February Wine Club | 19 February 2015

Berry Bros & Rudd have done it again and come up with six fascinating wines at very generous prices. A couple are almost 25 per cent cheaper than on Berrys’ list and the mixed case is almost 20 per cent cheaper.

And it’s a quirky selection all right. Berrys might have one of the finest lists in the country when it comes to cru classé claret, grand cru burgundy and vintage champagne but, with an unparalleled eight Masters of Wine in the company, their expertise is much further-reaching than perhaps one might imagine, something which is demonstrated perfectly by the vino below.

First we have the 2013 De Martino Reserva Sauvignon Blanc (1) from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. De Martino owns almost 350 vineyards across the country and was deservedly named Chilean Winery of the Year in 2011. This example is full of cut grass, nettles, herbs and plenty of grapefruit. In terms of style, I’d say it sits almost halfway between the restraint of the Loire and the exuberance of New Zealand and it’s extremely appealing and deeply refreshing. £8.50 down from £9.85.

The 2013 Gavi di Gavi, Bric Sassi, Roberto Sarotto (2) from Piedmont in north west Italy is an old favourite of David Berry Green, Berrys’ Italian wine buyer, and I can quite see why. Made from hand-picked, whole-bunch-pressed, unblended Cortese from the highest part (‘bric’) of a stony (‘sassi’) single vineyard, it is vibrantly fresh with lots of peachy baked apple, stewed pear fruit alongside the rather zingier notes of lemon ’n’ lime. It’s also exceptional value with nearly three quid sliced off the RRP. £9.50 down from £12.35.

The 2011 Kumeu River Village Chardonnay (3) is from Auckland, New Zealand, and I’ve been a fan of the estate’s wines ever since I visited it some ten years ago.