I recall playing a game during the quieter moments of my first stint in the wine trade, when I worked at the Barnes Wine Shop in London, SW13 (now a branch of Lea & Sandeman), in 1987. The challenge my colleague Katie MacAulay and I set ourselves was to select the perfect trio of wines for a dinner party, all within a precise budget. In those days, we set the bar at £40.
It was fun, as there were plenty of permutations and combinations to explore. At the turn of the century, I set this task for a group of wine students, this time with a £60 maximum target. The trio of bottles must contain a sparkler, a white and a red, so the players could decide where to save and where to splurge! It is still a game I very much enjoy today, and if you are planning a dinner party, why not give it a go yourself at your local wine merchant?
Of course, with duty increases, VAT and general cost increases across the board, £60 is doable these days, but I fancy pushing the senses to the next level of enjoyment. So, this month’s relatively straightforward task, dear reader, is for you to nail your perfect three bottles – an elite sparkling, white and red bottle for £75? I would, genuinely, like to hear your suggestions – all from within our green and pleasant land.
I think there are a great many fascinating combos these days, and as this is something genuine punters will be doing this festive season (whether they have a precise budget in mind or not), I think it will say a lot about which wines we collectively believe are those that represent genuine value, superb current drinking, and are also talented crowd-pleasers.
If I receive a few replies, perhaps Vineyard can compile a postbag of answers in due course. Anyway, with this pleasing conundrum in mind, here are my favourite wines of the moment. I guarantee that anyone who drinks this trio will fall deeper in love with our country’s extraordinary wines than ever before, and do so without breaking the bank.
2023 Oxney Organic, Chardonnay
£27.00
www.oxneyestate.com
www.fieldandfawcett.co.uk
How the heart misses a beat when you taste this scintillating wine. With a proven track record of growing truly epic organically farmed Chardonnay, this thrilling Oxney white is a balletic, captivating and stunningly beautiful creation.
I tasted it after the equally mesmerising 2019 Oxney Blanc de Blancs, and the link between the wines, by dint of their shared terroir, is incredible and resoundingly memorable. Classy, mineral-driven, restrained, layered and quietly insistent, there is a grandeur here that is effortless and unmissable.
The balance, freshness and cadence on the palate are unique in our land. 75.2% (yes, that’s a critical 0.2%) went into old oak, with one barrel possessing an acacia head, while the rest lounged in steel. Emerging with a diaphanous 11% alcohol chassis, there is nowhere to hide here, so thank goodness this is another jaw-dropping performance from this pioneering estate.
NV Flint Vineyard, Charmat (White)
£22.99
www.flintvineyard.com
www.virginwines.co.uk
www.vinogusto.co.uk
www.reservewines.co.uk
£24.99 www.adnams.co.uk
£22.00 www.fortnumandmason.com
While Flint is justifiably famous for its spectacular rosé sparkler, and you could interchange the glamorous Flint pink wine with my chosen white and still qualify for this month’s theme, the focus of my attention this time is the ‘White’.
In researching the wine, in an attempt to unravel its staggeringly complex DNA, I have found mention of a huge haul of grapes, which may or may not have been involved in its creation. Sauvignon Blanc, Reichensteiner, Bacchus, Auxerrois, Solaris, Pinot Noir, and others receive a namecheck, but is the recipe relevant?
For my part, the genius lies in the invisible joins between the constituent parts, which make this a seamless, harmonious, and extremely rewarding drink. This is by far and away the most thoughtful and enticing Charmat in the land. And before you cock a snook at this style of sparkler, this beauty tramples over a wagonload of trad-method fizz, too, with its perfume, palate and lip-smacking finish. Balance is born – although I feel I write this every month – and Ben Witchell is a balance maestro.
2023 Vale Vineyard, Robin Goch
£23.00
www.valevineyard.co.uk
www.vinvancymru.co.uk
www.grapebritannia.co.uk
www.rhug.co.uk
You would struggle to find a Pinot to fit my budget, and most at this price are likely to be a little skinny, so with our unshakable, sky-high standards, and desire to unearth a true, ripe, rich main course red, fit for a delicious banquet, I have jumped on the M4 to Wales.
Here, the wizards at Vale Vineyard craft spectacular wines, and I must say that every time I raise a glass of their wine to my lips, I smile! Robin Goch, meaning red robin, or robin redbreast, is aptly named, not least because of the glow it brings.
Made from 65% Rondo, 22% Cabernet Noir, 9% Divico, and 4% Pinot Noir Précoce, this is a stunning, ripe, and super-fresh red wine, with a glorious melange of black, blue, and red fruit notes. It is superbly well-balanced and cunningly blended, resulting in a wine of uncommon allure and class.
Job done – three spectacular wines for £75!
