← Wine Picks
2026-04-01 · Case #2 · 6 bottles
April 2026
Six countries, six stories. Volcanic Sicilian elegance, the “Lafite of the Languedoc,” Eben Sadie’s Swartland, Greek Xinomavro from Naoussa, Austrian Riesling from a pioneer, and a £16.50 Douro red from Portuguese royalty.
At a Glance
Second month. Henry mentioned loving Ridge Geyserville 2021 — confirming he values restraint, complexity, and wines where terroir trumps varietal. This case pushes further into new territory: Greece, Sicily, Languedoc, and Austria are all first appearances. The Douro and Swartland picks bridge familiar ground with elevated producers. No repeats from March.
6 bottles
£192.50 total
6 countries
2 retailers
The Wines
Nerello Mascalese
Etna, Sicily
Splurge
Berry Bros & Rudd
Henry rates Pinot Noir among his favourite grapes — Merry Edwards 4.7, Sea Smoke 4.7. Nerello Mascalese from Etna’s volcanic slopes speaks the same language: translucent colour, lifted aromatics, silky texture. But where Pinot delivers orchard fruit and forest floor, Nerello adds blood orange, sage, and a granite-mineral spine from 600m-altitude, 80-year-old alberello-trained vines. Monica Larner gave this 94/100. “Extremely clean and vertical in personality.” If he loves Pinot for its elegance, this will thrill him. If he loves it for its earthiness, even more so.
- Food pairing
- Grilled lamb chops with rosemary, wild mushroom pasta, aged pecorino
- When to open
- Now (decant 1 hr) or cellar to 2040
- Confidence
- High — Pinot lover meets volcanic Pinot
- ABV
- 14.5%
Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Languedoc, France
Splurge
Berry Bros & Rudd
The “Lafite of the Languedoc.” Henry’s feedback on Ridge Geyserville tells us he loves restrained, complex blends where terroir matters more than varietal character — Daumas Gassac is the French equivalent. Cabernet Sauvignon at 84%, but the remaining 16% includes Pinot Noir, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and rare grapes like Saperavi and Carménère. Glacial gravel over volcanic subsoil gives a wild, garrigue-scented complexity. James Suckling 94: “leather, pencil lead, dried herbs, stones.” At 13% ABV, this is structure and finesse, not power. Only 50% barrel-aged, and only one in seven barrels is new.
- Food pairing
- Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb, cassoulet, aged Comté
- When to open
- Cellar to 2027+ ideally, or decant 2–3 hrs now
- Confidence
- High — complexity + restraint = his sweet spot
- ABV
- 13%
Syrah
Swartland, South Africa
Anchor
Berry Bros & Rudd
Henry already loves South African reds — Porseleinberg 4.7, Saronsberg 4.6. Eben Sadie is the godfather of Swartland winemaking, the man who proved the region could produce world-class wine. This BBR exclusive from his newly planted vineyards delivers red and black berries with herbal freshness, cranberry tartness, and powdery tannins. At 13% ABV, it’s elegant rather than burly. Comfort zone, but at its absolute ceiling. Assessed by Catriona Felstead MW.
- Food pairing
- Braised oxtail, bobotie, grilled ribeye with chimichurri
- When to open
- Drink now — ready and drinking beautifully
- Confidence
- Very high — familiar region, finest producer
- ABV
- 13%
Xinomavro
Naoussa, Greece
Discovery
The Wine Society
Xinomavro — “sour black” — is Greece’s answer to Nebbiolo: tannic, high-acid, complex, age-worthy. Often compared to top Barolo. Apostolos Thymiopoulos is the leading young biodynamic producer in Naoussa, farming 50-year-old vines on chalky, green slate, and red marble soils. Cherry, black tea, tomato leaf, blackberry, with dusty tannins and bright acidity. Jancis Robinson called it “exciting” and “good value.” Henry embraced Nebbiolo last month — this shares the DNA but from a wilder, less polished origin. Drinking window to 2035.
- Food pairing
- Moussaka, slow-roasted lamb, grilled aubergine
- When to open
- Now (decant 1–2 hrs) or cellar to 2035
- Confidence
- Medium-high — tannic but should suit his palate
- ABV
- 13.5%
Riesling
Kamptal, Austria
Discovery
The Wine Society
Henry barely explores whites outside Chardonnay, but this has enough substance to bridge the gap. Willi Bründlmayer is arguably Austria’s greatest winemaker — a pioneer who cemented the country’s reputation for world-class dry Riesling. At 13% ABV, this has real weight: stone fruit, white pepper, and a stony minerality that lingers. Organic, dry, and subtly complex rather than showy. If the Portuguese Encruzado from March opened a door, this should kick it wide open.
- Food pairing
- Thai green curry, grilled prawns, charcuterie, dim sum
- When to open
- Drink now, or cellar to 2033
- Confidence
- Medium — genuine stretch, but the weight helps
- ABV
- 13%
Touriga Franca / Baga
Douro, Portugal
Value Bomb
The Wine Society
Quinta do Vale Meão is Portuguese wine royalty — the estate was developed in 1877 by Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, and it’s the original home of Barca-Velha, Portugal’s most celebrated red (£700+ at BBR). This Exhibition bottling is made by her great-great-grandson, foot-trodden in century-old granite lagares. Dark fruit, rose petal, lavender, broad silky palate. At £16.50 from an estate of this calibre, it’s one of the best quality-to-price ratios in wine. Henry loves wines that “drink like 3x the price” — this delivers exactly that from a region he hasn’t explored.
- Food pairing
- Reblochon, roast duck, hearty bean stews
- When to open
- Drink now, or hold to 2031
- Confidence
- High — the style is squarely his, just new terrain
- ABV
- 13%
Order Summary
Graci Feudo di Mezzo Etna Rosso 2022
£52.00
Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge 2021
£45.00
BBR Swartland Red, Sadie Family 2023
£35.00
Thymiopoulos Earth and Sky, Naoussa 2023
£25.00
Bründlmayer Terrassen Riesling 2023
£19.00
Exhibition Douro 2022 (Vale Meão)
£16.50
Wine Society discount
−£20.00
Total
£172.50
3 wines from Berry Bros & Rudd, 3 from The Wine Society. Wine Society applied £20 discount; delivery free. BBR requires manual ordering (password reset needed after site upgrade).