Chosen by Matthew Jukes
What great fortune to launch our MoneyWeek Wine Club in December, when we load up with vinous treasures for our Christmas and New Year festivities. Each month, I'll be giving you my personal recommendations from one of our hand-picked expert wine merchants, and readers will enjoy exclusive savings on these bottles.
To get the wine club off to a glorious start, I have chosen the eminent wine merchants Tanners, based in Shrewsbury since 1842, not least because they hosted an epic tasting last month which resulted in spoiling me with a host of stunners from which to pick the perfect six. See below for individual notes on these keenly priced wines, suffice to say that they are all elite and have gained nose-bleed scores in my scribblings.
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Selected for specific entertaining tasks, you might find that the mixed case acts as a taster for you to charge through on receipt and then come back for more of your favourites, but I am confident that all six will tick all of your flavour boxes, so why not just simply dive in and fill your cellar.
Cheers!
Matthew Jukes
Prices and savings below are exclusive to MoneyWeek readers and are based on ordering a case of 12 bottles. You can also buy a mixed case, giving you two bottles of each wine, for just £140.
2016 Basa Blanco, Telmo Rodrguez, Rueda, Spain £9.80 £9
https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/basa-blanco-rueda-telmo-rodriguez-2016-dozen
Telmo is one of the most revered wine wizards in Spain and he has been highlighting hidden gems in his country for many moons. Modern, vital and refreshing, this 90% Verdejo, 10% Viura blend, from the trendy Rueda region does the same job as a crunchy Sauvignon Blanc. It is an accomplished aperitif wine as well as working wonders with crustacea and seafood. I will be unleashing this on my smoked salmon blinis this year!
2016 Mcon-Vergisson, Les Rochers, Domaine Guerrin & Fils, Burgundy, France £12.40 £11.50
https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/macon-vergisson-les-rochers-domaine-guerrin-fils-2016-dozen
Many of us in the wine world are becoming increasingly disillusioned with white Burgundy. The prices keep climbing and the wines often fail to justify the hype. A run of difficult vintages hasn't helped either and short harvests threaten supply. When I tasted this juicy little number I was cock-a-hoop. It is exactly what I want from a lusty, silky Chardonnay and it is accompanied by a miniscule price tag but I never complain about that!
2015 Vouvray, Clos le Vigneau, Chteau Gaudrelle, Loire, France £13.95 £13
https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/vouvray-clos-le-vigneau-chateau-gaudrelle-2015-dozen
My turkey wine is so retro I might have to dig out my doublet and hose. Great, dry, Loire Valley Chenin Blanc is one of the most overlooked categories of wine in the world. Gaudrelle is a first class property and 2015 is a ripe vintage, so this wine has richness and also depth under its heady scent. There is a touch of exoticism here, but this is tempered with thrilling acidity and it is the perfect accompaniment to the fully laden Christmas platter.
2015 Fleurie, Domaine Andr Colonge et Fils, Beaujolais, France £14.95 £13.80
https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/fleurie-domaine-andre-colonge-et-fils-2015-dozen
Posh Bojo is starting to gain traction in our cellars. Thankfully the days of banana and bubblegum-scented wines are long gone and the wine now show classical lines and more structure than days of yore. Cologne's red cherry-kissed Fleurie flatters on the nose and then grows in intensity on the palate. Again, this is a turkey wine, but it will also tempt you at elevenses and mid-afternoons, too, such is its seamless allure. Its obvious lack of tannin and grip makes it a truly hedonistic pleasure.
2015 Tanners Douro Red, Portugal £8.50 £8
https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/tanners-douro-red-2015-dozen
The Douro has long been trying to convince the world that it is a noble place to make table wines. This boast has only recently come true. I say this because until recently the wines have been monolithic, hairy, overly extracted, alcoholic and austere. Their reliance on pungent oak notes has made the wines impossible to truly adore. A tempering and honing of style is now coming to light. This budget wine is a perfect example. I would rather drink this plum and liquorice-soaked concoction than many wines five times its price. Tanners Douro is a silky, rewarding, hearty glugger, with honest, smooth, blackberry and spice notes. It is a triumph and it is only eight quid!
2016 Le Pigeoulet, Selon Frdric & Daniel Brunier, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse, France £12.90 £12
https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/le-pigeoulet-vaucluse-f-d-brunier-2016-dozen
You have to suspend belief when you taste this wine. Served blind this 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Cinsault and 5% Carignan blend tastes like a heroic Chteauneuf-du-Pape. Ignore the price for a moment and just take this statement on face value. Go back the glass and have another sip. You will have to stop scratching your head now, because I can explain why this red is such an anomaly. It is made by Brunier, who owns the elite Chteauneuf estate, Vieux Tlgraphe and it uses the same blend of grapes and decades of experience. Now fetch the cheese board I am famished!
If you can't decide which wine to buy, I heartily recommend ordering a mixed case of 12 for just £140 - that's less than £12 per bottle.
Place your order now via the Tanners websiteor call Tanners Wines: 01743 234455 and quote "MoneyWeek"
Terms & Conditions: Free delivery on all orders of 12 bottles of wine or more, otherwise £7.95. Orders will be dispatched within 3 working days of orders being received. Orders placed after 18 December cannot be guaranteed for Christmas delivery. Dennis Publishing (Ltd) uses a layered Privacy Notice, giving you brief information about how we would like to use your personal information. For full details, please visit www.dennis.co.uk/privacy or call 01795 592 910.
