Few travel to the Rhône Valley in order to discover Burgundy. The same can be said when travelling to the mighty region of Bordeaux – you travel to sample local food and the abundance of great Bordeaux blends. Similarly, no-one leaves Australia without sampling a drop of Aussie Shiraz…

Each year, winemakers are challenged by mother nature, but some require a greater test. Vignerons all over the world are experimenting with non-regional / traditional grape varieties, and some with resounding success. Logically, some winemakers wish to work with their favoured grape varieties regardless of what is being planted all around them. Our very own Craig Stansborough loves Italian wines and once his Grant Burge hat is off, he’s free to plant whatever he wishes. We now see Craig’s appreciation of Italy coming to fruition with a substantial planting of Aglianico and Montepulciano. Both varietals suit the Barossa climate and are performing incredibly well…

Craig has produced a unique blend of Shiraz, Aglianico and Montepulciano called ‘Serata’ and this is bottled under the After Five Co label. We think this is delicious. Craig has also bottled a Montepulciano in its purist form, which and following a staff tasting last week, was showing beautifully. Fruit-driven, luscious, and will please many fans of Barossa wines.
We urge you to give it a try…

We asked Craig for a few words on this new adventure… 

“I have had a love for Italian wines and Italian varietals for a long time, I really do enjoy the Nebbiolo’s for Northern Italy and would have loved to plant this variety but realised that our site was not suitable… so we did plenty of research, mainly drinking! Two varieties stood out for me. Montepulciano and Aglianico both had a unique aromatic profile but also the wonderful moreish tannin structure that we were after. I had little experience with Monty and was confident It would do quite well on this site, but was a little unsure about the Aglianico. But now this has become my favourite variety to make, a little challenging but so rewarding when you get it right. I can see why they call this the Barolo of the South.”

New Arrivals: The Italian Duo

RRP £49.90 per pack of 2
Special Price of £45.00 per pack of 2

After Five Wine Co .
Single Vineyard Blend (Serata) 2017

Craig Stansborough “The Serata was really the main reason why I planted the two Italian varieties in the first place, to produce our version of a Super Tuscan. I always enjoyed the complexity of those wines and the idea that there were no boundaries. I had a hunch the natural acidity and the tannin would lend itself to blending with Shiraz and we have been so pleased with the results.. I just wish I could get in a time machine and see what they look like in ten years, I am pretty confident they will look bloody smart!

This is a single vineyard wine, as are all of the After Five Wine Co. The main idea behind these wines is to showcase the sites from which they come from. The name really stemmed from when Mark and I spend most of the early days working on Purple Hands Wines, after five! But it also does reflect when we tend to open the first bottle.

Out of all the wines I would have to say probably the most difficult wine to blend, 2-3% difference in the varietal mix can play havoc with the structure so it takes time and care but the results are rewarding.”

Technical: “The Shiraz was picked on the 10th March, Aglianico and Montepulciano on the 10th May 2017. All the fruit was destemmed and lightly crushed (rollers open) to an concrete open fermenter and was seeded with natural yeast and cultured yeast. Temperatures were allowed to reach 28C with header boards allowing gentle extraction. All three varieties were fermented separately and each variety had an average of 9 days on skins. All fruit was basket pressed and transferred into French oak, only the Shiraz component had some new oak. After 6 months of maturation the wine was blended and transferred back to oak for a further 10 months before bottling.”

£26.95 per bottle
or £121.35 per case of 6 In Bond

After Five Wine Co .
Montepulciano 2018

Craig Stansborough “Planted in 2011 on its own roots, the vines have been spur pruned as this seems to suit the soil profile and the variety. The vine has a tendency to overcrop so we generally thin around veraison, I believe this is critical to get even phenolic ripeness. The Monty tends to be quite late ripening, generally 6 -8 weeks later than the Shiraz next to it.

This is a single vineyard wine, as are all of the After Five Wine Co. The main idea behind these wines is to showcase the sites from which they come from. The name really stemmed from when Mark and I spend most of the early days working on Purple Hands Wines, after five! But it also does reflect when we tend to open the first bottle.”

Technical: The fruit was picked on the 9th April, all the fruit was destemmed and lightly crushed (rollers open) to 1 x open fermenter with header boards and 1 x 1 tonne Poly Fermenter, both were allowed to commence indigenous fermentation. Temperatures were allowed to reach 28C, the open fermenter was pumped over 3 times per day with the poly plunged 3 x times daily. After 10 days on skins the open fermenter was basket pressed and transferred into 1 x new French oak hogshead with the balance to 1-4 year old French oak hogsheads. The poly was topped and was left on skins for 3 months before pressing, both underwent malo-lactic fermentation, After the fermentation, SO2 was added to the barrels, the wine was then left on light lees to mature for 5 months before racking. The wine was then transferred back to the same oak and matured for another 12 months. No finings or filtration used.

£22.95 per bottle
or £101.35 per case of 6 In Bond

Whilst we had Craig’s attention, we asked him to provide the full story behind the new, and exciting arrival of his

Planta Circa Ancestor Vine Grenache 2018

Craig Stansborough “The fruit for this is from the same vineyard site as the Cabernet Sauvignon, with similar vine age of 130+ years which is super special. The soil profile is deep sand over clay which tends to give excellent aromatics with structure.

We first took this Grenache in 2016 and we were immediately impressed, so the plan was to eventually produce a single vineyard wine. 2016 was a superb vintage, but we needed to see what this block was all about and eventually it was used in our standard Purple Hands Wines Grenache. 2017 was quite a cool and wet year in the Barossa, not ideal for producing structured Grenache with depth, but these years produce lovely, fragrant, spicy and juicy Grenache ideal for early consumption. 2018 was the ideal year with great conditions, so we decided to bottle the first Planta Circa Grenache. We believe the wine had all the elements we were looking for, with great fruit intensity and structure while maintaining the elegance we want to achieve in our Grenache.

With regards to winemaking, hand-picked and crushed into concrete open fermenters with header boards and around 30% whole clusters placed in the bottom of the fermenter, temperatures were allowed to peak at 32C and left on skins for 11 days, after basket pressing the wine was racked to older 500 litre French oak puncheons to undergo malolactic fermentation. Once this was complete, SO2 was added in barrel and left for 9 months before racking and bottling in December 2018.”

£42.95 per bottle
or £201.35 per case of 6 In Bond

Purple Hands Old Vine Grenache 2018

95 Points - James Halliday "Hand-picked fruit from old bush vines, 35% whole bunch, aged 9 months on lees in older puncheons. Lovely varietal perfume on the bouquet with spicy and savoury red fruit aromas as part of the equation. Barely medium-bodied, it's lithe and lively, the ripe but tangy flavours and gently persistent tannin carrying it along in buoyant fashion."

Craig Stansborough "Bright crimson colour leads to aromas of raspberry, cherry, earth, sweet spice with herbal hints from the whole clusters. Palate is lively and fleshy with tannins giving a crunchy texture. Excellent flavour with persistence, sweet red berry flavours combined with a soft gentle finish gives a wine that you can enjoy now or over the next 5 years.

£21.15 per bottle

Planta Circa Ancestor Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

 The Planta Circa Cabernet Sauvignon is something very special indeed and we feel privileged to be selected to represent one of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon plantings on the planet.

These ancestor vines (vines equal or over 125 years of age) are the inspiration for their Planta Circa label, meaning “planted around the region of” as the historians estimate those Cabernet vines to have been planted sometime between 1880 and 1890. Because there are just 468 vines, each year they achieve a different yield, depending on mother nature, which normally translates to 2 or 3 barrels (perhaps enough for 100 cases) of otherworldly Cabernet Sauvignon.

Craig Stansborough "The fruit was picked on the 6nd March. The wine was fermented in an open fermenter with indigenous yeast allowed to conduct fermentation. Temperatures were allowed to reach 28C with gentle hand plunging performed 3-4 times daily. After 8 days on skins the fruit was basket pressed and transferred to 300 lts oak barrels (30% new French oak with balance into 2, 3 & 4 year old French oak hogsheads) to undergo malo-lactic fermentation. Once malo was complete SO2 was added to the barrels, the wine was then left on lees to mature for 8 months before racking. The wine was then transferred back to the same oak and matured for another 9 months. No finning was used and only a very coarse filtration was used prior to bottle."

£42.95 per bottle
or £201.35 per case of 6 In Bond

Georgian Saperavi in the Barossa Valley

Massena The Howling Dog Saperavi 2017

by Dan Standish & Jaysen Collins

“It took us a while to get this one right, when we were first experimenting with Petite Sirah the tannins were so pronounced that tasters actually started howling as it crossed their palate. We later planted other naturally tannic varietals Tannat and Saperavi, softening the tannins so the only howl we hear now is one of enjoyment. Taken from Dadd’s Block on the high side – sandy loam with long sunlight hours and low rainfall. The best of these varieties is selected each year, either on their own or as a blend.

Black as night and laden with an abundance of natural structure and personality, the palate surprises with immense flavour but with all elements in balance. Aromas of beetroot, tilled earth and juniper, the palate has an inky, iodine like deepness with elements of roasted coriander and cumin and a structure that is evident, but intriguingly supple. Built more along the lines of a marathon runner than a sprinter, it is already approachable but will greatly reward those who choose to keep a few bottles well into the future.”

Was £19.95 per bottle
Now £18.95 per bottle

Decanter’s Top Picks:
Iberian reds from Australia

While the growing popularity of the Italian grape varieties planted in Australia show no signs of waning, there’s much to discover from Iberian varieties too. Recently, the team at Decanter Magazine joined the discussion by selecting their own favourite Spanish and Portuguese varieties in Australia. The excellent Mazza wines came right at the top of the shortlist.

Mazza Cinque 2010

James Halliday "A blend of sousao, graciano, touriga national, tinta cao and tempranillo, a blend to end all blends in this idiom. The clear, bright colour leads into the fragrant berry and spice aromas of the bouquet; the next step is the medium-bodied palate, most impressive is the way the silky tannins have been handled."

Chris Wilson, Decanter "Dave and Anne Mazza lived and worked in Spain for a number of years and set up Mazza near Donnybrook in Western Australia with a selection of Iberian varieties brought back to Australia. The Cinque uses five of these varieties; Graciano, Tempranillo, Tinta Cão, Touriga Nacional and Sousão. It’s a glorious muddle of Ribena, black pepper, strawberry and black olive. Supple but not over-extracted, there’s a real freshness and zing here."

Was £15.50 per bottle
Now £14.50 per bottle

Mazza Tempranillo 2006

Dave and Anne Mazza "We have discovered the Tempranillo grows particularly well at our vineyard and in the surrounding Geographe region. This vibrant medium-bodied wine has an aroma of dark cherries and gentle spices. The palate is loaded with rich, plummy fruit, smooth tannins, and pleasing complexity.  We have produced a single varietal Tempranillo every year since 2004.”

James Halliday "Some colour development; cigar box and spice nuances to the bouquet, then some bottle-developed complexity, moving the black cherry fruit towards the sour cherry; has overall balance; less than 500 dozen made."

Was £21.95 per bottle
Now £18.95 per bottle

Flowstone Cabernet Touriga 2012

Stuart Pym “A blend of classic Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, and the classic Portuguese variety Touriga Nacional. Touriga is one of the main varieties in the Portuguese Vintage Ports. It has wonderful spicy red and black fruit flavours, with a medium to full bodied palate, and puts an interesting twist on Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is from a single vineyard in Willyabrup, planted in the late 90's. It is on lateritic gravelly loam, with a gentle westerly aspect. The Touriga is from a small patch of vines in Yallingup, planted in the late 70's. It is a gnarly old patch of vines, high on the gravelly ridge overlooking Geographe Bay.”

James Halliday "70/30%, fermented separately in open-fermenters, the cabernet remaining on skins for 17 days, the touriga for 9 days, matured in French oak (20% new) for 24 months, plus a further 24 months bottle age. Stuart Pym has got his teeth into this bone, and isn't about to let go. It's got flavour, texture, structure, a point of difference - what it doesn't have is the finesse or logic of his other wines."

Was £21.95 per bottle
Now £19.15 per bottle

Out with the old, 
In with the new

"Julian's wine show success have gold medals flying around the room like confetti, with trophies (including the biggest of all, the Jimmy Watson) equally plentiful."

James Halliday

We are a matter of weeks away from welcoming Nocturne’s latest collection including the previously sold-out Sheoak Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Let’s makes space on the shelves by clearing last year’s releases…

Viñedos del Contino Rioja Reserva 2015

Rioja, Spain

Winemaker "Deep ruby red in colour, clear and bright. The nose is very expressive, with fruit expression and elegance standing out. Red fruits are well integrated with spicy notes adding to the finesse. On the palate, the wine is well balanced and very long.

The wine was made from perfectly ripe, hand-selected and harvested grapes from our own vineyards around Finca de San Rafael. The grapes were destemmed and then fermented in 12,000 litre stainless steel tanks at 28-30ºC. After a post fermentative maceration of 15 to 20 days, malolactic fermentation was completed. The wine was then racked to previously used barrels (40% American oak and 60% French) where it remained for two years. It was then bottled and aged for a further year in our underground cellars until being released to the market."

£19.25 per bottle

Viñedos del Contino Garnacha 2015

Rioja, Spain

Winemaker "Very intense aromas of red mature fruits such as cherry and redcurrant, menthol, mineral, spices and slight balsamic notes. Inside the mouth we find a dense texture with a sweet and unctuous entrance. Soft tanins of fruit and wood, persistent in mouth with a well balanced ending.

Manual harvest from the Pajera, Central and Lentisco plots from our 30 until 70 years old vineyards. Alcoholic fermentation took eight days in 100 hectoliters French oak vats at a controlled temperature between 28 and 30 degrees celsius, followed by another seven day of maceration. Malolactic fermentation took place in second use barrels of 300, 400 and 500L where it remains nearly two years until it is bottled and released to the market."

£21.00 per bottle

Vidal Reserve Chardonnay 2018

Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

James Suckling  "There’s a fresh and lively feel to this rich and layered chardonnay that offers plenty of peach flavour and some mango, too. All delivered in a quite assertive, structured and punchy, taut mode. Drink now."

Winemaker "The 2018 vintage has produced a classic Hawke's Bay Chardonnay. Beautifully fragrant citrus, stone fruit and roasted nuts combine on a finely styled, textured and balanced palate showing good complexity."

£13.55 per bottle

Robert Oatley Finisterre Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Margaret River, Australia

95 Points - James Halliday "From Wilyabrup, hand-picked, berry sorted, wild yeast open-fermented, up to 6 weeks on skins, matured for 15 months in French oak (66% new). The difference between this and its Great Southern sibling is profound. The colour is a slightly different shade, but it's the bouquet and the wine in the mouth that march to the tune of their own drum. This is more textured, and more nuanced in its palette. The corollary is the obvious question - is the Great Southern more pure?"

£21.50 per bottle

"This is Australia's answer to Montrachet"

James Halliday

Robert Oatley The Pennant Chardonnay 2013

Margaret River, Australia

97 Points - James Halliday "From a single vineyard in Karridale, hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed direct to new French oak, wild-fermented, matured for 10 months, no racking or batonnage, 6 barrels made. This is an exceptional wine, showing that doing less can be the hardest. References to Burgundy irritate some, so I tend to stay away unless I feel strongly, as I do here. This is Australia's answer to Montrachet, and a convincing one at that. This is going up to the house."

£28.95 per bottle

Every purchase of 6 bottles will include the original wooden case

Robert Oatley The Pennant Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Margaret River, Australia

**Available for delivery from Tuesday 14th April**

Halliday Wine Companion Awards - Top Rated Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

97 Points - James Halliday "Excellent hue; the super-fragrant and expressive bouquet doesn't prepare you for the unadulterated power of the palate, putting this in the class of the super-cabernets that are the flagship wines of the First Families in Margaret River. It has tiers of fruit, one on top of each other, and so on, and so forth, the tannins there in respectful attendance, giving rise to perfect balance. Oh, and yes, there's lots of new French oak."

£34.50 per bottle

Kusuda Riesling TBA 2015 Half

Martinborough, New Zealand

99 Points - Bob Campbell "Only 840 half-bottles. Golden colour. Quite sweet without any suggestion of being at all cloying or syrupy, in fact, the wine has an incredibly pure and ethereal texture. Very complex with honeycomb, grapefruit marmalade, dried mango, apricot and exotic floral characters to name just a few of the more obvious flavours. An amazing wine with a strong Kusuda signature."

£82.95 per bottle

Kusuda Riesling 2017

Martinborough, New Zealand

95 Points - Bob Campbell "Quite a concentrated riesling with lime, white flowers and oyster shell mineral character supported by taut, ripe acidity that helps drive a lengthy finish. An impeccable wine with Kusuda trademark purity and power."

£35.95 per bottle

Kusuda Pinot Noir 2016

Martinborough, New Zealand

Joe Czerwinski "Earthy and savory on the nose, Kusuda's 2016 Pinot Noir reveals scents of beetroot and sous-bois alongside hints of cherries and cranberries. On the palate, it shows the seamless combination of intensity and weightlessness that is the hallmark of Kusuda's wines, with supple tannins that seem to almost disappear on the lingering finish. Delicate, perfumed and stylish, it's already delicious and should only improve for the next 5-6 years."

£85.00 per bottle

Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

Margaret River, Australia 

Decanter World Wines Awards 2019 Gold Medal

Perth Royal Wine Awards Gold Medal

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “Unmistakably Deep Woods with aeronautical precision. Tightly coiled and needs a little time in the decanter / glass to unfurl. The palate offers wonderful symmetry and glides gracefully and with consummate ease. It is young but the sense of depth is impressive – it fans out beautifully with more time in the glass. It offers tension, structure and impeccable balance. I would love to see this in a blind tasting, pitched against Burgundies at double the price. Very classy and the wine’s sophistication versus the price makes it unmissable. It’s a joy now but patience will be rewarded further (I imagine it will be hitting all the high notes in five years). A fabulous wine, magnificent for the money and with a long future ahead. Served using Zalto Bordeaux Glassware.”

£22.50 per bottle

Champagne Salmon 100% Meunier Brut NV

Champagne, France

International Wine & Spirits Competition: Silver 2017 & 2018

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast "This producer, who is something of a Pinot Meunier specialist, has made a soft, lightly textured wine with both great fruit and good acidity. It is zesty, tangy and dry, with a touch of tannin to balance the roundness."

£29.95 per bottle

Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard
Cabernet Malbec 2017

Margaret River, Australia

Royal Hobart Wine Show 2019 Gold Medal & 1 Trophy 
• Best Blended Red

Royal Perth Wine Awards 2019 Gold Medal & 1 Trophy
• Best Single Vineyard Red Varietal

Royal Sydney Wine Show 2019 Gold Medal & 1 Trophy
• Best Cabernet or Shiraz Dominant Blend

98 Points - James Halliday "An impressive wine all round. All the major attributes are turned up in volume as well as in contrast. Vibrant dark colour, ripe black fruits, plums, cedar, bay leaf, fine chalky tannins plus length. But the most important attribute is the key to all fine wine: balance. Everything is in balance, despite the high volume. Super wine."

£22.50 per bottle

Grant Burge Corryton Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Barossa Valley, Australia

Vinorium Award - 2019 Best Value Wine of the Year: Bronze

98 Points - Stuart McCloskey “A heavenly nose of cassis, plum, soy, graphite and lots of mineralite at play here. With time, cedar / pencil box aromatics unfold. The palate speaks more of finesse than power. Incredibly complex and not overly tannic. The entry is sweet, ambitious with ripe, silky black fruits. Texturally, and impossible to miss, is the sense of finesse and grace which weaves its magic and is seldom seen in the Barossa. Cedar and graphite-infused fruit emerge but I keep coming back to the wines beguiling poise. Svelte and sensuous with a little wood dust which adds a lovely texture. The finish seems endless – clove and fennel seed leading to orange peel? I could go on, but I must stop. In short, this is a brilliant and uncompromising Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon. Think expensive Bordeaux Second-Growth and you’ll be right on the money”. Served in Zalto Bordeaux glass.

£24.95 per bottle

Hoddles Creek 1er Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2017

Yarra Valley, Australia

Top Rated Pinot Noir at the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion Awards

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey "Franco’s 1er Pinot Noir always comes from a block from his top paddock vineyard called 'SRM'. This block faces West but runs down to the South. This is the only block which sees the inclusion of around 20-25% whole bunches in the ferment. There’s a heavenly, very pure bouquet – crushed wild strawberries intermixed with a melange of red berry fruits, anise, a tartness coming from cranberry scents and a lift from aromatic violets and rose petal. Everything is pulled together with a lovely minerality bordering salinity. The palate is medium-bodied and tensile. Wonderful judgment between the fruit, filigree tannins and perfectly pitched acidity. As with the nose, the purity is breathtaking. There’s a captivating sense of weightlessness – Feminine and highly intellectual. The never-ending finish of blood orange sorbet is a joy. Franco should seriously consider a rebrand from 1er to Grand Cru as this is special. Drinking now to 2025 and would benefit from a further 1-2 years in the bottle. Decanted for one hour and served using Zalto’s Burgundy glassware."

£30.50 per bottle

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Wishing you a wonderful Easter Break,
much love team Vinorium

How are The Vinorium
handling Coronavirus?

It is difficult to communicate how the Coronavirus has affected the wine industry as the cost of human life is far more important. Our PM said “You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues” which is super-tough for many of our friends in the trade. But we all understand the need for social isolation no matter what the financial costs.

The hygiene standard of my HQ is always exemplary as I cannot bear mess of any kind – Those who have visited us will attest to the spotless environment in which we work. In terms of placing special measures with regards to washing one’s hands and as perfectly put by one of my team members, Natalie “has the world only just realised how to wash their hands post a trip to the loo or after handling anything which could be contaminated with germs.” The Vinorium is a female dominated workforce and they are always obsessed with cleanliness. As such, that could teach Public Health England a few things!

In an attempt to keep the outside world out, I have taken the decision to close our HQ shop. We are happy to prepare collections (from your reserves) but cups of tea and chats are sadly no longer possible. As much as humanly possible, The Vinorium can offer an uninterrupted service if my team and I do not contract the virus. If, one of my team falls victim, The Vinorium will close for a period of 7-14 days which I am keen to avoid. 

Currently, our preferred UK couriers, DHL & LCB are fully operational which means you can order whatever you wish. However, we are currently unable to deliver to any overseas addresses as our preferred carriers cannot offer these services.  We are happy to offer free storage of any orders to ship overseas and we will arrange the deliveries as soon as the services are resumed.

The Vinorium is primarily an ecommerce business which certainly has its benefits. As such, it is business as usual, but my team and I wish to remain respectful. Please contact us if you prefer not to receive news and offers during these incredibly worrying times.

These are unprecedented times for us all, and I thank you all for your continued and loyal support. Of course, I will be in touch with any updates as the situation unfolds.

My very best wishes to you all,

Stu

Will Coronavirus
affect my delivery?

Our preferred UK delivery partner, DHL (UK Mail) have put into place procedures that allow our customers to receive parcels safely, without any need for contact. DHL have stated that their new service ’Accepted at Delivery Point’ is now available. They add “Our driver will knock the door and step away to a safe distance.  If a consumer does not wish to sign, the driver will ask for their name and take a photo of the premises.”  There are already options on our Vinorium site at checkout to note a ‘leave safe’ delivery instruction, we encourage all of you to use this option where possible.

To answer ‘can the virus be transmitted through parcels?’ WHO, Robert Koch Institute has done this succinctly; “There is currently no evidence that an infection with any type of Coronavirus is possible through contact with objects or packages, including those arriving from areas where cases have been reported.”  

Deliveries outside of the UK

Previously, we updated you on European deliveries (via Parcelforce).  This list is currently growing by the day. We therefore recommend you check your country delivery service update here https://www.parcelforce.com/service-updates.  Of course, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions about delivery to your country with Parcelforce.