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 June
Ted Sandbach, Owner & Chairman
Domaine Gayda Sphere Viognier, Pays d’Oc 2024 – £13.00 £11.70 – Unlike some wines made from the Viognier grape, this example has much more subtle undertones of peach and apricot. It is very fresh and clean and delightful on its own or with light summer food.
Aljoscha Wright, Buyer
Clos Del Rey Le Sabina Blanc, Côtes du Roussillon AOP 2024 – £15.75 £14.18 – A skillful blend of Grenache Blanc & Grenache Gris that just screams “DRINK ME!”
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Menetou Blanc Le Clocher d’Amélie 2021 – £21.00 £18.90 –If you like wines from the Loire, then this is a belter for you. It has delicate floral notes and crisp clean palate, and at only 12.5%! It’s one for the longest lunch.
Guasti Boschetto Vecchio Chinato NV – £38.50 £34.65 –For the adventurous digestivo lovers – this bitter sweet bottle of brilliance is made form barrel aged Barbera wine, infused with herbs and spices.
John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Quinta do Soalheiro Alvarinho, Q Soalheiro 2023 – £21.00 £18.90 – A sunshine wine from northern Portugal and from the cousin of the famous Spanish grape. Fragrant and refreshing tropical and citrus fruit flavours on a long, mineral palate. A classy white wine for a meal or as an aperitif.
Vinos del Viento Garnacha Old Vines, Campo de Borja 2021 – £15.25 £13.73 – Juicy Garnacha rules in Northern Spain and the south of France. This example is fresh and pure, with ripe raspberry, cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Brilliant for the BBQ!
Tio Pepe Fino En Rama Saca 2025 37.5cl– £11.00 £9.90 – Sherry season is here! What could be more civilised than to sip a cool Fino while watching the sun set? This is a premium ‘En Rama’ that is aromatic, complex and dry as a bone. Perfection!
Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Guasti Clemente Roero Arneis 2023 – £17.50 £15.75- Made from a native white variety found in Piedmont, this wine is super fresh and bright with crunchy pear, white peach and a hint of florals and almonds on the finish.
Calera Central Coast Chardonnay 2021 – £30.50 £27.45 – From an incredibly prestigious winery in California, this Burgundy inspired Chardonnay is the epitome of elegance, combining precise fruit and gentle oak.
Château Unang Rouge, Ventoux 2021 – £18.75 £16.88 – From a lesser-know region in the Rhone valley, Ventoux is known for its fresher, lighter wines. This grenache based blend is bursting with juicy red & black berries with hints of black pepper spice, making it the perfect wine for a BBQ.
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Domaine Roland Sounit, Rully 2021 £29.75 £26.78 – Another super star from the Côte Chalonnaise. This area is not the most famous in Burgundy but is producing quality and affordable wines.
Les Terrasses Merlot/Syrah, Ardeche 2022– £10.50 £9.45 –Exceptionally smooth and silky red for under a tenner!
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Monferrato Avamposti Slarina, Azienda Agricola Il Cascinone 2021 – £16.75 £15.08 –This Beaujolais lookalike is the perfect pairing for a summer BBQ – and don’t forget to chill it down!
Caves Martí Serdà El Xitxarel-lo, Penedès 2024 – £16.75 £15.08 – Made from an indigenous Spanish variety that is more often found in Cava, this is a fuller white that is much more delicate than the words on the bottle!
Keet First Verse, Stellenbosch 2019 – £52.50 £47.25 – This is a fantastic Bordeaux blend from South Africa that is drinking superbly right now. Best to try it with lamb or beef.
Emily Silva, Head of Retail and Marketing
Domaine du Petit Clocher Anjou Blanc 2022 – £17.50 £15.75 – A beautifully balanced Chenin Blanc from Anjou, with ripe orchard fruit, a touch of citrus, and bright, refreshing acidity. If you like the wines of Macon, this is a brilliant summer alternative – versatile, elegant, and seriously good value.
Alma Gemela Garnacha, Lavalle 2022 – £19.75 £17.78 – This high-altitude Garnacha from Mendoza is a real charmer – juicy, perfumed and full of energy. Expect vibrant red cherry and raspberry, a hint of spice, and silky tannins. Light enough to chill slightly, but with enough depth to keep things interesting. This is going to be on my barbecue shopping list this summer!
Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix – Lime and Triple Sec – £8.50 £7.65 – The ultimate shortcut to great margaritas – just add tequila, ice and a bit of tajin. Zesty, balanced, and not too sweet, it’s an essential for Spicy Marg Summer!
Nick Gorton, Shop Manager
Williams & Humbert Collection Amontillado 37.5cl NV – £10.75 £9.68 – This 15 year old Amontillado is a new listing at OWC, and offers ludicrous value for money. It has the rich nuttiness and concentration of flavour of a bottle twice its cost.
El Bandarra Vermut Rojo 1ltr – £27.50 £24.75 – Mixed into a Negroni, stirred with soda, or added to a wine glass full of ice, this fruity, herbal, bitter-sweet vermut is perfect for early summer sipping. And comes in a bottle you can re-use!
Champagne Arnaud Tabourin Brut Tradition NV – £31.50 £28.35 –A delicious Pinot Noir dominant grower Champagne that all but outclasses the big houses. Buy a bottle, trust me, you’ll love it!
John Chapman, Managing Director
Campo Reale Bianco Di Custoza 2021 – £14.50 £13.05 – Always a reassuring surprise as this has such good fruit and is an enjoyable drinking when you need a bottle to share with friends.
Guido Porro Dolcetto d’Alba DOC 2023 £22.50 £20.25 – For me Italian wine needs to transport you to the place and this dolcetto whisks me off to the hills of Piemonte – fabulous.
La Croix Belle, Caringole Rosé Pays d’Oc 150cl 2024 – £28.50 £25.65 – When the sun is out one bottle is not enough – solution this excellent rosé from the south of France in a magnum. Bring on the summer!
Thom Allinson, Buying & Logistics
La Croix Belle, Caringole Rosé, Pays d’Oc 2024 – £13.50 £12.15 – This wine is fit for any sunny afternoon! For anyone that is a fan of Provence this is the perfect choice – light, juicy and elegant.
Hundred Hills Preamble No.2, Oxfordshire 2019 – £39.75 £35.78 – Very excited to now have this wine on our shelves. Harvested and made in Oxfordshire, this wine is some of the best English Sparkling out there!
Tiefenbrunner Anna Weissburgunder 2022– £25.50 £22.95 – After recently visiting Alto Adige, I have been discovering and enjoying their wines. This is an excellent example, with rich orchard fruits, textured body and creamy finish.
Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
Double Barrelled Amalfi Lemon Cake Sour 440ml – £5.25 £4.73 – Made from Sorrento lemons, polenta, vanilla and almond extract. It has a refreshing sour lemon flavour. Perfect for a warm summer day or festival!
Bodega Del Rio Elorza Verum Chardonnay, Patagonia 2023 – £16.25 £14.63 –100% cool climate Chardonnay from Patagonia. Just 10% is barrel fermented giving it a gentle creamy texture. Some toasty vanilla aligning well with the lemon, peach and nectarine fruits. A lovely balanced acidity giving a refreshing finish.
Romain Alaphilippe, Shop Manager
Clos Del Rey La Noia Grenache Noir, IGP Cotes Catalanes 2023 – £20.50 £18.45 – A beautifully expressive Grenache from the rugged hills of Côtes Catalanes—silky, sun-drenched, and full of wild berry character. I’ve become a true aficionado of Grenache.
Buil & Giné, Giné Gine, Priorat 2021 – £22.75 £20.48 – A bold, mineral-rich Priorat with layers of dark fruit and spice, reflecting the intensity of the slate-rich terroir. Tasting it now brings back memories of visiting Xavi in his vineyards—an unforgettable experience rooted in passion and authenticity.
Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge IGP 2020 – £55.00 £49.50 – A hidden gem from Languedoc – neighbour to the legendary La Grange des Pères! An intriguing, Cabernet Sauvignon led blend that breaks the mold. Crafted with age-worthiness in mind (vin de garde). Proudly produced—I’ll soon return as a winemaking assistant!
Lucy Harrison, Shop Manager
M. Chapoutier ‘Rouge Clair’ Grenache/Syrah 2024 – £14.75 £13.28 – The perfect summer red from one of my favourite producers! A fresh and vibrant blend of Grenache and Syrah with strawberries, raspberries and red cherries. Drink chilled!
Aperol– £18.50 £16.65 –One of my favourite things to do in the summer is sit in the garden with an Aperol spritz in hand!
Calma Indomita Albarin, Mauricio Lorcan-Leon 2023 – £16.76 £15.08 –A fresh, zesty white made from the Albarín grape, laced with lime, mandarin, peaches and jasmine. A delight with seafood!
Duncan Laing, Wine Advisor
Akashi-Tai Honjozo Genshu Tokubetsu Gohyak – £30.00 £27.00 – A smooth and full-bodied sake from the Hyogo region of Japan, with peach, grapefruit, lychee and floral notes. Best enjoyed chilled, its robust flavours pair well with seafood such as salmon or mussels.
Ikigai La Yuzu Liqueur – £26.50 £23.85 – Discover the art of living (“ikigai” in Japanese) with the taste of yuzu, which exhibits a tart zestiness somewhere between lemon and lime. Enjoy over ice or as a citrus kick in a cocktail.
Shotover Prospect – £3.75 £3.38 – A sessionable pale ale, big in body and flavour. A variety of malts with New World and English hops give a gorgeous bittersweet balance, with floral, grapefruit, and biscuit notes.