Oh dear, I’m so sorry, I got a bit carried away this week. Now that we’re no longer on the naughty step and Christmas isn’t being taken away from us after all, I’m in a cloud of euphoric indecision. We can finally meet actual, real, genuine people — hurrah! — but what the heck are we going to drink?
We need to get stockpiling. The thing is, so tasty were the wines Mr Wheeler sent me and so over-excited was I that I just couldn’t decide which to pick, hence this bumper selection. Trust me, though, for each and every bottle is absolutely first-rate.
The 2019 Greenhough ‘River Garden’ Sauvignon Blanc (1) from Nelson, New Zealand, is spot-on. Being crisp, clean and much less exuberant and tropical than you might expect in neighbouring Marlborough, it makes a perfect and very refreshing aperitif. £12.75 down from £14.95.
The 2017 Sumaridge Estate Chardonnay (2) from the sweet spot that is South Africa’s Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley — plenty of sun, tempered by cool maritime breezes — is in great shape with weight, texture and deliciously ripe, understated exotic fruit. £17.95 down from £19.95.
I was nervous that the 2012 Louis Jadot Marsannay Blanc (3) might be over the hill but, crikey, it’s in stunning form. Bought direct from Maison Louis Jadot in whose cellars it has slumbered these past few years, it’s one of the finest, most graceful and rewarding wines I’ve had all year, well-priced white Burgundy at its best. £21.50 down from £22.95.
The 2017 Ritual Pinot Noir (4) is a complete steal, proving yet again what extraordinary value can be found in Chile’s Casablanca Valley. Made from hand-harvested organic fruit, fermented in open tanks and aged for 11 months in oak, it’s textbook Pinot: succulent and savoury. Only 4,000 cases were made and it should be snapped up. £13.95 down from £15.95.
Across the mighty Andes we find the big, bold 2017 Penedo Borges Expresión Terroir Gran Reserva Malbec (5) from Mendoza. A glorious deep purple, heady with the scent of violets, it’s rich, concentrated and profound. But there’s freshness, too, and a hint of cassis from a splash of structure-enhancing Cabernet Sauvignon. £15.95 down from £17.95.
The 2014 Clayvin Vineyard Grand Vin Pinot Noir (6) is the current release from Wheeler & Fromm in Marlborough, NZ, and a serious rival to fine red Burgundy. It’s soft, smooth and elegant with dark, plummy fruit and just a hint of seductive earthiness. £27 down from £28.95.
And that would be that, except I simply couldn’t resist the Pfeiffer Rutherglen Muscat NV (8) from Australia. I’m a sucker for fine sweet wines and this is gorgeous, nothing less than liquid Christmas pudding. It’s rich and luscious, crammed with raisins, sultanas and preserved oranges and I defy anyone to stick to one glass. £15.95 per 50cl down from £17.95.
Ditto England’s most celebrated sparkler, the Nyetimber Classic Cuvée NV (9) that should need no introduction. A beautifully crafted blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, it’s a fabulous fizz and if ever there was a time to support our native producers, it’s now. £26.95 down from £34.95.
Finally, a truly mouth-watering treat, a limited edition trio of wines from the sun-soaked glory that is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, namely: 2018 Domaine de Mourchon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2018 Domaine Brunier Télégramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2018 Les Galets de la Berthaude Châteauneuf-du-Pape, all in outstanding condition for just £85 all in.
The mixed case has two bottles each of wines 1-6. Wine 8 is available by the bottle — or multiples thereof — with any other order; the Châteauneuf-du-Pape selection is available in three-bottle wooden gift boxes or six-bottle cardboard boxes and the Nyetimber is available in the six-bottle box only. Delivery, as ever, is free.
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