We were thrilled with the response to our inaugural case and now The Field Wine Club spring offer is here, handpicked by The Field and provided by Private Cellar. Guaranteed to cheer the soul and see out lockdown, enjoy free delivery, detailed tasting notes and the choice of a mixed or unmixed dozen, all for £160 – down from £170.72.

Discover more about The Field Wine Club and purchase your case today by visiting Private Cellar’s website.

FROM THE EDITOR

I’m delighted how many keen imbibers took advantage of The Field’s Wine Club offer in our December issue, including several repeat orders. In keeping with the theme, the next selection of top drawer wine comes to you in time for the Easter feast. And if that seems like too long to wait then all the nascent signs of spring (and the clay grounds re-opening) is as little excuse as is needed to try this quarter’s handpicked selection.

The Field’s expert wine columnist, Johnny Ray, alongside leading independent wine merchant Private Cellar has chosen two bottles of six exceptional wines for The Field Wine Club’s mixed case.

The case includes prosecco (the decent variety), Soave, white Rioja (Johnny’s assures me that it “might seem niche but is a corker”) and the red equivalent, organic Tempranillo and a superb value Sangiovese. The case shows exceptional value, comes with free delivery and expert tasting notes. There is also a strictly limited Super Tuscan magnum offer, which will last for ages and presents good wine in the sort of decent quantities we need at the moment.

Alexandra Henton
Editor

The Field Wine Club spring case comes with free delivery, detailed tasting notes and the choice to buy by the mixed or unmixed dozen.

FROM THE FIELD’S WINE COLUMNIST

We’re back in bloody lockdown again – at the time of writing – and I can’t imagine that many readers bothered with Dry January. Oh, and hands up those who have foresworn vino for Lent? Hmmm, just as I thought: nobody. Not this year of all years.

I’ve certainly been hoovering through the hooch, ably assisted by Mrs Ray, who’s nothing if not a team player and never backward in coming forward, glass in hand, whenever she hears the merest squeak of a corkscrew. Indeed, so successful have we been in slaking our thirsts that the cobwebbed cupboard under the stairs – aka The Cellar – is pretty much bare and needs an urgent restock. I’m sure you’re in the same boat.

The perfect time, then, for this cracking offer from Private Cellar, our partners in The Field Wine Club. We were delighted with our inaugural offer in December and I have every confidence that this springtime selection – carefully chosen by me and PC’s marketing director, Laura Taylor – will be just as well received.

Jonathan Ray
Field Wine Columnist

TASTING NOTES

We start with the Ca’ Bolani Prosecco Brut NV, a scrumptious prosecco from Friuli in the far north east of Italy. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of crappy, mass-produced, bubble-gum prosecco about and this is anything but, being apple/citrus fresh, lively, creamy and gratifyingly bone dry. Produced by the Zonin family – celebrating its double century of winemaking this year – it’s as fine a sub-£15 fizz as I’ve ever had: £13.45 down from £14.50.

From neighbouring Veneto we’ve the extremely moreish 2018 Gregoris Soave from Antonio Fattori. As with prosecco, you need to kiss a lot of frogs to find a Soave of note and this is just about perfect. Light, fresh, peachy, creamy and even slightly walnutty, it’s instantly appealing and deeply rewarding. I have a glass beside me as I type and I can’t think of a tastier springtime aperitif: £9.95 down from £10.75.

The 2019 Valserrano Rioja Blanco from Spain is similarly enjoyable. You might think white Rioja a bit niche, but do, please, give it a go because it’s a corker. Made from Viura (mainly) and Malvasia (a splash), it’s fermented in oak and aged on the lees for four months, giving weight, character and oomph. With citrus notes, hazelnuts and a touch of herbs, it’s a great glass of wine: £14.50 down from £14.95.

From the same family-owned estate in Rioja Alavesa we’ve the delectable red equivalent, the 2016 Valserrano Rioja Crianza. Made from Tempranillo with a touch of Mazuelo, it’s aged for 16 months in oak and has decent bottle age, too. Rich, jammy and slightly spicy, it boasts the longest of finishes and is spot on with roast saddle of spring lamb: £14.50 down from £15.25.

Travel due south from Rioja and you come to Castilla-La Mancha, home to the equally fine 2017 Pinuaga Colección. I know this wine of old and am proud to say that I’ve drunk buckets of it. Made from organic, old vine, single vineyard Tempranillo, it’s rich, spicy and gloriously juicy. You’ll love it: £15.40 down from £16.96.

Finally, from the Maremma in Tuscany, we’ve the 2018 Badilante Podere 414, a superb value Sangiovese produced by the much-lauded Simone Castelli. Full of succulent ripe fruit, herbs and spice, its quality belies its modest price and it’s the very embodiment of what locals term raffinatezza: £12.20 down from £12.95.

All the above wines are available by the mixed dozen (two bottles of each) or unmixed dozen, with delivery included – saving you a further £15. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

For queries about this month’s Field Wine Club offer, contact Laura Taylor of Private Cellar orders@privatecellar.co.uk or visit Private Cellar’s website.