Six absolute peaches from Haynes Hanson & Clark

Around of applause, please, as we welcome Haynes Hanson & Clark to the Spectator Wine Club. Hurrah! Established almost 50 years ago with shops in Chelsea and the Cotswolds, HHC is a firm favourite of canny wine lovers and I’m delighted to offer their wines. Buying director Sióbhan Astbury sent me some absolute peaches to choose from and it was a thorny exercise narrowing them down, hindered (rather than helped) by Mrs Ray who, with a curt ‘I’m on the phone!’, nicked one of the bottles and buggered off upstairs with it.

Welcome Haynes Hanson & Clark – a firm favourite of canny wine lovers

The 2023 Domaine Gayda ‘Sphère’ Viognier (1) is a charmer from an eye-catching estate in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Owners Tim Ford and Anthony Record and winemaker Vincent Chansault have turned Gayda into a special place where you can taste, dine and stay, and their wines are always worth a punt. Their Viognier is peachy, apricotty and toasty, with just enough acidity for freshness. I love it and its price. £11 down from £12.65.

The 2023 Tinhof Grüner Veltliner (2) is right up my strasse, being a delicious, brilliantly priced example of this most Austrian of varieties. Made in Burgenland by 11th–generation winzer Erwin Tinhof from 40-year-old vines, it might be rather muted on the nose but is full of generous crunchy green apple and citrus fruit in the mouth and makes a great food wine. £13.75 down from £15.65.

I’m pretty sure the 2022 Kellerei Kurtatsch Kerner (3) is the first example we’ve ever offered of this grape variety, a cross between Trollinger and Riesling grown right across the Alto Adige. Made by a well-run 125-year-old co-operative, it’s racy, lemony and peppery and has the freshness of a true mountain wine. £16.60 down from £19.10.