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 September
Ted Sandbach, Owner & Chairman
Miopasso Pinot Grigio 2024 – £11.50 £10.35 – This is a more complex style of Pinot Grigio from Sicily, with fresh and clean citrus overtones as well as some tropical fruit notes. Perfect for sipping on an evening as the sun goes down!
Neil Gladding, Sales Director
Albert Bichot Horizon de Bichot Pinot Noir, Limoux 2022 –£16.50 £14.85 – Still the best value “Burgundy style” Pinot Noir.
Domaine Gayda La Minuette, Pays d’Oc 2024 – £12.50 £11.25 – Gluggable dry Rosé from the Gayda stable.
Gaia Notios White, Peloponnese 2023 – £16.75 £15.08 – Made from the Moschofilero and Roditis grapes, this wine showcases the vibrant, aromatic charm of Greece’s Peloponnese region.
John Chapman, Managing Director
Tenuta San Guido Le Difese, Tuscany 2023 – £35.00 £31.50 – This 3rd wine of Sassicaia fame is more than a simple relative of the big name but a cracker in its own right, elegantly put together with enough structure to keep the taste buds chomping for more. Let it breathe for 30 mins and voila you have a superstar in your glass.
Château Bellini Rosé Coteaux Varois en Provence 2024 £19.75 £17.75 – A classic summertime Provence rosé cleverly made from the stable behind Miravel and Mascarrone, this to me is all I need to compliment warm evening drinks with friends – bring on that lazy summer vibe.
Etxeko Patxarana 100cl – £29.75 £26.78 – This Basque digestif is a must after any real food fest. We all love great gastronomy but sometimes those rich ingredients can be a little too tempting. This wonder bottle not only tastes great but reinvigorates the body and soul post feast to keep the party going.
Aljoscha Wright, Buyer
Delincuente Garnacha, Aragon 2023 – £10.00 £9.00 – An any day of the week kind of wine with plenty of Garnacha character.
Dolin Chamberyzette – £21.00 £18.90 – Substitute this fun fruity vermouth in your Negroni for a more summery version.
Manda Joyce, Wine Advisor
Flötzinger Alcohol-Free Hell – £2.25 £2.03 – For me, the standout in our alcohol-free beers. From a family-owned Bavarian brewery, it’s light, bright and clean-tasting. Above all, an actual pleasure to drink.
Pago de Tharsys Dominio Requena Cava Brut Nature NV, Utiel Requena NV– £15.75 £14.18 – Fantastic value bubbly from Spain, made using the same method as champagne. Elegant, mineral, with flavours of lemon and green apples.
Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Egon Muller Kanta Riesling, Adelaide Hills 2016 – £31.75 £28.58 – Made by German winemaking legend Egon Muller, this curiosity from Australia shows layers of complex citrus fruits, floral notes and and touch of richness from 9 years of ageing.
Lyrarakis Queen Kotsifali PGI Crete 2022– £16.50 £14.85 – As I continue to enjoy the trend of chilled reds for the summer, this native variety from Crete is perfect. Brimming with small red berries and raspberries with a touch of Mediterranean herbs.
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Tiefenbrunner Turmhof Sauvignon Blanc 2022 – £25.00 £22.50 – From the mountains of Sudtirol in Northern Italy. If you like Pouilly Fumé, then try this. Really impressed me on my recent visit to this family run estate. Lovely people too!
Campo Reale Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2019 – £41.00 £36.90 – If you like a big wine, this one is huge at 16.5%! Dark black fruits with a long, velvety finish.
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Arette Tequila Blanco – £38.00 £34.20 – Absolutely fantastic for sunset margaritas – tried and tested several times over the summer!!
Emily Silva, Head of Retail and Marketing
Kopke Fine White Port NV – £17.75 £15.98 – Why not go Portuguese for an evening aperitivo with a Porto Tonic? White Port, Tonic Water, loads of ice and a slice of orange make one of my favourite pre-dinner drinks – even better with some really good green olives and fishy antipasti.
Vinos del Viento Wannabe Pét Nat 2024 – £18.50 £16.65 – Channel your inner Spice Girl with Vinos del Viento’s fantastic Wannabe Pét Nat. Its bright pink colour, juicy bright fruit and just the right touch of funk may just make you wanna ‘zigazig ahhh’
Mirmanda Blanc, IGP Côtes Catalanes 2023– £37.75 £33.98 – This Southern French white blend is an absolute stunner. Subtle yet complex, intense yet elegant, textural yet refreshing – it’s a real masterclass in the quality that can be produced in the sometimes overlooked region of Roussillon.
Nick Gorton, Retail Operations Manager
Mont Blois ‘Groot Steen’ Chenin Blanc, Robertson 2016– £31.50 £28.35 – This is a delicious example of how South African Chenin Blanc can develop in bottle. Lots of toasted nuts and honey, but still with juicy fruit showing through. Something for an extravagant roast pork dinner.
Hofbräuhaus Traunstein Fürstentrunk – £3.25 £2.93 – My pick of our fantastic new range from Hofbräuhaus Traunstein is this rich yet still light lager-style beer that spends up to 4 months ageing in their cellars before release. Get some in the fridge and have your friends over!
Retribution Vodka – £38.00 £34.20 – This West Country vodka has an amazing creamy vanilla vibe that makes it perfect for White Russians and Espresso Martinis. Stick a bottle in the freezer and thank me later!
Thom Allinson, Buying & Logistics
Oldenburg Vineyards CL Red Blend, Stellenbosch 2023 – £19.50 £17.55 – A recent rediscovery whilst away on holiday. Beautiful acidity and plush tannins carry the dark and red fruit on the palate with a long finish that is bound to leave you wanting more.
Gosling’s Black Seal, Bermuda – £33.50 £30.15 – Very much in a Dark and Stormy phase, and this is a must!
Abingdon Bridge, Loose Cannon Brewery – £3.50 £3.15 – As we roll into Autumn it is becoming Traditional English Ale weather and this is one of my favourites.
Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
Castello Della Sala San Giovanni Orvieto Classico 2024 – £26.75 £24.08 – Crisp and elegant wine from a historic part of Umbria. Aromas of white flowers and tangerine and flavours of white peach and nectarine with a bright fresh acidity.
Ariousios Natural Chiotiko, Chios 2015 – £26.50 £23.85 – Delicious flavours of fig and bramble fruits with notes of raisins; reminiscent of an Amarone. Complex, with an uplifting rose petal note and a smooth cinnamony finish.
Romain Alaphilippe, Shop Manager
Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc IGP 2021 – £55.00 £49.50 – A rare, aromatic blend with finesse and freshness (I’ve stepped out of the shop to lend a hand with the winemaker!)
Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge IGP 2020 – £55.00 £49.50 – A legendary Languedoc red, elegant and complex (if you can’t find me in the shop, I might just be working here instead!)
Simpsons Derringstone Pinot Meunier 2022 – £24.75 £22.28 – A bright and delicate English white, full of crisp orchard fruit and lively charm.
Lucy Harrison, Shop Manager
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino – £30.00 £27.00 – A wonderful bittersweet vermouth, and for me the best vermouth for a Negroni!
Buil & Giné, Joan Giné, Priorat 2019 – £29.75 £26.78 – A rich red from Priorat which is perfect for heading into Autumn and roast dinner season! Notes of blackberries, plums black cherries and black pepper with some wild herbs.
Pazos de Lusco Albariño Lusco, Rias Baixas 2024 – £18.50 £16.65 – A vibrant lees aged Albariño, packed full of peaches, apricots and lemons with some floral notes as well as a saline edge.
Duncan Laing, Wine Advisor
Hofbräuhaus Traunstein Weißbier – £3.25 £2.93 – A top class wheat beer at a bargain price. Wonderfully refreshing with a soft yeast flower and full fruit aroma.
Mirmanda Rouge Cote du Roussillon 2022 – £45.00 £40.50 -A plush, medium-bodied red with soft tannins and lovely freshness, making it both comforting and easy to enjoy. Pairs with grilled meats, hearty stews, Mediterranean veg or even a Friday-night pizza, a proper all-rounder!
Vie Cave Malbec, Fattoria Aldobrandesca 2022 – £34.75 £31.28 – A full-bodied red with velvety tannins and a long, warming finish. The volcanic soils and warm coastal climate of southern Tuscany lend depth, minerality, and elegance.
John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Buil & Giné, Baboix, Montsant 2020 – £22.50 £20.25 -(Say ‘Baboige’) An intense and complex blend of Spanish and French grapes produced in the extreme climate of Montsant, to the west of Tarragona. Full-bodied, dark and packing a punch!