Explorer Mix - Case of 12

Vintage: 2015

A typical example of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with a powerful, aromatic nose of gooseberries, combined with a full, dry palate and lively crispness throughout.

About this bottle: M&S winemaker Jeneve Williams together with local winemaker Marieta Blasco Pérez have made this top-notch Sauvignon Blanc to exemplify the region's style. Marlborough is renowned for its long summers and cool nights which allow the grapes to ripen slowly in the clean air, increasing flavours and aromas.

Vintage: 2015

A ripe and juicy Shiraz packed with dark berry aromas and whiffs of bonfire smoke.

About this bottle: French wine producer Boutinot branched out into South Africa back in 1994, seeking out plots to grow their beloved Chenin Blanc grape. Since then they’ve become evermore enamoured with the country’s winemaking riches. This Shiraz is from the Swartland region and was made with grapes from vineyards on the trellised shale soils at the northeast of the valley. Winemaker Marinda Kruger-Van Eck fermented the grapes as whole bunches to extract good balancing tannins from the Shiraz fruit. After fermentation, the wine was left on its lees to develop as much depth and richness and possible, with Miranda opting not to age the wine in oak and so really show off the character of the grapes.

Vintage: 2016

A vibrant old-vine Spanish red with ripe cherry, raspberry and blueberry aromas.

About this bottle: Located in the northernmost corner of Murcia, Yecla is a small Spanish wine region lying in a transitional zone between the Mediterranean and the upland plateaux of La Mancha. With vineyards at between 400 and 800 metres, and vast temperate extremes through the year, Yecla is a challenging region to farm, but one that offers the patient vigneron much potential. This wine is made from grapes sourced from non-irrigated bush vines of up to 40 years old in the ‘Las Gruesas’ and ‘Pozuelo’ vineyards. These vineyards sit at around 750 metres, where the vines are interspersed with fragrant rosemary and thyme bushes and look across to the Mount Arabi peak.

Vintage: 2016

A fresh dry Chenin displaying classic baked apple and lime aromas over a full, fleshy palate with creamy baked apple and ripe melon flavours.

About this bottle: South Africa’s Paarl region is renowned for the quality of its growing conditions and the potential of the grapes it produces. This Chenin Blanc was made by Boutinot winemaker Marinda Kruger van Eck, who sourced grapes from mature bush vines growing in unirrigated vineyards in the Paarl and Drakenstein areas. The fruit was hand harvested and only gently handled in the winery, helping to capture its aromatic freshness. Miranda aged the wine on its lees to extract extra depth and character.

Vintage: 2016

A fruity & rounded white wine with flavours of melon & citrus.

About this bottle: An intense Chardonnay made from grapes grown on the banks of the Bremer River in the Langhorne Creek region.

Vintage: 2015

A fruity and unoaked medium-bodied red with flavours of cherries, blackberries, liquorice and spice.

About this bottle: They’ve been making wines in northeast Spain’s sun-kissed Cariñena region for thousands of years now, combining age-old vine growing techniques with modern winemaking methods. The Tempranillo grapes for this wine were grown in the Algairén and Pecos mountains.

Vintage: 2016

An easy-drinking and versatile dry white with flavours of lemons, ripe melon and tropical fruits.

About this bottle: The Macabeo grape is one of Spain’s hidden gems, making fruity, balanced whites like this wherever it’s grown. It ought to be better known, but having over 25 synonyms (it’s known as Viura in Rioja, for instance) it’s a hard one to pin down.

Vintage: 2016

Here is a deliciously easy-to-drink white from Sicily, full of flavours of tropical fruits, peaches and melon.

About this bottle: Western Sicily is a vast grape-growing area, larger even than those of Veneto and Tuscany. It’s the home of Sicily’s famous dessert wine, Marsala, but also the less well known dry whites made from its same indigenous grape varieties, like zesty Cataratto, fragrant Inzolia and Grillo.

Vintage: 2015

Ruby red coloured wine with fresh notes of red berries and Mediterranean flowers. Round and smooth on the palate it will pair perfectly with your Italian dishes, barbecues and light meals.

About this bottle: Vineyards thrive in western Sicily, nurtured by the Mediterranean sun and cool sea breezes. The Nero d’Avola grapes for this wine were sourced from near the town of Marsala (home of the famous sweet wine) while the Nerello Mascalese grape are from a higher area of vines further inland.

Vintage: 2015

This ripe and fruity medium-bodied red has flavours of squishy dark fruits and dried herbs.

About this bottle: Although it isn’t an Italian grape, Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in Sicily’s coastal vineyards. We love this wine’s effortlessly pure ‘sunshine in a bottle’ vibe.

Vintage: 2016

A complex & intense full-bodied red with aromas of Sweet autumn berries, dried flowers and spice.

About this bottle: Here’s a fine example of the kind of rich and spicy red Navarra does so well. This wine just exudes sunny Spanish hillsides of ripening fruit; a lovely food wine.

Vintage: 2016

A crisp and aromatic dry white with flavours of pears, red apples and flowers.

About this bottle: Navarra’s wines have been refreshing pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago since the middle ages. This aromatic white is definitely worth going out of your way for.