Category: Spain

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Wine of the Month: June 2026

“Benedictus Fructus”, 2024, Godello, Bodegas Val de souto, D.O. Ribeiro, Galica

Mr Whirly says;

” So, so excited to have this dream of a wine back in the UK market; its a truly special rendition of the Godello grape, made with class and precision by Jose Manuel Blanco Perez and young winemaker, going places, Pablo Estévez.

Godello is the “in fashion” grape at this moment in time so I urge you to taste with some salty fish, squid or octopus this summer; it’s quite the perfect wine for this. Super clean and linear with hints of mandarin and grapefruit and spring blossom.

Available online in the shop now, arrived 31st May 2026.”

750ml

12.5% Alc vol

£21.50

Pablo Estévez has been awarded Best Winemaker of Young Wines in Spain six times in the last seven editions of the Premios Baco (Harvest: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024). Baco awards for harvest 2025 will be announce this summer.

O Concello do Porriño recibe a Pablo Estévez tras conseguir o seu 6º título de “Mellor Enólogo de Viños Xoves de España”
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Wine of the Month: May 2026

” Le rosé,” Limited Edition”. The wine of the month for May 2026 is the Rosé wine from Chapillon in Aragon. Its rosé season after all and with this wonderful weather in May lets make the most of it, get outside and enjoy some beautifully made Rosé from the high hills of Somantano in Northern Aragon near the Pyrenee’s, shall we?

The wine is made from75% Moristel ( a grape only found in Somontano, only 150 hectares of this grape here in Aragon) and 25 % Garnacha grown at a height of 800 metres . Deliciously easy to drink, soft yet fresh summer berry fruits on the palate. Classy Pink. Only 1200 Bottles produced.”

12.5% alc vol

750ml

£14.50

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New wines just arrived; from Bodegas Val de Souto, D.O.Ribeiro, Galicia

Bodegas “Val de souto”,  Castrelo de Miño,  D.O. Ribeiro, Galicia, Spain.

Val de Souto is a small family-run Colleiteiro winery in Souto, Castrelo de Miño, in the heart of Ribeiro. The family has been dedicated to viticulture since 1840, and José Manuel Blanco began bottling the estate’s own wines in 2002. Production is very small, around 15,000 bottles per year, from nearly two hectares of estate-owned vineyards.

Their oenologist for the last 15 years has been Pablo Estévez, one of the most highly regarded winemakers in Galicia. Pablo has been recognised by the Unión Española de Catadores / Premios Baco as Best Winemaker of Young Wines in Spain five times in the last six years.

Mr Whirly has been working with this small vineyard in the North west of Spain for 15 years now and I can honestly say its one of my favourite vineyards and the owner and winemaker, Jose Manuel Blanco Perez , is one of my favourite people in the wine world too. Such a lovely man. He, together with Pablo, make wines of culture and finesse; classic & classy wines. When I visited his vineyard last he presented me with a large bowl of rather gelatinous squid, a speciality in this region. It took a while to get use to but once I started sipping the “ Benedictus “ with this dish I started to grow into the idea and the bowl was soon done justice.

New wines just arrived;

Benedictus Fructus, 2024, Godello, D.O. Ribeiro  

Clean and bright, pale straw-yellow in colour with olive-green reflections. The nose is intense, elegant and complex, with marked citrus notes of mandarin and grapefruit, together with subtle floral aromas. On the palate it is harmonious and balanced, with well-integrated acidity bringing freshness, length and persistence.  Grape: Godello.  Alcohol: 13% . Vinification: At least 5 months in stainless steel tanks 

Price: £21.5o

Val de Souto “Treixadura”,  2024, D.O. Ribeiro  

Clean and bright, lemon-yellow in colour with greenish reflections. The nose is intense and complex, showing aromatic herbs such as mint and bay leaf, over a fruit-driven background of grapefruit and lemon. The palate is very pleasant, rounded and structured, with good length and a final sensation of sweet fruit that makes the wine very moreish.  Grape: Treixadura. Alcohol: 13%. Vinification: At least 5 months in stainless steel tanks

Price: £14.25

Val de Souto, “Tinto”, 2024,  D.O. Ribeiro  

Clean and bright, medium to deep cherry-red in colour with violet reflections. The nose is intense, complex and deep, with a predominance of red fruit such as cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. On the palate it is very pleasant and savoury, with perfectly integrated wood and elegant, lingering fruit.  

Grapes: Mencía, Sousón and Brancellao. Production: limited to around 2,652 bottles. Alcohol: 12% . Vinification: At least 5 months in traditional chestnut-wood barrels.  

Price: £13.50

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Wine of the Month: April 2026

Yes, ok, another gem from Christophe Chapillon in Aragon. Another red too, this time his Harmonié, a subtle and yet robust combination of two red grapes: Petit Verdot, normally a fill in grape in Bordeaux and Tannat from SW France. It sounds complicated but the the winemaker subtlety and deftly combines them to make a beautiful and powerful red wine.

Mr Whirly says;

” A lovely combination of grapes from Bordeaux and South West France, Petit Verdot and Tannat. It’s unusual to find these grapes growing in the middle of Spain and yet these varietals clearly love the terroir here in Aragon.”

James Suckling, 90 Points:

“A blend of 90% petit verdot and 10% tannat, expressing notes of sweet spices, baked cherries, vanilla and smoke. Medium body with creamy tannins. Voluptuous with creamy fruit and chocolate. Fruity finish”

750 ml

14.0 % Alc vol

£14.50

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Wine of the Month: March 2026

Another gem from Christophe Chapillon in Aragon, imported recently and selling oh so well in the present UK market since the October 2025 when it arrived into England.

There are two main Red grapes in Spain and this is the main one. Well the most readily planted throughout the lands of Spain. Tempranillo. The other grape was featured in last months wine of the month: Garnacha. This wine evokes subtlety and purity of spirit in terms of the winemaking. Some Tempranillo’s can be over extracted and juicy ( I find a great deal of Rioja’s like this) but this is not. Its subtle and cool: Paul and Rémy Tempranillo 2024

Mr Whirly Says:

” Another beautifully made wine from Christophe Chapillon. 100% Tempranillo. Mulberry and plums,  refined and elegant. Soft tannins. Not in anyway edgy. This wine has been on  French oak for 6 months. Slightly smokey finish. Vegan friendly and sustainable vineyard . A recent client at Crow Farm shop bought one bottle and came back for the other 11 bottles the next day. Must be alright.”

750ml

14.0 alc vol

£14.25

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Wine of the Month: February 2026

It’s February, yeah! March will almost be here, its a time to celebrate, Spring is around the corner.

The wine of the Month for February is some delicious Garnacha from Christophe Chaplillon in Aragon. I have been working with Christophe for over 10 years now and I love his wines. I visited Zaragoza and the surrounding areas in 2025 and its a fascinating wine region with so much to offer in terms of terroir, different terrains, food styles and of course wines and grapes of distinction and quality! I love the grapes from this region, hoepfully in May I can introduce you to some lovely Rosé from the high hills of the Pyrenee’s near to Somontano made from its local grape, Moristel, which is a joy to behold!

But let’s not deviate from this lovely wine Mr whirly, Chapillon’s flag ship red, ” Cuvée Paul” 2022, 100% Garnacha, they hang their hat on this grape in Aragon. The red grape of choice is Garnacha in Aragon and this wine sings through this robust varietal. It’s deliciously soft and elegant with enough fruits to keep you wanting more. delicious with a lovely stew this winter February it really cheers you up!

Please click on the link below to order!

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11th November 2025, Remembrance Day: Aragon wines rock…..

It’s taken Mr Whirly a while but we are beginning to get the verve and energy levels elevated for a concerted effort to bring in, once again, some really exciting new wines over the next few months leading into the summer of 2026.

In October 2025 Mr whirly launched back into the world of importing wines from quality small producers, something that I had been forced to abandon due to economic and market pressures over the last 4 years. But we are back and I have plans to import some really individual wines soon, using present and past connections. The wines from Christophe Chapillon are really exciting and have sold really well. The Vivius blanco, 100% Macabeo and the Limited edition Rosé made from the rare Moristel grape and Garnacha are now virtually sold out. However we still have small quantities of the reds: the 100% Garnacha red, ” Cuvée Paul”, the Tempranillo, ” Harmonie'” a lovely soft blend of Tannat and Petit Verdot and the ” Green” red which is a stunning red made from 4 grapes: Garnacha, Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah.

Plans for future wines are in the pipeline too. Some Godello from Galicia, a very up and coming and fashionable grape at the moment, will be sourced in early 2026 together with some other whites and reds from the high hills in this north west part of Spain. I shall be working with José once again from Val de Souto and I am very exciting about this prospect. Other ideas for exciting wines to import include a focus on my favourite red grape, Carignan and focusing on the home of this grape in Catalanes and Roussillon where I have some amazing contact built up from 10-15 years ago. I will look to focus on different styles and price point for this amazing grape that can be absolutely banging in terms of quality drinking compared to price point.

I am about to send out my offers of Christmas wines for you. A lovely offer of a few half dozen wines, specially chosen for you, that will be live in the shop here the first week in December. Remember Mr Whirly delivers free to your door to most SW London postcodes, wines that are organic and sustainably made. Wines that offer fabulous quality and drink oh so easily and wines that are made with integrity and passion . I have added the link to the mixed case of Christmas delights below for ease of ordering

: https://whirlywine.co.uk/product/mixed-case-of-wh…r-christmas-2025/

Mr whirly

Mr Whirly

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New wine’s just arrived from Christophe Chapillon, Wonderful winemaker near Zaragoza and the high hills of Somantano, Aragon, Spain

After a delightful trip to the ancient province of Aragon in the middle of Spain recently, Mr Whirly is really excited to bring you some really exciting new wines from Christophe Chapillon, a winemaker I have been working with for 10 years.

The wines are made with passion and integrity and offer quality drinking at a very sensible price point, something that Whirly wines has been ” hanging his trilby” on for over 24 years now. The wines of Aragon are famous in terms of their heritage and quality. The main red grape here is Garnacha and Mr Whirly has imported their 100% Garnacha red ( see picture below) Cuvée Paul, which is a wonderful example of this robust and full red wine. All the reds are soft and elegant to drink with no harsh tannins. My main philosophy has always been to give you wines that are easy to drink. You don’t have to think too much about the wines when you taste them since they are simply very good. My Favourite wine is probably the Organic ” Green” label wine, ” Paul and Remy”, which sounds like its complicated since its a blend of Syrah, Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon but its expertly put together at only 12.5 % alc vol.

Wines imported are

“Vivius” Bianco 2024: 100 % Macabre

“Limited Edition” Rosé, 2024,Paul Remy, ( 75% Moristel and 25% Garnacha)

Harmonie, 2022: Petit Verdot and Tannât

Cuvée Paul, 2022, 100% Garnacha ( see picture below)

“Paul and Remy”, ” Green” 2022 ( Organic): blend of Garnacha, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon

“Paul and Remy”, 2023: 100% Tempranillo

More details to follow on the online shop for each wine, so do have a peep now! Whirly wine offers free delivery to local postcodes, delivering organic wines and wines made sustainably to your door free of charge, even if it’s just a single bottle. However if you would like have some personal advice about these wines please email Mr Whirly at simon@whirlywine.co.uk or call me on 07821968111

Thank you!

Mr Whirly

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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.

Flavour 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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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 simon@whirlywine.co.uk

Let’s whirl it!