Edouard Leiber Gewürztraminer Reserve 2022
A white wine from the well-regarded ‘Edouard Leiber’ vineyard, and created by Maison Cattin - one of the oldest family wineries in Alsace. Gentle but plush on the nose, with signature rose petal and carnation florals, and mandarin, lychee and ripe pear. The palate has a little residual sugar, adding weight and increasing the sense of ripe lushness. A lovely peppery spiciness dances on the tongue - a contrast to that candy shop, turkish delight core. Match with any spicy food, or serve well-chilled as an aperitif. 90pts
Citrus & Vine Chenin Blanc 2025
Chenin Blanc is arguably South Africa’s definitive varietal - this example comes from the Western Cape region. Perfumed with red apple, lemon peel, grapefruit, guava, jasmine and honeycomb. Quite rich in style, with plenty of juicy ripeness to the fruit, carried on a zesty acidity. The soft and creamy texture adds breadth before a finish that is clean, pure and with just a little spice. A simple to understand and easy to like white wine - try it as a change to Pinot Gris or Chardonnay.
Château Maine d’Arman 2019
A red blend from the Côtes de Bourg on the Bordeaux right bank, where many smaller, family-owned wineries make excellent quality (and value) wines. The majority is Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc filling it out. Red fruits dominate the bouquet, with an earthy minerality also present. Robust, with firm tannin and savoury, smoky notes of incense, peat and tapenade alongside those fleshy fruits. The back of the palate shows more richness, with a dense velvet texture. 90pts
RedHeads 1888 Shiraz 2024
A Shiraz from the heartland of this style of the grape - the Barossa Valley. Boysenberry, plum, liquorice and red cherry flavours make a union with herbal notes of mint, verbena and capsicum. The palate is rich - spiced with pepper, clove and vanilla from the generous oak. The burr of tannin rubs across the tongue and that oak and a ripe acidity combine in a strident wave that carries to a polished but bold finale. 91pts
Dog Ridge Original Plantings Shiraz 2021
A Shiraz made from vines planted in the 1940s in McLaren Vale, South Australia. A dense, dark red colour in the glass, with bold aromas of Boysenberry, damson, cherry and black pepper that speak of the place that this wine was grown. The signature milk chocolate note of the sub-region is also here, nestling into the ripe juice. Bold tannins and a slice of toasty oak add weight and depth, whilst bright acidity gives good flow through the palate.
The Black Pig Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
From the Black Pig range that has proved very popular with Laithwaites customers - this McLaren Vale red is full-bodied and bold in style. Cassis, dark cherry, blackberry, plum and Christmas cake aromas rise from the glass. Ample sinewy tannins with good grip sit next to some barrel spice influence, and there is some of those classic mint, chocolate and pepper flavours so typical of the region. Ripe, plump and approachable. 90pts
Calabria ‘Long Live the King’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
A combination of Langhorne Creek and Coonawarra fruit. A dense and dark purple-red in the glass. A swag of red berries, plum, cassis and black olive sit nicely with vanilla, sage and black pepper. The palate benefits from grippy tannin, a salty acidity and lashings of charry oak flavours. Well-structured but enjoyable now, with chocolate and spice rounding things out and adding light to the shade. An easy-going velvet texture glides across the back of the palate, before a fine finish. This punches above its weight. 92pts
