Past Shipment

Masi ‘Brolo di Campofiorin’, 2006, Italy
(Pr: mah-see bro-low dee cam-po-fee-o-reen)

The great red wines of Italy’s Veneto region are unique in the world of fine wine thanks to the extraordinary ‘Apassimento’ process. Here a proportion of the grapes destined for the blend are air-dried for weeks (traditionally on reed mats in the sun). This process adds rich concentration and lovely, chewy dried fruit and gamey flavours when blended. The most famous wines to benefit from this process are typically labelled Amarone. However Amarone also typically comes with a mighty price tag.

The prestige wine of this ‘Holiday’ Discovery selection, the Brolo di Campofiorin by the great house of Masi, is a democratized version of an Amarone. Comprised of 80% of Corvina, the great regional red grape variety of North-East Italy, of which roughly 30% has been treated to the ‘Apassimento’ process, this is Amarone in all but name and cost. A family owned winery for six generations, the house of Masi takes pride in providing a reliable and affordable insight into what great Veneto wine should be.

This wine from Masi’s own ‘Broli’ or ancient walled vineyards, displays characteristic concentration of both dried and very fresh red fruits, including raspberry and cherry, with a further dollop of yummy baked plum added to the mix. The savouries are intense, including rich cocoa, iron minerals and Mediterranean herbs. Both barrel and bottle aged, this is a very serious wine indeed, and pairs beautifully with game dishes, rich meats, chicken and lamb curries.

Finca Flichman ‘Misterio’ Malbec, 2007, Argentina

Although originally a French varietal, the Malbec grape has taken a much better liking to the cool, dry climate of the high city of Mendoza, than it ever did to its native Atlantic home in the old country.

Argentine Malbec is the archetype of a misunderstood European grape variety finding greater and more powerful expression in the New World. The dynamic winemakers at Finca Flichman understand this only too well and have created a wine of finesse and clean power.

Exuberant fresh blackberries, and dark, plummy fruits dominate the nose, supported by a cocoa-rich ripeness, fine minerality and balanced acidity. This is a warm, rich, generous wine and like much of the exceptional output of Argentina and Chile represents extraordinary quality for money.

The food culture in Argentina is typically one of rich meats and big portions, a cuisine perfectly suited to the big, bold and juicy local wines - try this with steak, tandoori meats, or lovely on its own as a winter warmer.

Nine Hills Shiraz, 2009, India
(Pr: shee-raz)

Nasik based Nine Hills brings old-fashioned French know-how to the Indian wine scene. The Pernod Ricard group’s French origins and large wine portfolio provides a fantastic pool of wine-making knowledge from which their new Indian venture at Nine Hills benefits. An important tenet of French wine-making philosophy is that great wine is really made in the vineyard. The winemakers at Nine Hills regard this a central to their vision, and maintain strict control over vineyard management and contract growers.

This ensures a higher standard of fruit and tightly monitored quality maintanence in the tricky transportation between vineyard and winery. The result is evident in the quality of the wine. Concentrated flavours of dark cherry, backed up by typically Shiraz notes of freshly ground pepper and almost Rioja-like savouries, such as tar, cocoa and saddle-leather.

This is a very powerful, intense red wine, and a great match for rich soft cheeses, and moderately spicy Lamb Rogan josh.

Pink Elephant Rose, 2009, Portugal
(Pr: rose-ay)

One of two additions to our core list in this Discovery Selection, the Pink Elephant Rose is more than a wine for food - it is the perfect wine for Indian food. In a prestigious Punjabi restaurant in London, a wine and Indian food pairing session conducted by some of the greatest wine experts concluded that pairing sweeter wines does not necessarily work with spicy food, and that balanced acidity, clean fruits and strong minerality were more important. From this tasting the Pink elephant Rose was born. Made in Portugal from three typically full bodied, flavoursome grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Alfrocheiro, and Portugal’s signature grape: Touriga National, the wine combines intense minerality and flavour with relatively low alcohol and superbly balanced acidity. In short, this is the best wine available in India, to match Indian cuisine. We think highly enough of it to include it as a rare permanent addition to our core collection.

An intense and fruity aroma of strawberries, raspberries and floral notes greets the nose, while the palate is dominated by minerals and fleshy summer fruits, backed with a bracing acidity. Richly flavoured, yet satisfyingly dry, this will pair well with everything from curries to fried foods and even chicken tandoori. It is also delightful and refreshing on its own. Serve chilled!

Bonacchi Orvieto Classico, 2009, Italy
(Pr: bon-ah-chee or-vee-eto klass-ee-ko)

Perched high on a rock in the middle of the Umbrian hills of central Italy, the walled medieval city of Orvieto can look rather dark from a distance, even on a clear summer’s day. Except for its soaring, world famous cathedral, the city is built out of the locally abundant black ‘tufa’ rock, a dark volcanic soft stone, that is both porous and stuffed full of minerals - perfect for wine. The vineyards that slope down from the ancient city walls are consequently famous for producing wines with intense flavours and minerals, drawn from the volcanic, tufa-based soil.

A blend of local grapes, Trebbiano Toscano and lovely, floral Grechetto, the wines of the Orvieto appellation have made a global name for themselves, owing to their breezy floral character, unusually allied to strong, tangy minerals and a viscous creamy texture.

Cantine Bonacchi is a favourite producer of many an Italian household, making high quality, award winning wines from Umbria and Tuscany, at affordable prices.

Typical white flower notes and soft almonds greet the nose, with a full textured palate dominated by gentle tangy minerals, citrus and floral nectar.

Lovely and refreshing on its own, or ideal with salads, barbecued fish and stir-fry vegetables.

WSI Steven Spurrier Selection Chardonnay, 2010, Chile
(Pr: shar-doe-nnay)

To perfectly round off our current set of private label ‘Steven Spurrier Selection’ wines for 2010, we set out to try to source the ideal Chardonnay for India. In this beautiful, clean, refreshing, yet lightly oaked Chardonnay from the great Chilean house of Errazuriz, we have found just that.

Chardonnay is a typically malleable grape - it has basic flavours, such as citrus and floral elements - but otherwise adapts easily to different soils and wine-making techniques. We wanted to find the cleanest, purest expression of Chardonnay to present the grape variety in its best light. For soft citrus, limestone minerality, know-how and phenomenal value, we decided to look to Chile, and specifically to the leading Chilean premium wine-producer, Errazuriz, for a solution.

The result is this fabulous, softly spoken, yet delicious and balanced wine, combining the beautiful lemon citrus flavours, a touch of peach blossom, balanced acidity, clean minerality, a creamy texture, and just a touch of vanilla on the finish.

Lovely and refreshing on its own, this is also a wonderful food wine, perfect for most fish salads, fish dishes, and even dry or tandoori white meats and cheese pakoras. Yum.