The house wines

Catarratto, Il Meridione 2008 (Sicily) £13.90 bottle
Deliciously dry white wine from the heart of Sicily. Plenty of flavour with a crisp refreshing finish.

Chenin Blanc, Rocheburg 2008 (South Africa) £13.90 bottle
Rich and ripe with plenty of tropical fruit. Full-bodied and satisfying without
being cloying. Perfect if you like a rich mouthfull!

Nero d'Avola, Il Meridione 2008 (Sicily) £13.90 bottle
Deep, ruby-red colour, with surprisingly quaffable character. Sweet, ripe fruit
and a hint of tannin.


The Swan House choice

Tempranillo, Navaldar Joven, Bodegas Mateos, Rioja (Spain) £14.70 bottle
It may be young, but it has the heart and soul of classic Rioja, with its ruby red colour, ripe berry flavours and good finish. Its sheer drinkability makes it perfect!

Viura, Navaldar White, Bodegas Mateo, Rioja (Spain) £15.20 bottle
A superb wine, full of the taste of nuts and spices, sharp and yet gentle to the palate with great aftertaste.

Merlot/Petit Verdot, ‘Wilson's Quay’ 2008 (Australia) £14.50 bottle
A New World take on the classic Bordeaux blend, this is rich and satisfying, with full-bodied texture.

Sauvignon Blanc, Puente del Inca 2007 (Chile) £14.50 bottle
Deliciously dry, but positively dripping with up-front fruit.

Colombard/Chardonnay, ‘Wilson’s Quay’ 2007 (Australia) £14.50 bottle
The aromatic, light Colombard lifts this Australian blend, giving it an unexpected – but very refreshing – elegance.

Carmenere, Emiliana 2007 (Chile) £14.80 bottle
The lost grape of Bordeaux! Tastes similar to Merlot but with a lot more pepper and spice.

Pinot Grigio, ‘Laroma’ 2008 (Italy) £14.90 bottle
Lovely and dry, with an aromatic quality. Rich, broad flavours, with a spicy finish.

Corbieres ‘Vielle Vignes’ Chateau Fontareche 2005 (France) £1.90 bottle
From one of the Languedocs finest estates, lovely fibrant nose with ripe damson fruit
and a bit of grip to give a rounded finish.


Elegant and easy red wines

These are all relatively light in style, suitable for quaffing on their own or at lunchtime. They all work well with fish and white meats, and have oodles of character. Flavour levels are high, though tannins are generally quite low.

Tarrango, Waterstone Bridge, Gapsted Wines 2006 (Australia) £15.90 bottle
A unique Australian grape variety, similar to a Beaujolais but is even softer with
mouthwatering redcurrant fruit and supple juicy textures.

Pinot Noir, Tindall, Marlborough 2006 (New Zealand) £23.90 bottle
Elegant but flavour-filled style perfect with fish or chicken.

Fleurie, La Madone 2007 (France) £22.70 bottle, £12.70 half
The flower of Beaujolais – and a gold-medal winner in this magnificent year.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Gallois 2005 (France) £35.50 bottle
Top-end Burgundy from a very hot year. The result is ripe, juicy Pinot Noir at its very best.

Mid-weight, food-friendly reds

The style of this section is altogether more serious. There are elements of
tannin lending the wines structure, and giving them the power to complement
stronger foods.

Côtes du Rhône Villages, Darriaud Reserve 2006 (France) £16.50 bottle
Nice savoury style which cries out for food!

Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon, Norte, Inurrieta, Navarra (Spain) £16.60 bottle
This is an interesting blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. After six months aging in French oak barrels, the softness of the Merlot grape prevails, but the mature, subtle black fruit aromas of the Cabernet Sauvignon remain.

Lalande de Pomerol, Ch les Vieux Ormes, 2005 (France) £23.50 bottle
Classy claret from this exceptional vintage. The heat resulted in fleshy, juicy absurdly attractive wine.

Salicé Salento 2005 (Italy) £16.50 bottle
Oodles of weight, with a nice dry finish. Immensely enjoyable

Syrah/Viognier ‘Croak Rotie’, The Arrogant Frog 2007 (France) £18.50 bottle
Made by a Frenchman with a sense of humour! This wine is no joke though and a brilliant example of this quintessential Rhône blend.

Reserve Shiraz, Castle Creek 2008 (Australia) £15.30 bottle
Lots of weight in this typically Ausie wine. Sweet fruit and a healthy dollop of oak.

Rupert and Rothschild ‘Classique’ 2006 (South Africa) £29.90 bottle
The Rothschilds of Ch. Lafite joined with South Africa’s powerful Rupert family to prove that South Africa can create wines capable of competing with the very best in Bordeaux and it does! Comparable to a fine Pomerol at a fraction of the price.


Blockbuster reds!

These wines are more serious, and less likely to work well with light dishes. All have integrated tannin, which means they are suitable for richer dishes.

Cabernet/Merlot Novas, Organic 2007 (Chile) £17.30 bottle
Deliciously moreish with plenty of soft velvety fruit and a powerful backbone to finish.

Listrac, Château Fourcas-Dumont 2003 (France) £32.70 bottle
Excellent claret, now nicely mature. A frisson of tannin adds weight, but the whole thing entirely in balance. Cries out for food!

Chateauneuf du Pape, Les Galets Roulés 2005 (France) £29.90 bottle
Ridiculously gluggable take on the Rhône’s mightiest wine. Soft, jammy fruit with just a hint of herby garrigue adding interest.

Tempranillo, Navaldar Crianza, Bodegas Mateo, Rioja (Spain) £20.90 bottle
After 14 months maturing in French oak and a further 12 months in the bottle, this Navaldar Crianza is a classic Tempranillo Crianza. With a back note of dry plums, this is a complex wine and yet, very easy to drink. Highly recommended!

Grenache, Mima, Celler Orcella, Montsant (Spain) £19.90 bottle
A powerful young wine, slightly oaky, with fantastic aromas of red berries. Three months in French oak have given it good strong aromas of red fruits and a superior taste of jams and spices. Very long aftertaste. Definitely worth a try!

Barolo, ‘Revello’ 2004 (Italy) £29.90 bottle
The Nebbiolo grape in all its awesome grandeur! Big, tough brute of a
wine, with power oozing from every pore!

Cabernet Sauvignon Adobe, Organic 2007 (Chile) £17.50 bottle
Classic blackcurrant and minty flavours you would expect with a lick of vanilla oak to add complexity.

Grenache, Celler Cal Pla, Priorat (Spain) £24.70 bottle
The wine has rested in American and French oak barrels for 10 months. The result is a superior red, with lots of the classic Grenache aromas and taste.


Crisp and refreshing whites

The common denominator is a crisp acidity, making these wines perfect en aperitif. All are refreshing, with a steely character which cuts through sauces, complementing food perfectly

Sauvignon de Touraine 2007 (France) £16.50 bottle
A Sancerre – Style Sauvignon. Very crisp characteristics, packed with hints of green grass and nettles.

Gavi La Battistina 2008 (Italy) £15.90 bottle
The Chablis of Italy, crisp and refreshing but has plenty of weight and body.

Sancerre, Cuvée Pierre Edgard 2007 (France) £26.50 bottle, £13.90 half
Classic Loire Sauvignon – nice grassy style. Very fresh.

Totara Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2007 (New Zealand) £20.90 bottle
The Kiwi classic, gooseberries and green grass all over the place!

2004 Bornos, Verdejo Cosecha, Rueda (Spain) £14.90 bottle
A dry wine and an excellent example of the Verdejo grape. Clean sharp, dry yet a very soft grape that’s very pleasnat to drink on it’s own.


Fruit-packed, medium weight whites

This section is all about exuberant fruit, so concentrated it makes the wine feel more serious. All are bone-dry, but with a lovely richness coating the palate

Viognier, Commissioner’s Block 2007 (Australia) £15.90 bottle
Intense aromas of peach and musk with luscious stone fruit and a long rich palate. All balanced with fresh acidity on the finish.

Pinot Grigio, ‘Norfolk Rise’ 2007 (Australia) £18.50 bottle
This Australian take on the world’s trendiest grape is richer and more concentrated. Deliciously full-bodied and fresh.

Orchidea, Inurrieta, Sauvignon Blanc, Navarra (Spain) £15.50 bottle
On the nose, intense and very complex floral aromas evolve into tropical fruits lime, pineapple, passion fruit. It's fresh and dry with a very pleasant and long aftertaste.

Riesling, Pirie South 2006 (Tasmania) £22.50 bottle
The hotter climate of Hawkes Bay suits Riesling, resulting in a rich, honeyed style.

Chablis, Pascal Bouchard 2007 (France) £22.80 bottle, £12.30 half
Pure Chardonnay, unoaked. with the unique complexity of great Chablis. Nice hints of mineral.


Full-bodied and rich whites

These wine are all heavier and just a little bit riper. Some have just a whisper food-friendly oak, but all have a pleasing roundness on the palate.

Côtes de Gascogne, Domaine de Pellehaut 2007 (France) £15.90 bottle
An impressive blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Colombard, Ugni Blanc and a touch of Gros Menseng! It is unique as it is outstanding, full of ripe fruit with expertly blended to give an incredibly ripe but elegant wine.

Chardonnay, Bon Courage, Robertson Valley 2008 (South Africa) £19.50 bottle
A great example of barrel-fermented, New World Chardonnay. Intense flavours, but never clumsy or unbalanced. Mouth-filling and richly-textured.

Chenin blanc/Viognier ‘The Ruins’, Bon Cap Estate 2008 (S. Africa) £15.90 bottle
Gently aromatic with plenty of body and peachy fruit. A well balanced and
multi-dimensional wine with honey blossom and lime giving a long but citrusy finish.

Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Vielles Vignes’, Domaine Simonin 2006 (France) £33.50 bottle
Made from 60 year old vines beautifully crafted by Jacques Simonin, this is a truly
great wine. Dry and minerally to start, it then opens to give delicious ripe buttery
fruit and hints of peaches of pears. The finish is then elegant and long.


Rosé

Mediodia, Grenache, Bodegas Inurrieta, Navarra (Spain) £14.90 bottle
A lovely, good-value rose made 100% from Grenache. Powerful never-ending aromas of rose petals are enhanced by strawberry, raspberry and cherry. Dry, fresh and full, it offers good balance and just the right acidity to underscore all those delicious flavours.


Dessert wine

Mistela Negre, Celler Masroig, Mazuela, Montsant (Spain) £17.70 bottle 50cl
This superb red dessert wine has gorgeous hints of chocolate, nuts and fruits in syrup. Yes of course you can enjoy it with desserts, but why not chill it slightly and try as a delicious drink at the end of a meal all on its own?

2007 MR Moscatel, Malaga, Telmo Rodriguez (Spain) £16.90 bottle 50cl
Delicious sweet white from top Spanish producer. Citrus fruit and honey with a lively acidity.


Sparkling and champagnes

Prosecco Frizzante, Lunetta (Italy) £17.50 bottle
The great sparkling wine of Italy has an apple-fresh exuberance. Many prefer it
to champagne.

Champagne, J-P Robert, Brut Reserve (France) £33.50 bottle
Made by a small grower who sells most of his wine to Dom Perignon, this is exuberant and very tasty.

Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label (France) £52.50 bottle
Excellent and dry champagne from one of the region’s most famous and best producers.

Lanvin Brut Reserve (France) £17.90 half bottle
A delicately textured champagne with a decent influence of chardonnay and a long full-bodied finish.

Our list is produced twice per year and occasionally the vintage of our selection may differ from that shown in our listing. Please feel free to ask to see the bottle before ordering.

The Swan House, Beccles,
Suffolk, NR34 9HE England
Telephone: 01502 713474
info@swan-house.com