Bottles We Love

“Many moons ago, back in the mid-2000s, in the days before children when we were young and free, my husband and I spent a few years travelling. Like many backpackers, a chunk of that time was spent in Australia, exploring in our homemade camper van. Much of our time was spent going from one winegrowing region to another immersing ourselves with the food, culture and wine of each place.

We arrived in Margaret River shortly after harvest to find the town in full celebration, hosting Billy Cart races down the centre of Bussell Highway. With classic Aussie hospitality, we were invited to the winemaker’s celebration event in ‘the local’, The Settlers Tavern, where we partied the evening away drinking McHenry Hohnen Rocky Rock Sauvignon/Semillon. I still drink this wine today and it always puts a smile on my face and brings back fond memories.”

“I met my wife Helen while working in the hotel trade. Our first job working together was at a restaurant in Ludlow called The Penny Anthony, in the early 1980s. Tanners was its wine supplier and Richard Haydon, the Tanners trade director at the time, was regularly in attendance at the wine and food evenings we held there. While at the restaurant, we finally tied the knot in 1984. Helen’s parents, “the in-laws”, were insistent we served Sherry as our pre-wedding breakfast aperitif - I wasn’t going to argue and of course we chose #TannersAmontillado.

So not only did I marry the love of my life, now 41 years and counting, but began a love affair with Sherry that like my marriage has lasted the test of time!”

“I love this wine so much it has become somewhat of a parody of itself amongst my colleagues. It’s the bottle I go for when I need the comfort of something I find utterly delicious. Combining all the glorious underdog characteristics; an underappreciated wine region in the Loire, an unusual grape variety in Cabernet Franc, it’s made with great respect to the environment and from a small family producer farming their own land. It’s so hard not to find affection for this fresh, fruity, textural gem.”

“One of the first wines I tried at Tanners, this bottle made me realise that wine doesn’t have to be old and complicated to be fantastic and also that great natural wine doesn’t have to taste like home-made cider. The definition and complexity in the primary fruit is stunning vintage after vintage and the wine is always clean as a whistle, despite the lack of chemical interventions in a famously mildew-prone region. It drinks well by itself or pairs even better with oysters, watermelon salad or anything lemony. Truly impressive and gastronomically beautiful.”

“A wine I turn to time and time again. I love its soft, easy style – quite voluptuous. The dark, ripe, plummy fruit is delicious, both on its own or with a plethora of dishes, its supple richness making it a great all-rounder. I often recommend this red for weddings and parties as it suits a broad range of tastes.”

“There’s something so special about this wine—perhaps it’s nostalgia, but there's no denying the quality. Allegracore, meaning happy heart, was one of the first wines I noted when I started in the industry and one of my first (reasonably pricey) bottles and perhaps the first producer I had the privilege to meet.

The 2019 is beautifully Burgundian in style, yet distinctly Italian in flair. Wild cherries and all kinds of other bright red fruit plus maybe a little volcanic rock in the glass, with silky tannins and fresh acidity. Elegant yet powerful. Precise yet expressive. If I could give scores for everything I want a wine to be both in and out of the glass, it's a full house.”

“Last summer we had an inspiring visit around Tenuta La Massa with cellarmaster Giulio Conti. Their "La Massa Toscana" encapsulates the identity of this pioneering estate - it's Super Tuscan in every imaginable way and you should decant this opulent beauty early to let its wonderful red berry aromas blossom and given its dense palate time to fully unfurl. It's rather special, a superstar and surely a true bargain when you consider the original Super Tuscan trailblazer Tignanello is five times the price! Robust, full and meaty with dark red fruits, cherries and red berries, intertwined with mineral and gentle liquorice spice. It’s starting to really open up and show its prowess.”

“Spyros Samartzis and his son, Dimitrios, planted Kontoura, an indigenous Greek grape variety, on their land in 1962, regenerated from ‘wild’ vines they found in the Muses valley. The vineyards, situated on the hillside of Mount Helicon, are rich in minerals and give the wine remarkable terroir, creating a layered and textured wine with fantastic richness. With melon, pineapple and citrus on the nose. The palate is rich, bold and silky, but clever use of acidity produces balance. This is amazing value for money and goes beautifully with chicken or pork dishes.”

“Located in the western fringes of the Transylvania-Barot region, wine has been produced here since 1477. In this state-of-the-art winery, Englishman, Philip Cox, and his Romanian wife, Elvira, work with local winemakers to create modern fruit-driven wines. Named after the moon in Greek mythology, Selene is complex, powerful, yet elegant. Forest fruits, spice and green pepper on the nose, it then has dates, leather, dark chocolate and cinnamon on the palate. Velvety and round it's great with roasted meats and mature cheeses.”

“Approaching my three-year Tanners Anniversary, it’s fair to say Château Montaiguillon has been my go-to bottle since I started. If you’re looking for a rich, elegant red then this is it. Everybody who tries it, loves this wine, even if they’re not a self-confessed Bordeaux lover like me. It’s filled with delicious aromas and flavours of ripe red fruit and sprinkled with sumptuous cassis, dark plum and whisps of soft spice. From mid-week glasses after work to dinner pairings, or even an impressive gift to give, Château Montaiguillon has not let me down. I don’t think it ever will.”

“A recommendation from a colleague made me put my choice back on the shelf and take this instead. A real bargain, comparable to a good oaked Chardonnay with a slight tropical aroma. Tasted and shared whilst cooking and eating chicken in morel and vin jaune sauce.”

“Sometimes with a shop full of wine, it’s difficult to make a choice. I had a look at our bin-end table in Welshpool to focus my attention and we had the last few bottles of the previous vintage of this. A beautiful ruby colour with violet and raspberry notes. Dry and savoury with mellow tannins, great with pizza.”

“I opened this to enjoy over the Christmas period and it went down very well indeed. A great LBV port from Niepoort, a fifth-generation family-owned business. It has black fruits, chocolate and spice on the nose with a long, fresh finish. Ideal to drink now, but it could keep. It will need decanting, unless you have a steady hand to pour!”

“I have the biggest soft spot for Portuguese wines and love this one. Its gorgeous golden colour and creamy texture gives it richness and fullness making it the perfect accompaniment for so many feasts. Filled with intensely aromatic and fresh orchard fruits, it simply entices you to pour just one more glass!”

“I know when you’re in the wine business you’re not meant to be a sucker for a label or a story, but I have to say that I kind of am! Now that doesn’t mean to say that the wine is in any way secondary, and it certainly isn’t the case with another of my favourites: Roero Arneis, Tibaldi 2022. This wine has notes of fresh grapefruit, white peach and almost a touch of marzipan on the nose. The palate has hints of green apple, minerals and a little citrus on the finish. It’s delicious yet unpretentious; a wine that pairs beautifully with classic Italian cuisine, as well as with roast pork (with crackling of course!). And yes, it has an awesome label depicting the story of two sister winemakers.”

“A regular in my wine rack and firm family favourite. Such a well-rounded white, striking the right balance between the richness and generosity of fruit akin to New World Chardonnays, with the minerality and clean finish of a classic French. It’s very drinkable in its own right, or equally food friendly; I can heartily recommend it with buttered seabass and lardon-parmentier potatoes!”