Solarena is ripe in character with spiced black-purple fruit aromas. The enticing brambly fruit on the palate gives way to rounded, velvety, vanilla notes, whilst the subtle oak adds extra richness, structure and intensity of flavour.
LES SABLONS COTES DU VENTOUX ROUGE TERRAVENTOUX 2009 - RHONE, FRANCE
22.00
A blend of Syrah and Grenache, with aromas of fresh black fruits, liquorice, olives, sweet spice and an edge of cooked fruits on the nose. The palate is fresh yet rich with more sweet spice, fresh and baked fruit notes, with ripe tannins and a long finish.
FLEURIE MILLESIME CAVE DE FLEURIE 2010 - BEAUJOLAIS, FRANCE
28.00
A striking and vivid purple red colour, with several punnets worth of red berries on the nose and palate. Soft and fresh with light, ripe tannins and crisp acidity, it is a benchmark Beaujolais.
A-Z PINOT NOIR 2009 - OREGON, USA
42.00
This wine shows great poise, concentrated depth and purity, within a lacy framework. Beautifully ripe acidity and fine tannic structure bring balance to this classic, succulent, intense wine; perhaps the most beautiful Pinot Noir they have made to date and a match for many a Burgundy.
NUITS ST GEORGES ROCHE DE BELLENE VIEILLES VIGNES 2007 - BURGUNDY, FRANCE
62.00
A classic Nuits with impressive richness, coming from 60 year old vines and predominantly clay soil, this wine displays good, luscious, red berry and floral notes, with a hint of liquorice. A deep and refined Nuits-St Georges.
SOFT, ROUNDED AND REFINED REDS
VALDIVIESO MERLOT 2011 - LONTUE, CHILE
18.50
6.50
Ultra smooth, juicy Merlot with jammy plum, blackberry and damson fruit, with lashings of mocha coffee and chocolate.
SAAM MOUNTAIN PINOTAGE 2010 - PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA
21.00
A classic Pinotage with juicy tannins, ripe, dark fruit and vanilla notes. The finish is long, fruity and very elegant.
MASSERIA DEI TRULLARI PRIMITIVO DEL TARANTINO , IGT RACEMI 2010 – PUGLIA, ITALY
22.00
7.50
A soft and richly scented Primitivo with a deep, rich and pure palate of ripe and dried dark fruits, earth, damson, prune, chocolate and liquorice.
ST HALLETT SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2009 - BAROSSA, AUSTRALIA
24.00
Lively, rich cherry and raspberry aromas with some spicy rose petal notes from the Touriga Nacional. The palate is ripe and juicy with real depth to the blackberry and raspberry fruit, supported by soft, juicy tannins. A lush wine filled with Barossa sunshine.
DINASTIA VIVANCO RIOJA CRIANZA 2008 - RIOJA, SPAIN
27.00
A soft, deep, modern Crianza with rich aromas of ripe red and purple fruit, vanilla and spice, well integrated, toasty oak and a firm and balanced backbone.
LA TUNELLA CABERNET FRANC 2009, COLLI ORIENTALI DEL FRUILI, ITALY
29.00
An exquisitely poised, fresh, rounded and refined, medium bodied Cabernet Franc. The nose delivers masses of pencil shavings and green pepper, with a dusty, earthy backbone, lifted by floral and red fruit notes. On the exceptionally appealing and ‘pretty’ palate, any earthiness on the nose is left behind, leaving notes of flora and soft fruits, incredibly soft tannins and tingling acidity.
LEFT FIELD SYRAH 2009 - HAWKES BAY, NEW ZEALAND
39.00
This moderate climate wine, from the Gimbletts Gravel region of Hawkes Bay possesses the richness and depth of fruit of a typical new world Shiraz, albeit in a much fresher style, with the peppery sophistication of a Rhone Syrah. Both masculine and feminine from a dash of floral Viognier, this is a wonderfully balanced wine.
CHATEAU LAMARTRE ST-EMILION GRAND CRU 2008/9 - BORDEAUX, FRANCE
45.00
A refined, rich St-Emilion with ripe blackberry, damson and black cherry fruit. Sweet, juicy tannins, spicy cinnamon, pencil lead, cedar and lively acidity deliver a finely balanced wine.
CHATEAU MUSAR 1998 - BEKKA VALLEY, LEBANON
60.00
This iconic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault is renowned for producing fantastically unique, age-worthy wines of bewildering character and finesse. The nose is dominated by Musar’s classic notes of volatile acidity, sweet earth, tobacco, farmyard nuances, both fresh and dried red and black fruits, sour cherries, sweet spice, tapenade, liquorice, figs and cedar. With fine, mellow tannins, and well-balanced acidity, the 1998 vintage of this wine is almost Burgundian in stature with an edge of the arid quality of the Bekka Valley’s unique terroir, and an exceptionally long, moreish finish. Unquestionably unique and a wine you have to taste at least once in your lifetime.
LES TOURELLES DE LONGUEVILLE PAUILLAC 2007 - BORDEAUX, FRANCE
65.00
Deep in colour with real Pauillac class on the nose: cedar spice, blackcurrants and plums with an ever so slighty savoury edge. The palate is medium-bodied, with ripe, firm tannins bracketing the pure plum and cassis fruit and sensibly handled oak.
FULL BODIED, BOLD AND SPICY REDS
BODEGAS TABULA DAMANA 5 2009 - RIBERA DEL DUERO, SPAIN
28.00
Dense colour, good concentration of mulberry and cherry fruit richness, bright fruit, nicely ripe and juicy with well-integrated oak.
TERRAZAS RESERVA MALBEC 2008 – MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
27.00
9.00
Juicy, chocolatey Cabernet with plums, cherries and vanilla adding to the classic Coonawarra eucalyptus, minty, blackcurrant notes. Seductive and fresh with ripe tannins on the long finish.
KATNOOK FOUNDERS BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008/9 - COONAWARRA, AUSTRALIA
32.00
This is a complex wine which shows varietal characteristics and has well integrated barrel notes. The nose and palate have complex pepper, dark and red berry aromas and flavours, while the palate is full-bodied and smooth with integrated tannins and a long finish.
BODEGAS TOMAS CUSINE VILOSELL COSTERS DEL SEGRE 2008 - CATALUNYA, SPAIN
34.00
Delicious mouthful of black fruits and spice, with all the hallmarks of this southern Rhone stalwart.
NELSON ESTATE SHIRAZ 2004 - PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA
40.00
Another shining example of world Shiraz/Syrah, the 2004 Nelson Estate shows how bright fruit and floral notes of a young wine soften and mellow with a few years in bottle. A hint of sweet, ripe and cooked red fruit on the fore-palate, lead onto notes of mocha, mushroom, cherry and a slight, deep, mellow earthiness and an incredibly long, balanced, poised and silky finish.
COTES DU RHONE, COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL 2008/9 - RHONE, FRANCE
42.00
Pushing well above its weight for a Cotes du Rhone, this Grenache dominated blend from the Southern Rhone’s renowned Chateau de Beaucastel displays notes of dark cherry, raspberry, earth, olives, cured meat and spice. A medium bodied palate of depth and personality, leads onto a persistent finish with fine tannins.