Red Wine in Stockport
Our reds run from bright, chillable bottles for drinking in the sun to proper old-vine wines with real grip. Everything is small-batch and low-intervention, made from hand-picked fruit and wild ferments with not much else, by growers we know by name. Every bottle has been tasted at the stall before it earns its shelf space, and the tasting notes below are honest. Not sure where to start? Ask, and we'll point you right.
Wagram, Austria
■ Zweigelt
Bright ruby with a youthful rim: juicy red cherry and plum, a light peppery spice and gentle herbal lift, soft tannin and a fresh, balanced finish. An easy, food-friendly red from Karl Fritsch's Wagram vineyards. Certified organic and biodynamic (respekt-BIODYN).
Melnik, Bulgaria
■ Melnik 55 (Early Melnik Vine)
The polished, barrel-aged expression of Melnik 55, a modern Bulgarian crossing of the indigenous Broad-leaved Melnik with Valdiguié: deep ruby with violet nuances, ripe red fruits, black cherry and blueberry lifted by vanilla and spice. 24 months in French oak.
Bulgaria
A sweet red from Mavrud grapes air-dried for three months before pressing. Dark and rich — prunes, blackcurrant, caramel and chocolate — held together by fresh acidity and soft tannins. No oak. Half bottle.
Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux, France
■ Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
A ripe but fresh Right-Bank-style red (the estate's "CDT" cuvée, labelled Vin de France): dark cherry, forest fruits, a hint of spice and dark chocolate, framed by fine, ripe tannins. Certified organic (Ecocert) and farmed biodynamically. Made by Corinne and Jean-Michel Comme.
Saint-Émilion, France
■ Merlot (65%), Cabernet Franc (35%)
Six hectares on the Figeac plateau, hemmed in on all sides by Cheval Blanc, Figeac and — over the Pomerol line — La Conseillante. Merlot with a third Cabernet Franc off gravel terraces, aged around a year in a third new oak, a third one-year barrels and a third concrete. Cherries, spice and sweet earth; broad but lively, with the moderate alcohol that made 2020 such a fine Right Bank vintage. Wine Advocate gave it 92 points and the Guide Hachette a star. Certified organic (Ecocert) since the 2012 vintage.
IGP Pays d'Hérault, France
■ Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah, Grenache
Deep garnet, with an expressive smoky, spiced nose over red berry fruit. Smooth and harmonious on the palate with silky tannin and a juicy, fresh finish — a Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah and Grenache blend from the Serin family's Hérault vineyards. Certified organic since 2009.
France
■ Pinot Noir
Named after the ruined Cathar castles of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude, this Pinot Noir shows fine, elegant red fruit — redcurrant, raspberry and cherry — with a subtle savoury spice from ageing in old oak.
■ Cabernet Sauvignon
A bright, refreshing Cabernet Sauvignon from the Côtes de Thau, Languedoc. Juicy blackcurrant with a soft, appealing mouthfeel — easy drinking with real character.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Italy
■ Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
Deep ruby to garnet, with cherry jam, dried fruit cake and vanilla. Concentrated and full-bodied from appassimento-dried grapes — ripe black fruit, coffee and toast over a warm, structured finish, softened by time in oak. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG at 15%.
Terre Siciliane IGP, Italy
■ Frappato, Nerello Mascalese
A vibrant, medium-bodied Sicilian red splitting Frappato and Nerello Mascalese half and half, from the hills behind Marsala. Wild berry and gentle spice over soft, well-integrated tannin, part of the blend barrel-aged for texture, finishing long and savoury. Certified organic.
Italy
■ Nero d'Avola, Merlot
An easy-drinking Sicilian blend of Nero d'Avola and Merlot. Deep ruby with liquorice and raspberry — a great everyday red for pizza, pasta or a simple charcuterie board.
Assisi, Italy
■ Sangiovese
High-altitude Sangiovese from the Monte Subasio park above Assisi, farmed without herbicides or pesticides. Bright red cherry with a savoury tomato-leaf edge, tannins already well integrated and fresh acidity keeping it lively — good with a light chill. Umbria IGT, imported by Les Caves de Pyrène.
Cima Corgo, Alijó, Portugal
Field blend
Super-light chillable red from high-altitude old vines (70+ years) on schist and granite at 650m. Bright red fruit, herbal notes, refreshing acidity. Whole-cluster foot-stomped in granite lagars, 3 days maceration. Organic farming, minimal intervention.
Haloze, Slovenia
A single-vineyard, low-intervention red from marl and sandstone soils. Morello cherry, redcurrant and dried herbs, medium-bodied with a long mineral finish.
South Africa
■ Cinsault
Organic, dry-farmed bush-vine Cinsault from the Paarl-Swartland border. Wild florals, cranberry and cherry with a spicy, juicy finish — a crunchy, chillable red.
La Parrilla, Valladolid, Spain
■ Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon
Intense cherry-red Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon grown at 1,000m on calcareous soils near Valladolid. Concentrated blackcurrant and dark fruit with cracked pepper and gentle oak spice — powerful but poised, finishing long and well balanced.
Rioja Alavesa, Spain
■ Tempranillo, Graciano, Viura
Deep ruby Rioja Alavesa from old-vine Tempranillo, Graciano and a splash of Viura, whole-bunch fermented with native yeast. Around eighteen months in French oak and foudre brings dark cherry, balsamic herbs and chalky, fine-grained tannin. Certified organic and biodynamic.
■ Tempranillo, Graciano, Viura, Garnacha
Bhilar's flagship single-vineyard Rioja: a tiny plot of centenarian bush vines on steep, pure limestone, worked by horse. Foot-trodden, partly whole-bunch and aged up to two years in new French oak — cherry and violet, dried herbs, graphite-fine tannin and remarkable length. Around a thousand bottles a year. Certified organic and biodynamic.
Ribera del Duero DO, Spain
■ Tempranillo (Tinto Fino)
Bright purple Ribera del Duero from 40-year-old Tinto Fino on clay loam, briefly macerated then six months in French oak. Wildflowers and morello cherry on the nose, fresh acidity carrying muscular dark fruit to a lightly oak-spiced finish. A more approachable style of Ribera. Certified organic.
Rioja Alavesa, Spain
■ Tempranillo
Classic Rioja Alavesa Crianza from a family bodega founded in 1926, made from one hundred per cent Tempranillo and given twelve months in American oak. Deep ruby, with cherry and strawberry lifted by vanilla and sweet spice, soft tannins and a long, gently spiced finish. The traditional style, and a natural partner for lamb, chorizo or a Sunday roast.
■ Graciano
Single-varietal Graciano from the high limestone vineyards of Rioja Alavesa, hand-harvested and fermented in concrete with native yeasts. Redcurrant, pomegranate and black cherry meet eucalyptus, violet and crushed-rock minerality, with juicy acidity and a cocoa-tinged finish. Demeter-certified biodynamic.
DOP Cebreros, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
■ Garnacha
Sierra de Gredos Garnacha off granite soils around Burgohondo, some vines over 70 years old. Partial whole-bunch ferment in steel, unoaked, bottled unfined and unfiltered: ripe cherry, wild strawberry and mountain herbs with crisp, mineral-edged acidity.
Manchuela DO, Spain
■ Bobal (old vines)
Cherry red with violet tones, from old Bobal vines planted in 1941 in Manchuela: black fruit, cherry and redcurrant with a mineral edge, a fleshy palate, noble tannin and bright acidity. The 2022 vintage took a Silver medal (94 points) at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024. Certified organic.
Slovakia
■ Pinot Noir
Light-bodied and vibrant with bright red cherry, herbs and a gentle freshness. Best served slightly chilled. A natural wine that punches well above its price, and great for Burgundy lovers. Certified organic.
■ Pinot Noir
Cherry-ruby in colour with an elegant, slowly unfolding nose of red berries, raspberry and minerals. Medium-bodied, dry and harmonious with silky fine-grained tannins and a long mineral finish. Spontaneously fermented and aged 12 months in barriques. A beautifully crafted Pinot from volcanic terroir.
■ Alibernet (Alicante Bouschet x Cabernet Sauvignon cross)
Deep, dark and full-bodied with blackberries, black pepper and cloves. Alibernet was bred at the Tairov Institute in Odesa in 1948, crossing Alicante Bouschet with Cabernet Sauvignon, and has become something of a Slovak speciality: intense colour and a distinctly Cabernet-like character. For bold red lovers.
Rioja Alavesa, Spain
■ Tempranillo
Everyday drinking at its best. Juicy red fruit, soft tannins and a smooth finish. Tempranillo is Spain's most celebrated red grape — think cherries, plums and a gentle earthiness. Brilliant value.
Alicante, Spain
■ Garnacha
Single-vineyard Garnacha, whole-bunch fermented in concrete with zero added sulphites. Summer pudding and kirsch on the nose, juicy red fruit and Mediterranean herbs on the palate. Unfined, unfiltered and utterly natural.
Rhône Valley, France
■ Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
The classic Southern Rhône blend — red berries, Provençal herbs and a warm, spicy finish. Generous and food-friendly. Perfect with lamb, charcuterie or a hearty stew.
South West France, France
■ Duras, Braucol (local South West varieties)
Made from rare indigenous varieties found almost nowhere else. Rustic yet charming, with dark fruit, earthy depth and a lively finish. A real discovery for adventurous wine drinkers.
Corbières-Boutenac, France
■ Carignan, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre
Corbières-Boutenac is one of the Languedoc's finest appellations. Deep garnet with rich dark fruit, garrigue and hints of dark chocolate. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannins, and a serious wine. Certified organic since 2006.
Puglia, Italy
■ Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera
The sun-drenched heel of Italy produces this rich, deep red. Dark plums, dried figs and a warming spice with a characteristically slightly bitter Negroamaro finish. Exceptional value for money.
Marlborough, New Zealand
■ Pinot Noir
From Marlborough's cooler inland valleys, this organic Pinot Noir shows red cherry, raspberry and gentle earthiness with a long, silky finish. The Henri Bourgeois family brings Loire precision to the Southern Hemisphere.
Loire Valley, France
■ Pinot Noir
Red Sancerre is a revelation — pale, delicate and perfumed with red fruits and flinty minerality from the famous flint and limestone soils of the Loire. Far lighter and more elegant than most red wines.
Piedmont, Italy
■ Nebbiolo
The 'King of Italian wines.' Tar, roses, dried cherry and leather, with the silky, approachable tannins that mark out the 2018 vintage. Open and generous, drinking beautifully now rather than needing years in the cellar. Worth decanting.
Adelaide Hills, Australia
■ Sangiovese
Gareth and Rainbo Belton's Sangiovese, made at Basket Range in the Adelaide Hills. Bright red fruit and red florals with dusty, chalky tannins and a lifted, puckering acidity. Old World in style, high-altitude Australian in origin. Minimal-intervention winemaking. As good as lunch wine gets.
Barossa Valley, Australia
■ Shiraz (Syrah)
Barossa Shiraz dialled down: fresh, peppery and medium-bodied with blackberry compote, black pepper and savoury herbs. Made by winemaker Xavier Goodridge from naturally fermented, sustainably farmed fruit, with just a touch of sulphur at bottling.