Whites...2014 Pouilly-sur-Loire, Domaine des Fines Caillottes, FranceAt the end of the 19th century, Louis Pabiot was tending his small acreage of vines by hand, unable to afford a horse. Around 1910, Gaston Pabiot, Louis’ son, joined the family business, and along with his brother, purchased a horse to help with the tilling. Eventually each would have his own horse. Gaston then chose to work with donkeys, and by the 1950s, there were three of them on the pay-role, for an estate of 3 hectares. Jean Pabiot, Gaston’s son and Louis’ grandson, was 14 years old in 1944 when he began working in the vines. In 1958, he bought his first row-straddling tractor and for the next 20 years witnessed the progressive mechanisation of vineyard work. The family are still based in Pouilly and we have followed their excellent wine-making for many years. This is made from Chasselas, not Sauvignon as might have been expected, and has a fine pale gold hue, with aromas of flowers, kiwi fruits and almonds. In it widely planted in Switzerland, where it is known as Fendant. Quite full, a touch smoky and well balanced, this is quite a rarity. TF54Food matching suggestion: : Fried fillet of pork.Your notes:

2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Snapper Rock, Marlborough, New Zealand Snapper Rock sources its grapes from the southern-most region of Marlborough, from the Ward Vineyard, an area synonymous with Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Their winemaking is kept simple, employing modern techniques with traditional craftsmanship. The vines are hand-tended and the grapes are picked early morning to maximise freshness and to avoid oxidation during the hotter times of the day. It sometimes seems that our composite tasting notes employ the same words re-arranged when it comes to Sauvignon, so I have shamelessly quoted the winery’s note instead: “Pungent red capsicum, white current and fresh herbs on the nose, with hints of lime peel and pea pod. The palate is bursting with ripe juicy acidity matched with tropical fruit, finishing with a salty, mineral edge.” TG14Food matching suggestion: Prawn fish-cakes with spinach leaf salad.Your notes:

2014 Bourgogne Tonnerre Blanc, Domaine Marsoif, France This northern Burgundy estate is owned by Regis and Martine Masson, with the wines being made by their son, Raphael whose brother Florent, as far as we understand, helps out, although he also works on a neighbouring estate. Domaine Marsoif grows cereal crops, vegetables – and vines. This dry, crisp white comes from 4.5 hectares of vines around Tonnerre at the northern extremity of Burgundy, and produces a respectable 55 hectolitres per hectare. The vines are grown on exactly the same, classic Kimmeridgien chalk and limestone soils as neighbouring Chablis, and the wine shares many of its more illustrious neighbour’s characteristics, but not necessarily the price. Lively, fresh zesty notes, with apples and pears. Scintillating natural acidity, balanced with some good fruit. TF84Food matching suggestion: Baked Cod or fish stew.Your notes:

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December 2015 tasting notes£135 case

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2012 Rioja Crianza, Cantos de Valpiedra, Martinez Bujanda, Spain Founded in 1999 by the Martinez Bujanda family, this is a unique estate in so fara as it consists of one contiguous 80 hectare vineyard, perfectly sited in a bend of the river Ebro. The exceptional conditions of this land are a result of its microclimate and soil type, formed by a mantle of boulders and calcareous stone which give its name to the wines. These stones retain the heat – thus encouraging ripening, whilst at the same time locking the humidity in the soil beneath. Fermented in stainless steel vats and then moved into a mix of French and American oak barrels for 12 months maturation, this Cantos is considered to be of the ‘modern’ style of wine by the producer, with more emphasis on the Tempranillo fruit flavours, yet still retaining an edge of tradition with the cedar/vanilla overtones of barrel ageing. TF96Food matching suggestion: Lamb chops cooked on a fire pit – or grilled indoors!Your notes:

2011 Egri Bikavér, Juhász, Eger, Hungary Hungary’s most famous, or infamous, red wine, depending on the decade you grew up in. This is Bull’s Blood, which never really went away – it’s just that we discovered varietals with pronounceable and more subtle-sounding names. This family-owned estate has, for the past 20 years, been run by Peter and Attila Juhász. Part of their production is sold off to less scrupulous wineries - the rest, the best, is bottled under the family label. One senses a new broom being wielded here, with the inclusion of Cabernet and Merlot, along with the more traditional Kékfrankos and Blauburger varieties. All of which suggests that this, once- upon-a-time, somewhat unsophisticated wine, has been brought into the 21st century. Their enthusiasm and attention to detail sets them apart from the dull mediocrity that was synonymous with Egri Bikáver, or Bull’s Blood. Deep ruby red, spicy fragrances and flavours, with chunky black fruit and tannins on the palate. TG12Food matching suggestion: Beef stroganoff.Your notes:

2008 Château Plaisance, Bordeaux Supérieur, France Situated on the border of the Margaux appellation, Château Plaisance was bought in 1991 by Louis and Isabelle Cholet who have restored this lovely 10 hectare vineyard. The construction of Château Plaisance itself dates back to the 1780s, but its vineyard origins are far older, as can be seen on the 1753 map of the estate. These alluvial soils are planted with 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot – a vine which particularly likes these soils. To extract the best of this terroir, their goal is a yield of 55 hectolitres per hectare for the Merlot (the permissible maximum in Bordeaux), 45 hectolitres for the Cabernet and 35 hectolitres for the Petit Verdot. Their demand for quality is exacting – and to optimise the eventual fruit maturity, they prune hard in the winter, some bud pruning in the spring, inter-row planting to reduce vine vigour, leaf stripping, and a green harvest in the summer - if indeed needed. An ultra-modern chai (winery), houses thermo-regulated tanks, which allow for the extraction of the most delicate aromas. A third of their barrels are replaced with new ones each year, testifying to their ongoing quest for a Bordeaux which is very supérieur. Elegant, mature claret, with dark fruit and cedar-notes; perfect for long lunches. TF27Food matching suggestion: Roast beef or pink venison.Your notes:

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Reds...2013 Syrah ‘The Raconteur’, Swartland, South Africa The Swartland begins some 50 kilometres north of Cape Town and consists of the regions between the towns of Malmesbury in the south, Darling in the west, Piketberg in the north and Riebeek Kasteel in the east. This softly undulating country between the mountain ranges Het Zwarte Land - the Black Land, was named after the endemic and widely-spread Rhinoceros Bush, which when viewed from afar, and usually after the winter rains, takes on a rather dark, sombre appearance. The wide fertile plain is the bread basket of Cape Town with its wheat fields reaching up to the foot of the mountains, interrupted by wine, fruit and vegetable farms. Viticulture in the Swartland is still comparatively young, and is practised under dryland conditions, with minimal irrigation. This is 100% Syrah, fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperature. It was left on its lees for six months prior to bottling. Ripe mulberry fruit, mingled with light coriander and nutmeg spice, perfectly balanced - giving a soft, easy-drinking style. TF81Food matching suggestion: Roast duck, grilled meats or spicy tomato pasta.Your notes:

2012 Corbières, Château Spencer La Pujade, France The eponymous Christopher Spencer is a financier who works in Paris, and who bought this 30 hectare property in 2007. Set in a natural amphitheatre of vines, surrounded by pine forests and the garrigue, the classic Rhône varieties are all carefully sited to suit their best characteristics. The limestone and chalk soils with an atypical deposit of sand, give this estate’s wines more subtlety and fruit than is normally found in the wines of Corbières. Sustainable viticulture follows organic principles, with the severely pruned vines yielding very low crops. This is a grand blend of 50% Carignan, 15% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah and 10% Grenache. After a fairly traditional fermentation, just the Syrah spends four months in barrel, before being blended back with the rest of the wine. Ripe, black-berried fruit with a lovely rounded, hint-of-vanilla finish. TF24Food matching suggestion: Wild boar sausages.Your notes:

2011 Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangiovese ‘In Situ’, Aconcagua, Chile The area has been a meeting point for Aconcagua Valley inhabitants for hundreds of years and the enigmatic rock drawings remain intact today among the native flora and cultivated vines that adorn the hillsides. These ancient drawings, resembling a spider’s web, form part of the design of the distinctive label. In Situ is a ‘terroir project’ with the vineyards located at the eastern end of the Aconcagua River Valley. The warm daytime temperatures provide ideal ripening conditions for the grapes in this spaghetti blend, while the altitude (around 850 metres), and the breezes that descend from the Andes Mountains at night, provide the cooling required to achieve the balancing acidity necessary for great wines. This cool air, along with the clear sun-filled days, is instrumental in the development of the fresh fruit, spice, aromas and structure of Aconcagua wines. The grapes are all hand-picked, then crushed and fermented, with a two week maceration with the skins, before being put into French and American oak barrels for 12 months. The result is a velvety-textured wine, with hints of dark fruit, leather and spice aromas. TG11 Food matching suggestion: Steak and frites. Your notes:

2014 Capolemole Bianco, Marco Carpineti, Lazio, Italy Situated on the slopes of the Lepini mountains near Cori, 56km south of Rome at 400m above sea-level, the estate has been in the Carpineti family for many generations. The most significant change to their modus operandi was the adoption of organic farming in 1994. The estate currently spreads across 52 hectares, of which 41 hectares are planted to vines and the rest to olive trees. Specialising in grape varieties native to this region, they have effectively preserved a treasure trove of vine obscurities, like Bellone (aka Arciprete Bianco) (80% of the blend) and Greco Moro (20%), which had all but disappeared from elsewhere in the region. Subtle, complex flavours of pears with a hint of lime and touch of vanilla. IW60Food matching suggestion: Pappardelle con Funghi.Your notes:

2013 Gentil, Hugel & Fils, Alsace, France It is always reassuring to include a wine from Hugel & Fils, simply because their wines are so well made and reliably excellent. Gentil is now the generic name for Alsace blends; once upon a time Hugel used to call theirs Les Fleurs d’Alsace. Whatever the nomenclature, it is the style and flavour of this blend that offers everything that is good about Alsace, without any single variety dominating. Thus the spicy tones of Gewürztraminer (14% of this blend), is ameliorated by the broader, elegant inclusion of 23% Pinot Gris, 20% Riesling, 41% Sylvaner plus Pinot Blanc, with a topping of 2% Muscat to provide additional, aromatic nuances. We suspect that percentages vary slightly, but this gives a clue to Hugel’s interpretation of ‘Gentil’. Youthful, floral tones of roses and acacia, with peaches, spices and bitter oranges on a fine, long finish. AL04Food matching suggestion: Pan-fried Red Mullet with pink and white peppercorns.Your notes:

2013 Pecorino, Cantina Orsogna, Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy Central Italy’s Abruzzo region is more closely associated with its signature red grape variety, Montepulciano. Cantina Orsogna is an award-winning Abruzzo winery situated in central Italy, specialising in native and once-endangered grape varieties of the region, such as Pecorino, Cococciola and Perricone, as well as making the red that made Abruzzo famous - Montepulciano. They have over 1,000 hectares of vineyards in all, 800 of which are farmed organically. Nestled in the foothills of the Maiella range, part of the Apennine Mountains, and just 15 kilometres from the sea, large day-night temperature swings and excellent circulation of cooling sea air through the vineyards, makes this a terrific site. Cantina Orsogna was named Italian Winery of the Year in 2012, at Vinitaly, one of the wine trade’s major fairs. Pale yellow with hints of green, very fresh and floral with typically spicy flavours of ginger, peaches and a long finish. Light and graceful; a jolly, juicy mouthful. TG13Food matching suggestion: Salmon and grilled vegetables, or pasta zucchini.Your notes:

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