Red Wine

An intense ruby red colour. Vinous and clean aromas with hints of red berry fruits. Round in the mouth and medium bodied. A well-rounded finish with mellow tannin.

Bursting with dark berry flavours of blackberry, dark cherry and plums, this Shiraz has soft and supple tannins and a white pepper finish. The fruit for Aloe Tree hails from the increasingly fashionable west coast of the Cape. Cool nights and sea breezes combine to extend the growing season, resulting in perfectly balanced, ripe grapes. The iconic Aloe Tree image is sure to be familiar to anyone who has travelled widely through the Cape and is an important part of the biodiversity which South Africa is famous for. The characteristic silhouette provides a backdrop to one of the most spectacular wine regions in the world where wines grow in harmony with the thousands of plant species that make up the Cape Floral Kingdom. The grapes come from selected vineyard blocks on the west coast. The extra warmth in this area helps develop the full body and ripe flavours of this variety. The vines are planted on Karoo clay soils that add body and texture to the wine. The vines ages vary from 10 to 25 years old. Once the grapes arrive at the winery, the fruit is gently pressed and only the free run juice is used. Using selected yeasts the juice then undergoes fermentation at between 18-22 degrees Celsius for 5 days. Because of the depth of flavour, it requires less oak treatment compared to other grape varieties and matures on French oak for 3 months to improve body and texture. During fermentation the wine is pumped over 3 times a day for colour extraction.

A deep cherry colour with violet tints. Nose is intense with aromas of ripe red seasonal fruit, subtle hints of violets, rosemary and a touch of black pepper. This Bobal shows distinctive power, vibrant fruit, freshness with soft and ripe tannin. Bobal, ancient and native to the parched plains inland from Valencia grows in gnarled bush-vines like the Shiraz of Barossa. Yields are small and concentration epic. This slinky number is dark and dense but wonderfully juicy, with a coconut spice from oak barrels. A forgotten corner of the wine world, but gosh what a bargain. Certified Organic. Bobal is Spain's second most widely planted red grape but is far less familiar to most wine lovers than the most widely planted, Tempranillo. This good-value, unoaked example is grown at high altitude on north- and south-facing slopes by the Altolandon estate, 90 minutes north of Valencia. Deeply coloured, it has some of the rusticity that is associated with the grape, with attractive, slightly spicy blue- and blackberry fruit. Fairly simple, with lightly grippy tannins and good acidity - try it with lamb chops.

Part of the world-famous Hess Collection of Napa. Inky, lifted, jewel-bright, no hint of over-sweetness, proper meat wine. Vegan, sustainable.

Amarone is made by allowing the grapes to partially dry and shrivel for up to 120 days, usually on straw mats. (This process is called appassimento or rasinate (to dry and shrivel) in Italian). This concentrates the remaining sugars and flavours, giving a rich and deep wine, with intense red fruits and a juicy palate. Some oak ageing increases structure and imparts subtle warmth and body.

85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Attractive, complex fruit nose. Black fruits and some toasty oak, cocoa. Ripe and juicy flashy, plump, well built but not OTT.

Piedmont's first ever Barbera Appassimento. Deeply dark with lashings of luxurious sweet fruit, plum-skin, dark chocolate, liquorice - a real smoothie.

Asti is the next place along from Alba. This cheeky red is all Barbera should be: vital, cherry-red, bright, lifted, cool and crunchy. Shouts Piedmont loud and clear. Lovely chilled, with salads, with tomato sauces, and tomatoes, herbs, pepper steak. Truly epic value from this super grower.

Old low-yield vineyards, located in Quintanilla de Onésimo, with great mesoclimate and soil conditions. Aged 14 months in second hand French oak barrels. Deep purple ruby, youthful. Cool, menthol, blueberry, graphite nose, exciting. Intense palate, plenty of tannins but chock full of bramble, blueberry fruit, decent acidity and earnest concentration. Will be very good from 2022 onwards.

Red and black fruits, intense and ethereal bouquet of vanilla, full, firm but velvety flavours with a fine lingering aftertaste of liquorice and ripe red fruits.

A heady fragrance of peony and violets, red cherry and pomegranate, overlaid with a smoky, earthy savouriness. The character reflects the perfume and delicacy of the vintage, whilst retaining its innate muscular tannin structure that ensures it will age very well. The palate shows great intensity, complexity and structure.

Intense ruby colour with hints of purple. A wide palette of aromas dominated by morello cherry and red fruits. Hints of smoke and leather, finely balanced with harmonious tannin. This wine may be enjoyed young and it is also ideal for laying down for a couple more years. Pinot Noir from the Chalonnaise region that borders the Cotes de Beaune to the North.

This Bourgogne is cherry red in colour, with ruby red reflections. The nose expresses notes of raspberry, blackcurrant, liquorice, with notes of violet. The palate is soft with crisp tannins. The fresh and saline finish is accompanied by aromas of liquorice and pepper. This is a delicate style and so much better than your average Bourgogne Rouge, punching way above it's weight, it is a very stylish and classy wine indeed, Alexia Russo and Caroline Fyot pursued careers in the luxury industry for one and in insurance for the other before decided to reconnect with nature and fulfill a childhood dream: to create a wine estate. The pair chose Burgundy, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Château de Garnerot to create the estate because of its deep historical roots in the winemaking tradition.

Generally regarded by all at CWM as one of the very best wines that we import. Truly wonderful old school, fine, vibrant and utterly extraordinary Brunello di Montalcino from a wonderful single site. "Balsamic, subtly perfumed nose with a hint of eucalyptus. Vibrant, crushed red-fruit palate that is super-elegant. Long, grainy tannins. Vibrant and with lots of filigree acidity". 17.5/20 Walter Speller on jancisrobinson.com "The bouquet on the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Le Due Porte is simply stunning....a cru bottling from Il Palazzone’s highest-elevation vineyard, shows tremendous potential". Drink 2024-2032. 94+/100 points Vinous Media, Dec 2021 From Il Palazzone - Le Due Porte is 540 metres above sea level. Budbreak is later here, often avoiding issues with late frosts and snow. Ripening is slow and constant. The soil profile preserves humidity; important when making a wine such as Brunello that does not contemplate irrigation. Alberese has high levels of calcium carbonate which favors acidity, aided and abetted by the slower ripening and later harvest due to the exposition and altitude. We generally pick Le Due Porte as much as two weeks after our vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate and are often amongst the last in Montalcino to harvest. The grapes develop organoleptic complexity from that extra hang-time and from the pronounced difference between day and night temperatures. In fact the altitude guarantees extreme thermal excursion even in hotter years which is wonderful for aromatic development. Over the last two decades we have seen, year after year, a pronounced character emerge in the fruit from this vineyard, a wine that maintains the typical structure of a Brunello vecchio stampo and epitomises finesse and elegance.

Le Due Porte is 540 metres above sea level. Budbreak is later here, often avoiding issues with late frosts and snow. Ripening is slow and constant. The soil profile preserves humidity; important when making a wine such as Brunello that does not contemplate irrigation. Alberese has high levels of calcium carbonate which favors acidity, aided and abetted by the slower ripening and later harvest due to the exposition and altitude. We generally pick Le Due Porte as much as two weeks after our vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate and are often amongst the last in Montalcino to harvest. The grapes develop organoleptic complexity from that extra hang-time and from the pronounced difference between day and night temperatures. In fact the altitude guarantees extreme thermal excursion even in hotter years which is wonderful for aromatic development. Over the last two decades we have seen, year after year, a pronounced character emerge in the fruit from this vineyard, a wine that maintains the typical structure of a Brunello vecchio stampo and epitomises finesse and elegance."

A lovely wine from an artisan family winery producing wines in a natural style. The winery was built on a gravity feed system and uses pneumatic presses to extract only the best juice. They practice sustainable farming and winemaking. Very deep opaque ruby, red fruit on the nose and big legs sticking to the side of the glass. Soft and silky on the palate with red and black fruit flavours, and good palate cleansing acidity on the long finish.

Ruby red colour with violet tints showing its youth. On the nose it is fresh and elegant with characteristic aromas of cherry and red fruits typical of this variety. Light, harmonic and round on the palate with soft tannins.

Bright ruby, sweet ripe fruit, vanilla, lot sof sweet fruit, good density and nice acidity, long and very moreish,

This 20ha estate has been owned since 1994 by Florence and Daniel Cathiard, who also own Château Smith Haut Lafitte and are making some of the most exciting, perfectly honed wines in Bordeaux. Their top wines ell north of £80 a bottle so this wine appears relatively good value, particulalry since it came out top at a recent Decanter tasting of Red Graves from 2016. Bravo. Planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, on mostly gravel soils with some clay. Grapes are handpicked and sorted twice, whole-berry fermented in large oak vats before ageing 14 months in 25% new French oak barrels. This is intense, fruity and a real joy to drink now or keep for another 10 years.

Another classic vintage for Caronne Ste Gemme, but with some lovely rich ripe fruit. This is a very classic ‘Claret’, taught perfectly balanced acidity and lots of light touches. Only 13% which is where I think good Bordeauxs should be. There is good aging potential here.

The 12 hectare vineyard of Chateau Faizeau is planted to 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. The entire vineyard is one large block of vines. The terroir is a mix of sand, clay and limestone soils. On average, the vines are close to 50 years of age. However, the vineyard has some of the oldest vines in the Right Bank. The oldest vines survived the devastating frost of 1956. In fact, they have vines that are more than 100 years of age, as they were planted all the way back in 1911! More than just old vines, their hillside terroir is on perhaps the highest elevation in the appellation. The vineyard, located on the hill of Calon hits 89 meters at its peak.

The Guimberteau family has owned the Château Franc-Baudron estate since 1923. This is a vineyard on a human scale where each generation has left its footprint on the family heritage. Since 2010, the new generation of Château Franc-Baudron has embarked on an environmental approach by converting the entire vineyard to organic farming. The area hosts bee-hives, uses plants for treatments (horsetail, nettle and ferns) and seeds flowers to encourage biodiversity of wildlife in the vines. They have begun implementing new winemaking techniques by using minimal inputs to express at its best the nature of the grapes and the type of soil. Most of the family’s plots of Montagne Saint-Emilion are located on a clay-limestone plateau. Bright and intense in colour with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and oak notes. Well balanced, powerful and velvety.

Château Haut Boutisse, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, is a family property that has existed since the middle of the 19th century. Located on the foothills of Saint Emilion, the soil (Graves, clay-limestone and sandy loam) is similar to the greatest properties in Saint-Emilion.. A beautiful garnet colour. The complex nose presents a beautiful synergy between aromas of jammy strawberry and rose accompanied by fine smoky notes and dried figs. The mouth has a very nice balance between volume and freshness. The harvest is done manually. Vinification is a cold pre-fermentation maceration followed by alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with pumping over/punching down. The wine is aged for 15 months in new barrels (90%) and concrete vats (10%).

From a small 7ha vineyard on the plain just below the town of Saint-Emilion, owned by the Gagnaire brothers. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Bright deep ruby, with appealing aromas of plum, blackberry and vanilla. Charming body, very drinkable young, but well balanced between acidity and tannins, with lots of pretty fruit.