Wine Club: a super summer sale to beat the alcohol duty increase

Hey you there on your sun lounger! Take a gander at this summer sale, courtesy of our chums at FromVineyardsDirect. These are extremely toothsome bin-ends and overstocks at pre-duty increase prices. I’ve tasted them, rejected the also-rans and beaten FVD down on price as much as I can. There are some cracking mystery cases included too.

First the whites. 2020 Rive Droite, Rive Gauche (1) has often featured in these pages – a creamy, peachy Viognier-based white Côtes du Rhône that never fails to please. £10.95 down from £12.75. The 2022 Racine Picpoul de Pinet (2) is another crowd-pleaser and as decent a Picpoul as you’ll find. Fresh, creamy and lemony, it’s spot on as a lively aperitif. £12.95 down from £14.95.

The 2019 Les Jardiniers (3) is another white Rhône of great style made entirely from Roussanne by Alexander Sichel at the estate in France’s deep south-west founded by his grandfather, the mighty Peter Sichel of Bordeaux fame. £13.95 down from £15.95. The 2021 Domaine de la Motte Beauroy
Chablis 1er Cru (4) is seriously classy Chablis which, while initially austere and reserved, soon develops into something more giving and textured thanks to time in the barrel. £21.95 down from £24.95.

The Negrel family have produced fine Provençal rosé for more than 200 years and the 2022 Nuit Blanche Rosé (5) is a little charmer – pale pink, light, delicate and deeply refreshing. £12.95 down from £14.95.

Onto the reds. The 2021 La Pierre du Diable (6), a Grenache/Syrah blend from Ventoux, is simple fare but full of juicy dark fruit with a savoury twist. An ideal summer house red at £9.45 down from £10.95. The 2021 Rhonéa Séguret ‘Terrasse Pavée’ Côtes du Rhône Villages (7) is one of the wines of the offer, a Grenache/Mourvèdre-based blend with deliciously spicy, mellow dark fruit and a long finish.