Dominio de Los Duques is crafted under the watchful eye of Don Vicente García, a man hugely respected by his winemaking colleagues in Valencia. When the Catalan growers fought to limit the name ‘Cava’ to their own sparkling wines, they offered to make an exception for him. But, instead of accepting, he chose to fight for the rights of other small growers in his region and won! Thanks to Vicente, Cava is now made in over 150 wine regions including his home town of Requena (one of the best), 40 miles from Valencia.

This fine sparkling wine was aged for 12 months to ensure richness and complexity. It has very small bubbles (a sign of quality), a refreshing stone fruit character and elegant floral notes. Serve chilled on its own or with tapas.

The Luis Felipe Edwards family estate lies in the premium Colchagua Valley within Rapel. Luis Felipe Edwards Snr started his wine estate in 1976, beginning with a small plot of land and slowly buying up more vineyards. Today he owns an entire valley and a thoroughly modern, fully equipped cellar. He really has spared no expense over the years (even installing chandeliers in the barrel cellar), but has always kept that quality focused, family run touch to the wines.

Every year they make us a bestselling Sauvignon and in 2018 they wowed us with a vibrant rosé. This crisp, moreish rosado, made by Nicolas Bizzarri, is brimful with ripe berry fruit and citrus zip. Great on its own or with creamy seafood pancakes, spicy stir fry and salads.

Family owned since 1664, the Karp-Schreiber estate lies in the heart of the Mosel. This important region starts southwest of the ancient city of Trier and follows the river its named after through the Rhineland to Koblenz where the Mosel joins the Rhine. Dramatic, slate-covered slopes are the key to the region’s wine quality. Estate manager Alwin Karp and winemaker son Jobst Julius have 6 hectares of Riesling, cultivated on these steep slopes, including a patch of Grand Cru Juffer Sonnenuhr vines. As the vineyards are far too precarious for machinery, all the work is done by hand.

Dry Karp from the very good 2021 vintage is a Mosel classic – zesty, delicate floral notes and mineral freshness. Great solo or with seafood or Asian dishes.

Champion the small grower with this terrifically fresh and grassy white. It’s from Marlborough, which enjoys a worldwide reputation for herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. Duck ’n’ Pheasant is from a cellar that works with individual growers who lack the facilities to produce their own wine, but don’t want to see their precious harvest become an anonymous component of a big brand.

The grapes were all sourced from vineyards which, thanks to free draining, gravelly soils (and the odd duck or pheasant), give excellent flavour intensity. Quality in 2021 was exceptional, with lovely concentration, all captured in bottle and sealed in under screwcap for guaranteed freshness. A crisp glass on its own, and a tasty partner to salmon, chicken or Thai curry.

El Bombero red regularly sits in our customer’s Top 10, so we are excited to present its new sibling - a vibrant, fruity rosado. It comes from Cariñena, a hot, arid region of Spain where sun-loving grapes like Garnacha thrive. Along with big reds, the region produces bright, bold pinks. With just a few hours of contact between the grape juice and skins, the rosés catch the bright berry notes and a light hue.

El Bombero rosado is a wonderful example of a new wave of Garnacha rosés. It lies between Spain’s traditional fruity, medium-bodied rosés and the pale, light-bodied Provençal style. Showing great fruit finesse, it’s ideal to sip on its own, while its roundness makes it a great food wine as well – especially with a tasty paella.

This bright, fresh white is named after the Elephant Tree you see on the label. Adored by these great beasts for munching on, it is also cherished for its amazing ability to soak up carbon! Not even fast-growing bamboo can match it.

The wine was made by the talented Leon Esterhuizen at the sustainable, community-minded Journey's End winery. It was awarded 'Drinks Business Ethical Company of the Year 2021' and also in that same year, the 'Water Management Award' for the second time. It's owned by the Gabb family, instrumental in putting South Africa’s wine on millions of dinner tables around the world during the past 30 years. Chill down well, this white makes mouthwatering refreshment on its own, or with salads or lightly spiced dishes.