Best of 'British' (reds)

With the addition earlier this year of Domaine de Mourchon in Séguret, we now have wines made by an Englishman, and Irishman, a Welsh woman and a Scot! All are making seriously good wines and for added interest, two are in Bordeaux and two in the Southern Rhône so further comparisons can be made.

To celebrate the talents of these Brits abroad, we are offering this mixed case of their wines, three bottles per estate at £100 - over 9% off the normal list price of £109.10.

The Englishman

Jonathan Maltus of Château Teyssier has earned himself the distinction of being cited as having one of the right-bank's two 'stellar cellars' in this year's Wine behind the Label. This is deserved: with output increasing each year as he buys more and more parcels of land, quality remains consistently high. The wines selected here are quite young but there is no need to drink them up but Jonathan has a reputation for making wines with crowd appeal in their youth but which can go the distance.

Lacroix, Bordeaux Supérieur 2005 Good, honest right-bank (Merlot-based) Claret (two bottles)
Château Teyssier, Bordeaux Supérieur 2005 "Pezat"Full and complex. Excellent right-bank Bordeaux.

The Welsh Girl

Nicola Allison is from Wales by way of New Zealand where she lived for several years with husband Sean before they returned to this side of the world to take over Château du Seuil in the southern Graves. The New World experience has given Nic a notion of what has too often been wrong with Bordeaux in the past and she has put it right in the first place by harvesting ripe fruit. The wines are going from strength to strength, picking up lots of awards. More important, they can be drunk with pleasure now.

Domaine du Seuil, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux 2003 Red, classic (good) Bordeaux made in a modern style using ripe grapes! (two bottles)
Château du Seuil, Graves 2003 Oaked, rich, modern Bordeaux from a classic left-bank Cabernet-based blend.

The Irishman

Not technically British but from the British Isles so he can slip in here, Ciaràn Rooney has worked all over the winemaking world including, coincidentally, a stint at Château du Seuil (above) in 1995. Since arriving at Domaine des Anges in 1998, he has refined his talents as he has shaken off some of his earlier New World bias in favour of the regional Grenache-based wines. He is making some of the best wines in the Ventoux and, indeed, in the region, picking up more Guide Hachette stars with every new vintage.

Domaine des Anges Côtes du Ventoux 2005 Full and fruity red, far better than most Côtes du Rhône wines (two bottles).
Domaine des Anges 'L'Archange' Côtes du Ventoux 2004 Powerful Syrah-driven, oak-aged prestige cuvee.

The Scot

Walter McKinlay of Domaine de Mourchon is a new addition to our portfolio of producers. We have tasted earlier vintages and seen the promise but waited to pounce on the stunning 2005s. Coup de Coeur in the Guide Hachette for both of the last two vintages, these have yet to be rated but our tasting confirms this as his best vintage yet.

Domaine de Mourchon Seguret 'Tradition' Côtes du Rhône Villages 1998 Wonderfully mature Côtes du Rhône Villages from the leading producer in this pictureque village (two bottles).
Domaine de Mourchon Séguret 'Grande Reserve' Côtes du Rhône Villages 2005 Superb, ripe and not-too-heavily oaked from the tiny Côtes du Rhône Villages of Séguret.