TRUFFLES RESTAURANT IN HIG ST FAREHAM
- Address: 8a High Street, Fareham, Hampshire, PO16 7AN
- Food Service Times: Tuesday to Saturday 18:30 - 21:00 / Thursday to Sunday 12:00-14:00
- Telephone: +44 1329 315487
- E-mail: trufflesrestaurant1@gmail.com
- Web: www.trufflesrestaurantfareham.co.uk
Husband and Wife team, James and Jemma moved from Wiltshire in March 2016. They fell in love with the quaint high street, and the intimate feel that "Truffles Restaurant" has to offer. Now a modern European restaurant, their aim is to provide you with locally sourced, excellent quality and freshly prepared food in an informal environment. James originally from Oxfordshire is passionate about sourcing produce locally, and using seasonal ingredients, this is reflected in how often the menu changes. After their biennial Portfolio Wine Tasting, the members from the "Fareham Wine Cellar" decided to celebrate it with a "Wine Food Pairing Dinner" with over 150 different wines and spirits to try (www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk). They are an established, independent Fine Wine Merchant based in the market town of Fareham in Hampshire (located just a few minutes from the M27 between Portsmouth and Southampton). Their shop is situated in the historic High Street where one can find fovolous wines, and a large selection of spirits, on display.
Daily Set Menu:
- Lunch: Thursday to Saturday (2 courses from £13.95 / 3 Courses from £15.95)
- Dinner: Wednesday to Friday (2 Courses from £18.95 / 3 Courses from £23.95)
- If you have any allergies or dietary requirements please inform a member of their team. All their foods are cooked fresh on the premises and although great care is taken to remove bones they cannot guarantee it.
A LA CARTE MENU
- Glazed pork cheek, black pudding, autumn slaw, fig £6.95
- Pulled lamb milles feuilles, navirin sauce £7.50
- Citrus marinated salmon, smoked salmon rillette, dill, citrus, shallot and caper dressing £7.50
- Steamed red mullet fillet and tiger prawns, sweet potato mash, laksa sauce £7.95
- Sautéed wild mushrooms and salsify, toasted brioche £6.95
- Pan roasted fillet of beef, bubble and squeak, roasted carrots, savoy cabbage, Paris brown mushroom sauce £23.95
- Roast venison haunch, dauphinoise potato, red cabbage, roasted salsify, venison jus £18.50
- Honey roasted Gressingham duck breast, fondant potato, beetroot choucroute, carrot and celeriac puree, tarragon jus £17.50
- Pan fried sea bass fillet, gnocchi a la Romana, wild mushrooms, Jerusalem artichoke, spinach, parsley £15.95
- Honey glazed carrots, spiced lentils, spinach, dukkah, lemon ricotta £12.95
- Chocolate Guinness cake, Baileys sauce, salted caramel ice cream £6.50
- Apple sponge pudding, butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream £6.50
- Rice pudding, honey and almond granola, roasted pear and grape jam £6.50
- Lemon posset, meringues, roasted white chocolate, raspberry sorbet £6.50
- Selection of Ice cream and sorbets £5.50
- Trio of Isle of Wight Artisan cheeses, crackers, home made chutney £8.50
SAMPLE SUNDAY LUNCH MENU
- Ham hock, pork belly and apple croquette, black pudding, toasted nuts, caramelised apple, apple sauce £6.95
- Smoked duck breast, poached cherries, port reduction, pea shoots £6.95
- Char grilled marinated squid, chorizo, cannellini beans, salsa verdé £6.95
- Steamed red mullet fillet and tiger prawns, sweet potato mash, laksa sauce £7.95
- Beetroot hummus, pickled cucumber, Briddlesford feta, mint, grilled sour dough £6.95
- Roast of the day, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, gravy £15.50
- Pan roasted fillet of beef, bubble and squeak, roasted carrots, Paris brown mushroom sauce £23.95
- Honey roasted Gressingham duck breast, fondant potato, beetroot choucroute, carrot and celeriac puree, tarragon jus £17.50
- Roast cod fillet, colcannon, mussel, bacon and sweetcorn velouté £15.95
- Honey glazed carrots, spiced lentils, spinach, dukkah, lemon ricotta £12.95
- Double chocolate brownie, salted caramel ice cream £6.50
- Apple sponge pudding, amaretto caramel, vanilla ice cream £6.50
- Spiced rum pannacotta, pineapple, chilli and lime salsa, coconut sorbet and tuille £6.50
- Lemon posset, meringues, roasted white chocolate, raspberry sorbet £6.50
- Selection of Ice cream and sorbets £5.50
- Trio of Isle of Wight Artisan cheeses, crackers, home made chutney £8.50
HOW TO DO WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS
Food, glorious food made even better by a well chosen glass of wine!!! Food and wine paring is a little bit of art, a little science, and a lot of trial and error. Quite often it is better to lean on instinct, common sense and luck to create a decent pairing. But don´t worry, getting it wrong will help you to get it right. In the past the approach to pairing food and wine was simply red meat went with red wine and fish with white wine. Those were conservative times, but today those rules were mean to be broken. In the world of food and wine matching, there are those who follow the rule book to the letter, and those who would happily watch the rule book go up in flames. But I think it is not so much about the wine colours, as it is about the balance of flavours and textures of both the food and wine when combined. This is the essence of good food and wine matching. When it comes to matching food and wine, there are several schools of thought. There are the traditionalists, who keep things classic and pure by creating conventional pairings. There are the noncomformists, who'd rather break the rules. Then there's the new breed: Those who understand and respect the classic combinations, but enjoy pushing the boundaries, too. And, of course, there are those who couldn't care less.
- Textures: Consider the weight of the food and the wine, in order to create the foundation for the match. Next, look for flavours that are similar or at least complementary to one another. Zoom in on texture and how the acidity, tannin, sweetness, and temperature of the wine will help or hinder the dish.
- Ingredients: Consider the individual ingredients, the overall dish, and how you intend to prepare it. Fish, shellfish, poultry, game, meat, and cheese, etc. Each in turn with its own distinct set of aromas, flavours, and textures. Also you can add a whole variety of cooking methods, accompaniments, and sauces to the mix, and you begin to realize that there's all number of variables to consider when you're looking for the right wine.
- Country: The fact that a particular local wine works so well with a particular local dish is no great surprise, and more likely the result of many hundreds of years worth of refinement and fine-tuning.
- Season: Each season has a massive impact on the colour, the smell, the flavours, the weight, and the texture of food. Also indicates the type of wines customers, will order.
Champagne Dom Perignon Vintage 2009: (£135.50/bottle or £1544.70/case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Champagne Dom Perignon was the first prestige cuvée, an idea proposed by Englishman Laurence Venn. The first vintage of Dom Pérignon was 1921 and was only released for sale in 1936. It is named after the alleged creator of champagne, a 16th Century Benedictine monk called Pierre Pérignon. True to the ambition of Pierre Pérignon in the late 17th century, Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy demands the exceptional: only an outstanding harvest is worthy of Dom Pérignon vintage champagne, the exclusive product of a single year. More than three centuries later, the House of Dom Pérignon perpetuates the visionary approach of its founder, widely considered the spiritual father of Champagne. Each new vintage is a unique creative act, reinventing the extraordinary style of a wine that only the Chef de Cave may declare a “vintage year”. “The grapes are never the same from one year to the next. If a harvest does not meet Dom Pérignon’s unyielding standards, there will be no vintage champagne that year. This isn’t a value judgment it’s an aesthetic vision,” says Dom Perignon Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy. The unique personality of Dom Pérignon is born of this creative commitment. It is this tension between the distinctive qualities of a year and the timeless spirit that defines Dom Pérignon, an unparalleled sensation that imparts weightlessness, airy richness and suppleness from first impression to the long-lasting finish. From Dom Perignon’s website, “The stretch of excellent weather condition of 2009 was unprecedented, and allowed us to explore new frontiers of grape ripeness in Champagne. The vintage offers a taste of the ripest and richest fruit, grapes in their prime, with the promise of the future wine’s freshness and energy. The 2009 vintage brings a prodigious, sunny, bold and generous decade to a close.” Champagne Dom Perignon Vintage 2009 is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.
Champagne Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV: (£58.50 / bottle or £666.90 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Champagne Ruinart has been producing Champagne since 1729. It was founded by Nicolas Ruinart and is located in the capital of the Champagne region, Reims. Ruinart’s cellars are amongst the largest in the region, and are gallo-roman in origin. Like most Champagne cellars, they are the product of ancient chalk mining, and extend over 30 metres below the ground. The cellars maintain a natural temperature of 11 degrees Celsius and have been listed since 1931. These are the only one to be listed in the Champagne region and they are considered to be the most beautiful ones. Today Champagne Ruinart is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA and is led by chairman Roland de Calonne, with chef de caves Jean François Barot working his magic in the cellar. Champagne Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay which is all from Premier Cru vineyards and is presented in a distinctive, fat bottle made of clear (although UV resistant) glass, a replica from an 18th Century model.
Hambledon Vineyard Premiere Cuvee: (£38.99 / bottle or £444.48 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Hambledon Vineyard Premiere Cuvee is the flagship Hampshire Sparkling wine from Hambledon Vineyard and was first released in 2015. Hambledon Vineyard is England’s oldest commercial vineyard and is just starting to release their superb sparkling wine after a number of years of investment, vineyard planting and the building of a 100% gravity flow winery. The grapes for this wine are all estate-grown from vineyards on the South East facing chalky slopes of Windmill Hill in the village of Hambledon. The grapes are all hand-picked and undergo a double selection for quality once in in the vineyard and once before pressing. Hambledon Vineyard Premiere Cuvee is a carefully blended selection of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier with the addition of some specially matured reserve wines. The actual cuvee is 58% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir and 18% Pinot Meunier (correct as of Autumn 2017). It is a blend of 2 different vintages with around 2 to 3% of the wines fermented in specially selected French oak barrels to add complexity and structure. Malolactic fermentation took place to soften the minerality. The wine is aged for a minimum of 36 months on the lees prior to disgorgement. Dosage is 8 g/L. The blend was carefully developed under the guidance of Hervé Jestin. Hervé is one of the most famous oenologists in Champagne and has been Chef de Caves at Chamapagne Duval Leroy for 20 years.
Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut: (£28.50 / bottle or £324.90 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut is the first released English Sparkling Wine from Hambledon Vineyard (there was a small amount of a second label called Mill Down Brut which was made in 2010). Hambledon Vineyard is England’s oldest commercial vineyard and is just starting to release their superb sparkling wine after a number of years of investment, vineyard planting and the building of a 100% gravity flow winery. The grapes for this wine are all estate-grown from vineyards on the South East facing chalky slopes of Windmill Hill in the village of Hambledon. The grapes are all hand-picked and undergo a double selection for quality – once in in the vineyard and once before pressing. The assemblage (correct as of Spring 2017) for Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut is 40% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir and 31% Pinot Meunier. The wine is a blend of two vintages. A small percentage of the reserve wines are barrel fermented in small French oak barrels to add extra complexity to the cuvee. The wine is fermented in stainless steel vats and is then left to settle for 6 months prior to blending with the reserve wines and bottling. Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut is aged for a minimum of 22 months on lees in their cellars dug into the chalk downs prior to disgorgement, dosage et al. The dosage for this wine is 7g/L.
Urbina Seleccion 1999 Rioja, Bodegas Urbina: (£15.50 / bottle or £176.70 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Urbina Seleccion Rioja is a “selection” of the very best Tempranillo grapes from vines over 20 years old that are normally used for the production of the Reserva and Gran Reserva wines. Bodegas Urbina is a small, traditional and family-owned Rioja wine estate. This single estate is located in Cuzcurrita de Rio Tiron on the north-western boundary of DOC Rioja. Urbina has 75 hectares of vineyards at two main vineyard sites – the first site is at Cuzcurrita de Rio Turon, an area well-known for producing Riojas capable of ageing for many years ideal for Gran Reservas. The other vineyards are located at Uruñuela, in the heart of the Rioja DOC, which consistently produces wines of great quality and body. Four generations of the Urbina family had dedicated themselves to producing Rioja wines and, following in his father´s footsteps, Pedro Urbina is the current wine-maker. In 1976 the family took the decision to bottle and age all the wine made themselves, rather than selling grapes to other wine producers, and the single estate Urbina Rioja wines were created. Since then Urbina has gone from strength to strength. A new winery was designed and built by the Urbina family at Cuzcurrita in 1986 and there has been a large investment in modern equipment, stainless steel tanks and a bottling plant. Bodegas Urbina produces 400,000 bottles of red Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva and 50,000 bottles of white and rosé wine, all made from grapes sourced from their own vineyards. The vineyards are cultivated using traditional methods, harvesting is by hand and there is little, or no, use of weed killers and pesticides. Additionally all fertilizer used is organic. Only local / indigenous yeasts are used in the wine-making process which help to give Urbina wines their unique personality. The grapes for Urbina Seleccion Rioja are sourced from Urbina’s old vines, all of which are over 20 years old. Urbina use the blue label for wines produced from old vines and they use their red label for wines produced from younger plantings of vines (such as their Crianza or Tempranillo). The grapes undergo 28 days maceration. The wine is aged for 15 months in new American oak casks, a little bit too early for it to be a Reserva wine. It is bottled as a Crianza but, in fact, bears all the hallmarks of Urbina’s Reserva wines.
Urbina Crianza 2009 Rioja, Bodegas Urbina: (£12.25 / bottle or £139.65 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Urbina Crianza Rioja is probably the biggest selling of all the Urbina wines that we stock. Bodegas Urbina is a small, traditional and family-owned Rioja wine estate. This single estate is located in Cuzcurrita de Rio Tiron on the north-western boundary of DOC Rioja. Urbina has 75 hectares of vineyards at two main vineyard sites the first site is at Cuzcurrita de Rio Turon, an area well-known for producing Riojas capable of ageing for many years ideal for Gran Reservas. The other vineyards are located at Uruñuela, in the heart of the Rioja DOC, which consistently produces wines of great quality and body. Four generations of the Urbina family had dedicated themselves to producing Rioja wines and, following in his father´s footsteps, Pedro Urbina is the current wine-maker. In 1976 the family took the decision to bottle and age all the wine made themselves, rather than selling grapes to other wine producers, and the single estate Urbina Rioja wines were created. Bodegas Urbina produces 400,000 bottles of red Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva and 50,000 bottles of white and rosé wine, all made from grapes sourced from their own vineyards. The vineyards are cultivated using traditional methods, harvesting is by hand and there is little, or no, use of weed killers and pesticides. Additionally all fertilizer used is organic. Only local / indigenous yeasts are used in the wine-making process which help to give Urbina wines their unique personality. Urbina Crianza is 95% Tempranillo (from 20 year old vines) and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo, all harvested by hand. 12 months in American oak casks and a minimum of 6 months in bottle before release. Total production is 200,000 litres.
Lapostolle Collection Petit Verdot Unfiltered 2015, Valle de Colchagua: (£19.25 / bottle or £219.45 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Lapostolle Collection Petit Verdot is a limited release wine made from 100% Petit Verdot grapes sourced from the Lapostolle’s famous Apalta vineyard in the Valle de Colchagua. The Lapostolle Collection range is an experimental range of wines which is something a bit different from the norm. There is also a Mourvedre and a Carignan in the range. Lapostolle owns 370 hectares spread over three different vineyards and which have gradually been turned over to organic production. On September 30, 2011, the registered and accredited German-based environmental certification company CERES – Certification of Environmental Standards authorized all Lapostolle estates in compliance with Chilean, North American, and European required standard. All wines from the 2012 vintage onwards can be classifed as organic. Lapostolle Collection Petit Verdot Unfiltered is designed to be an expression of what a hand-crafted single varietal Petit Verdot from Chile can achieve. The Petit Verdot grapes are from the Apalta vineyard in the Colchagua Valley. It is situated on a north-south exposure, has a river on one side, and hills surrounding the rest of the vineyard like a horseshoe. The Petit Verdot vines are planted on shallow coluvial granitic soils on steep hillsides with south-eastern exposure. The bunches were destemmed by hand, then given an eight-day cold soak at 10ºC. The must fermented with wild yeasts in small vats, with gentle hand plunging. The wine was transferred to six-year-old French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and thirteen months’ further ageing. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered, with just 1,137 bottles produced in total. The 2015 Lapostolle Collection Petit Verdot is 90% Petit Verdot and 10% Grenache.
Clos du Roy 2015 Fronsac AC, Vignobles Hermouet: (£10.75 / bottle or £122.55 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Clos du Roy is a red Bordeaux wine from the Fronsac appellation of Bordeaux. It is a small property located in the villages of Saillons overlooking the Vallée de l’Isle. Fronsac is 40 km northeast of Bordeaux and 5 km northwest of Libourne and the Saint-Emilion and Pomerol appellations. Like its more famous neighbours it is a region dominated by the Merlot grape. The first vintage of Clos du Roy was made in 1970. Prior to this the grapes were sold for making bulk wine. The current owners of Clos du Roy, Vignobles Hermouet, acquired the estate in 1987, completing their 30th harvest in 2017. Family-owned Vignobles Hermouet consists of two properties, Clos du Roy with 22 acres of vineyard and Château Roc Meynard, which covers a 75 hectares (12 under vine) surrounding the Meynard butte in Villegouge village. The soils at Clos du Roy are limestone and clay, with a dominant proportion of clay, soils to which Merlot is particularly suited. The vineyard is planted, at a higher density than the appellation requires, with 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. After harvest, the grapes for Clos du Roy are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel, followed by a gentle pressing in a small vertical press. The wine then undergoes malolactic fermentation in tank before the wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, a third of which are new. The cuvee is normally 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Louis Jadot Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravieres: (£34.50 / bottle or £393.30 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Louis Jadot Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravieres is a white wine sourced from grapes from the appellation of Santenay in the southern part of Burgundy, the Côte de Beaune, adjacent to Chassagne Montrachet. Louis Jadot is one of the largest and most famous wine producers and negociants in the Burgundy wine-growing region. The origins of the company date back to 1859 when the business was fouded by Louis Henry Denis Jadot. Over time the company has acquired plots of vines is some of the most prestigious vineyards in the region including Beaune Clos des Ursules, Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Savigny Les Beaune and many more. Louis Jadot owns or directly controls 120 ha in the Côte d’Or, including over 90 individual vineyard sites, 84ha in the Beaujolais Crus and 18ha in the Mâconnais primarily in Pouilly Fuissé. Today the business is headed by Pierre-Henry Gagey, son of André Gagey, who was entrusted with the management of Louis Jadot in 1962 by Madame Jadot following the tragic death of her son. The Louis Jadot Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravieres vineyard is located in the Northern part of the village on a soil composed of alluvium. Gravières means little pebbles made of limestone which can be found all over the vineyard. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels, after which the wine is aged in casks for 15 months, one third of which are new, before being bottled.
Chateau Les Hauts Conseillants 2012, Lalande de Pomerol: (£23.50 / bottle or £267.90 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Chateau Les Hauts Conseillants is located in the Lalande de Pomerol wine-growing appellation of Bordeaux which is a satellite village of the right bank appellation of Pomerol itself. It is one of the most famous wineries of the appellation. The winery is owned by the Figeac-Bourotte family who also own Chateau Bonalgue, Clos du Clocher and Chateau du Courlat. The estate’s origins stretch back to 1973 when Leopold Figeac and his son-in-law Pierre Bourotte purchased 5 hectares of vineyard in Lalande de Pomerol. There are now 10 hectares of vineyards. There are two distinct parcels of vines. 6 hectares of vineyards are vineyards are situated on sandy-clayey soil with gravelly subsoil, on the Chevrol plateau in Neac), 4 hectares are on a gravelly outcrop with 10% clay in Lalande. 1973 was also the year that Pierre’s son Jean-Baptiste Bourotte was born. Today John-Baptiste is in charge of the company and the wine is made in consultation with Michell Rolland and Christian Veyry. The cuvée for Chateau Les Hauts Conseillants is composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc.The wine undergoes traditional vinfication, each plot is vinified separately, there is manual pumping over and a maceration of one month. After alcoholic fermentation the wine is aged for 15 months in fine-grained French oak barrels (1/3 new, 1/3 one year old and 1/3 two year old). There are approximately 50,000 bottles produced per vintage.
Cantine Pellegrino Marsala Rubino Fine 18%: (£15.25 / bottle or £173.85 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Cantine Pellegrino Marsala Rubino is the more unusual red style of Marsala, made from red grapes, and is bottled as a Vino Marsala Fine DOP. As a red fortified wine it is an interesting alternative to Port wines and other red dessert wines like Aleatico or Recioto. Marsala is one of the world’s greatest fortified wines but unfortunately, and rather unfairly, is often seen as a poor relation to the rather more famous Port, Madeira and Sherry Wines. It is almost certainly the most famous Italian fortified wine style and it is made in the north western region of the island of Sicily. Unlike other fortified wines, the creation of Marsala can be pinpointed to one man, Englishman, John Woodhouse. Woodhouse was a connoisseur of Port, Madeira and Sherry and when he arrived in the city of Marsala in 1770, it wasn’t long before he thought to try fortifying the local wines. In 1773 he added 8 litres of grape brandy to 400 litre barrels of wine, shipped it to England, and, effectively Marsala was born. Marsala first received Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status in 1969. Today, Cantine Pellegrino, along with their competitors Cantine Florio, are recognised as the two top Marsala producers. Cantine Pellegrino came a little after Woodhouse. It was established in 1880 by Paolo Pellegrino and the company today remains in family ownership (one of only 2 to do so) and is one of only 3 Marsala houses founded in the 19th century that is still in existence. There are quite a few different style of Marsala and they vary in terms of sweetness (from sweet through to dry), in terms of ageing (some in a system similar to the Solera system in Sherry, some in single casks) and then in the length of times the wines are aged. Most Marsala is white, but some is also made from red grapes. Read more about Marsala here. Cantine Pellegrino Marsala Rubino Fine is made from red grapes sourced from sourced from vineyards surround Marsala and Mazara del Vallo in the province of Trapani. The vineryards here have clay-limestone, sandy, slightly clayish soils and are situated a few meters above sea level. It is made from the manually harvested Nero d’Avola. During the vinification process, the fermentation process is stopped with the addition of a grape spirit that has been aged for at least 5 years in oak cask (a grape brandy). Vino Marsala Fino DOP is one of the younger styles of Marsala wines and has has to be for at least 1 year. Cantine Pellegrino Marsala Rubino Fine exceeds this with a maturation of over 12 months in Alliers oak casks of 50 and 20 hl and then a further 6 months in oak barriques.
Robert Oatley Signature Series GSM: (£12.75 / bottle or £145.35 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Robert Oatley Signature Series GSM, as the more acronymically keen will be aware, is a a blend of Grenache Shiraz and Mourvedre grapes. Of course there are (and were) plenty of GSM red wine blends in Australia, but it Robert Oatley who first began using the term “GSM” for such blends in the early 1990s and is largely responsible for the popularity GSMs today. Robert Oatley Vineyards, was founded by wine industry legend Bob Oatley in 2006, has vineyards in Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales. Director of Winemaking, Larry Cherubino is one of Australia’s most awarded wine makers and has made vintages all over the world. Under his guidance Robert Oatley Vineyards has identified some of the best vineyards in their respective regions that show a true sense of the land. The Signature Series embodies the grape varietal and region in which it was grown. The vineyards in the McLaren Vale, some 45 minutes to the south of Adelaide are the source for the grapes for this wine. Grenache Shiraz and Mourvedre grapes share a long history in McLaren Vale with this triple blend emulating the wines of Cotes du Rhone. Robert Oatley Signature Series GSM 2014 is a blend of 50% Grenache, 45% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre (also known as Mataro in Australia). The grapes come from the southern part of McLaren Vale. After harvest the grapes are fermented on their skins in a combination of open and closed fermenters and matured in French oak for 10 months prior to bottling.
The Hedonist Shiraz 2016, Walter Clappis Wines: (£14.75 / bottle or £168.15 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). The Hedonist Shiraz is a biodynamic red wine made by Walter Clappis wines in the McLaren Vale wine-growing region. Walter Clappis has been making wine for 25 years and is considered to be one of Australia’s most outstanding Winemakers he is the only Winemaker to have ever won the coveted Dan Murphy Trophy three times. Walter Clappis has always made wine employing the most traditional methods: open vat fermentation and basket pressing with fermentation usually being completed in small oak barrels. This method is adopted to increase the overall complexity and integration of oak through the wine. Now he farms his vineyards bio-dynamically and does not use pesticides or herbicides. The emphasis of bio-dynamics is about promoting soil health and maintaining a balanced and diverse population of soil biology. All the wines reflect a purity of fruit which is consistent with the Winemaker and his philosophies. Grapes for The Hedonist Shiraz are sourced from 18 year old vines grown in Clappis’s own vineyard situated in the Willunga foothills, McLaren Vale. Here the warm summer days are cooled by evening sea breezes from St Vincent’s Gulf, which lies nearby, some 10 kms, to the west. The soil is rich loam over clay with patches of underlying limestone, giving the wine a rich and fullness of palate. After harvest, the grapes undergo a gentle crushing. The must is then pumped into traditional 10 tonne open fermenter. The parcels of grapes are vinified separately until the final blending. The wine is pressed and racked off the skins into oak hogsheads (300L barrels), a mixture of new and seasoned French and American (20% new French Oak; 80% second and third fill French & American Oak). Here the wine finishes its primary fermentation and undergoes malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for a further 12 months in oak barrels before final blending and bottling. Bottled unfiltered. 100% Shiraz.
Blandys Madeira 10 Year Old: (£18.49 / bottle or £210.78 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Blandys 10 year old Madeiras are a blend of wines with an average of 10 years in seasoned American oak casks. The wines were aged at the family’s Lodge in Funchal in the traditional ‘Canteiro’ system, whereby the wine is gradually transferred from the higher floors where the temperatures are higher, to the middle floors and eventually to the ground floor where temperatures are cooler. The process of transferring the barrels is absolutely critical to ensure the right balance of ullage and concentration. All through the ageing process, the primary fruit flavours of the wine are gently transformed into tertiary dried fruit notes that produce unique Madeira hallmark bouquet. Blandys Madeira has been synonymous with quality Madeira wine for over 200 years. The Blandys are unique in being the only family of all the original founders of the Madeira wine trade to still own and manage their own original wine company. The family has played a leading role in the development of Madeira wine throughout its long history and members of the family continue to live on Madeira, maintaining a tradition that goes back to 1811. This dry style of Madeira is made from 100% Sercial grapes sourced from various quality vineyards including at Jardim da Serra on the south of the island at an altitude of 500m. After fermentation, and the subsequent fortification. Blandys 10 Year Old Sercial is aged for 10 years in seasoned American oak casks in the traditional Canteiro system, whereby the casks of this wine are gradually transferred from the top floors of the lodge, where it is naturally warmer, to the middle floors and eventually to the ground floor where it is cooler. During this totally natural ageing, the wine undergoes regular racking before finally being bottled.
Numanthia Toro 2012, Bodegas Numanthia: (£40.99 / bottle or £467.28 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Numanthia is a red wine produced in the Toro wine-growing Denomicanc d’Origen in the northwest of Castile and Léon. The Numanthia estate lies near the small village of Valdefinjas, in the province of Zamora. The wines are made from 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo). Numanthia was was founded in 1998 by the Eguren family, from the Rioja region. From the start, the aim of Marcos and Miguel Eguren was to produce the best wine possible in the Toro wine-growing region. The estate was purchased by French luxury goods giant Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) in 2008. Today the estate owns 83 hectares of vines in the communes of Valdefinjas and Toro. Of these, over 40% of the vineyards are planted with vines aged over 70 years old and there is another exceptional plot of 4.8 hectares (Teso de los Carriles), in the commune of Argujillo, whose vines were planted over 140 years ago. These grapes contribute to the three wines called Termes, Numanthia and Termanthia. The estate’s signature wine is Numanthia. Numanthia is a subtle blend of grapes from more than 100 parcels of the finest terroirs offering unique balance, elegance and power. Numanthia’s style depends on the selection of exceptional vines, aged between 50 and 100 years old, ungrafted and non-irrigated. Year after year, their low yields deliver grapes of extreme concentration with intense fruit and structure. Harvesting is carried out manually and there is a rigorous selection of grapes both in the vineyard and at the winery. The grapes are 100% destemmed and undergo between 4 to 6 days of cold maceration with 2 daily pump-overs. There is then an extended maceration on skins for 21 days with light pump-overs. The wine is aged in new French oak barrel during 18 months and is racked every 4 months.
Simon Hackett Hills View Shiraz 2014, McLaren Vale: (£13.99 / bottle or £159.48 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Simon Hackett Hills View Shiraz is made by McLaren Vale legend Simon Hackett. Simon Hackett was born and raised in the Barossa Valley where his family have been connected with the wine trade for many generations. four generations of the Hackett family followed agricultural pursuits in South Australia. Simon worked at Saltram’s, in the Barossa, before moving to McLaren Vale in 1973 where he cut his teeth working at Southern Vales Cooperative Winery (now Tatachilla) eventually becoming senior wine maker. Simon’s privately owned winery is situated at the entrance to McLaren Vale in Budgen road and it is here where he hand crafts his wines in small open top fermenters and gentle nurtures them in a combination of French and Oak barriques. Much of his fruit is sourced from dry grown vineyards with ancient, gnarled vines. Yields are very small and his entire annual production rarely exceeds 10,000 cases. Today Hackett sources grapes from the McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills regions of South Australia. Simon Hackett Hills View Shiraz is 100% Shiraz , a portion of the wine was barrel fermented in 2nd year American oak hogsheads. Once fermented dry, the total wine was matured in 2nd year American hogsheads for 10 months.
Ramos Pinto 2015 Vintage Port: £52.50. Ramos Pinto 2015 Vintage Port is a superb vintage release from a vintage producing remarkably structured and fresh wines. Ramos Pinto was founded in 1880 by brothers Antonio and Adriano and has always had a pioneering spirit. In the early 20th century it became noted for its innovative and enterprising commercial strategies including the distinctive art nouveau advertising campaign. Ramos Pinto is run today by the heirs of these two energetic vintners: Jorge Rosas, Export Director and João Nicolau de Almeida, the oenologist who was responsible for officially identifying the five key grape varieties. In 1990 Ramos Pinto became part of the Champagne Louis Roederer group, which shares a similar family owned history and has since enjoyed significant investment and further improvements in quality. Ramos Pinto enjoys the distinction of holding the largest proportion of vineyards in relation to its production, giving them a high degree of control over viticultural methods at harvest time. The house tends 187 hectares of prime vineyards in the Alto Corgo and Douro Superior areas of the famed Douro region, the mountainous valley formed by the Douro River and its tributaries. 2015 was a was a very dry wine-growing year in the Douro with much less rain than the previous year. A cold dry winter was followed by an atypically warm spring, with peaks of hot weather in May and late June, which speeded up the vegetative rhythm. However, the existence of water reserves in the soil and the cool nights during the summer allowed the grapes to mature smoothly and progressively. Ramos Pinto 2015 Vintage Port is a blend of 53% Touriga Nacional, 37% Touriga Franca and 8% Sousão. The grapes are fermented in granite lagares where the grapes were trodden by foot and without destemming. The fermentation of this wine lasts between 4 and 5 days and produces an excellent extract. After this the wine is aged in barrel for 18 months first at the Romas Pinto winery and subsequently at their lodge in Vilanova de Gaia.
Sanchez Romate Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximenez Sherry Reserva Especial, Jerez 18%: (£26.99 / bottle or £307.68 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Sanchez Romate Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximenez Sherry is a sweet, dark and raisiny dessert wine from the Jerez region. Juan Sánchez de la Torre founded the company in 1781 in Jerez to produce fine wines. Two hundred twenty five years later Sánchez Romate is one of the oldest bodegas in Spain and one of the few that remains in family hands. This has allowed it to maintain its independence and continue making wines in the same time-honoured fashion. Over the years their quality has been rewarded with appointments to the House of Lords and the Vatican. To ensure quality from vineyard to bottle Sanchez Romate not only owns its own vineyardsin the best albariza soil areas of Jerez but also has invested in some of the most modern facilities in the region all of which are still housed in the bodega buildings located in central Jerez. These traditional cellars with their high ceilings keep temperatures stable and allow the natural yeasts to circulate while the sand floors keep the humidity at the correct levels. The ageing process is through traditional criaderas y soleras with 500 litre American oak casks filled to five-sixths and arranged in layers of three to four. The company produces three different ranges of sherry, from the classic Romate range to the Reservas Especiales through to La Sacristía the company´s oenological treasures.
Chamonix Greywacke Pinotage 2014, Franschhoek: (£16.75 / bottle or £190.95 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Chamonix Greywacke Pinotage is 100% Pinotage made from grapes harvested from a 2.5 hectare plot of vines planted at an altitude of 350 metres of altitude on Greywacke soils. Greywacke soil is a type of sandstone characterised by its hardness, dark colour, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or lithic fragments set in a compact, clay-fine matrix. Cape Chamonix wine farm is situated on the eastern mountain slopes of the fertile Franschhoek Valley to the north of Cape Town and can trace its beginnings back to 1688 when it was part of the first farm granted to Huguenots. The estate was bought by its current owners in 1990 and there have been many improvements made in the vineyards and winery since. Chamonix Greywacke Pinotage vines have an average age of 15 years old and are trained in the traditional Cordon system. To make Chamonix Greywacke Pinotage the healthiest bunches of grapes are hand-picked from mid to end of February and the others are left to air dry on the the vine and are then picked at the end of March. Whole bunches of the early harvested grapes are sorted and fermented in stainless steel with carbonic maceration. Then the later harvested, partly dried, grapes are added which starts a secondary fermentation. Fermentation takes place at 18-20° C for 15 days on the skins. Wine buffs might recognise this as the Ripasso method of wine production commonly used in the Veneto region of Italy. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged for 18 months in 228L French oak barrels, 30% of which are new.
Antinori Cervaro Della Sala 2017 Umbria IGT, Castello Della Sala: (£56.99 / bottle or £649.68 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Antinori Cervaro Della Sala is a blend of approximately 85% Chardonnay and 15% Grechetto, the proportion varies from vintage to vintage. In 1987, Antinori introduced its first Chardonnay-based wine, the 1985 vintage Cervaro della Sala, a name that translates as Stag of the Hall, and was taken from that of the 14th century feudal owners of Castello della Sala, an Umbrian castle Antinori purchased in 1940. The wine has won numerous awards, including the coveted three goblets from Gambero Rosso (one of Italy’s leading wine magazines). The grapes for Cervaro Della Sala originate from fifteen to twenty-year-old vineyards surrounding Castello della Sala, at altitudes between 300 and 400 metres above sea level. The soil is rich in marine fossils with some clay. The grapes were harvested at night to maintain freshness. Antinori Cervaro della Sala always has a proportion of Grechetto in the blend and the 2015 is a Chardonnay 90% / Grechetto 10% blend. The grapes were picked during the earliest hours of the morning to order to assure that the grapes which reached the cellars were entirely whole and healthy, not stressed by high daytime temperatures. After a brief four hour period of skin contact at 50° Fahrenheit (10° centigrade) the must went into stainless steel tanks before going into oak barrels. Both the primary and the malolactic fermentation took place in barrel. After approximately three months the Chardonnay went back into the stainless steel tanks to be blended with Grechetto (which had been fermented separately in stainless steel). After bottling, the wine was aged in bottle for several months in the historic cellars of the Castello della Sala before commercial release.
Calar del Rio Mundo 2013, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla: (£20.95 / bottle or £238.83 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Calar del Rio Mundo is a red wine from the La Mancha wine-growing region of Spain. It is bottled as a Vino de la Tierra de Castilla. The grapes for Bodegas Calar come from the Finca Montachuelos estate which is located in the municipality of Granatula de Calatrava in the Spanish province of Cuidad Real. There is a record of grape growing and winemaking at the Finca going stretching back over 500 years. Bodegas Calar is a younger project and it a careful juxtaposition of centuries of tradition the latest wine-making technology and techniques. Calar was founded by Juan José Moreno Alarcón in 2005 to produce wines that demonstrate what high quality wines can be made in La Mancha. Juan Jose sadly passed away in 2011 but today the wine-making is in the capable hands of technical director José Carlos García Vega and Argentinian born oenologist (and Malbec specialist!), Luis Raúl Asmet The location of Finca Montachuelos is something special – the vineyards are planted on the only volcanic derived soils in Spain and are situated on the Campo de Calatrava volcanic field on the banks of the Rio Jabalon. Bodegas Calar work with 20 hectares of vineyard located at an average altitude of 675 metres above sea level in the Sierra Morena foothills. All vines growns are Tempranillo, or as it is known locally, Cencibel. There are two plots of vines La Loma and La Umbria. La Loma is located at 650 metres and is planted on sloping land with sandy loam soils, this offers good drainage. The grapes from here go into Calar Abrego. The other plot, La Umbria, is planted at 750 metres on north-facing, gently sloping land with volcanic-stony soils, this helps to produce fresh and mineral wines. The grapes from here are used to make the Calar del Rio Mundo. All of their wines are bottled as a Vino de La Tierra de Castilla. The 100% Tempranillo grapes for the Calar del Rio Mundo are picked at optimum ripeness after checks in both the vineyard and the laboratory. All grapes are harvested by hand into 10 kg baskets to ensure that the grapes arrive at the winery in good condition )without broken skins etc.). The vineyards are close to the winery so there is only a short journey which also helps. The grapes are then hand sorted on sorting table at the winery. The grapes are destemmed and then undergo a period of cold maceration of several days prior to fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is allowed to undergo malaolactic fermentation and it is aged for 12 months in new French oak barrels.
Chateau Caroline 2012, Moulis en Medoc Cru Bourgeois: (£15.99 / bottle or £182.28 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Chateau Caroline is the sister Chateau of Chateau Lestage. It comprised 9 hectares of vineyards and was previously part of Chateau Lestage but is now separate. It is named Chateau Caroline after the granddaughter of the owner of Chateau Lestage, Marcel Chanfreau. Moulis is the smallest of the 6 Medoc communes and is located to the south of Listrac (where Lestage is located) and Chateau Caroline is situated on the plateau of Bellevue overlooking the town of Moulis itself. The soils here are clayey-limestone which is particularly good for growing Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines of moulis are generally quite full-bodied. The vineyards are planted with 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyards are tended using sustainable methods with the greatest respect for the vines and their environment. During the harvest different parcels of grapes are selected and vinified separately. After a gentle crushing and destemming, the grape must is vinified in small, temperature controlled vats which allows maximum control over the vinification. After malaolactic fermentation the wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels, racked every three months and fined with egg white. A third of the barrels are new with each vintage. Approximately 50,000 bottles per vintage are produced.
Chateau Maine Blanc 2012, Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux: (£9.75 / bottle or £111.15 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Chateau Maine Blanc is a red Bordeaux wine from the Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux (or Cotes de Bordeaux Blaye depending on where you look) appellation which is located on the right bank of the River Gironde. It surrounds the slightly better known Cotes de Bourg. It was previously known as Premieres Cotes de Blaye. Chateau Maine Blanc is located near the village of Cars which is located approximately 4 or 5 kilometres to the east of the town of Blaye. The vineyards are located on clayey-calcareous soils and cover some 5 hectares. They are planted with 85% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with an average vine age of 30 years old. The vineyard is currently converting to organic viticulture with the use of green, cereal-based fertilisers, and organic and phytotherapy treatments for the vines. In the vineyard they do some deleafing in June and a green harvest in mid-July. The harvest is done at dawn, with a manual sorting, to ensure that the grapes arrive at the winery cool and in the best condition. After harvest the grapes undergo a period of cold maceration followed by traditional vinification in concrete vats with regular pumping over. The wine is aged in a combination of vats and second and third fill barrels.
Chateau Fonreaud 2012, Listrac Medoc Cru Bourgeois: (£22.95 / bottle or £261.63 / case (12+ bottles, 5% off). Chateau Fonreaud is a Membre de l’Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux and is located in the Listrac Medoc wine-growing region of Bordeaux. The commune of is situated in the Médoc on the Route Nationale 215, between Bordeaux and Le Verdon-sur-Mer. The name “Fonreaud” is derivation of the name “Font-réaux” meaning “Royal Fountain” and legend has it that, in the 12th century, the King of England and husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II Plantagenet, stopped here to quench his thirst and drank from a spring of cool water. The spring can be found on the estate today. There were cellars on the site in the 17th century but the current Chateau was built in 1850 by Henri Le Blanc de Mauvezin in 1850. Today the estate is owned by Jean Chanfreau (whose sister, Caroline, owns the nearby estates of Chateau Caroline and Chateau Lestage). The wine is classified as a Cru Bourgeois. Jean’s grandfather Leo has been a winemaker in Algeria and purchased the estate in 1962 on his return to France. The estate then comprised 17 hectares and was managed by Leo’s son Marcel until Jean took over. The vineyards surround the Chateau which sits on the border between Listrac Medoc and Moulis and now comprises 32 hectares in a single block Pyrenean gravel with a clay limestone subsoil. The Chateau also produce a Moulis called Chateau Chemin Royal and a white Bordeaux called Le Cygne de Fonreaud (which is fantastic, but in extremely short supply!). At harvest there is an initial sorting in the vineyards which is followed by a second sorting by hand at the Chateau. Each plot is vinified separately in therm-regulated concrete vats which allow the winemaker a good level of control over vinification and gives more options when it comes to the final blending of the wine. At the start of the fermentation there is a twice daily pumping over to improve extraction of fruit and colour. After fermentation the parcels of wine are aged for 1 year in French oak barrels. The different batches are tasted regularly and the final blend is assembled with the aid of consultant oenologist, Antoine Médeville. Chateau Fonreaud 2010 is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
Cognac Maxime Trijol VSOP Grande Champagne, 1er Cru de Cognac 40%: £50.99. Cognac Maxime Trijol VSOP Grande Champagne is a very successful Cognac Cognac Maxime Trijol VSOP Grande Champagne is blended from a large proportion of cognacs aged between 10 and 20 years and will give an average tasting age of 15 years old. This method appears to have been successful since the 2003 International Spirits Challenge awarded the Maxime Trijol VSOP Grande Champagne cognac its Brandy Trophy – ahead of all the XO Cognacs! The Cognac Maxime Trijol history is one of measured achievement. The family originally settled as growers and distillers in St Martial Sur Né, in the heart of the Cognac region. Their first still was installed in November 1859, and since then they have built on their expertise as growers and distillers, becoming professional distillers in 1962. An independent family firm, Maxime Trijol has twenty 2,500 litre charentais pot stills and is now one of the largest distillers of cognac. The current head of the company, Jean-Jacques Trijol, is an artist, wielding his skilful palate through the process of distillation and blending, adapting, sometimes minutely, the spirit he collects from each still and varying his technique slightly depending on the harvest and the wine. In recent times the company has concentrated on releasing more of its own cognacs, which have been building a great reputation for quality.
Cognac Frapin VSOP Grande Champagne 40%: £46.99. Cognac Frapin VSOP is one of the very best VSOP Cognac one can lay one’s hands on. It is a very well balanced fruit-driven Cognac which represent some of the more modern, elegant styles that are starting to appear. The Frapin family has been distilling in the Cognac region for 20 generations and their single estate consists of 240 hectares of vineyards in Grande Champagne. Their headquarters is at the stunning Chateau Fontpinot which is set amongst the vineyards in the commune of Segonzac. Grande Champagne is one of 6 sub-regions of Cognac; it is set on chalky soils (similar to those of the Champagne region) and is generally considered to produce the richest, most long-lived cognacs. Frapin practises “L’agriculture raisonnée” which is eco-friendly, resposible farming. The vineyards are cultivated naturally taking into account elements such as the biology of the vine, parasites, weather conditions, and soil. Natural elements are also restored to the earth by adding pruned branches and distillation residue back to the vineyard. The grapes for the Cognac Frapin VSOP are mechanically harvested from vineyards in the Grande Champagne 1er Cru of Cognac. The basic starting point is a simple white wine, called “Vin de Charente” which is vinified primarily from Ugni Blanc grapes. The wine is aged and then distilled twice in 4 traditional copper Charentais stills. Only the heart of the distillation is used as the “heads” and “tails” contain elements which can detract from the quality of the finished product. The spirits is then sent to oak barrels for ageing. I often get asked what VSOP means. It stands for Very Superior Old Pale, a style of Cognac in which the youngest component of the blend has to be aged for at least 4 years in cask. In practice the blend will include brandies that are a lot older than this and it is the skill of the blender to combine the younger fruitier spirit with the mellower, aged spirit to produce a well balanced Cognac.