Author: Mr Whirly

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Mr Whirly’s Top 4 reds for Christmas!

It’s December 1st and its time to arrange a few Christmas wines for you all!

Don’t forget, Mr Whirly delivers ” free to your door” to all SW London postcodes, sustainable, Organic, Vegan and great tasting wines!

Here are my top 4 Reds for you to indulge with over the festive season.

Three Drops Shiraz 2018, Mount Barker, WA : a delicious and elegant red from the cooler Great Southern region of Western Australia: its totally elegant and restrained for this signature grape of Australia, that pretty well put Australia on the world wine map 30 years ago. Rich Autumn hedge row berries with a touch of clover and tobacco. £29.50

https://whirlywine.co.uk/product/three-drops-shir…to-the-uk-market/ ‎

Three Drops Cabernet Franc 2018, Mount Barker, WA: So unusual to find this grape in a bottle as a single varietal, which is why I was originally drawn to it. I tasted it and loved it. The home of this grape is the Loire, where some of the wines tend to be quite “farm yardy” but this is anything but this! Clean and fresh and juicy, but not overly fruit driven, it oozes class and integrity. Winemakers notes” Succulent and perfumed, 3 drops Cabernet France in hues of red, with raspberry mulberry and liquorice notes continues to sing” £23.90

https://whirlywine.co.uk/product/three-drops-cabe…estern-australia/ ‎

Brick Kiln Shiraz, ” Single Vineyard” 2017, McLaren Vale, South Australia

One of my favourite imports over the last 24 years, this wine exudes Australian red wine making class!

” After a wet winter and cold Spring the grapes from the Nine Gums Vineyard were harvested later than usual on the 23rd March. Following open Fermentation for 10 days and basket pressing the wine was matured in predominantly American oak hogsheads ( 35% new) for 20 months. This wine is dark rich ruby red in colour with powerful aromas of blackberry, dark plum and rich chocolate, with some coconut and vanilla from the American oak. On the palate the wine delivers a wonderful array of dark red berries, rich red plums with caramel and peppery spice overtones. Fruit and oak tannins are soft and well integrated leaving a deep and lingering flavour on the mid-back palate.” £33.50

https://whirlywine.co.uk/product/brick-kiln-shira…-mclaren-vale-sa/ ‎

Chateau Les Graves de Viaud 2015, Côte de Bourg, Bordeaux

Delightfully elegant Merlot based wine that shows so much beauty and class. Vegan, bio Dynamic and Organic. Which is so unusual for Bordeaux wines, since they are very traditional in their thoughts and winemaking ideas. Positive bottle ageing, this wines show how good a little wine regions across the Gironde from St Estephe can show itself in the grand wine world of this region. £24. 50

https://whirlywine.co.uk/product/chateau-les-grav…mique-et-organic

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Garnacha Country! Aragon!

Earlier this month, October 2024, Mr Whirly visited Garnacha country in the middle of Spain. The ancient 13th Century kingdom of Aragon is at the heart of this region and indeed the the first possible historic name of this grape is Aragonese.

I would like to briefly share the highlights with you here and then focus on the new wine ideas Mr Whirly is looking to import very soon. Its been a while since we wrote here, so its great to be back. Whirly wines is still very much in business though, delivering wines made sustainably to the off trade ( farm shops and small retailers, delis etc) and private clients as well as looking for new markets with private chefs and events. But Mr Whirly still delivers ” free to your door” Organic and Vegan wines to most SW postcodes in London from SW2 to 21.

So if you require a few bottles over the coming months up until Christmas do remember to support your small, specialised wine importer rather than your local Tesco or Sainsbury’s to Aldi, since I need your support and I can guarantee wines of good quality too! Here is a link to some great Spanish wines, Organic and Vegan for only £10.50 a bottle.

https://whirlywine.co.uk/product/mixed-sustainabl…rly-wine-website/ ‎

On the wine trip we visited three wineries of different sizes over 3 days. Most of the wineries here in the various regions of Aragon are Cooperatives. The most interesting vineyard was was a small to medium size cooperative ( most of the vineyards in this part of Spain are Cooperatives) with about 70 members of small family vineyards. Being in Tierra Alta, a wine region of Aragon but also very close to Priorat they had a varied array of wines and I have always been fascinated with Priorat since it contains a percentage of my favourite red grape, Carignan, called Cariñena were in Spain. Indeed on the last day we visited the town of Cariñena and a very large commercial vineyard which is not really my passion, but we did taste an amazing 100% Cariñena wine which was incredible but it was seriously overpriced at around 140 Euros! Sadly a lot of these vines are no longer allowed to grow in the home of the grape due to commercial practices which I find really sad. It’s such an expressive grape so it makes no sense to me but comes down to money and ease of winemaking, apparently the Cariñena grape is more tricky to grow.The land out here is dry and barren, it was actually quite interesting to see. At this vineyard we tasted some great Garnacha More to follow on the wines tasted and potential wine imports very soon!

Discover the Richness of Garnacha from Aragon

Introduction to Garnacha

Garnacha, known as Grenache in France, is a grape variety that thrives in the warm, sun-soaked regions of Spain. Among its most celebrated origins is Aragon, where the unique terroir and climate contribute to the grape’s exceptional quality. If you’re passionate about wine, understanding Garnacha from Aragon is a journey worth taking.

The Terroir of Aragon

Aragon’s diverse landscapes, from the high-altitude vineyards of Campo de Borja to the rolling hills of Calatayud, provide the ideal conditions for Garnacha. The region’s warm days and cool nights allow for a perfect balance of sugar and acidity, resulting in wines that are both rich and refreshing.

Flavor Profile

Garnacha wines from Aragon are known for their vibrant fruit flavors. Expect notes of ripe red berries, cherries, and plums, often accompanied by subtle spice and herbal undertones. The wines can range from light and fruity to bold and full-bodied, making them versatile for food pairings.

Why Choose Garnacha from Aragon?

1. Unique Characteristics: Aragon Garnacha stands out for its depth of flavor and complexity, influenced by the region’s distinct growing conditions.

2. Food Pairing Versatility: These wines pair wonderfully with a variety of dishes, from grilled meats and spicy foods to rich stews and hearty pasta.

3. Value for Money: Often, Garnacha from Aragon offers excellent quality at a reasonable price, making it an attractive choice for both everyday enjoyment and special occasions.

How to Enjoy Garnacha

• Serving Temperature: Serve Aragon Garnacha slightly below room temperature (about 16-18°C) to enhance its flavors.

• Decanting: Consider decanting young wines for an hour to allow their aromas to develop fully.

• Food Pairings: Try it with tapas, grilled lamb, or a rich chocolate dessert for a delightful experience.

Conclusion

Garnacha from Aragon is a treasure waiting to be explored. With its rich flavors and versatility, it’s a fantastic addition to any wine lover’s collection. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or enjoying a quiet evening at home, Garnacha is sure to impress.

Explore our selection of premium Garnacha wines from Aragon and elevate your wine experience today! I will soon have some Garnacha wines imported from this trip so will advise you very soon when the wines are available.

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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!

Brick Kiln 2013 Shiraz, 3 drops Cabernet franc, 3 drops Shiraz 2018, Passing Clouds 2013 Cabernet-Shirazm Brick Kin Shiraz 2017, 3 drops Shiraz 2018
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New wine arrival soon! ” Organic” and “Vegan” Rosé for the late Summer!

” Gea” Organic and Vegan Rosé, 2021, ” Garnacha”, Alcardet, Toledo, Spain

A late Rosé arrival for the summer completes the set of 6 wines already here in the UK from Spain. 100% Garnacha, 100% cool, 100% dry, 100% fresh, 100% zingy, 100% very drinkable!

Limited availability and stock since imported at the end of the summer and almost sold out in Spain!

£10.75 per bottle. Free delivery to local SW postcodes otherwise £10.00 delivery charge. Minimum order 6 bottles

Please contact Simon on 07821 968111 to order or email [email protected]

Let’s whirl it!

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New wines just arrived from four wine regions and four states in Australia, some old favourites are back in town…..

Mr Whirly started his wine business off by travelling through the vineyards of Australia in 2000, from Margaret river in Western Australia ( and down to the Great Southern near the south west corner of this vast country when 3 Drops is from ) to the Hunter Valley in the south east corner of New South Wales.

It’s therefore a proud moment to say that once again, I go back to the roots of the business and have, after 3 years of barren discoveries due to so many issues with the world, bought over, despite the incredible difficulties with logistics and shipping, some beautifully crafted wines from some old favourite vineyards.

Passing Clouds in Bendigo, Victoria

These wines have always been one of my favourites from Victoria. They will be online soon, there is no rush since the wines are 2020 vintage and will need lots of time cellaring.

Lillypilly, Leeton, New South Wales

Noble Blend 2017: £20.50

2020 Halliday Wine Companion

A blend of Sauvignon blanc and Muscat. Full orange-gold. Lifted ripe apricot, vanilla cream. Candied peel and ginger flavours. Has freshness and line, and just enough of everything except perhaps bottle age. Give it a bit more time to fill out and complex further, but is still very good refined drinking now. 375ml. 12% alc vol


Fiumara 7: £26.85

Halliday Wine Companion

Jane Faulkner Published 01 August 2020
Tawny with a red sheen; very fresh and heady with ginger bread and panettone, hazelnut toffee, soused raisins and baking spices. A brandy flavour to the spirit, the palate is smooth, warming and this is a delight to drink. 375ml.

3 drops in Mount Barker, Great Southern, Western Australia ( New wine! Cabernet Franc 2018 as well as their Shiraz 2018)

Shiraz 2018: £25.75

This elegant Shiraz is deep red coloured. Its luxurious bouquet gives off fruit, spice and pepper fragrances. The palate is full of black cherry, plum and chocolate flavours, with cedary French oak undertones evident in the background. This wine can either be consumed upon release, or be cellared for about 10 years from vintage.

Cabernet Franc 2018 ( new wine to the UK): £22.50

Purple / red with vibrant hues. Rich youthful aromas of blackcurrant. Deep, concentrated wine, which translates to a medium-bodied, intense, beautifully -balanced and framed palate, with ample soft tannins and real harmony of components. A bold, bright, delicious red wine. Drink over the next 7-9 years.

Rob Diletti- winemaker

Reviews & Awards

Brick Kiln, McLaren Vale, South Australia.

Brick Kiln, McLaren Vale

Shiraz 2017: £27.50

“Matured in predominately American oak hogsheads (35% new) for 20 months. Impenetrable inky black core with a dark red black tinged hue. Ripe blackberry and liquorice aromas jump out of the glass followed by toasty vanillin oak, black cherry, earthy fennel and pepper. Full bodied, rich and intense, opulent blackberry, liquorice and black cherry fruits engulf the palate underscored by toasty vanillin oak, earth, spicy fennel and pepper characters. Velvet smooth tannins have good underlying structure. Powerful with a lavish textural feel it concludes long and succulent.” 

Drink over the next 5-15 years.

If you are interested in anything immediately before they go online please write to Mr Whirly at [email protected]

Thanking you for your continued support…..

Mr Whirly

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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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Bodegas Alcardet; ” Organic” and “Vegan” wines, ” Gea”range, Toledo, Spain. New wines have arrived into the UK, October 2021!!

As Mr Whirly indicated in the last post Whirly wines is focusing his wholesale business on Farm shops now, away from the trials and tribulations of the poor restauranteurs I have had the joy of working with for 20 years now. Sadly alot of my restaurant clients are no longer in business, due to Covid, so in order to survive, Mr Whirly and Whirly wines had to switch markets in the last year. This has been, as one can imagine, really hard work, but this core range of wines for farm shops, was inspired by a request by Joanna Hodgson at Piercebridge farm shop in County Durham, my first farm shop client & thanks to Joanna they have inspired my business to create this market.

The wines have just arrived from Toledo in Spain. They consist of the following wines, three whites and three reds;

Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Verdelho

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo

The wines are fabulous for every day drinking: the whites are crisp and clean and with positive acidity. The Reds are soft in tannins and easy to drink, fruit led but restrained.

The wines are £10.50 a bottle and can be bought privately by emailing me direct. Minimum order is 12 bottles. Please email me [email protected] or call me on 07821 968111

Thanking you

Mr Whirly