Recent Reviews

	Ponte de Lima Loureiro Vinho Verde 2017 The Wine Society fields an impressive, keenly priced team of distinctive vinho verde wines; this one has an off-dry, tangy whoosh of juicy satsumas and pears. - Susy Atkins ( Sunday Telegraph 5th Aug 2018 )	£6.95
	Crémant d’Alsace Cuvée Julien Dopff au Moulin NV Head beyond Champagne into Alsace and you will find fresh, crisp, zesty sparkling wine that’s great to serve at summer parties. This is one such delightfully drinkable example. - Will Lyons ( The Sunday Times 5th Aug 2018 )	£12.95
	Tio Pepe Fino 'En Rama' (2018 Bottling) Welcome to the new kid – and trend – on the block. En Rama sherries (literally “in the raw”) are only lightly filtered so you’re getting the true taste of sherry from the cask, providing a depth and a complexity of flavours – encompassing everything from Japanese umami to salted apples – that other sherries may only hint at. It’s a limited release, so get it while you can. - John Clarke ( The Independent 4th Aug 2018 )	£14.95
	Hidalgo Pastrana Manzanilla Pasada Sourced from a single vineyard this light, dry sherry has turned some non-believers into dedicated fans. And it’s not hard to see why. There’s that usual hint of almond like nuttiness helped along with a twist of citrus and a welcome salty tang that make this a superb aperitif. And at that price it’s almost a steal. - John Clarke ( The Independent 4th Aug 2018 )	£11.95
	The Society's California Old-Vine Zinfandel 2016 At this price you expect a pretty simple zinfandel and that is what you get - but this old vine example from Delicato Family Vineyards does show the grape's characteristics well even at this price. - Rose Murray Brown ( The Scotsman 4th Aug 2018 )	£7.95
	Drink'In The Sun Alcohol Free Pale Ale, Mikkeller, Denmark (0.3%, 330ml) Fragrant, hoppy, fruity - the perfect summer beer. - Fiona Beckett ( The Guardian 4th Aug 2018 )	£2.25
	Domaine Jean-Marc Burgaud, Morgon Côte du Py 2016 … a robust, meaty, rustic charmer. - Jane MacQuitty ( The Times 4th Aug 2018 )	£14.95
	Domaine Jones Blanc, Grenache Gris Côtes Catalanes 2015 The new vintage of this delicious white wine has landed so snap it up. It is made from old vines, grown halfway up a very rocky hillside. The flavours are quite extraordinary, with notes of melon and pear, spiked with star anise, sage and spice. The finish is long, creamy and rounded. - Christine Austin ( Yorkshire Post 4th Aug 2018 )	£16.00
	Les Pierres Bordes Marsanne-Viognier 2017 Punchy, white Rhône- aping, big food-friendly Midi white with masses of spiced peach and baked quince fruit. - Jane MacQuitty ( The Times 4th Aug 2018 )	£6.25
	Weissburgunder, Weingut Jülg 2016 … laden with notes of lemon and lime and flint. - Jane Clare ( Liverpool Echo 4th Aug 2018 )	£9.50
	The Society's Ruppertsberg 2017 Slowly we are realising just how much we miss by persisting with last century's misgivings about German wine – but this excellent dry blend of riesling and the underestimated sylvaner should help change a few more minds. Alive with lime based and citrus peel freshness, [this wine] also provides contrasting hints of mango sweetness – wrapped in greengage depth and suggestions of nutmeg. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£6.95
	The Society's Chilean Pinot Noir, Leyda 2016 Ocean influences also keep temperatures down in Chile’s Leyda Valley and, thus, make it a prime region for the quality pinot noir that, increasingly, Chile is producing. While [this wine] may not have the texture of more expensive versions it certainly delivers all the floral cherry, raspberry and clove flavours you expect and even adds a little menthol (but very little tannin) to the mix. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£8.25
	The Society's Exhibition Tasmanian Chardonnay 2016 Modern Australian chardonnay producers recognise that current tastes demand less oak and more acidity than in days of yore and (relatively cool) Tasmania – already the country’s go-to fizz region – seems perfectly placed to meet the acidic freshness part of those requirements. Buyers from the Society certainly think so and [this wine] fully justifies their enthusiasm with sharp lemon and green apple acidity to support its under-ripe melon fruit, hazelnut and apricot richness and faint background of (probably) barrel induced pie crust touches. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£16.00
	The Society's Exhibition Alvarinho, Vinho Verde 2017 I fancy that [this wine] has greater depth and more savoury twists than many Spanish versions but, happily, achieves it without diminishing that trademark pithy grapefruit acidity and smooth orchard fruit flavours. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£8.95
	The Society's Exhibition Hawke's Bay Red 2014 A blend of merlot, cabernet and malbec that – as a Craggy Range product – is classy enough to qualify for the Exhibition range. Dark and concentrated, [this wine] has compelling cassis aromas that lead into ripe, smooth bramble and loganberry fruit with chocolate, cinnamon and aniseed elements and firm but proportionate tannin. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£12.95
	La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva, Rioja 2009 This widely acclaimed Rioja is an absolute star and, interestingly, combines tempranillo from the clay dominated Rioja Alta with garnacha from elsewhere in Rioja to create a marriage that, surely, was made in heaven. Balance is the key to [this wine] where black cherry and blackcurrant fruit is given extra vibrancy by good acidity, tannin is kept proportionate and the chocolate, vanilla and clove background supports but never intrudes. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£22.00
	The Society's Exhibition Napa Valley Zinfandel 2015 I thought that The Society's Old-Vine Zinfandel was good but the Exhibition version is fantastic, embodying all the luxury that both the grape variety and California’s Napa Valley have come to symbolise. Richness and intensity almost ooze from [this wine] which manifest themselves delightfully in the wine's soft, smooth, blackcurrant jam and mulberry fruit and extend into an edge of sweetness that also has contrasting pepper and spice components – but carefully controlled tannin. - Brian Elliott ( midweekwines.co.uk 2nd Aug 2018 )	£16.00
	Frappato di Sicilia, Nicosia 2017 Love this juicy, raspberry jam-scented red from the island of Sicily in Southern Italy. The grape is frappato and it’s the kind of red made for warm weather because chilling it brings out the fruit flavours. - Helen McGinn ( Daily Mail 2nd Aug 2018 )	£9.95
	Geyerhof StockWerk Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal 2017 Tempting treat. Vibrant intensity, juicy, spicy and riveting. - Olly Smith ( The Mail on Sunday 29th Jul 2018 )	£12.50
	Hunter's MiruMiru Marlborough Brut NV Jane Hunter’s champagne-method fizz, from NZ’s south island, is lively, creamy and lightly toasty, with hints of raspberry and apple. - Susy Atkins? ( Sunday Telegraph 29th Jul 2018 )	£17.00
	The Society's Exhibition New Zealand Chardonnay 2016 Made by leading producer Kumeu River, this chardonnay is tight, juicy, fine and a bit spicy. It has pure citrus fruit with keen acidity and a stony mineral twist. - Jamie Goode ( Sunday Express 29th Jul 2018 )	£14.95
	Undurraga Cauquenes Estate Maule Viognier-Roussanne-Marsanne 2017 A little richer than some, but still fresh and dry, with peachy ripeness and a soft note of cooked pears. A food-wine to sip, not quaff, at a rather heady 14 per cent abv. - Susy Atkins ( Sunday Telegraph 29th Jul 2018 )	£7.75
	Semeli Mantinia Nassiakos 2017 According to the cutely named association of British Leafy Salad Growers, this has been quite the summer for lettuce, rocket et al, with record-breaking sales of some 18m lettuces a week – 40% higher than the equivalent peak-leafy-salad season this time last year. What to drink with all this green freshness? That rather depends on what other ingredients you’re adding to the bowl ... if you’re simply mixing up peppery and crunchy leaves with olive oil and lemon juice, the lightness and brightness of Seméli’s brisk, floral, melon and lemon-scented dry white from the moschofilero grape works beautifully. - David Williams ( The Observer 29th Jul 2018 )	£9.95
	Mac Forbes RS19 Strathbogie Ranges Riesling 2017 A marvellous combination of limey tartness and sweetness ...Thrilling limey, sweet-sour riesling. Enjoy with Thai food. - Fiona Beckett ( The Guardian 28th Jul 2018 )	£17.00
	Nyetimber Brut Classic Cuvée NV Splash out on this gorgeous, creamy, yet tangy, buttered lemon brioche bubbly. It’s the best yet. - Jane MacQuitty ( The Times 28th Jul 2018 )	£31.00
	Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé Brut 2015 My favourite pink English fizz — it’s a glorious, wild strawberry and raspberry-scented gem. - Jane MacQuitty ( The Times 28th Jul 2018 )	£28.00
	The Society's English White 2017 England’s top-value white is this floral, lemon-sherbet dab 2017. - Jane MacQuitty ( The Times 28th Jul 2018 )	£7.95
	Camel Valley Cornwall Bacchus 2016 Camel Valley makes some glorious, lime and elderflower-scented bacchus, just like this one. - Jane MacQuitty ( The Times 26th Jul 2018 )	£13.50
	Romate Fino Perdido Here’s proof that you can an excellent bottle of fino for well under a tenner. Translating as “the lost” the name refers to the fact that this is an example of fino-amontillado, a now rare style of sherry that has been created under a coating of flor but has spent longer in the butts than most finos. Although not classified as en rama, it has had minimal treatment before bottling, so that you get the full yeasty apple and nut flavours with a bone dry finish. Enjoy it by itself or with fish, shellfish or cheese. - John Clarke ( The Independent 23rd Jul 2018 )	£7.95
	Fefiñanes Albariño, Rías Baixas 2017 Despite the hefty price tag, here is one of the best albariños of all. This white is bright, fresh and vital, but also full-flavoured with tasty pear, apple and citrus fruit. - Jamie Goode ( Sunday Express 22nd Jul 2018 )	£16.00
	Patrimoine Barrel-Aged Saison, Northern Monk Brew Co, Leeds (7.2%, 750ml) Beer meets wine in a single bottle - fluffy texture, quincy richness, stellar brewing. Buy it. - Olly Smith ( The Mail on Sunday 22nd Jul 2018 )	£8.95
	Domaine Jean-Marc Burgaud, Morgon Côte du Py 2016 Of all the crus in Beaujolais, Morgon produces some of the most structured wines. They’re still light-bodied, redolent of red fruit and graphite, and great drunk slightly chilled – but they have a muscular undertow, too. This one’s superb. - Victoria Moore ( The Daily Telegraph 21st Jul 2018 )	£14.95
	Domaine Jacques Saumaize, Saint-Véran En Crêches 2016 Well-chosen, forward-drinking 2016 white Burgundies can provide picky palates with rewarding Chardonnay pleasure and this is a very classy specimen. Saumaize is a respected fellow and this single vineyard wine is a real treat. - Matthew Jukes ( The Daily Mail 21st Jul 2018 )	£12.95
	Astobiza Txacoli, Alava 2017 Sharp as a chalice chipped from ice. Zesty with floral freshness, this wow wine is scrumptious with shellfish. - Olly Smith ( The Mail on Sunday 15th Jul 2018 )	£11.95
	Riesling Trocken, Künstler 2016 … richer, fuller, subtly spicy, tangily, twangily vibrant dry style … David Williams ( The Observer 15th Jul 2018 )	£12.95
	The Society's Gin High Strength Simply packaged, this is a beautifully classic, intense gin with lots of juniper and a herby coriander twist. It's flavoursome with a lemony, slightly salty finish. Ideal with tonic. - Jamie Goode ( Sunday Express 15th Jul 2018 )	£18.50
	Brindisi Rosso Vigna Flaminio, Vallone 2015 Star value: Superb buy which scored highly for its sweet baked raisiny flavours, gentle oak notes, soft smooth tannins and approachability, ideal for serving with spicy spare ribs. Made from 100% negroamaro by Vallone, one of the Salentino’s top producers who originally sold their grapes off to the local co-operative, but since 1997 have bottled their own. - Rose Murray Brown ( rosemurraybrown.com 14th Jul 2018 )	£7.95
	Terra d'Alter Fado, Alentejano 2017 This wine is part of The Society’s Iberian Whites offer running until Sunday, August 12. The quality of the selection is a reminder of just how far Iberian white wine-making has come in the last 20 years or so as modern techniques have improved production. The Wine Society has won the International Wine Challenge’s Specialist Merchant of the Year for Portuguese wines for two years running. It’s made from Portuguese varieties siria (roupeiro) and arinto with some viognier blended in – creating a lovely texture to the wine. Herbal and aromatic on the nose with a very refreshing pear-drop style palate, it’s superb value. - Andy Cronshaw ( Manchester Evening News 14th Jul 2018 )	£7.75
	Bleasdale Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2017 Yet another Wine Society bargain, this time from the relative cool of the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. Aged in French oak, which brings a bit of toastiness, this is textbook contemporary Aussie chardonnay, fresh and mealy. - Victoria Moore ( The Daily Telegraph 14th Jul 2018 )	£10.95
	Dourthe No 1 Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux 2017 Dourthe is a Bordeaux brand that takes grapes from several of its nine Chateaux vineyards to produce some of its wines and is celebrating its 30th anniversary. This is a great example of the flexibility inherent in the approach; blending grapes from various sources to great effect. It's a remarkable expression of sauvignon blanc with lemon bite to the nose, pineapple and grapefruit. The floral palate is underpinned by mineral notes and soothed by mentholated freshness. A wine that's perfect for seafood such as ousters or mussels and an nailed-on match for goat's cheese.- Andy Cronshaw ( Manchester Evening News 14th Jul 2018 )	£8.50
	Astobiza Txacoli, Alava 2017 A rich version of this on-trend Basque white. - Fiona Beckett ( The Guardian 14th Jul 2018 )	£11.95
	Half bottle of Solear Manzanilla, Barbadillo This zingy tangy tastebud-refreshing wine is the lightest and driest style of sherry, and at 15% is no stronger than some wines. It is the perfect partner for salted nuts, slivers of ham and olives. Drink within a week of opening for the freshest flavours. - Christine Austin ( Yorkshire Post 14th Jul 2018 )	£5.95
	Séguret Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Loubié Rosé, Domaine de Mourchon 2017 The McKinlay family's Loubié rosé, is always mouthwatering, but the 2017, which they bottled earlier than usual, is better than ever – brimful of wild strawberry, spice and cherry aromas, bright strawberry-soda and red-apple fruit shot with cranberry and rosemary, and finally a lingering, leafy freshness. I first tasted it at the end of February and then again in mid-May, blind, when it was one of the three top-scoring wines out of a total of 93 in Decanter magazine's 'French rosé beyond Provence' tasting (results out now, August issue). The grapes are all from the domaine, which sits between the pretty hilltop village of Séguret and towering Mont Ventoux, and the 40-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines that produce the rosé grow at 320m, a height which captures daytime sunshine and cooling nights. It works equally as an aperitif or with food – Greek or Turkish meze, herby fish or chicken, veal chop, barbecued vegetables or charcuterie. - Joanna Simon ( joannasimon.com 12th Jul 2018 )	£10.95
	5 Litre Box of Côtes-du-Rhône, Domaine Jaume 2016 A surprising offering from the Wine Society, in a monster format that defines 'bang for buck'. The wine itself is all juicy cassis and cracked black pepper, just what we are seeking in the southern French grenache-syrah blend. It's a delightful family-run outfit, in that two brothers produce the wine while their other halves tend the vines and guide the oeno-tourists. - Rob Buckhaven ( Metro 10th Jul 2018 )	£43.00
	Señorio de Sarrίa Rosado, Navarra 2017 Pale may be more fashionable but darker rosés usually offer more robust fruit and crunchy favour, which makes them such good friends with food. A crowd-pleasing bargain and a great summer standby - try it with BBQ buffalo chicken thighs. - Kate Hawkings ( Olive 10th Jul 2018 )	£6.75
	Cayetano del Pino Palo Cortado Solera One of [Sherry's alternative styles to Fino] is palo cortado, a style that starts its life in the cellar as a fino, but then at some point loses its layer of flor. In the case of Cayetano del Pino, that makes for a dry, lingering tanginess and nuttiness that is superb with mushrooms or nutty stir fries. - David Williams ( The Observer 8th Jul 2018 )	£14.95
	Domaine Jacques Saumaize, Saint-Véran En Crêches 2016 Here's a sophisticated, serious wine, with intense nut and savoury flavours adding to the bright, lively citrus fruits. It's a brisk, complex white with heaps of presence - Jamie Goode ( Sunday Express 8th Jul 2018 )	£12.95
	Domaine Cordier, Mâcon Aux Bois d'Allier 2016 Concentrated and well defined, this white is brimming with citrus fruit together with some pear richness. It is very stylish, has good definition and is extremely good value for money. - Jamie Goode ( Sunday Express 8th Jul 2018 )	£13.50
	Saint-Chinian, Domaine Raynier 2017 The Saint-Chinian I’m recommending from the Wine Society this week is so good I felt like worshipping the splendidly named wine buyer Marcel Orford-Williams at a recent tasting. I kept it together with ‘Crikey, that wine is lovely’, which I think kept my dignity – and his – intact. Just about the best red blend I've tasted this year at this price. - Olly Smith ( The Mail on Sunday 8th Jul 2018 )	£6.50
	Momo Marlborough Pinot Noir 2016 Made by Seresin, an estate at the forefront of biodynamic viticulture in Marlborough. Although Momo means baby in Maori, this is not a soft easy Pinot Noir. Slightly austere with more structure, tannin and acidity than you normally expect in Marlborough - better served alongside lamb or duck rather than on its own. - Rose Murray Brown ( rosemurraybrown.com 8th Jul 2018 )	£11.50