South African Mixed Case
A mixed case of 6 South African wines – 3 reds and 3 white
- Sauvignon Blanc ‘Enita’, Niel Joubert, Paarl
- Grenache Blanc, Piekenierskloof, Swartland
- Chenin Blanc ‘Moment of Silence’, Blankbottle, Wellington
- Pinotage, Du Plevaux, Stellenbosch
- Red Secateurs, Badenhorst, Swartland
- Cabernet Franc, Raats, Stellenbosch
Pol Roger Brut Reserve Champagne, NV
Pol Roger, a Champenois from Aÿ, founded his champagne house in Epernay in 1849. Over the next 50 years, until his death in 1899, he built his business into one of the most respected in Champagne and, in particular, forged strong trade links with Britain. The founder was succeeded by his sons, Maurice and Georges, who changed their names to Pol-Roger by deed poll and, thereafter, by a further three generations of his direct descendants. To this day the company remains small, family-owned, fiercely independent and unrivalled in its reputation for quality.
Louis Roedereer Brut Premier Champagne, NV
From the maker of Cristal, sstablished in 1776, Louis Roederer is one of the few, great Champagne houses which remains family owned.
Chardonnay La Poiriere, Domaine Berthet Bondet, Cotes de Jura, France
Jean Berthet-Bondet has been working his land since 1984.
With a humble 15 hectares of 30 year old vines, this estate may well be small but it is steeped in history and heritage. Half of Jean’s land is in the Château Chalon appellation which is home to the Savagnin grape, renowned for making the revered Vin Jaune. A unique wine that has seen a resurgence of popularity in recent years, but has always been appreciated by the knowledgeable few.
Mentou Salon Morogues, Domaine Pelle, Loire Valley, France
For a long time, Menetou Salon was viewed as the poor relation of nearby Sancerre. Producers such as Domaine Pellé have ensured that is no longer the case. Anne and Paul-Henry Pellé currently preside over the family estate, the 4th generation of the Pellé family to tend vines here. They farm in a truly sustainable manner and aim to communicate the unique expression of the Menetou Salon terroirs in each bottling. Their ‘Morogues white’ is a blend of 7 different parcels from the highest slopes of the appellation. This location ensures the vines, which are rooted in Kimmeridgian marl soils, are exposed to cool temperatures coupled with long sunshine hours
Hallgarten Riesling Trocken, Peter Jacob Kuhn, Rheingau, Germany
It was no surprise Peter Jakob Kuhn had been voted German winemaker of the year for 2016 – his wines are some of the best examples of German produce we have tasted. The Kühn estate was founded in 1786 by Jacobus Kühn and has remained under the watchful eye of his family ever since. Now, along with his wife Angela, and their son Peter Bernhard (who, during his training completed a stage with our friends at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht), cultivates the family land biodynamically, producing a range of Rieslings which showcase the Rheingau terroir. A fervent believer in the ecological benefits of biodynamic farming, Peter is at present, the only producer to follow biodynamic principles in the Rheingau. His wines are made in a fearless manner, with as much as possible left to nature’s own course. His experimental cuvées include wines which have undergone extra-long lees ageing or been fermented and aged in amphora vessels. Peter is a producer we are delighted to introduce to you all and we firmly believe that his wines will become iconic in the very near future.
Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Cesar, Domaine Roche-Audran, Southern Rhone, France
Vincent Rochette comes from a long line of grape growers rather than winemakers. In 1998, he bucked that trend by investing in a cellar and the necessary equipment to allow him to vinify his own grapes, which for five generations had been sold to other winemakers in the area. Vincent is an ardent believer in the benefits of biodynamics, fully converting his estate to follow that philosophy in 2006. He uses only natural products in the vineyard and carries out all his work in keeping with the cosmic cycles of the earth, not only among the vines but also in the cellar
Chenin Blanc Bouillon aux Dames, Les Equilibristes, Languedoc, France
Les Equilibristes is the brainchild of this pair as they aim to produce one of a kind, quirky cuvees from small estates all across France. Most importantly, their central ideal is to fashion wines that possess the équilibre (‘balance’). Each year, they visit their grower friends and purchase a select amount of grapes from which they produce terroirs-driven, organic cuvees that express a clear identity and sense of place. The results are simply stunning, as Florent (the winemaker) uses little to no added sulphites and other minimal intervention techniques to allow the grapes to truly speak for themselves.
Blankbottle Moment of Silence, Wellington, South Africa
From critically-acclaimed South African winemaker Pieter H. Walser. Pieter explains when he first established the basic premise of the concept. “In 2004, a lady came to my house to buy wine. She asked for anything but Shiraz. “I don’t drink Shiraz”, were her exact words. I poured her a glass of wine. She loved it and bought 3 cases. It was a straight Shiraz. It’s a fact – we do judge the book by its cover.” And so was born the idea of a range of wines that has no limitations when it comes to style, vintage, area or grape varieties
Macon Peronne, Domaine du Mont Epin, Burgundy, France
Richard and Stéphane Martin, the brothers behind Domaine de la Croix-Senaillet produce this wine. After freak weather patterns disrupted their harvest in 2015, they decided to take on two new vineyard sites in nearby Clessé. This allowed them to experiment with a different terroir, as well as expand their range with the incorporation of a number of new wines.
‘Aus’ Pet-Nat, Celler de les Aus, Allela, Spain
Located on the same site as Alta Alella is Celler de les Aus, headed by Mireia Pujol-Busquets – the daughter of Josep Maria. Mireia has already established a reputation as one of the most exciting young winemakers in Europe and, as well as assuming many of the roles from her father in the Alta Alella operation, she has established her own micro-project, producing natural wines without the addition of any sulphites. The small yet striking winery is filled to the brim with vessels of all shapes and sizes as Mireia continually experiments in an effort to produce wines that are as pure a representation of the Alella terroirs as possible. hak
Quintas do Homem, Vinho Verde, Portugal
Quintas do Homem is one of those estates that immediately captivates you with its charm, its passion and dynamism.
Nuno and his father, Antonio, work the vines of their two vineyards, Quinta do Veiga and Quinta do Paço, where they grow predominately Loureiro and Arinto. Ana, their long term winemaker, is a fierce taskmaster, demanding quality fruit that enables her to deliver the pure, fine and elegant Vinho Verdes that Nuno expects. It’s very much a family exercise with Nuno and his father working the vineyards, Nuno’s mother preparing delicious, traditional Portuguese dishes for visitors and Ana, an adopted family member, making sure the wines are always perfect.
