Exploring the Old World - Case of 12

Vintage: 2011

A smooth and easy-drinking Bordeaux red with hallmark aromas of cassis, leather and cedarwood. Flavours of creamy ripe plum and blackcurrant leaf are underpinned by fine tannins and a delicious savoury note in this stylish, lightly oaked red.

About this bottle: Château de Sours dates back to the 14th century, and vines were first planted here by the Comtes du Richemont in the late 1700s. Made for us by one of Bordeaux's talented new-wave of winemakers Valerie Valmy, Château Richemont red is a terrific example of how modern techniques and traditional know-how can be used to create wines with both purity of flavour and a real sense of place. Made predominantly from Merlot with a splash of leafy Cabernet Franc, this wine was aged for a short period of time in French oak barrels to lend texture and depth of flavour.

Vintage: 2013

Vibrant bright yellow wine with hints of gold. Its fresh apricot aromas sing out of the glass just as vividly, and the satin-smooth vanilla characters of the Viura and Chardonnay grapes - rounded and richly fulfilling - envelop the palate to a long finish.

About this bottle: From the Rioja Baja, on the left bank of the River Ebro, its vineyards bordering the Spanish region of Navarra, this pure Viura stands proud as a fine white wine amid a tide of famous reds. Winemaker Borja Ripa has added a small proportion (15%) of Chardonnay for extra richness and fullness, but this very dignified white needs no oak. The Manzanos family has been producing wine for over 120 years and is now in its 5th generation.

Vintage: 2014

Deep dark red wine with intense aromas of blackberry and prune, and powerful dark fruit on the palate too - satin-smooth and richly concentrated, with a streak of vigorous apple acidity keeping all the wonderful bramble flavours lifted and lively to the finish.

About this bottle: Winemaker Claudio Manera is known as the godfather of Barbera. This juicy easy-drinking grape has been beloved in Northern Italy for generations, but Claudio has devoted recent years to bringing it to a world-wide audience. Now, it not only works as an everyday wine, but as a graceful accompaniment to the finest dinner table. This bold red comes from.

Vintage: 2010

An elegant unoaked Chardonnay with citrus flower and tropical fruit aromas over a fresh, rounded palate that offers some intruiging mineral notes on the finish.

About this bottle: Georges Duboeuf is one of the best known producers and négociants in Mâcon and Beaujolais. Renowned for their consistency and quality, Duboeuf wines cover almost every appellation within these Burgundy sub-regions - plus many more beside. This classic Mâconnais Chardonnay is from one of the higher quality village areas, where the vines are farmed with a lutte raisonnée agricultural approach: a system of organic farming that eschews chemical procedures in favour of natural and low-impact ones.