HOW IT WORKS
Delicious wines chosen by our expert Exclusive discounts from our merchants FREE UK delivery direct to your door
Ambriel Classic Cuvee Brut Traditional Method NV, West Sussex, England
This is one of my favourite English sparkling wines. Southern England has become home to some exceptional méthode champenoise wines, with award- winning Ambriel amongst the very best. Wendy and Charles Outhwaite began their vineyard in 2006 and now produce around 2,500 cases annually of their non vintage, plus smaller amounts of Rosé and vintage blanc de blanc. It is exceptionally elegant with a powerful backbone of minerality and the usual apple flavours that tend to differentiate English sparkling wines from traditional Champagne. Drink this and you will understand why English sparkling wine deserves to be taken seriously.
PRICE PER CASE: £312, saving £35.40
Guy de Chassey Grand Cru Brut NV, Champagne, France
This is brilliant value for a Grand Cru Champagne – less than the price of the big generic non-vintage brands and much higher quality. It is a fifth generation family affair produced in the village of Louvois, one of the few in Champagne to have 100% Grand Cru status. Everything is done by hand on the 27-acre estate. One third of the blend is from older vintages and the bottles are matured for a minimum of three years. It is well structured with the brioche notes that reflect its exceptional quality. Although it is ready for immediate drinking, it would effortlessly improve from more bottle age.
£348, saving £35.40 Sanziana Pinot Grigio Recas Cramele 2018, Romania
What a surprise! I tried this recently on a picnic in the Cotswolds and was blown away by its drinkability – floral overtones with a citric aftertaste reminiscent of something costing twice as much. This is made by three well-known Spanish and Australian wine-makers in southwest Romania. Twenty years ago, they managed to salvage some old vineyards that had been abandoned under the communist regime and have brought them back to life. More than €45 million has been spent on the project and leading Italian oenologists have been brought in to improve the quality. This deserves to be far better known and is unbeatable at this price.
PRICE PER CASE: £90, saving £9
Chablis Les Deux Rives Olivier Leflaive 2017, Burgundy, France Chablis has long been one of my favourite expressions of white Burgundy, with its dry chalky flavour all wrapped around a mineral backbone. Chablis soil is a mixture of limestone, clay and fossilised oyster shells. It is a perfect white wine to serve with food, ranging from all types of fish and crustacea to white meats like veal or chicken. Olivier Leflaive is one of the largest negociants in Burgundy, making a wide range of wines from bought in grapes which are inspected by them every step of the way. This blend is made from vines averaging 30 years old, from either side of the Serein River (hence the name). Like all quality Chablis, it manages to combine the flinty classic style of the wine with honeyed elements.
£228, saving £23.40 Double Trouble Shiraz Cabernet Barossa Boy 2016, Barossa Valley, Australia
This classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Shiraz has restored my faith in modern Australian wine making. Although it packs a punch at 14% alcohol, it is wonderfully exuberant yet understated, with none of the fruit bomb elements that can make this blend heavy going. It is a mixture of high altitude Eden Valley Cabernet with the richer Shiraz from the Barossa Valley. Made by fifth generation winemaker Trent Burge, this is his first solo effort, which has a wonderful lightness of touch. It has the expressiveness of a New World wine but with the elegance and balance more reminiscent of Bordeaux. Ideal with any red meat or game.
PRICE PER CASE: £216, saving £23.40
Moulin-a-Vent Coeur de Terroir Vieilles Vignes Domaine Labruyere 2015, Beaujolais, France
This is one of the most delicious Moulin-a-Vent wines I have ever tasted. The introductory wine of Domaine Labruyère; one of the greatest producers of this top of the range Beaujolais. It is addictive with its refreshing cherry and kirsch flavours. The 2015 vintage is especially ripe and generous and I defy anyone who tastes it not to be completely bowled over. Made from 50 year old vines from five separate vineyards, the owners eschew pesticides and make it along strict organic lines.
PRICE PER CASE: £258, saving £29.40