Fortified and Dessert Wine

Traditional Douro grape varieties Bright red colour with a golden rim. A rich and aromatic nose made up of dried fruit, hazelnut and walnut, well combined with hints of spice. In the mouth, intense, smooth and delicious flavours of dried fruit are offset by a fresh note of candied orange peel. Good structure, fine balance and remarkable acidity. A pleasant and enduring finish.

87pts CellarTracker - Crystalline citrine colour with straw tones. Presents an exuberant nose of tropical fruits well combined with attractive floral notes. Smooth in the taste, dry, with a great structure and a stupendous balance.

'It's apple' ÉS Poma is a Mistelle made with Grenache from the Empordà and apple juice from Girona, fortified with brandy. Green apple aromas, worth highlighting are its elegance and very clean aromas. It has volume on the palate, and is fresh, offering a fine and silky mouthfeel.

This is the much requested special ingredient in James Bond’s vesper martini recipe: 3 gin, 1 grain vod, ½ lillet. Served in a champagne goblet shaken, large twist of lemon.

A splendid red aperitif from the Bordeaux region, Lillet Rouge is less famous than its Blanc sister (so beloved of James Bond) and will add welcome pep to your Manhattans and Negronis.

INTENSE AND SPICED This Oloroso wine has an intense, concentrated aftertaste, lightened by a tangy acidity. Aged following an oxidative aging for 12 years in Bodega La Campana in Jerez de la Frontera.

A GENUINE ICON OF JEREZ. Dense, nutty, proper old-school sweet Oloroso. Each wine (Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez) is matured, separately in its own solera for 12 years. Once blended together, the resulting sherry is returned to a 45-cask solera for a further 3 years aging. Its aging process recreates that of the wines which crossed the oceans in the 17th century voyages.

This exceptional sherry brings together the finesse and delicacy of an Amontillado with the richness and body of an Oloroso. An extremely versatile wine. Aged for 12 years in Bodega la Emperatriz Eugenia in Jerez de la Frontera. Light amber in colour. Nutty and dry with nuances of vanilla, mocha and dark chocolate. Dry and concentrated, this wine has a long and elegant finish.

Owned by the Gerardin family since the beginning of the 20th Century this dessert wine comes from the Monbazillac region of South West France. Similar grapes varieties and conditions to Sauternes are experienced in Monbazillac, with the development of noble rot in late autumn. Old vines of 50+ years are used to make this golden aromatic dessert wine which shows botrytis aromas of smoke, marmalade, honey. A good but not very high level of residual sugar and bright acidity make for a delicious and easy to drink wine to match with fruit desserts, pastries and blue cheeses.

Late-picked naturally sweet Moscato (Muscat) grapes produce this irresistible fizz. A smell like a bag of sultanas leads on to sweet baked-apple fruit. Try it ice cold as a refreshing aperitif (5.5% abv), with fruity puddings or even cheese.

Dark red in colour with a fresh vibrant aroma of dark fruits which follows through on the palate along with an almost mineral character, a youthful wine with good extract and great balance, offering superb "drinkability". Ready to drink now after a meal on its own or with soft cheeses.

Cheeky tawny from the King of Tawny Dirk Niepoort. Nutty, slippery, yummy. 

Cheeky tawny from the King of Tawny Dirk Niepoort. Nutty, slippery, yummy.  This one is the half-bottle size, for when you don't need all that much port.

Slightly oaked mistelles with herbal aromas balanced with floral notes and hints of chamomile on the nose.

IWC Best Australian Fortified Wine. Ancient and complex. Always, but always, a HUGE hit on tasting.

Excellent and very underrated apéritif from the Cognac region of France. A blend of fresh grape juice from Colombard grapes and wonderfully smooth cognac, it has freshness, a hint of sweetness and a clean finish.

A blend of Cognac and juice from red grape varieties, aged for five years in oak casks. A fruity, full-flavoured aperitif to be enjoyed well chilled. Château d'Orignac has won accolades in France and throughout the world. It is made from two-thirds grape must (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) with one-third Cognac and takes almost 10 years to produce, which results in an intense, complex nose of peaches, apricots, honey, almonds and Cognac and an unforgettably smooth texture on the palate.

Zingy citrus notes, dried fruit, and a beautiful array of nutty flavours. It’s delicious served at room temperature with a plate of charcuterie, or chilled on a hot summer’s evening.

Parker 92/100... cherry tart, dried black fig, hazelnut... Asian spice, dark chocolate notes. Supreme, delicate, a joy.

Great sweet red, dense and fruit-packed

The small A-rated Madalena vineyard provides the principal component in "declared" Smith Woodhouse Vintage Ports. Pale and pretty.

Classic SWH style - dark chocolate and violets. Surely the best value Ruby Port on the market.

By the end of the 20th century, Caperitif had become a ghost ingredient in classic cocktail recipes. What was this mysterious ‘Cape Aperitif’ that was referenced in that classic cocktail bible from the late 1800’s, the Savoy Cocktail Book? This question asked by an adventurous Danish mixologist lead to a meeting with a maverick South African winemaker and the rebirth of South Africa’s once-famous vermouth. Caperitif is handcrafted by infusing Chenin Blanc with the flavours and aromas of some 35 natural botanicals, many of which are unique to the insane biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.