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Wine of the Month: August 2019

” Follow the White Rabbit”, Macabeo, 2018, Bodegas San Gregorio, Aragon, Spain…..

An array of wonder wines from Spain have just arrived in the last few weeks and we are going to kick off with this lovely wine from Aragon in the heart of the north of Spain. Macabeo is the main grape of Northern Spain and Southern France, where the countries meet at the Pyrenee’s. Its a weighty feel, but in a positive way, with some aromatic blossom and ripe melon on the palate.

Enjoy now in the Whirly wines shop, 22 Ritherdon road, Tooting, SW17 8QD

£10.95 a bottle

14.5 % alc vol

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August 2019: Vegan wines from Aragon imported in August and some more wonderful Treixadura from Ribeiro…..

In August 2019 Mr Whirly has imported a fine array of new wines from Spain for you to enjoy. The wines are from Aragon in Spain, a lesser known wine region but a region with great history and which stretches from the Pyrenee’s in the North to almost as far south as Valencia in the South, in the neighbouring Province of Valencia. We also have a wine from Ribeiro in Spain, 700 kms west of here from an old favourite, Val de Souto whose Jose Manuel Blanco Perez is one one of the most passionate winemakers I know.

With these wines we have focused on some classic grapes from Aragon, Garnacha ( Grenache) and Macabeo and Treixudura and Godello from Ribeiro. All the wines are available to buy online on this website so go ahead and buy some!

The ” Follow the White Rabbit” wine already has a bit of a following in Europe, but not so much in the UK. Bodega San Gregorio produce a wine of great quality and with one of the funkiest wine labels I have ever come across. £10.95 a bottle in the shop and therefore great value. ( or buy slightly less online, £10.45)

From Care we have a Tinto Roble Garnacha, rated 90 points by Suckling recently. See his notes below, but for me it was ripe and fresh fruit with some tobacco and soft fleshy summer fruits. Great everyday wine for £11.50 ( £10.50 online)

Also from Aragon another Garnacha, this time from Chapillon. Another 90 pointer from James Suckling, this wine oozes class and is a soft and velvety wine, really easy to drink and with 12 months oak it is young still but very much a drinker now and into the next 5 years. See the notes below from Suckling. £17.50 here in the whirly wine shop in SW17 ( £16.25 online)

Lastly from Ribeiro, an old favourite from Jose Manuel Blanco Perez at Val de Souto. One of the most passionate winemakers I know this man really can make great wines. This 2018 vintage is change form the last vintages with a the dominant varietal being Treixadura with a little Godello. Its great to taste a wine with its very own identity. This wine has great complexity and texture and combines some aromatics with some herbaceous notes, honeysuckle with clover. Ages well to so one can drink now or in 2-3 years. £17.50 in the shop, £15.95 online)

I hope you get the opportunity to come into the Whirly Wine shop, 22 Ritherdon Road, London, SW17 8QD soon, since I need all the support I can get from the locals of SW16, 17 and 18. Remember, when you buy a wine from a small wine shop like Whirly wines you are supporting a small family and helping them to buy their daughters school uniform. When you buy wine from a supermarket it’s just lining the pockets of the Directors and hedge fund investors. Buy wine from a Specialist small wine shop and get guaranteed quality wine from a small producer….

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New wines: July 2018

Chateau Molhiere, Cote de Duras, Dordogne: “Terroir de Ducs”, Rose, Sauvignon Blanc and Cab Franc-Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon

Its rose time so it’s very much time to talk about the New wines in from the old stalwart, Chateau Molhiere in the Dordogne.


I have been lucky enough to work with The Blancheton Brothers at Chateau Molhiere in Duras, 25 miles south of Bergerac in the Dordogne for 15 years. I have been drinking their wines since the 1980’s when my parents bought a ramshackle of a cottage down in this beautiful part of SW France. These brothers make exquisite wines at great prices, tiny production, ultra care and attention. Their rose has been a great success over the last three years here in the Whirly wine shop and it arrived into the UK this last week with their zingy Sauvignon Blanc, tight and citrusy with its own Cote de Duras indentity and their Cab Franc, Sauvignon and Merlot red. Order some rose now if you can, since when its gone it won’t be back! Made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot varietals its pale pink in colour and dry with some lovely summer fruits on the palate and ample weight to take food as well. 

Also imported with the Rose is their ‘Terroir de Ducs’ Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet franc based red, which is blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Pop into the shop soon and order some or Buy online. The rose won’t be around for ever so don’t delay! £12.95 per bottle, 13.0 % alc vol

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Wine of the Month: July….

Chateau Molhiere, Terroir de Ducs, Rose 2018, Cote de Duras, Dordogne

Wine of the month for July has to be the Rose from Chateau Molhiere, 2018 and just arrived in time for the summer.

I have been lucky enough to work with The Blancheton Brothers at Chateau Molhiere in Duras, 25 miles south of Bergerac in the Dordogne for 15 years. I have been drinking their wines since the 1980’s when my parents bought a ramshackle of a cottage down in this beautiful part of SW France. These brothers make exquisite wines at great prices, tiny production, ultra care and attention. Their rose has been a great success over the last three years here in the Whirly wine shop and it arrived into the UK this last week with their zingy Sauvignon Blanc, tight and citrusy with its own Cote de Duras indentity and their Cab Franc, Sauvignon and Merlot red. Order some rose now if you can, since when its gone it won’t be back! Made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot varietals its pale pink in colour and dry with some lovely summer fruits on the palate and ample weight to take food as well. 

£12.95 per bottle, 750ml

Order online and get a bottle free if you order a case of 12….

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Wine of the Month: June

” Organic” Moscato D’Asti, DOCG, Asti, Piedmont

The wine of the month for June 2019 is something a little bit different. What do you think of when you think of Muscat? Sweet wine from the Rhone potentially? And for some reason the Brits don’t like sweet wines do we? Well this Frizzante ( very small bubbles) wine from Asti does have a hint of sweetness on the palate but we must embrace this and enjoy it and in this world of cheap Prosecco in Supermarkets with nothing to say for itself, we must try something that had everything to say about itself! Its the most perfect summer sparkling, full of elderflower and Spring apple blossom on the nose and with a light, delicate mousse and fizz. Its also only 5% alc vol so its great if you want to drink something light at lunch or if you want a wine with less alcohol too. Well worth ‘a whirl’ at Whirly wines, 22 Ritherdon road, London SW17 8QD and also being served outside on the Patio this summer!

£16.95 a bottle. Buy online on the Whirly wine shop page….

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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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New wines

Its March 2019, Brexit is almost over ( please let it be over soon) and its time people started to drink some nice wine again! The drab, grey days of January and February are over, so is that phenomenon of Dry January (and now February or so it seems in SW17) so let’s celebrate the end of over 2 years of chaos and start to drink some fine wines again shall we! Remember ‘ Drink less and Drink better.”

So in order to lure you back into the whirly wine shop let me inform you about a few new wines imported from Whirly wines in the last few months.

Bonfanti, Valpollichella, Piedmont

From this wonderful little vineyard some really special wines. Amarone! Wow, what does this name conjure up in your mind! Big juicy, sometimes too big wines made from sun-dried grapes? Right? Bonfanti make presitgous wines of great quality and finesse. We have prestigous ” Valpolichella Amarone Gran Lombarda 2015″ DOCG, which needs 24 hours decanting time but its worth the wait. Also their ” Ripasso” Superiore 2016 and lastly their, ” Veneto Rosso Venitica Rosso Verona IGT, which is made from the same grapes as the Amarone ( Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella) but withouu the drying time. This wine is big but silky smooth and represents great value at £17.95 a bottle.

Manzone, Monforte D’Alba, Piedmont

I love Manzone’s wines. I simply adore them. Giovanni and Mauro make wines of real purpose and I admire their work and passion massively. In December 2018 Whirly wines imported some more of their wines which is a joy! They are listed below:

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Wine of the Month, March 2019: Velenosi, Pecorino “DOCG”, 2017 ” Villa Angelina”

The wine of the month for March is the lovely new Pecorino from Velenosi in Marche. Imported just before Christmas it emphasises the joy of tasting and enjoying new verietals and not just drinking the commercial grapes like Chardonnay and Chardonnay and to enjoy drinking unusual grapes.

This grape is one of those fashionable grapes that is enjoying a spotlight in the wine world. This wine from Velenosi represents the peak of their production for the wine, hand picked and carefully selected grapes from their best vines.

The wine combines savoury notes, some herbaceous with some peachy stone fruit too, its an odd but beautiful combination. This wine is so worth Whirling in a big beautiful Riedel glass.

Price: £24.00

Alc vol: 13.5%

Order online by clicking on the link online shop at the top of the page!