Fortified and Dessert Wine

A wonderful Moscato d'Asti DOCG here from Beatrice and Marco at Cascina Vano. Not that the wine is marketed as such, but it is 100% from a single, old-vine vineyard that was 'brought' into the family's holdings when Beatrice and Marco's Grandmother married into the family Rivetti. The old-vine vineyard is in the heart of the Santo Stefano Belbo region where her family originate - the heart and soul of real Moscato d'Asti production. Floral, fresh, honeyed and beautifully balanced. Elderflower leads into orange blossom, lavender, honey, melon, peach, pink grapefruit and a gentle, gentle fizz dazzle you into submission. Serious quality here for the price. The style of "Alla Maestra" is really traditional, Beatrice and Marco's Grandmother's family and many generations before had been using the 'bag method' or 'bag filter' to make the Moscato in Valdivilla (hamlet of Santo Stefano Belbo). Valdivilla (along with Santo Stefano Belbo, Calosso, Mango and Camo) is considered to be the original heartland of Moscato production in the region. Beatrice and Marco's idea is to keep the tradition of the style of these wines even if they are no longer using the bag method. Pressure reached in the juice whilst fermentation is halted at 5.5% abv is 1.2 bar. They are keeping real freshness in the wine with a nice acidity and only a delicate 'perlage' (fizz) in amongst the sweet honey notes and all manner of fruits and flowers. Beatrice & Marco also feel this style opens up more options at the table - including savoury and umami matches as well as the classic fruit and sweet dishes. The Grandmother was known as a beloved teacher to many in this area and surrounding villages, hence the dedicated name "Alla Maestra" meaning "For the teacher". It seems in the case of this Moscato, Marco & Beatrice are our teachers too. Teachers of this wonderful, traditional style of Moscato d'Asti. Enjoy the lesson.

The vineyard used to produce this wine is over 2000 years old, still hand worked and totally organic. Made from Grenache, perfect with chocolate.

Crisp and refreshing, with a complex herbal bouquet and twists of waxy lemon, alongside balanced bitterness.

Traditional Douro grape varieties Deep red colour with a tawny-coloured rim. Dense and aromatic nose, with exuberant aromas of dried fruit and an elegant note of spice. Fine and elegant on the palate, it reveals excellent structure and well-balanced acidity. A harmonious ensemble, which lingers into a distinct and delicious finish.

Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage, like Vintage Port, is a wine of a single year however it is not a 'declared' Vintage Port. Whereas Vintage Port spends only two years in casks and then matures in bottle, LBV is aged in casks and then bottled at between four and six years of age. This wood-ageing encourages the wine’s development and thus, at the time of bottling it has completed its maturation and is ready for drinking, without the need for decanting. Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage illustrates Graham’s house style very effectively: great rich fruit concentration with spicy complexity and depth, held together by superb structure and balance. Graham’s has always been renowned for producing outstanding Ports and its Late Bottled Vintage Port is no exception, standing as a leader in its category. While the fortified wine within is in the classic Graham’s LBV style, the packaging has been revamped. The new bottle is 18% lighter than previous Graham’s LBV bottles, weighing 450 grams. The house previously launched its Six Grapes Reserve Ruby Port in the same, lighter bottle in a bid to reduce carbon emissions from shipping.

Sheltered from oceanic influence by the Vosges Mountains, the Alsace wine region enjoys practically the lowest rainfall in France (only 400-500mm per year) and is blessed with a semi-continental climate, sunny, hotand dry. These optimal weather conditions, along with a nice and cool fall season, allow the grapes to ripen slowly and to develop an amazing complexity of aromas. Overt Riesling character at once, with baked tertiary fruit. Evolving. A touch musky. Great balance at 90g/l RS. Not cloying, rather Tarte au Citron. Hugely persistent.

The 2003 offers up a profile of honeyed dried apricots and candied citrus peel carrying through to a weighty, ripe palate with lots of noble rot character.

Structured, bruised and smoky botrytised fruit. High sugar, balancing acid, creamy apricot finish. Quite classic.

"Produced with Palomino grapes from the Miraflores vineyard and aged for five years under yeast. Easy to drink, with a sweet note of apples in the nose, a polished and gentle palate, ending with a saline touch." Rating: 89 Luis Gutierrez, www.robertparker.com

Marcel Deiss is an Alsace legend - a rare, mature gem.

In the early 1950’s, the rising demand for Vintage ports led Fonseca to create a second vintage port under the ‘Guimaraens’ label. Blended from slightly less powerful components, Guimaraens Vintage Ports are made in years when the wines are more supple and early maturing though they are drawn from the same three estates. They differ only in that they are more approachable, ready to drink earlier and for their quality and rarity offer exceptional value. “Caramelised black cherry, liquorice, tea leaves. Pruny. A bite of grippy tannins.” IWC 2019 Silver

The 10 Year Old tawny is a marriage of a number of wines aged in oak for an average of 10 Years. Gift Box

This Loire Valley sweet wine has a lovely golden colour with rich aromas of peach and pear giving a "chewing the fruit" sensation. A very complex, persistent and well balanced wine.

Black/purple colour. A lovely complex nose with excellent sweet and rich fruit aromas such as black cherry, black currant and blackberry. On the palate it is packed with solid, structured, rich and intense black fruit flavours and an admirably long finish. A fabulous way to end a lunch or dinner, Graham's 2004 Quinta dos Malvedos pairs wonderfully with chocolate desserts, such as chocolate mousse.

Well-rounded, rich vanilla on the nose and palate, this vermouth also shows bitter orange, dates, cocoa beans and saffron flavours. Makes for a mean Negroni. Also available as a half-bottle.

Well-rounded, rich vanilla on the nose and palate, this vermouth also shows bitter orange, dates, cocoa beans and saffron flavours. Makes for a mean Negroni.

More golden and nuttier than the manzanilla with a little sweetness which matches many soups very well - jerusalem artichoke with truffle oil for example.

An excellent aperitif or accompaniment to rice and fish dishes. A pale straw colour with a fresh almond nose and wonderful dry finish.

A beautiful golden brown colour with a toffee and caramel nose.

Serve over ice as an aperitif or after dinner as a dessert wine. Dark golden colour with a caramel and almond aroma, very full-bodied and luscious with a long sweet finish.

DWWA 2017 Best in Show -Appetising concentrated nose showing characterful fruit, orange skin, white flowers, and intense nutty aromas; a rich palate, complex, with lots of apples and a touch of sweet miso. Delicate and open, with long finish, a gorgeous manzanilla.

The largest Bodega in Sanlucar, noted for its fine Manzanilla. Bright and very pale colour sherry with savoury, salty aromas. Delicate palate with a tangy finish. One of the best Spanish aperitifs and an excellent accompaniment to tapas and gazpacho.

Golden colour with a familiar Manzanilla and ripe sultana nose. On the palate it is rich and pleasantly cloying with a long sweet finish. Serve well chilled with creamy puddings.

Dark brown, like old polished mahogany, wonderfully cloying with an extremely rich raisin flavour. It is complex, persistent, velvety and long.