Deep & Powerful

For some people, few things give them as much satisfaction as a big, mouth-filling, full-bodied red wine. Perhaps due to the influx of Port into the UK in the 19th and 20th Centuries, we have a real penchant for full-bodied reds, and the shelves of supermarkets and wine shops are filled with the broad-shouldered and brooding; Cabernet Sauvignon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Amarone are all familiar names to most wine-drinkers. What we are seeking out in this collection though, beyond just big and powerful wines, are bottles with a subtle elegance and delicate complexity behind the mask, that you might not notice at first sip.

These are not the wines that you’ll be quaffing down at speed, but take your time with them and you’ll notice that they have many more dimensions than just their power. The Trossos del Priorat 90 Minutos has intriguing notes of eucalyptus, mint and coffee beans that complement its breadth and ripe tannins. The Elena Fucci Aglianico del Vulture has become somewhat of a cult wine for its mystical smoky, savoury characteristics that sweep in after the fruit, and the mouth-watering finish on this full-bodied wine makes it incredibly moreish.

The wines in this collection will stand up to some of the strongest, most concentrated foods. Think roast lamb, slow-cooked beef, deep, rich tomato sauces, and ripe, mature cheeses. You might prefer, though, to simply open up a bottle and enjoy its multi-faceted personality over a long, slow evening in front of a fire – sounds like the perfect evening, eh?

Big, yes, but beautiful too. The key to a big and beautiful wine, we think, is a force in the bottle that pulls the mouth-filling character into balance, so the bottles are always enjoyable and never too chewy. Commonly, that’s a fresh acidity that can only be achieved in the hands of the world’s most caring winemakers. It is these that we have picked out here and we hope that you enjoy.