We managed to get Pete, the new owner of Village Wines to give us a presentation on some of the wines that he is the only importer of in the UK. It was interesting to see the perspectives of another side in the wine trade being the independent trader. The wines wee as follows:

1. L'Engarran La Lionne White 2024 a Sauvignon Blanc at 13.% abv. Languedoc at £13.95.

2. Domaine De La Royere 2022 Quercus White a Rhone blend at 13% abv. Available at £29.66.

3. Chateau Du Courlat Rose 2023, from Bordeaux a Cabernet Franc at 12.5% abv. Available at £16.98.

4. L'engarran Gres de Montpellier 2020 a GSM at 14.5% abv. Available at £18.98.

5. Domaine De La Royere Vielles Vignes 2023 from Luberon at 15% abv. Available at £21.95.

6. Domaine De La Royere Cuvee 'G' 2022, Luberon at 15.5% abv. Available at £20.95.

7. Domaine De La Royere Quercus (Red) 2016 at 15.5% abv. Available at £29.66.

8. L'Engarran Cuvee St. George 2013 at 15% abv. Available at £24.59.

Having visited a number of the islands over the last few years I wanted to show the indigenous grape varieties. The wines were as follows:

1. Villa Solais Vermentino DOC, 2024 at 12.5% abv. from Cantina Santadi, Sardinia. Available from Majestic at £12.50.

2. Etna Blanco, Carricante 2024 from Pietrodolce at 13% abv. Sicily. Available from The Wine Society at £23.

3. Theotoky Cuvee Special Bio, Robola 2020 at 12.5% abv, Corfu. Available from the vineyard at £19.

4. Santo Wines Assyrtiko 2022 at 13% abv. Santorini. Available from Majestic at £27.

5. Kotisfali 2024 at 13.9% abv. by Lyrarakis, Crete. Available from The Wine Society at £12.95.

6. Cauru, Etna Rosso at 13% abv. by Torre Mora, Sicily. Available from Majestic at £16.50.

7. Patrimonio Rouge 2022 Grand Cuvee at 14.5% abv. by Clos Teddy, Corsica. Available from The Wine Society at £26.50.

8. Commandaria PDO at 15% abv. by KEO, Cyprus. Available from Tesco Online at £14.59.

This was a one-off special tasting that Guy generously presented and provided wines of the right vintages to taste them at their best. Guy is the UK Business Manager for Penfolds, a company within the global Treasury Wine Estates. The wines were excellent and most can be found through independent merchants.

The wines were as follows:

1. Bin 51 Riesling from Eden Valley at 11%, abv at £30.

2. Bin 311 Chardonnay 2023 at 13% abv. A blend from vineyards in Tasmania, Henty, Tumbarumba & Adelaide Hills. Available at £32 from Waitrose.

3. Reserve Bin A, Chardonnay 2024 at 12.5% abv. From Adelaide Hills at £70.

4. Bin 28 Shiraz 2021 at 14.5% abv. Grapes from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully & Clare Valley at £32.

5. Bin 138 Shiraz, Grenache & Mataro 2019 at 14.5% abv. From the Barossa Valley. Available at Majestic & Waitrose at £65.

6. Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2019 at 14.5% abv. Grapes from Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully & Barossa Valley. Available at

    Majestic & Waitrose at £65.

7. St. Henri 2022 at 14.5% abv. Grapes from Barossa Valley, Mclaren Vale & Padthaway at £95.

8. Father Tawny NV at 19.5% abv. A fortified blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro, Touring + Others! Available from Tesco at £26.50.

Keith returned this month with a fantastic line up of wines and as usual kept us entertained with his knowledge and experiences. The wines were as follows:

1. 2024 Don David Reserve Torrents, 13.5% abv. Calchaqui Valley, Salta. Available from The Great Wine Co. at £11.

2. 2023 Trapiche Costa & Pampa Chardonnay - Chapadmalal, Buenos Aires. Available from The Great Wine Co. at £19.50.

3. 2022 Humberto Canale Intimo at 13.5% abv. Rio Negra, Patagonia. Available from The Great Wine Co. at £13.75.

4. 2020 Weinert Carrascal Corte Tinto from Mendoza. Available from The Wine Society at £12.95.

5. 2020 El Esteco Fincas Notables, Plot 5 Cabernet Franc at 14.5% abv. Calchaqui Valley, Salta. Available from The Great Wine Co. at £24.

6. 2018 Trapiche Finca Coletto, single vineyard Malbec. Available from The Great Wine Co. at £39.

7. 2022 Susana Balbo, Ben Marco Expressivo from Gualtallary, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. Available from The Great Wine Co. at £27.

8. 2012 Zuccardi Aluvional at 15.5% abv. From La Consulta, Mendoza. Value £125. Vintage no longer available.

Heather returned to show the different and interesting styles of Grenache-Garnacha that are available around the World. The wines were as follows:

1. Gorgeous Grenache Blanc 2024, South Australia at 13.5% abv. Available from VINVM at £12.65.

2. Herencia Altes Berufet Garnatxa Blanca 2024, Terra Alta, Catalonia, Spain at 13% abv. Available from VINVM at £17.95.

3. Domaine de la Preceptor Terres Nouvelles 2022, Cotes du Roussillon, Franc at 14% abv. Available from The Wine Society at £22.

4. Cotes Mas Rosorange 2024, Vin de France at 12.5% abv. Available from Waitrose at £10.

5. Filieri Rosso Cannon di Sardegna, Cantina Drogali 2024, Italy at 14.5% abv. Available from The Wine Society at £12.95.

6. Nadia et Julien d'Abrigeon Petite Fleur 2024, Vin de France at 14.5% abv. Available from The Wine Society at £14.95.

7. The Foundry Grenache Noir 2021, Voor Paardeberg, South Africa at 14% abv. Available from The Wine Society at £18.

8. Contino Rioja Garnacha 2019, Spain at 14% abv. Available from The Wine Reserve at £33.99.

Lucia & Darren came to show a selection of their Slovakian wines that the Naughty Grape specialises in. Not only did we enjoy tasting new wines,  some, such as the Cabernet Franc would shock many with the quality. The wines are available from their store, they were as follows:

1. Terra Parna - Sekt Rizling 2022, Small Carpathians region, Extra Brut at 13% abv. Available at £39.90.

2. Zlaty Roh - Riesling 2022, Small Carpathians at 13% abv. Available at £22.50.

3. Chateau Grand Bari - Alfa 2021, Tokaj region at 12% abv. Available at £23.55.

4. Matysak - Breslava 2022, South Slovakia region at 13% abv. Available at £19.90.

5. Matysak - Frankovka Modra 2017, South Slovakia at 13.5% abv. Available at £24.95.

6. Martin Comfy - Cabernet Franc 2021, Small Carpathians at 14.5% abv. Available at £37.85.

7. Vins Dunaj 2021 by Dunaj in the Nitra region at 14.5% abv. Available at £40.50.

8. Macik - Tokaj Selection 5- Putnovy 2006, Tokaj région at 12% abv. Available at £58.

Gary provided a great selection of wines spanning the regions of Chile for our last tasting of the Year. The wines were as follows:

1. Goutte D'Argent Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Valle de Leyda at 13.5% abc. Available from Latin Wines at £17.50.

2. Sol to Sol Aquitania Chardonnay 2023, Velle de Malleco at 13.5% abc. Available from Vinatis at £18.

3. Concha y Toro, Amelia Chardonnay 2022, Valle del Limari at 13.5% abv. Available from Wine Society at £33.

4. Massoc Frères Grand Pais 2019, Itata Valley at 14.5% abv. Available from Bakers & Earners at £18.99.

5. Concha y Toro, Terrunyo 202, Cabernet Saiuvignon at 14.5% abv. Available from Wine society at £16.99.

6. Koyle Cerro Basalto Cuartel G2 Carmeniere 2021, Colchaga Andes at 14% abv. Available from Wine Society at £19.

7. Milla Cala (Blend) 2021, Valle de Colchagua at 14% abv. Available from Majestic at £22.

8. Le Petit Clos (blend) 2021, Apalta Valley. Available from £32.

Carolyn came to give her last presentation to us after 30 years with our Club. Her extensive knowledge of the region and producers came across with a new and varied selection of wines:

1. Gerard Bertrand Clairette du Languedoc Adissan 2024. Available from Majestic at £13.

2. Domaine Beugle 'Etoile' Organic Chardonnay 2023 AOP Limoux. Available from Majestic at £16.

3. Cotes du Roussillon Blanc Terres Nouvelles La Preceptor 2022. Available from The Wine Society at £21.

4. Trigone Blanc by Le Soula, Terroir d'Altitude, Lot 22. Available from Tanners at £29.

5. Collioure, Reserve des Peintres, Abbe Rous 2019. Available from Tanners at £17.95.

6. Cotes du Roussillon Les Aspres Cavalcade 2020. Available from The Wine Society at £15.50.

7. Mas de Brousses, Terrasses du Larzac, 2022. Available from Stone Sun & Vine at £24.95.

8. Domaine Gardies Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel Clos des Vignes 2020. Available from All About Wine at £26.

Paul gave us his first tasting of wines available from Hallgarten & Novum Wines that showed the quality available from Greece. The wines were as follows:

1. Kydonitsa Monemvasia Winery, Tsimbidi, 2024 at 13% abv. Laconia Region available at £15.

2. Thrapsathiri, Ocean, Idaia Winery 2024 at 1.7% abv from Dafnes region, Crete. Available at £18.

3. Malagousia, Kitma Gerovassiliou 202 at 13.5% abv. From Epanomi, Macedonia, available at £19.50.

4. Assyrtiko, Terre de Zeus, Navotas Winery 2023 at 13% abv. From Pieria, Macedonia, available at £20.

5. Agioritiko by Gaia Wines 2023 at 14% abv. From Nemea, Peloponnese, available at £17.

6. Monemvasios Red Dry, Monemvasia Winery Tsimbidi 2015, Laconia, Monemvasia at 13.5% abv. Available at £18.50.

7. Limniona, Oenops 2023 at 12.5% abv. Wine of Greece at £20.

8. Xinomavro Reserve Vielles Vignes, Single Block Barba Yannis, Alpha Estate 2021 at 14% abv. Amyndeon, Macedonia, available at £27.

Tom, the winemaker for Paso Primero provided a very entertaining evening to show his wines, many from indigenous grapes to Somontano. All are all available in the UK from his website: [email protected] and from Tanners were as follows:

1. Paso-Primero Blanco 2024, Chardonnay, Macabeo & Gewurtztraminer at 13% abv. £11.50.

2. Pasotismo Blanco 2022, Macabeo& Alcanon at 11.5% abv. £21.50.

3. Paso-Primero Rosado 2024, Syrah, Merlot & Tempranillo at 13% abv. £11.50.

4. Moristel '76 2022 from Moristel! at 12.5% abv. £21.50.

5. Paso-Proximo Tinto 2022 from Garnacha, Moristel & Parraleta at 12.5% abv. £16.50.

6. Pasotismo Tinto 2024 from Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Moristel & Parraleta at 13.5% abv. £11.50.

7. Pasotismo Tinto 2022 (same as above but with bottle age) at £21.50.

Quentin was welcomed back to give us a sample of wines from his trip through Galicia. The wines were as follows:

1.2023  La Val Albarino, Bodegas La Val, Condado de Tea. DO Rias Baixas at 12.5% abv. Available from Waitrose at £17.

2. 2022 Villarei Albarino, Bodegas Paz de Villarei, Valle del Salnes, DO Rias Baixas at 12.5% abv. Available from Majestic at £17.

3. 2023 The Flower and the Bee Treixadura, Coto de Gomariz, DO Ribeiro at 13% abv. Available from The Good Wine Shop at £20.50.

4. 2023 Val do Galir Godello, Bodegas Virgen del Galir, DO Valdeorras at 14% abv. Available from The Secret Bottle Shop at £17.95.

5. 2024 Alma de Tinto Mencia, Adegas Pazo das Tapias, Grupo Pazo do Mar. DO Monterrei at 13% abv. Available from The Wine Society at £10.50.

6. 2019 Zion Cube Tinto, Attis Bodega y Videos, Val do Salnes. DO Rias Baixas at 12% abe. Available at £23 from Vinisimus.

7. 2022 Abadia de Gomariz, Coto de Gomariz, DO Ribeiro at 13.5% aba. Available from The Wine Society at £16.

8. 2022 Alma das Donas Almanova Mencia, DO Ribeira Sacra at 13% abc. Available from Noel Young Wines, Cambridge at £20.

Chris provided an in-house tasting covering a subject that we haven't had for 10 years. Chris clearly carried out a lot of research on the subject and the wines gave us a very good account of where the English wine industry is across the Country. The wines were as follows:

1. Camel Valley ,Cornwall, Sparkling Rose 2021 at 12.5% abv. Available at Waitrose at £38.

2. Davenport Horsemonden, Kent. 2023 at 11% abv. Available from the vineyard at £17.75.

3. Winbirri Bacchus 2023, Norfolk at 12% abv. Available from The English Wine Collection at £19.50.

4. Pattingham Nurton Brook Solaris 2023, Staffordshire. Available from the vineyard at £14.99.

5. Chapel Down Rose, Kent, 2023 at 12% abv. Available at Waitrose at £15.

6. South Downs Bonkers...Chardonnay, MV, East Sussex. Available from Wine Britannia at £29.

7. Pattingham Rudge Heath Divico 2022, Staffordshire. Available from the vineyard at £18.99.

8. Lyme Bay Pinot Noir 2021, Devon (grapes from Essex). Available from The English Wine Collection at £25.