Straw yellow dry white wine. This slightly tannic Grillo boasts a lively, fresh acidity, with floral hints and exotic fruit flavours.
Italy
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Poggiotondo Organic Vermentino
PO105A18
This wine has a lovely aromatic nose, showing delicate stone fruit and floral aromas. On the palate, it has gentle and refreshing acidity, with a rich texture and a savoury finish.
100% Vermentino
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2018 Alpha Zeta Pinot Grigio, "P"
AZ107B18
Taste Notes:
100% Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris. This wine has aromas of ripe peach and pear with slight hints of flint. It is refreshing and crisp on the finish, with attractive Pinot Grigio characters, On the palate, it is rich and well-balanced. Characterful aromas with slight hints of flint, ripe peach and pear. This wine is full-bodied and rich, with excellent balance.
Vineyard:
The fruit for this wine is grown in special, selected old vineyards with excellent south-east exposure, where growers have reduced their yields quite considerably to produce excellent quality fruit.
Vinification:
The grapes were harvested once very ripe, then they were gently pressed and immediately cooled to preserve the aromas. Fermentation took place slowly at 18°C avoiding any skin contact. Ageing took place in stainless steel tanks.
Producer:
Alpha Zeta was started in 1999 when Liberty Wines set out to produce a range of modern, fruit-driven wines from the hills outside Verona. Working with leading New Zealand winemaker, Matt Thomson, our aim was to work with growers (rather than buy bulk wine, which is standard among most wines from Verona at this price) to obtain ripe grapes (by reducing yields and picking later) and then, using Matt's expertise, preserve these flavours in the finished wines. The result is a realisation of the potential inherent in Veronese viniculture.
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ALPHA ZETA `P` Pinot Grigio
AZ107B19
This wine has aromas of ripe peach and pear with hints of flint. On the palate, it is rich and well-balanced. It is refreshing and crisp on the finish, with attractive Pinot Grigio characters.
100% Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
This is the 2019 bottle of the the "P".
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2018 Borgo Selene, Catarratto/Inzolia
BS103B18
Taste Notes:
60% Catarratto , 40% Inzolia. Grapes for this unusual white blend were grown on the hilly area in Western Sicily, producing a wine that is crisp and lively on the palate with a fresh, dry finish. This wine is light, lemon-yellow in colour with a fresh, vivacious nose, perfumes of citrus and tropical fruit and a hint of Mediterranean flowers. It is crisp and lively on the palate with a fresh, dry finish.
Vineyard:
This is wine is made from selected grapes grown in the hilly areas in the province of Trapani in Western Sicily.
Vinification:
The grapes were fermented in stainless-steel vats for 12 days at a temperature of 16-18°C. The wine then spent two months on its lees before being bottled.
Producer:
Made and blended by Alberto Antonini at the Curatolo family winery, the Borgo Selene wines represent superb value for money. The name derives from the Greek goddess of the Moon, Selene, illustrating the influence the Greeks (who also brought the vine to Sicily) have had on the Mediterranean's largest island.
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2018 Luigi Baudana, `Dragon` Langhe Bianco
LB201S18
Taste Notes:
41% Chardonnay , 30% Nascetta, 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Riesling. The wine has perfumes of stone, flowers and summery grass with a slightly savoury note on the palate. The touches of Riesling and Nascetta add an extra hint of elegance, giving it a long refreshing finish. Dragon is a symbol of courage for Vajra, who experimented here with local and international white varietals in this fresh and perfumed white wine. It is a very unusual blend for the Barolo area: Chardonnay and Sauvignon with Nascetta and Riesling.
Vineyard:
The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are located on the north-east shoulder of Cerretta Piani at mid-slope. A fold of this slope makes the plot cooler and more suitable for white grapes. Below the thin topsoil lies one of the oldest conglomerates of all Piemonte: 14-million-year-old Helvetian soil. The Nascetta is grown in the Comune of Novello, the birthplace of the variety, at the top of the Ravera hill. Vajra has always believed in sustainable farming and keeps the turf natural and green in the vineyard. Traditional pruning is practised as well as using the Guyot mixed system of trellising. Every phase of winemaking, starting in the vineyard, is carried out by hand. No irrigation is used, while green harvest is decided according to the vintage.
Vinification:
The grapes were hand harvested. Soft crushing was followed by up to 12 days of fermentation at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The wine remained in stainless-steel tanks until bottling the following spring.
Producer:
This small estate has just over four hectares of vineyard, all in the commune of Serralunga d'Alba. Their tiny cellar is situated in the village of Baudana, while their vineyards are primarily in the 'crus' of Baudana and the highly regarded Cerretta. After 30 years running the winery, and without heirs to take over the business, Luigi and Fiorina Baudana took the difficult decision to sell. As part of his research, Luigi visited the Vajra winery incognito one day, and was so impressed with the way they dealt with people and communicated their philosophy that he rang Aldo soon afterwards to ask if he would be interested in buying the estate. A deal was soon done, and the Vajra family have run this estate alongside Luigi and Fiorina ever since. The first vintage was 2009 and from then onwards we can see the true expression of the new Luigi Baudana.
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2018 Cantine Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica, "Terre di Valbona"
BE401B18
Taste Notes:
100% Verdicchio. This lovely aromatic white is surprisingly full-bodied, with great balance between its crisp green apple character and the richer honey and lemon flavours. This wine is pale lemon in colour with a lovely aromatic and clean bouquet of acacia with a touch of honey. Surprisingly full-bodied, it shows great balance between its crisp green apple character and the richer honey and lemon flavours. The finish is dry and vibrant.
Vineyard:
The co-operative has 300 hectares of vineyards, 24 of which are organically cultivated. The Terre di Valbona is a blend of grapes selected from some of the best vineyards included in the co-op. The vineyards are situated on a south-facing hillside 350-450 metres above sea level.
Vinification:
The grapes were destemmed, softly pressed and clarified, then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 16ºC for a period of 20 days. After fermentation the wine was aged in large 300 hectolitre stainless steel vats for two months before bottling in January. The Terre di Valbona is unoaked to maximise freshness.
Producer:
The Cantine Belisario co-operative was founded in 1971. Today, it is the biggest producer of Verdicchio in the Matelica DOC, a smaller zone than Castello di Jesi. The climate here is more continental than in Castelli di Jesi and the combination of warm days and cool nights gives a longer growing season, and lovely aromatic qualities to the wines.
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Pieropan Soave Classico
PI101A19
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Belisario Vigneti B Verdicchio di Matelica Organic
BE410B18
A complex example of Verdicchio di Matelica. On the nose, it shows interesting aromas of golden apple, pink grapefruit and wax. On the palate, it is soft and round, with a persistent finish.
100% Verdicchio
This verdicchio is produced in limited quantities from organically grown grapes, avoiding the addition of sulphites where possible. The result is a complex and unique example of Verdicchio di Matelica with wax and grapefruit aromas.
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Ca Morlin Prosecco Frizzante Stelvin
CM301BNV
This fizz is sealed under stelvin to protect against random oxidation and cork taint. It is fresh, soft, scented and grapey, with delicious lightness and good length.
New Vintage in 2020.
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Terre Antiche Gavi di Gavi
TA401A18
This wine has an attractive lemon yellow colour. It is scented and delicate, with hints of lime zest on the nose and fruit with a lovely zip and verve on the palate alongside a mineral finish.
100% Cortese
One of the best of this well-known Piemontese white, with delicate hints of lime zest and apple.
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Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi `Lugarara` half
GI101J18
This estate covers 110 hectares in the heart of the commune of Rovereto in Gavi, 40 hectares of which are under vine. Here the grapes give pure, rich and balanced wines. Two single vineyard wines are produced, both of which are unoaked so the character of each vineyard shines through in the glass. The 'Lugarara' is always the more open and forward of the two wines. The wine's aromas of stone fruit and lime peel are immediately beguiling, making this one of our most widely sold wines. The 'Montessora', more mineral driven, has greater intensity and needs longer to show off its best. It will age easily for up to a decade or more.
100% Cortese
Lugarara is produced from a single vineyard with soils of grey marl and a sandy topsoil. The palate is balanced with fresh acidity and good structure. Citrus and almond perfumes follow through to the long finish.
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Pieropan Soave Classico halves
PI101J18
This is a fresh and expressive Soave, with classic aromas of white flowers, almond blossoms, marzipan and a touch of citrus. Rounded, ripe fruit is perfectly balanced by a fresh, clean acidity. Long and fragrant, it has a note of fine, almond pastry on the finish.
37.5cl half bottle.
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Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio Halves (cork)
LF102H18
Pinot Grigio favours cooler climates and finds its ideal habitat on the hillsides. Livio Felluga's vinification technique gives the wine finesse and elegance while preserving the faint coppery highlights that are Pinot Grigio's hallmark.
Livio Felluga emigrated from Istria and established his property in Brazzano in the 1950s. Convinced of the winemaking potential inherent in Collio and the Colli Orientali of Friuli, he bucked the trend of the times and started buying vineyards. Their landmark Terre Alte was first produced in 1981 and they have continued to make innovative and consistently high quality wines since. Winemaker Andrea Felluga has embraced stelvin in a characteristically forward-looking way. After experimenting with the closure for five years, he felt confident in using the stelvin closure to retain freshness and perfume in his wines.
100% Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
37.5cl half bottle.
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Contero Moscato d`Asti di Strevi Half STELVIN
CO603H19
Formerly owned by the Lombardini family (proprietors of La Giustiniana in Gavi), Contero is now owned by the Marenco family, who are Moscato and Brachetto specialists in Strevi. This 11 hectare estate remains one of the best producers of invigoratingly delicious Moscato d'Asti and Brachetto d'Acqui. The ripest and best Moscato grapes are used for Moscato d'Asti rather than Asti.
100% Moscato/Muscat
37.5cl half bottle.
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Capezzana Vin Santo Riserva half
CA107H11
This Vin Santo has an intense golden yellow colour and displays concentrated perfumes on the nose of dried fruit, candied apricot and orange peel, as well as floral nuances of yellow flowers. Rich and intensely sweet on the palate, it has dried apricot and fig flavours which are balanced by a lovely touch of freshness. The finish is very long and spicy.
90% Trebbiano , 10% San Colombano
37.5cl half bottle.
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Donnafugata Ben Rye Halves
DF107H17
Brilliant amber in colour, Ben Ryé is wonderfully fresh and complex. The bouquet is intense and rich with aromas of apricots and candied citrus zest combine with notes of Mediterranean thyme and rosemary. The palate is well-defined and intense, with pleasant sweetness well balanced by fresh acidity and great minerality.
Ben Ryé is the luscious “passito” sweet wine from the little island of Pantelleria where old Zibibbo vines are grown using the traditional “alberello pantesco” bush-training system. Dried grapes give the intense honey, apricots and almond finish.
100% Zibibbo.37.5cl half bottle. -
Luma Grillo, Cantine Cellaro
CE0 119
Excellent to serve with light dishes or fish dishes, light risotto, cous cous and fish soup. Great with smoked fish and crab. Excellent aperitif.