Roger's Favourites
Shop the full range here
Bourgogne Chardonnay – Buissonier – Cave de Buxy £14.50
The origin of this wine is the parcel of vineyards between Buxy and Saint Gengoux le National in the Maconnais where the calcium rich soils are perfect for the Chardonnay grape to grow. It adds an underpinning minerality to the whole affair which in turn makes it a wonderful food partner.
Buxy’s Cave Cooperative is renowned for the high quality of its production and rightly so for it has been the foremost producer in the Cote Chalonnaise for many years, especially for the production of Montagny.
The nose opens with fresh citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit before leading on to some softer and white fruit notes such as ripe peach floral touches such as honeysuckle. In the mouth it is soft, fresh and generous and it really shows the typicity of Chardonnay.
It was fermented in stainless steel tanks but then aged in large oak foudres (big barrels) so the oak flavour is very gentle and well integrated into the wine.
Minervois Rouge – Chateau Canet £11.95
The red wines of the Languedoc offer some of the greatest value of France at present and none more so than this delicious Minervois from Floris Lemstra at Chateau Canet in Rustiques.
This is a delicious wine that is packed with berry fruit with tannins that support but don't overpower the wine. It's ready for instant drinking but also can age a further year or two when it will develop complexity and depth of flavour.
Elegant blackberry, cherry and blackcurrant aromas dominate with a floral, violet note and a savoury bacon fat element typical of Syrah. At first the sweet, dark, berry fruit dominates the palate, but spice flavours and ripe, velvety tannins step forward to add complex appeal.
A gem of a red wine that is at home with anything from a Sunday roast to a barbecue.
Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux – Chateau d’Aiguille £28.86
This super property is part of the Comtes de Niepperg portfolio who is more famous for his St Emilion Grand Cru Classe Chateau Canon la Gaffeliere. All of the portfolio offer incredible quality and this in particular is top value too.
Bordeaux in general is expensive in terms of today’s wine costs but the quality in truth of the great wines, which this is, is so very difficult to beat.
This is a blend of Merlot in the majority with 12% of Cabernet Franc that harmonise seamlessly together giving notes of raspberry and blackcurrant bolstered by some ripe but obvious tannins to give backbone to the whole affair.
I can remember tasting at this property some 30 years ago on a cold winter’s night, the wine bringing some colour to my cheeks finally and after an onward journey to Bergerac we had a delicious piece of lamb which would have been far better if served and hour or so earlier with the Aiguille!
The wine is bottled without fining and thus there can be a little sediment but this is a small price to pay for a wine that is this boldly flavoured.
Rioja Blanco – Sierra Cantabria £13.90
Sierra Cantabria are one of the foremost producers in the Rioja Alta and, even if it was their production of red Rioja which earned them their pedigree, the white wines of this Bodega are stunning also.
Made from a blend of Viura, Malvasia and Sauvignon Blanc, this is a wine of great freshness and vitality that despite passing through oak barrels for a short time, has lost none of the crispness or bright fruit flavours.
Marcos Egueren has worked wonders here and the Sauvignon Blanc in the blend gives not only good aromatics but also a very refreshing acidity.
Drink this with tapas or shellfish dishes for it to perform at it’s best but it can be equally as enjoyable without food as an aperitif to get the juices going!
Old Vines Garnacha - Carinena – Domainio de Laidi £11.80
From this first-class winery located in the heart of Carinena, close to the city of Zaragoza, comes this well-bred and distinguished red made from 100% red Grenache grapes from vines that are between 40 and 50 years old. The winery by contrast is relatively young and benefits from modern technology while still adhering to the traditions of the region.
This area is emerging as one of the prime sites within Spain for not only red wines but whites too. It is suitable for vegans and all vine growing is done in a sustainable manner with the very minimum of chemical applied to the vines to control pests.
This is a classic expression of the grape variety with an explosion of dark cherry and raspberry on the palate with hints of mocha, and a smooth and luscious body. The vineyards are in the higher parts of Carinena and thus the longer growing season brings more complexity to the wine and the judicious use of oak does not interfere with the fine fruit flavours. Rich, elegant, powerful and very fruity.
Pinot Grigio “Alisia” – Astoria Vini £12.40
Astoria have made an exceptional Pinot Grigio with this Alisia that is a long way from the bland examples found all too often in wine shops and bars nowadays. Cold fermentation preserves all of the gentle but ripe fruit that is so distinctive of this grape variety.
In today’s market where everyone strives to increase profits and has forgotten about giving quality to the consumer, this really bucks the trend. A true Pinot Grigio, packed with ripe fruit flavours and perfumes with good acidity to balance and refresh the palate. Fresh yet soft on the palate, with hay and nutty notes alongside delicate peppery spice with delicious pear fruit and a perfect level of acidity to refresh the palate.
Exceptional Pinot Grigio.