We’re delighted to have launched our Wine Club this September. Lucy and Vera selected two interesting bottles they’re excited about for the inaugural month: scroll down for more about these delicious drops, including tasting notes and suggested cheese and food pairings.
And if you’d like to join our Wine Club in time for next month, click here for more information and a link to sign up.
Am Berg Grüner Veltliner, Weingut Bernhard Ott, 2025
Region: Wagram, Austria
Variety: Grüner Veltliner
Tasting note
This is a wine is full of energy, with vibrant lime zest, yellow apple and meadow herbs on the nose. When just opened it has the lightest spritz on the palate, which softens in the glass and gives way to a juicy freshness. It has a mineral character and a wonderfully citrus finish with a hint of salinity.
About the producer
Founded in 1889, the pioneering Ott
estate is still run by the same family.
Widely regarded as one of Austria’s
greatest winemakers, fourth-generation Bernhard Ott has long been known as Herr Grüner Veltliner for his commitment to Austria’s signature grape variety. He and his wife, Maria, farm 50 hectares of certified organic and biodynamic vineyards in the Wagram and Kamptal regions.
Lower Austria is the country’s largest quality wine-growing region, stretching from the Danube and its tributaries to the hills north and east of Vienna. It encompasses eight distinct wine regions, including Wagram and Kamptal, where Grüner Veltliner thrives. Bernhard is a passionate advocate of low-intervention winemaking and was a founding member of Respekt-BIODYN, a group dedicated to advancing biodynamic viticulture in Austria. His wines combine a deep respect for the land with a hands-off approach in the cellar, allowing the character of the vineyards and the grape variety to shine through.
Why we chose it
We met winemaker Bernhard Ott at a recent tasting event here in London where we tried his full range of Grüner Veltliner wines. He produces some really interesting single-vineyard expressions but it was this, his flagship wine and arguably his ‘entry-level’ wine, that got us excited, both in terms of enjoyment and value for money. It’s a great introduction to this grape variety that tends to deliver a vibrant and mouthwatering wine, a delight to pair with often ‘difficult’ food matches such as asparagus, artichokes and other green vegetables. It’s also a reliably a great choice for cheese.
About the wine
The grapes were hand-picked, both from the Ott estate and from the vineyards of local growers across three villages at the foot of the slopes in Feuersbrunn, Gösing and Fels am Wagram. The wine underwent spontaneous fermentation before being matured mainly in stainless steel, with some time in large Stockinger wooden casks.
Bottle price in the shop: £25.00
Pairing suggestions
Try with a goat’s cheese like Sinodun Hill from Norton and Yarrow in Carmarthenshire. The citrussy acidity pairs beautifully with the zestiness of the wine. It will also complement grilled vegetables or oysters. Or keep it local by pairing it with Wiener Schnitzel – the acidity in the wine will contrast the richness of fried food.
If you liked this, try:
Pinot Grigio Alto Adige DOC, Elena
Walch, 2024 – a delightful Pinot Grigio from the ‘Grande Dame’ of Alto Adige, this is full of saline minerality and notes of white pepper, green apple and sage that is rounded from some lees ageing.
A Lisa, Bodega Noemía, 2023
Region: Patagomia, Argentina
Variety: Malbec (90%), Merlot (9%), Cabernet Franc (1%)
Tasting note
A Lisa is a fresh and elegant expression of Malbec. The cool climate of Patagonia delivers a more restrained style than the better known Mendoza region. The fruit and freshness take centre stage, with bright red berries, sour cherry and ripe plum alongside hints of violet, toasted spice and cocoa. The result is a lively, balanced Malbec with plenty of character and a refreshing finish.
About the producer
Founded in one of the world’s southernmost winemaking regions, Bodega Noemía began as a collaboration between winemaker Hans Vinding-Diers and Italian Countess and winemaker Noemi Marone Cinzano. Hans now owns the whole estate with his wife,
Belen, and two sons. Hans is half Danish, half English, with a wine-heavy life story: born in Stellenbosch, primary school in St-Estèphe, work as a cellar hand in Hunter Valley, and his parents own a winery in Sicily.
A vast desert landscape, less than 200mm of rainfall per year, strong winds and a cool, dry climate might seem challenging conditions for viticulture, but they are exactly what give Patagonian wines their distinctive character. Warm, sunny days and cold nights create a long, slow ripening season, helping grapes develop concentrated flavours while retaining freshness and acidity.
The vineyards are irrigated using a
traditional flood irrigation system, fed by a network of canals that dates back almost 200 years. Relying on the water flowing down from the Andes, this is a system that remains an important part of viticulture in this arid corner of Patagonia.
Why we chose it
We had been on the lookout for an Argentine Malbec for some time, but had struggled to find one that really wowed us. Then two came along at once! One, a classic style from Mendoza, all ripe black fruit, mocha and graphite – finally ticked all the boxes, and we put it on the shelf, a delicious choice for the purists. Then this one, ‘Our Lisa’ as she’s known affectionately in the team, was a delightful surprise and we just couldn’t resist stocking it as well. From the cooler climate of Patagonia, it has a noticeably lifted elegance and brightness in contrast to its powerful Mendozan cousin.
About the wine
The grapes are hand-harvested from vines with an average age of 40 years. The wine is aged using a combination of used oak barrels, cement tanks and stainless steel. Hans says he has a ‘Bordelais foundation, but I work like a Burgundian’, focusing on terroir and vintage expression. This is evident n this ethereal red. The wine is named after Hans’ grandmother.
Bottle price in the shop: £35.00
Pairing suggestions
We find this complements the savoury and brothy notes of Montgomery’s Cheddar, though other full-flavoured hard cheeses like Comté would work nicely too. It would pair perfectly with grilled steak or beef empanadas.
If you liked this, try:
Alexander Vineyard Watervale Shiraz, Mount Horrocks, 2021 – a high-altitude single-vineyard Australian Shiraz from renowned winemaker Stephanie Toole. Aged partly in Burgundy barrels, there’s toasty spice and dark chocolate lifted throughout by juicy cherry and forest fruit.
