At The Oxford Wine Company we spend our days surrounded by thousands of delicious wines, spirits and beers. But which of them do we decide to drink at home? Take a look below for our team’s top picks for this month.
What We’re Drinking in August
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Caol Ila 12 Year Old, Distillery Bottled– £61.75 £55.58 – A hidden distillery on Islay producing all the smokey, peaty flavours you would expect, but with layers of sweetness and toffee.
Joseph Cattin Gentil ‘Cuvée Spéciale’, Alsace 2023 –£15.75 £14.18 – Normally an appellation that produces single varietal wines, but here we have a total mix up. Producing a fabulous tropical fruity wine.
Katy Barker Hill, Retail Marketing Manager
Domaine de Pallus Chinon 2023– £24.75 £22.28 – Cabernet Franc at its finest. Fresh, vibrant and packed with juicy blackcurrant, raspberry and a touch of leafy spice, it’s a red that’s full of character without feeling heavy making it perfect for sipping on a summer evening.
Blankbottle Moment of Silence, Wellington 2025 – £24.75 £22.28 – The label gives nothing but the wine gives everything! It’s bold & beautifully textured, packed with layers and layers of ripe fruit, gentle spice and savoury complexity. For anyone looking for something a little different or just a banging bottle of wine, this is for you!
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Château de Montfaucon Lirac Rosé 2025 – £27.50 £24.75 – Arguably a chillable red, this is wonderfully delicious and pairs exceptionally well with a good gossip!
Château Fargueirol Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2023 – £30.00 £27.00 – Surprisingly good!
Val Delle Rose ‘Rosamante’ Morellino Di Scansano DOCG 2023 – £15.75 £14.18 – I recently had this in a line up of wines that went all the way to £100, and everyone agreed that this wine punches above its weight. Absolutely delicious!
Lucy Harrison, Retail Operations Manager
Torabhaig Legacy Cnoc Na Moine – £65.00 £58.50 – I’ve just returned from this lovely distillery on the Isle of Skye. Cnoc Na Moine is the third chapter in Torabhaig’s legacy series, matured in Oloroso and PX. Citrus, vanilla and pepper all wrapped in gentle peaty smoke.
Vignobles Chirat ‘Les Chirats’ Syrah/Viognier, Vin de France 2022 – £19.50 £17.55 – From the Northern Rhone, this is a Syrah-Viognier coferment with the grapes picked from St Joseph just south of Cote-Rotie. Blackberry, violets and blackcurrants with an an aromatic lift.
The Lost Explorer Tequila Reposado – £63.50 £57.15 – A new tequila listing for us. Rested in Sauternes, Bourbon and PX casks, expect dried fruits, vanilla and caramel with a gentle oak influence.
Thom Allinson, Operations Director
Maison Sauvion Crémant de Loire Brut NV – £13.75 £12.38 – This Crémant delivers all the crisp, toasty charm you’d hope for, with lively bubbles, fresh citrus and a hint of brioche.
Domaine des Marrans Clos Du Pavillon Fleurie Monopole 2023 – £30.75 £27.68 – If you’re looking to discover just how good Beaujolais can be, here’s a good place to start! This single vineyard Fleurie silky, fragrant and bursting with juicy red berries with a touch of floral spice.
Clare Lobo, Events and Tasting Manager
Massaya Rosé, Bekaa Valley 2023 – £23.50 £21.15 – From vineyards 1,000m above sea level in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, this 100% Cinsault rosé punches well above its weight, balancing vibrant red berry fruit with subtle spice, freshness and impressive complexity.
Los Vascos Cromas Cabernet Sauvignon Grande Reserve, Domaine Barons de Rothschild 2019 – £22.50 £20.25 – Chunky reds need not only be reserved for cold winter evenings! This elegant, fruity yet structured Cab Sauv comes from Chile’s Colchagua Valley, where warm days and cool nights allow the grapes to ripen fully while retaining freshness and balance.
Saliza Amaretto Veneziano, Tosolini – £37.50 £33.75 – A more recent discovery for me! Truly delicious over ice or in a summery spritz.
Manda Joyce, Wine Advisor
Blankbottle Master of None, Western Cape 2025 – £24.75 £22.28 – An unconventional blend of eleven grape varieties (red and white) from eight South African regions! Delightfully quaffable when chilled. Also great with grills, charcuterie or lightly spiced dishes.
Thymiopoulos Xinomavro, Macedonia 2022 – £18.75 £16.88 – Come on an Odyssey to Greece courtesy of Apostoles Thymiopoulos, star maker of native grape Xinomavro. Think of it as Pinot Noir’s robust and acerbic big brother.
Casale Falchini Mora di Selva Rosso, Toscano IGT 2021 – £15.50 £13.95- Now our hedgerows are full of ripe blackberries, how about this Tuscan Sangiovese named after that fruit? Savoury earthiness too, so great with tomato pasta etc.
Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
Casale Falchini Castel Selva Bianco, Toscano IGT 2018 – £30.00 £27.00 – This wonderful Italian Chardonnay gives floral aromas of white blossom and fruity notes of fig, white peach and some refined vanilla. A freshness of green apple on the palate mingles with the riper stone fruit and baking spice, encompassed in a full and silky texture. Utterly delicious!
Clos Del Rey Le Sabina Blanc, Côtes du Roussillon AOP 2024 – £15.75 £14.18 – Made from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris. An easy-drinking enjoyable wine from a small family-run domaine in the Cotes du Roussillon. Notes of lemon, pear and peach followed by more pronounced stone fruit with lemon freshness and Mediterranean herbs, with a rounded creamy texture. Would pair well with grilled chicken, but delightful chilled on its own.
Duncan Laing, Wine Advisor
Cruse Blanc de Blancs Brut NV – £10.50 £9.45 – Excellent value traditional method sparking wine made with a blend of Chardonnay, Airen and Ugni Blanc. A Blanc de Blanc Bargain!
Akashi -Tai Junmai Tokubetsu Yamadanishiki 30cl – £19.00 £17.10 – The perfect introduction to Sake! Crafted from the ‘king of sake rice’ (Yamadanishiki) in Japan’s Hyogo region, it delivers rich and rounded flavours. Serve chilled with full-flavoured fish dishes.
Dornier Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch 2020 – £23.50 £21.15 – A big wine at a small price! Great concentration of fruit balanced with refreshing acidity and a mineral backbone. A fine expression of the terroir of the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley.
Chris Campbell, Wine Advisor
Sarti Rosa Aperitif – £21.50 £19.35 – Don’t be fooled by the vibrant Barbie pink this isn’t nearly as sweet as you might expect. Makes a great alternative to Aperol or Select in a classic spritz. Pronounced blood orange and tropical fruit with a herbal undertone. Makes your spritz a really cool pink, great for parties.
Grangehurst Cabernet/Merlot, Stellenbosch 2009 – £29.75 £26.78 – A steal for a beautifully aged South African Cab Sav/Merlot blend. Still plenty of life and fruit coupled with lovely ageing in this 2009 gem. A great alternative to a left bank Bordeaux and arguably better value.
Tanya Little, Shop Manager
Wirra Wirra Church Block Grenache/Shiraz 2024 – £15.25 £13.73 – Two of my favourite grape varieties, from one of my favourite wine regions (and an old stomping ground of mine), made by a fellow woman in wine – what’s not to love? Deliciously spicy, with notes of liquorice, plum and violet. Punchy enough for food, but elegant enough to sip by itself too.
Harrow and Hope Brut Reserve No. 10 NV – £35.00 £31.50 – Proof that English Fizz does indeed rival Champagne! Rich, creamy and textured, with a lovely baked apple note on the palate, supported by a crisp acidity and persistent bubble that can turn any day into a celebration.
Simpsons Derringstone Pinot Meunier 2023 – £24.75 £22.28 – A grape you almost never see on its own or as a still wine (usually forms part of a Champagne-blend) so I had to give it a go. Deliciously salty and textured on the palate – a real wine nerd’s wine!
Klara Zhao, Wine Advisor
Casale Falchini Reserva Vigna a Solatìo, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2020 – £29.75 £26.78 – Citrus, stone fruit and almond, saffron and spice from small oak barrel aging, and a refreshing minerality—this outstanding quality Vernaccia is a very special treat.
Boschendal Vin d’Or Noble late harvest 37.5cl 2024 – £16.50 £14.85 – Sweet but fresh, and lusciously aromatic—this delightful blend of Riesling and Viognier is a perfect pairing for postprandial blues, pâtés and terrines on bread, and even worked well with a homemade trifle!
Gizella Cuvée Tokaji 2025 – £19.75 £17.78 – Fresh, fruity, and crisp – this is a delicious blend of two native Hungarian varieties, including Furmint, of Tokaji fame!