Wickhams Spring/Summer Catalogue 2023

Spring / Sum m er 2023

Welcome

Iam excited to share our Spring / Summer collection with you. Pip and I have been traveling across Europe these last few months looking for gems to bring to your table

As always our focus is on small, independent producers with stories to tell We understand the importance of protecting the environment and we are also now focusing on sustainably; which could mean producers that are working organically, those that are reducing their carbon footprint or those that are switching to renewable energy.

Of course, customer favourites remain on the list which ensures you'll find something to please both your pocket and your palate.

You can also join Pip and I via Zoom every month for our fun, interactive and informative tasting events, see right for more information.

Happy drinking!

Upcoming Events

June 22

Discover English Wine, Zoom

June 24

English Wine Extravaganza, Exeter Rougemont

July 20

The Grape Series, Pinot Noir, Zoom

August 24

Dan Farrell-Wright Director

Discover The Rhône Valley, Zoom

Sept em ber 21

The Grape Series, Chardonnay, Zoom

Content's

6 England

Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Kent, Sussex

9 France

Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, Rhône Valley, South West

13 Comment

Susy At kins reveals there's more to Beaujolais than Nouveau

22 Italy

Abruzzo, Basilicata, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezie, Piedmont, Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany

26 South Africa

Franschhoek, Robertson, Stellenbosch, Western Cape

27 Comment

Tom Surgey re-evaluates his relationship with a South African classic

29 South America Argentina, Chile

30 Spain & Portugal

Aragón, Castilla y Léon, Jumilla, Rias Biaxas, Valencia, Vinho Verde, Rioja

34 The Rest

Australia, Austria, Georgia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Switzerland, USA

Orders & Delivery

FREE delivery on orders over £40 We'll refund or replace any bot t les you're not 100% sat isfied w it h

To order visit: w ickham w ine.co.uk

or call 01803 467 547

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Full terms and conditions available on our website Prices are subject to change

A Note On Sustainability

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability means different things to different people. The general definition is ?an avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance? Academics define it as a balancing of local and global efforts to meet basic human needs without destroying or degrading the natural environment; taking into consideration economic, environmental and social elements

In basic terms, it is meeting the needs of the present without depleting natural resources and compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

As part of our commitment to sustainability all our packaging is 100% recyclable. The pulp inserts used to ship our wines can even be added to your compost heap!

High Environmental Value (HVE)

Haute Valeur Environmentale (HVE) is a French agricultural certification that recognises a high level of commitment to protecting and enriching the environment It is particularly focused on four key areas: biodiversity conservation, flora protection strategy, management of fertiliser use and management of water use

HVE certified vineyards are not necessarily organic, which can be extremely difficult to practice consistently in wet regions such as Bordeaux, but certification shows that they making are significant and diverse efforts to practice viticulture in the most sustainable way possible

Biodynamic

Biodynamic viticulture is an extreme version organic viticulture which is based on t agricultural theories of Austrian philosoph Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s, it sees three k additions to organic practices:

- The vineyard has to be a self-sustaining ?fa organism?

- Biodynamic ?preparations? containing he and minerals are used to treat the vineyard

- Key tasks such as pruning, ploughing, pick and bottling are timed to harness benefic ?formative forces?such as the phases of t moon

Demeter is the recognis certification for biodynam vineyards

of the her key arm rbs ing cial the sed mic

Organic

It is increasingly common for the producers we work with to work organically, even when they are not certified Wine are produced according to organic standards using grapes grown by organic viticulture Detailed guidelines do vary from country to country but wines usually have 25-35% lower sulphur levels than ?conventional?wines Organic wines may or may not be suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

Organic wines made in the EU can use the EU organic logo (stars in the shape of a leaf).

England's wine scene has changed beyond recognition in the last forty years Prior to that it was the preserve of farmers and those in viticulture as a hobby Next to the rich centuries-long wine cultures of France, Italy and Spain, England is very much the newbie.

Pinoeers such as Peter Hall at Breaky Bot t om and Maurice Ash at Sharpham paved the way in the 1970s. Nyetimber arrived on the

Cornwall

Knightor Vineyard, St Austell

Devon

Calancombe Estate, Modbury

scene in the 1990s and English sparkling wine started to get attention Since when England has been recognised as one of the best sparkling wine producers in the world. The changing climate means grapes which would have struggled previously now ripen to perfection in Southern England With a geology similar to that of Champagne it's no surprise English winemakers have been making a splash.

Alongside this explosion in English Sparkling wine has been a quieter improvement in the quality of English still wines made from Bacchus, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We're making Chardonnay as good as you'll find in Chablis. We're even making good Pinot Noir - maybe not as good as Burgundy, yet, but we're close There is much promise in the increasing hectares under vine and the dynamism and experimentation of England's young wine makers.

Huxbear Vineyard, Chudleigh

Meet the Winemaker

Half way up the Teign Valley, the vineyard was planted by Ben and wife Lucy in 2007. The vineyard is off-grid with solar power, wind power, rain water harvesting and compost toilets.

The growing conditions are closer to Champagne or the Loire than more arid areas that produce big reds The terroir brings out the delicacy that discerning wine buyers are looking for.

Ben Hulland Huxbear Vineyard

Sharpham Vineyard Totnes, Devon

Lyme Bay Wines, Axminster

Meet the Winemaker

James' aim is to produce the best wines, from the best fruit, from the best growers, in the best locations. It's why the grapes don't always come from Devon.

The Single Vineyard range showcases grapes from Crouch Valley, Essex, arguably the best site for still grapes in England. The result is a collection of wines which astound and delight in equal measure

Sandridge Barton, Totnes

Dorset

Langham Wine Estate, Blandford Forum

Hampshire

Hattingley Valley, Alresford

Kent

Balfour Winery, Staplehurst

Gusbourne Estate, Ashford

Breaky Bottom, Lewes

Henners Vineyard, Herstmonceux

Meet the Winemaker

Collette O'Leary, Henners Vineyard

Collette studied Viticulture & Oenology at the UK?s prestigious Plumpton College and then worked in wineries in New Zealand, California and South Africa to hone her wine making skills

When she joined Henners, Collette could immediately see the potential in Sussex for growing extraordinary wine making grapes, particularly where the Henners hectares are nestled in the South Downs

Collette O'Leary Henners Vineyard

Meet the Winemaker Peter Hall, Breaky Bottom

Peter Hall is an English wine making pioneer He planted his Breaky Bottom (that's the real name, not something made up by a marketing department) vineyard in 1974 long before it was fashionable

To begin with he planted Seyval Blanc, mostly for its ability to ripen in the cooler British climate and later added the classic Champagne grapes.

France

France is one of the largest wine producing countries in the world, with a history that dates back to the 6th century BCE The two central pillars of French wine making are "terroir" and the appellation system.

Terroir roughly translates as a sense of place It relates to the environment, the geology, the culture, and much more. The appellat ion system defines what grapes and methods can be used to make wines in a specific location

Our aim is to discover wines which demonstrate the typicity of their appellation but their representation of terroir allows them to exceed your expectations

Alsace

Cave de Turckheim, Turckheim

Domaine Hubert Reyser, Nordheim

La Madonne Fleurie, Beaujolais Courtesy of Inter Beaujolais

Something old, Something Nouveau

Susy At kins reveals there's much more to Beaujolais than just Nouveau

The image of Beaujolais is that of a fun, easy-going red, something to plan a party around in November when newly made Beaujolais Nouveau comes racing across the channel Even the very word ?Beaujolais?sounds rather jolly.

But there is far more to this popular red than meets the eye. Nouveau is all very well, but dive deeper into the region and you?ll soon discover much more interesting reds made from Beaujolais? gamay grape. They display its versatility in styles ranging from the exuberantly fruity, juicy and succulent to more complex, full -bodied, often oak-aged examples. As food-matchers they are superb ? try them with steak, duck and pork, peppery sausages, fine cheeses and pates, rich tomato pasta sauces and more.

And it?s a great time to discover these wines as the quality of Beaujolais across the board has improved dramatically in the last ten years or so, with talented winemakers championing gamay like never before and some fine vintages to boot

But before I get on to those in more detail, there?s the small matter of Beaujolais Blanc?

Beaujolais Blanc

Yes, Beaujolais produces a white wine. It?s made from the chardonnay grape, mainly grown in the

far north of the region, bordering Burgundy?s Maconnais to the southwest of Villefranche-sur-Saone. It only makes up 2% of the region?s production however; appellation laws state that white grapes must not exceed 15% of a vineyard, so the amount made will always be limited

I urge you to try white Beaujolais. Typically well-balanced, with the generous fruitiness of chardonnay, often in a rounded style and not too oaky (if at all) it will especially appeal to white Burgundy lovers (and prices are notably keen too)

Beaujolais-Villages

A notch up from reds labeled ?Beaujolais? , Beaujolais-Villages is an appellation that is well worth exploring. It?s in the northern part of the region and includes 38 villages The vineyards are mainly steep with altitudes of between 200-500 metres (this helps to keep fresh acidity n the grapes), facing east-south-east on granite, sandy soils with some volcanic sedimentary rock

Beaujolais-Villages wines come in a diverse range of styles but generally they deliver more structure and complexity than the average Beaujolais. Some are very serious wines indeed, worthy of long ageing, though there are impressive versions in the highly fruity style too Many offer great value for money.

The Ten Crus

The ten Beaujolais crus (top growths) deliver the best wines of the region These areas follow the course of the Saone river. These appellations showcase, in very different ways, the finest expressions of the gamay grape

- BROUILLY The southernmost and most extensive of the Beaujolais crus stretches around Mont Brouilly, climbing up into granite hills. Wines from Brouilly tend to be brightly fruity, perfumed and smooth

- COTE DE BROUILLY A smaller cru that covers the higher slopes and summit of Mount Brouilly on the famous blue rock of the region, rated by ancient volcanic action. Wines can be complex, fresh and slightly spicy/peppery

- RÉGNIÉ Famous for the village church with two spires, Régnié has plenty of the granitic soils favoured for growing gamay Its wines are scented and packed with red fruit flavours.

- MORGON A large cru with myriad soils, overlooked by Mont du Py. Deeply aromatic and rich, firm reds, sometimes with a minerality, which age particularly well

- CHIROUBLES Steep vineyards characterise this cru, the highest vines grown in Beaujolais, at up to 600m. Cooler temperatures at these altitudes help create fresh elegant reds

- FLEURIE A granite-rich cru with 90% of its soils originating from pink granite Its wines range from delicate and lightly scented ? ?pretty?is often used to describe them ?to riper, more juicy and firm.

- MOULIN-A-VENT Vineyards here surround a 15th century windmill, hence the name of this cru Its wines are known for their ageing potential, and can be relatively firm in structure.

- CHÉNAS The smallest appellation in Beaujolais, named after the ancient oak forests which used to cover the land Wines used to be underrated; now they are appreciated more for their generous, broad flavours and ability to age.

- JULIÉNAS Another cru with steep slopes and some higher altitude. Juliénas appeals for well -balanced, fairly ripe wines which can be enjoyed when young or with a few years?ageing

- SAINT-AMOUR The northernmost Beaujolais cru can produce light, easy-going reds with floral notes and more powerful wines so check out each producer Especially popular on Valentine?s Day!

Beaujolais

Clos du Vieux Bourg, Corcelles

Domaine

bel Avenir, La Chapelle-de-Guinchay

Domaine de Mont Joly, Blacé

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is famous for its high-quality red wines made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes

Less well known are its white wines, typically made from a blend of Sauvignon

In England, Bordeaux wine is often referred to as "claret", which comes from the French word "clairet," meaning "pale red " The term was originally used to describe the light red wines of Bordeaux, but it later came to refer specifically to the rich, full-bodied red wines produced in the region

Burgundy

Maison Nuiton-Beaunoy, Beaune

Meet the Winemaker

Les Vignobles Foncalieu, Arzens

Les Vignobles Foncalieu are a union of cooperatives anchored in the heart of Languedoc They have vineyards from the Corbières massif to the banks of the Mediterranean, from the Mistral swept hillsides to the sun-caressed plains between Carcassonne and Beziers

Since 2007 they have been committed to sustainable development. They seek to preserve their vineyards by supporting members to implement sustainable practices, such as protecting biodiversity, adopting drip irrigation and, installing grass strips.

For example, as part of their commitment to environmentally friendly cultivation a new method to disrupt the mating of grape worms helped to reduce spraying across 1,100 hectares of vines

A.R Lenoble, Damery Champagne

Languedoc-Roussillon

Loire Valley

Do Amirault Crémant de Loire, Sparkling ? NV 75cl £22 10 £19 89

Do de la Combe Mucadet Sevre & Maine Sur Lie ? 2020/21 75cl £12 21 £10 99

Do Neveu "Les Longues Fins", Sancerre ? 2020/21 75cl £23.50 £21.15

Do Octavie Sauvignon de Touraine ? 2020/21 75cl £15.50 £13.95

Do St Vincent, Saumur Champigny ? 2021 75cl £17 50 £15 75

Meet the Winemaker

Domaine Amirault, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

The estate, certified Ecocert and Demeter, is cultivated to biodynamic guidelines, respecting the environment Clos des Quarterons is a 37 hectare family run estate and the sixth generation of the Amirault family, Agnes and Xavier are now in charge The domaine has a single hectare of Chenin Blanc, planted for crémant on gravel and siliceous soils

Provence

Chateau d'Esclans, La Motte en Provence

Rock Angel ? 2022 75cl £35.50 £31.95

Whispering Angel ? 2022 75cl £22 50 £20 25

Others

Crazy Tropez ? 2022 75cl £13 50 £12 15

Do de la Vielle Tour Rosé ? 2022 75cl £15 50 £13 95

Louis Alix "Les Calanques Bleues" Rosé ? 2020 75cl £16.50 £14.85

Xavier and Agnes Amirault Domaine Amirault

Rhône Valley

Chateau Maucoil, Orange

Domaine Boutinot, Cairanne

Others

South West

Domaine Menard, Gondrin

Italy

Abruzzo

Basilicata

Campania

Emilia-Romagna

Montaia, Cesena

Friuli-Venezie

Casali del Barone, Piemonte

Mario Giribaldi, Rodello

Meet the Winemaker

Mario Giribaldi, Rodello

One of the first vineyards in Italy to become organic, Giribaldi wines are a family affair. Mario Giribaldi is the third generation of the family His wines are a reflection of the people who make them, those who work in the vineyard under the all-day sun, or in the cold winter snow. He is joined by the fourth generation, his son Matteo and his daughter Alessandra

Giribaldi Family

Azienda Agricola Mario Giribaldi

Sicily

Tuscany

Meet the Winemaker

Castello di Querceto, Firenze

Castello di Querceto is located near Greve, in the heart of the Chianti Classico area Its land extends over 190 hectares of vineyards, olive, oak and chestnut trees Built in Roman times, the castle was bought by the François family in 1897 who had moved from France to Tuscany in the 18th century

Since 1978, Alessandro François and his family have been the driving forces behind the winery The other key people behind Castello di Querceto are winemaker Giovanni Cappelli, who has been with the company for 20 years and has contributed greatly to its growth, and agronomist Giacomo Grassi, who has been the driving force behind the expansion of the area under vines.

South Africa

Stellenbosch

Peter Falke Wines

Meet the Winemaker

Werner Schrenk, Peter Falke Wine

Werner started out as a vineyard assistant at Peter Falke Wines in 2007 and has been head winemaker, viticulturist and general manager since 2012 Growing up in Paarl, he worked at vineyards during his school holidays and realised his passion for wine when working alongside Adi Badenhorst at Rustenberg. "To be a good winemaker, you must takethetimeto understand theland"

Others

A Stellenbosch Cabernet kind of year

Wine writer and presenter Tom Surgey re-evaluates his relationship with a South African classic

In January, my renaissance with what I perceived to be a classic began with a winemaker-led Zoom tasting It opened my eyes to potential I had previously overlooked Far from being staid traditional wines, there is dynamism, exploration and pure drinking-joy to be found in Stellenbosch Cabernet and I want you to know about it

South Africa's new wave of producers has dominated headlines in recent years, and rightly so. Across the Western Cape a young generation of producers have been crafting incredible premium wines without pomp

Stellenbosch is, in many ways, a traditional region: the home of the rich, Bordeaux style red blends that put SA on the map. The country's largest Wine of Origin region, it boasts a third of all of the Western Cape's wineries

A coalition of producers, the Stellenbosch Cabernet Collective, seeks to showcase the great terroirs of this region and is collaborating in the messaging Their line is that it's modern, connected stuff, akin to the new-wave movement They're not taking us somewhere new, they're doing something more difficult: showing us the glittering potential of something we thought we already knew ? and took for granted.

Cabernet is the perfect messenger Whether

grown in the comparatively cool kloofs (valleys) of the Polkadraai Hills close to the ocean, on the sunny foothills of the Simonsberg or 600m up in the Banghoek Valley, the wines are distinctly of their place.

They always contain a concentration of bright, bold fruit (blackberry, cassis, black cherry, plum, raspberry) and a tension of acidity and strong, chewy tannin. Stellenbosch Cab's nuances of place are detected via the intensity of flavour (hotter areas are riper, richer and more raspberry) and texture (cooler sites are finer structured, tighter and aromatic). There are also variations in the always-present aromatics that linger over the top: cooler sites show Coca-Cola herbs and green leaf, while warmer sites move to more bitter chocolate and espresso

It's a region of extraordinary quality and value; these are wines with the finesse, depth and ageing potential for which the wine-writing generation before me loved Bordeaux.

In my experience, they are brighter, more generous, fun wines with all the potential for seriousness and contemplation, but built to give immediate pleasure As the Cabernet Collective like to say:

?Think world-class Cabernet, think Stellenbosch?

Robertson

De Wetshof Estate

Western Cape

Boutinot South Africa

Meet the Winemaker JD Roussouw

JD was destined to be a winemaker Whilst pregnant, his mother helped in the family winery, enriching JDs formative senses. His earliest memories are of the ?floral aromas in the winery while the fermentations were happening? JD always wanted to be a winemaker and it all came so naturally whilst helping his father in their Paarl winery

JD Roussouw Boutinot South Africa

South America Argentina

Chile

Spain & Portugal

Bodegas San Valero, Cariñena Aragón

Others

Cava, A Quick Guide

Cava sales in the UK have seen a marked up-turn in recent years. Speculation suggests this could be as households tighten their belts and choose Cava over Champagne as a better value sparkling wine option. The UK is the 4 th largest export market for D O Cava so if the trend continues, we may be seeing a lot more to choose from

What is Cava?

Simply put, Cava is Spain?s version of sparkling wine made with indigenous grape varieties Just as Champagne is to France and Prosecco is to Italy However, despite the popularity of Prosecco in recent

years, consumers are realising that Cava is closer to Champagne in style and taste but at a more pocket-friendly price point

Cava was first produced in 1872 by Josep Raventos He was inspired by what he saw in Champagne during a visit to the area whilst trying to sell his still wines around Europe.

Cava is made by the Traditional Method (sometimes called the Cham -pagne Method) and therefore has similarities in flavour and texture to Champagne. A base wine goes through a second fermentation in bottle before ageing in cellars, riddling to consolidate the lees at the neck of the bottle before disgorgement and corking

Castilla y Léon

Jumilla

Rias Biaxas

Vinho Verde

Adega Ponte de Barca,

Bodegas La Eralta, Agoncillo Rioja

Bodegas Ontañón, Quel

Bodegas Tarón, Tirgo

Gómez Cruzado, Haro

Hacienda El Ternero, Burgos

The Rest

Australia

Alpha Box & Dice

Smalltown Vineyards

Austria

Georgia

New Zealand

North Macedonia

Switzerland

USA