Álvaro Domecq ‘La Janda’ Fino Sherry
Region: Jerez, Spain
Grape: Palomino Fino
The name ‘La Janda’ refers to a former lagoon, and now one of the six districts of the province of Cádiz. This is a classic fino from Jerez that has the peculiarity of its long aging that reaches 10 years. Pale golden colour and bright appearance, with a strong and pungent aroma, very vegetal, with notes of yeast and almonds. Its flavour is dry on the palate while elegant and long, slightly warm and briny, with a good persistence in the mouth. Ideal with cured meats, mainly Iberian ham. It also goes perfectly with all kinds of fish: seafood, anchovies, clams, baked fish and also Japanese food. ABV: 15%
Waitrose £16.75
Muga Cava ‘Conde de Haro’ Brut 2021
Region: Rioja, Spain
Grapes: Viura, Chardonnay
Seriously good Spanish Cava from Muga in Rioja, fermented in bottle and aged for two years just like Champagne. This gives it similar depth and complexity, balancing youthful freshness and toasty richness with fine bubbles and excellent length of flavour. It also makes it a splendid pairing for fish and chips or cod’s roe and chips. This bodega was founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Marínez and his wife Auro Caño, both from winemaking families. Today, it is run by their three sons. ABV: 12%
The Wine Society £15.50
Casa Ferreirinha Planalto Reserva, Douro 2024
Region: Douro, Portugal
Grapes: Viosinho, Arinto, Pedernã, Códega, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Moscatel, Rabigato
A crisp, elegant and high-altitude white from the Douro Valley, made by one of Portugal’s most historic producers. The 2024 vintage is bright and expressive, with aromas of citrus, green apple and white peach, alongside a hint of floral lift and a subtle touch of spice from partial ageing in oak. On the palate it’s fresh and focused, with zesty acidity and a dry, mineral finish that speaks to the cooler vineyards of the Douro’s high plateaus. A wonderfully versatile white that’s perfect as an aperitif or alongside grilled fish, seafood or salads. ABV 13%
Wine Society £9.50
Mas de Subirà Morlanda, White Priorat 2023
Region: Priorat, Spain
Grapes: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Moscatel
a white wine crafted in the prestigious Priorat region. A harmonious blend of Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, and Moscatel grapes. The wine was aged for 6 months on its lees in French oak barrels, which contributes to its distinctive character. Straw yellow colour, pale and bright. The nose is very complex, with fruity aromas of lemon and tropical fruit and a slight floral touch. On the palate, this wine reveals a luscious combination of tropical fruits and pears, accompanied by subtle herbaceous undertones that add depth to its flavor profile. Morlanda Blanc is versatile and pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes, making it an excellent choice for seafood, fish, salads, and all kinds of Mediterranean cuisine. ABV: 14%
Waitrose Cellar £19.75
Mateus Rosé NV
Region: Table wine, no specific DOC
Grapes: Baga, Rufete, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca
Mateus Rosé Original is a rosé with a very appealing and bright hue. On the whole, it is a fresh and seductive wine with fine and intense bouquet and all the joviality of young wines. In the mouth, it is a well balanced and tempting wine, brilliantly complemented by a soft and slightly fizzy finish. Mateus Rosé Original should be served chilled in a flute or in a tulip-shaped red-wine glass. Serve ideally between 6ºC-8ºC. 11%, (Total Sugars 15 g/L)
Waitrose £7.00 ABV 10%
Quinta de la Rosa Rosé 2025
Region: Douro, Portugal
Grapes: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional
Made predominantly from Tinta Roriz with a dash of Touriga Nacional, this is a pale, Provence-hued rosé that delivers far more than just good looks. The nose is pretty and inviting, showing peach, apricot and lemon peel, with a delicate raspberry sorbet lift. On the palate it’s light and silky but with real mid-palate presence, combining juicy strawberries-and-cream fruit with a gently herbal and floral edge. There’s ripe generosity at the core, yet bright acidity keeps everything fresh and mouthwatering, finishing with a subtle lick of spice. Quinta de la Rosa is one of the Douro’s most respected estates and this is a vivid reminder that grapes best known for powerful, age worthy Ports can also shine in beautifully fresh, expressive dry wines. A good partner for barbecued seafood and fish like king prawns with peri peri sauce or plump juicy sardines. ABV 13%
The Wine Society £19.50
Luís Pato ‘Vinhas Velhas’ Baga, Bairrada 2023
Region: Bairrada, Portugal
Grape: Baga
Luís Pato was one of the pioneers of the Baga revolution, recognising the potential for this grape variety to produce ethereal, complex and elegant reds which can stand shoulder to shoulder with the great red-wine styles of the world. Vinhas Velhas is outstanding, a textbook example of this vision that captures the beautiful perfume and finesse you can now expect from top Bairrada reds. The nose combines succulent and juicy redcurrant, cherry and blueberry with the tar and roses notes more famously associated with top Barolo. The palate is fresh, light to medium bodied and with tannins that are ample but allow the acidity to do the talking. The sweet fruit notes are joined by alluring earthy savoury characters and delicious aromatic dried spices. A wine that you can sniff over and over again and find something new every time. ABV 12.5%
The Wine Society £27.00
Descendientes de J. Palacios, Pétalos del Bierzo 2023
Region: Bierzo, León, Spain
Grapes: Mencía (with 10% mix of six red & white varieties)
Alvaro Palacios is a dynamic winemaker who put the Priorat region on the wine map. He also makes wine in Rioja, and set up production with his nephew Ricardo in Bierzo. Bierzo is a small region in northwest Spain towards the northern border of Portugal, it is considered the home of the Mencia grape. Pétalos is a wine with an Atlantic character and predominantly acidic fruit. Ruby red colour with a fruity note on the nose of strawberries, ripe currants and blueberries are followed by floral, violets and some spices and light liquorice. Aged in 10 months in French oak, the wine is fresh and aromatic, a great combination of ripeness with cool climate freshness. Everything is fine and in harmony with a silky texture. ABV 13%
Butlers £25.50
Kopke 10-Year-Old White Port
Region: Douro, Portugal
Grapes: Viosinho, Folgasão, Rabigato, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Cerceal, Arinto
Made by the oldest port wine house with traditional Douro grape varieties. An appealing gold colour. Elegant and complex, with aromas of spice, prevailing notes of dried fruit and elegant hints of wood. Smooth and round on the palate, it shows complexity amidst intense flavours of dried fruit. An excellent finish. Its fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats, where the grapes macerate and are churned with their skins on, at temperatures between 16-18ºC, to produce a white wine full of colour and structure, able to sustain prolonged ageing in oak. The fermentation is halted by adding grape brandy, creating the fortified wine. A wine of high quality, made by blending wines of different harvests to achieve the array of sensory qualities that are typical of these aged white wines. The wines mature in oak casks for variable periods of time, with the average age of all the wines in the blend defining the age on the label. The resulting blend expresses the characteristics given by the ageing in wood.
ABV 20.00%, Residual Sugars 116 g/dm
Waitrose Cellar £39.50
The favourite wines of the evening were the white Priorat and the Kopke white port;
taking account of the price point, the best value wine was the Planalto.
The wines were accompanied by three cheeses. crackers, salted almonds (for the sherry) and madeleines (for the port).
