Under £50
2020 Slacker Wines, Computer Geek, Paso Robles 12x75cl
Blend: 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Graciano, 10% Carignan
Vintage production: 260 cases
The 2020 Computer Geek comes from three estate vineyards farmed by winemaker Matt Trevisan in the Willow... Creek District. The driving element is Syrah from the Perch Block at Stonethrower Vineyard, located just 10 miles from the ocean at an elevation of 1,350 feet. The Syrah component is rounded out by fruit from the Estrella Block at Stonethrower Vineyard and the Cold Shoulder Block at the Linne Calodo estate. The Grenache, Graciano and Carignan hail from a mix of blocks at Stonethrower, Linne Calodo and Oakdale vineyards.
£410 / Case£34.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £539.66 / Case, £44.97 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2022 Lail Vineyards, Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: 888 cases
£580 / Case£48.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £742.08 / Case, £61.84 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2015 Soliste, L’Age D’Or Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 417 cases
L’Age D’Or comes from a vineyard just north of Sebastopol adjacent to the Laguna de Santa Rosa, the largest tributary of the Russian River.... Originally planted in 1971, these are among the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Russian River Valley. The vineyard is immaculately and sustainably managed.
Having white Burgundies as benchmarks, especially the wines of Raveneau, Jobard and Coche-Dury, Don and Claude were never to anxious to even attempt to craft Chardonnay in the new world as they had always felt that the wines were sometimes over the top with buttery pop corn mouth feel, way too much oak, high alcohol and clunky.
Their success with Sauvignon Blanc, and especially with St. Andelain, convinced them to begin a three year commitment with a fabulous, well-established vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Their willingness to experiment with different vinification as well as aging for 16 months in 600L thick stave barrels (44% new) results in a Chardonnay of great elegance, length and verve; very Meursault-like.
£248 / Case£41.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £316.82 / Case, £52.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2015 Soliste, L’Age D’Or Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 417 cases
L’Age D’Or comes from a vineyard just north of Sebastopol adjacent to the Laguna de Santa Rosa, the largest tributary of the Russian River.... Originally planted in 1971, these are among the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Russian River Valley. The vineyard is immaculately and sustainably managed.
Having white Burgundies as benchmarks, especially the wines of Raveneau, Jobard and Coche-Dury, Don and Claude were never to anxious to even attempt to craft Chardonnay in the new world as they had always felt that the wines were sometimes over the top with buttery pop corn mouth feel, way too much oak, high alcohol and clunky.
Their success with Sauvignon Blanc, and especially with St. Andelain, convinced them to begin a three year commitment with a fabulous, well-established vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Their willingness to experiment with different vinification as well as aging for 16 months in 600L thick stave barrels (44% new) results in a Chardonnay of great elegance, length and verve; very Meursault-like.
£495 / Case£41.25 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £632.45 / Case, £52.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2014 Soliste, St. Andelain Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage Production: 168 cases
St Andelain is Don and Claude's homage to the incomparable late Didier Dagueneau. Born from a single organic vineyard in Lake County, the... grapes were partially destemmed and allowed 36 hours of skin contact to create unique richness and depth. After pressing they barrel fermented and aged for 16 months in Didier’s creation, the Cigar Barrel. There is no malolactic fermentation to preserve acidity, verve and length.
St Andelain is a true expression of Soliste wines: Exceptional vineyards, meticulous grape selection, elegant balance of acidity and aromatics, to create wines of great complexity and finesse.
£42 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £53.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 O’Shaughnessy, Chardonnay, Oakville 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Production: 377 cases
The O'Shaughnessy Oakville a wine that's often been described as an a-typical Napa Chardonnay, edging to the more steely, energetic end of the spectrum.... Winemaker Saen Capiaux achieves this by blocking malolactic fermentation, and using just 26% new French Oak during élevage. He builds depth and texture through a combination of a very special selection of four Chardonnay clones in the vineyard, with gentle lees stirring in the winery.
£590 / Case£49.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £746.45 / Case, £62.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Production: 1,808 cases
Aperture's Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience working at Bordeaux First-Growth, Château... Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. His unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is the first vintage to include Estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué, planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September while fruit from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought in
in early October, consistent with this vineyard’s unique late-ripening characteristics.
1/3 New French oak, 1/3 once used French Oak, and the remaining neutral French oak was selected for this vintage’s barrel program. Once transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in a cold barrel room to keep fermentation cool and slow to intentionally preserve the bright aromatics and fresh quality. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, it was topped and stirred weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months. At that point, Jesse stopped the fermentation in order to maintain the wine’s natural bright acidity.
£505 / Case£42.08 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £644.45 / Case, £53.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Production: 1,808 cases
Aperture's Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience working at Bordeaux First-Growth, Château... Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. His unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is the first vintage to include Estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué, planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September while fruit from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought in
in early October, consistent with this vineyard’s unique late-ripening characteristics.
1/3 New French oak, 1/3 once used French Oak, and the remaining neutral French oak was selected for this vintage’s barrel program. Once transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in a cold barrel room to keep fermentation cool and slow to intentionally preserve the bright aromatics and fresh quality. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, it was topped and stirred weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months. At that point, Jesse stopped the fermentation in order to maintain the wine’s natural bright acidity.
£43 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £54.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2022 Bevan Cellars, Dry Stack Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: n/a
The Dry Stack Vineyard rests 170 metres above sea level on the eastern slope of Mt. Taylor in Bennett Valley, towards the more elevated eastern... reaches of Sonoma County. The soils are marine clay and loam with gravel throughout which brings minerality, while the cool climate provides lift and vibrancy. Russell uses a touch of French Oak to add texture and depth, making sure that the wine is all about rich aromas and pure, intense fruit. This is a Summer-showstopper and simply has to be experienced.
Russel Bevan: "Gold...pure gold in a glass. This years Dry Stack stands apart from previous vintages in it's sophistication. It highlights the aromatic characteristics and mouth-watering flavors, while staying true to our rich, expressive, bold style of winemaking. Notes of bosc pears, melon and fresh Meyer lemon balance the dazzling acidity. Minimal french oak influence on the wine offers a hint of fresh cedar and shortbread on the finish. This wine screams for grilled figs with goat cheese, drizzled in orange blossom honey."
£425 / Case£35.42 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £555.50 / Case, £46.29 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2022 Bevan Cellars, Dry Stack Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: n/a
The Dry Stack Vineyard rests 170 metres above sea level on the eastern slope of Mt. Taylor in Bennett Valley, towards the more elevated eastern... reaches of Sonoma County. The soils are marine clay and loam with gravel throughout which brings minerality, while the cool climate provides lift and vibrancy. Russell uses a touch of French Oak to add texture and depth, making sure that the wine is all about rich aromas and pure, intense fruit. This is a Summer-showstopper and simply has to be experienced.
Russel Bevan: "Gold...pure gold in a glass. This years Dry Stack stands apart from previous vintages in it's sophistication. It highlights the aromatic characteristics and mouth-watering flavors, while staying true to our rich, expressive, bold style of winemaking. Notes of bosc pears, melon and fresh Meyer lemon balance the dazzling acidity. Minimal french oak influence on the wine offers a hint of fresh cedar and shortbread on the finish. This wine screams for grilled figs with goat cheese, drizzled in orange blossom honey."
£37 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £48.19 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, Rockpile 12x75cl
Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Vintage production: 1,057 cases
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest appellations in California,... Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "This is a seriously impressive Zinfandel from the outset. There's huge depth to this highly layered nose. A core of almost salted/cured charcuterie and dried fennel seed is wrapped in aromas of crushed black rock with a lift of fresh, energetic fruit. The palate has fantastic texture and is really well structured. it's a measured style with a great fruit profile and long finish. this a a very good, serious style of Zinfandel, refined and complex throughout." (Dec. 2022)
£530 / Case£44.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £680.93 / Case, £56.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, Rockpile 1x75cl
Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Vintage production: 1,057 cases
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest appellations in California,... Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "This is a seriously impressive Zinfandel from the outset. There's huge depth to this highly layered nose. A core of almost salted/cured charcuterie and dried fennel seed is wrapped in aromas of crushed black rock with a lift of fresh, energetic fruit. The palate has fantastic texture and is really well structured. it's a measured style with a great fruit profile and long finish. this a a very good, serious style of Zinfandel, refined and complex throughout." (Dec. 2022)
£45 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £57.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Chenin Blanc, Alexander Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc
Production: 3,294 cases
Aperture's Chenin Blanc is a vibrant and bright wine, coming from old vines planted in the 1940’s. It is a product of its rich clay loam soils and... colder, brisk nights that are made possible by the Delta Breeze coming in off the San Pablo Bay.
The 2021 Chenin Blanc fruit was night-harvested from the cool Clarksberg AVA on the Sacramento River. Jesse incorporated 80% stainless-steel barrels and 20% neutral French oak barrels for the 2021 vintage. Once it was transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in the cold barrel room to keep the fermentation cool and slow, maintaining freshness and bright aromatics. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, Jesse topped and stirred each barrel weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months before bottling.
£355 / Case£29.58 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £464.45 / Case, £38.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Chenin Blanc, Alexander Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc
Production: 3,294 cases
Aperture's Chenin Blanc is a vibrant and bright wine, coming from old vines planted in the 1940’s. It is a product of its rich clay loam soils and... colder, brisk nights that are made possible by the Delta Breeze coming in off the San Pablo Bay.
The 2021 Chenin Blanc fruit was night-harvested from the cool Clarksberg AVA on the Sacramento River. Jesse incorporated 80% stainless-steel barrels and 20% neutral French oak barrels for the 2021 vintage. Once it was transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in the cold barrel room to keep the fermentation cool and slow, maintaining freshness and bright aromatics. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, Jesse topped and stirred each barrel weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months before bottling.
£31 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £40.40 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Peake Ranch, Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 584 cases
Peake Ranch has gone from "One to watch" to a fully-fledged Santa Barbara Superstar in just a few years, and with wines like their delectable... Santa Barbara County Chardonnay it's not hard to see why!
Described as Peake's 'Appellation' wine by Jeb Dunnuck, it has 'Grand Cru' stats. It falls very much into limited-production territory, which belies a remarkable price point.
Counting two of the region's top sites in the Estate portfolio - the Sierra Madre Vineyard in Santa Maria, and Peake Ranch Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills - winemaker Wynn Solomon has fruit of the highest quality possible to pick from. Both sites are combined to perfection in the Santa Barbara County Chardonnay.
£34 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £44.00 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Spear, Gnesa Vineyard Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: c.250 cases
SPEAR's Estate Gnesa Vineyard lies immediately west of the home ranch on the steep, north facing slope of almost pure sand, giving the wine... its unmistakable intensity and minerality. What makes this Chardonnay so good is its balance of richness and zing. This complexity and sense of place is a direct result of owner Ofer Shepher's dedication to sustainable, organic farming.
£435 / Case£36.25 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £560.45 / Case, £46.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Spear, Gnesa Vineyard Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: c.250 cases
SPEAR's Estate Gnesa Vineyard lies immediately west of the home ranch on the steep, north facing slope of almost pure sand, giving the wine... its unmistakable intensity and minerality. What makes this Chardonnay so good is its balance of richness and zing. This complexity and sense of place is a direct result of owner Ofer Shepher's dedication to sustainable, organic farming.
£37 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £47.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2014 Epoch Estate, Estate Blend, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 36% Syrah, 36% Mourvèdre, 22% Grenache, 6% Tempranillo
Vintage production: 1,924 cases
£42 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £54.35 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2014 Epoch Estate, Estate Blend, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 36% Syrah, 36% Mourvèdre, 22% Grenache, 6% Tempranillo
Vintage production: 1,924 cases
£250 / Case£41.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £323.69 / Case, £53.95 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Larry Hyde Vineyard Estate, Chardonnay, Los Carneros 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 285 cases
£47 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £59.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Scherrer, Scherrer Vineyard Old & Mature Vines Zinfandel, Alexander Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Zinfandel
Production: 560 cases
£34 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £44.59 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Dragonette, Vogelzang Sauvignon Blanc, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage Production: 260 cases
Framed by the San Raphael Mountains to the east and Santa Ynez Mountains to the south, Happy Canyon is blessed with an extraordinary... terroir. It's sits at the end of a 40 miles geological funnel that draws the cooling Pacific coastal fog inland, which combines with the gravelly soils of the Vogelzang Vineyard to create a mini-nirvana for Sauvignon Blanc.
The finest wine from Vogelzang is produced by the team at Dragonette Cellars who, in the words of Jeb Dunnuck, make "Some of the finest expressions of Sauvignon coming out of the Central Coast today."
It's made with a nod to the great Sauvignon Blancs of the world, with fermentation in 228L, 300L and 320L French oak barrels (22% new), and 276L Dagueneau-inspired Cigar barrels. 18 months of the lees bring added layers to a finished wine bright with tension and energy.
£48 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £60.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2015 Scherrer, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Production: 796 cases
While grown primarily in the sandy Goldridge soil, which tends to produce Pinot Noir with flavours of red fruits and orange peel, this wine also... illustrates some of the deep, brooding black cherry character generally found in the region’s clay soils. It was bottled without fining or filtration, and will age gracefully for many years.
Four Corners Wine: "Pure Russian River Valley - lovely dark, earthy, black-fruit aromatics, with a touch of scorched earth, bags of depth, framed by a touch of white pepper and anise. The palate has a great intensity, so juicy and crisp, very classic RRV-style, lots of crisp red berries - especially wild strawberry. Simply delicious, and plenty to come."
£44 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £56.00 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Scherrer, Scherrer Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Production: 136 cases
From the family’s hillside Scherrer Vineyard in the far north of Alexander Valley, this sublime Chardonnay has a signature lime note and a leaner,... higher acidity, offering an intense and complex wine. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed to French oak cooperage, where primary and malolactic fermentation occurred. All of these elements were allowed to integrate during its more than yearlong residence in wood. It was bottled without fining or filtration to respect both its delicacy and its more substantial qualities.
£37 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £47.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days