Dinner Party Case

What’s in the case

• 

  Sparkling

  Drappier Brut Nature Champagne NV

  France · Champagne · Pinot Noir

  Bone dry, focused and mineral, with crisp red apple and a clean, chalky finish

  Drappier are a family house in the Aube, often overshadowed by the big names, and this is their most distinctive wine: zero dosage, no added sugar at all, just Pinot Noir and the wine's own natural character. It's dry and precise, with none of the sweetness that masks lesser Champagnes. If you know someone who finds most Champagne a bit soft or sweet, this is the one to put in front of them.

  Food match+−

  Oysters, smoked salmon, or simply on its own before a meal.

• 

  White

  Schloss Vollrads Volratz Rheingau Riesling Trocken 2025

  Germany · Rheingau · Riesling

  Dry and refreshing, with apricot, peach and a crisp mineral core

  Schloss Vollrads is one of the oldest wine estates in the world and a Rheingau institution. The Volratz is their dry entry-level Riesling, made in the traditional Rheingau style, with apricot, peach and mineral freshness from vines that have been here in various forms for centuries. Rheingau Riesling Trocken is an excellent aperitivo wine and a very good food match.

  Food match+−

  Asian food, pork dishes, smoked fish and light salads all work well.

• 

  White

  Domaine Sautereau Sancerre 2023

  France · Loire Valley · Sauvignon Blanc

  Crisp and mineral, with grapefruit, gooseberry and a clean, flinty finish

  Sancerre from a family domaine in Crézancy, with a range of soils that give the wine more complexity than many single-village examples. David Sautereau is not a name you see on every list, which is part of the point: this is proper, honest Sancerre at a fair price, with the flint and citrus character the appellation is known for. A reliable bottle to open with fish or as an aperitif.

  Food match+−

  Goat's cheese, grilled fish, oysters, asparagus.

• 

  Red

  Antonella Corda Cannonau Di Sardegna 2024

  Italy · Sardinia · Cannonau

  Warm and full-bodied, with ripe dark fruit, a hint of spice and a sunny, savoury finish

  Cannonau is the grape Sardinians have been growing for centuries, and it makes some of the warmest, most generous reds in Italy. Antonella Corda is the granddaughter of the legendary Antonio Argiolas, so this is proper family-vineyard stuff, not a commercial operation. At the price it's a lovely find, and it will suit anyone who wants something a little different from the usual Italian suspects.

  Food match+−

  Good with lamb, slow-cooked pork, spiced stews and strong cheeses.

• 

  Red

  Mas La Mola Vi d'Altura 2022

  Spain · Priorat · Garnacha

  Full and mineral, with dark fruit, spice and the distinctive iron and slate quality of Priorat

  Priorat makes some of the most concentrated red wine in Spain, and Mas La Mola has been in the same family for a hundred and fifty years. Vi d'Altura is made from high-altitude Garnacha in the llicorella slate soils that define the appellation, and the result is a wine with serious depth and a long, mineral finish. Priorat at this level is never cheap, but this is one of the more reasonable bottles from the region.

  Food match+−

  Slow-cooked lamb, venison, beef with rich sauces, strong cheese.

• 

  Sweet

  Château Coutet Barsac Grand Vin De Sauternes 2015 375ml

  France · Bordeaux · Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

  Rich and golden, with tropical fruit, ginger and a precise, fresh mineral finish

  Coutet is one of the great First Growth Sauternes estates, and 2015 is a genuinely fine vintage for the appellation. This 375ml half-bottle is an ideal way to open a serious Sauternes without committing to a full bottle, and 2015 has been drinking beautifully for several years now. It's richer and more exotic than earlier vintages, with mango and candied citrus leading the nose, but there's a freshness on the finish that stops it from being cloying. A proper treat.

  Food match+−

  Foie gras is the classic. Also very good with blue cheese, crème brûlée or ripe soft cheeses.

Frequently asked questions