Red Rhônes 25 : 25 Whites for Autumn New arrivals from the Cape: Nitida and Blankbottle · 2013. 11. 15. · Code RH413 2010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Les Muses (see p.6) 2009 Domaine

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New arrivals from the Cape: Nitida and Blankbottle

Whites for Autumn

Red Rhônes 25 : 25

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Red Rhône Values (six wines from the south) £105.00Code RH1132012 Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône, Cuvée des Galets (see p.3)2012 Domaine de Perillière, Costières de Nîmes (see p.4)2011 Domaine de la Pigeade, Ventoux Classique (see p.4)2012 Domaine Gres Saint Vincent, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Signargues (see p.4)2012 Domaine du Joncier, l’O, Côtes du Rhône (see p.4)2011 Domaine Roger Perrin, Côtes du Rhône (see p.4)

Southern Comfort (six wines from the south) £116.00Code RH2132012 Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône, Terra Vitis (see p.3)2011 Domaine de la Pigeade, Ventoux Classique (see p.4)2011 Domaine des Amadieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages (see p.4)2011 Domaine des Espiers, Côtes du Rhône (see p.4)2010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Le Gourmand (see p.5)2011 Domaine Roger Perrin, Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes (see p.5)

Grenache and Syrah (four wines from the south, two from the north) £147.50Code RH3132012 Domaine Gres Saint Vincent, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Signargues (see p.4)2009 Domaine des Espiers, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Sablet (see p.5)2010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Le Classique (see p.5)2010 Domaine des Amadieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Cairanne, Vieilles Vignes (see p.6)2011 Domaine Pichat, Syrah, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes (see p.8) 2009 Yann Chave, Crozes-Hermitage (see p.8)

Pleasures of the Rhône (four wines from the south, two from the north) £183.00Code RH4132010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Les Muses (see p.6)2009 Domaine Le Couroulu, Vacqueyras, Classique (see p.6)2009 Domaine des Espiers, Gigondas (see p.6)2010 Domaine Roger Perrin, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (see p.7)2009 Domaine Monier, Saint Joseph (see p.8)2009 Yann Chave, Crozes-Hermitage, Le Rouvre (see p.8)

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The SouthTo a certain extent you pay for what you get in the southern Rhône, with power, concentration, and ageing ability increasing as you pay more. However there are also stylistic differences, in particular between wines which are fruitier and fresher (for examples the wines from Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Perillière, Pigeade, Grès St Vincent and Roger Perrin) and those which show more old-fashioned hearty gutsiness (e.g. Espiers and Couroulu).

2012 Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône, Cuvée des Galets, 14.5° Bottle £7.95 Case £90.63 Code ESZ112 Now rightly one of our best-selling wines, this consistently enjoyable blend of Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault comes from a small co-op in the Gard, just west of Avignon. All wines here are unfiltered, giving a slightly hazy look and satisfying density and mouthfeel, and vinifed without sulphur - so this is, arguably, a “natural” wine, although not from organically cultivated grapes.

Scent of crushed raspberries. So fresh and fruity, all ripe red berries. Minimal, very supple tannins. Peck of spice. Deliciously gluggable. Now-2015

2012 Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône, Terra Vitis, 14.5° Bottle £8.25 Case £94.05 Code ESZ212 Terra Vitis is a sustainable, minimal intervention farming discipline, half way to organic viticulture, practiced by five members of this small co-operative.

As opposed to the Galets above this has 30% Syrah and a little Mourvèdre in the blend too, so is delightfully blackberryish and juicy, and has a little more stuffing. Now-2016

2012 Domaine de Perillière, Costières de Nîmes, 14° Bottle £8.95 Case £102.03 Code ESZ812 Frédéric Vincent at Perillière is a young vigneron who owns galet covered vineyards in the northern sector of the Costières de Nîmes. From 2/3 Syrah and 1/3 Grenache, this is northern Rhône-like in style.

Vibrant purple. Scent of raspberry jam. Showing fresh blackberries, blueberries and spice, this is bright and vital - but also appears quite light, silky and fragrant. Now-2015

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2011 Domaine de la Pigeade, Ventoux Classique, 13.5° Bottle £9.50 Case £108.30 Code PIG611 From 40% each of Grenache and Carignan (the latter from 50+ year old vines) plus 20% Syrah, grown on the light sandy soils of Ventoux, so lighter and more graceful than most Côtes du Rhône.

Open, pretty scent of crushed red fruit and glacé cherries. Soft red fruit palate, gently spiced by white pepper and with fine tannins. By Southern Rhône standards, aromatic, long and altogether refined. Now-2015

2012 Domaine Grès St Vincent, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Signargues, 14.5° Bottle £9.50 Case £108.30 Code ESZ512 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah plus Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut, from an estate in conversion to organic cultivation.

This is a charmingly exuberant example of that classic black cherry style of Grenache, fresh, juicy and vital. Now-2016

2012 Domaine du Joncier, l’O de Joncier, Côtes du Rhône, 14° Bottle £9.75 Case £111.15 Code JON212Although the grapes for this come from Marine Roussel’s vineyards within the Lirac appellation, she prefers to label it as Côtes du Rhône to distinguish it from her three Liracs. From 100% Grenache, picked relatively early for freshness and given just a short maceration, from this vintage it’s certified as organic and bio-dynamic.

Soft youthful purple. This offers a scent of cherries and hedgerow fruit. It’s immediately strikingly energetic and lively, with red cherry and raspberry flavours, minimal tannin but excellent concentration. So bright and pure - a delicious expression of young Grenache. Now-2016

2011 Domaine Roger Perrin, Côtes du Rhône, 13° Bottle £9.75 Case £111.15 Code PES111 The back label calls this “Rouge fruité”; and it’s exactly as described, from 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsaut.

This offers a classic Grenache nose of crushed cherries and damsons, and then a deliciously forward, supple juicy gulp of raspberries and cherries, with a charming liqueur hint and a lovely perfumed finish. Now-2015

2011 Domaine des Amadieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages, 14° Bottle £9.95 Case £113.43 Code AMB111 A classic southern blend here of about 60% Grenache from vineyards near Cairanne, 30% Syrah from Ste Cecile and 10% Carignan.

Attractive, open scents: crushed berries and cherries. Rather richer on the palate, with a decent gush of red and black cherries, mildly spiced, with light tannins. Very ripe - winemaker Yves-Jean Hauser applauds its “sucrosité” - but not in the least sweet, this is honest, fragrant and seductive. Now-2016

2011 Domaine des Espiers, Côtes du Rhône, 14° Bottle £10.25 Case £116.85 Code ESP111 Magnum £21.50 Case (6 x 150cl.) £122.55 Code ESP811From Philippe Cartoux’s densely planted, low yielding vines around Vacqueyras and Gigondas, this is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah.

Really ripe, strawberryish aromas. Supple, juicy and fresh but with plenty of guts too. Berry and red cherry core. Now-2016

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2010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Le Gourmand, 14.5° Bottle £11.25 Case £128.25 Code JON510 Marine Roussel makes superb, organically certified, red Liracs. This is about 3/4 Grenache with Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut, and lighter than the Classique below. Marine Roussel says her 2010s are “intense and elegant at the same time”, and you can see what she means here.

Scent of crushed, sun-warmed strawberries. Pure, ripe red fruit - cranberries and raspberries - and appealingly juicy too. Tangy finish. Now-2015

2011 Domaine Roger Perrin, Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes, 14° Bottle £11.95 Case £136.23 Code PES211From vines averaging 60 years of age grown on parcels just outside the boundary of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation; and about 73% Grenache, 22% Syrah and 5% Cinsaut, this is really better and more authentic than a lot of cheap Châteauneufs.

Really open black fruit, cherries and berries, rich, backed by smooth tannins and with an incipient savouriness. This always shows such attractive fat - that level of glycerol is something almost unique to the southern Rhône. Terrific. Now-2016

2009 Domaine des Espiers, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Sablet, 14.5° Bottle £12.25 Case £139.65 Code ESP409 2009 saw a very short harvest at Espiers due to a hot summer and a total lack of rain. This is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, well-extracted to give a wine of real power and concentration.

Enticing aromas of cooked fruit with a gamey hint. Plush blackberry and cooked plum core, which opens out and flowers on the palate. So much volume and glycerol. Well-covered tannins. So impressive. Now-2016

2010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Le Classique, 14.5° Bottle £12.95 Case £147.63 Code JON110 Marine Roussel’s principal wine, from about 35% each of Grenache and Syrah, with Cinsaut and Carignan, has become a much-loved staple here at SVS since the 2001 vintage.

Deep glossy purple. Black cherry aromas are evident, with a liqueur-like richness. Fleshy but lively, showing black fruit, fine acid and light, smooth tannins. Rounded and approachable but will keep well too. Now-2017

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2010 Domaine des Amadieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Cairanne, Vieilles Vignes, 14° Bottle £12.95 Case £147.63 Code AMB310 Magnum £26.50 Case (6 x 150cl.) £151.05 Code AMB910 From vines between 45 and 55 years old, grown in what is unquestionably one of the top terroirs left in the Côtes du Rhône Villages category: why Vinsobres, Rasteau and Beaumes de Venise have become appellations and not Cairanne is no doubt explained by local viticultural politics...

About 50% Grenache, 20% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, part in barrel, plus Carignan. Splendidly fresh and juicy blackberries and black cherries, with volume, balance and a pinch of black pepper. Tannins present but winegummily ripe. Terrific. Now-2017

2009 Domaine Le Couroulu, Vacqueyras, Classique, 14° Bottle £14.95 Case £170.43 Code COW109The Vacqueyras of shoulder-shrugging, chain-smoking Guy Ricard at Couroulu have become immensely popular here at SVS.

Deep hue. Rather meaty aromas, with liquorice. So ripe and rich, with a cooked cherry core seasoned with the same savoury and liquorice notes as on the nose. With plenty of tannins for keeping, this is gutsy stuff. “The most forward and drinkable of these offerings is the 2009 Vacqueyras Cuvee Classique, which is a blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre primarily aged in cement tanks. This gorgeous effort reveals abundant notes of tapenade, black cherries, soy, new saddle leather, blackberries and earth. This seductive, round, generous, pure, velvety-textured 2009 should drink well for 7-8 years. 90/100”, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, October 2011. ***(*), John Livingstone-Learmonth on www.drinkrhone.com, July 2010. Now-2018

2010 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac, Les Muses, 14.5° Bottle £15.95 Case £181.83 Code JON310 80% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah, so the blend is more like a Bandol than a typical southern Rhône; and this organically farmed wine is now winning accolades everywhere.

Very, very deep-hued. Shows that characteristic savoury, almost meaty, and black-fruited scent of Mourvèdre. Muted at first, this opens out grandly, displaying black cherries and plums, spiced with nutmeg, and fine acid. Very smooth and graceful, and not in the least heavy for such an intense wine. Now-2017

2009 Domaine des Espiers, Gigondas, 14.5° Bottle £16.25 Case £185.25 Code ESP309 Magnum £33.50 Case (6 x 150cl.) £190.95 Code ESP909About 2/3 Grenache and 1/3 Syrah, all raised for 6 months in old oak barriques, largely demi-muids. It’s always ripely fleshy, but it’s also very concentrated in this dry vintage.

Brightly fruited, but with plenty of grip, this shows black cherries and red fruits with floral undertones. Great acidity gives vitality. Concentrated, yet balanced, and with lively spice and red fruit on the finish. “Jolly dark robe, a healthy look. The bouquet is a good ensemble, holds quietly sustained black cherry fruit that is clear-cut, promises variety, also shows a sense of coffee and meat. The palate has a black cherry lead-off, is continuous, and gathers some pebbly, largely ripe tannins that sit well. Local fullness in this; it is developing well, and will be more varied and more provocative from 2014. Rather comprehensive black fruit on the finish. ****”, John Livingstone-Learmonth on www.drinkrhone.com, July 2011. Now-2016

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2009 Domaine Le Couroulu, Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes, 14.5 ° Bottle £17.95 Case £204.63 Code COW309 Magnum £37.95 Case (6 x 150cl.) £216.32 Code COW909 Double Magnums £75.00 Code COW509Guy Ricard’s top red, from about 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, made from old vine parcels planted on the plateau amidst the garrigue by his grandparents, and aged in foudres, huge and ancient oak vats; this is a terrific, profound wine. This smells fantastic, all pure red fruits with Kirsch-like aromas of cooked cherries. So fleshy and ripe, with wonderfully rounded tannins. This is better than most Châteauneufs, but shares the same great marriage of red-fruited Grenache and black-fruited Syrah. It builds so well: it’s a huge, meaty and spicy example. “Potentially better, but backward and in need of several years of bottle age at present, the 2009 Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes comes from 60-year-old vines….it exhibits a dense purple color in addition to restrained aromatics, a highly extracted mouthfeel, but no hard edges. Silky tannins, low acidity and stunning concentration suggest it should turn out to be a brilliant Vacqueyras that will hit its prime in 2-3 years, and last for 10-12. 90+/100”, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, October 2011. ****(*), John Livingstone-Learmonth on www.drinkrhone.com. Now-2018 Limited stock

2010 Domaine Roger Perrin, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 14.5° Bottle £20.50 Case £233.70 Code PES410 Magnum £41.50 Case (6 x 150cl.) £236.55 Code PES910 The average age of the vines is very high indeed here, with some of the numerous plots in their 15.6 hectares of Châteauneuf planted a century ago, and the average being about 60 years old. This Châteauneuf is a traditional blend of about 70% Grenache, plus, in descending order,

Syrah, Mourvèdre, and a little Cinsaut, Clairette, Counoise and Vaccarese. Grapes are partially destemmed, vinified by variety, and aged in a mix of stainless steel, old foudres, and a few new barrels.

Hugely attractive ripe black fruit aromas with a cigar-box note. This shows so well the attractive balance of red and black fruit that is the essence of good Châteauneuf, with a purée of black fruits enlivened by the juicy bite of red cherries. Vanilla and spice notes. There are good backing tannins, but this is svelte and smooth, already approachable and pleasurable to drink. Lovely, cassis-scented finish. Now-2018

2009 Domaine des Espiers, Gigondas, Cuvée des Blaches, 14.5° Bottle £23.50 Case £267.90 Code ESP209 Cuvée des Blaches is a tiny production wine - just 250 cases - of very low yielding 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, given considerable oak.

Rich, liqueur-like scent. Luxuriant cherry and cassis, almost jellied in apparent sweetness and perfume, is overlaid by chocolatey oak notes and black pepper. Densely textured, this is a show-stopper, if not for traditionalists. Now-2017

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The North The narrow valley of the Rhône south of Lyon is the spiritual home of Syrah. Here the vineyards crawl up the steep slopes, almost all apart from Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage on the west side of the river.

2011 Domaine Pichat, Syrah, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, 13° Bottle £13.25 Case £151.05 Code PID111 The lightly oaked Vin de Pays Syrah, from Stéphane Pichat’s young vines within the Côte Rôtie appellation, is a wine of authenticity and value.

This is ripe, juicy and with appealing cut. Raspberry tone. Pure, lifted and just rounded from the barrel-ageing, this is smooth and refined. Now-2017

2007 Le Prieuré d’Arras, Saint Joseph, 12.5º Bottle £14.95 Case £170.43 Code BEC307Lovers of mature, silky Northern Rhône should snap up our last few cases of this, a fresh and light bodied wine which can slip down all too easily, drinking beautifully now

Scent of raspberries and blackberries with a vanilla nuance; and the palate equally combines red and black fruit. Silkily textured, perfumed in the mouth, and offering a satisfying and lightly savoury finish. Now-2014

2009 Yann Chave, Crozes-Hermitage, 13.5º Bottle £16.95 Case £193.23 Code CHA109 Yann made superb wines in 2009. This is unoaked, softened by micro-oxygenation, so always fleshy and supple.

Deep hue. Lovely scent of crushed blackberries; and on the palate that impression of lively, perfectly clean fruit continues, all blackcurrants and blackberries. Pure and relaxed. “Unoaked. Satisfying, dark, pungent, on the sweeter side of north Rhône Syrah but fun. Quite evolved with a bit of liquorice and spearmint. GV 16/20”, Jancis Robinson, MW on www.jancisrobinson.com, 13th December 2012. Now-2015

2009 Domaine Monier-Perreol, Saint Joseph, 12.5° Bottle £17.95 Case £196.65 Code MOP509Jean-Pierre has been farming organically since the 1980s, and since 1993 biodynamically. This Saint Joseph comes from 30 year old vines, and goes into about barrel (about 20% new oak) for a year.

Vibrant purple. Aromas of vanilla and spice. Attractively ripe and juicy, showing raspberry and redcurrant. Fragrant and classy. Now-2016

2009 Yann Chave, Crozes-Hermitage, Le Rouvre, 13.5º Bottle £20.95 Case £238.83 Code CHA209Le Rouvre, named after a type of sessile oak, is aged for 12 months in new, one and two year old demi-muids, 600 litre barrels. This comes from parcels of old vines on the very stony fields at Les Chassis, and is an intense mineral wine which ages superbly.

Deep purple, with aromatics of crushed black fruits with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bittersweet, crunchy black fruit with a hint of liquorice, silkily textured and delicious. “More seriously endowed with more noticeable vanillin and toasty oak characteristics, the 2009 Crozes-Hermitage Le Rouvre reveals a dense purple color, sweet tannin and lots of creme de cassis, blackberry, pepper, spice, roasted meat and forest floor notes. This big wine will benefit from several years of cellaring and will keep for 10-12 years”, 91+/100”, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, December 2011. ****, John Livingstone-Learmonth on www.drinkrhone.com, March 2011. Now-2018

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Definition of a white for autumn? Tricky, but here are four whites, all lively and unoaked but with really generous flavours and moderate alcohol levels.

2012 Conviviale, Fiano, Puglia, Italy, 12.5° [Screwcap] Bottle £6.95 Case £79.23 Code CNV612The latest ampelographical research (i.e. Jancis Robinson’s monumental Wine Grapes) suggests that the Fiano Aromatico of Puglia is distinct from the better known Fiano, the ancient grape of the Campania; and that it should be renamed Minutolo. Whatever the minutiae (sorry couldn’t resist this) this is, as her book describes Minutolo, an “opulently grapey Puglian”.

Pine and herbal scented. Very much a Mediterranean white, with ripe peach flavours - Viognier-like - with a clean, zesty finish. Now-2014

2012 Preignes Le Vieux, Reserve Blanc, IGP Coteaux du Libron, France, 12.5°Bottle £7.50 Case £85.50 Code PRF812 Languedoc blends like this are too often under-rated, with the modern focus on wines from single varieties. This is a perfumed and elegant wine based on Vermentino, with other varieties including a dash of aromatic Viognier and Muscat.

Such an open and attractive scent. Zippy, enticing gush of lime, stone fruit and melon, nicely rounded and medium bodied. Attractive, ripe fruit finish. Now-2014

2013 Cape Atlantic Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa, 13° [Screwcap]Bottle £8.50 Case £96.90 Code CED613Just arrived, this is from the young Sauvignon parcels at the Cederberg estate, 3,000 feet up in the Cederberg mountains. Owner and winemaker David Nieuwoudt chooses to disguise its pedigree by putting an image of a gannet on the label - but he freely admits it’s almost as good as the estate Sauvignon at only 2/3 the price.

Grassy and citrus notes on a steely frame. Really mouthwatering fruit and acid balance, crisp and bright. Now-2015

2012 Château Barrejat, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec, France, 13° Bottle £8.95 Case £102.03 Code BAJ612 Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh is the little known white, based on Gros Manseng, in the area of south-west France north of Pau better known for the reds of Madiran. Denis Capmartin’s example is invariably delicious.

Gently herbal scents. Open and well-textured, showing stone fruit - apricot and yellow plums - plus a hint of pineapple. Fruity yet correctly dry, this can be enjoyed as an aperitif or has the stuffing to accompany chicken. Now-2015

Autumn WhitesA mixed dozen of 3 bottles of each of the wines above, with a discount of 6%£90.00 Code AW13

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NitidaHow do you create a top-flight South African estate from scratch? Ex-chemist Bernhard Veller sets out a 7 point plan, starting with “Buy a piece of beautiful soil in Durbanville” (this he did in 1990) and ending with “work your butt off for 20 years”! Nitida is a terrific little estate with just 16 hectares of vines. How could this estate, chosen as the best producer in South Africa in the local Michelangelo Wine Awards in 2009, not be represented here in the UK? Well now these stylish wines have landed....

Durbanville is now almost a northern suburb of Cape Town. With its southern latitude and proximity to the cool Atlantic it’s a coolish climate zone by Cape standards, renowned for aromatic whites in particular. From a fascinating tasting we chose these five wines: first, a really Champagne-challenging sparkling wine; the Semillon for which the estate is well-known; a fine white Bordeaux-style oaked blend (the previous vintage won the top accolade of five stars in the Platter wine guide); a chunky Shiraz; and a right bank-ish Merlot-based red blend of power and fine aromatics.

2012 Nitida, The Matriarch, Methode Cap Classique, Coastal Region, 11.5° Bottle £14.50 Case with 10% off £156.60 Code NIT812 This is only the third vintage of this sparkling blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Engaging scent of ripe citrus and white flowers. Bright, youthful and elegantly balanced palate, showing a hint of crisp pineapple, with a creamy gentle mousse rounding to a crisp finish. Now-2015

2012 Nitida, Semillon, Durbanville, 14° [Screwcap] Bottle £10.95 Case with 10% off £118.26 Code NIT112 Nitida is well-known for growing high quality Semillon: half of this wine is barrel fermented, some in new French oak. A reductive wine-making style (i.e. minimizing exposure to oxygen) produces a smokey-scented, well-textured example, giving all the characteristic ripe pears and grassiness of the grape, along with hints of green fig and honeycomb. Dry, pungent and herbaceous. 4½ stars in the Platter guide. Now-2016

2012 Nitida, Coronata Integration, Durbanville, 13° [Screwcap] Bottle £14.50 Case with 10% off £156.60 Code NIT312 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% barrel-fermented Semillon, blended and then given 8 months in old oak. Creamy aromas with a hint of struck match which often marks such Cape blends. Smooth and buttery but also lively and green-fruited: nougat vies with guava and ginger. Oak very well integrated. Very refined and long. Now-2017

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2011 Nitida, Shiraz, Durbanville, 14° Bottle £12.25 Case with 10% off £132.30 Code NIT611

A very typical Cape Shiraz, given 12 months in old French barrels, this is open, generous and gutsy. Smokey and juicy red fruit, likely to soften and develop savoury notes shortly. Now-2016

2011 Nitida, Calligraphy, Durbanville, 14.5° Bottle £14.75 Case with 10% off £159.30 Code NIT811

Nitida is better known for its whites, but we were bowled over by this classy blend. Very much in a Bordeaux idiom - 55% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, all in French oak, 25% new - and with considerable keeping potential, this bursts with life, texture and aromatics. Perfume of black plum and Indian spices. Smooth but generous plum and blackberry flavours, not at all over-ripe. Energetic. Now-2018

BlankbottleSurfer-dude, master of social media and creator of tiny batch wines, Pieter Walser of Blankbottle wines is an extraordinary young man. He sources grapes from friends and contacts, usually in the Swartland (two of the wines below have the word black in their title, a translation of swart); he supervises the picking (sometimes just passing through a vineyard and picking the bunches he wants, before the owner picks); he makes the wines in the cellars of two or three friends; he designs the labels himself; and sells the wine direct to consumers in South Africa from his own website. There he has built up a cult following, and these wines are winning many friends here too.

What Pieter loves is the opportunity to work with a wide range of grape varieties: as he says, it’s “not about stylistic winemaking philosophies, but all about different varieties”. More from Pieter: “we pick certain varietals as “treble” components and other as “base” components. We then focus

not on the varietal as such, but on the specific contributing factors of that wine to the final blend”. He is also very careful not to over-employ new barrels: he likes the oak just “polishing the fruit”.

2012 Blankbottle, Moment of Silence, Wellington, 13.5° Bottle £14.50 Case with 10% off £156.60 Code BBO112

This is the third vintage we have shipped of Pieter’s lightly oaked blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Viognier and it’s better than ever before, just so textured and harmonious. Pale straw. Scents of stone fruit, honey and cream. Apricot and white peach, lightly honeyed but not in the least sweet. Sprinkle of white pepper. Very subtle oaking (in seven year old barrels) just brings creamy volume. Now-2016

2010 Blankbottle, The White Black, Western Cape, 13.5° Bottle £18.50 Case with 10% off £199.80 Code BBO310

In this vintage very much based on white Rhône varieties: Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Clairette and a little Chardonnay. Toasty nose, with nuances of orange zest, cream and marzipan. Very fat - the richness of Brazil nuts - and textured, with juicy stone fruit and honey, but irony and mineral too in the manner of a Roussillon white or a Savennières. Very long citrus finish. Fascinating, and a great food wine. Now-2014

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13 Humphrey Farms, Hazeley Road, Twyford, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 1QA

Telephone: 01962 712351 Fax: 01962 717545 Email: [email protected] Website: www.stonevine.co.uk

2011 Blankbottle, Fifteen + 1, Western Cape, 14° Bottle £11.95 Case with 10% off £129.06 Code BBO511This is Pieter’s remarkable red blend of no less than16 different grape varieties (some white!), lightly oaked. Brambly nose. Very ripe raspberry and blackberry flavours combined with dark chocolate. Crisp and energetic, with fresh acidity. Now-2016

2011 Blankbottle, The Little Spaniard, Wellington, 13° Bottle £11.95 Case with 10% off £129.06 Code BBO711 As much a Languedoc as Spanish blend: 40% Carignan, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache and 10% Cinsaut. Distinctive - note the very moderate alcohol for a Cape red. Ruby tone. Scent of raspberries with vanilla, and mildly roasted associations. Juicy, vibrant red berries, with a peck of spice, a hint of mocha, and a fruity finish. Lively wine, just perfect for grilled meat. Now-2015

2012 Blankbottle, The Misfit, Swartland, 13° Bottle £16.25 Case with 10% off £175.50 Code BBO912 Old bush vine Carignan, fermented with stems. Just 770 bottles produced. Brilliant blackberry hue. Scents of vanilla and strawberry. Fresh attack of sharp berry and redcurrant, tinged with vanilla and coffee. Pieter Walser thinks it needs time, but it’s already very approachable. Now-2017

2008 Blankbottle, Black, Swartland, 14.5° Bottle £25.00 Case with 10% off £270.00 Code BBO808Pieter Walser says “predominantly Syrah (Riebeek and Paardeberg grapes) with bits of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan from the Paardeberg”. Delightful scent: strawberries and raspberries. Deep colour, but not that dense: this wine isn’t about power and extraction but finesse and pleasure. Delicious strawberry fruit, sumptuous and velvet-textured. Earthy depth, not dissimilar to a top south of France Syrah. Altogether splendid. Now-2015

We offer a 5% discount for unmixed cases (12 bottles) except where a larger discount applies.

Delivery Charges* to one address are as follows: 1-5 bottles £10.00; 6-11 bottles £8.50; 1 case of 12 bottles £5.95; 13-24 bottles £8.50

Please note: free delivery for orders of £150 or more (to one address), or over £75 in the Winchester area. (*Delivery prices vary for delivery to the highlands, islands and Northern Ireland - please ask us for a quote).