A Portfolio Tasting in Scotland

With views overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the top floor rooms at the New Club provided the perfect setting to showcase a snapshot of our 3,000 strong portfolio. It is always a daunting process for our Buyers to pick a broad sweep of bottles to show clients at our tastings, representing some of our best and brightest producers, however, with more than 100 wines opened from across France, Germany, Spain, Austria, South Africa, Champagne, America, South America, Australia and New Zealand, there were plenty of old favourites and new gems for guests to discover.

As guests entered they were treated to a selection of white wines from Spain and Germany, including our Rias Baixas and the ever popular Ossian from Spain, and Okonomierat Rebholz, Schloss Lieser and Von Schubert from Germany. Rebholz, in particular, displayed uncompromising, precise and pure examples.

The wines of the Loire followed, with bottles on show from Famille Lieubeau, Domaine Beausejour, Lucien Crochet, Vincent Pinard, Thibaud Boudignon and Domaine de la Taille aux Loups. This made way for the whites from Burgundy and the Jura, including: Christophe Denizot, Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Bachelet Monnot, Domaine Oudin, Bruno Clair and Château de Meursault from Burgundy and Domaine du Pelican from the Jura.  Domaine du Pelican showing particularly well – these exceptional biodynamic wines mix finesse with thrilling Jurassien character.

To round off the whites, there were bottles on show from Domaine Montrose, Chêne Bleu and Domaine Boucabeille as well as gems from Italy, including: Gini, Rocca del Principe, Tenuta delle Terre Nere.

The reds were next, and the line-up was no less impressive, including bottles from: Joseph Drouhin, Bruno Clair, Eric de Suremain, Bachelet Monnot, Château de Meursault and our latest addition to our portfolio from South Africa; David & Nadia. Wines that above all speak of pristine, lifted fruit, tense yet silken textures, and an inimitable sense of place.

As one of the only merchants to still operate from central Edinburgh, we were delighted to invite representatives from some of Scotland’s finest establishments where our bottles can be enjoyed, as well as private clients, to the tasting. Particular favourites on the day included our exclusive Grower Champagnes from Forget Brimont, Pascal Doquet, Egly Ouriet, the spicy full-flavoured wines from South West France and Rhone, and of course, the wines from the Loire and Burgundy.

Additionally, for the first time, (and not the last), we showed a rare and exciting range of premium Malt whiskies – something that created a great deal of interest given recent news of much sought-after Malt whisky being sold at Auction. Tod Bradbury, Justerinis’ Head of Rare and Prestige Whisky was on hand to guide customers through a selection of whiskies from Speyside and the Highlands. The full line-up included: Inchgower, 14 Year Old, Linkwood, 12 Year Old, Strathmill, 12 Year Old, Auchroisk, 10 Year Old, Glen Spey, 12 Year Old, Glenlossie, 10 Year Old, Teaninich, 10 Year Old, Benrinnes, 15 Year Old, Blair Athol, 12 Year Old and Dailuaine, 16 Year Old.