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 July

Ted Sandbach, Owner & Chairman
Domaine Gayda Sphere Viognier, Pays d’Oc 2023– £13.00 £11.70 – A delightful fruit-driven wine from an organic producer. Soft peach and apricot overtones. Not expensive and far from dull!
Lumière de la Garrigue Picpoul de Pinet 2023 – £12.50 £11.25 – Picpoul de Pinet is always a winner, and this one is crisp, vibrant and excellent with a variety of light meals. A reliable modern classic!
Ricard Pastis – £30.00 £27.00 – I rediscovered Ricard on a recent trip to France, and it has fast become my favourite aperitif of the moment. Dilute with water over plenty of ice, this is a great way to get the gastric juices going before a meal.

John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Château Pas du Cerf Blanc, Côtes de Provence 2023 – £22.00 £19.80 – Summer in a bottle! A delightfully fresh, floral and fruity white from the only all-female winery in Provence. Let the Gualtieri sisters – Aurore, Diane & Marion – charm you with this enchanting blend of Rolle (Vermentino) and Clairette!
Flötzinger Alcohol-Free Hell – £2.25 £2.03 – Alcohol-free may seem like hell to some, but this heavenly helles-style (light) brew is one hell of an alternative to the real thing! Is OWC developing the wickedest alc-free beer range ever?
Dominio de Tares El Paisano de Tares 2023 – £13.50 £12.15 – Try this lightly chilled! It’s the perfect summer red wine. A blend of red and white grapes from Bierzo, Spain. Best enjoyed sitting in the sun…

Manda Joyce, Wine Advisor
Bodegas Barbadillo Sábalo, Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz 2021 – £17.50 £15.75 – Palomino is the grape variety that most Sherry is made from. Interesting to taste it in its native state, and delicious it is too.
Freedom of the Press Pinot Gris 2021 – £24.00 £21.60 – An elegant, mineral and subtly honeyed dry white wine made down the road in Minster Lovell.
Quinta de la Rosa White Port 50cl NV – £18.00 £16.20 – Make like a native of Porto and mix this 1:2 with tonic, add plenty of ice, a slice of orange and sit in the sun.

Tom Brady, Shop Manager & Spirits Buyer
Lakes Distillery Gin – £38.00 £34.20 – In a world where so many producers are attempting to incorporate weird and whacky ingredients into their products, The Lakes Distillery have kept it classic and classy with earthy and zesty flavours.
Isle of Raasay Special Sherry Release Single Malt – £85.00 £76.50 – Still, in my opinion, the best whisky this distillery has released to date. Incredible concentration with a delicious buttery-ness on the palate.
Gonzalez Byass Alfonso Oloroso Seco NV – £27.50 £24.75 – Impeccable value from this textbook Oloroso. Rich, bold, nutty and full bodied. What more could you want in a Sherry?

Aljoscha Wright, Buyer
Domaine du Petit Clocher Rosé De Loire AOC 2023 – £13.50 £12.15 – Light, refreshing and peachy. Delicious with a dollop of sun.
Maison Henri Champliau Crémant de Bourgogne Brut NV – £22.50 £20.25 – Crémant made with only the best grapes!
Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix – Lime and Triple Sec – £8.50 £7.65 – For the lazy mixologists among us.

Tim Bradley, Trade Sales & WSET Educator
Bodegas Mateos Letargo Rioja Tempranillo 2023 – £12.00 £10.80 -Soft, velvety red-berry fruit, unoaked and perfect slightly chilled for the summer!
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Sancerre Blanc Le Clocher d’Amélie 2022 – £26.00 £23.40 – Light, delicite and very floral. A gentle Sauvignon Blanc from a top producer in the Loire. Perfect with seafood or goats cheese.
Domaine du Petit Clocher Rosé De Loire AOC 2023 – £13.50 £12.15 – Lovely, soft crunchy red fruit with refreshing acidity. Perfect for an aperitif or long lazy summer afternoons.

Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Henri Fabre Dédicace Bandol Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2023 – £22.00 £10.35 – Live your French Riviera life by drinking & enjoying this in the sun! Bandol is one of the underrated regions for Rosé, but this wine shows exactly why is shouldn’t be overlooked.
La Despensa Cinsault Blend, Colchagua Valley 2021 – £19.50 £17.55 – Made up of a funky blend of red and white grapes making this wine a delicious curiosity. It’s fresh but with lots of concentration of wild red berries, with some apricot and peach.
Hambledon Classic Cuvée, Hampshire NV – £35.00 £31.50 – How could you not enjoy a glass of English Sparkling in the English sun?! Hambledon has elegance and class, with a super fresh palate complimented with notes of baked goods.

Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Côteaux du Layon, Cuvée Les Perrières, Domaine du Petit Clocher, Anjou 2022 – £22.00 £19.80 -I love Chenin Blanc dessert wines from the Loire Valley. Beautifully balanced with crisp acidity, which always makes it a best seller at our College Tasting.
La Croix Belle, Caringole Rosé, Pays d’Oc 2023 – £13.50 £12.15 – You like Provence Rosé but not the price? Check this out! Juicy, crisp and dry.
La Fleur Solitaire Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 – £12.50 £11.25 – White wine from Rhône is quite rare. Interesting blend with Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier. Apricot and honeysuckle flavours and at a fabulous price!

Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Billecart Salmon Vintage Champagne 2013 – £90.00 £81.00 – This is an absolutely outstanding vintage Champagne, and the most absurd thing about it is that it comes in under £100!
Guasti Moscato d’Asti 2023 – £15.00 £13.50 – Slightly bubbly and slightly sweet, this is simply delightful chilled on a hot summer’s day.
Quinta de la Rosa White Port 50cl NV – £18.00 £16.20 – Try this as an apéritif mixed with tonic and garnished with a slice of orange and a sprig of mint, just like the Portuguese do!

Emily Silva, Head of Retail and Marketing
Cascina delle Monache Gavi del Comune di Gavi 2022 – £17.00 £15.30 –
Step one: chill a bottle of Gavi.
Step two: grill some prawns with chilli, olive oil and garlic.
Step three: have a lovely afternoon enjoying the fruits of steps one and two!
Au Bon Climat Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2021 – £30.50 £27.45 – Au Bon Climat are legends of the Californian wine scene for a reason. This Pinot Noir is delicate and elegant while maintaining ripe, delicious and incredibly inviting red cherry fruit.
Bellino Prosecco Spumante Extra Dry, 20cl – £4.25 £3.83 – I like to keep a little stash of these mini bottles of Prosecco at home during the summer – just right for an impromptu spritz for two!

Nick Gorton, Shop Manager
Massaya Rosé, Bekaa Valley 2021 – £20.50 £18.45 – A rosé for all seasons, which is what you need with our unpredictable summers! Fresh fruit with some body and spice help this Lebanese wonder pair with all sorts of summer foods.
Primitivo Tenuta Del Pajaru, IGT Puglia 2021 – £20.00 £18.00 – An amazing organic Primitivo that will match any BBQ food you can throw at it. Rich, spicy and full-bodied, what more can you ask for?
Etyeki Kuria Zenit 2022 – £19.50 £17.55 – Zenit is a wonderful native Hungarian grape that is worth checking out. This example is full of ripe peach and pear, with subtle salt and pepper savouriness.

John Chapman, Managing Director
Meyer-Näkel Grauwacke Spätburgunder 2021 – £38.00 £34.20 – One of our new superstar German Pinot Noir listings! Probably the best value for money Pinot Noir we have in our range to date.
Katz Brut, Domaine René Meyer 2021– £22.00 £18.70 – What a classy Alsatian! It’s full of fruit and great bubbles to suit these lovely summer evenings. There’s just enough autolysis to keep you interested through to a second bottle.
Churchill’s Dry White Port NV – £28.50 £25.65 – There’s no better way to kick off an alfresco evening with a chilled aged white port and Churchill’s do this exceptionally well.

Thom Allinson, Buying & Logistics
Baller Chilli Bacon Vodka – £34.00 £30.60 -A second appearance in my staff picks for this belter of a spirit. I have recently discovered their Spicy Margarita recipe. Absolutely incredible but slightly dangerous.
Quinta Dos Roques Encruzado, Dão 2022 – £26.00 £23.40 – I have been pining after this since tasting it various times over the last couple of years. A ‘Burgundy style’ Portugese white for the meatier summer dishes!
Dominio de Tares El Paisano de Tares 2023 – £13.50 £12.15- Best served fresh out the fridge! Full of juicy red fruit that will have you reaching for another bottle for sure.

Romain Alaphilippe, Shop Manager
Maison Sichel 1883, AOC Bordeaux 2023 – £12.50 £11.25 – A new generation Bordeaux that’s easy drinking, fruit forward, with no sulphites added. Crack open and enjoy!
Château des Jaume Infusion, Côtes de Roussillon Villages 2021 – £15.00 £13.50 – I love natural wines like this one! A wonderful cocktail of fresh red fruits and with no added sulphites.
Westland American Single Malt – £55.00 £49.50 -A rich, sweet and full bodied single malt barley from Washington State. Honey, custard, milk chocolate, so creamy, I just love it!

Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
The Whole Shebang Cuvee XIV, Bedrock Winery California NV – £18.50 £16.65 – A carefully crafted mix of Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignan and other varieties! Rich and spicy fruits with a hint of chocolate and raspberry – a fantastic BBQ wine.
Bodegas Mateos Letargo Rioja Blanco 2023 – £11.00 £9.90 – Elegant melon and nectarine notes with a rounded creamy vanilla, apple and citrus finish. Delicious!

Lucy Harrison, Shop Manager
Double Barrelled Parka, Pale Ale 440ml – £4.25 £3.83 – This juicy pale ale is perfect for the summer days ahead – a thirst quenching beer from my local brewery in Tilehurst!
Pazos de Lusco Albariño Lusco, Rias Baixas 2022 – £18.00 £16.20 – Meaning sunset in the local Galician language, Lusco is a vibrant Albariño packed with peaches, pears with delicate floral notes and a hint of fennel.
Taittinger NV, Champagne NV– £45.00 £40.50 – This is my go to Champagne with delicate notes of peach, honey and brioche. Perfect for any occasion!