Spain

Bodegas Gutierrez Colosia, Jerez, SHERRY

Oloroso. £19.50.    The most complex of sherry styles with an almost mahogany colour flecked through with amber. Evolved, complex nose of nuts, caramel and dried peel. Intriguingly dry palate with concentrated nutty flavours and a very long, complex finish.

Amontillado. £19.50.    Pale golden amber in colour with a complex nose of walnuts, toffee and dried orange peel. Dry, full flavoured and ideal as an aperitif, with food or even with cheese and nuts.

Bodegas Luis Cañas. Rioja

Situated in Villabuena in the heart of Rioja Alavesa, Bodegas Luis Cañas is ideally placed to make great wine. Careful work in the vineyards and in the winery ensures that this potential is optimised. Producing around 1.5 million bottles per year the estate controls 120 hectares of vineyards and holds ISO 9002 for the winery and bottling plant. The area around Villabuena has broken clay soils over limestone on which Tempranillo ripens excellently. High, in the north of the region, very cold winters are followed by warm, dry summers. Luis Cañas uses around 95% of Tempranillo in most red wines blended with a small proportion of Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Fermentation temperatures are carefully followed to capture the best qualities of the fruit. French and American oak is used for carefully supervised maturation in temperature and humidity controlled cellars. Winemaking here combines the best of traditional knowledge and technical know-how. Luis Cañas produces wines that have the typical elegance of the Rioja Alavesa, excellent fruit and wonderful, complex layers of flavours.

Rioja, Blanco. £16.00.    A beautiful golden yellow colour with bright lemon-tinted reflections. On nose it is elegant with flowers, fruits and hazelnuts. The palate is dry with just enough acidity to keep it fresh and lively with a structured and flavoursome finish of ripe fruit. 

Rioja, Crianza. £15.00.    Twelve months oak ageing gives a little complexity and softens the wine - yielding a well-balanced ripe fruited wine with a soft, sweetish oak finish.

"Amaren" Rioja Reserva Especial. £22.75. A tribute to their late mother, Amaren is the flagship wine of Luis Canas and represents the cutting edge of Riojan winemaking. Produced from low yielding, very old Tempranillo vines, Amaren is surprisingly soft and approachable with ripe wild strawberry and cassis fruit coupled with vanilla and spice from oak ageing in American and French wood.

Bodegas Remelluri.  Rioja

Historical records show that the La Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri was contributing wine to the town council of nearby Labastida in the 15th century - one of the earliest references to a bodega in Spain. Today, the 100ha estate situated in the Western corner of the Rioja Alavesa between the Tolono mountain range and the River Ebro, is one of Rioja's most prestigious and most sought after. Entirely estate based, and therefore unusual for Rioja, the vineyards are spread over a multitude of small terraced plots. The estate has poor soils which when coupled with the raised altitude, result in restricted yields and grapes with ample tannins and balancing acidity to ensure great ageing potential for the wines. This great ageing potential is born through upon tasting. Remelluri wines are exciting in that they exactly reflect the soils from which they are grown. There is a minerality and tightness coupled with firm tannins and lifted acidity that are indicative of grapes grown on meagre, high altitude sites. The winemaking is classic through the extensive use of French oak, though now commonplace in Rioja, is by no means classic for a region whose hallmark used to be the unmistakable aroma of coconut and American wood. Remelluri wines perhaps reflect the timeless qualities that are to be found on the estate. There is a sense here that whilst everything is of the utmost high quality, this is not a producer that will follow fashion but will always strive for the ultimate in quality.

Remelluri Reserva.  £22.90.    Remelluri are rightly renowned as one of the finest producers in the Rioja region and it's easy to see why. This is a finely crafted, elegant style with great structure and complexity. The nose is warm and inviting with hints of wild strawberry and spice, overlaid with light wood notes. The palate is silky smooth, mellowand warm with savoury, ripe berry fruit, touches of tobacco and a little spice.

Bodegas Sumarroca,

Cava Brut Reserva Organic, Catalunya, Spain £16.15. All those who adore Champagne´s classic fresh brown bread-scented yeasty flavours will love this classy Cava; rich, full complex and toasty. Pale yellow colour. Fresh aroma and fruity and fresh on the palate with fine, pleasant bubbles that perfectly complement the wine's structure.

Buil & Giné, Priorat.

In the winter of 1996 the Buil & Giné family decided to return to wine elaboration in the Priorat region. The family has recently been active in the food retail business and, before that, both their grand and great-grand parents had been wine makers and merchants. Bringing this tradition back to life, the present generation is dedicated to growing grapes and producing wine in each of the two areas of `Denominacions d'Origen' of the region, Priorat and Tarragona-Falset. This dream started to materialize during the Spring of 1998 when they introduced their first wine, Giné Giné 1997. The wine name consists of their grandfather’s last two names; he was a wine grower and was twice elected President of the Cooperativa Agrícola Falsetenca. These are the wines we present to you with pleasure and pride. Enjoy them and thus participate in the development of this long family history.

Giné-D.O.Q.Priorat. £13.80. Red Red grenache, carignan. Approximately 50% young vines (between 6 and 20 years of age) and 50% old vines, on slopes, from the districts of Bellmunt, Gratallops, La Vilella Baixa, El Molar, La Vilella Alta, El Lloar and Torroja. Different varieties are separately fermented. Maceration is long, at a temperature of 26ºC to 28ºC, followed by fermentation. Once this process is completed, they proceed with the coupage and the bottling. Drink at temperatures between 16 and 18ºC, up to three years after elaboration.

Giné Rosat. £12.90.    Dry rosé wine, very aromatic and complex at the same time. Total predominance of red fruits and flowers. Made from Grenache and Merlot from young vines of Mas d’en Sastre’s estate located in Gratallops town.

Joan Giné-D.O.Q.Priorat. £20.10. Red Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon. Grenache and Carignan from old vines (more than 25 years), Cabernet Sauvignon from young vines (from 5 to 12 years), from the districts of Bellmunt del Priorat, la Vilella Alta, Gratallops, Torroja, La Vilella Baixa and El Molar. Different varieties are separately fermented. Maceration is long (24 days approx.), at a temperature of 26ºC to 28ºC, followed by the malic-lactic fermentation. Then they keep the wine in French and American oak barrels for the next 12 months. During this time temperature is controlled at 16ºC. Once this process is completed, they proceed with the ‘coupage’ and the bottling. Drink at temperatures between 16 and 18ºC.

Dominio de Cair, Ribera del Duero

Cuvee de Cair. £13.65.    Intense nose with complex and inviting aromas of ripe fruit, preserve and caramel notes. Dairy nuances over a slightly smoky background. Easy drinking style, silky smooth with sweet and polished tannins. Hints of very ripe red and black fruit with a nice finish with cocoa and vanilla.

Cair. £22.75.    Black cherry with good depth of colour. An intense nose of fine wood, leather, cigar box, dark chocolate & fruit combine with sweet tannins to produce a beautifully balanced, elegant red wine. Full and powerful on the attack with good balance. A meaty, juicy mouth feel with sweet tannins. Long, lingering finish.

El Escoces Volante. Calatayud.

El Escoces Volante is the winemaking company set up in Calatayud by Norrel Robertson MW who has been based there since 2003. Norrel Robertson MW is not your average winemaker. Having been brought up in Scotland, where he carried out his apprenticeship at a wine merchant in Edinburgh, Norrel embarked on a journey to become a winemaker- encompassing the passing of the Master of Wine exams and then the well-respected winemaking course at New Zealand’s Lincoln College. The wines are made through a collaboration between Norrel and Bodega San Gregorio where he has been able to work with individual growers for the last 6 years to source old vine blocks of exceptional quality and make wines with real character. The winery philosophy is to sustain the lifestyle of the local growers; all fruit is handpicked and selected. The traditional methods of the Ribota valley and surrounding villages are maintained. Vines are only grubbed up when they become extremely unproductive and the growers have a positive replanting philosophy where garnacha still makes up over 70% of the vineyards. Famed for making hugely concentrated Garnacha based wines from gnarly old bush vines, Calatayud needed fresh blood and impetus to bring it to the world stage. Norrel Robertson’s non-traditional approach, coupled with a little Scottish zeal and passion has proved highly successful and we’re delighted to welcome the first of his own wines to “the hop, the vine”.

Garnacha “El Puno”. £18.30. Pronounced aromas of intense black fruit, wood toast, cedar and cappuccino followed by floral/violet notes, wild raspberries and garrigue, a mountain herb. Full bodied yet elegant with crisp acidity, tight tannins, creamy vanilla texture and a long mineral finish. A great wine to drink with classic game dishes such as venison, wild boar. It will also accompany punchy dishes such as ragout and spicy tomato-based recipes.

Viognier “El Puno”. £18.30. Pronounced varietal aromas of peach and honeysuckle, well integrated oak character adds complex notes of ginger spice and jasmine. Full bodied yet elegant, with crisp acidity, fresh stone fruits and a long mineral finish.

El Primero

Garnacha. £7.40

Finca Manzanos, Rioja

Reserva. £22.50. 95 % Tempranillo and 5 % Mazuelo. The result of the careful selection of grapes from their Finca Manzanos single vineyard plot in Azagra. Long maceration for twenty-eight days at a controlled temperature and twenty-four months ageing in American and French oak casks, half and half, followed by a further twelve months rounding off in the bottle. This has all gone to produce a wine with great body and extract. Bright, shiny cherry red colour with ruby glints. Vanilla and sweet almond aromas with hints of leather, well blended with the wood. The attack is full and pleasant with intense reminders of spices. The finish is round and intense. Ideal with barbecued meat. Serve at between 16 and 18º and it is a good idea to open an hour before drinking.

Gatito Loco

£10.70. Tempranillo 70%, Garnacha 30%, A bright fruit-bursting wine that emphasises vineyard over bodega, which discards the hackneyed image of Rioja, everything about this wine is intentionally provocative to challenge your view on what Rioja is. Careful, this kitty has claws. This wine stands out for its red and black fruits and liquorice aromas. Fresh and round with a multitude of nuances supporting the black fruit flavours

Lar De Paula

Rioja Reserva. £16.90. A rich and deep cherry red colour. Aged 18 Months in American and French oak rounded off with a further 18 months in bottle. Aromas combining very ripe fruit and spices. A well rounded more elegant a refined varietal both elegant and tasty with mature yet elegant tannins.

Tinto Figuero, Ribera del Duero

"4 Roble". £12.60. A Bright Crimson Wine Over A Clean Bright Background, attesting to the wine’s youth, new oak with hints of toasted spice over fruity ripe berries of raspberry and cranberry. A moderate acidity gives the tempranillo a balanced smoothness with long finish.

Vina Elena, Jumilla

Monastrell/Syrah. “Family Selection”. £12.70. Cherry red colour with medium-high intensity. The aroma is fruity with reminders of dry plums, red fruits jam and toffee. On the palate is smooth, the tannins are round and the texture is velvety, well-integrated with the notes of the wood that is providing the ageing in French barrels. This finish on the palate is elegant, smooth and well balanced.