Initially planning to include an English Sparkling wine in the case, it was at a tasting that I came across this stunning Traditional Method sparkling wine from South Africa which blew me away.  This vintage Blanc de Blancs from L’Ormarins spent a whopping four years on lees and is such extraordinarily good value that I just had to include it. 

For the two still white wines we have a gorgeous Bacchus from Lyme Bay here in good old Blighty. It is zesty, crisp, highly aromatic and reminds me of an English Hedgerow with its elderflower, blackcurrant leaf and nettle aromas. For those interested in finding out  more about this grape check out my recent blog post here. Finally on the whites we move down under to New Zealand for a delicious Classic Riesling from Riesling specialists Framingham.  This wine is chock full of flavour, running the gamut from mandarin to lime and lemon sherbet with a hint of smoky tea. Made in an off-dry style the zippy acidity ensures it retains a real lightness of touch.

For the reds we stick to the southern hemisphere – first up from Australia’s McLaren Vale we have a ripe, easy to drink Cabernet Sauvignon from Mitolo: concentrated plump black fruit is complemented by notes of dark chocolate, smoky tobacco and a touch of green herbs.   Sticking with Australia but moving across to the Pyrenees in Victoria, we have a lovely cool-climate Shiraz made by Chapoutier. This acclaimed French producer’s Aussie venture is Domaine Tournon and given their expertise with Syrah in the Rhone, it’s no surprise that this is a Shiraz. Blackberry and plum meet smoky black pepper with lifted herbal notes.  Supple and ripe, this is another easy drinker.  Finally for the reds we head to South Africa for a delicious ‘Bordeaux blend’ from Gabriëlskloof.  This ‘Blend’ of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec is fragrant and very appealing, with blackcurrant, raspberry and cherry notes, dried fruits, a hint of dark cocoa and sweet and smoky spice. Lovely stuff!