By the Bottle Menu
By the Bottle Menu
An ever-changing selection of fine, mature and/or rare bottles available to drink in - offered at retail price with no corkage! Availability is extremely limited and all wines may not always be available. We also update the list frequently, so it may differ each time you visit. In addition to this list, every bottle in the shop can be enjoyed in-house with just £10 corkage.
RED WINES FRANCE BURGUNDY
Chanson Pere et Fils, Beaune Premier Cru, Les Feves 2017 £85
An exceptional monopole in the heart of Beanie’s premier cru vineyards. Owned by the Bollinger family since 1999 signif icant investments have been made in the vineyard and winery. Expect pure fruit, f loral fragrances and lots of complexity and structure from 14 months ageing in barrel. 92 points Wine Spectator, 92 points Wine Advocate.
Domaine de Bellene, Beaune Premier Cru Les Teurons 2012 £85
From the renowned Nicolas Potel. The 2012s were bottled unf iltered – the f irst time since 2009. Deep spicy nose gives way to a fresh wine with pretty red fruits and an excellent tension between tannin and acidity.
BORDEAUX
Ch Smith Haut Lafitte Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan 2013 £90
One of the greatest classif ied growths of Pessac Léognan. The 2013 is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Lovely intense red fruits (strawberry & cherry) give way to great complexity with liquorice and spice. On the palate, the acidity provides freshness and you’ll f ind excellent tannins softened by barrels made in-house.
Château La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande de Pomerol, 2008 £45
Owned by Hubert de Bouard de Laforest of Saint-Emilion's Chateau Angelus this estate is run by his daughter Coralie. Huge amounts of investment in the late '90s provided a state-ofthe-art cellar meaning this Lalande-de-Pomerol estate produces wines to rival it’s more famous neighbour Pomerol, without the price tag.
RHONE
Mont Redon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 £70
Château Mont-Redon is one of the oldest and largest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Tight and relatively light, graphite-framed palate of red currant, and an abundance of sweet spice. Fine-grained tannins create a smooth overall feel. 90/100 from Robert Parker.
Bosquet des Papes, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2015 £55
A classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape with bold and bright fruit thanks to its make-up of 75% Grenache from ten different lieux-dits, primarily grown on the famous galets roules (pudding stones).
Maison Nicolas Perrin, Côte-Rôtie 2012 £55
A joint venture between Rhone legends Nicolas Jaboulet and the Perrin family (famed for Ch. de Beaucastel) offering both their expertise and excellent “bang for your buck”. This is silky smooth with lots of black fruit and spice, and elegant tannins.
FRANCE - OTHER
Domaine de Baronarques, Rouge, Limoux 2016 £55
Operating since at least the 17 century this is an estate with history which has been recently renovated by the Rothschild family. The 2016 is probably the estate’s f inest vintage. A blend of 54% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 17% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Malbec you could liken this to an old-school Bordeaux. It’s an indulgent wine delivering powerful red and black fruit, tobacco, black pepper all wrapped up in silky tannins. Decanter Platinum Award Winner.
Domaine Gauby, Muntada Rouge, Côtes du Roussillon 2012 £65
This powerful Roussillon icon from close to the Spanish border features some very old vine Carignan (125 years) aged 30 months in oak. A majestic expression of the Mediterranean climate and schist soil which perfectly balances fruit, structure and fresh minerality. From: France, Côtes du Roussillon Villages. 45% Grenache, 45% Carignan, 5% Mourvèdre, 5%.
ITALY
Ca dei Frati, Amarone, Classico Pietro Cero 2017 £75
A special release dedicated to the father of the winemaker from the deservedly renowned Ca’ dei Frati. A wonderfully distinctive Amarone – fresher than is usual in the style, though retaining that requisite intensity and packing a quite extraordinary alcoholic punch.
Ciabot Berton, Barolo Roggeri 2007 £65
The single-vineyard 2007 Barolo Roggeri is deeper and more powerful than the regular bottling, but also quite a bit more tannic. Sweet spices, leather and liquorice linger on the f inish. Benef its from time in a decanter - order ahead to enjoy at its best.
SPAIN
La Rioja Alta, Vina Ardanza Reserva, Rioja 2012 £45
An estate which needs no introduction. Made by La Rioja Alta this is a classic Rioja blended from Garnacha and Tempranillo, 30+ year-old vines and 3 years in oak delivers the perfect balance of fruit and oak… just as it should be. 95 points James Suckling, 94 points Wine Advocate.
La Rioja Alta, Rioja 904 Gran Reserva 2011 £80
The ultimate masters of classic Rioja, 4 years in cask and almost 10 years of bottle ageing an abundance of f lavours from fruit (dark cherry, red plum), oak (vanilla, spice) and age (cigars, earth and mushroom). A must-try wine. 97 points Decanter, 94 points Wine Advocate.
Abadia Retuerta, Seleccion Especial, Castilla y Leon 2016 £45
You’ll find Abadia Retuerta in the middle of the “golden mile” of the Ribera del Duero, next to the Vega Sicilia vineyards. Prioritizing quality over more traditional criteria this wine doesn’t carry the “Ribera” DO allowing a broader range of varieties (75% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot). 92 points Robert Parker.
WHITE WINES FRANCE
Dm des Berthiers, J C Dagueneau, Cuvée d'Eve, Pouilly Fumé 2017 £45
A chance to sample French wine-making royalty. This is the estate of Didier Dagueneau’s father… aka “the wild man of Pouilly” famed for revitalising interest in the region. This wine hails from the hillside of Saint-Andelain in the hamlet of Berthiers. Sourced from select plots of Sauvignon Blanc this is the emblematic cuvée of the domaine. Deliciously ref ined with ripe citrus aromas (lime, tangerine) and smoky notes from the silex terroir.
Chateau de Plaisance, ’La Grande Piece’ Blanc, Anjou 2020 £50
Like minerality? This is like lightning. Crisp and fresh it’s an assault of green apples and citrus followed by smokey notes and a creamy richness from malolactic fermentation. The project of rising star Vanessa Cherruau. Vanessa works biodynamically continuing the legacy of bone-dry Chenin from grapes otherwise destined for sweet wines. 93 points Antonio Galloni.
PORTUGAL
Sogrape, Serie Impar, Sercialinho, 2019 £85
It doesn’t get much rarer than this. Part of the “experimental” series from the Portuguese behemoth SoGrape this wine is crafted from 100% Sercialinho (renowned for its vibrant acidity). It is Riesling-like in its structure with dominant grapefruit and saline f lavours. It’s as subtle as it is complex with a long lingering finish which seems to open up producing f lavours of apricot.
SPAIN Gómez Cruzado, Montes Obarenes (Atlantic Viura), Rioja 2017 £55
White Rioja is a real staff favourite. Few white wines are as complex, a true marriage between fruit and wine-making. The fruit is sourced from vineyards near Haro, at the foot of Montes Obarenes, where soils are chalky-clay with a high limestone content. Predominantly Viura, with 25% Tempranillo Blanco. 80% of the must is fermented and aged on fine lees in new French oak barrels, and the remaining 20% is aged on fine lees in egg-shaped concrete tanks.
OTHER - SWEET / FORTIFIED
Ch Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1er Cru Classe, Sauternes 2015 £60
Sauternes as it should be. It would be futile to list every f lavour and aroma here… there’s just too many. Lafaurie-Peyraguey dates back to the 13th Century. The average vine age is 40-50 years, though some date back to the 1920s, with the low yields typical of a vineyard where the vagaries of noble rot necessitate careful hand-picking across the parcels, and rigorous sorting. The wine is matured in 60% new oak for up to 20 months. 18/20 Jancis Robinson, 94 points Robert Parker, 95 Vinous.
Concentrated red and black berries, cherries, spices and a long, sweet f inish made lighter with extensive ageing. This excellent vintage (which was declared unanimously) is ripe for drinking. Note: Mature wines are beguiling, if you haven’t indulged previously, do speak to us before ordering and we can advise on the best choice. There is a saying in the wine world “There’s no such thing as great wines, only great bottles”. With mature wines this is acutely true. Two bottles of the same wine from the same year, stored in the same way can differ greatly… it’s all part of the excitement. We’ll always check for faults and won’t serve a corked wine, but it’s always good to ask us what to expect when selecting a mature wine.