Our Wine Buyers' Top Picks

All our gorgeous wines are chosen by our maverick wine buyers. Andrew Baker leads the team alongside Dave Roberts

Their wine buying philosophy is driven by all of your comments and ratings, which are taken into account by the team as they travel the world sourcing the very best boutique wines for you to enjoy, while they also use this feedback as they seek out new wines for you to experience.

Check out Andrew and Dave's pre-mixed selections below, and take a look at their current Top Picks from our range of wines.

Desert and Dunes Reserve Shiraz 2011

Type: Syrah / Shiraz

A wine split in two. The 50% "white pepper" portion comes from Durbanville, the southern-most extreme where the climate becomes more desert-like. The other half is from the far flung north, Malmesbury, a desert zone properly known as 'Swartland'.

3.7-star rating by 108 people: — See all

• South Africa
• Full and Fruity Reds
• 14.0
• 

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Andy's Comments:

"From a mad idea comes a truly great wine that playfully experiments with the black and white peppers of Shiraz."

"As a winemaker, Nico Vermeulen has long been intrigued by the "white pepper" and "black pepper" characteristics that Shiraz, grown in different parts of the country, can yield."

"So he sought to bring the two together. This is a wine of two parts: the Malmesbury portion gives the black pepper, the Durbanville portion the white. Ying and Yang, in perfect harmony."

Don Diego Escolano Reserva 2007

Type: Grenache blend

We feel that this wine really does show the elegance that many Rioja producers can only aspire to. It is subtle and has a very true heart. Where Rioja is the key to fame and fortune (for the producer), Carinena is the key to glorious flavour (for you).

3.7-star rating by 47 people: — See all

• Spain
• Classic Reds
• 13.5
• 

£9.99 a bottle

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Only 9 bottles left

Dave's Comments:

"I'm not one for allocating specific times of the year for certain styles of wines. However, I can't deny that at this time of the year I often look to the more warming reds out there."

"This is one of my current 'go to' wines – Don Diego Escolano Reserva 2007 - rich and concentrated enough to partner with seasonal stews et al yet smooth and restrained enough to enjoy a glass on its own after a long day."

A hand-picked belter from gnarly old bush vine fruit grown in north eastern Spain's, often overlooked Carinena DO. Thanks go to a smart boutique operator making magnificent well-priced gems. One most definitely to watch.

Pazo Senorans Albarino 2011

Type: Albarino

We think this is one of the best wines in our arsenal and we're not alone. The press has thrown rip-roaring praise at this wine, adoring it's hugely appealing nature and concentrated apricot flavours.

3.8-star rating by 80 people: — See all

• Spain
• Fragrant but Dry Whites
• 12.5
• 

£14.99 a bottle

Qty: bottle(s)

Andy's Comments:

"I am very fussy when it comes to that glass (or two) drunk between 6pm and 8pm, the one that speaks only of the weight of your day and how best to counteract it. It is such an important ritual and moment, that wasting it on an insipid wine is anathema.

I tend to choose whites, because of their ability to refresh and reinvigorate the palate and mind. It is also vital that the wine isn't so pokey that it has the opposite effect. So that is why crisp, aromatic and relatively low alcohol whites rule the roost.

And there's not much finer on this department that Pazo Senorans Albarino, a wine that introduces itself confidently, though subtly, to the palate with very delicate nuances (apricot, citrus and almond) and has a lovely acidity that pulls it together beautifully. Balanced, focused and elegant, it is a wine that expresses
itself rather than sitting flatly on your tongue. Perfect for that moment."