 2026. 13% The flagship wine of Neudorf and from a superb vintage, this is a remarkable chardonnay of great finesse with fleshy white fruit and oyster-shell aromas. The palate offers wonderful concentration, but all the while remains delicate, complex and captivating. Drink now to 2030. 12.5%
REDS ref E-NZ12231 s
ref E-NZ12251 s
Irresistibly fragrant pinot noir which has layers of bright juicy red cherry and savoury forest-floor notes. The palate reveals delicious red-fruit flavours, its freshness complemented by structured, food-friendly ‘grip’. Drink now to 2027. 13.5% A beautiful complex aroma, mingling red cherries with layers of mouthwatering spices. The palate is a masterclass in how to use oak well, with superb structure, bright and fleshy red-fruit flavours and a long, intricate finish. Drink now to 2029. 13.5%
£105
The Neudorf Collection Drink or store to 2023. A six-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the following: • Neudorf Tiritiri Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2019 • Neudorf Rosie’s Block Nelson Chardonnay 2018 • Neudorf Tom’s Block Nelson Pinot Noir 2017
ref E-MX2123
To order visit thewinesociety.com/finewines or call 01438 741177 15
Lenton Brae Cabernet 2016-2018 Margaret River is Australia’s most westerly wine region and offers unique and ideal conditions for grape growing. Unlike many other famous Australian wine regions such as Barossa, the climate here does not hit incredibly high temperatures often; the growing season is longer, with fewer extremes and fluctuations, making it an ideal place for cabernet sauvignon production. Lenton Brae is situated in the Wilyabrup sub region, and we’ve been working with winemaker Edward Tomlinson for a number of years. Despite being less well known than the likes of Leeuwin Estate or Vasse Felix, he makes consistently excellent wines which offer remarkable value for the quality. The 2016 and 2017 wines are hitting their stride wonderfully and 2018 is an outstanding vintage.
Freddy Bulmer bottle
dozen
s
Lenton Brae Lady Douglas Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Full-bodied, velvety cassis-laden cabernet from some of Ed’s best vineyards in the Margaret River. This wine would be wonderful with a good piece of beef. Drink now to 2026. 14%
Available only in the Lenton Brae Vertical Tasting Case below
ref E-AU22031 s
Lenton Brae Lady Douglas Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
£16.50
£198
ref E-AU22961 s
Lenton Brae Lady Douglas Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
£16.50
£198
One of the best-value cabernet sauvignons from Margaret River. This is fullbodied, with velvety cassis and black-fruit flavours, and wonderful concentration of fruit perfectly balanced with freshness too. Drink now to 2028. 14% Full-bodied cabernet sauvignon from what has been hailed as the best vintage in 40 years for Margaret River. The vineyards are a stone’s throw from some of the world’s most beautiful and dramatic coastline, which helps to influence the unique microclimate here. Rich cassis, pine needle, bay leaf and a hint of clove contribute to a complex palate. Decant and drink now to 2028. 13.5%
£99
The Lenton Brae Vertical Tasting Case Drink or store to 2026. A six-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the above wines.
ref E-MX2117
KEY 1- 9 bone dry to intensely sweet sscrewcap psynthetic closure nvintage
This offer is open until Sunday 7th March 2021, while stocks last.
thewinesociety.com/finewines
01438 741177 01438 741177
Wine Society Limited, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage SG1 SG1 2BT 2BT Registered no.: 1824R The International InternationalExhibition ExhibitionCo-operative Co-operative Wine Society Limited, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage Registered no.: 1824R