Explorer Wine Case

What’s in the case

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  Sparkling

  Rotari Cuvée 28+ Metodo Classico Brut NV

  Italy · Trentino · Chardonnay

  Fresh and toasty with apple, cream and a fine persistent mousse

  Italian sparkling wine made by the traditional method in Trentino, where the altitude keeps things fresh and precise. The Cuvée 28+ spends over 28 months on the lees before disgorgement, which gives it a toasty depth you don't always find at this price. It's a genuinely good alternative to Champagne for everyday occasions, and at under twenty pounds it's hard to fault.

  Food match+−

  Works well as an aperitif, or with smoked salmon, light canapes and soft cheese.

• 

  White

  Raventos D Alella Pansa Blanca 2021

  Spain · Catalonia · Xarel·lo

  Light and fresh, with white fruit, tropical notes and a creamy, easy texture

  D.O. Alella is a tiny coastal appellation just north of Barcelona, and Pansa Blanca is the local name for Xarel-lo, the grape most people know from Cava. Here it's made as a still white, and it's a friendly, easy-drinking bottle with white fruit, tropical notes and a gentle creaminess. At this price it's one of the better-value whites on the list. It's not a complex wine, but it's clean, refreshing and very good value for a midweek drink.

  Food match+−

  Seafood, salads, fish tacos, light pasta or just on its own in the sun.

• 

  White

  Antonella Corda Vermentino Di Sardegna 2025

  Italy · Sardinia · Vermentino

  Dry and aromatic, with citrus, white blossom and a salty, mineral finish

  Antonella Corda is a fourth-generation Sardinian producer who really knows what she is doing with the island's best white grape. Vermentino from Sardinia has a character all of its own, somewhere between the citrus freshness of a good Soave and the salty, herbal edge you only get from Mediterranean vineyards. At this price, it is one of the more interesting whites we carry.

  Food match+−

  Very good with prawns, grilled sea bass or anything with lemon and olive oil.

• 

  Red

  Diego Morra Verduno Pelaverga 2024

  Italy · Piedmont · Pelaverga

  Light, fragrant and peppery, with fresh red fruit

  Pelaverga is a rare Piedmont grape that nearly disappeared, and it makes one of the most charming light reds you can find. Bright red fruit, a twist of white pepper and very little tannin, so you can even serve it lightly chilled. A lovely surprise for anyone who likes Pinot or Gamay.

  Food match+−

  Try it with cured meats, mushroom dishes or roast chicken. Good lightly chilled.

• 

  Red

  Tbilvino Saperavi 2024

  Georgia · Kakheti · Saperavi

  Full-coloured and robust, with dark fruit, balanced acidity and firm, refined tannins

  Georgia is one of wine's oldest and most fascinating countries, and Saperavi is its great red grape. Tbilvino is one of the more reliable commercial producers, and this 2022 is a good, honest introduction to the variety: deep colour, dark fruit, a bit of warmth and firm but not harsh tannins. At this price it's great value for something genuinely different. If you've never tried Georgian wine, Saperavi is the place to start.

  Food match+−

  Lamb or beef kebabs, grilled red meat, walnut-spiced dishes or strong hard cheeses.

• 

  Red

  Soto Manrique La Vina De Ayer Garnacha 2021

  Spain · Sierra de Gredos · Garnacha

  Medium-full, savoury and earthy, with dark red and purple fruit, baking spice and slate

  La Viña de Ayer comes from organically farmed, high-altitude Garnacha on slate soils in the Sierra de Gredos, wild-fermented in concrete and aged a year in barrel. This is the mountain style of Garnacha that has been getting a lot of attention in recent years for good reason, it has structure and freshness alongside the fruit, quite different from the bigger, warmer styles of the south. A genuinely interesting bottle.

  Food match+−

  Roast lamb, wood-fired chicken, lentil dishes and aged manchego.

Frequently asked questions