Tenuta San Pietro, Piemonte

After a week in the hills of Piemonte, I stumbled across a biodynamic vineyard in Gavi. On a hot afternoon it was not the biodynamic bit that grabbed my attention.....it was more that I had a raging thirst and there was cold white wine on offer.

One thing always leads to another in this line of work, and I soon discovered that I had tasted the range and enjoyed the lot. Two white Gavi wines, a few sparkling, and a couple of reds and of course Grappa to finish. I loved the wine making, the style, quality and complexity of the wines.

Having brought a few cases home, we finished the last bottle on the weekend. I want more, but can only get the San Pietro Gavi here, priced £18. The reds and fizz are not available.

So, we are going to ship a load into the country and want to share the joy. In order to make this work we are going to offer the 1st 35 cases of the range at up to nearly half normal price. The last 15 cases we intend to put on the shelves and sell as normal. We are going to not place the wine in bond, cut out as many of the shipping and handling costs as possible and get it to you at the best price we possibly can. Our real benefit is that we then get the balance of a great collection of wines to put on our shelves.

Please note, you can mix and do not have to order unbroken cases. We want you to try them all if possible. However, we do need a minimum of 1 case order. Depending on where you are and how many cases you order will depend on delivery costs. Free to locality of our shops and Fulham and any spend over £150 for most other places.

Please send in orders by return. Closing date is 15th October. We will contact you regarding delivery dates, payment details and other details.

Gavi San Pietro DOCG 2014 £17.99 Offer £10

100% Cortese grape. I think the key here is, apart from all the other aspects of the process, the wines remain on the yeasts for up to 3 months, adding to the gentle complexity of the wine. Intense scents of white flowers and fruit are exacerbated by a delicate minerality. With fresh, good structure matched with a graceful elegance and well-balanced acidity. Really good.

Gavi DOCG Il Mandorlo 2014 £22.99 Offer £14.50

Gavi coming from the grapes of the Mandorlo vineyard, one of the most historic of the Tenuta, which covers a gentle hillside overlooked by a century old almond tree. Where does this richness come from? The wines are left on the yeasts for an extra month and the yields are slightly less. So the extra richness and the complexity must come from the location of the vineyard. The scent has lovely hints of almond and flowers. On the palate rich, floral overtones, minerals and a slight creaminess from the yeast contact. A pretty long finish.

Monferrato Rosso DOC 2012 £18.99 Offer £11

Red wine made from a blend of Albarossa, Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes...not something we are used to....but really delicious. The wine is made simply, which is really the key here. It is then left in tank for a year, so that the 3 different grapes have enough time to marry completely. I had my first bottle after we got back, sitting on our back step, sun shining (just), munching a bit of Manchego. The wine has a ripe vivacity. It is a mix of blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. But it has body.

Monferrato Rosso DOC Bellavita 2011 £26.99 Offer £16.50

Wow. The same blend as the more simple (joke) wine above. But...50% less yield from the vines, quite a lot of pumping over in the fermentation vessels to extract colour and richness, combined with up to 2 years in French oak barrels. On the face of it, this should be a hard wine when young....but it is now 4 years old and is really softening into a delightful, rich, ripe....but not too heavy...red. Not a monster at all. It will go really well with stews, steaks, lamb and especially a good filet. I drank this wine 2 weeks ago (again), but over 4 separate nights. I really enjoyed it.

San Pietro Sparkling Brut £18.99 Offer £12.50

This was a surprise. A blend of Cortese and Chardonnay, the wine is biodynamic and made with the same care as the still whites. It is no Prosecco, and has a lot of 'class'. It has a simple elegance, light floral touches and a yummy creamy mousse. We drank this just before wandering out for a family night at the local Pizzeria and am really looking forward to getting some more over here.

San Pietro Sparkling Brut Rose £18.99 Offer £12.50

100% Albarossa as anything, let alone as a sparkler, will be a first for most. The winemaker has captured fresh picked red fruits and blackcurrant, with even a hint of rose. How?! With just 2 hours on the skins, the colour has just enough depth. Again, rich and creamy mouse, this will be lovely on Christmas morning, if you could keep it hidden this long!

Please feel free to call to discuss, or email if easier. We hope you like what you read and we are sure, if you participate, you will enjoy the wines.