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 October
John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Bodegas Arrocal Gumiel de Mercado Joven, Ribera Del Duero 2023 – £16.00 £14.40 – Deep red and black fruit flavours from the Tempranillo grape. Balanced, with refreshing acidity and a firm structure. A top class wine at a great value price.
Ataraxia Chardonnay, Hemel en Aarde 2023 – £34.50 £31.05 – Looking for Meursault at half the price? This comes close! Deliciously poised baked apple and lemon fruit with sweet vanilla. Refreshing acidity leads to a satisfying finish.
Limoncello Efusato, Tosolini – £31.00 £27.90 – The best Limoncello in my opinion. Every Italian region thinks theirs is the best, of course, but the intense purity of citrus fruit in this one makes this a favourite digestif. Try putting it in trifle too!
Manda Joyce, Wine Advisor
Freedom Of The Press Pinot Noir 2022 – £34.75 £31.28 – This was the standout winner at a tasting I did recently and shows we can make great red wine in England. The Pinot Noir grapes were grown in Essex and vinified down the road in Minster Lovell.
Nyetimber Rosé, Sussex NV – £42.50 £38.25 – Aside from its beautiful colour and appealing citrus and red fruit vibe, it’s the rich, creamy mouth-feel that makes this sparkler such a delight.
Sky Wave Orange & Madagascan Vanilla Gin – £50.00 £47.00 – I’m usually sceptical of flavoured gin, but this changed my mind. Only natural ingredients and no added sugar. Sky Wave gin is augmented with the subtlest suggestion of vanilla pods and intense, just-peeled orange.
Tom Brady, Shop Manager & Spirits Buyer
Primocolle Villa Cerna, Chianti Classico DOCG 2020 – £16.75 £15.08 – Rustic and chewy with lovely red fruit and herbal flavours.
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV– £60.00 £54.00 – One of the best non-vintage Champagnes on the market with impeccable complexity, precision and body.
Ardnamurchan AD Cask Strength – £69.75 £62.78 – Rich and meaty with a deliciously oily texture, this is true West Coast Scotch in all its Cask Strength glory.
Aljoscha Wright, Buyer
Mineralstein Dry Riesling, Pfalz 2022 – £19.50 £17.55 – A crisp, aromatic Riesling with surprising complexity.
Rittenhouse 100 Proof Rye Whisky – £46.00 £41.40 –Try something warm and spicy for the cooling evenings.
Shandy Shack, IPA Shandy – £2.10 £1.89 – A great low alcohol option…because I drink too much!
Tim Bradley, Trade Sales & WSET Educator
Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2022 – £17.00 £15.30 – Rich and complex with beautifully integrated oak fielding notes of peach and nectarine and delicious saline mineral finish. Perfect with fish pie and creamy chicken!
Torre Zambra Valle Maris Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022 – £15.50 £13.95- Generous crunchy red cherries cranberries and a delicious herbal aroma all make for a wonderful autumnal splash in the glass – perfect with sausages or charcuterie!
Miopasso Fiano, Sicily 2021 – £11.50 £10.35 – Made by winemaker Stefano Chioccioli, it’s soft but rich and rounded with flavours of Sicilian lemon, peach, and touches of honey is delicious as an aperitif or with vegetable dishes and white meats. Delicious!
Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Terra de Asorei Selección Privada Albariño, Rías Baixas 2021 – £18.50 £16.65 – This is certainly a step up from your usual Albariño. Juicy rich fruit, creamy, and rounded – very food friendly.
Alma Gemela Garnacha, Lavalle 2021– £19.50 £17.55 – Garnacha has always been a favourite of mine and everything I love about it is in this wine. Super fresh, incredible juicy with vibrant red fruits.
Tenuta di Sesta Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018 – £45.00 £40.50 – If you’re looking for something special, look no further. This wine is incredibly complex, with layers of fruit, oak spice, and hints of age. Brunello is always a wine to show off.
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Signature de Colmar Pinot Gris, Alsace Grand Cru Hengst 2021– £17.50 £15.75 – Alsace is one of France’s hidden secrets with a range of varietal wines. This Grand Cru Pinot Gris is rich and creamy with a tropical fruit finish.
Torre Zambra Valle Maris Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022 – £16.00 £14.40 – This wine is from a small family run business. It’s a muscular Pinot Noir which is made in a Burgundian style with a new world twist. It’s exceptional!
Château Haut-Mouleyre Sauvignon, Bordeaux 2021– £16.00 £14.40 – A Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc with a dollop of Semillon, making it less acidic with a richer and smoother palate.
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Villa Wolf Forster Pechstein Riesling Library Release, Pfalz 2007 – £30.00 £27.00 – This is an absolutely fantastic aged Riesling that has so much character and complexity – it’s a special library release so give it a go before it disappears!
Tenuta di Sesta Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018– £45.00 £40.50 – This is an incredibly good wine with a lovely balance of fruit vs. older earthy and savoury notes.
Ginger Wine, Lyme Bay Winery – £14.50 £13.05 – I use this all the time to make chicken wine: add chicken, chicken stock, a handful of ginger and bring to a boil. Delicious!
Emily Silva, Head of Retail and Marketing
Raats Family Cabernet Franc, Stellenbosch 2020 – £35.50 £31.95 – Powerful, velvet-textured and with an incredibly long finish, you need this wine in your life this autumn. Delicious Cabernet Franc from one of Stellenbosch’s best producers.
Jacques Charlet La Sarriette Côtes du Rhône 2021– £12.50 £11.25 – The quintessential ‘bistro wine’ – medium bodied, gently fruity and oh-so-versatile. This is a wine rack staple that really delivers for its price.
Sierra Oriental Naranja, Maldonado, Uruguay 2022 – £15.50 £13.95 – Orange wine from Uruguay? The wine geek inside me is just so excited. This is aromatic, bright and refreshing – a great introduction to orange wines.
Nick Gorton, Shop Manager
Cayetano del Pino Viejisimo 1/5 butts, Palo Cortado – £29.50 £26.55- My colleague and I tried this recently and were blown away by its intensity and concentration. A truly magnificent Palo Cortado that is a must try for enthusiasts!
M. Chapoutier Cornas Les Arènes 2019 – £42.00 £37.80 – Magnificent power and elegance, and will pair perfectly with rich wintery dishes but also wonderful to sit and enjoy on its own (roaring log fire not provided).
Brampton Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch 2021– £11.50 £10.35 – Textbook Cabernet from Stellenbosch, with all the ripe black fruit and structure you’d expect from an example twice its price.
Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej Mezcal– £63.00 £56.70 – A contemporary approach to a traditional Mezcal. 100% Natural agave distilled in copper pots results in a delicious balance of floral and citrus notes. Perfect neat or mixed in a cocktail.
Sky Wave London Dry Gin– £44.00 £39.60 – This gin has 13 botanicals with aromas of juniper and fresh citrus. Exceptionally smooth on the palate with a long crisp, citrus warm finish.
Cherubino Pedestal Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River 2022 – £17.50 £15.75 – Aromas of black fruit with a hint of spice give way to a medium body, blackcurrant and bay leaf with a little chocolate on the palate. A delicious and well-balanced wine from this esteemed producer.
Romain Alaphilippe, Shop Manager
Domaine de Chevilly Quincy La Licorne d’Or 2023– £19.75 £17.78 – This region is lesser known than Menetou-Salon or Sancerre but absolutely stunning! It’s a classic Sauvignon Blanc, aromatic with floral notes and good minerality.
Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc IGP 2021 – £55.00 £45.00 – I just came back Mas de Daumas for the 2024 harvest! A masterpiece of finesse, complexity and balance. On a base of Chardonnay and Viognier, blended with many other indigenous grapes.
Pineau des Charentes Rouge, Jules Gautret – £21.75 £19.58 – This is what I drink with my family in Cognac! Perfect to keep in your fridge for an aperitif or after dinner! Sweetness and fruitiness are at the rendezvous!
Lucy Harrison, Shop Manager
Exton Park RB28 Blanc de Noirs NV, Hampshire NV – £43.00 £38.70 – A complex fizz from Hampshire packed with red fruit, brioche and a hint of white pepper. One of the best English sparklings I have tasted!
Sauvion Vouvray Les Bosquets 2023 – £14.50 £13,05 – An off-dry Chenin with rich notes of apples, pears, honey and blossom. Wonderful with spicy food or fish.
The Isle of Raasay Hebridean Gin – £40.00 £36.00 – An exceptionally smooth and zesty gin from this small island in the Hebrides, crafted from 10 botanicals including orange and lemon peel. Sip neat or top with your favourite tonic.