Critic Tim Atkin declared, "For wine lovers, South Africa offers something special," while the Press Association wrote, "South African winemakers are producing an abundance of world-class wines". Excelsior Estate has been doing just that for 150 years, since its foundation in Robertson in 1870. It's still owned today by the De Wet family, with Freddie and his son Peter running the show. Their philosophy is that great wine is made in the vineyard, so they put much work into tending their vines.

Their Heritage Reserve wines use their finest grapes from the lowest yielding vines on the region's premium limestone soils, all to ensure intense flavour. Ripe, but with zesty freshness, this white is great with ginger-spiced pork or noodle soup.

The Guibert’s Mas de Daumas Gassac is one of the iconic estates of southern France. We’re very proud to have championed their wines since the earliest days, prior to the family’s fame. As a thank you, they make this charming white exclusively for our customers – and at a very affordable price.

Their wine story started in 1970 when Aimé and Véronique Guibert bought a chunk of the sleepy Gassac valley. Their friend and geology professor Henri Enjalbert noticed how the soils resembled those in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or and the estate now produces cuvées that cost well over £100. The Guiberts’ son Samuel created our exclusive Réserve using a rare blend of grapes and the same care that goes into his most expensive wines. Complex, weighty, fresh too.

Il Brutto comes from Puglia, home to wines with "undreamed-of character and potential" (Parker). The fruit comes from tiny plots of century-old Negroamaro and Primitivo vines – heirlooms handed down through generations.

These gnarled, twisted vines may be ugly ('brutto'), but they produce absolutely incredible grapes. Unfortunately, without a big budget to promote or make the wines, these amazing grapes were being sold off at a very low price. The growers were struggling, and property developers were circling. Those heirloom vineyards were very close to being sold off, the precious vines ripped up and bulldozed!

Angelo is a champion of the Puglia region, and he established his award-winning Cantine Due Palme cellar in the 1980s to help save the region's traditions and growers just like these ones. Recognising the quality of these old vines and their precious fruit, he enabled the vineyards to be saved. This sensational Double Gold, two-time 90pt (one from Italy's top critic Luca Maroni) Il Brutto Negroamaro Primitivo 2021 – a characteristically warming southern Italian red with a wealth of flavour.

"Attractive nose of bilberries, redcurrants, smoky and spicy notes and a touch of coffee. Full-bodied, lively and quite dense on the palate, restating its flamboyant flavors over a backdrop of well-judged oak" (Gilbert & Gaillard). One taste will transport you to southern Italy … you can almost feel the Italian sun. It's so good! Serve this treasured red with your finest roast meats or a platter of antipasti.

Northern Italian Pinot Grigio tends to be a stony fresh, subtle fruit white. That's true of Il Pino, but the wine has just a little bit more, too. Riper orchard fruit, with citrus freshness and it’s always good value. It comes from the high-altitude Adige Valley, just inland from Venice and home to some of the best quality Pinot Grigio in Italy. Plentiful sunshine and cooling mountain breezes together ensure healthy, ripe grapes with excellent aromatics.

Deliciously fresh and thirst quenching, this wine displays crisp lemon and grapefruit flavours, white stone fruit and a minerally edge. It’s a ‘drink anytime’ wine, but perhaps best enjoyed as an aperitivo or with grilled white fish, prawn or spring vegetable risotto or leafy summer salads.