Robin Davis of Swig Wines, specialists in sourcing quirky wines from passionate, artisanal and often eccentric producers, sent me so many bottles to choose from that I got in a right stew. Mrs Ray despaired at my indecision and repaired upstairs with a bottle and a box set. I couldn’t whittle the selection down to six, so came up with the following ten and no mixed case.
A classic blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc which would easily pass for a wine twice the price
The 2023 Christoph Bauer Gemischter Schatz (literal translation: ‘mixed treasure’) (1) from Jetzelsdorf, north of Vienna, is like nothing else I’ve come across in Austria, being a field blend of co-fermented Welsch-riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Neuberger and Traminer. It’s light, fresh, citrusy and appley and, as Herr Bauer says, blumig, fruchtig and duftig. £13.95 down from £16.95.
I was greatly taken by the 2023 Nai e Señora Albariño (2), from a small family winery in the Salnés Valley, Rías Baixas, Spain. Fresh, peachy, lemony and slightly salty, it’s a brilliant aperitif. If only all Albariño tasted like this. £16.50 down from £19.50.
The 2023 Salt River Sauvignon Blanc (3) from Duncan Savage – onetime Platter’s Producer of the Year – is a gorgeous expression of the variety. Made in Stellenbosch from old bush vines, it’s full of gooseberries, cut grass, nettles and passionfruit and I love it. £19 down from £22.
I’ve had a fondness for Verdicchio ever since my father wrote a naughty limerick about it but struggle to find tasty examples. This has just changed with the 2022 La Staffa
Verdicchio (4), from Staffolo in the north of Le Marche. Crisp, clean and refreshing, with green apples, peaches and almonds and a long finish, it’s the finest I’ve drunk. £19.50 down from £22.50.
The 2021 Red Claw Chardonnay (5) is that rare beast: a subtle, restrained, toned-down Aussie Chardonnay. Made from handpicked fruit in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, it’s so well judged, with white stone fruit and just the merest hint of vanilla. The long, elegant finish is more Chablis than Meursault. £23.50 down from £26.50.
The 2018 Ch. Tour Marcillanet (6) proves yet again what amazing value can be found in Bordeaux if you know where to look. A fully mature petit château from the Haut-Médoc, it’s a classic blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc which would easily pass for a wine twice the price. £12.95 down from £15.95.
The 2023 AA Badenhorst ‘Secateurs’ Shiraz (7) is the latest release from the bonkers genius that is Adi Badenhorst in Swartland, South Africa. Fresh, succulent, spicy and jammy, it’s a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Cinsault that’s made to drink rather than keep, and it should be a shoe-in for the barbecue. £14.95 down from £17.95.
The 2022 Domaine Gramiller ‘Pruine’ Côtes du Rhône (8) has the most minimalist label I’ve seen – just a purple grape-like splodge on white. The wine itself, though, a blend of Carignan, Grenache and Syrah, is anything but minimalist, being crammed with rich, ripe, dark, plummy hedgerow fruit backed by a long peppery finish. £15.95 down from £18.95.
The 2019 Distant Noises Cabernet Sauvignon (9) from winemaker Tom Carson in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, has everything I expect: mint, eucalyptus, cassis and blackberry/blackcurrant. It’s fresh, soft and so drinkable. £18.50 down from £21.50.
Finally, the 2019 Rosso No. 1 Coste del Vivo (10), a gem from Tuscany that I could barely keep my hands off. A complex Sangiovese, Cab Franc, Merlot, Pugnitello, Ciliegiolo blend from winemaker Toby Owen, who went from running a Scottish wine store to making fine Brunello. It’s succulent, spicy and jammy and I defy you to stick to one glass. £23.50 down from £26.50.
Wines are offered in unmixed sixes but readers can mix their own or simply add a bottle or so to bump up the order. Delivery is free on orders of £120 or over.
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