Wine List Autumn/Winter 2009

I believe this to be a comprehensive interesting wine list that should complement the excellent cooking. I have tried to combine the classics with some lesser-known wines and I do hope you will have the confidence to choose adventurously. The wines here are all of excellent quality from top quality passionate producers. The list has been comprehensively updated to feature some of the world's most exciting new releases.

Cheers!

Noel Young,
Noel Young Wines
International Wine Challenge Overall Merchant of The Year 2003

A Blanc de Noirs entirely from Pinot Meunier grapes, giving the Champagne a lovely golden appearance. A delicate floral nose and a full but soft and dry palate.

Pure Pinot Noir has a lovely pale pink colour, clean fresh red fruit on the nose, followed by lively fresh fruit flavours on the palate with an appealing softness. Elegant and vey sippable

A blend of two vintages, aged for three years in the bottle and ready to drink. The colour is a bright gold, the bouquet clean with exceptional fruit definition and flavour, soft, creamy, persistent, yet in no way heavy or over extracted

Fresh, lively style, with elegant fruit. Really classy and very easy drinking

One of the most respected of all the Grande Marquee Champagne houses. Champagne with true breeding and complexity. A very fine wine.

This is really outstanding Champagne. Beautifully balanced, wonderful acidity and fruit. A true classic.

Pol Roger’s champagnes are typified by their elegance and real drinkability. This Rose is rich yet elegant with red fruits to the fore, delicate and delicious!

In many people’s eyes the ultimate in Champagne rather than a non-vintage. This Champagne is classed as a multi vintage. Krug has a distinctive taste, full and round, yet creamy and elegant. Krug is the only house which ferments all its wines in small oak barriques. Perfection.

Fabulous luxury . Rich, toasty, honeyed and long. Elegance and power. Superb

Excellent quality easy drinking sparkling wines from the premium grower – bursting with fruit flavours.

Delicious fresh sparkling wine from Italy. Not too fizzy making it a lovely aperitif style, dry but not overly making it very attractive

A really superb sparkling Loire, dry but not aggressive, produced from Chenin Blanc .This wine has a beautifully fragrant bouquet and is clean, fresh and lively on the palate with good richness and length

Fresh and clean, dry and refreshing with plenty of citrus fruit.

Delicious clean, crisp Sauvignon from the Loire Valley. This wine has an excellent balance of fruit and acidity. Perfect as an aperitif or with fish.Think of a s a junior Sancerre!

Floral nose leads to a crisp palate with lots of grapey citrus fruit. It’s clean, crisp and refreshing.

A delicious well balanced, tangy Chardonnay from the Languedoc. A beautiful light, fresh wine with zesty peach and citrus fruit. A hint of oak adds depth, long and elegant

A fabulous white from the Languedoc. An oak aged, fascinating blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc. Honeyed, rich and tangy. Full, stone fruit on the palate

The village of Charnay in Burgundy’s Maconnais area produces delicious, crisp, dry Chardonnay. Wonderful with fish or as a wine with a first course

A clean, crisp, dry Chardonnay from the area of Maconnais of Burgundy. An excellent accompaniment to fish.Lightly oaked, long and complex

Made by Denis Barraud from 50 -100year old vines in the southerly Maconnais area. A rich and full White Burgundy with character.Honeyed, nutty, long and complex

This premier cru vineyard produces spicy aromatic wines which are extremely long lasting. There is no better example than the wine of Domaine Jean Durup

A white Burgundy from the Cote Chalonnaise district, just South of the Cote d’or. This is a really attractive and characterful chardonnay. Feuillat-Juilot is regarded by many as the leading producer in this well respected area

The village of Meursault is one of the finest areas for producing white wines in the Burgundy area. This is a typical Meursault from the ultra consistent Mchel Bouzereau, honeyed hazelnut nose and palate, creamy with hints of smoke and fresh citrus.

Wonderful aromas of minerals and blossom. Rich and broad with explosive pure flavours. Terrific quality!

Fabulous Premier Cru Puligny Montrachet from the famed house of Louis Jadot. 2002 was a fabulous vintage; this is a rich concentrated premier cru burgundy with real intensity. Long and rich

One of the most luxurious Grand Cru white Burgundies. Honeyed, long rich and nutty. Fully mature and quite superb.

Mid-weight and juicy with ripe cherry and plum, a little spice and soft tannins

Lovely fresh, tangy Italian white. Full of zesty fruit. Dry but not overly so, making this very easy drinking

Has more depth than usual for Pinot Grigio. I’s from Friuli and has a wonderful stone fruits with hints of spice, but still crisp and refreshing.

Stunning white from near Lake Garda. Unoaked, with fabulously pure tangy fruit. White peach, honey and citrus. Crisp, with lots of fruit, delicate yet not shy. Great with fish

A richer, fuller-bodied white with honeyed peach and hazelnut characters. Plenty of stone fruit with hint of lime and nougat as well

An excellent dry grassy Sauvignon. Clean and fruity, really expressive. Organic too

Viognier can sometimes be a little oily and heavy. This stunning example from Chile has all the lovely aromatics of Viognier- stone fruit, apricot, and honeysuckle, combined with an intense yet really fresh palate.

Close to the sea lies the area of Nantais, the home of Muscadet. This is one of the finest Muscadet’s produced. Superb quality, light elegant, very refreshing

The essence of fine Chenin Blanc, just off dry. A beautifully honeyed wine and a perfect match to seafood especially in richer sauces

Many believe that the finest Sauvignon’s are produced in the area of Pouilly. The soil here is perfect for the making of sensational wines. Aromatic and crisp. This superb example won a Trophy in the 2009 International Wine Challenge

Very typical, dry, flinty, Sancerre. It has greater depth of fruit than many. Drinking beautifully at present. It’s textbook Sancerre at its best

A Sauvignon from the village of Menetou Salon in the Loire Valley. Henri Pelle is without question the finest producer in this area

This winery is making some amazing wines. This is dry and spicy with lovely peachy fruit. Full of flavour, expressive and aromatic

A blend of four white grape varieties. Aromatic and well structured with just a touch of oak on the palate.Great depth and length and fantastic fruit, really open s up in the glass

Gruner Veltliner has become a really fashionable and much talked about grape variety. From Austria this has a zesty almost peppery nose with pear like fruit, leading to a crisp palate with an almost creamy finish

A delicious dry Riesling. It’s got plenty of body with lovely lime and stone fruit flavours. Honeyed with a crisp mineral finish

Much wieghtier than the first Gruner. This is honeyed and spicy with ripe pear and stone fruits with lovely depth and balance. Great food match, fish, white meats, spicy dishes

Classic Chardonnay from South Australia. Good citrus fruit and balanced delicate oak

Fabulous, crisp, tangy fresh white wine from the Barossa Valley region of Australia. Dry with excellent fruit

Classic Hunter Semillon, light at only 10.5% alcohol. Crisp, lemony and tangy, unwooded, dry and very refreshing, great with seafood

Really dry Riesling with lots of limey fruit. Minerally and crisp with hints of white peach. An International wine Challenge trophy winner. Great with fish

Quality Chardonnay. This comes from cool vineyards in Victoria, Australia. Multi-trophy winning. It is rich yet really elegant. Honeyed citrus and stone fruits with beautifully integrated nutty oak. Long and really complete

Really classy Chardonnay from the Margaret River in Western Australia. Rich stone fruits and integrated nutty oak. Has lovely balancing citrus acidity

A classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Aromatic with gooseberry, passion fruit and elderflower. Zesty,dry,crisp and packed full of fruit

Classic Marlborough Sauvignon. Full of gooseberry, and herbaceous fruit. Crisp and fresh.

Delicious off-dry Riesling. Ripe apple and lime with honey, good acidity too making his a really versatile food wine.

A rich, full bodied new world Chardonnay. A really excellent example. Pristine with extremely elegant flavours. A great new addition to our wine list.

Stunning Pinot Gris from Central Otago in New Zealand. Really concentrated, honeyed and spicy, just off dry but still crisp and fresh. Great food wine

A really limited production oak aged Sauvignon Blanc. Much weightier and more rounded than classic Sauvignon. Honeyed and tangy with great depth and complexity

Stunning Riesling from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. This is Germanic in style Combining ripe apple with white peach and lime. Like a German Riesling- it’s off dry but with great body and depth making it a stunning food wine

This pale-straw colored Pinot Gris displays generous floral, pear, and citrus aromas. On the palate, beautifully balanced - crisp with zesty lime and grapefruit flavours

Fabulous, crisp, tangy fresh white wine from Portugal. Perfumed with lovely fresh fruit on the palate. Dry but not overly.Has a slight spritz. Great with light seafood dishes

Great Californian Chardonnay from one of the emerging producers. Ripe stone fruit and balanced oak make this an elegant match to fish and white meats

Over the past few years the quality of South African wines has improved tremendously and now there are some real “gems” to be found. Beautifully ripe honeyed Cheni n Blanc with ripe pear and honeyed apple, a touch of oak too adds complexity.

Fabulous quality South African Chardonnay. This estate is fast being recognised as one of the leading producers, great balance, pristine citrus fruit and delicate, integrated oak

This estate has been making really fine wines for many decades and is highly regarded in South Africa. Clean, crisp and fresh. Fine Sauvignon trophy winning and really herbaceous

Fabulous lightly oaked white Rioja. It’s still tangy and fresh however the oak adds richness and gives the wine extra length. Good with fish and white meat dishes

A beautiful light elegant wine from one of Rioja’s most well respected producers

Do give this stunning oak aged Rueda a try. Trophy winning it’s got lovely honeyed citrus and pineapple with nutty oak giving length and complexity. Really great wine

Produced by a very strict form of organic cultivation. Lychee, honey and spice with ripe stone fruit and citrus, perfumed but cleaner and more refreshing than many Gewurztraminers

Rich, honeyed, spicy white from Alsace. Has a slight sweetness which means it works well with rich creamy sauces and even foie gras. Finishes crisply and freshly

The Gewurtztraminer vine produces rich and spicy wines with lychee like characteristics. This organi wine from the legendary Zind Humbrecht esaste is powerful

This producer makes some of the finest Rieslings made in the world. Clean, crisp and dry. The most beautiful accompaniment to fine fish

Crisp dry tangy German Riesling. Dry and very good as an aperitif and with fish

A glorious wine with wonderful fruity acidity. Round and harmonious. A gem to drink!

A delicious deep falvoured rose, dry with wonderful floral overtones. Spicy, an action packed Rose.

This delicious rosé has become a real ‘cult’ wine in Australia. It’s really vibrant, with delicious berry fruits. Very quaffable on its own or drink with lighter dishes

A bouquet of intense and aromatic fruit leads onto a delicious, dry mouth-filling aftertaste. Very fine rosé

Soft, juice red of real quality. Lovely bright, ripe plummy fruit. Very versatile

The Gayda range of wines offer really exceptional value for money and the Syrah is no exception. All the classic parts of this fine grape variety are present in this wine. Rich and spicy; tremendous value for money

Sensational value for money. This is a really fine quality wine. Wonderful depth of flavour and concentration from this blend

This has lovely berry fruits, ripe yet soft and juicy. Full of flavour but not at all heavy

A fuller style of Beaujolais from an excellent producer. Bright and juicy with some black fruits to accompany the cherry

Esmonin makes really pure, fine Burgundies. This Cote de Nuits is pure elegance in a glass

A fine year for red burgundy. Pure flavours of Pinot Noir shine through. A wine with fine balance and style.Gamey, meaty and savoury

One of the top wine making villages in Cotes du Nuits, and probably the best known of all the Red Burgundy. Nuits St. Georges produces classic Pinot Noir; not heavy but elegant with an excellent balance of tannin and fruit

This great Domaine produces outstanding wines, and is regarded as one of the best producers in the Cote de Nuits. Great care and attention in the vineyards, and skill in the cellars have made this a wine of great depth and sophistication. A great classic!

The vineyards of Gevrey Chambertin produce some of the finest of all Red Burgundy’s. The greatest of all being Chambertin. This is really delicious rich, ripe Pinot Noir

Fabulous wine, intense and expressive With silky qualities that underlines this true thoroughbred

Really good chunky claret. Red fruits and cedar, medium bodied and harmonious.

Really classic, full, chunky Medoc. Cabernet dominated with cassis and cedar. It’s full but maturing nicely with ripe tannins. Great drinking

Quality Claret. This Merlot dominated claret has good fruit, cedar and a touch of oak. Medium to full bodied.

Fabulous quality! A merlot based wine of great character and class. Rich and luscious with soft gently tannins.

Chateau Siran is a famous old Chateau that has been revitalised in recent years. 2003 produced quite forward, rich, chunky clarets such as this. Plummy fruits to the fore

So many people forget the red wines of the Loire. What a shame. There are some really glorious examples made of the excellent Cabernet-Franc grape variety. Do give this one a try, a wine with lovely fruit, it goes so well with food. Light and fresh

Mid-deep in colour, ripe appealing fruit on the palate. Smooth with subtle tannins

Really attractive Austrian red. Medium, bodied with ripe red berry fruits. A touch of oak softens the wine. Well worth a try.

The master wine maker Kurt Angerer has really produced a very special Pinot Noir here. Open, juicy red fruits on the palate, subtle with wonderful woven fruit flavours, creamy oak rounds the wine out beautifully.

In many peoples opinion “the” grape variety of Argentina. Rich with ripe berry flavours, dense and juicy and a Trophy winner at this years International Wine Challenge, a perfect accompaniment to full flavoured and spicy foods.

Argentina is a rising star in the production of really excellent red wines. A stunning Reserva wine made using the traditional Bordeaux varieties eg Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and of courese Malbec. Aged in new oak barrels this is a voluptuous, rich red of great finesse. Absolutely stunning.

Lovely juicy, medium bodied Pinot Noir. Bright red berry fruits with hints of spice and oak. A true joy to drink

This is a fabulous new release. A Trophy winning wine at the International Wine Challenge 2009.Black in colour with dense meaty black berry fruits. Creamy oak with plain chocolate and liquorice. Really bright and full. Would be great with venison.Organic

This is a really stunning Pinot Noir. Everything you would expect from this wonderful Cepage. A true joy to drink

From one of Chile’s rising stars, this trophy winning wine is full of dense ripe seductive plum fruit and chocolatey oak. Full flavoured with a rich smooth finish

This Cotes du Rhone from a small producer is drinking really well. Full of vibrant fruit with a soft spicy finish

A wine with all the warmth and richness one expects from fine wines of the South of France. Gigondas produces very fine wines, quite similar in character to Chateauneuf–du-Pape

A bright juicy unoaked Syrah from the Northern Rhone, juicy red fruits with spice and black pepper. Vibrant, juicy with soft tannins

Without question, one of the finest Chateauneuf du Papes produced. A tremendous concentration and depth of flavour. Outstanding quality

A stunning Syrah from the fabled Cote-Rotie appellation in the Rhone. Perfumed nose leads to a meaty peppery palate with lots of brambly fruit. Full bodied and rich

Syrah at it’s very best. A powerful wine with layers of rich ripe fruit. Yann Chave is an outstanding wine maker. This wine is perfectly balanced with rich full flavoured foods, savoury and dense.

One of the oldest New Zealand wine producers with really stunning vineyards. Every year they produce wines of exceptional quality. Fine fruit and balance are the backbone of their red wines.

Really delicious vibrant lighter style of red. Full of juicy raspberry, cherry and plum fruit. with just a touch of oak. Could even drink lightly chilled in the warmer weather.

This new vineyard is setting a blazing trail; really fine Pinot Noir is being produced here. Elegant with lovely subtle tannins

A bright, spicy red with ripe berry flavours and lovely velvety texture. Youthful and juicy, it is ideal on its own or with lightly spiced meats or casseroles

A fine wine with luscious soft sweet ripe fruit flavours. Crisp acidity and smooth tannins make this a really good accompanist to food.

Full bodied, rich spicy Barossa Shiraz of real quality. A big yet balanced red with great length. Really voluptuous and drinkable

Fabulous Shiraz Viognier. Full of ripe black cherry and plum fruit, with spice and creamy oak on the finish. Full-bodied and juicy. Vibrant and bright

The wines of Grant Burge have cult status in Australia and are highly regarded throughout the world. The Cameron Vale Cabernet is full bodied with wonderful rich well-defined flavours.

Lovely savoury meaty red from Magpie Estate in the Barossa. Deep and full of black cherry and plum with liquorice, dried herbs and spice. Juicy finish with nicely integrated oak. Great with game dishes.

From Tasmania. The island is a cool climate haven for Pinot Noir. Really perfumed with lovely plum and raspberry fruit. Silky and juicy on the palate with sweet fruit, spice and integrated oak

Stunning blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Rich cassis and berry fruit with a touch of cedar and creamy oak. Intense and rich, yet great complexity & balance

This premium Shiraz has been playing to rave reviews. Dense, warm spicy berry fruits, with spice, chocolate and toasty oak. Has real complexity balance and length with really rich black fruits, and asian spices, full bodied and long. Really classy.

A fabulous old-vine blend. Packed with plum and black cherry fruit. It’s got a wealth of spice and pepper allied to toasty oak. A full bodied hedonistic red crying out for some red meat

One of Australia’s true cult wines. Only 120 cases produced and for the first time since 1999, huge international press. It’s a huge yet incredibly voulptuous Shiraz witha lovely velvet like texture. Black fruits, spice and oak in beautiful harmony.

The area of Asti, so famous years ago for its sweet wines, also produces beautiful red wines. Here the Barbera grape variety is supreme. A wine with a wonderful deep red ruby colour. This is a particularly charming and vibrant wine.

The best dolcettos’ are produced around the town of Alba. Bavas wine has refreshing fruit and acidity on the palate. Perfect for Mediterranean style dishes

A great rarety from Piermonte. Italy’s premier wine producing area. A wine of outstanding quality. Elegant whilst spicy on the palate. An absorbing glass of wine.

Fabulous rich powerful Italian red. Made from dried grapes. Clasically bitter sweet with a rich chocolaty character. A big wine with a lovely soft creamy finish

Regarded by many as Italy’s finest wine, referred to as the gem of Piermonte. A delicious wine that goes so well with really well flavoured dishes, also great with cheese.

Soft, smooth and very rounded. Deliciously forward and drinkable.

A fabulous rich wine from the warm Jumilla region. Packed full of damson and black cherry with a meaty denseness. A big powerful red that offers great value

This well respected Bodegas makes wine of great class and complexity. Medium bodied, round and very appealing on the palate. Very fine Rioja

One of the great Bodegas of Spain, this is their stunning trophy winning Reserva Priorat. Black in colour and full of dense brooding black fruits with lots of spice and oak

This is serious Rioja! Classy with beautiful fruit intoxicating yet restrained

Soave and sophisticated. A perfect balance of oak and fruit. A serious wine for lovers of fabulous Rioja.Trophy winning and modern Rioja at it’s best with more than a nod for towards the best traditional wines too.

A beautifully made wine. Full of the warmth of Portugal. Finely scented with a full yet supple palate.Bright juicy black cherry and plum fruit in spades

This is really good juicy,meaty wine, full of rich spicy flavours. Outstanding value for money! It’s a clean vibrant Pinotage of real appeal

Fabulous, opulent red from the famous Stellenbosch region in South Africa. A rich blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

A deeply coloured wine with substantial plumy fruit. Rich and well concentrated

A rich deep concentrated wine with wonderful overtones of cedar and spice

Seriously high quality, silky Pinot from Oregon. This comes from an outstanding vineyard and is made bio-dynamically. Silky black and red cherry, spice and integrated oak. Medium bodied but with a great intensity of flavour. Supreme quality.

A true cult wine from the outstanding Leonetti winery from Walla Walla in the Columbia Valley, Washington State. This is serious Merlot, dense, rich and plummy, with real structure, weight, length and complexity. Allow this to open up in the glass.

The secret to producing fine Zinfandel is using grapes from old vines. The vines that produce this wine are over 40 years old. The wine is blessed with a beautiful rich spicy texture full with a very appealing bouquet

Bright, juicy Pinot Noir from the famous Au Bon Climat Winery. Lots of ripe berry fruit with subtle creamy oak.

Trophy winning, old-vine Zinfandel based red from the famous Ridge winery. Full and rich with lovely sweet spicy fruit

Regarded by many as one of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon produced in California. A wine with great length and complexity. The purity of fruit from this new world classic shines through.