• Argentinian Wines (First the World Cup, Now Wine!)

It’s no secret that Argentinian wines have taken the shelves by storm in recent years, with the rise of single varietal Malbecs from Argentina now being  firm favourites. Their powerful, and distinctive flavour is something to be admired and no more so than this year, where we’re now starting to see producers revive the Malbec blends trend, using lesser known grapes to create unique and exciting wines, but still with the backbone of everything that makes a great Malbec from that part of the world.

Take our Vinohero, Vinalba, best known as 100% Argentinian Malbec pioneers. They joined forces with Portuguese winemaker Rui Reguinga to create the full bodied, elegant and unique Vinalba Reserve Malbec Touriga Nacional. Not only is it unusual, but it offers something a little different, rounding off the heavier tannins of the Malbec with a soft and smooth texture. It also happens to be rather easy drinking!

• Discovering Ye Olde Vine Wines:

What is an ‘old vine wine’, you ask? Well, it is pretty much what it says on the bottle. These wines are made from grapes grown on vines that are more than 20 years old. There are a few reasons why there are some serious benefits to wines grown on older vines, including less variation on vintages of the same wine, thanks to deeper roots. This means they are less susceptible to flooding or draughts which can affect the fruit. So, if you like the taste of a particular year’s vintage, the next year is more than likely to have the same much-loved taste. Good old reliable wine. Literally.

One of our most notable old vine wines is the Larchago Rioja Crianza from Bodegas Familia Chavarri, produced at one of the oldest wineries within the Rioja region. It comes as no surprise then that these vines are wonderfully old at 45 years, and well cared for, which means the wine is simply fabulous every single year.   

• Keep it Casual for this Year’s Wine Makers Dinners

When we think of ‘wine makers dinners’ we often think of a bunch of wine snobs getting together for a bit of a stuffy evening (there we said it, so you don’t have to!), but this year we’re waving goodbye to that. As wine becomes ever more popular with a younger crowd, the events surrounding wine are evolving to become more exciting, more fun and most of all, they’re all about enjoying fantastic quality wine together with friends, in a more relaxed environment. From street-style tasting evenings,  wine parties complete with DJ’s, to wine & ‘bring a board’ nights  with your best mates at home, these style of get togethers present the best introduction to a variety of different wines and the opportunity to try something new that you wouldn’t normally pick.

• Ultra Premium Wines, without the Price Tag

We’re all feeling the pinch a bit at the moment, which means we’re a little more selective on the drinks we’re buying. So, yes, it really is quality over quantity. When you buy a bottle of wine, you want it to be a bottle of the good stuff. But don’t worry, just because we say ‘Ultra Premium’, don’t assume this means you have to seriously splash the cash. There are some exceptional bottles of wines without the high price tag, that will definitely deliver on flavour and experience.

Take our Lunadoro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a true gem from Tuscany, aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, it is a deep ruby colour with hints of chocolate, plum jam, mature fruits, it’s basically just absolutely irresistible, and steal for the quality at £21.

• A Nod to Sustainability

It’s a trend that is here to stay, and rightly so. Wines with more sustainability credentials are certainly leading the way for producers to keep making large quantities of delicious wines for us to enjoy, without having a big impact on the surrounding environment. It’s not just at the vineyards where sustainability comes into play, but throughout the whole winemaking process. Our Vinohero, Bonnet Launois is already HVE certified, which means one of our very best in the range – the Champagne – is sustainable thanks to the producer’s hard work to ensure the impact on the environment is lessened, without compromising the wine. If you’re keen to follow this, there are number of bodies that assess for sustainability, so if you’re looking for wines that are putting it at the forefront of their minds, you can usually find them marked on the back labels of the bottle.