The Merchant’s Case: September, 12-Bottle Mixed Case

This 12-bottle selection has been put together by Tom Leigh, Senior Wine & Spirits Advisor at our London Shop at 63 Pall Mall.

The first thing to address is the elephant in the case: the Sherry. I've selected a dry Palo Cortado from one of Lustau's Almacenistas range. Palo Cortado is the rarest type of Sherry, marrying the freshness and poise of an Amontillado with Oloroso's rich, creamy texture. Next up is the 2018 Wild Boy Chardonnay from Au Bon Climat. I urge you to try every one of the late Jim Clendenen’s wines that you possibly can. He is undeniable proof that there is method in the madness: everything this eccentric winemaker touched is utterly glorious.

This 2019 dry Vouvray by the Carêmes – my favourite Loire producers – is one you can't put down: fresh, balanced and gastronomically versatile. The 2020 Roero Arneis is a wine about subtle detail and balance, which reveal themselves in the definition of the blossom and citrus on the nose, and the way that no element sings louder than any other. The texture is exquisite, too. The grapes for the 2017 Bourgogne Rouge are sourced from parcels of old vines around Vosne-Romanée and made in the Guyon style, with finesse and elegance. A charming vintage – one of my favourites – complementing the style perfectly.

The 2018 Etna Rosso by Graci is the wine which made me realise that my self-imposed “never buy the same bottle twice” rule is a complete sham. By now, I am well acquainted with this mineral-driven red from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna, and I think you should be, too.

This case contains two of each of the following:

Bodegas Lustau, Palo Cortado, Almacenista Cayetano del Pino y Cía, Jerez, Spain   
2018 Au Bon Climat, Wild Boy, Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California, USA 
2019 Vouvray Sec, Vincent Carême, Loire
2020 Roero, Arneis, Giovanni Rosso, Piedmont, Italy
2017 Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Guyon
2018 Etna Rosso, Graci, Passopisciaro, Sicily, Italy