Mr Wheeler has an illustrious history. Its origins in Colchester, Essex, date back to 1883 when George Wheeler, great-great-grandfather of current Chairman Johnny Wheeler, first joined the wine industry. Since then the business has evolved to meet changing times and a changing wine scene.
Today their physical store has relocated to a rural location just outside Colchester, but a natural extension of the business is their substantial online presence at mrwheelerwine.com. As well as a wide range of affordable bottles, their Fine Wine Plan allows customers to build and track their portfolio of collectible wines thanks to Mr Wheeler’s long term relationships with prestigious global wineries.
I was recently sent a selection of 12 wines to taste for myself.
Sparkling & White Wines
(2024) From Côte des Bar récoltants manipulants, Champagne Guilleminot, this is 100% Pinot Noir with around 30% reserve wines in the blend. It is bottled with 9g/l dosage. Nettle and fresh, crunching small berries with a subtle biscuit background. In the mouth this is super fresh. There is texture, with a foamy mousse filling the mouth, then the combination of sherbetty lemon and redcurrant fruit and acidity creates a zingy, vibrant style. The dosage adds an easy drinking hint of sweetness, for a useful all-rounder Champagne of good quality.
Domaine de la Jasse, Une Belle Histoire 2022
Languedoc, France, Dry White, DIAM, 11.5% abv(2024) Refreshing is the word here, for an unusual wine made from 100% Rolle (the local name for the grape also known as Vermentino) and in a pétillant style, that is, gently spritzy rather than fully sparkling. A little melon and peach joins nettle and much drier, apple core aromas. Featherweight in the mouth through that delicate bubble and fresh style, and its modest 11.5% alcohol, it is dry, a little Muscat-like perhaps, with plenty salts and citrus acid. Unusual and really rather nice for this summer. Watch the video for more information.
Abadia do Seixo, Rías Baixas Albariño 2022
Galicia, Spain, Dry White, Cork, 13.0% abv(2024) From vineyards in the Val do Salnés, this Albariño is cool-fermented in stainless steel. Vibrant, crunchy green apple dominates the nose, all about zip and crunch, a little suggestion of ozone freshness. In the mouth all that citrus and green apple bite and zing is there, but there's some succulence and delicately tropical fruit plus an orange-like combination of sweetness and freshness into the finish.
Penedo Borges, Prisma Gran Chardonnay 2021
Mendoza, Argentina, Dry White, DIAM, 14.0% abv(2024) From the high altitude vineyards of Luján de Cuyo at 1050 metres, just 15% of this Chardonnay spent six months in oak, all used barrels. Yellowy green in the glass. A little bit of violet fig and crushed almond over juicy, ripe pear and stone fruits. The palate is lovely: there's a spicy, herb edged hint of leafy dill that sits alongside ripe, exotic fruits. In the background, the layer of toast and sesame seed from the barrels is cut through with a vivid navel orange juicy acidity. Very delicious in the final analysis.
Jean Loron, Mâcon-Villages 'Rift 71' 2022
Burgundy, France, Dry White, DIAM, 12.5% abv(2024) From various linestone-rich terroirs of the Mâconnais, this is made without the addition of sulphur at any stage. It has a natural wine feel, stony, creamy and lightly earthy and spicy aromas, rather than anything overtly fruity. The palate too is dry, like apple cores rather than sweet flesh, yet there is juiciness here too. The texture is quite creamy and rich and the finish clean and fresh. An interesting wine, unlike most conventional Mâcon Chardonnay, but intriguing and food-friendly. I'd be thinking chicken with tarragon or morels perhaps.
Nicolas Millet, Sancerre 'Les Garennes' 2022
Loire, France, Dry White, Cork, 12.5% abv(2024) Nicolas Millet is the ninth generation of his family farming grapes in the Loire Valley, and this Sancerre is aged eight months in stainless steel before release. There's a fine flinty hint of gunpowder on the nose before slicing, cool apple and lemon fruit just touching into something more tropical. A little elderflower edge is apparent. In the mouth, crystalline and text book Sancerre, brisk and clean as a whistle but with a richness of fruit to fill it out.
Rose & Red Wines
Maison Angelvin, Cotes de Provence Rosé 2022
Provence, France, Dry Rosé, Cork, 13.0% abv(2024) A pale and typical Grenache-dominated blend, aromas are distinctly fruity - small red berries and raspberry berries- with just a suggestion of stony minerality. The palate hints at pomegranate and even passion fruit but the acidity is brisk and sweeps this up into a balanced and really quite powerful finish with acidity and a hint of tannic grip.
Domaine d'O, Pinot Noir 2022
Languedoc, France, Dry Red, DIAM, 14.5% abv(2024) From the Haut Vallée de l'Aude, an IGP appellation around Limoux in the Languedoc. This is made by Burgundy-born Oliver Lemstra and is aged in both tank and new French oak barrels for eight months. The oak comes from the forest of Bertrange on the right bank of the River Loire, due west of Dijon. It's a powerful wine with its 14.5% alcohol, but there's a translucent rim to the garnet colour, and aromas do encompass spice and floral notes as well as red fruits. In the mouth that sweetness of ripe fruit comes through, cherry and bramble to the fore, a hint of the tobacco spiciness again and quite a dry tannic background. Acid is well balanced in a wine that retains some elegance despite the rather high alcohol.
Bodega San Gregorio, Las Martas Garnacha 2021
Calatayud, Spain, Dry Red, DIAM, 15.5% abv(2024) Watch out for the 15.5% alcohol in this heady Grenache from the north of Spain. Vineyards at between 600 and 1000 metres altitude, vines for this wine planted in the 1940s as dry-farmed bush vines. There's a confiture plum, sweet richness to the aroma, maybe even a hint of something like pomegranate in quite a perfumed style. In the mouth that high alcohol sits relatively easily, with enough charm to the red fruit character, spices and hints of garrigue herbs. There's a hint of mulled fruit here perhaps, but the ripeness is juice and the acid balance is good too, which helps freshen and add elegance to the dusty tannins. Watch the video for tasting notes and more information.
Penedo Borges, Cepas Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Mendoza, Argentina, Dry Red, Cork, 14.5% abv(2024) From a single vineyard at altitude in Agrelo, Mendoza, just 15% of the wine saw barrels; six months in French and American oak. There's a balsamic, tapenade note here, sitting atop deep plum and bramble fruit, the char of the oak evident too. Blackcurrant emerges once that initial impression subsides a little. In the mouth the sweet ripeness of the Cabernet asserts. Whilst there's a certain creaminess and that layer of oaky spice, this stays quite focused and clean, tannins and acids quite soft but they are there. It's a wine made for a steak I think.
Enzo Boglietti, Barbera d'Alba 2021
Piedmont, Italy, Dry Red, Cork, 14.5% abv(2024) The Boglietti winery was established in 1991, and remains in family hands. Twenty-one hectares in La Morra are farmed by Renato, while son Enzo is winemaker and manager. This Barbera spent nine months in older oak, but there is just a faint charry note against firm red fruit. It has a gravel and cedar sense of taut precision. In the mouth there is plentiful red fruit that is dry and savoury too. A keen raspberry and cherry edge to the acidity, firm, tight-grained tannins and just that touch of creaminess from the barrels add up to a very grown-up, modern and well-balanced wine with time ahead of it.
Colinas do Douro, Reserva Tinto 2019
Douro, Portugal, Dry Red, Cork, 14.5% abv(2024) Typical Douro blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz and Sousão from vineyards at 450 to 650 metres altitude. The wine spent 12 months in French oak barriques. It has a most attractive tove nose, sweet black fruits with an elegant sheen of vanilla, touches of espresso and, to balance, violet, add layers of interest. A balsamic edge of sweet and savoury character lies o er the rich black fruit of the palate, the whole picture balanced with enough structure, but a hint of sumptuous richness.