Bordeaux-born Jean-Marc Sauboua has been our Trophy-winning winemaker at Bordeaux’s Château La Clarière for many years. In 2006, he decided to start a winery of his own and, with Spanish blood, decided Rioja was his destination. His aim: to make a Grand Cru of Rioja. He has no vineyards but works with the same growers he has since the start. The mature vines lie above 700 metres, the highest in Rioja, to ensure an elegant, modern style. He's won well 300 Golds since 2006, as well as Trophies for Winery of the Year, Rioja of the Year and Best Spanish Red over £10. 2021 was classed a very good vintage. High up where Altos lies, it's always cool, so ripening is slow, and wines are fresh. Aged a year in oak, this elegant red is best decanted.
Atakarma is a star from Matetic, a winery whose consistent quality has seen it listed in Wine & Spirits magazine’s Top 100 Wineries of the Year four times now.
Nestled in the Colchagua Valley, they source their fruit from across Chile's finest grape-producing valleys.
The Sauvignon for this white was harvested from the banks of the Tinguiririca river, where winds keep the grapes cool and aromatic, with a sparky freshness.
Winemaker Felipe Vial cool fermented this white, giving it a little lees ageing to lend a creamy textured edge.
With a crunch of citrus and tropical fruits, it's an ace apéritif.
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Let’s go back in time! To the 1st century AD and vineyards planted to serve the ruling elite at the thriving Roman port of Troia. Here, on Portugal’s windswept Atlantic coast, the only grape that thrives in the dry, sandy soils and super-hot sun is local star Castelão. This small, dark-skinned grape boasts fathomless depths of flavour – if you know how to unlock it. Back to today and enter Gold-medal maestro Jaime Quendera at Portugal’s most awarded winery, Casa Ermelinda Freitas. Only made in the best years, this Black Red flies of our shelves as soon as it's in stock. So our advice is: if you see it, buy it! Rippling with ripe plums, black fruits and laced with chocolate, with a spicy oak finish. At 14.5% it’s got power, so sip slowly.
Cabalié's popularity is down to a rare combination of imposing richness and easy drinking smoothness. Recreating that in white was no easy task. But Cabalié maestro Hervé Sabardeil has done it – years of searching, blending and hard work come to fruition in this, his ultimate expression of a southern French white. The magical grape mix is old-vine Viognier for intense honeysuckle aroma and soft texture, Muscat for dazzling grapey notes, and Colombard to keep it all zesty. And of course the other key ingredients are bright southern French sunshine, which ripens the grapes to perfection, sea breezes to keep them healthy and night harvesting to ensure maximum freshness. Bursting with tropical fruit, Cabalié is perfect with seafood or chicken.
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Tony Laithwaite has long wanted to make an estate white at La Clarière, but traditionally Castillon is all about reds. Now he's crafted this oak fermented white. Long, complex and citrusy, it's won four Golds.
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.
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