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From Puglia, Grande Pavone marries southern Italy’s ancient, hero grapes - Negroamaro and Primitivo included - to power-packed, spicy perfection. Winemaker Giuseppe Caragnolo has revived some very old traditions to create a style that’s been enjoyed here for centuries (some of his wines are even made by the time-honoured technique of foot treading)! Quality starts in the vineyard with low-yielding old bush vines - the grapes all picked by hand and fermented in old-fashioned, open-top fermenters. The reward is a red of great depth and colour, with robust black fruit, warming raisiny notes and a long, spicy finish. Rich, smooth and absolutely perfect alongside anything savoury and Italian.

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This piercingly aromatic Sauvignon comes from some of the world’s highest vineyards, located in Argentina’s isolated Famatina Valley, some eight hours drive north of the city of Mendoza. Here the combination of high altitude, long sunshine hours and low rainfall makes for a perfect grape growing climate. Highly experienced winemaker Rodolfo Griguol has worked in this region for many years, and during that time has built up a network of contacts with the best growers. He takes only top quality grapes from them to make Zamba - a deliciously mouthwatering, grapefruit and passionfruit flavoured white wine, named after a distinctive Argentinian music and dance. A tongue-tingling array of grapefruit, lime and passionfruit flavours make this the perfect partner for sea bass of a plate of chargrilled prawns. Snap up this seriously refreshing, great value-for-money gem while stocks last!

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Clearly it was no fluke that this wine collected the International Wine Challenge Zinfandel Trophy in 2007 because it went on the received the Single Red Variety Trophy from ‘Decanter’ too! The average age of the vines behind this wine is 90 years - and such serious age translates into serious, concentrated colour and flavour. The Seghesio family have been grape growing here for over a hundred years and boast some of the finest and oldest Zin vines in the county. Winemaker Ted Seghesio says ”Something ethereal happens to Zinfandel with age” and you have all the evidence you’ll ever need right here. The 2004 is a full bodied wine with ripe black cherry, raspberry and chocolate truffle flavours. Fabulous depth and complexity of flavour with elegance and smoothness. Fine wine thoroughly deserving of its trophy wins.

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A superb wine from the legendary Joel Peterson of Ravenswood. The fruit for this exceptional Zinfandel comes from the Old Hill Vineyard, planted over a century ago and restored by forward-thinking Otter Teller. When millionaire Teller took over the vineyard in 1981 it lay in ruin yet he ignored advice to grub it up, fumigate and start again. Instead, he cleared the brush with a dragline, left a natural cover of grass and stimulated vine growth with foliar kelp, relying on ladybugs and praying mantises to control pests. Far ahead of his time, Teller rejected the use of chemical herbicides and fertilizers and quickly established one of the most remarkable organic vineyards in California. This wonderful wine shows blackberry, black pepper, vanilla, coffee, smoky and mint flavours. It’s generous, aromatic and incredibly smooth. Serve with game casserole, lamb shanks or char-grilled steaks.

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Ravenswood is a famous Californian winery and owner winemaker Joel Peterson is the man who pioneered one of the state’s greatest achievements - single-vineyard Zinfandel. The locals have a saying, that if God could grow Zinfandel in just one place, he’d choose Dry Creek Valley and that’s just where this majestic ‘Zin’ was grown. The Teldeschi family arrived from Tuscany over a century ago and soon established a reputation for excellent vineyard management. For decades they sold their finest grapes to a number of local wineries. But when Joel Peterson suggested he make a wine exclusively from Teldeschi grapes, a legendary wine partnership was formed. A hedonistic red with black pepper, vanilla, hints of smoke and tar intermingled with ripe fruit flavours. It’s mouth filling and beautifully balanced - an ideal wine for barbecued shoulder of lamb.

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At 94, Robert Mondavi has lost none of his enthusiasm and drive, although much of his ‘driving’ is back seat these days as his sons Tim and Michael run the winery from day to day. He is regarded unanimously as ‘the doyen of Californian wine’ having achieved so much for the region’s reputation over forty or so years. This 2005 Reserve is particularly impressive, benefiting from fabulous vintage conditions. The techniques used here are borrowed (and refined) from the greatest estates of Burgundy and ensure nothing but complementary integration of oak in what is a wonderfully smooth, fruit-driven wine. Fermented in open-top vats and aged in French oak barrels, this is a wine rich in black cherry and berry aromas with hints of violets and spicy nutmeg. In the mouth, the wine is dense with supple tannins, delicious black-fruit flavours and a dash of fresh raspberry on a silky finish.

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The La Crema winery is an established specialist in intensely flavoured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the cool Sonoma Coast. Unlike many wineries in the region, La Crema does not have large tourist facilities and is not open to the public. It is a small top-end family estate that gets on with the job of handcrafting fine wines, barrel by barrel. Fruit quality is the starting point of any fine wine and La Crema has plenty of great grapes. Like the Burgundy region, the vineyards of Sonoma Coast offer an unusually long, cool and even growing season. Fog and breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean help to moderate temperatures and slow the ripening process. The results at harvest are small grapes with highly concentrated varietal aromas and flavours. This delicious Pinot Noir opens with aromas of ripe cherries, blossom, spicy clove and liquorice. In the mouth, cherry, plum, orange peel and tea leaves flavours shine through. Balanced acidity and firm tannins round out a long, lingering finish.

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The La Crema winery, founded in 1979, is an established specialist in intensely flavoured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the cool Sonoma Coast. Unlike many wineries in the region, La Crema does not have large tourist facilities and is not open to the public. It is a small top-end family estate that gets on with the job of handcrafting fine wines, barrel by barrel. Fermented and aged in new French oak, the 2004 is just coming into its own. It shows the ripeness and balance of a fabulous vintage with smooth, unobtrusive oak flavours thanks to the skills of winemaker Melissa Stackhouse. Fresh aromas of citrus, butterscotch and lemon peel with hints of jasmine and nutmeg. In the mouth it’s rich and buttery with pear and citrus fruit plus toast and caramel richness and a long, lingering finish.

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When this super-ripe red first hit our cellars, it knocked our socks off! Jam-packed with juicy plum and raspberry flavours - this wine gets better and better with every vintage! With Chile’s former ‘Winemaker of the Year’ Adolfo Hurtado at the helm of the production - it’s no wonder! Made from a delicious blend of Syrah, Cabernet and Carmenere (a Chilean speciality) this magnificently rich red is guaranteed to impress! Beautiful, deep ruby-black hue, with generous aromas of plums, blackcurrant and ripe raspberry. A concentrated mouthful of ripe fruit, with lovely spice and chocolate hints … effortlessly smooth.

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Founded in the eighteenth century, Domaine Monteillet has been owned by the Montez family for three generations. Current winemaker Stephane Montez worked for a number of top New World wineries (including Brown Brothers in Australia) before he took over the family business several years ago. Since then quality has soared! Stephane produces massively rich, Syrah-packed reds with plenty of berry-laden fruit. Just 200 cases are made every vintage - making this an extremely sought after wine. Don’t miss out! Super-rich and inky black in colour. Brimming with black cherry, spice and abundant cassis flavours - this is excellent on its own or a superb partner for red meats and full-flavoured vegetarian dishes.

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