{"title":"Better late than never UK arrivals","description":"\u003cp\u003eMy latest and greatest discoveries to hit the site... just in time for Christmas.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"i-filari-chianti-rufina-riserva-2017","title":"I Filari Chianti Rufina Riserva 2017","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf you’re going to spend a bit extra on Chianti, go for Rufina. It’s the most famous sub-appellation of the region, and because of its higher altitude, it’s known for its longevity, elegance and style.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFederico makes this wine at Fattoria Lavacchio - a gorgeous, historic winery in the heart of Rufina. They’re one of the organic pioneers of the region, and the healthiness of the vineyards and fruit shines in their wines.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFederico’s been working with them since 2008, helping them realise the potential of their amazing raw material. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis wine is a nod to how great Chianti used to be made. Federico takes fruit from their oldest vineyards, and gently ferments the juice using spontaneous fermentation from wild yeasts. He then ages the wine in special large oak casks from the nearby Langhe region - this gives the wine a special minerality and spiciness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYou end up with a rich, refined and complex red, with the classic Tuscan woody and violet notes. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42332115173596,"sku":"FEDCHI17","price":31.94,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0081.jpg?v=1732010677"},{"product_id":"i-filari-amarone-riserva-2017","title":"I Filari Amarone Riserva 2017","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eThis isn’t any old Amarone, it’s an Amarone Riserva. Meaning it’s been aged for at least three years in oak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's made by Federico Cerelli, who’s also made some of Italy’s most iconic wines while he was winemaker at Antinori.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederico consults with Fattoria San Cassiano in Valpolicella’s eastern side. This is the coolest part of Valpolicella and land is in high demand around here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vineyards sit at 400m, which is high elevation for these parts. This ensures a big difference between night and day temperatures, which gives lots of concentration and complexity to the grapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the soil is made up of white marl and is very poor - meaning the vines struggle, and produce less fruit per vine. Again doubling down on that concentration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s the perfect raw material for making world-class Amarone - the grapes are dried for 30 days after harvest, increasing the power and complexity even further. The wine is fermented using ultra-modern, yet secretive techniques that only Federico and a handful of top wineries know about.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wine is then aged for 3 years in French and American oak barrels, and you land up with a big, seductive monster of a red, just as good Amarone should be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is heaven for sipping gently by the fire (indoors or outdoors). Or with served with aged cheese as the perfect ending to a good meal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50972480438603,"sku":"FEDAM17","price":47.52,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0109_1.jpg?v=1734167492"},{"product_id":"i-filari-toscana-cabernet-franc-2021","title":"I Filari Toscana Cabernet Franc 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eYou might not have heard of Suvereto, but you’ve probably heard of Bolgheri - which is the region right next door, and home to some of Italy’s most famous wines.\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever if you speak to Italians who know their stuff, they'll tell you Suvereto has far greater potential than its noisier neighbour.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAround here Cabernet Franc is king - the long growing season makes for great ripeness. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFederico makes this wine at the fully organic and biodynamic Casadei winery. He employs every trick in the luxury winemaking book to make it taste sensational:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are 2-3 different hand-harvests in the vineyard and a further selection on the sorting table in the winery - to make sure every last berry is at optimal ripeness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe wine is fermented in concrete tanks and clay amphora pots - to soften it up\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt’s then aged for 18 bottles in classic French oak barrels - to give it structure and power.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\nThis is an unbelievable wine for the price - you get inky graphite, charred green peppers and wild herbs on the nose, while the palate is so smooth, refined and focussed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is Super Tuscan without the Super price tag - enjoy. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53307102003531,"sku":"FEDCF21","price":35.17,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0080_7c9ad5db-b31d-49bb-8687-9c32afa9e7fb.jpg?v=1729090439"},{"product_id":"mcfarlane-saturdays-child-pinotage-2023","title":"McFarlane Saturday's Child Pinotage 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eForget everything you thought you knew about Pinotage, and try this bottle. It’s a revelation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s had such a bad rep for years, and for good reason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, invented in a university garden in Stellenbosch in 1924.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen South Africa opened up after apartheid in the 1990s, international markets demanded big reds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo Pinotage was made like Shiraz - picked late and overripe and overworked in the winery. It was generally terrible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut if you think about its heritage - Pinot Noir and Cinsault, which are both lighter reds - you’ll realise this is the exactly wrong approach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrown on cooler sites and in the right hands, it can be amazing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that’s exactly what we have here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe grapes come from Stanford in the cool-climate Walker Bay region, just south of Cape Town. The vineyard is based on \u003cem\u003ekoffieklip\u003c\/em\u003e granite soils, which gives a lovely density to the grapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex’s winemaking is incredibly gentle (including foot stomping!) which allows the gorgeously perfumed and aromatic fruit in the wine to shine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a dark and brooding wine, with real elegance and intensity. Ageing in old French oak barrels gives it serious structure and this one will age for years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally a Pinotage I can get behind!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53339591606603,"sku":"MCSAT23","price":31.24,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0195_2.jpg?v=1729090246"},{"product_id":"mcfarlane-monday-s-child-chenin-blanc-2024","title":"McFarlane Monday’s Child Chenin Blanc 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlex decided to take the leap and start her own business with husband Wayne in 2018.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor her first wine, she chose a Chenin Blanc vineyard in the gorgeous Polkadraai sub-region of Stellenbosch, where afternoon sea-breezes blow in, amplifying the fruit character and freshness in the grapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex told me the grapes were picked on ‘the most spectacular Monday morning’ - it seemed like the perfect day to start her new adventure. So she called the wine Monday’s Child, after the old nursery rhyme.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter ageing for 7 months in old French oak, the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve all that gorgeous character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn aromatic, flinty and floral nose leads to an intense, piercing and refreshing palate, with gorgeous texture and impressive length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m on a mission to get more people to drink Chenin Blanc, and this wine is exactly why.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53339682013515,"sku":"MCMON24","price":24.2,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0119.jpg?v=1729090032"},{"product_id":"nomades-campania-faino-fiano-2023","title":"Nomades Faino Fiano 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf Fiano from Campania isn’t on your radar, it’s time to change that!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTucked away from the bright lights of Naples and sparkling sea of the Amalfi Coast, you’ll find the Irpinia sub-region, high up in the mountains behind Mount Vesuvius.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe combination here of hot days and cold nights, rainy weather and volcanic soils produces Fiano with great intensity, minerality and freshness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe grapes in this wine come from a magical vineyard at 550m above sea level, based on mostly clay soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe amazing fruit shines through in the wine - it’s serious and complex, with a mineral and almost smoky nose. On the palate it’s layered and tropical, with a very fine and very long finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Faino' is what winemaker Onofrio’s grandfather used to call Fiano.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike any good Fiano (or Faino), this one will age for years. So if you like a good Riesling or even Chablis, you’ll love this!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53359958524235,"sku":"NOMFIA23","price":22.51,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/NomadesCampaniaFainoFiano2022.jpg?v=1716302557"},{"product_id":"nomades-campania-aristea-falanghina-2023","title":"Nomades Aristea Falanghina 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Campania wine region, which surrounds Naples, is possibly Italy’s oldest wine region. It’s thought the Ancient Greeks first brought viticulture here on their way through Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut it’s taking quite a while for the secret of its wines to get out there - Campania remains one of Italy’s most underrated wine regions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWines like this will make you wonder why - it’s made from the Falanghina grape, and will transport you to the magic of the Amalfi Coast in a sip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe grapes are sourced from a vineyard on sandy soils near Naples - the weather here is pretty cool, so these factors combine to give fruit with great freshness and purity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that’s immediately obvious on the nose - vibrant aromas of apples, pears and florals jump out of the glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the palate then it’s so crisp and intense, with lots of peachy blossom flavours, and a lovely rich texture which comes from extended lees ageing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is exactly what good Falanghina should taste like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo wonder it’s called Aristea, after winemaker Georgia’s Greek mother, which means ‘the best kind’. Ahh.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53359960817995,"sku":"NOMFAL23","price":18.01,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0164_1.jpg?v=1729089642"},{"product_id":"i-filari-sicilia-nero-davola-2021","title":"I Filari Sicilia Nero D'Avola 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eFederico Cerelli's latest creation from Sicily is here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's from the village of Salaparuta, which is one hour south of Palermo on the island's western side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Nero d'Avola vineyards have been farmed organically for over 20 years, and with strong winds blowing through all year round, the grapes are kept cool, fresh and healthy despite the heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederico tells me that this is exactly what you need to achieve the balance of ripeness and freshness to make truly great red wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThink luscious black cherries and blackberries, bright florals and those lovely tea leaf flavours you get in Italian reds. It’s spicy, powerful and smooth, but with a delicious elegance and freshness to it too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI poured a sneak preview at our Spring tastings, and people loved it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Wilson of The Irish Times was seriously impressed, highlighting it as one of his wines of the tasting and adding: \u003cem\u003e'big and full-bodied with masses of dark fruits and a core of soft tannins; it still has a certain elegance. One for the hedonists amongst us'\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd because this is Salaparuta, and not Etna or even Tuscany, at €28.54 a bottle it is just amazing value for a wine of this quality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53561761005899,"sku":"FEDNER20","price":26.73,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/IFilariNeroDAvola2020.jpg?v=1715952238"},{"product_id":"i-filari-sicilia-grillo-2022","title":"I Filari Sicilia Grillo 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003eItaly isn’t best known for its finer whites, but with quality like this, it’s only a matter of time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe conditions in Sicily - hot weather, mountainous terrain and cooling sea breezes - are perfect for producing fresh and healthy grapes, loaded with Mediterranean flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut until recently, the Grillo grapes grown here were mainly destined for Marsala, a powerful fortified wine a bit like sherry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that’s finally starting to change - and the charge is led by talented winemakers like Federico Cerelli, who can see Sicily’s unbelievable potential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrillo’s thick skins and small berries are just as suited to making punchy and refreshing whites as they are to making powerful Marsala.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the nose it’s ripe and complex, with tantalizing aromas of peach, lemons and a whiff of blossom honey. On the palate, it’s juicy and textured, with lovely intensity and a long, lifted finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis would go perfectly with white fish, creamy risottos and general slamming in front of the rugby.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like a rich and round style of white, like an Albariño, Godello or Chablis, then this is definitely for you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53561764249931,"sku":"FEDGRS22","price":26.73,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/IFilariSiciliaGrillo2021.jpg?v=1716301640"},{"product_id":"ana-carazo-la-loba-ribera-del-duero-2020","title":"Ana Carazo La Loba Ribera Del Duero 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003eAna Carazo is one of Ribera del Duero’s most exciting, up-and-coming young producers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you meet her you can’t help but be taken in by her infectious energy and absolute passion for what she does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd where Ana makes wine, you need these qualities in spades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLa Loba means The Wolf in Spanish. This was Ana’s grandmother’s nickname, and on the label you’ll see her sitting outside the door of her house in the village.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAna sources the grapes from tiny vineyard plots around this village, Matanza de Soria. They are all 100+ years old, on a variety of aspects and soils, and farmed organically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAna manages 90 to 100 of these tiny plots separately - and combines them to make this wine. It’s painstaking, nonsensical work… but inspiring, especially when you taste her wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe employs a very hands-off winemaking style - she wants the fruit to do the talking. ‘La Loba always speaks’ she tells me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a dark Tempranillo - full of fresh black fruit, violets and an inky-graphite streak. On the palate it’s smooth, rich and lifted, with great structure and length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an intensely personal project for Ana, and she pours her heart and passion into every single bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53561864454475,"sku":"ACLOBA20","price":34.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0126.jpg?v=1729090874"},{"product_id":"metzer-family-cabernet-sauvignon-2022","title":"Metzer Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an unmistakably South African Cabernet Sauvignon from an unmistakably South African winemaker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s from the Helderberg sub-region of Stellenbosch, 45 minutes south-east of Cape Town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd made by Wade Metzer, one of the up-and-coming names in South African wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vineyards sit between the towering Helderberg Mountains and beautiful False Bay, and you can taste these extreme influences in the wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blend is dominated by Cabernet with a small dollop of Shiraz and Cinsault - you get loads of bright blackberry and cassis from the Cab, the Cinsault adds aromatics while the Shiraz gives meatiness and spice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want to taste top-end, authentic Cabernet the way it should taste, from a winemaker at the absolute top of his craft, you owe it to yourself to give this a try.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55856857416011,"sku":"MTZCS22","price":25.47,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0048.jpg?v=1762533694"},{"product_id":"mcfarlane-tuesday-s-child-cinsault-2023","title":"McFarlane Tuesday’s Child Cinsault 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen people ask for lower alcohol reds, I immediately think of Cinsault.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's an underrated grape that’s used as a blender in southern French reds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Châteauneuf-du-Pape it adds brightness and charm, and helps keep the alcohol down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I was down in South Africa a few years back, every top winemaker seemed to be making a Cinsault.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMainly for drinking around the \u003cem\u003ebraai\u003c\/em\u003e with their friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s something about its bright colour, intense red fruit, and gentle spiciness which makes it so lip-smackingly delicious, especially with food.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA good one will remind you of a very light and very good Burgundy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a blend of old vine Stellenbosch and Breedekloof fruit, and shows exactly why Cinsault is on the rise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBreedekloof is a known as a mass-producing area for port-style wines, but you do get the odd gem of a vineyard starting to produce great wines in their own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlex fermented the grapes here whole-bunch for extra texture - and she ended up 'gobsmacked' how aromatic and bright the wine turned out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe then added a parcel of Stellenbosch fruit for a bit of structure and deep red cherry flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one for the fine Burgundy fans. Pinot-like elegance at just 12% alcohol - the holy grail!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WineSpark","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55856990257483,"sku":"MCTUES23","price":24.2,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/0645\/5483\/files\/WS-HighKey-0120.jpg?v=1729090049"}],"url":"https:\/\/winespark.co.uk\/collections\/better-late-than-never-uk-arrivals.oembed","provider":"WineSpark","version":"1.0","type":"link"}