The Just Reds Twelve
There’s something about the aroma of meat being grilled over charcoal and this selection will stand up perfectly to the char and smoke: Esterzagues' Cotes du Rhone Les Galets; Le Tende's award winning Bardolino; cru Beaujolais from... Read More
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Les Vignerons d’Estezargues, Cuvee des Galets, Cotes du Rhone, 2022
This is the 19th consecutive vintage we have shipped of this deliciously fruity Côtes du Rhône, from this unfailingly reliable co-operative of just ten growers between Avignon and Nîmes. All wines here are from sustainably or organically farmed grapes, made naturally (i.e. without any additives bar the merest bit of sulphur to ensure stability) and bottled unfiltered.
Raspberryish mouthful, mildly spicy and very moreish. A long term favourite at SVS. Now-2027
ColourRed
RegionRhone
Sub RegionSouthern Rhône
VillageCôtes du Rhône
GrowerLes Vignerons d’Estézargues
Grape VarietyGrenache, Cinsault & Syrah
Vintage2022
ABV14%
Bottle75cl
ClosureCork
CodeESZ122
Les Vignerons d’Estézargues
Rhone, France
This small co-operative, in a little village in the Gard, just west of Avignon, is now getting more attention here because oenologist Denis Deschamps makes "natural" wines, i.e. without adding any sulphur (or anything else) during winemaking.
We find this mildly amusing: we have been quietly shipping decent volumes of these delicious, forward-fruited,...
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Grenache / Garnacha
Grenache / Garnacha
Grenache grows well in hot, dry regions, though it can develop very high (15 degrees+) alcohol.
As such it is grown principally in Southern France and Spain (as Garnacha). It is usually blended with other varieties in the Southern Rhône and Languedoc (Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsaut and others).
Its flavour usually encompasses the...
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Le Tende, Bardolino Classico, 2023
The principal wine here. It’s a very superior Bardolino, for two reasons: a high - 80% - proportion of the superior Corvina grape, accompanied by 20% Rondinella; and eight days maceration on the skins gives considerable texture. Quite soft and pale in tone, it offers up a charming perfume of red cherries; and then a pretty mouthful of red fruit. Light and juicy, delightfully ripe but not in the least sweet, this has a magical poise and purity. Now-2025
Both the 2020 and 2023...
ColourRed
Grape VarietyCorvina & Rondinella
Vintage2022
ABV13.5%
Bottle75cl
MethodOrganic
CodeLET623
Jancis Robinson
We get super excited when Jancis Robinson (or one of her team) write about our wine!
Voted the world's most influential wine critic in polls in the US, France and internationally in 2018, Jancis views herself as a wine writer rather than a wine critic.
She writes daily for JancisRobinson.com and weekly for the Financial Times. She is founder-editor of The Oxford Companion...
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La Salette, IGP Côtes de Gascogne Rouge, 2023
This is a light red which one could easily serve slightly chilled with lunch (at just 12.5%) or with spicy food: the French would call it “frais”, fresh. It wouldn’t be bad with plain roast chicken either. There’s a sense of strawberries and raspberries, a plush core, and minimal tannins. From 50% Tannat plus 25% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it delivers simple, immediate pleasure and outperforms its price. Now-2026
ColourRed
RegionSouth-West
Sub RegionCotes de Gascogne
GrowerLa Salette
Grape VarietyTannat, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Vintage2023
ABV12.5%
Bottle75cl
ClosureScrewcap
CodeSAL623
Cabernet Sauvignon
The most prestigious red grape?
Origins
- Bordeaux region, as a natural cross of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc (established 1997 by DNA analysis)
- Was known as Vidure or Petit-Vidure
- Spread throughout left bank of Bordeaux, supplanting white grapes
Characteristics
- Fairly easy to grow: hardy, buds...
Lagneau, Regnie, Vieilles Vignes, Cuvee Gerard, 2023
One of our long-term favourites, from 60-100 year old vines on the granitic hills just to the south of Morgon. Gérard is the father chez Lagneau. As ever - we have been shipping this ever since the 2001 vintage - this is terrific. Didier’s ‘home’ cru, Régnié, is home to classic sandy and granitic Beaujolais soils and known for its fragrant, structured wines. Ripe, aromatic bramble and raspberry notes with a mineral undertow. Excellent depth on the mid-palate with a long, exciting...
ColourRed
RegionBeaujolais
Sub RegionRégnié
GrowerDomaine Lagneau
Grape VarietyGamay
Vintage2023
ABV13.4%
Bottle75cl
ClosureCork
CodeLAG323
Beaujolais
"…if red wine can be nubile, this red wine is" - Andrew Jefford, in The New France
That immediate fruitiness of the Gamay grape, allied to refreshing acidity, moderate alcohol levels - usually 12.5 degrees to 13 degrees - and ability to be served cool (don’t overchill, or you won’t taste anything), makes Beaujolais the definitive summer...
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Gamay
Gamay is Beaujolais! Lovely medium to light red wine, with fresh acidity for summer drinking with great potential for ageing in good vintages.
Also planted in: the Loire; odd new plantings in New World, e.g. New Zealand
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Carinae, Malbec, 225E, Mendoza, 2022
225 is an open cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia - hence the excitingly spaced out label. This is a super, nicely ready, Ronseal (does what it says on the tin) Mendoza Malbec. It's based on splendid fruit from the very old wines at the Carinae estate, now almost within the spreading southern edge of the city. Lovely deep hue. Deliciously ripe and fleshy, all gorgeous and dense brambly and cherry fruit with just the right acidity to balance the lush fruit flavours. Lovely...
ColourRed
RegionMendoza
GrowerCarinae
Grape VarietyMalbec
Vintage2022
ABV14.3%
Bottle75cl
ClosureCork
CodeCAE222
Carinae
Mendoza, Argentina
Frenchman Philippe Subra, with his wife Brigitte, came to Argentina as the national boss of EDF, the French energy giant - but loved the country so much he cleverly bought some long-established vineyards and settled there, on the south side of Mendoza. He has built a small cellar - boutique indeed, whilst wholly lacking the pretension that word implies!
What...
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Malbec
Malbec is a red grape whose home is in south-west France, and specifically in the appellation of Cahors.
There (known as Cot) it makes a strongly flavoured wine which is, all too often, tannic and rustic and needs several years ageing to show its best.
Like Carmenère in Chile, it is much more successful in Argentina than in its homeland. Introduced in the mid 19th...
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Fichet, Bourgogne Tradition, Pinot Noir, 2023
A brand-new wine for this summer. Authentic red Burgundy under £20 has become very hard to find so we were delighted to be find this one. Very pretty red fruit on the nose with a pure, slightly earthy palate and fine tannins. Lots of attractive, fresh fruit but without anything tart or hard. Extremely likeable. Now-2028
“Bright and expressive with aromatic dark fruits on the nose, with some spice and cola notes as well as the fruit. The palate is fresh, focused and well defined...
ColourRed
RegionBurgundy
GrowerDomaine Fichet
Grape VarietyPinot Noir
Vintage2023
ABV12.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeFIC623
Burgundy
The Burgundy Pyramid
Making sense of the complexity of the complexity of Burgundy isn’t easy.
Though Burgundy only comprises 5% of France’s vineyard area, it holds 100 different Appellations, 25% of the entire French total. There are no less than 5,000 growers, 85% of whom own less than 10 hectares, and four fifths of them make wine.
To make matters...
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Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Origins
- Ancient vine, perhaps 2,000 years old
Distant origins in France - first documented mention in France in 1375
Characteristics
- Finicky grape: notoriously difficult to grow (which is partly why it is hugely intriguing to New World...
Here’s the full tasting note for...
The Just Reds Twelve
There’s something about the aroma of meat being grilled over charcoal and this selection will stand up perfectly to the char and smoke: Esterzagues' Cotes du Rhone Les Galets; Le Tende's award winning Bardolino; cru Beaujolais from Didier Lagneau; top Malbec from CarinaE; a new red Burgundy from Fichet and the always enjoyable La Salette Rouge from Gascony. Includes 2 bottles of each of the wines - save £22 on regular prices.
Great choice of good-value wines in the January sales. The website is really easy to use to make up an order. Delivery, as is often the case, was within 24 hours and, as usual, was well-packed.Read More
I've bought a couple of cases recently, and many more in years gone by, and have really enjoyed their selection. They have a good range of interesting wines from some classic and some more…Read More
Judging by the wines I have had, someone is doing a very good job in selecting the wines to put before the public, and at a very fair price. Delivery from online purchases as also been quick and…Read More
Great company with good service and good prices. Highly recommended.Read More
One of my favourite independents. Been enjoying these special wines for more than 10 years. Always interesting choices, and always great value in the sales!Read More
This was yet another quick and painless transaction, as I have come to expect from SV&S.Read More
