BFMAR18 thewinesociety.com/buyers

What our buyers will be drinking this summer

We buyers are a lucky bunch. We’re privileged to travel the world sniffing out the greatest wines at a range of price points and in all manner of styles to provide you with the finest and broadest selection that we can.

But which wines do we turn to for an evening tipple at home with friends and family? I asked each of my colleagues to reveal all.

These are the wines that we buy for ourselves, whether to have on standby in the fridge in case of emergencies, to enjoy with our families over Sunday lunch or to celebrate special occasions.

Recommendations don’t come any more personal than this, from us to you. Share your passions and please let us know via our Community pages or on social media whether you agree with our selections, or to tell us which are your favourites.

Find out more about each of our buyers, what their favourite wines are and how they got into the trade at thewinesociety.com/buyers.

Freddy Bulmer Society Buyer

BUYERS’ FAVOURITES wines with the personal touch

I’m Freddy Bulmer and I’m responsible for Austria, Eastern Europe and England, as well as our beers and ciders. When I’m not drinking wine I’m drinking beer and when I’m not doing that I’ve been known to do the odd bicycle race. If I had to pick just three Desert Island albums they would be Metallica’s Black Album, Take Off Your Pants And Jacket by Blink 182 and Saturdays = Youth by M83.

2

The team Pierre Mansour is Head of Buying as well as looking after Spain and Lebanon. He has a discerning nose for the next big

thing in the diverse world of wine, and applies the same curiosity to the world of electronic and experimental music, a pleasure that has led him to build up an enviable collection of vinyl over the years.

Tim Sykes purchases our Bordeaux, Beaujolais and Sherry ranges. In his 20s, having gained a law degree from the

Sorbonne, and qualified as a solicitor, he gave up a legal career for what he terms ‘a proper job’, jumping ship to join the wine trade. He joined The Society in March 2012 and led the Buying Team for five years.

Sebastian Payne MW has been with us since 1973. He served as Chief Wine Buyer from 1985 to 2012 and buys our Italian wines.

‘We were buying Italian wines in the 1970s but not in a serious way. We had about eight reds and six of them were Chianti. We’ve moved on a bit since then…’

Marcel Orford-Williams has been with The Society since 1986. He buys Rhône, Southern and regional French wines

and Germany. Marcel loves his history – give him a date and he’ll come back with both a vintage report and a round up of contemporary battles.

Toby Morrhall has been a Wine Society buyer since 1992, and covers Burgundy, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. A keen chef, Toby gets

most pleasure from cooking wild food, seafood and game, as well as slow and low temperature oxtail and ox cheek.

Joanna Locke MW has been buying for us since 2004. Her buying responsibilities include Alsace, Loire, South Africa and Portugal,

including Port and Madeira. Jo had always dreamed of working for The Society and it happened thanks to a chance meeting with Sebastian Payne. ‘Right place, right time!’ she explains.

Sarah Knowles MW joined The Society in March 2014 and buys our Champagne, Australia, New Zealand and North American

wines as well as overseeing our portfolio of sparkling wines and spirits. Sarah loves eating out and she’s been keeping to her New Year’s resolution to spread her wings and investigate a wider variety of London’s most interesting restaurants in 2018.

3To order thewinesociety.com/buyers 01438 741177

After a tough day in the office, or marching around vineyards, these are the drinks that offer instant comfort, hitting the reset button and inspiring us for whatever tomorrow may bring.

Faith Pale Ale, Northern Monk Brew Co, Leeds 440ml There’s nothing quite like a beer to refresh the palate after a day’s wine tasting. With a pungent aroma, soft texture and superb length of flavour, this pale ale is fantastic. Just too good to miss. 5.4% Pierre ref BF-BE1361£2.75 can £33 dozen

3C Premium Selection, Cariñena 2014The name may be a bit silly, but the wine is anything but. It has the typical vibrant and rich cherry fruit that makes Spanish cariñena such a joy to drink, rounded out by six months in French oak. It’s light in tannin with a crisp mouthwatering finish. Aside from a mid-week treat, this has also gone down extremely well at drinks parties for lots of friends with different tastes, with everything from chipolatas to bread and cheese, and even mince pies. 13.5% Sebastianref BF-SP13121 £7.50 bottle £90 dozen

Château de Lacarelle, Beaujolais-Villages 2016 If ever there was a wine that perfectly reflects what Beaujolais-Villages should be about, the 2016 Château de Lacarelle is it. With pure, juicy, uncomplicated fruit character, soft tannins and just 12.5% alcohol, this is a wine that slips down startlingly easily. Match with a wide variety of dishes. 12.5% Tim ref BF-BJ7211 £7.75 bottle £93 dozen

The Society’s Chilean Limarí Sauvignon Blanc 2017 For me this is the great unwinder. The wine equivalent of a gin and tonic: bright and fresh with the zip to refresh a jaded palate. This is the best we have made under our label and comes from the cool and dry Limarí Valley. 13.5% Tobyref BF-CE9731 £7.75 bottle £93 dozen

The Liberator ‘Trample Dance’ Cape White Blend, Western Cape 2016 I always take great pleasure in drinking something made by an old friend. Richard Kelley MW is the man behind the Liberator range and someone I’ve known most of my career. This blend is a really drinkable, fruit-forward South African white which is both soft and fresh. An excellent and fun wine that’s perfect after a tough day at the office. 13% Freddy ref BF-SA13021 £7.95 bottle £95 dozen

AFTER-WORK INDULGENCES The Society’s Grüner Veltliner 2017Refreshing, fragrant and full of charm, so a glass or two with lunch or while cooking supper, before a bottle of red sets us up beautifully. The screwcap is handy too. 12% Sebastianref BF-AA2161 £8.25 bottle £99 dozen

Warner’s Corner Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Coonawarra produces some of the world’s best cabernets, thanks in part to the region’s deep red terra rossa soils giving the wine additional savoury character and great depth of cassis and blackberry fruit. This wine offers especially good value and punches well above its weight. I always have a bottle on hand. 14.5% Sarahref BF-AU19911 £8.95 bottle £107 dozen

Kalecik Karası, Vinkara 2014 This soft, flavoursome Turkish red is a Friday evening street food sort of wine. It perfectly soaks up the oiliness, spice and chilli of, for instance, a good post-cinema kebab; should your after-work ritual be a little more exciting than simply collapsing on the sofa! 14% Marcel ref BF-TU111 £9.95 bottle £119 dozen

Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie, Château L’Oiselinière de la Ramée, Chéreau-Carré 2015 Don’t be put off by the complicated name or its classic origins; instead be reassured that this is proper wine, blissfully (naturally) light in alcohol, good with or without food, and seriously undervalued. No excuse needed! A great house white we drink lots of. 12% Joanna ref BF-LO13741 £8.25 bottle £99 dozen

Kalecik Karasi, Vinkara 2014

“ a friday evening street food sort of wine”

3C Cariñena Premium Selection 2014

To order thewinesociety.com/buyers 01438 741177

When the weekend comes around, it’s time to spoil yourself! Whether, like Pierre, this involves friends, music and drinking, or like Marcel you might head to the theatre, or hunt out some of London’s best foodie delights like Sarah, these are the wines that we think are perfect for treating yourself. Worthy rewards for getting through the week!

Undurraga Cauquenes Estate Maule Carignan-Mourvèdre 2015 I’ve been bowled over by what Rafael Urrejola achieves in Chile with Rhône grapes. This richly fruity, spicy red has the concentration you expect from Chile but the fragrant carignan lifts the fruit and freshness, resulting in a wonderful appetising red that I always find space for in my wine rack. 14% Pierre ref BF-CE9171 £7.95 bottle £95 dozen

De Morgenzon DMZ Syrah, Stellenbosch 2013 I love the flavours of the Rhône, and this Côtes-du-Rhône-style red, from a favourite South African producer, is perfect for weekend lamb slow-cooked with hearty veg. Always a hit with friends and family. 14.5% Joanna ref BF-SA12281 £8.50 bottle £102 dozen

The Society’s Chianti Rufina 2015 In 2016, I was lucky enough to spend a chunk of time with the gorgeous Grati family in Tuscany. They make this completely genuine, utterly delicious Chianti for us and every glass transports me back to that happy time and their warmth and generosity shines through. 12.5% Freddy ref BF-IT23551 £8.75 bottle £105 dozen

Wither Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 I am frequently struck by quite what a serious wine this is for such a highly respectable price. Chardonnay made in the classic Burgundian style with ageing taking place in high-quality oak barrels. A crisply refreshing, toasty Kiwi alternative to many a white Burgundy at more than twice the price. The 2016 follows. 14% Tim ref BF-NZ9751 £8.95 bottle £107 dozen

Three Terraces Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Marlborough sauvignon can brighten a weekend. This example, made exclusively for us, is highly aromatic with notes of lemon, gooseberry and passionfruit that continue on the dry, crisp lifted palate. A bottle of this in the fridge lifts the soul. 12.5% Sarah ref BF-NZ9861 £9.25 bottle £111 dozen

Undurraga Cauquenes Estate Maule Garnacha 2015 Chile has only recently started growing grenache, yet this is already a great success. It comes from vines grafted onto 100-year-old país (an historic grape that’s been grown in Chile for centuries) to benefit from a deep root system and is wonderfully concentrated and powerful as a result, with lovely firm fruit. 14.5% Toby ref BF-CE9191 £9.50 bottle £114 dozen

Pinot Blanc, Trimbach 2016 It is always a pleasure to taste through Trimbach’s exemplary range, which is amongst the finest in Alsace. For the most part their wines are made in a dry style, making them particularly versatile. This pinot blanc is fresh with good acidity, but also with lovely fruit texture. Alsace in a bottle. Drink this year and next. 13% Tim ref BF-AL13361 £10.50 bottle £126 dozen

WEEKEND WINES

De Morgenzon DMZ Syrah, Stellenbosch 2013

“ perfect for weekend lamb slow cooked with hearty veg”

4

Côtes de Provence, Petit Rosé Tout Simple, Léoube 2016 ‘Is it OK to drink rosé throughout the year?’ – Emphatically yes! Indeed, many of the finest rosés are at their best after some time in bottle. As is the case with this lovely example from the heart of pink Provence country: a wonderfully versatile wine to drink on its own, or to enjoy with food. Drink this year and next. 13% Marcelref BF-FC32151 £10.95 bottle £131 dozen

Camel Valley Cornwall Bacchus 2016 Do you like sauvignon from Sancerre or New Zealand? Then, like me, you will love a good English bacchus and few can rival the clean, crisp and fruity flavours of Camel Valley in Cornwall. It is an absolute must with fish and chips. Drink this year and next. 12.5% Marcel ref BF-EN1191 £13.50 bottle £162 dozen

Champagne Jean de Foigny Brut Premier Cru NV I reached a significant anniversary last year, so it was a good excuse to throw a few parties, and this was the Champagne we chose to put us all in a good mood without breaking the bank. We enjoyed it so much that we have gone on buying it without needing any excuse! 12.5% Sebastianref BF-CH3381 £19.95 bottle £99 per six SAVE £20 PER SIX (6-for-5)

5

Three Terraces Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Camel Valley Cornwall Bacchus 2016

chips

“ an absolute must with fish and chips”

minimum purchase appliesthewinesociety.com/collect

Click & Collect

6

No matter what the occasion, it’s always nice to have a good bottle of something special to open. Whether it’s a big celebration, like Toby’s recent 25 years with The Wine Society, or catching up with old friends, these are our choices.

Bleasdale Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2016 This is pound for pound one of the best chardonnays I have tried this year. A great matchstick and green-apple nose, with well-balanced tart peach and vanilla notes on the palate. A refreshing, dry modern chardonnay from one of Australia’s up-and-coming cooler regions. Now to 2021. 12.5% Sarah ref BF-AU19741 £10.95 bottle £131 dozen

Domaine Jean-Marc Burgaud, Morgon Côte du Py 2014 This is one of the best Beaujolais I have tasted. It has the lovely sappy fruit of a cool year; however its great length of flavour comes from the freshness and minerality of the schist soils of this extinct volcano. A great combination. Now to 2022. 13% Toby ref BF-BJ6691 £12.95 bottle £155 dozen

Cava Conde de Haro Brut 2013 This ideal party sparkling wine comes from Muga, a Spanish producer best known for its top-class Riojas. Made in the traditional (Champagne) method, it is toasty and refreshing, with a fine mousse. A wine that hits the value-for-money bullseye. 12% Tim ref BF-SG2101 £13.50 bottle £162 dozen

The Society’s Exhibition Crusted Port, Bottled 2007 Port tends only to come out on special occasions but whenever it does, everyone agrees we ought to have it more often. Crusted Port, a sort of ‘baby vintage’ style, is a very affordable luxury (for its price, and because a little goes a long way). The fact that it needs decanting just adds to the fun. Now to 2022. 20% Joanna ref BF-PN191 £13.95 bottle £167 dozen

The Society’s Exhibition Napa Valley Zinfandel 2015 We enjoy spicy tomato-based pasta dishes at home and good dry zinfandel like this makes for a delicious match. Coming from Napa, this is not as heavy as some California zins, but is a more elegant and finer expression, of which John Williams at Frog’s Leap is a master craftsman. Now to 2022. 13.5% Pierre ref BF-US7341 £16 bottle £192 dozen

Mac Forbes RS10 Strathbogie Ranges Riesling 2015 We’ve got a great relationship with Mac ‘The Handsome Rooster’ Forbes (another Aussie winemaker’s name for him, honest!) and last year I was lucky enough to drink this riesling with Mac himself in his wine bar in the Yarra Valley. It’s a perfect balance of elegance and sophistication, while still oozing cool and has become my bottle of choice for taking to enjoy with very close friends for a catch-up and provides a classy start to what often ends up being a rather heavy evening! Now to 2022. 13% The 2016 follows. Freddy ref BF-AU18931 £16.50 bottle £198 dozen

Pauillac, Ulysse 2012 Though we have agreed not to reveal the source of this delicious claret, we can divulge that it comes via the back door of a château rarely surpassed in Pauillac. 2012 is a smiley vintage, which is very attractive indeed after six years, and unsurprisingly this shows considerable class at a very fair price just when it is hitting its stride. Now to 2025. 13% Sebastian ref BF-CM19591 £18 bottle £216 dozen

Hambledon Classic Cuvée NV The time for English sparkling wine has come and Hambledon is one that can be enjoyed whenever fine bubbles are needed. It was here in deepest Hampshire that the first cricket team was founded and, some 60 years ago, the first English commercial vineyard of the modern era was planted. More recently, I was honoured to be invited to the opening of their new cellars. State of the art they certainly are and run by Hervé Jestin, one time chef de cave in Champagne. The wine is elegant and precise with appetising brioche notes. 12% Marcel ref BF-SG2261 £28 bottle £336 dozen

CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Bleasdale Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2016

Hambledon Classic Cuvée NV

“ time for english sparkling wine has come”

To order thewinesociety.com/buyers 01438 741177 7

A general rule in the quest to match food and wine is: ‘If it grows together it goes together’. However, we are firm believers that above all of the other guidelines, the most important thing is that you love the food you’re eating and you love the wine you’re drinking!

The Society’s Sicilian Reserve Red 2013 I’m a big fan of hearty Italian food and my go-to lately has been pasta with a tomato and nduja (spicy sausage) sauce. The rich red and black-fruit character of this Sicilian red pairs perfectly with the spicy sauce and cheers me up every time! 13.5% Freddy ref BF-IT21401 £8.25 bottle £99 dozen

Alegria Manzanilla I can think of few wines that could handle a diversity of flavours from fish soup and sushi to cured ham and asparagus and this is one of them. Pale, crisp and whistle-clean with a lovely aroma of freshly baked bread and a tangy, almost saline, edge. Enjoy chilled, and serve in a decent-sized wine glass to enjoy the full personality of this delicious bone-dry Sherry. 15% Tim ref BF-SH931 £8.50 bottle £102 dozen

d’Arenberg McLaren Vale White Ochre 2017 This is a full and tropical Aussie white that’s ideal for pairing with stronger flavours. This would be at home with a Sunday roast chicken, but could also work brilliantly with a more fruity apple-infused pork dish. The wine’s great freshness will cut through any accompanying creamy sauces. 12% Sarah ref BF-AU20301 £8.95 bottle £107 dozen

The Society’s Vin d’Alsace 2016 The perfect stir-fry wine, making this a regular favourite in our house. It is also light and fruity enough to sip happily while you are chopping or chatting, and adaptable enough to match all sorts of favourites, from a vegetable risotto to a spicy samosa. 12.5% Joanna ref BF-AL13521 £9.50 bottle £114 dozen

Poggio Verde Frascati Superiore, Pallavicini 2016 I have always enjoyed the wines of this historic estate outside Rome, but the wines have moved up a gear in the last few years under a new vineyard manager and new winemaker. We enjoy it with sole, with roast chicken, or just as an aperitif, and are now on our third dozen, so it has become a good friend. 13.5% Sebastianref BF-IT23761 £9.95 bottle £119 dozen

Blind Spot Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2016 New world pinot is a really great bet for a dinner party. Vibrant, fresh and not too heavy, these wines are great crowd pleasers. This Australian example, made for us by Mac Forbes, has great elegance and poise whilst maintaining a concentrated cherry and redcurrant tart palate that pairs easily with roast lamb or mushroom risotto. Now to 2020. 12.5% Sarah ref BF-AU19381 £10.95 bottle £131 dozen

FOODIE FAVOURITES

Regina Viarum Mencia, Ribeira Sacra 2016 A Spanish red that is on the up and quite different to anything else from this diverse wine country. The mencia grape flourishes here in the cool Atlantic backdrop of Galicia on some of the steepest vineyards I have ever seen. This is dubbed ’viticultura heroica’ in Spain! All the effort here is in the vineyard, all by hand, resulting in grapes with incredibly pure red fruit flavours which are not messed with in the winery. This low-intervention approach results in a wine with lively cherry fruit and a bright, succulent palate. If you like Beaujolais, you really should give this a try. Drink this year and next. 13.5% Pierre ref BF-SP12981 £11.50 bottle £138 dozen

Koyle Cerro Basalto Alto Colchagua 2014 A winter warmer of a wine for stew and dumplings or roast lamb studded with garlic, thyme, rosemary and anchovies. This is a deep and satisfyingly flavoured Chilean blend of mourvèdre, grenache, carignan and syrah from a hillside vineyard of poor, decomposed basalt soils (hence the name), giving the wine excellent depth of flavour and concentration. Now to 2025. 14.5% Toby ref BF-CE9261 £17 bottle £204 dozen

d’Arenberg McLaren Vale White Ochre 2017

Blind Spot Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2016

MIXED CASES FREE UK DELIVERYBUYERS’ FAVOURITES REDS A 12-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the following: 3C Premium Selection, Cariñena 2014 The Society’s Sicilian Reserve Red 2013 Château de Lacarelle, Beaujolais-Villages 2016 Warner’s Corner Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 De Morgenzon DMZ Syrah, Stellenbosch 2013 Undurraga Cauquenes Estate Maule Carignan-Mourvèdre 2015ref BF-MX1832

£95

BUYERS’ FAVOURITES WHITESA 12-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the following: Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie, Château L’Oiselinière de la Ramée, Chéreau-Carré 2015 Wither Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 The Society’s Vin d’Alsace 2016 d’Arenberg McLaren Vale White Ochre 2017 The Liberator ‘Trample Dance’ Cape White Blend, Western Cape 2016 The Society’s Chilean Limarí Sauvignon Blanc 2017ref BF-MX1833

£99

BUYERS’ FAVOURITES NEW WORLD CLASS A six-bottle case containing a bottle of each of the following: Red The Society’s Exhibition Napa Valley Zinfandel 2015 Koyle Cerro Basalto Alto Colchagua 2014 De Morgenzon DMZ Syrah, Stellenbosch 2013White Bleasdale Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2016 Mac Forbes RS10 Strathbogie Ranges Riesling 2015/2016Three Terraces Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 ref BF-MX1836

£78

BUYERS’ FAVOURITES EXPLORE MIXED DOZENA 12-bottle case containing a bottle of each of the following: RedWarner’s Corner Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Kalecik Karasi, Vinkara 2014 Undurraga Cauquenes Estate Maule Carignan-Mourvèdre 2015 De Morgenzon DMZ Syrah, Stellenbosch 2013 Regina Viarum Mencia Ribeira Sacra 2016 Blind Spot Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2016 RoséCôtes de Provence, Petit Rosé Tout Simple, Léoube 2016 WhiteMuscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie, Château L’Oiselinière de la Ramée, Chéreau-Carré 2015d’Arenberg McLaren Vale White Ochre 2017 The Liberator ‘Trample Dance’ Cape White Blend, Western Cape 2016 Camel Valley Bacchus 2016 Poggio Verde Frascati Superiore, Pallavicini 2016 ref BF-MX1834

£110 A SAVING O F £ 7 . 3 5

BUYERS’ SOCIETY FAVOURITES A 12-bottle case containing two bottles of each of the following: Red The Society’s Exhibition Napa Valley Zinfandel 2015 The Society’s Chianti Rufina 2015 The Society’s Sicilian Reserve Red 2013White The Society’s Grüner Veltliner 2017The Society’s Vin d’Alsace 2016 The Society’s Chilean Limarí Sauvignon Blanc 2017 ref BF-MX1835

£115

This offer is available until Sunday 8th April, 2018 while stocks last.

THE SOCIETY’S PROMISEUncork with confidence

The Wine Society is a mutual organisation, so our members’ satisfaction is paramount. If, for any reason, you haven’t enjoyed a wine we want to hear about it and will happily offer a credit, a replacement or a refund. thewinesociety.com/promise

Key - Bone dry to intensely sweet Screwcap Synthetic

Red wine White wine Rosé Fortified wine

Champagne Sparkling wine

OUTSTANDINGRETAILER OF THE YEAR 2017

WINNER

ONLINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR 2017

WINNER

7

WINE CLUBOF THE YEAR

To order thewinesociety.com/buyers 01438 741177