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Free “Organic” and “Vegan” wine delivery to your door! Delivered sustainably to Local SW london postcodes with the Whirly wine bicycle and trailer!

With the Ulez charge now spreading all the way across London, Whirly wine’s has become even more aware of the Eco Warrior thought process. I can no longer able to drive my van in London without being charged ULEZ so its time to deliver wine on a bicycle to all SW London postcodes free of charge.

With the celebration of this new idea, and to embrace Whirly wines “Green ” philosophy I am keen to show you why supporting your small, local wine sourcing business that still sources all its wines is a “win, wine” formula for you and your wallet! With this in mind I am delighted to offer you a celebratory introductory price of 6 wines that are “Vegan” and “Organic” and at at 20% discount on the price: so that’s a cost of only £48.00 for 6 bottles, £8.00 per bottle.

In this first offer let me please offer you 6 bottles of the new Alaris wine, made from 100% Arién varietal, from Aruspide in Central Spain, made under the ” Vino de la Tierra de Castilla” wine region. This wine is a perfect late summer white, lime and sherbet on the palate and with a positive acidity and easy drinking palate. Its only 11.5% alc vol and its very unusual to have 100% Arién grape in a bottle.

Free delivery to most local SW London postcodes with the Whirly wine bicycle and trailer but fear not, if you are further afield its only £4.95 extra for delivery ( Whirly wines is covering a large % of this delivery charge! More offers to follow soon!!)

Here is the link to the wine online. Please click on it and order! Please allow 4-5 days for delivery.

Thank you!

Mr Whirly

“Alaris”, Arién ( 100% single varietal), Bodegas Ados, Valpeñas, Spain

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“Organic”, “Vegan”, “Bio dynamic” = Sustainability; whats the gig man?

Mr whirly says;

” I talk to so many people every week about the above topics, and it’s surprising how so many people are still not aware or buying into the above words. In fact there are area’s in this country where people are actually turning against this ethos, at grass roots level. By that I mean that in farm shops, which is a market I sell these wines to, some of the people that run the farm shop have said to me recently that their customers don’t care about the word ” sustainable” at all and they are simply buying commercial wines at £8-10 from large commercial vineyards thats spray chemicals onto the vines most days that then soak into the earth. It’s absolutely incredible that we are not in the UK embracing this and its linked completely with the way we are walking into a climate crisis without a concern in the world for our carbon foot print. If we can’t get this right at the farm shop level, promoting sustainability and Organic wines ( that only use Copper and Zinc as natural sprays that do not affect the soil) then what chance do we have of getting this right at the supermarket level with the majority of society in the UK that still drive to the supermarket even though they live 500 yards away from it. We have absolutely no chance at all of changing things do we? How selfish can we be for the futures of our own children and their children if this attitude is still so prominent in our society? What chance do they have? Absolutely no chance at all.

So, please, please, please let’s support this ethos. You don’t have to buy wines from Mr Whirly and some of his “Organic” and “Vegan” wines of course ( but it would be great if you did) but when we are in the supermarket or in a farm shop, please lets look out for wines that are made in this way so we do our little bit. We have to do our little bit.

Please remember that Whirly wines delivers organic, vegan and bio dynamic wines free to your door, ( In postcodes SW16, 17, 18, 19, 20 as well as some SE postcodes) “Organic” wines that are “Vegan” ( no egg whites used in the fermentation process) and I use a bicycle to deliver these wines where possible too. So by ordering from Whirly wines you are doing your little bit. Below are a link to some wines online that are made with these feelings in mind, some great wines at the £10 mark from Alcardet and Aruspide in central Spain; a fabulous Bordeaux from Les Graves de Viaud in Blaye, just across the Gironde from St Julien and some Mehofer wines from Austria too. I am always looking to find new wines made in this way, but the process is not quick, but the targets this year are to find a Gamay from Beajolais and a Monastrell from Murcia.

Looking forward to your support and to delivery some great wines, made in the right way, free of delivery charge and at £10 a bottle to you soon! What could be better for you the customer than this offer.

Cheers

Mr Whirly

“Chateau Les Graves de Viaud”, Côtes de Bourg, 2015,” Cuvée Prestige, Eleve en Futs de Chene, “Vin Biodynamique” et ” Organic”.

“Alaris”, Arién ( 100% single varietal), Bodegas Ados, Valpeñas, Spain

” Organic” Gruner Veltliner, 2019, Mehofer, Wagram, Austria

” Red for Tapas”, Tempranillo-Syrah, “Organic and Vegan”, ” Vinos Espana”, La Mancha, Spain

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October 2022 and moving into 2023…

Despite the very tricky times we have faced since the early part of 2022, Mr Whirly and Whirly wines still persues his passion for wines and trying to find unique wines at lovely prices for its clients, whether private, farm shops, small wine retailers and small restaurants.

But it’s not been easy. The Pandemic virtually killed off my restaurant market, only now beginning to recover and the farm shop market has suffered since the start of the year with the cost of living crisis. So it’s been a year of consolidation in 2022. Having said that I am still here and I am keen in 2023 to re-launch my wine business, travel and find some exciting new wines from the small, beautiful vineyard. In writing this, at Balnakeil Bothy opposite Cape Wrath, without my beloved Dash, whom I miss so very much but this does mean I can now travel to Italy and Spain in early 2023 and source some fabulous wines and write about my adventures in so doing.

In the meantime I have just imported this great wine below, made from the Airèn grape from Aruspide in Valdepeñas in the province of Ciudad Real in Castile- La Mancha. It’s a beautifully complex wine for the money ( it will be at the optimum price point of £10) and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when I tasted it recently.

I will also create some exciting Australian mixed bottle gems for you to order in time for Christmas, combining older wines and the new wines that we imported at the beginning of the year from Passing clouds in Bendigo, 3 Drops in Mount Barker, Brick Kiln in Fleurieu and Lillypilly in Leeton. Please do keep an eye out for them But I shall send out posts too to remind you by email!

Thanks for your continued support, without you I cannot survive so remember shop local and support your local small wine importing business in SW16, South London!

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New Wines from Australia for Christmas….

It’s a great time of year to start to source and look for something really exciting for the festive season, whether it’s for your own personal consumption or as an individual and beautiful gift.

Look not further than here for such inspirations! I have already explained in the previous post about the lovely wines that Mr Whirly has imported from Alcardet in Spain: affordable, and yet well made wines that are “Sustainable” and look after the world and planet. Wines that you can buy direct from Mr Whirly, just please send me an email.

Just arrived this week are some new wines from Australia: its taken a while to get back to my old place, where I started to import wines from, but we have managed to focus on some sensational wines from some small vineyards that I have been working with for close to twenty years now. These wines are from the following vineyards & will be on the Whirly wine website next week for you to buy! If you would like to pre-order please do so at [email protected]

Three Drops, Mount Barker, Western Australia: Cabernet Franc 2018 and Shiraz 2018

Brick Kiln, McLaren Vale, South Australia: Brick Kiln Shiraz 2018

Passing Clouds, Bendigo, Victoria: Graeme’s blend 2018 ( Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz blend, a classic old school wine)

Lillypilly, Leeton, New South Wales; Lillypilly Noble Blend 2018 and Fiumara 7

Below is a press release from Three drops received from the owner, Joanne Bradbury. I am importing a new wine from them this December, their delicious Cabernet Franc

Media Release

3DROPS WINS GLOBAL FINE WINE CHALLENGE

3drops from Mt Barker has won one of the world’s most prestigious wine awards for its 2018 Cabernet Franc.

The wine was named Best Red in Show at the invitation only Global Fine Wine Challenge with results announced today.

It also won top trophy honours in the Class 15 – Cabernet Franc in the competition which features the best New World wines.

The competition is restricted to the top 120 wines from each country, including Canada, New Zealand, North America and South Africa.

Global Fine Wine Challenge Director, Ross Anderson said the award to 3drops “is a phenomenal result when you look at the wines they were up against, it is just staggering”.

Mr Anderson said the awards were akin to the Olympics of the global wine industry with countries competing against each other.

The awards, previously known as the Six Nations Wine Challenge (est: 2003) didn’t run last year because of COVID-19 restrictions, but in 2019 was dominated heavily by entries from New Zealand.

The 2019 Wine of Show went to Canada’s 2013 Cuvee Catharine Cart Blanche Blanc de Blanc from Henry Pelham Family Estate.

The 2019 Wine of Show went to Canada’s 2013 Henry of Pelham Family Estate Cuvee Catharine Cart Blanche Blanc de Blanc. The 2019 Red Wine of Show went to America’s Hartford Family Winery Dina’s Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel 2016. New Zealand’s Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2018 took out the 2019 White Wine of Show.

The last time an Australian wine won Wine of Show was in 2017 when Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2015 took out the Chardonnay trophy, White Wine of Show and Wine of Show awards. 

There are no recorded Australian Red Wine’s having ever secured the Red Wine of Show trophy 

Owner of 3drops, Joanne Bradbury, said the award was a credit to the efforts of winemaker Rob Diletti who had been making 3drops wines since 2003 and to viticulturist Ray Williams who planted the original vines and still manages the Wragg Road and Patterson’s vineyards.

Ms Bradbury said the Cabernet Franc trophy and the Best Red of Show were 3drops most significant awards to date.

“We are excited and honoured that a Cabernet Franc grown on our family farm has been selected as the best red wine in the Global Fine Wine Challenge.”

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Wines for the festive season from “Mr Whirly”: sustainable “Organic” and “Vegan” wines as well as some more exotic offerings…

Mr Whirly says:

” It’s that time of the year again and it’s a lovely time to look forward to this oh so special time of the year that we hold so dear to our hearts here in this wonderful land of ours. A time where the family comes together and for the first time in two years we are able to enjoy Christmas once again in the proper way. I think therefore its a lovely time to eat and drink well but let’s drink with care and attention to the environment and also to ourselves. Drink in moderation. Drink less and drink better.

With this in mind I shall be putting together a few delights for you to enjoy. I will start with a mixed case of “Organic” and “Vegan” wines for all the family at a sensible price point, wines that have been made in a sustainable way for the soil and earth. There will be an affordable mixed dozen and half dozen available online from the 1st December and I shall send out a link in a post to both cases. As I always do at this time of the year I shall also put together a more salubrious offering for your to enjoy, as a half dozen that you can order as you wish, double up if you like and order 12.

Please do have a look at the wines online though. There are some fabulous vintages of old Bordeaux that I have added recently that would make some sensational gifts for Christmas, as well as Port from Porto: Lillypilly Fiumara 7 and Fortified 1998 Shiraz from Leeton Australia, that are the perfect match with Plum pudding and Stilton cheese; Magnums of Valpollichella that need to be opened 48 hours before Christmas day, to be the perfect match with Roast beef; Graziano Tocai Fruilano 2012 from Mendocino, California, perfect with a rich sticky toffee pudding and custard on the day or something similar: Lillypilly Noble blend 2012, perfect with a Steamed ginger pudding or fresh fruit salad. As well as these really individual offerings we offer Gin and Single malt Whisky by the bottle from small and local distillers as well as Olive oil from Velenosi in Marche, one of my favourite vineyards I work with. In short there are a host of lovely gifts for your family and friends that are being added all the time to the website on the online shop. But do look now, some of the wines are only available in very limited stocks and in order to guarantee delivery before Christmas, please order by December 20th.

Thanking you, happy hunting and any questions about the pairing of any wines with any food styles, so you can get the most out of each wine, please do email me direct and I will personally email you back just as soon as I can.”

Mr Whirly

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Mehofer: ” Organic, Sustainability and Individuality for over two decades.”

Recently, Jancis Robinson ran a competition on her website for wine writers articles on “Sustainable” vineyards. This is the feature on Mehofer and Stefan Mehofer, the young winemaker whom I have been working with for over 10 years now, importing their unique and beautifully created wines.

‘My name is Helena Jordan and I am 28 years old. I am from Austria, been trained as a sommelier in Vienna and have been working in the restaurant business for almost 10 years now. After some stations in Switzerland, Spain and the US I am currently working in Norway. I have been writing blogs on the side and also translated a couple of winemakers’ websites from German to English. My position at the moment could be easiest described as Consultant and Project Assistant for a seasonal company on Stokkøya called Stokkøy Strandbaren and Bygda 2.0. Sustainability has been a big part of my project work here for a small bakery, so this was a perfect match. I will be going back to restaurant work after the summer though, moving back to Vienna and working for Juan Amador as a Restaurant Manager Assistant.’ With her (unedited) entry to our writing competition, Helena takes us to a tiny family winery in Wagram, Austria. See this guide to the entries so far published.

In recent years we have seen a couple of positive changes when it comes to awareness of customers. Awareness and interest where their food or wine is coming from, if it’s good for their body, healthy and additionally environmentally friendly. Many industries are now trying to meet the need for this new market, the new aware generation of customers. And they are good customers. Happy to spend a little more money. Happy to stay faithful to a product they enjoy and believe in.

Hence, sustainability sells! Now when something sells, all the marketing managers of the world will not shut up about how important this or that trigger word is for their brand, their company. You know that thing that you want to hear. Was it organic? Yes, we do that. Sustainable? Sure! Let’s ask my friend Wikipedia here, to explain this more clearly. It says greenwashing is a form of marketing spin in which green PR and green marketing are deceptively used to persuade the public that an organization’s products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly and therefore ‘better’.

Why do I point that out? Because the true heroes of sustainability are the ones that cared about our planet and the environment long before it was hip to do so. Because – not only but very much so in the wine industry – greenwashing is starting to become – let’s face it – very common.

And this is where I want to ask Stephan Mehofer to join me on stage here. He is a shy guy, so I have to drag him in front of the heavy silk curtain into the spotlight for once. It’s not going to hurt, Stephan!

Let me tell you about Mehofer Neudeggerhof, a family winery in Wagram, Austria which is run by humble Stephan here, with the help from two full time local vineyard employees, one full time office employee, two to five seasonal vineyard workers and his sister Judith who is working on export markets, marketing and strategy. Together they work 23 ha vineyards in and around Neudegg. The winery has been in the family for ten generations and still uses the same house, cellar and vineyards like their forefathers. And like their forefather before, they think sustainability small. Small, like in family but also including direct community. The heating system that is 100% based on wooden chips produced from their own forest on the local mountain, heats not only the winery and their private home but also their direct neighbor’s house. Their own solar and photovoltaic systems combined produce a third of the energy the whole winery and private house needs. The plan is to be self-sufficient by 2022.

Stephan Mehofer
Stephan Mehofer

‘Sustainability is thinking in generations.’ Stephan said one time. So together with his family, he is making conscious decisions for the sake of his son Simon and all of his – many – nieces and nephews. They are between one and a half and nine years old and couldn’t care less about water usage or solar panels. Still, their future is his motivation. In the strong belief that his parents, grandparents and great-grandparents thought the same way about him back then. Talking about youth and the generation from tomorrow: never underestimate the power of education. The family made it a goal for themselves to educate people around them about the special environment in and around Neudegg. Reaching tourists and day guests through an interactive educational exhibition that is paired with art; but also, being part of different research projects together with the ‘Federal College and Institute for Viticulture and Pomology’. Lately Slow Food acknowledged their and their regions efforts to work on the local indigenous grape variety Roter Veltliner. The Slow Food Presidio Roter Veltliner Donauterrassen is now an official community that works together emphasizing and researching this old grape variety.

Certified organic since 1992, the family already have had some time to find their way in this complicated organic/sustainable/bio-dynamic wine world. ‘We chose to not put our efforts into satisfying different manifestos in order to get more certifications. We much rather find our own way, choose what we believe is necessary to be sustainable for our region and our winery’, Stephan tells me. ‘The question here again is: who are we really doing it for? Working sustainably that is. It is so obvious; I don’t even want to put a sticker on it.’

Additionally, to obvious choices like sustainable energy, thoughtful water usage and recyclable packaging material, a lot of thoughts go into the vineyard work. The vineyards on the beautiful terraces of the Wagram region go without irrigation all year and in summer everything around the grapevines blooms. A walk through the vineyards is almost like a walk in the park. Just with more wildflowers. And maybe more insects. Actually, the carefully selected seed mix for the cover crops is intending exactly that: different root lengths of plants to aerate the soil naturally and a mix of early and late blooming flowers to have as many insects living in the vineyard as possible. They love insects so much, they found it is better to roll or press the cover crop instead of cutting it. ‘When you cut or mulch the grass you lose 80% of the insect population’, Stephan explains to me. ‘Additionally, with rolling you save the floor from evaporation, meaning you keep the soil nice and moist and don’t expose it to the sun.’

Sustainability. What a word. It might seem clear in the beginning but when you take a closer look, it’s pretty complicated and hard to understand. It means different things to different people, at different places. It means leaving a safe and healthy world for future generations for Stephan and his family. ‘Sustainability is thinking in generations’ might be my favourite definition of the word and I wish more people would live after it.

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‘The Perfect Pink? Why are we so obsessed in the UK by the colour of our rose?”

Rose. It’s the time in the year when all the UK wine people think about the rose they want to taste for the summer. Whispering Angel? Tempier’s Rose? Bandol? Rock angel? Yeah right! The common theme here is Angel! No let’s get serious about this. That is, that it has to say ” Cotes de Provence” on the label and it has to be as pale a pink as it can be. Correct sir! Why are we, the English, so obsessed by the colour of the rose? I agree colour is important. Years ago I imported a Greek rose and it was almost Red in colour. It could and would not sell so I ended up giving most of it away. But pale pink rose does not equate to quality and nor does ” Cote de Provence” either.

As Elizabeth David says in her marvellous book, ” French Provincial Cooking” first published in 1960 when she was well ahead of the game in terms of food she was discovering apricots in the 1960’s in St Remy de Provence:

” The meal in the hotel had been indifferent and the wine, one of those pink Provencal ones which one’s drinks because one is very thirsty after a dusty drive. But the apricots made up for everything.”

Clearly she was ahead of the game in the 1950’s, about Provencal Pale rose too! My point is just because it says Provence and its pale pink does not mean its good wine. I agree there are some good Provence rose’s my favourite are Domaine Ott, Tempier or my own Bandol from Chateau D’Azur. But the former two cost £25-30 a bottle! Let me ask you, is that value for money? No is my simple answer. So don’t be mugged by the colour of the rose and the word Provence this summer. Seek out other exciting wine regions that produce dry pale rose, and see if you can find something that drinks just as well but costs half the price. I leave it at that. Oh and one other thing, don’t buy 2018! I see so many online sites selling 2018 vintages for £25 plus a bottle. This is a rip off! The wine will not be drinking well, it will be tired and flabby.

“Drink Less, Drink better” Chateau Molhiere rose, 2019, Cote de Duras pictured below. £12.95 a bottle. Available online at the top of this page on Whirly wine online shop.

The Molhiere rose 2019 is super light in colour, very neutral and dry. On the palate its got real body, succulent mouthfeel and good length. So its a food friendly style and very hard to put down. Delightful stuff.Michael Rudko, Furzedown

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Whirly wines is very much “Open”, Offering “free Delivery to your door” of quality wines, “Organic” and from small Producers from a gallery of wines that Mr Whirly has curated over 20 years. Delivering free to Tooting, Balham, Streatham, Brixton, Wimbledon, Battersea, Earlsfield, Wandsworth ( SW19, 18, 17, 16, 12,11 & 2 postcodes)” delivering wine, “Organic and Bio”, “Vegan and very good too”, from the smaller producer, guaranteeing quality and value. Free local deliveries to your door in local postcodes.

It’s a a strange time I know. Please let me hand out a little joy to local people with a delivery of some wine that I know will put a little smile back on our face.

As we say in Liverpool, lets ” walk on with hope in your heart”

Here is a message of hope below.

A positive post – from a blogger in China, I read it this morning, and I think it has some really comforting words that we can take from it.

After only 7 weeks confinement -We are allowed to move around freely now with a green QR code that we show when we get our temperature taken. You get your temperature taken everywhere, and it’s just become part of the routine. Most restaurants and shopping centres are now open, and life is coming back to our city. 
As we watch the rest of the world begin their time inside; here are some of my reflections on the last seven weeks:
1. Accept that you have no control over the situation. Let go of any thoughts of trying to plan too much for the next month or two. Things change so fast. Don’t be angry and annoyed at the system. Anxiety goes down, and you make the best of the situation – whatever that might be for you. Accept that this is what it is and things will get easier. 
2. Try not to listen to/read/watch too much media. It WILL drive you crazy. There is a thing as too much! 
3. The sense of community I have felt during this time is incredible. I could choose who I wanted to spend my energy on – who I wanted to call, message and connect with and found the quality of my relationships has improved.
4. Appreciate this enforced downtime. When do you ever have time like this? I will miss it when we go back to the fast-paced speed of the ‘real world’.
5. Time goes fast. I still haven’t picked up the ukelele I planned to learn, and there are box set TV shows I haven’t watched yet.
6. As a teacher, the relationships I have built with my students have only continued to grow. I have loved seeing how independent they are; filming themselves to respond to tasks while also learning essential life skills such as balance, risk-taking and problem-solving, that even we as adults are still learning.
7. You learn to appreciate the little things; sunshine through the window, flowers blossoming and being able to enjoy a coffee in a cafe. 
To those just beginning this journey, You will get through it. Listen to what you are told, follow the rules and look out for each other. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

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Spring wine tastings….

Book online on the online page and search for the £25 wine voucher.

Plan your personal tasting with Mr Whirly. Book online £25 p/p inclusive of snacks, 5 wines, 75 ml. 7.00pm-9.00pm1

18th April: 

“ Wines from the New, Old world” An array of wines from the new world countries of  Eastern Europe.

25th April: 

. “A taste of Pinot noir from around the World”: some fab ” Organic Pinot” from the Languedoc, Oregon and Tasmania ( and Burgundy too!)

2nd May:

 “ Mediterranean Island wines”

9th May :

Wines with Altitude”

[email protected] 0208 672 2572

Whirly wines, 22 Ritherdon road, SW17 8QD

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Christmas Cases now available to buy! Online and in the shop

Whirly wine festive cases 2018!

Mr Whirly’s Christmas cases, chosen to match classic Christmas fare for you this Christmas. Including new wines imported this November from Manzone in Piedmont, Bonfanti in Lombardy

All three Christmas mixed  cases  can be purchased online, simply go onto my website, click onto the online shop link at the top of the menu and scroll down to the bottom to find the 3 Christmas offerings.

Mr Whirly’s Christmas “ Budget” Half dozen case)

Prosecco, Giol, NV “ Organic” : a Frizzante Prosecco. Its important to have something sparkling on Christmas day and this wine fits the bill. Well made and classy, light and creamy.

Lillypilly Sauvignon Blanc 2015: Old aged SB from Leeton, NSW, Australia. Savoury notes beginning to show through yet still a wine with verve and energy.

Villa Aganoor, Pinot Grigio 2016, Verona, Italy: Really exciting PG! Yes I mean it, pear and apple and good acidity and depth

Azienda Marzuco, Vermentino 2016, Castelvetrano, Sicily: The grape is from Sardinia

but this is made in Sicily. Linear clean white wine with some mediterranean salt on the palate with ripe melon. Great with shellfish, fish or even Turkey.

Velenosi, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, 2017, Ascoli Piceno, Marche: New wine just arrived from Marche November 2018.

Malaville, Charmille, Vin de pay de L’Herault, 2015: fabulous new wine just in from the Languedoc. Seriously one of my favourite wines imported in the last 10 years. Soft tannins and very elegant, great combination of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet.

Price: £68 .00

Mr Whirly’s Christmas “ Half dozen”

Moscato D’Asti 2016, DOCG, light delicate sparkling wine from Piedmont ( alba). its sightly sweet but in the most delicious way and very much worth trying out. Only 5% alc vol too, so perfect for an indulgent morning on Christmas day as you start to prepare the lunch! Elderflower on the nose and palate. Pure joy.

Manzone, Rossese Bianco, 2016, Monforte D’Alba, Barolo, Piedmont: Rare grape, sadly most of it ripped up over the last 30 years due to the rise in price and fortune of the Nebbiolo grape. 12 Months on oak. Serious white that rates highly on Mr whirls radar in terms of top end white wines that can hold the oak and deliver a wine that is improved by this process.

“ Organic’ Gruner Veltliner, 2017, Mehofer, Wagram. Top wine just imported in November 2018. Gruner is Green. Not a green wine but close, young and vibrant, the perfect Christmas morning wine whilst preparing the lunch. 11.0 % alc vol. Apples and pears with a hint of spice. A pure Organic delight.

Stefano Lubiana, Merlot 2008, Granton, Tasmania: Aged, 10 years now, and for 7 of these in Mr Whirly’s cellar. Good provenance. Decant and enjoy on Christmas day with your beef, if that’s what you are having. Rich ripe plums, tobacco and a hint of field mushroom and forest floor.

Dolcetto D’Alba, 2016, Manzone, Monforte D’Alba, ( Barolo), Piedmont, Italy: Dolcetto takes a back step to Nebbiolo, rather like the Rossese Bianco, its also been closed to extinction due to fashion. It will have its time again though, so lets Hail this wine and grape and enjoy. Soft notes, well expressed and elegant. Will work well with goose, duck on the day.

Venetica, Bonfanti, 2016, Lombardy, Italy: New in, 1st December 2018. One of the best northern italian wines I have tasted, a deliciously soft blend of red grapes like Rondinello and Corvione, the same grapes as used in Amarone. Great wine with beef if thats what you are eating over Christmas. Big and juicy yet pure and velvety.

Price: £119.00

Mr Whirly’s Christmas “Dozen”

“Nutty 2014”, English Sparkling, Nutbourne Vineyards, West Sussex: top Sparkling from vineyard next door to Nyetimber: smaller and less commercial than them and not as pricey. Chardonnay and Pinot noir. Classic Champagne grapes. Dry, crisp ad clean. Small bubbles, A delight on christmas day morning!

“ Organic’ Gruner Veltliner, 2017, Mehofer, Wagram. Top wine just imported in November 2018. Gruner is Green. Not a green wine but close, young and vibrant, the perfect Christmas morning wine whilst preparing the lunch. 11.0 % alc vol. Apples and pears with a hint of spice. A pure Organic delight.

Manzone, Rossese Bianco, 2016, Monforte D’Alba, Barolo, Piedmont: Rare grape, sadly most of it ripped up over the last 30 years due to the rise in price and fortune of the Nebbiolo grape. 12 Months on oak. Serious white that rates highly on Mr whirls radar in terms of top end white wines that can hold the oak and deliver a wine that is improved by this process.

Mehofer,  “ Organic” Roter Veltliner 2017, Mehofer,Wagram, Austria: Roter means red, Gruner is green. Richer and creamier than the gruner, lovely with a soft goats cheese or white cheese like Camembert, Brie etc.

Stefano Lubiana, Riesling 2011, Granton, Tasmania: limey fresh with hints of Petrol on the nose too. A Classic Riesling from down under, old and exciting and yet bursting with energy. Dry of course.

Graziano Chenin Blanc 2011, Mendocino, California: top end Chenin, not from the

Loure, its home but from cool climate Mendocino in Northern California. Vanilla and cream

bounce out of the glass. This wine is drinking beautifully for a 7 year old wine from California

and shows that wines of this age can be made to last and develop in the bottle over this sort of

Ripasso, Bonfanti, 2012: oh yes now we are talking. Second cousin to Amarone but in now way overshadowed. “ Ripasso” means ) “ passed through again”. This wine goes through a second fermentation using the dried skins from the Amarone winemaking. Big yet slick and fun! Beef and Yorkshire. Decant all day!

Stefano Lubiana, Merlot 2008, Granton, Tasmania: Aged, 10 years now, and for 7 of these in Mr Whirly’s cellar. Good provenance. Decant and enjoy on Christmas day with your beef, if that’s what you are having. Rich ripe plums, tobacco and a hint of field mushroom and forest floor.

Dolcetto D’Alba,  “ Le Ciliegie” Manzone, 2016, Monforte D’Alba: Dolcetto has taken a back seat to Nebbiolo which is a shame since this grape really should have more of a presence in Piedmont. Softer than Nebbiolo but with these guys at Manzone you get great quality. Soft, plums and berries, light and delicate.

Lillypilly Noble Blend 2006: Lillypilly Noble Blend 2006: Noble rot, blend of Semillon, Gewurtz, pineapple with orange blossom. Perfect  Aussie sticky with a steamed ginger pudding or something similar.  From Leeton NSW, near Griffith, the best “ Botrytis” region of Oz.

Velenosi, Visciole, NV, Marche, Italy: Old traditional way of making pudding wines in

Marche, italy. They pick cherries in late Spring and make a syrup from the grapes then add

grape juice from La Crima and Rosso Piceno grapes in September. Great freshness and acidity,

you can really taste the red cherries. Perfect with Black forest Gateau ( the wine matches perfectly

with chocolate)

 

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