Champagne, Dolcetto, Red

Chocapalha is the family-owned winery of well-known winemaker Sandra Tavares da Silva, who, with husband Jorges Borges, makes things like Pintas up North. The line-up offers lots of value and immediately rewarding wine.

40% Tinta Roriz, 29% Touriga Nacional, 20% Touriga Franca & 11% Syrah - An intriguing blend from Lisboa region, the Mar de Lisboa wines are a fun range made by the talented Sandra Tavares da Silva. Lovely upfont forest fruit aromas, fine soft tannin integrated with black fruit on the palate. Great to share with friends and you can enjoy this red with or without food.

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Fruit entirely sourced from the Monforte d'Alba Cru of San Giovanni, which lends the wine a darker element and a touch of the more savoury, ironstone character. They are background notes to the brighter, fresher more gregarious elements that come to the fore. There is weaves of spice, rosehip tea. Primary, approachable and oh so drinkable. This is for consumption not contemplation. Not the wine to open while considering Everettian many worlds interpretation (sorry, continuing a theme from previous offers) but one to drink while listening to a solid play list and cooking something fun. Such a graceful and inviting wine this year. Get amongst it. ROSCOE

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The 2021 Dolcetto d'Alba captures all the elegance of this late-ripening vintage. Fresh and aromatic, with striking depth, the 2021 is lights out. A burst of dark red cherry, plum, rose petal and lavender lingers on the impossibly long finish. The 2021 is the best Dolcetto here in recent memory. Antonio Galloni

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Sandrone’s Dolcetto is, without doubt, one of the very finest examples of the region. The consistent quality of this wine—its purity, silky texture, fine tannins and balance—can only come with perfectly ripe fruit from top sites. In this case, the sites are also high-altitude, which brings added freshness to the layers of fruit. From estate vineyards in Monforte d’Alba, Sandrone draws from Castelletto and Cascina Pe Mol. The latter sits at the top of the ridge leading from Monforte d’Alba to the hamlet of Perno and is among the highest vineyards of the region. In Novello, there are the Rocche di San Nicola vineyards and the whitish marls of Ravera—where the easterly exposure contributes perfume and aromatic complexity. Joining these sites now is fruit from Rivassi and Crosia in the commune of Barolo. There are typically 10 different parcels contributing to the blend, with any fruit not making the grade sold off in bulk. Each parcel is vinified separately before blending and the wines are aged in tank only.

The amount of care that goes into the growing of this wine is quite remarkable and it shows in the glass. There is some history here: when Luciano Sandrone was starting off, he was driven to produce greatness, yet he could only access a limited quantity of Barolo vines. He, therefore, channelled a great deal of his drive and energy into his Dolcetto (and Barbera). This helps explain the quality on offer.

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Guido Porro remains one of the most underrated growers in Serralunga. ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous.com

They are traditionalist at heart employing large format oak, no fining or filtering nor any herbicides or pesticides in the vineyards. The approach across the board is thoughtful, deliberate and with a hands-off approach in the winery. The wines are all hand harvested with either concrete or stainless steel for fermentation.

Village wine. Suertes del Marqués village red is a blend of Listán Negro and Tintilia. The style of García’s entry-level red has evolved considerably since the early days. Today it’s a prettier, lighter-bodied and more thirst-quenching wine. The main component remains the wildly aromatic Listán Negro with a small portion of Tintilia, entirely fermented in small tanks with indigenous yeast and a short, gentle maceration.

The name refers to the seven climats in the D.O. of Valle de la Orotava. Today Suertes draws the raw materials from 35 separate plots, from vines ranging from 10 to 100 years old, at a range of altitudes (up to 800 metres) on the slopes of Mount Teide. The Listán Negro is grown mainly in cordón trenzado, while the Tintilia (from the Bocanegra plot) is trellised to the espaldera system. Each parcel begins vinification separately in stainless steel before blending and aging in small concrete tanks (70%) and mature French demi-muids (30%).

Red. Organic. To be contre-pied is to be diametrically opposed to something. In this case, this carbonic Duras is the opposite of the rustic, sleepy wines associated with this variety (and plenty of Gaillac rouge in general). This wine originates from a block of clay/limestone soil in Cahuzac-sur-Vère. The winemaking takes in a short carbonic maceration followed by six months aging in concrete tank.

Florent Plageoles told us that he felt that Duras grapes would take to the Beaujolais treatment, et voila, Contre Pied has now become a mainstay of the Plageoles roster. Expect crunchy acidity and thirst-quenching satisfaction—sappy red fruits, invigorating and tensile acid and soft grainy tannins surround a plump, cherry-like weight. Hints of dark chocolate and spice round out the steely skeleton. In short, a super delicious and unique carbo-styled red.

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Cavallotto’s single-vineyard Dolcetto Vigna Scot hails from 2.3 hectares of 30-year-old vines within Castiglione Falletto’s legendary Monprivato vineyard. These Dolcetto vines face east, meaning it’s a cooler and later-ripening part of the vineyard. The mature vines, low yields and traditional winemaking on these great soils result in a layered, deep, remarkably serious Dolcetto.

While the vast majority of Langhe Dolcetto is raised in stainless steel, the Cavallotto family prefers to use cement tank and 5,000-litre Slavonian botti. This polishes Dolcetto’s tannins and helps to avoid its tendency for reduction. As always, this is a Nebbiolo drinker’s Dolcetto (if you know what we mean) and one that punches well above its weight. What a delicious Dolcetto. It has juicy, mouthwatering texture bursting with vibrant cherry and spice and cosseted by palate-friendly, polished tannins. Already open for business yet so lovely and fresh, it is another sophisticated effort that is as deep and multifaceted an expression of this variety as you are likely to find.

Previously this wine was only available to the Canary Island distributor however after some convincing Jonatan has released some of this light red for us to play with. It is pure Listán Negro from old vines in the Paraje Las Suertes. It fermented destemmed in concrete vats and was pressed after four days to finish fermenting without skins in 500 litre used oak barrels, where the wine was kept for three months.

Beautifully ruby hued showing a spicy cinnamon and dried herb edge with tangy red raspberry, cherry and summer plum fruits with super light tannins, a stony element and subtle floral notes. It is supple, but with some nice zesty notes and great depth, should be served with a slight chill. STUART NORTHEY, ANONYMOUS WINE

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

ANDRE CLOUET (9/10) 

Bouzy and Ambonnay are the epicentre of pinot noir in Champagne, and the Clouet family is the priviledged custodian of eight hectares of estate vines in the best middle slopes of both villages.  These are rich and concentrated expressions of pinot noir, wines of deep complexity, multi faceted interest and engaging character, yet with remarkable restraint and sense of control.  Recent tastings confirm my impression that this small and relatively unknown grower ranks high among Champagne's finest practitioners of pinot noir - and expresses one of the best value of all.

100% Bouzy and Ambonnay pinot noir.  6g/L dosage
Release after release, year after year, I have always marvelled at the lemon blossom freshness that Clouet manages to capture in pinot noir from two of Champagne's most powerful terroirs.  Here it is again, in a captivating interplay of fleshy mirabelle plums, white peaches, crunchy golden delicious apples, and even a hint of pepper.  Wild honey and mixed spice join the maelstrom along the way, gliding obediently into a well defined finish of soft minerality and integrated dosage.  TYSON STELZER, The Champagne Guide 2014-2015

(100% Pinot Noir)The NV Brut Grande Reserve offers up layers of mineral-infused red fruits on a silky, mid-weight frame, with gorgeous length and a refined, subtle mousse. This impeccable, elegant wine shows terrific overall balance as well as complexity. I loved it. Andre Clouet is based in Bouzy, a village where Pinot Noir speaks with great eloquence, as is evident in these superb, pedigreed Champagnes. ANTONIO GALLONI, Robert Parker

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Sara’s tribute to “youth, tenacity, love and Grenache”. Who can argue …?
Organically grown on a 10 hectare plot of degraded granite (Montsant’s only gravel patch), Dido has been in production since 2005. The blend is 86% co-fermented Garnatxa-Syrah (1/5 is Syrah, which helps the local Garnatxa ferment better), with 7% each Cabernet and Merlot. It’s picked early, and needs to be largely de-stemmed, so the fermentation takes place in two parts. A 15% portion is used as a starter – whole bunches take wild yeast and are covered with sulphur for 8 days. This is then released into the balance of the fruit, de-stemmed and un-sulphured, and away we go. After fermentation in old hogsheads, the wines are long-aged, more than 18 months – a first year in large raw concrete and then a further 6 months or so in large Foudre of 5000 litres.

Bright and fresh red cherry fruit marked by mint and other local herbs, the wine shows the clear crunch of granite soil. Juicy and direct with macerated herbs, licorice and briar in lovely pastille fruit. Good concentration, rich-but-not-sweet country wine, it's all briar-herb-cane-brambly, with a nice little nudge of spice, allspice husk and leather in the soft savoury juice and a touch of chocolate in the soft leathery tannin. Clear and direct, with absolutely no wine-making clutter, it is delicately structured and savoury. A smasher!