Anniversary Reds Case

When it came to a Margaux for our anniversary celebrations, we were delighted that Ben Sichel at Château Angludet allowed us to blend our own unique cuvée from 2015, one of the great Margaux vintages of this century. Combining the classic perfume and silky texture associated with the commune, it is 55% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot and 8% petit verdot, aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, 35% of which were new. Bottled in July 2017, it has been maturing in our cellars ever since. It is now hitting its sweet spot: scented and pure on the nose, fleshy and succulent on the palate, with notes of violets and a hint of cigar box. The tannins are perfectly rounded and ripe, lending the wine real charm and personality. For more on the story of this wine, please scroll down.

We selected and blended this special Rioja in 2016 from some of Contino's finest fruit. It is about 75% tempranillo with the rest made up of graciano and mazuelo. Contino was the first producer in Rioja to be made from a single vineyard. It has a special location on the banks of the river Ebro and benefits from a warm micro-climate that is reflected in the style of this Rioja which is deeply coloured, full bodied and beautifully structured. It is fragrant with peppery, exotic fruit and a hint of blueberry. The Wine Society has the unique privilege of being the only UK merchant to blend an exclusive wine from this leading fine wine property. Decant in advance to allow all its delightful flavours to unfurl. For more on the story of this wine, please scroll down.

For our 150th anniversary we have worked with one of the great names of Australian wine, Yalumba, to treat members to an outstanding example of how good mature Barossa shiraz can be. Full, rounded and silky, it comes from one of the best vintages for the region in half a century. Yalumba have produced a balanced, dark-fruit laden wine which has started to mature wonderfully, showing earthy notes and a hint of eucalypt freshness. Full-bodied, authentic and bursting with personality, this is a testament to the quality of what is Australia`s oldest family winery and the relationship we share with them. Decant before serving to remove the wine from its sediment. For more on the story of this wine, please scroll down.

An exclusive blend made for our 150th Anniversary range by historic family producer Allegrini, comprising 40% corvina, 40% corvinone, 17% rondinella and 3% oseleta. The grapes, selected from the upper hillsides, were hand harvested and then left to dry naturally for four months, losing around 40% of their weight. After a soft pressing, the wine ferments in steel tanks, to capture the purity of the fruit flavours. It was then aged in new barriques for 18 months, softening the tannins and giving the wine a mocha richness to balance out the intense, dried-prune flavours. It was then further aged in large barrels for seven months for the blend to knit, before bottling, and a further four years of ageing. For more on the story of this wine, please scroll down.

Made exclusively for The Society for our 150th anniversary range by Bodega Weinert, this comes from Finca Huarachi which is situated at Perdriel, Mendoza. Its malbec vines were approximately 60 years of age at harvest. It was matured in Tonel number 141, an old oak barrel, for 15 years until bottling in 2022. Oak maturation has mellowed the tannins and concentrated the wine. This is opulently flavoured and the palate shows dark black fruit and notes of leather, with excellent potential for further ageing. For more on the story of this wine, please scroll down.

This wine is the 2019 vintage of Marqués de Casa Concha Etiqueta Negra made by our long-standing Chilean supplier Concha y Toro. From the El Mariscal vineyard in Puente Alto, an excellent commune of the Upper Maipo, the source of some of Chile`s best cabernets, planted on the warm gravelly soils that the Bordeaux varieties love. It is a blend of 91% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot, matured 16 months in 40% new and 60% second-use oak. Cedar-scented wine with a ripe blackcurrant-flavoured palate with a fine, firm linear structure. Concha y Toro are a leader in more sustainable working practices with strategies to reduce energy and water use, environmental projects including increasing biodiversity, and many local community initiatives. For more on the story of this wine, please scroll down.