New year, new bottles.

It can be tempting to atone your festive sins by becoming a January abstinent; however, for those Members who wish to tip the festivities into January, we have some brilliant new additions to our wine list.

Among this selection picked by our sommelier Zsofi, we have the brilliant Chateau Montelena, a Napa Winery with vineyards reaching out to the base of Mount St. Helena, and one of the oldest and most beautiful wineries in Napa. As for the wine, this 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon is ‘trademark Montelena – earthy and ripe with a full texture. A great way to begin the year.

We then head to North Canterbury, New Zealand with a glass of the family-owned Pegasus Bay, 2015 Virtuoso. Cooler than average Spring temperatures led to a smaller set, however this resulted in excellent fruit concentration and we can certainly see this in the wine. The colour is deep, with aromas of citrus and stone fruit. The wine is powerful on the palate with refreshing acidity and a lingering finish.

We then head to Spain, with a glass of 2017 As Sortes, Rafael Palacios. These old Godello terraced vineyards up at a refreshing altitude of around 700m in north-western Spain were once abandoned by the growers because of the steepness that was difficult to farm and the low yields that the vines produced. But Rafa Palacios saw opportunity in these challenges and identified that these factors directly led to high quality grapes. A complicated vintage with dry conditions paired with a severe frost meant that production was roughly 40% down, however the ripeness in the bottles that were produced is excellent. Green fruits and passionfruit are evident, with a fine and fresh finish. 

This is but a handful of some incredible producers making their way onto our list this year or topping up their representation with some new and exciting vintages. Do join us in the Club to try some of your usual suspects, or broaden your wine horizons, push your boundaries and try something new – a New Year’s resolution that will surely last…