Fine Wine Club Archive
Explore your previous cases here in The Archive, with downloadable tasting notes from the winemakers behind your bottles. Plus catch up on live tastings.
Your case & tasting notes - December 2020
We buy our fine wines to order for club members so sometimes there's only enough for one bottle per person. Shop our in stock bottles here.
Forager Pinot Noir 2018
Country
New Zealand
Region
North Canterbury
Grape
Pinot noir
Market Price
£22.99
Angel Price
£18.99
Forager Pinot Noir 2018
By Dom MaxwellNew Zealand’s Winemaker of the Year 2011 and 2018, Dom Maxwell introduces his Forager Pinot Noir, a Fine Wine Club exclusive.
Pinot Noir is about so much more than the fruit you smell and taste in the glass. For lovers of this noble grape variety it is truly a variety that has the ability to take the wine drinker on a journey. It can climb to unbelievable highs while doing so – often in a graceful and nuanced way. The main red grape of Burgundy has forged a deep relationship with the people and place of it’s spiritual home – creating some of the world’s most sought after, expensive and exclusive wines. Of course the stratospheric pricing going on has turned great Burgundy into something out of reach. There is so little produced from some of these tiny vineyard plots that getting your hands on any is an achievement to say the least.
In this way, Pinot noir has similarities across the globe as it is fussy, aptly coined the Heartbreak,Grape it does well by producing fine and beautiful flavours, not by producing high crop loads. Plant Pinot noir on a flat fertile vineyard block and you will be disappointed with the wine. Plant it on the side of a limestone hill and the small crops produced can be sublime. The skins are thinner than other red varieties and the tannins form differently, creating a wine lighter than most reds, but with layers and complexity when made well. So the right sites for great Pinot Noir are limited – it is that perfect mix of soil and climate – a cool climate ideally to preserve freshness and allow Pinots floral aromatics to shine.
I mention limestone, partly because this is the soil type so many of the worlds top Pinot Noirs are grown on and because this wine – 2018 Forager Pinot Noir is indeed grown on a North West facing Limestone slope, catching the late afternoon sun in our region. The limestone provides the perfect beneficial environment for the vines roots to thrive in this situation, translating in a mineral feel to the wines. This site is without a doubt outstanding. There is no other vineyard within 30 minutes drive of this site – so it really lives up to its name – Isolated Hill.
The vines are completely tended by hand and winemaking is so traditional it’s new again! Fermentation happens outside in the vineyard, allowing the natural microbial life to influence the character of this wine.
With a small team this vineyard block (just 3000 vines) is hand picked when the fruit is at optimum ripeness and I allow the winemaking process to proceed slowly over 18 months before it is bottled. 15 months of this time is ageing in French Oak barrels, allowing the wine to naturally stabilise and clarify, therefore no fining or filtration takes place. Production is tiny.
This Pinot noir is full and ripe, with a mild ruby colour. But don’t let the colour fool you, the aromatics open gradually in the glass or decanter – displaying forest floor, savoury oak, red fruits and purple florals. The palate is long with unfolding texture - ideal for food pairings. I hope the enjoy the fruits of this labour of love.
Drinking window through to 2030 (if stored well).
Food wise ... I’m thinking herb encrusted lamb cutlets with green beans.
Vegetarians .... lentil and mushroom bolognese. The more mushrooms the better !
Enjoy – Dom Maxwell, Winemaker
Weingut Ernst Blaufrankisch Ried Fabian 2016
Country
Austria
Region
Burgenland
Grape
Blaufrankisch
Market Price
£24.99
Angel Price
£17.99
Weingut Ernst Blaufrankisch Ried Fabian 2016
By Bernhard ErnstBerni & Sylvia Ernst share the history and culture around the grape variety Blaufränkisch in Austria.
If one drives through the town of Sieggraben, southwest of Lake Neusiedl, and proceeds down towards the Hungarian border, the route will lead into the epicentre of Austrian red wine culture. The initial impression of the viticultural landscape, with its densely forested slopes, makes it hard to believe that the influence of Lake Neusiedl is also quite significant here. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, red wines with a clear expression of regional identity were vinified here for the first time. Blaufränkisch remains to this day the motive force behind the great upswing.
With the Blaufränkisch vine it has been possible to create a red wine that is unmistakable in its character and typical of the region, one that has also enjoyed DAC (appellation) status on three levels since 2005: Mittelburgenland DAC , Mittelburgenland DAC with vineyard (Ried) designation and Mittelburgenland DAC Reserve. In youth, the wines have a dark, purple-violet colour and exude a characteristic, spicy, very fruity bouquet of wild berries. They show structure and great character, becoming more complex and supple with appropriate cellaring.
The major strongholds of Blaufränkisch are the communities of Deutschkreutz, Horitschon, Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg. From a geologic point of view, Mittelburgenland is identical to the Oberpullendorfer Basin. The vineyards are protected by the hills of the “Bucklige Welt” to the west, the Ödenburg Mountains in the north and the Günser Mountains in the south, while at least 300 annual days of sunshine coupled with precipitation of only some 600mm a year also guarantee ideal climatic conditions for growing Blaufränkisch. Warm, dry winds can flow in freely from the Pannonian lowlands to the east. (Source: www.austrianwine.com)
Our Fabian vineyard is located southeast in the "old wine mountains of Deutschkreutz" on a high plateau in an optimally sun-exposed location. The extremely heavy clay soil there produces full-bodied Blaufränkisch wines full of character. In 1940, the family planted out the vineyard, which also constitutes the age of the grapevines, in addition to the top location, this contributes to the high quality of the wine.
In the Fabian vineyard, next to the old grapevines, there is a beautiful large pear tree. Therefore, we love to enjoy this vineyard by relaxing in the shade of the tree and appreciating the nature around us.
We are often asked if the wine is named after our son, as Fabian is a well-known German boy's first name. However, Fabian is the name of the vineyard and was translated from an old common parlance expression to Fabian. The Fabian vineyard brings us everything that is necessary for a great Blaufränkisch. Old and above all healthy grapevines, sunny orientation and the heavy loamy soil, which preserves the moisture in the soil during the hot summers in central Burgenland. Blaufränkisch Fabian combines fruit and juiciness with depth and spiciness to create an elegant and uncompromising Blaufränkisch.
Food match: beef and venison. Blaufränkisch Fabian is a strong but also elegant wine so you can compare it with heavy stews but also with a nice steak. We recommend to drink our wines „colder“ so not more than 17 degrees. We think this is the right temperature to bring out the fruity and smoothy note as it’s best.
Also a vegetarian ( not spicy) Curry is a good match.
Drink now until 2035.
B Vintners Pinotage 2018
Country
South Africa
Region
Stellenbosch
Grape
Pinotage
Market Price
£24.99
Angel Price
£14.99
B Vintners Pinotage 2018
By Bruwer RaatsGavin Bruwer shares his passion for Stellenbosch and Pinotage and its history.
Wine has been produced in South Africa for almost four centuries, it has a rich history, with the first vines brought to the Cape in 17th century by the exploration of the Dutch East India Company. The contributions made by French Huguenots arriving in the Cape in 1688 and the strong trade South Africa built with Europa and specifically the United Kingdom, in the following centuries, bode well for the wine industry. The impact left by phylloxera in the late 19th century, was devastating. During the early 1900’s, the then Kooperatiewe Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Suid Afrika (KWV), came into play and started shaping the wine landscape for the following decades. The KWV dominated the industry, until the dawn of democracy in South Africa and free trade was allowed under the newly established government.
The Cape of Good Hope is home to Pinotage, and it makes up about 7% of vineyard area in South Africa. Pinotage is considered a symbol of South Africa’s distinctive winemaking traditions. It was born in the 1920’s, the love child of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, therefor authentically African and part of our country’s diverse heritage.
The Pinotage name, is a portmanteau of ‘Pinot’, derived from Pinot Noir and the ‘age’, taken from Hermitage. The name by which Cinsault was incorrectly known, Cape Hermitage, in the Cape during the early part of the 20th century.
I feel quite passionately that we must distinguish ourselves from other producing areas in the world. The idea is to make a wine, which could not be replicated anywhere else in the world, making it unmistakably South African, but irresistibly delicious. This we have done by applying our skill and artistry and shaping Pinotage, into something marvelous and seek worthy.
The varietal has adapted well to South African wine growing conditions, early ripening, and less water reliant, with good growing vigour and yields. We exclusively plant our Pinotage in Stellenbosch, on cooler slopes which are southernly facing, in granite rich soils at about 250 meters above sea level.
Along with the care and attention our vineyards receive, it is the methods followed in our cellar, that has further contributed to the renaissance in quality, the variety is currently undergoing. Embracing the Pinot Noir and Cinsault elements that it has intertwined into its DNA and working with a lighter touch in the cellar. We are picking our grapes earlier in the season, when we believe they are optimally ripe, before the mid-summer heat waves arrive. We also chose to ferment the wine, all naturally, at much cooler temperatures, making use of carbonic and whole cluster fermentations, and using oak more thoughtfully. This allowing the wine to showcase more of its pure and fresh flavours, than making it fit into something it cannot be.
The nose is then wonderfully fragrant with notes of flowers, herbs, and spice, not to mention red and black cherry. The palate shows pure fruit, fresh and vibrant acidity, and the most fantastic tannins, they leave the mouth waiting for some food.
We have embraced our history, used what is distinct to our area, adapted processes in such a manner to produce a wine, that showcases everything that is exciting, dynamic and seek worthy about South Africa.
This should both intrigue and excite the fine wine members, as a wine and style, from Pinotage, probably not experienced before.
Food pairing: Vegetarian - mushroom risotto or aubergine and red lentil curry.
Other - braised short rib or roasted venison loin
Drinking window - well cellared will develop nicely over the next 5 to 10 years
Youth - more of the fresh fruits on the forefront
3 to 5 years - spices of cinnamon, cloves, etc start showing more
6 years onwards - start maturing in the same direction as well aged Burgundy wines
Villion Syrah 2018
Country
South Africa
Region
Western Cape
Grape
Syrah | Shiraz Blend
Market Price
£17.99
Angel Price
£17.99
Villion Syrah 2018
By Kobie & FaisalJacobus Viljoen aka Kobie, welcomes the Fine Wine Club into the inner sanctum of Villion.
After 17 years as a successful winemaker in and around the wine cellars of the Cape of Good Hope, Elnette and I established Villion Family Wines in 2015. We fell in love with the Cape South Coast region and settled in the Bot River Ward, near Hermanus.
From the outset our philosophy was to source and select fruit from vineyards in the larger Cape South Coast Region - a region with 15 wine wards but our focus was on four that were known for the excellence of specific cultivars, namely Bot River, Elgin, Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven on Earth Valley) and the Stanford Foothills.
Initially we rented cellar space to start making our Villion wines and in 2018 we acquired a 280-tonne cellar and 20 hectares of vineyard in Bot River. We do not limit ourselves only to the fruit we farm, we still source fruit from neighbouring vineyards and wards.
From early in my career, Syrah was a variety which suited my style of winemaking. It was the first variety I was recognised for and a variety I love to work with.
The Elgin Valley situated 70 km east of Cape Town, is an inland plateau naturally defined by the surrounding mountains and at elevations ranging from 260-600 meters above sea level, is one of the coolest wine-producing areas in South Africa.
The Bot River valley, neighbouring Elgin and surrounded by Babylonstoren and Groenland Mountains, stretches from the Houw Hoek Pass in the north to the Bot River Lagoon in the south. Breezes from nearby Walker Bay (Atlantic Ocean) replace the hot air during the afternoons in summer, making this a cool climate area. In comparison Bot River is dryer than Elgin and slightly warmer, which makes it ideal for medium to late ripening varieties like Syrah and Mourvedre.
For our Syrah we use fruit from our farm in the Bot River ward as well as fruit from Elgin vineyards with a unique quality or aspect.
All the fruit is hand-picked at different levels of ripeness, from youthful spicy and vibrant to full-ripe rich and plummy. Different techniques are utilised to broaden the flavour profile of the Syrah to the maximum. A combination of destalked and crushed berries in stainless steel tanks and whole bunch carbonic fermentation with stalks in open-top fermenters is used. Extraction methods of gentle pump-over of the juice and the more back-breaking punch downs through the cap. Some juice will be drawn off earlier to finish fermentation in barrel, and some will ferment dry on the skins and be kept in tank before barrel maturation. All the juice undergoes spontaneous fermentation.
After a 12 to 14 month barrel maturation period in 20 -25% new French oak, Elnette and I will do a barrel tasting and select the barrels we feel complement our style, blend and bottle. We will mature the wine in bottle for six months before release is considered.
Every vintage reflects small variations from the previous year and 2018 saw 11% of a Mourvedre component added. Mourvedre is a bit of a wild variety but with time it adds a dominant fruit contribution and lovely texture and length on the finish of a wine. Fruit is the core of our 2018, medium bodied with beautiful pomegranate and rooibos aromas and a lovey, textured, prolonged finish.
Drinking window: Delightful already but will reward amply with a richer experience within the next 8-10 years from vintage.
Food pairing: Generally, Syrah pairs very well with grilled meats, vegetables, wild game, and beef stew. To list a few of my favourites at home, barbecued (braai) lamb or steak, chicken. In a restaurant duck will be a great option and again lamb, especially roast leg of lamb. The odd hamburger will also pair well.Syrah has the quality of being soft and creamy and with the added spicy notes and freshness it easily adds to similar dishes in taste.
It is my pleasure to present to you “Villion Syrah 2018”. Please enjoy.
Villion Chardonnay 2018
Country
South Africa
Region
Western Cape
Grape
Chardonnay
Market Price
£17.99
Angel Price
£15.99
Villion Chardonnay 2018
By Kobie & FaisalJacobus Viljoen aka Kobie, welcomes the Fine Wine Club into the inner sanctum of Villion.
After 17 years as a successful winemaker in and around the wine cellars of the Cape of Good Hope, Elnette and I established Villion Family Wines in 2015. We fell in love with the Cape South Coast region and settled in the Bot River Ward, neighbouring Hermanus.
From the outset our philosophy was to source and select fruit from vineyards in the larger Cape South Coast Region - a region with 15 wine wards but our focus was on four of the best, namely Bot River, Elgin, Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven on Earth Valley) and the Stanford Foothills.
Initially we rented cellar space to start making our Villion wines and in 2018 we acquired a 280-tonne cellar and 20 hectares of vineyard in Bot River. We do not limit ourselves only to the fruit we farm, we still source fruit from neighbouring vineyards and wards.
As an additional income for our family endeavour, I represent Meyrieux, a small Burgundian cooperage, in South Africa. The great advantage for me is meeting, tasting and sharing notes with top winemakers across South Africa and an annual, week-long visit to Burgundy to taste and meet some of the Burgundian producers.
The Elgin Valley, one of the areas where we source fruit, is the biggest producer of apples in South Africa. More recently wine grapes were planted extensively within this beautiful valley, situated 70 km east of Cape Town and just 25km from our cellar. It is an inland plateau, naturally defined by the surrounding mountains and at elevations ranging from 260-600 meters above sea level, is one of the coolest wine-producing areas in South Africa. The standout variety for us, and an obvious strength of Elgin, is Chardonnay.
We source our fruit from three different vineyards, with variable altitude, clones, soils, age, and slopes. All the fruit is hand-picked at different levels of ripeness, from youthful, crispy to rich and succulent berries. Depending on the overall status of the parcel, we will decide if we do whole bunch pressing or crush and destalk before pressing. With whole bunch pressing the juice is gently extracted with not too much damage to the skin of the berry. This juice is usually far clearer, higher in acidity and has delicate flavours. With crushing and destemming before pressing more of the skin characteristics are extracted. The berry has been broken which gives an opaque juice with lower acidity but a lot of fleshiness and rich flavours. A third technique we add to enrich our Chardonnay profile, is to ferment the juice on the skins for 10 days, then separate the juice from the skins and complete fermentation in barrel. This method secures beautiful grip and poise on the finish of the wine, whilst adding some quirky and intriguing flavours.
We will settle the juice overnight naturally, then transfer it to selected 300 litre Burgundian oak barrels and wait quietly for spontaneous fermentation to start. When it does, we monitor the process until it has been completed. We keep the wine on its gross lees for the remainder of the year, some barrels might go through Malolactic fermentation. We let it be.
Before bottling, Elnette and I will do a barrel tasting and select the barrels we feel complement our style, blend them and bottle. The chosen Chardonnay in bottle will undergo a year-long bottle maturation period before release.
Drinking window: Delightful already but will reward amply with a richer experience within the 5-8 years from vintage.
Food Pairing: Chardonnay lends itself to be a partner of a vast array of cuisine. Due to the richer nature of an oaked Chardonnay it does go well with mild, buttery, or creamy dishes. On the seafood menu it pairs meaty fish (cod, yellow tail) and shellfish (crayfish, shrimp, crab, scallops.) Subtly flavoured, simply seasoned poultry and pork dishes will also pass with flying colours.
It is my pleasure to present to you “Villion Chardonnay 2018”. Please enjoy.
Pedra a Pedra Tinto 2018
Country
Portugal
Region
Douro
Grape
Touriga Nacional Blend
Market Price
£14.99
Angel Price
£14.99
Pedra a Pedra Tinto 2018
By Joao PiresPortuguese winemaker João Pires writes about Pedra a Pedra Tinto 2018 and why the vineyards of Quinta da Pedra Alta are so special for him.
Quinta da Pedra Alta (place of high rock) is a small 35-hectare estate, located in the heart of the Douro, in the highest part of the Cima Corgo region, above the Pinhão River.
This area is very special to me - I was born here and grew up playing on this amazing land. After studying oenology and three years as a winemaker in the Alentejo, I was so happy to return to Pedra Alta in 2009 to take on the role of winemaker and estate manager. The Quinta was bought by new owners in 2018 (my 10th harvest at Pedra Alta) and with their support I believe I can realise the full potential of this remarkable piece of land and ensure it continues to produce high quality grapes for decades to come.
The Pedra a Pedra Tinto 2018 is one of the first wines we have released as part of this new journey, so I am especially excited to be able to share it with the Naked Angels!
There is a long history of vine growing on our land going back to the late 18th century. There are three of the historic stone markers (Feitoria) on the property, placed in 1761 to demarcate the best vineyards of the Port Wine region. Today we are the only single Quinta with 3 of these Feitoria and you can see these three Feitoria proudly represented on our labels and branding.
My aim with Pedra a Pedra Tinto 2018 was to produce a wine that has the structure that shows its Douro origins combined with a fruit driven and approachable style. This unique character is derived from several factors, but it all starts with the land. Built on some of the most remarkable acreage in the world, the Quinta da Pedra Alta stands surrounded by terraced vineyards among some of the steepest hills and mountains in Portugal.
One of the real strengths of the Pedra Alta site is the variety of vineyard altitudes (from 230m to 550m) and the range of indigenous varieties planted on schist soils across the estate. Plantings of local varieties at different altitudes gives me a palette of styles and flavours with which to produce the final wine.
2018 was a relatively cool year up until August, when a heat spike led to the vines shutting down, delaying harvest, and indeed slowing ripening in September. This meant that we were able to pick our grapes with full favour, whilst maintaining good acidity thanks to the elevation of our vineyards.
Pedra a Pedra Tinto 2018 is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Sousão. All the grapes are handpicked and with gentle handling we look to preserve the fruit flavours and avoid over-extraction. We hand sort, destem and ferment with wild yeasts at temperatures ranging from 20-25°C for 10 days on skins. The ferment is managed by a variety of techniques depending on the fermentation vessel used. Foot treading followed by gentle plunging is employed on granite lagar ferments, whilst open top stainless-steel tank/picking bin ferments are simply plunged. At the end of the maceration the ferments are drained/pressed and transferred to a combination of stainless-steel tanks and old French oak barriques and hogshead barrels for maturation.
With flavours of red fruits and spice notes, this is a full flavoured, red fruited wine, with good structure, balanced acidity, elegant tannins, and a long finish. It is drinking well now but will gain further complexity over the next 5 years. It pairs beautifully with our local pork dishes, and is great with BBQ steak, although it is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans. I really hope you enjoy this wine and it transports you to this amazing place that I call home. Saúde!
Drink now, but will gain further complexity over the next 5 to 10 years
Enjoy with steamed chilli mussels, cassoulet (or Feijoada in Portugal), BBQ sirloin steak.
