Robin Davis of Swig Wines, specialists in sourcing quirky wines from passionate, artisanal and often eccentric producers, sent me so many bottles to choose from that I got in a right stew. Mrs Ray despaired at my indecision and repaired upstairs with a bottle and a box set. I couldn’t whittle the selection down to six, so came up with the following ten and no mixed case.
A classic blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc which would easily pass for a wine twice the price
The 2023 Christoph Bauer Gemischter Schatz (literal translation: ‘mixed treasure’) (1) from Jetzelsdorf, north of Vienna, is like nothing else I’ve come across in Austria, being a field blend of co-fermented Welsch-riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Neuberger and Traminer. It’s light, fresh, citrusy and appley and, as Herr Bauer says, blumig, fruchtig and duftig. £13.95 down from £16.95.
I was greatly taken by the 2023 Nai e Señora Albariño (2), from a small family winery in the Salnés Valley, Rías Baixas, Spain.
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