the top 20 society and top 10 exhibition wines - The Wine Society

THE TOP 20 SOCIETY WINESUK delivery is free for any 12 bottles, pre-mixed case or when you spend £75 or moreThe Society’s New Zealand SauvignonBlanc, MarlboroughThe fruit for this wine is selected by Villa Maria from theirarray of vineyards spread across the Wairau and Awaterevalleys of Marlborough, each vineyard displaying its ownunique characteristics. Classic Kiwi sauvignon with ripegooseberry fruit, a hint of grass cuttings and amouthwatering crisp finish. 13%ref SE-NZ6111 £9.25 bottle £111 dozen17 1918The Society’s Red BurgundyGood ordinary Burgundy is as difficult to hunt down asthe elusive snipe, pictured on the front label, but theymake perfect partners on the dinner table. This wine isproduced for us by the Cave de Vignerons de Buxy in theCôte Chalonnaise, a forward-thinking and quality-drivenco-operative. A modest but delicious pinot noir scentedwith the aroma of cherries with a fresh and elegant palate.Best served on the cool side. 13.5%ref SE-BU9031 £8.25 bottle £99 dozen20The Society’s CorbièresWe were delighted to give The Society Corbières warrantto Pierre Bories at Château Ollieux Romanis. His is anuntypically large property in the commune of Boutenac,one of the best of the appellation, and there is no shortageof quality, diversity and quantity – a rare blend from thesame stable. This plummy, herb-tinged red is a mix ofcarignan, grenache and syrah that could come fromnowhere else. 14.5%ref SE-FC17551 £7.25 bottle £87 dozenThe Society’s Muscadet Sèvre-et-Mainesur LieThe best quality Muscadet is always drawn straight off thelees without racking, hence the name ‘Muscadet sur Lie’.Chéreau-Carré are specialists and have been supplying ourown-label wine for a quarter of a century. Super reliableand, of course, excellent with shellfish. 12%ref SE-LO9001 £6.25 bottle £75 dozen6 To order thewinesociety.com/societytop30 ☎ 01438 740222 smartphone app

THE TOP 10 Exhibition WinesExhibition wines come from a closely defined geographical area, where a grape variety, or blend of varieties, isparticularly suited to the climate, topography and soil, and may be produced from older vines, giving rise to a wine ofgreater intensity, expression, quality and character. Many of these wines are exclusive cuvées made by growers whodon’t make these wines for anyone else. Where necessary the wine is matured in The Society’s cellars until ready todrink. All the wines undergo a stringent selection process in which the buyers look for typicity, flavour and character andthey don’t hesitate to drop the wine in the case of a weaker vintage. These are the top five bestselling reds and whitesfrom the range. To view the rest, visit thewinesociety.com/exhibitionTop Exhibition RedsThe Society’s Exhibition Haut-Médoc, 2007Under the same ownership as Château Beychevelle inSaint-Julien, Château Beaumont is an enduring favouritewith Society members, so we were delighted to secure acuvée from the 2007 harvest for this Exhibition bottling.The classic left-bank blend favours the dark, plummy fruitof cabernet sauvignon, with a lovely lick of mellow oakon the palate. Drink this year and next. 12.5%ref SE-CM14811 £11.95 bottle £143 dozen1 32The Society’s Exhibition Rioja Reserva, 2005It was quite a coup for Society buyer Pierre Mansour topersuade the famous La Rioja Alta bodega to bottle thisdelicious cuvée under our Exhibition label. This is aperfect example of traditionally made Rioja, releasedonly after long ageing in barrel and bottle resultingin a complex, lengthy wine with fine, delicate texture.Amazingly fragrant and stylish, this is silky withsmoky fruit and lovely balance. Now to 2015. 12.5%The 2006 follows.ref SE-SP6641 £12.75 bottle £153 dozen45The Society’s Exhibition Chianti Classico, 2009The seductive tea-bread and spice-jar aromas of ripe,high-quality sangiovese, a smooth, velvety texture and dry,palate-bracing finish evokes Tuscany as surely as a row ofcypresses. We rely on the high-performing Poggiopiano estatein San Casciano, a few miles east of Florence, to tick all theseboxes, and the ripe, charming 2009 vintage makes thisearly-maturing style even more engaging. Now to 2017. 14%ref SE-IT15041 £11.95 bottle £143 dozenThe Society’s Exhibition Peumo Merlot, 2010The 2010 is the best-ever vintage of this exemplary Chileanred. Rich, ripe and plummy, scented with cedar, and vanillafrom the oak, yet finishes with such an uplifting freshness thatanother glass beckons. Now to 2018. 14.5%ref SE-CE6171 £9.50 bottle £114 dozenThe Society’s Exhibition Juliénas, 2010Juliénas is one of the northernmost crus; some say this waswhere the first vines were planted in Beaujolais and the nameharks back to Julius Caesar. The 2010 is brilliant: deliciouslyfruity but with plenty of upholstery making it a solid foodwine. Now to 2014. 13%ref SE-BJ4941 £8.75 bottle £105 dozen7

Top Exhibition Whites12The Society’s Exhibition MarlboroughSauvignon Blanc, 2011Made for The Society by Hunter’s Wines, this stylish yetripe-tasting Kiwi sauvignon has a pristine aroma and azesty, long finish. Grower Jane Hunter OBE is a long-termSociety favourite and a pioneer of Marlborough sauvignonblanc. Her immaculately tended vines are amongst theoldest in the region, which is the secret to the wine’sintense style. Now to 2013. 13.5%ref SE-NZ6001 £10.95 bottle £131 dozenThe Society’s Exhibition Chablis PremierCru Mont de Milieu, Brocard, 2009Made without the use of oak, this is a fresh, mineralChablis by Jean-Marc Brocard, one of the leading lights inthe region and a supplier of fine wines to The Society formany years. The Mont de Milieu vineyard is south-facing,producing healthy ripe fruit with good, natural freshness.Now to 2013. 13%ref SE-BU46801 £16 bottle £192 dozen345The Society’s Exhibition Sancerre, 2010This is made for us by Franck and Christine Laloue, thebrother-and-sister team who now run Domaine SergeLaloue from their immaculate cellar in Thauvenay, justoutside the town of Sancerre itself. Fresher and moremineral in the new vintage which has the lipsmackingacidity and moderate alcohol more typical of classicLoire sauvignon. Now to 2015. 13%ref SE-LO9091 £12.50 bottle £150 dozenThe Society’s Exhibition Gewurztraminer,2008This full, rich and fragrant gewurztraminer is made forThe Society by Hugel & fils, one of the best-knownAlsace Houses with a reputation for excellence goingback to the 17th century. Hugel’s gewurztraminers havesplendid fruit and body to match the scented perfumeof this spicy grape. Now to 2013. 13%ref SE-AL9211 £13.75 bottle £165 dozenThe Society’s Exhibition Grüner Veltliner,2010Cleverly blended for us by Austrian icon WilliBründlmayer, partly with fruit from young, terracedvineyards, giving mineral notes and good ageingpotential, and partly from grapes from lower-placedsites on more fertile soils that produce wines moreexpressive in their youth. Drink this year and next.12.5%ref SE-AA1141 £11.95 bottle £143 dozenSee back page for mixed cases containing Exhibition WinesTo order thewinesociety.com/societytop30 ☎ 01438 740222 smartphone app8

MIXED CASESUK delivery is free for all mixed casesTop Society Reds Caseref SE-MX12508 at £74Equivalent to £6.17 per bottleA 12-bottle case containing two bottles of each of thefollowing:The Society’s Claret, BordeauxThe Society’s Rioja CrianzaThe Society’s Côtes-du-RhôneThe Society’s French Full Red, Vin de Pays des CôtesCatalanesThe Society’s Argentine MalbecThe Society’s Chilean Merlot, Rapel ValleyTop Society Whites Caseref SE-MX12509 at £78Equivalent to £6.50 per bottleA 12-bottle case containing two bottles of each of thefollowing unoaked whites:The Society’s Pinot GrigioThe Society’s White Burgundy, Mâcon-VillagesThe Society’s French Dry WhiteThe Society’s Vin de Pays des Côtes de GascogneThe Society’s VerdicchioThe Society’s Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur LieTop Society Wines Caseref SE-MX12510 at £82Equivalent to £6.83 per bottleA 12-bottle case containing a bottle of each of thefollowing:RedsThe Society’s CorbièresThe Society’s Argentine MalbecThe Society’s Chilean Merlot, Rapel ValleyThe Society’s Montepulciano d’AbruzzoThe Society’s Beaujolais-VillagesThe Society’s Rioja CrianzaWhitesThe Society’s New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc,MarlboroughThe Society’s Pinot GrigioThe Society’s White Burgundy, Mâcon-VillagesThe Society’s Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur LieThe Society’s Vin de Pays des Côtes de GascogneThe Society’s Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Valley7/8See back page for mixed casescontaining Exhibition WinesOpento revealExhibitionWinesTo order thewinesociety.com/societytop30 ☎ 01438 740222 smartphone app9

MIXED CASESSee pages 10 – 11 for more mixed casesUK delivery is free for all mixed casesThe Society & ExhibitionComparison CaseSix Society wines go head to head againstExhibition wines in a similar style.ref SE-MX12511 at £112Equivalent to £9.33 per bottleA 12-bottle case containing a bottle of each of thefollowing:The Society’s Claret, BordeauxThe Society’s Exhibition Haut-Médoc, 2007The Society’s Rioja CrianzaThe Society’s Exhibition Rioja Reserva, 2005/2006The Exhibition Taster Caseref SE-MX12507 at £73A six-bottle case containing a bottle of each of the following:RedsThe Society’s Exhibition Haut-Médoc, 2007The Society’s Exhibition Rioja Reserva, 2005/2006The Society’s Exhibition Chianti Classico, 2009The Society’s Exhibition Peumo Merlot, 2010WhitesThe Society’s Exhibition Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc,2011The Society’s Exhibition Chablis Premier CruMont de Milieu, Brocard, 2009The Society’s Beaujolais-VillagesThe Society’s Exhibition Juliénas, 2010The Society’s Chilean Merlot, Rapel ValleyThe Society’s Exhibition Peumo Merlot, 2010The Society’s New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc,MarlboroughThe Society’s Exhibition Marlborough SauvignonBlanc, 2011The Society’s White Burgundy, Mâcon-VillagesThe Society’s Exhibition Chablis Premier Cru Mont deMilieu, Brocard, 2009This offer is open until Sunday 1st April, 2012 while stocks last.To order thewinesociety.com/societytop30 ☎ 01438 740222 smartphone appThe Society’s GuaranteeDrinking wine bought from The Wine Society should be a pleasurable experience. If at any timeyou are dissatisfied, we would like to hear from you. Contact us and we will be pleased to help.twitter.com/TheWineSociety societygrapevine.com facebook.com/TheWineSociety thewinesociety.com/appThe International Exhibition Co-operative Wine Society Limited.Registered Office: Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2BTRegister Number: 1824R (IP)Website thewinesociety.comEnquiries 01438 741177Orders 01438 740222