Margot and Fergus Henderson's Valentines Wine box
Vins et Vollais • Tu Viens D'Où? • 2021 • Kitzengen, Germany • Silvaner, Bacchus and Müller-Thurgau • Orange
Fleur Godart has collaborated with the winemakers at 2Naturkinder to create an exciting wine. Blending Silvaner, Bacchus and Müller-Thurgau, which are all given a week’s skin contact. Bags of aromatic depth and ripe fruit, all offset by a lively, crisp acidity.
Organic, zero SO2
Food: Grilled Prawns, Babaganoush, Chicken Satay
Preparation: Serve chilled
Slobonde • Oranžista • 2022 • Hlohovec, Slovakia • Pinot Gris • Orange
One of the most exciting orange wine producers around. This cuvee is 100% Pinot Gris, whole-bunch fermented, partially on the skins, before ageing in concrete egg. It’s carefully extracted, blessing the wine with a lean structure, and a delicately aromatic profile with complex citrus flavours.
Organic
Food: Lamb Korma, Aubergine Parmigiana, Prawn Risotto
Preparation: Serve chilled
Le Coste • Bianchetto • 2022 • Lazio, Italy • Procanico, Malvasia, Moscato • Orange
Single-handedly turning eyes towards the Lazio region, Gianmarco Antonuzzi and Clémentine Bouveron make wines to remember. Here, they blend Procanico, Malvasia, Moscato, which spend two weeks on the skins before spending 6 months ageing in vats. Youthful and lively yet textured and aromatic, with notes of orange peel, smoked rosemary and spiced bread.
Biodynamic, Zero SO2
Food: Grilled Aubergine, Porchetta, Saltimbocca alla Romana
Preparation: Serve chilled
Domaine L'Octavin • Zerlina • 2019 • Jura, France • Trousseau, Pinot Noir • Red
If you’re a fan of Jura wines, this gorgeous blend of Pinot Noir and Trousseau isn’t to be missed. The forty year old-vines are planted over grey marl and limestone, and after being hand-picked, they’re fermented whole bunch before being pressed into tanks for a year of elevage. Wild energy, earthy tones, and vibrant fruit.
Organic, Biodynamic, Zero SO2
Preparation: 15 minutes from the fridge
Cédric Perraud • Goccia Rosso • 2021 • Sicily, Italy • Nerello Mascalese • Red
A lighter style of Nerello Mascalese, but still expressive of the volcanic terroir. The red grapes are blended with a small amount of local white grapes to give the wine some lift, with just 10 days on the skins before barrel ageing. Peppery, slightly smoky, but bursting with crips acids, and juicy fruit in blood orange and morello cherry.
Organic
Food: Pasta alla Norma, Caponata, Grilled Lamb
Preparation: Serve at room temperature
Domaine des Côtes Rousses • Les Montagnes Rousses • 2021 • Savoie, France • Mondeuse • Red
Named after the red clay typical of the area, this is a terroir-driven beauty. The Mondeuse grapes are fermented whole-bunch, gently extracted, before ageing in terracotta and demi-muids. The aim is to allow for the purest expression of the grape, with black fruit, floral and spicy flavours melding in a charmingly rustic, easy-drinking wine.
Biodynamic
Food: Game, Duck Ragu, Tomme de Savoie
Preparation: Serve at room temperature
La Perdida • O Trancado • 2022 • Galicia, Spain • Garnacha, Mencía • Red
A blend of Garnacha and Mencía from one of the most progressive natural winemakers in all of Galicia. The grapes are grown on granite and clay soils, and then spontaneously fermented with native yeasts in amphorae, before ageing in oak barrels. Bursting black fruits, saline acids and soft tannins in wine full of purity and energy.
Organic, Zero SO2
Food: Lamb Rogan Josh, Cecina, Empanada
Preparation: Serve at room temperature
Rim • Jan • 2019 • Catalunya, Spain • Cariñena • Red
A tribute to the winemaker Jordi’s friend Jan. Produced from Cariñena grapes grown on rocky slate soils, the hand-harvested grapes are de-stemmed and spontaneously fermented, macerated on the skins for 15 days and then aged in a mixture of stainless steel and 10-year-old American oak barrels. Like Jan, it takes some time to open up, but eventually has loads to offer, with enticing notes of red plum, rosemary and licorice, all framed by woody tannins.
Organic
Food: Lamb Stew, Paella, Grilled Steak
Preparation: Serve at room temperature
Hors Champ • Le Rouge et Le Blanc • 2022 • Rhône, France • Grenache, Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains • Rose
A high-energy wine made in that sweet spot between light red and rosé. It's made from a blend of red and white grapes, Grenache and Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains, which undergo whole-cluster fermentation for 5 days, followed by 8 months in demi-muid, and bottling without filtration, fining or sulphur. Bursting cherry, Mediterranean herbs and wildflowers in a mouthwateringly vivacious pour.
Organic, zero SO2.
Food: Salami, Tomato-based Pasta, Mezze
Preparation: Serve chilled
Hannes & Claudiu • Rosa • NV • Pfalz, Germany • Portugieser, Dornfelder, Grauburgunder • Rose
Fresh and bright rosé vinified solera style. Made from 2020, 2021, and 2022, vintages, and each year, the fruit – a blend of Portugieser, Dornfelder, Grauburgunder – co-ferments after 14 days of carbonic maceration, before joining direct-press Spätburgunder and Muscat and ageing in 500-L oak barrels. Pert acidity meets sapid fruit in a stunning tribute to rosé made from a mixture of red and white grapes.
Organic, Biodynamic, Zero SO2
Food: Mushroom Risotto, Tagine, Charcuterie
Preparation: Serve chilled
Do.t.e • Keep My Spirit Alive • 2020
Syrah, but not as you know it. The grapes are lightly macerated and then aged for five months in stainless steel, before being blended with the juice of Lambrusco grapes. Spritzy and quaffable but with intriguing notes of grenadine, lychee and cinnamon.
Organic methods, no SO2
Food: Parmesan Grissini, Fennel Salami, Provolone
Preparation: Serve chilled
Clos des Folles • Je T'Aime A La Folie Petillant • 2022 • Loire, France • Grolleau Noir • Sparkling Rose
A delicious petnat bursting with fruit. It is made from a direct press of Loire Valley’s most planted variety, Grolleau Noir, which is then refermented in bottle. Full of energy and vibrancy.
Organic methods, No SO2
Food: Saucisson, Croquettes, Goat’s Cheese
Preparation: From ice
Domaine Stoeffler • Sylvaner • 2022 • Alsace, France • Sylvaner • White
Refreshing but mineral and sophisticated. The wine is made from the domaine’s oldest Sylvaner vines grown on clay-limestone soils with a deep marly subsoil, the wine is vinified in old foudre. Sylvaner at its best.
Organic, zero SO2.
Food: Grilled Fish, Squid Salad, Fennel Gratin
Preparation: Serve chilled
Julien Delrieu • La Joue • 2020 • Loire, France • Chenin Blanc • White
Electrifying Chenin from a single vineyard of 20-year-old vines. The wine spontaneously ferments in fiberglass and matures in 228-litre barrels before being bottled unfiltered and unfined with minimum added SO2. With aromas of white flowers, citrus, spice and yellow orchard fruit, it’s expressive and complex, but with an animating acidity that makes it all sing.
Organic
Food: Salmon, Crab Linguine, Fricassée d’Anjou
Preparation: Serve chilled
Le Temps des Cerises • La Peur du Rouge • 2022 • Languedoc, France • Chardonnay, Clairette • White
Saline, apple-y, gently stone fruited refreshing, super light white. Whole bunch Clairette and Chardonnay macerated for 5 days, before being pressed to cuve for a 9 month élevage.
Preparation: Serve 10 minutes from the fridge
Les Grangeons de l'Albarine • Chardonnay Aligo'thé Combernand • 2021 • Ain, France • Chardonnay, Aligoté • White
A sophisticated, terroir-driven beauty. Produced from a 50/50 blend of Aligote and Chardonnay grown on a single site with layers of distinctive limestone, the wine is vinified in old demi-muid. A rich and textured palate is beautifully balanced by a roaring, bright acidity.
Certified organic (Ecocert), practising biodynamics. Zero SO2
Food: Turbot, Lobster, Comte
Christian Lindenlaub • Qui S’y Cogne • 2022 • Alsace, France • Auxerrois, Pinot Gris • Sparkling White
Food: Oysters, Ceviche
Preparation: From ice
