Fine Wine with a story to tell

A stunningly fragrant and inviting New Zealand red, which draws you into the glass with bramble, sour-cherry and lavender aromas. The succulent palate is medium to full-bodied, with juicy purple fruit and succulent Parma-violet flavours.

Grown by the sea in the Yallingup sub-region of Margaret River by Liv Maiorana and Mij Patterson of South by South West, who were excited about such premium fruit and started making this blend to give it a label to go under. Very low-yielding vines – just two or three bunches on each – produce pristine, concentrated but fresh fruit. This is an almost 50/50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, co-fermented, essentially making it a field blend. The nose is perfumed and elegant, with a small percentage of well-managed carbonic maceration giving a welcome primary red-fruit note. The palate is medium-bodied and pretty, with flavours of plums, cherries, blackcurrants and wild rosemary, accompanied by blueberry, chocolate and a delicious touch of salinity, doubtless from the ocean-side vineyard. A delightfully silky Margaret River red, which can be drunk cellar cool and with or without food.

Modern and bright in style, the wine is racy, succulent and harmonious managing to balance intense and vivid fruit with a certain elegance and freshness rarely found in more traditional Riojas. Fresh, juicy, strawberry and pomegranate fruit combines with a touch of sweet spice and black pepper with fine, chalky tannins.

The indigenous Cypriot grape xynisteri is planted on complex crystal gypsum and limestone soils at an altitude which gives the wine freshness and a salinity. A relatively new winery since 2016, Makarounas have been going from strength to strength. Expect red apple, melon and orange blossom.

A really cool and unique estate where they have vineyards in Germany (Pfalz) and France (Alsace), based on the border and labelled as German wine. The next generation Johannes Jülg took over from his father in 2011, having studied in Burgundy and worked at Clos des Lambrays. The focus is now on quality having joined the prestigious VDP organisation of top German estates in 2021 and conversion to organic status the same year, with certification from 2024 vintage.

This 100% furmint dry white is from the Tokaji region from some of the best vineyard plots owned by the Juliet Victor winery. 2019 is considered to be the vintage of the decade and this wine doesn't disappoint. Flavours of honey, red apple and fresh apricot combine with spice and toast layers. Crisp and wonderfully fresh.