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 February
Ted Sandbach, Owner and Chairman
Lumière de la Garrigue Picpoul de Pinet 2022 – £12.50 £11.25 – Picpoul de Pinet is always a winner, and this one is crisp, vibrant and very good with a variety of light meals. A reliable modern classic!
Donjon de Lamarque, Haut Medoc 2016 – £19.50 £17.55 – I have found myself coming back around to Claret recently, and for less than £20 you could do a lot worse than Donjon de Lamarque. From the lauded 2016 vintage this wine is drinking beautifully now with real complexity. An ideal winter warmer and a demonstration of why Bordeaux is one of the world’s premier wine regions.
Bethany First Village Old Vine Grenache 2019 – £19.50 £17.55 – The Australian wine world is changing, and this Grenache is an excellent example of the new wave wines being produced these days. With beautifully pure strawberry fruit and a real elegance, this is Grenache for Pinot lovers.
Neil Gladding, Sales Director
Cascina delle Monache Gavi del Comune di Gavi 2022 – £17.00 £15.30 – Just arrived! Pucker Piedmont white.
Ali in Wonderfuland Mourvèdre, Bot River 2021 – £40.00 £36.00 – Made in super-limited quantities so get in quick for this soon-to-be iconic wine.
Villa Wolf Rosé, Pfalz 2022 – £13.00 £11.70 – Who would have thought that Germany could make such a light and dry Rosé?
John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Boschendal Brut Rosé Méthode Cap Classique NV – £16.00 £14.40 – The perfect pink for my Valentine! This dry, elegant sparkling Rosé just sings celebration and for a price that makes a second bottle an affordable luxury that we’ll both enjoy.
Campo Reale Bianco di Custoza 2021 – £14.50 £13.05 – I’m married to a white wine aficionado whose glass of choice is this Cortese-based blend from Veneto. Dry, but full of peachy fruit that slides down like a silk scarf. Purrfect!
Bodegas Mateos La Vanidosa No1 Garnacha, Rioja 2020 – £21.00 £18.90 – Wittily named by this fab Rioja producer, this pretty lady just knows it! Soft, juicy, red cherry Garnacha in the best Spanish style that’s worth every penny – Olé!
Tom Brady, Shop Manager & Spirits Buyer
Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2021 – £20.50 £18.45 – I go through periods where I crave this wine. It’s so rich, buttery and full bodied with delicious hints of tropical fruit, that it stands up to a lot of richer dishes as well as being incredibly enjoyable by itself.
Anthony Paret Les Larmes du Pere Saint-Joseph 2020 – £28.50 £25.65 – Saint-Joseph is one of the last places in the Northern Rhône where you can still find some serious value. This one has all the delicious meaty and black fruit flavours you’d expect from a world beating Syrah, without having to break the bank.
Lochlea Our Barley – £49.00 £44.10 – A brand new whisky to hit our shelves back in December, Lochlea are the new kids on the block when it comes to the light bodied fruity lowland style. Produced from organic barley from their own distillery farm this has notes of golden syrup, peppery rye bread, macadamia nuts and cream soda.
Aljoscha Wright, Buyer
Val Delle Rose Morellino Di Scansano DOCG 2021 – £15.50 £13.95 – A Sangiovese suited to my New World palate and great expression of this Southern Tuscan region.
Szepsy Estate Tokaji Szamorodni 2016 – £55.00 £49.50 – An absolute must for anyone who likes sweet wines from Tokaji. This, from a top producer and affordable too!
Lindemans Kriek Cherry Lambic – £4.50 £4.05 – Christmas might be over, but if you like sweet and sour as much as I do then try this Belgian beer. Really fun to pair with foods too.
Tim Bradley, Trade Sales & WSET Educator
Bodegas Mateos La Mateo Colección de Familia Tempranillo Blanco, Rioja 2021 – £29.50 £26.55 – Beautifully rich and rounded white Rioja with soft creamy pineapple and stone fruit from barrel fermentation laced with hazelnuts and honey. Delicious, crisp and refreshing.
Château de Carles Fronsac, Bordeaux 2018 – £25.00 £22.50 – This has just the right weight and balance of velvety dark fruit, gentle oaking and a nice spicy finish – perfect winter fuel to keep me happy this month!
La Cayetana Malbec, Ver Sacrum 2020 – £23.50 £21.15 – Soft concentrated, silky blueberry and damson fruited wine with long finish – perfect as a fireside warming glass to push away the winter blues!
Dom Smiley, Shop Manager
Eisenstone Ebenezer SR802 Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2021 – £45.00 £40.50 – With its intense aromatics, lush palate, and lingering finish, this Barossa Valley Shiraz offers a powerful yet balanced expression of this iconic variety.
Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, Villa Cerna 2019 – £24.00 £21.60 – A refined and expressive Tuscan wine that pairs brilliantly with a wild mushroom risotto.
Crémant de Bordeaux Precious Day NV – £14.00 £12.60 – Ripe pear, grapefruit, and a touch of brioche combine to make this Crémant both lively and crisp – perfect for any occassion worth celebrating.
Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Mas Martinet, Martinet Bru, Priorato 2020 – £32.00 £28.80 – My partner and I always treat ourselves to a steak on a special occasion such as Valentine’s Day, and this is the perfect wine to enjoy with it! It’s incredibly dense and layered, with ripe, fine tannins to cut through a juicy steak.
Deya Brewing Company, Steady Rolling Man Pale Ale – £6.25 £5.63 – Finding great quality, independent brewers is always a joy. This beer from Deya is one of my current favourites – it’s juicy, vibrant and one of the best beers I’ve had for a long time.
Oliver Zeter Grauburgunder, Pfalz 2022 – £17.00 £15.30 – A warming white for the (still) dark, cold evenings of February. This textured wine is rich with ripe pear and baked apples and is wonderful with hearty white meats.
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, Southern Australia 2020 – £64.50 £58.05 – Many years ago I used to work for Penfolds as a wine maker making premium reds. The wines are getting pricey. But this 407 Cabernet will bring tears to your eyes!
Miopasso Primitivo, Puglia 2021 – £11.50 £10.35 – This Primitivo from the heel of Italy is our budget house wine. The warm climate in which it is produced gives low tannins and soft hedgerow fruits… but with a big punch!
Henriques & Henriques 3 Year Old Special Dry Madeira – £17.00 £15.30 – Always useful to have a bottle of open Madeira in the kitchen. Great alternative to sherry. Great to sip before or after supper and put in the cooking!
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Charles Heidsieck Brut Millésimé 2013 – £120 £108 – I was lucky enough to have this at a recent tasting and it’s drinking superbly – definitely a real treat for that special someone!
Oliver Zeter Sweetheart Sauvignon Blanc 2022 – £18.50 £16.65 – Something for your Sweetheart! This is a delicious dessert wine that’s from two brothers who specialise in Sauvignon Blanc.
Champagne Arnaud Tabourin Cuvée Or Blanc de Blancs 2016 – £43.00 £38.70 – Rich and toasty, this Champagne is guaranteed to bring some sparkle to any occasion.
Emily Silva, Head of Retail and Marketing
Val Delle Rose ‘Litorale’ Vermentino, Maremma Toscana DOC 2022 – £15.00 £13.50 – My husband was born in Maremma, so I’ll be bringing him a taste of home this Valentine’s Day with Val delle Rose’s Litorale Vermentino. Fresh, saline and deliciously dry, this citrus-led wine is a great option to pair with a seafood pasta or risotto.
Anton Bauer Wagram Pinot Noir, Austria 2020 – £25.50 £22.95 This is my favourite Pinot Noir of the moment! With deliciously vibrant red berry fruit and a beautifully balanced palate, this gorgeous wine really showcases the quality of Austrian Pinot.
Quinta de la Rosa White Port NV – £18.00 £16.20 – I discovered White Port and Tonic on a trip to the Douro several years ago. Now, it’s something I often reach for when I want to recapture those blissful evenings sipping an aperitif on the banks of the river. Pour a healthy measure of white port over ice and top with tonic water, adding a garnish of fresh mint and orange. Just gorgeous!
Nick Gorton, Shop Manager
Viña Ardanza Reserva, La Rioja Alta 2016 – £34.00 £30.60 – My fiancée and I bonded over our shared love of Rioja, so when Valentine’s Day comes around we always reach for something like this Reserva from La Rioja Alta. Rich and complex, with lovely warming oak.
Rathfinny Estate Rosé, Sussex 2019 – £40.00 £36.00 – Clichéd it may be, but I believe Valentine’s day always calls for a rosé sparkling wine, and this delicious example from Rathfinny Estate in Sussex does not disappoint!
Szepsy Estate Tokaji Dry Furmint 2018 – £33.50 £30.15 – A rich and complex oak-aged Furmint that I would heartily recommend to lovers of white Burgundy, and my top wine of 2023.
John Chapman, Managing Director
Famille Jaume Vinsobres 2020 – £18.00 £16.20 – This unctuous Rhône village wine just oozes supple fruit with a velvety finish. It is a super charged Côtes du Rhône with a sophisticated level of complexity and mouthfeel. A lot of wine for the price tag.
Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest Riesling 2020 – £29.50 £26.55 – This new addition is an old favourite of mine from years gone by. It is made in a small area of Riesling on the Delheim farm where the autumn sun doesn’t quite get to allowing the magic rot to take place and create this magnificent explosion of flavour. Great to sip with or without food – one guaranteed to bring a smile to your face even on these damp February evenings!
Parés Balta Cava Gran Reserva ‘Blanca Cusiné’ Brut Nature 2013 – £34.00 £30.60 – Celebrations are not just for Christmas, New Year or Birthdays. This is a serious wine which just happens to be fizzy. Long ageing with a leesiness that just excites the palate and a satisfying layer of rich brioche character – I never tire of pairing this with Antipasti, Oysters or even a reliable curry.
Thom Allinson, Buying & Logistics
Greywacke Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2021 – £37.00 £33.30 – Super fragrant and elegant Pinot Noir, a fantastic new addition to our list.
M&J Becker Ablington Vineyard Chardonnay, Hunter Valley 2022 – £29.50 £26.55 – Unfined and unfiltered new world chardonnay full of fruit and subtle notes from the oak. Super textural and long on the finish.
Val Delle Rose ‘Samma’ Cabernet, Maremma Toscana DOC 2017 – £30.00 £27.00 – I was lucky enough to visit this fantastic estate last March and was instantly transported back to Tuscany upon re-tasting on a cold and grey January morning!
Richard Volpi, Trade Sales
Torre Zambra Colle Maggio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2020 – £18.50 £16.65 – The tasting note says this wine is teeming with character – character that I love! Gorgeous.
Bodegas Mateos La Vanidosa No1 Garnacha, Rioja 2020 – £21.00 £18.90 – I love Rioja, and although Garnacha can be quite punchy, this has real elegance.
Viña Dagaz El Camino, Colchagua Valley 2021 – £15.50 £13.95 – Cabernet and Carménère come together in perfect harmony.