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 November
Ted Sandbach, Owner & Chairman
Charlet Terra Occitana Pinot Noir, Vin de France 2023 – £12.75 £11.48 – Pinot Noir is either too one dimensional or out of most people’s price bracket, so try this very affordable French country example. I re-tried it again the other day. It is delicious if you like a light style with some complexity.
John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Brampton Roxton Black, Stellenbosch 2020 – £18.75 £16.88 – A muscular, bovine Cabernet Sauvignon with juicy cassis fruit and spicy oak characters and a firm tannic structure. A perfect match for a Sirloin, yet also approachable as a glass to savour by the fireside. Just made for a Braai…
Dominio de Tares, ‘La Sonrisa de Tares’ Godello 2023 – £18.50 £16.65 – An old favourite of mine. An enticingly floral fragrance leads to a fresh, citrus and nectarine palate with a silky texture and a lasting finish. Great value!
Lochlea Cask Strength Batch 3 – £70.00 £63.00 – A limited release from this newcomer distillery/Barley farmer from Lowland Ayrshire. Spicy marmalade and liquorice characters on the front palate, followed by plums in syrup, wild lavender and cracked black pepper on the finish. A big winter warmer!
Manda Joyce, Wine Advisor
Clos Del Rey La Noia Grenache Noir, IGP Côtes Catalanes 2023 – £20.50 £18.45 – Don’t let the label put you off. Lashings of ripe red fruit, soft and smooth this is top-notch Grenache from Languedoc-Roussillon.
Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Cascina delle Monache Bricco della Lodra 2023 – £15.50 £13.95 – One of my favourite Italian reds we have on the shelf. Packed with small red berries, raspberries, cranberries, and red currants with a wonderful finish of dried, Italian herbs.
Campo Reale Recioto Della Valpolicella 2022 – £18.00 £16.20 – It can be very hard to find a dessert wine that can keep up with chocolate but this is the perfect match! A super velvety palate, with sweet cherries, dark chocolate, and coffee.
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla NV – £12.75 £11.48 – Serve chilled with salted almonds before dinner. Crisp dry sherry at its best!
Château Yon-Figeac, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2017 – £41.00 £36.90 – Looking for a treat? A Merlot based St-Émilion with good bottle age. Ripe and ready to drink now. Worth pushing the boat out for!
U. Passimiento, IGT, Baglio Gibellina 2024 – £14.50 £13.08 – I went to Sicily on holiday this year. The country has some fascinating wines. This blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola (two of the native red grapes) is full, soft, violety and warming. Liquid velvet!
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Val Delle Rose ‘Rosamante’ Morellino Di Scansano DOCG 2023 – £15.75 £14.18 – I love Sangiovese and this is a cheap and cheerful expression that’s perfect for colder evenings!
Mineralstein Dry Riesling, Pfalz 2023 – £19.50 £17.55 – A delightfully dry Riesling that is bursting with fruit flavour and zesty acidity!
Romain Alaphilippe, Shop Manager
Julien Duport La Boucheratte Cote de Brouilly 2021 – £32.00 £28.80 – Bright, fresh Beaujolais with silky tannins and vibrant red fruit – pure finesse from granite soils.
Donjon de Lamarque, Haut-Médoc 2022 – £19.75 £17.78 – A bold and structured Left Bank Bordeaux with classic cassis and cedar notes.
Famille Jaume Crozes-Hermitage 2023 – £27.50 £24.75 – Juicy and peppery Northern Rhône Syrah with elegance and a touch of wild herbs.
Nick Gorton, Retail Operations Manager
Zuccardi Valles Bonarda, Uco Valley 2024– £17.50 £15.75 – A hearty, bold and densely fruited Bonarda that will be perfect alongside autumnal cuisine. Peppery steak or a venison stew would be great with a glass or two of this Argentine beauty.
Barbadillo Palo Cortado Obispo Gascon 15 Years Old NV – £28.00 £25.20 – A new listing from a recent visit to Jerez, and one that I simply had to get on our shelves. Almost overwhelming concentration of flavour, with such zippy acidity that it keeps you reaching for another glass, and wishing it was in a larger bottle!
Thom Allinson, Buying & Logistics
Hundred Hills First Edition, Oxfordshire 2018 – £44.75 £40.28 – For me this is the definition of what English sparkling is! Absolutely stunning
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Sancerre Rouge Vieilles Vignes 2018 – £32.75 £29.48 – An old favourite of mine. An enticingly floral fragrance leads to a fresh, citrus and nectarine palate with a silky texture and a lasting finish. Great value!
The Liberator Francofile Mourvedre 2023 – £13.75 £12.38 – This is the first exception of my Mono-varietal Mourvedre rule. Plush, dark fruit and a spicey finish make this a must as the weather becomes more Autumnal
Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
Oldenburg Vineyards CL White Blend, Stellenbosch 2023 – £19.50 £17.55 – Beautiful estate nestled in a mountain amphitheatre. A blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Notes of orange blossom, citrus and jasmine with a delicious palate of lemon and peach with a subtle finish of vanilla. Would pair well with roast pork or chicken, or just fabulous on it’s own.
Anthony Paret Les Larmes du Père Saint-Joseph 2022 – £31.00 £27.90 – A rich and spicy Syrah from Northern Rhône. Aromas of grilled meats, black olive and warm spicy black fruits. On the palate redcurrant and black fruits with a hint of coffee. Fine crisp supple tannins. Would be super with steak, roast beef or a winter warming casserole.
Duncan Laing, Wine Advisor
Scotto Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi 2022– £14.75 £13.28 -A super-smooth Zinfandel from Lodi in California, bursting with warming black fruit and toasty spice. The Scotto family’s wine-making roots can be traced back to Ischia in the Bay of Naples in the mid-1800s.
Bodega Atamisque Serbal Viognier, Tupungato, Uco Valley 2024 – £15.50 £13.95 – Inviting aromas of peach, lemon and white flowers leads to a splendid zip of acidity on the palate. Great with Asian seafood dishes or exotic salads.
Lucy Harrison, Shop Manager
Résonance Decouverte Vineyard Chardonnay, Oregon 2021 – £44.50 £40.05 – A top alternative for lovers of white Burgundy from Oregon which offers much better value in my opinion. Complex citrus, stone fruit and nutty notes with a lovely minerality running through. One of my favourite wines that we list!
Deya Brewing Company, Steady Rolling Man Pale Ale – £5.75 £5.18 – A top tier pale ale from an independent brewery in Cheltenham and one of my current go to beers on a Friday night.
Mont Blois ‘Groot Steen’ Chenin Blanc, Robertson 2016 – £31.50 £28.35 – Had this recently with some friends alongside roast pork. Bright citrus notes with baked apple, apricots, quince as well as honey from 9 years of ageing.