Our focus on Italian wine occurred fairly organically. The business began with a decent collection of Burgundy and Bordeaux but, through customer interest and some chance encounters in the wine industry, we began to stock more and more Italian wines. With this increase in stock came a sudden need for better knowledge and a more in …
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UK Exclusive on Tuscan Petit Verdot Petit Verdot is a grape variety few people pay much attention to. Its main claim to fame is its use in Bordeaux where many chateaux use it to add colour and a touch of spice. The quantities used are very small, usually under 10% and sometimes as little as …
Spring may have sprung but the chill in the air is yet to disappear. We thought about splitting our spring case down the middle with an even three of each white and red but then we thought a nice warming old vine Gamay might be just the thing to enjoy outside in the fading light with a blanket …
2017 Mischief and Mayhem Brouilly £18 per bottle As ever with Mischief and Mayhem they have taken a simple and sometimes average grape and created an interesting wine. The 2017 Brouilly has the sweet, heady notes of Gamay with black pepper, spice and a hint of underlying complexity that brings it all together. 2018 Coteaux …
Good wines for under £30 Finding great value wine is especially satisfying in those months when we’re not feeling particularly decadent. We have put together a collection of wines for £30 and under that tick the box of interesting, well-made wines, that remain within the low-mid range price bracket. 2021 Cantina Terlano Pinot Bianco Trenitno Alto …
We have never been ones for whimsical change so this year has started like many others: no new year resolutions, just a gentle reminder that our preference for mature vintages is a sensible one. Below is a selection of red wines with a good amount of age behind them that will keep things interesting in …
Sweet, Sticky and Endlessly Satisfying Whilst some would happily have a glass of desert wine every evening, for many it is only at Christmas that they indulge in a glass or two with pudding. Either way, sweet wines tend to be some of the best value wines around. The most recognised sweet wines are reliant on …
Finding the perfect size bottle for the coming festivities Odd sized bottles tend to have their moment in the spotlight at this time of year. Of course, we’re big fans of them all year round but, the festive gatherings tend to call for something different. Whether that be a half bottle of Champagne as a …
It’s fairly easy to imagine what a wine merchant drinks of an evening. It’s usually the same as most people: the good value, easy drinking bottle on a weeknight and something a little more interesting at the weekends. We’re not really that different or more imaginative than the average man we just have a wider …
Our big move to Suffolk in the spring gave us the opportunity to enjoy a sun filled summer and is now allowing us to reap the rewards of Autumn. Not only from the woods and fields around us but also from the patch of garden we were so glad to inhabit during the heatwaves. Blackberries, …
Autumn Mixed Case of 6 £120 Autumn officially starts in September but we never feel quite ready for it until October. There’s always that last glimmer of summer at the end of September that makes all the talk of Halloween and bonfire night a little premature. October is here though and Autumn is well under way: …
The vintage of the decade with prices to match? The 2016 vintage presents us with a slight problem: it is becoming rather expensive. Several wine regions, mainly in Europe, enjoyed excellent growing conditions and subsequent success in 2016. Six years on and the price is rapidly increasing especially on the big name wines from Tuscany, Piedmont, …
As the end of summer draws near we thought a little spring clean would be beneficial. Our cellars have helpfully revealed a list of wines that could do with a new home. Some bottles are perfect for drinking now but won’t last forever, others are wines we would prefer to re-house so we can make way …
Nemo Wine Cellars began life in South West London in 2018 and this year moved out to the Suffolk coast. Back in December 2021 an opportunity arose to purchase an old mill with space for an office and tasting room. The word ‘old’ is quite important here as the property is a work in progress …
When new wines are released we find revisiting previous vintages and the predictions made at the time a valuable exercise. Particularly in vintages that were awkward or inconsistent. 2013 was a year most have chosen to forget, in part because it was such a difficult year for the majority of French wine regions. But there were …
We have put together a selection of bottles to complement the weather and mood. Our Autumn Mixed Case includes six wines that provide a gentle transition from the fresh, summer wines we’ve been enjoying over the last few months to the richer, winter offerings. All are from well-regarded producers from a variety of regions that suit …
We always champion mature vintages and try to sell as many as we can by the bottle. Buying older vintages by the case load to garner a better understanding of a particular producer or region can become an expensive task. But the odd bottle here and there can offer a wealth of knowledge and enjoyment. …
Over the years we have become fairly experienced in the art of holidaying in the UK: we have rented cottages in Scotland, pitched tents in Wales and fought hornets in a treehouse in Devon. And one thing we’ve learnt is to always pack the car with the essentials – good wine and a decent corkscrew. …
2015 is hailed as an exceptional vintage across Europe but there are a few pitfalls to watch out for. The summer was dry and hot with plenty of sunny days which for some was wonderful but for others a little trickier as it followed difficult spring weather or created droughts that put stress on the …
It’s good to drink wine that challenges us and makes us think. But sometimes you just want something simple, easy going, and relaxing. Simplicity shouldn’t mean forgoing quality which makes these wines harder to find than you’d expect. We have put together a list of red wines that offer the level of quality we appreciate whilst …
Non-Vintage champagne, which makes up the highest proportion of Champagne produced and sold, is made from a blend of the year’s harvest as well as a number of reserve wines. The most prestigious houses take great care in their non-vintage blend and use the finest reserves from a variety of vintages to produce a unique …
Although Syrah is native to the Rhone valley in France it is equally, if not more, famous as Shiraz in Australia. The greater recognition of the word ‘Shiraz’ than ‘Syrah’ has been brushed aside because the French use appellation names, such as Hermitage, Côte Rôtie and Cornas, on their labels rather than the word ‘Syrah’ …
We do not have an abundance of everyday white wines. Our penchant for the more mature vintage tends to steer us in the direction of white Burgundy, Sauternes, and late harvest German whites. That’s not to say we don’t enjoy the more quaffable dry white wines but we are very selective when it comes to those we …
2009 was the year French vineyards could do no wrong. The climate was spectacular and nearly all wine producing regions enjoyed a bumper year that was met with raptures by the critics and consumers. But with 12 years gone and the dust settled, where in France have the wines stood the test of time? And …
