June 10th, 2010
South Africa wines for the World Cup football season…

World Cup Fever hits wine sales….

…it’s true – only a few months ago, the first ‘upset’ of the season occurred in the UK wine market …sales of South African wine actually over-took sales of French wine for the first time ever!!

UK wine drinkers have discovered that South African wines offer something truly unique: a style that sits at a delicious halfway house between the out-and-out fruitiness of the New World and the restrained elegance of the Old World.

To celebrate the fact, we’re offering 10% off our superb ‘Kirabo‘ Private Cellar range of wines, from the Breedekloof Valley in South Africa - we have a thirst-quenching Chenin Blanc, a light pink Pinotage Rosé and a crisp  Chardonnay Reserve at all below £7.30 …the range then opens into the exclusive Platinum Collection ..click here for more details…and use the coupon code ‘WorldCup‘ to claim the 10% discount when ordering.

Also below, you’ll find a selection of some of our newest wines that you may not have seen yet ….a great semi-sparkling ’06 Rosato, a light, crisp ’07 Pinot Grigio and a ‘Pink Blush’ Pinot Grigio ….all perfect for some warm summer evenings!

2006 Bacichetto Rosato, Semi-Sparkling2007 Pinot Grigio, Villa Giulia, Rubini

Bacichetto Rosato, Semi-SparklingCountry: Italy
Region: Veneto                     �
Grape variety: Blend
Price: £8.99

Tasting Notes - Semi-sparkling and glistering pink in colour. Tastes of freshly picked pomegranate with a strawberry silkiness flowing onto the palate.  Click HERE to buy

 

 

Pinot Grigio, RubiniCountry: Italy
Region: Veneto
Grape variety: Pinot Grigio
Price: £8.15 (rrp £8.50)

Tasting Notes – A bright silver colour, crisp, with plenty of fruit and hints of pineapple and lime. A delicate finesse to the palate.    Click HERE to buy.

2007 Pinot Grigio ‘Pink Blush’, Villa Rubini

 

Pinot Grigio Pink BlushCountry: Italy
Region: Veneto
Grape variety: Pinot Grigio
Price: £8.20 (rrp £8.50)

Tasting Notes – In a classy frosted bottle, this wine is very light pink, with an intense bouquet of pink cherries and a strawberry taste on the palate. Medium body, floral with a pleasant finish.   Click HERE to buy.

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May 18th, 2010
Italian Fine Wine from Accordini – Amarone Le Bessole

Fine Wines Online 

Our 2000 Riserva Amarone ‘Le Bessole’ from the Accordini stable is one for those special occasions…

Amarone Riserva 

This wine has just been released onto the market and is now ready to drink. Having seen 18 months in new oak, with the grapes firstly dried on racks for 120 days, this deep and super-concentrated wine has emerged and is an experience to taste.

1st Prize – Gambero Rosso 2005       Wine Spectator 2004 – 90 points out of 100

Tasting Notes: A unique Riserva made only in outstanding vintages with a selection of the best grapes from individual bunches in the premier cru region. The grapes once picked are dried in racks for 120 days until the following February, then pressed and aged up to five years in large oak barrels. An incredibly rich and smooth red wine from a unique Italian grower.

Grape Variety: 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Corvinoni

To buy this wine online at only £23.90, click here

The entire range of Accordini wines are exclusive to Vin Vino Direct and naturally, therefore, to you.  We also have the following great wines available from the Italian wine producer Accordini;

2006 Valpolicella Classico Superiore ‘Le Bessole’ – click here

2005 Ripasso di Valpolicella – click here

2002 Ripassa di Amarone – click here

2001 Soffio del Creato del Amarone – click here

2004 Recioto della Valpolicella ‘La Viole’ – click here

Grower Profile: 

This small estate winery has deep country roots: their founders have been share-croppers, then landowners and finally wine-makers. Today, the company is led by Stefano Accordini himself, helped by his wife Giuseppina and his two sons, Tiziano and Daniele. The family estate extends over 6 hectares situated in Negrar, the heart of Valpolicella, in a town called Bessole.

These vineyards are a precious source of great satisfaction thanks to their southern-east exposure and their soil, which is well balanced in its components. A good choice of three different varieties of grapes, Corvine, Rondinelle and Corvinone, grafted by Stefano and taken from vines of high quality, guarantees the production of ripe grapes well suited to be withered. A great focus is given to the grape withering, a technique which enables the production of the most important wines of the Accordini family such as Amarone, Fornetto, Fornetto Acinato, Recioto Acinato, the white “Bricco delle Bessole” and the innovative IGT Passo. The traditional techniques, such as Ripasso, are employed to produce fine wines of a very high level, such as the Valpolicella Classico Superiore

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April 23rd, 2010
1996 Château Haut Bages, Fine wine from Pauillac, Bordeaux

bor271largeThis featured fine wine is the Château Haut Bages Averous - today the vineyards total 90 hectares situated on the Bages plateau near the village of Bages itself, just Fine Wines - Vin Vino Directsouthwest of Pauillac; they have a typical constitution of gravel over a layer of marl, chalk and sand, and are planted with predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), with 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is about 35 years and they are planted at a density of 9000 vines/ha. The fruit is harvested manually, then destemmed and crushed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine macerates in vat for a total of three weeks with malolactic in tank, before the wine is run off into oak for up to 15 months, with 60% new wood for every vintage.

 The grand vin here is Chateau Lynch-Bages, of which there are typically 25000 cases per annum. The nearby Chateau Haut Bages Averous has, since 1978, been used as the second label for Lynch-Bages (10000 cases per annum). There is also a 4.5 ha plot of white vines, comprising 40% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Muscadelle which is used for the AC Bordeaux Blanc Blanc de Lynch-Bages (3000 cases per annum).

 
 Tasting Notes: Deep, saturated ruly rich aromas of cloves, fragrant strawberries, medium to full bodied. Reveals spice, oak and sweet fruit giving a delicious enveloping sensation to the palate…
You can buy this great Pauillac wine online for only £42.00 / bottle ..click here
 
For a complete list of the Fine Wines that Vin Vino has online, click here

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April 7th, 2010
Australian red wine – Black Pepper Shiraz

AUR068 Black Shiraz

We have to tell you about this wine again …with winter happily becoming a distant memory, this wine is still flying off our shelves….and we certainly know why – just taste this wine and you’ll fall in love with its peppery and spicy undertones balanced by the weighty fruit and alcohol punch – get your bottles today before we run out!

Grower Profile
Australia has certainly made Syrah its own, even bestowing it with a new name: Shiraz. In the warm, dry climate of Australia this noble grape, responsible for some of the grandest wines of France, produces an intense, unique expression that is distinctly Australian. The ripe grapes take on classic notes of black pepper and leather that add depth and complexity to the black cherry and plum fruits on the palate. Australian Shiraz has typically been aged in American Oak barrels which impart the wine with a distinct note of vanilla that can add to the impression of ripeness many of these wines have, but the time in barrel also allows the wines a chance to settle and reveal their rich, voluptuously styled mouthfeel.

This 2008 Australian Black Shiraz is from Berton Vineyards, located in High Eden, a sub-region of Eden Valley, South Australia. The altitude and cool climate provides ideal conditions for the production of high quality fruit. Surrounded by native yacca grass and watched over by the superb blue wren, they grow some of the best Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay in the hills.

Tasting Notes: A deep black colour with a huge bouquet of ripe plums, blackberries and a vanilla pepper underlay. The palate is full of flavour - blueberries, blackberries, black figs’ licquorice and spice A smooth 14.5% by vol.

One very important thing to keep in mind when sampling any syrah-based wine is that the wine requires more “breathing” time than most other varietals for the aromas to open up and the palate to soften. Decanting is highly recommended, since very little is accomplished simply by opening the bottle and letting it sit on the table a while before serving. In lieu of decanting, pour a glassful and allow the glass to sit a bit before sipping.

You can buy this fantastic Australian Pepper Shiraz online for only £9.60 – simply click here to order online.

 

Taste the difference with Vin Vino Direct… exclusive online wine merchants with a huge selection of specialist, fine and rare wines from around the world – we have wines from boutique growers that you cannot find from any other online wine merchant.

We have one of the largest collections of French claret wines in the UK…plus, an amazing range of Italian fine wines and French fine wines. We carry wines covering over 66 grape varieties, including the favourites of Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Pinot Grigio – all available to buy online for your wine cellar today. We are internationally accredited as Bordeaux specialists and renowned for our exclusive and unique fine wines online at all prices.
For those special wine gifts we have a large range of champagne, wine gift vouchers and mixed cases of wine
With an original portfolio of boutique wine making growers, we are the only online wine merchant in the UK offering these exclusive wines to you. Buy wine online with Vin Vino Direct and tantalise your taste buds today.

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March 21st, 2010
Savigny-les-Beaunes 1er Cru – Domaine Bruno Clair

Fine Wine Online

Fine Wine Online

Another classic French red wine from a little known Domaine, Bruno Clair.

Bruno Clair founded the domaine which bears his name in 1979. The domaine at that time included plots in Marsannay and Fixin, the Dominode vineyard in Savigny-les-Beaune, and a large plot lying fallow in Morey-St.-Denis – “En la Rue de Vergy.

He is the son of Bernard Clair (1920-2005) and the grandson of Joseph Clair (1889-1971), originator of the famous Domaine Clair-Daü which was founded in Marsannay in 1919. In 1986, Bruno was entrusted with the vineyards of his parents, brothers and sisters which included those of Clos de Bèze, Cazetiers, Clos St-Jacques, Vosne-Romanée, Clos du Fonteny and Chambolle-Musigny. More vineyards were purchased by the estate in 1993, inlcuding Corton-Charlemagne, Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton, and in 1996 Gevrey-Chambertin Petite Chapelle was added to bring the size of the domaine to more than 23 hectares.

Viticulture.
BUR127ABruno Clair maintains a rigorous selection of the best vines of pinot noir and chardonnay, identifying those that produce small grapes with perfect ripeness. This selection also concentrates on finding vines that have a good resistance to diseases and are free from viruses. This work requires much patience and is absolutely essential to obtain a healty vineyard of great quality.

With regard to viticulture, Domaine Bruno Clair believes in the total absence of chemical fertilizers, the exclusive use of compost, and in plowings and harrowing the soil throughout the year. The grapes are hand-harvested, and the selection of the best grapes is carried out primarily in the vineyards.

The Wine:  This time we’re featuring the classic 1996 Savigny-les-Beaunes 1er Cru - the pride and joy of Clair’s vineyards is his splendid Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru issued from old Pinot Noir vines requiring nearly a decade to mature. It carries the signature of Bruno Clair’s style well structured, not too heavy perfumed with plenty of sophistication. Without doubt the Chambolle retains all the finesse of Clair’s style with plenty of penetrating aromas of raspberries, strawberry preserve and violet bouquet. A master of the most natural wine.

Tasting Notes:  Gleaming red, wild aromas of truffles, berries and morello cherries, perfume relaying a senscetion of dark fruit pastilles on the palate.

The wine has achieved a Parker **** ‘Excellent’ rating …to buy this wine online for £28.50 just click here

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March 15th, 2010
Classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Domaine Cristia

Fine Wines - Vin Vino Direct

Undoubtedly the lead appellation of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape is named for the papal palace that was once situated in the centre of the town. This was essentially a summer home for the Pope, who in the 14th century was based in nearby Avignon. The palace survived until the 1940′s, when it was destroyed in the Second World War. The imposing ruins exist to this day, standing tall over the rest of the town. Châteauneuf du Pape is also famous for being the home of Baron Le Roy, owner of Château Fortia, and founder of the appellation contrôlée system which defines much of the vineyard areas in France. The red wine itself may be a blend of up to thirteen different grape varieties, although in practice many of the top wines use only three or four.

CristiaTodays featured grower is Domaine Cristia – created by Etienne Grangeon 70 years ago, the property originally comprised 2 hectares of Grenache. It was developed further by the driving force of his son Alain, who joined the domaine in 1963. Passionate about viticulture, he notably contributed to the expansion of the domaine and planted improved grape varieties such as Syrah and Mourvèdre and created the identity of Cristia, based on the knowledge and respect of his soils.COR034large

Then, in 1999, Baptiste, Dominique and more recently Florent joined their father. Their priorities were to concentrate on selecting the best parcels in order to produce a wine of a great quality, with a good ageing potential, to commercialise in France as well as for export.

“Me and my brother, Baptiste, are the third generation of our family working at Domaine de Cristia. We started working here back in 1999, taking over from my father. The soils were in excellent condition thanks to Dad’s biodynamic conception of agriculture. But trying to change old mentalities was a challenge! After our first few vintages, we really found our own style in 2003. That vintage produced some wonderful wine, and The Wine Advocate called us the ‘New Superstars from Chateaueuf-du-Pape’. Winemaking is something I’m truly passionate about. And I love working with my brother Baptiste, who is an engine of energy, ideas, positivity and reassurance. But if I wasn’t making wine, I’d be a professor of history, or an intrepid explorer a la Indiana Jones…”  Dominique Grangeon

The featured wine is the much acclaimed 2004 Cuvée Renaissance

Grape varieties: 60 % Grenache vieilles vignes (100 years), 40 % Mourvèdre

Soil: Sandy clay soil facing East which ensures freshness.

Age of vines: Grenache vine is 100 years old, Mourvèdre vines are 50 years old

Ageing: Blend aged for 18 months in barrels of 2 and 3 wines. 25% new oak.

Tasting: Dark intense violet coulouring denoting a rich and generous body. Complex bouquet of roasted coffee, liquorice, cherry and hints of leather. Powerful straightforward taste in the mouth with dark fruit (blackcurrant), spicy (black pepper) and zan aromas.

Awards: Silver Medal – Decanter World Wine Awards 2004-May 2006

You can buy this classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine today at only £43.40 …click here for more

 

We also have some more fantastic wines from this exclusive Domaine;

2006 Châteauneuf du Pape …at only £26.40 – click here for more

2004 Châteauneuf du Pape -’Vielle Vignes’ …at only £32.00 – click here for more

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March 13th, 2010
A taste of classic Italian Pinot Grigio ‘Renana Alta’

ITL199Grower Profile

A new listing in 2007 after we visited this modern winery in the heart of the Friuli region. We were greatly impressed by their vineyards and procedures, resulting in simply stunning wines. Filiberto and his son Paolo are the owners of this modern Cantina and we tried a wide range of their wines, our interest was drawn particularly by the Pinot Grigio’s which show all the crisp fruit style of their varieties. The extremely elegant presentation of their ‘Renana’ style bottle makes a selection of these wines a must for a stylish list.

Tasting Notes

 A stunning wine, clean silver in colour with a direct impact of exotic fruit on the nose. Dry, soft and full of crisp fruit on the palate, fresh limes on the finish.

At only £7.95, this wine is a bargain – to buy online just click here now.  Don’t forget, you will not find this wine for sale online elsewhere – all our wines are exclusive to us!

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March 12th, 2010
Affordable Italian Merlot wine that tastes too good to be true ..

ITL215Grower Profile
Linteo is the latest Italian ‘hot property’ -  substantial viticultural resources and obvious inherent quality has earnt it this reputation. We have subscribed to this by establishing a wine making partnership with Mario, who exclusively brings us this modern Venetian style of wine, which breathes the warm air of sun-beaten vines from the glass. This wine is dynamic and fresh.

Tasting Notes
The dark ruby colour reveals a young fruity wine with a bouquet of raspberries. Medium bodied and fresh it has a pleasing good firmness to the fruit-filled finish.

One of our favourite wines for enjoying with simple Italian Pizza and Pasta dishes, uplifting with a good weight – well made and value for money….

To buy this wine today for only £6.20  click here

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March 11th, 2010
Your favourite Black Pepper Shiraz red wine from Australia

AUR068 Black Shiraz

This wine is absolutely flying off our shelves at the moment ..and we certainkly know why – just taste this wine and you’ll fall in love with its peppery and spicy undertones balanced by the weighty fruit and alcohol punch – get your bottles today before we run out!

Grower Profile
Australia has certainly made Syrah its own, even bestowing it with a new name: Shiraz. In the warm, dry climate of Australia this noble grape, responsible for some of the grandest wines of France, produces an intense, unique expression that is distinctly Australian. The ripe grapes take on classic notes of black pepper and leather that add depth and complexity to the black cherry and plum fruits on the palate. Australian Shiraz has typically been aged in American Oak barrels which impart the wine with a distinct note of vanilla that can add to the impression of ripeness many of these wines have, but the time in barrel also allows the wines a chance to settle and reveal their rich, voluptuously styled mouthfeel.

This 2008 Australian Black Shiraz is from Berton Vineyards, located in High Eden, a sub-region of Eden Valley, South Australia. The altitude and cool climate provides ideal conditions for the production of high quality fruit. Surrounded by native yacca grass and watched over by the superb blue wren, they grow some of the best Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay in the hills.

Tasting Notes: A deep black colour with a huge bouquet of ripe plums, blackberries and a vanilla pepper underlay. The palate is full of flavour - blueberries, blackberries, black figs’ licquorice and spice A smooth 14.5% by vol.

One very important thing to keep in mind when sampling any syrah-based wine is that the wine requires more “breathing” time than most other varietals for the aromas to open up and the palate to soften. Decanting is highly recommended, since very little is accomplished simply by opening the bottle and letting it sit on the table a while before serving. In lieu of decanting, pour a glassful and allow the glass to sit a bit before sipping.

You can buy this fantastic Australian Pepper Shiraz online for only £9.60 – simply click here to order online.

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February 25th, 2010
Another fantastic Italian red wine from Puglia

ITL223Grower Profile
The Salvalai Winery is of International reputation, having won medals as far as Ontario! Their range spans from the marvellous Merlot to the finest and delicious Flaio Primitivo. Mixing the best of the traditional methods with the latest stainless steel vat technology, their wine making is supreme, and the results show in producing consistent wines of very high quality.

Primitivo Flaio : From the “heel of the boot” comes Italy’s answer to Zinfandel. Yes, they say that Primitivo and Zinfandel have the same roots, but Italy’s answer is a softer version and lower in alcohol. The Puglia region has a nice warm climate and Flaio produces Primitivo which is lush, with tastes of black berries, bramble and spice … think barbecued ribs!

Tasting Notes: This 2007 Primitivo is the Italian forefather of California’s famous Zinfandel, this is a delicious, dark red, voluptuous wine with a long elegant finish and a clean fruit filled nose. A must!

To buy this wine online for only £7.90, simply click here.

To see more Primitivo wines from us, click here

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