Summer Party Wines

Welcome, everyone, to our Explorers Club selection for this month where we are exploring vibrant, refreshing wines perfect for warm days, backyard barbecues, and sunset gatherings. We will taste crisp whites, chilled rosés and reds designed to beat the heat and pair effortlessly with seasonal foods. Let’s raise a glass to sunshine, great company, and fantastic bottles....

Lex Langmann Schilcher Frizzante NV, Austria

The first wine we feature today is the perfect introduction to our Summer Party. Bold, fun and fresh, it is actually a whole party in itself! Blauer Wildbacher is a red grape normally used only in the famous Schilcher Rosé.  It is dark and quite tannic, and yet produces beautiful fresh and intense rosé. 

For 250 years, the Langmann family has dedicated themselves to the Blauer Wildbacher grape variety , from which the regional specialty Schilcher is produced. In Austria's most barren and steepest wine-growing region, the Langmann family cultivates their vines – on high slopes with dizzying inclines. Here, in picturesque western Styria, at the foot of the Koralpe mountain range, the cool Alpine weather and clear air have a beneficial effect on the vines, guaranteeing freshness, stunning aromas, and a light, elegant character.
This wonderful frizzante example has a vibrant character with notes of raspberries, citrus and rose petals and is just so refreshing...

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Tipsy Baby "Guilty Pleasure" White, Georgia

Chelti Winery is one of Georgia's finest family owned wineries whose wines receive multiple awards each vintage. The history of the winery can be traced back to the last century when the ancestors of the Marianashvili family built their first wine cellars, now, Giorgi and his children Ana and Andria head up the wine-making and operations.

Chelti's newest creation - Tipsy Baby offers a more modern take and is designed to be perfect for any party! Their 'Guilty Pleasure' white is a dry wine crafted from a blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes which provide a full-bodied structure, while imparting a cheerful and light character to the wine.

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Gizella Estate Blend, Hungary

The Gizella Estate blend is a fabulous introduction to Tokaji and is the perfect combination of the two key local grape varieties - honeyed and rounded Harslevelu and racy, vibrant Furmint.

The Estate Blend covers three villages and eight vineyards of Furmint and Harslevelu fruit, picked from vines between five and 50 years' old and then whole bunch pressed and fermented in stainless steel. The wine is 53% Harslevelu and 47% Furmint and is macro-expression of Tokaj terroir. The Harslevelu ensures the finished wine never feels too dry whilst the acidity of Furmint is on hand to provide constant refreshment . 

Exudes aromas of green apple, quince, and fresh orchard fruit with a touch of honeyed depth. On the palate  - Zesty, light, and juicy. Features exotic pineapple and pear balanced by crisp acidity and characteristically fine Tokaji volcanic minerality.

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Vila Nova Vinho Verde Rose, Portugal

Nothing screams Summer more than a chilled glass of Vinho Verde.... 
Coming from the Minho region of Northwest Portugal famous for producing wines that are light, crisp, and often feature a signature slight effervescence. The name literally translates to "green wine," which refers to the lush, green landscape of the Minho region where it is made, as well as the fact that these wines are meant to be consumed young. Produced from the local red Espadeiro grape, this wine offers fresh red berries on the nose, the palate has delicate wild strawberry and zesty redcurrant fruit and is off-dry with a soft and appealing finish. Being naturally lower in alcohol it is also perfect for long, lazy days in the garden.....

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Finca Buenaventura 'Nativo' Malbec, Uco Valley, Argentina

For anyone enjoying a barbeque this Summer our next wine is the perfect partner. The Uco Valley is Argentina’s premier high-altitude wine-producing region. Located southwest of Mendoza, it stretches across Tupungato, Tunuyán, and San Carlos. Famous for its world-class Malbec, it sits at the base of the Andes mountains at elevations up to 1,700 meters. The 'Nativo' Malbec from Finca Buenaventura is a beautifully pure expression with dark fruit and a lovely savoury coffee-chocolate edge which prevents any jamminess. 

Deep violet-red in colour. The nose is expressive and concentrated, revealing ripe black fruit aromas of plum and blackberry, lifted by a subtle violet floral note with hints of chocolate. The palate is juicy and well-structured, with supple, approachable tannins and a moreish finish.

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Pizzato Fausto Brut NV, Brazil

This month we absolutely had to include a proper celebration wine and here it is!

Brazil is finally starting to get the recognition it deserves as a producer of exciting sparkling wines with the quality and value to hold their own against the rest of the world. Like many Brazilian producers Pizzato Fausto has their origins in Italy, originally making wines from their own imported Bonarda vines. Still completely family owned and operated, the winemaking is handled by brothers Ivo and Flavio Pizzato, who forged a stellar reputation with their red wine making and now keep raising the bar with the quality of their sparkling wines too. This example is a great alternative to a cremant - a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which is wonderfully refreshing and not too dry - the perfect Summer drink!