July Subscription Wines
Garo'vin • Lunatic Chenin Maceration • 2022 • Chenin Blanc • Orange • Anjou, France
After a hiatus due to a lack of fruit, the Chenin maceration returns for the 2022 vintage, offering a wine with more tannins that is made for food. From 35 year-old vines grown on pink schist, the grapes undergo a gentle extraction on the skins over a few weeks, before ageing in barrels. The tannins give a beautiful framing to the rounded, lush fruit concentration and the trademark chalky minerality ties it all together to great effect.
Food: Barbecued Mackerel, Spider Crab Omelette, Pork Schnitzel
Preparation: Serve Chilled
Larural • Malvasia de Sitges Alt Camp • 2022 • Malvasia de Stiges • Orange • Catalonia, Spain
A saline, spicy and mineral skin-contact beauty from one of Catalyuna’s up–and-coming natural winemakers. This was is produced from young vines of Malvasia de Sitges growing on clay and limestone soils, which were hand-harvested, macerated for 25 days on the skins, and then aged in stainless steel tanks for 10 months before bottling without fining, filtering, or added sulphur. Aromas of wild Mediterranean herbs, fennel, and saffron mingle in the truly unique wine.
Food: Pasta Con Sarde, Pork Chop, Khoresh Bademjan
Preparation: Serve Chilled
Remi Poujol • Brutal! • 2021 • Carignan, Mourvedre • Red • Languedoc, France
Many top natural winemakers – including L’Octavin and Baka – purchase meticulously farmed fruit from Remi Poujol, and when you taste his own cuvees it’s easy to see why. This one is made with a blend of Carignan and Mourvedre which are given a shorter maceration of four weeks, followed by ageing in fibreglass to allow for the purest expression of the grapes. Bright, uplifting and bursting with wild purple fruit.
Food: Beef Brisket, Manchego, Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms
Preparation: Serve slightly chilled
L'Austral • Octopus Rouge • 2023 • Grolleau, Cabernet Franc • Red • Saumur, France
A fresh and peppery red with an abundance of bright red fruits. The wine’s made from a blend of Grolleau and Cabernet Franc, half of which are de-stemmed, with 10 days maceration and 6 months of ageing in concrete barrels. With well-integrated tannins and raspberry and cherry notes, this is a very well crafted red that’s perfect for the summer.Organic, Biodynamic
Food: Barbecued Aubergine, Pork Belly, Chicken & Olive Tagine
Preparation: Serve room temperature or chilled!
Domaine Bobinet • Piak! Rose • 2023 • Cabernet Franc, Pineau d'Aunis, Chenin Blanc • Rose • Loire, France
With its enticingly pretty nose and refreshing palate, this rose screams of summer. It’s produced from an untypical blend of Cabernet Franc, Pineau D’Aunis, and Chenin Blanc, with the wine fermented with indigenous yeasts and spending five months maturing in stainless steel tanks. Juicy but supple, this is bursting with crunchy red fruits boosted by a floral edge.
Organic
Food: Prawn Tartar, Cured Trout, Tomato-Based Pasta
Preparation: Serve chilled
Nuria Renom • Free Rose • 2021 • Despalillado, Parellada • Rose • Catalonia, Spain
A fruity, mineral rosé with bags of energy. It’s made with a mixture of Parellada – which is macerated on the skins for four days to give the wine its beautiful hue – and the pressed juice of Despalillado, with both aged in stainless steel for 6 months. With a low ABV, lots of vibrant juicy acids, and a touch of effervescence, this is the ideal aperitif.
Organic
Food: Chorizo, Olives, Pan Con Tomate
Preparation: Serve chilled
Strobl • Lust and Laune • 2022 • Gruner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner, Chardonnay • White • Wagram, Austria
Lust is the experimental line by Lukas Strobl, son of Clemens Strobl. This wine is juicy and vibrant, with a touch of tension and earthy, spicy aromas.
The Strobl family, known for their organic and sustainable practices, hail from Austria's Wagram region. Clemens Strobl produces authentic, expressive wines, while his son Lukas brings innovation with his experimental line. Together, they ensure the Strobl name remains synonymous with quality and creativity in winemaking.
Preparation: Serve chilled
Brand Bros • Pinot Blanc Landwein • 2022 • Bacchus, Muller Thurgau • White • Nahe, Germany
Crafted by fifth-generation winemakers Daniel and Jonas Brand in Bockenheimer, Germany, this 100% Pinot Blanc is vibrant, aromatic, tropical, and bold. Since taking over in 2014, the brothers expanded the family winery from 12 to 18 hectares, transitioning to fully organic, natural production. Enthusiasts of regenerative agriculture, they fortify vines with tea and plant products and cultivate clover and wild herbs to attract beneficial insects. Always hand-harvested, naturally fermented, unfiltered, with minimal sulphur, this wine excels both with meals or on its own.
Organic
Preparation: Serve chilled
Ca di Noci • Tre Dame • 2022 • Sgavetta • Sparkling • Emillia Romagna, Italy
Just delicious - an Oranj fav at the moment. Brothers Albero and Giovvani are revitalising indigenous grape varieties in Quattro Castella. After converting their father’s vineyard to organic in 1993, they now work as naturally as possible, creating wines which represent lost flavours and the beauty of terroir. This wine is strawberries, balsamic and all things nice. Super light and fruity with fabulous acidity. Air out the soft cheese and pop this open come 5 o’clock. The most delicate aperitivo, a summer delight.
Preparation: Serve chilled
Sistema Vinari • Novetat Total • 2023 • Callet, Manto Negro, Fogoneu • Red • Santa Margalida, Mallorca
A silky, saline, and perfumed red blend of indigenous Mallorcan grapes. The wine is produced from young vines of Callet, Manto Negro and Fogoneu planted over the island’s characteristic red clay soils, with the hand-harvested grapes mostly destemmed before a maceration of up to a month and pressing off into stainless steel vats for six months of ageing. Bursting with red berries held in balance by olive brine and dried Mediterranean herbs.
Organic
Food: Barbecued Lamb, Red Pepper Tart, Arroz Brut
Preparation: Serve chilled
Domaine Goepp • Fine Bulle • 2022 • Muscat d'Alsace, Auxerrois • Sparkling • Alsace, France
Refreshing, versatile and just downright tasty petnat. The wine is produced from an equal mixture of Muscat d'Alsace and Auxerrois, with the grapes grown on a mixture of loamy and clay-limestone soils, and the production of the bubbles finished in bottle without any additives in the process. Lots of lively fruit from the Muscat, with the Auxerrois bringing textural depth and a thread of saline minerality.
Organic, Zero SO2.
Food: Blini, Pretzel, Oysters
Preparation: Serve chilled
Staffelter Hof • Papa Panda's Rising • 2022 • Riesling • White • Mosel, Germany
Lively, aromatic and bone-dry Riesling that captures the spirit of Mosel. It’s produced from hand-picked, destemmed grapes that grow on blue slate soils, spending 24 hours on the skins before vinification without any filtration, fining or added sulphites. An ideal summer white that’s bursting with lemon and lime, but still has plenty of intrigue and length to offer.
Biodynamic
Food: Shrimp Tempura, Grilled Squid, Spaghetti al Limone
Preparation: Serve chilled
Barraco • Rosammare • 2022 • Nero d'Avola • Rose • Sicily, Italy
Salty and citrusy, this rosé will take you right back to summers along the Mediterranean. It’s produced from young vines of Nero d’Avola planted over sandy soils which are picked early, macerated for 24 hours on the skins, basket-pressed, before fermentation in stainless steel, and resting in concrete for a few months. Refreshing and lively, it also has some fruit in cherry and strawberry, with intriguing bitter notes reminiscent of Campari adding an edge to the fruity, saline character of the wine.
Organic
Food: Prawn Arancini, Salumi, Nocellara Olives
Preparation: Serve chilled
