I’ve long been an admirer of Flint Wines: their portfolio is packed with characterful, food-friendly wines and their prices (given that they trade in wines from some of the most prestigious regions in the world) aren’t too scary. But Flint has been a bit of a wine trade secret for its entire existence, largely because they mainly sell to restaurants.

 

Late last year, though, they announced that they were opening up a retail arm, the Stannary Street Wine Company. I was invited along to their new offices, which are splendidly equipped with a generously proportioned marble spittoon (left) to try some of the wines in their portfolio. Like its sister company, Flint, Stannary Street is particularly strong on Burgundy, but there are also some terrific wines from the USA and elsewhere in their range.

 

Among my favourites was Champagne Doyard’s Cuvée Vendimiare Brut NV, with its taut acidity and intense flavours of lemon zest, pineapple and honeyed toast. The mousse is beautifully creamy and the finish is long. Bats well above its price (£32.95).

 

Sommeliers love Chenin Blanc. The wines have high acidity, so can cut through rich dishes, and sometimes have a bit of sweetness, which works well with spicy flavours. Sadly, though, the grape has yet to make much of an impression outside the wine trade, but maybe Domaine Chidaine’s Les Choisilles, Montlouis, 2011 could be the game changer. It certainly deserves a bit of love for its rich, concentrated flavours of toffee apple, chamomile and honeysuckle, as well as its purity and focus.

 

For those after a (relative) Burgundian bargain, Domaine Taupenot-Merme’s Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2011 should hit the sweet spot. The £24.95 price tag is a recognition that the wine’s appellation is relatively unrecognised, but this is a precise, graceful wine that delivers a lot of complex flavour for the money.

 

On the other hand, if money’s no object, Domaine Caroline Morey’s Chassagne 1er Cru Champgains, Burgundy, 2011 is truly gorgeous. Incisive and intense, with plenty of lemon zest and pink grapefruit flavours. Very complex, with smoky minerality and a bright seam of acidity that carries the flavours onto a long finish. It makes me yearn for a plate of pasta in a crab and lemon zest sauce.  (if your wallet can stand it)

 

From the short shortlist of New World whites available to taste on the day, my favourite was Liquid Farm’s voluptuous Golden Slope Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills,  California, 2013. With its big, generous fruit – buttered pears and spiced apple – creamy oak and vibrant acidity, this is a wine that combines New World fruit with a European frame of reference. This is the kind of wine that would conjure up a sense of occasion even if you were eating a simple roast chicken dinner. And I love the label.

 

Moving onto the reds, Burgundy is, once again, a strong point. I first tasted the wines from Domaine Duroché at a Flint tasting, and adored them from the get-go, so it’s unsurprising that I felt a lot of love for the Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques, 2011. This is really classic Burgundian Pinot Noir that’s just beginning to come into its own a show a hint of that slightly autumnal, undergrowthy aroma, as well as bright, crisp red berry fruit. There’s lots of verve and energy to this wine, and it should age really gracefully. I’d want to drink this with my default option for Pinot: roast duck.

 

If you love Burgundy, there’s a good chance that you might also find lots to like in Nebbiolo, so Elvio Cogno’s Ravera, Barolo, Piedmont, 2008 should also do the trick for you. It’s got all the grape’s classic hallmarks: intense aromas of rose petals, cherries and smoky, slightly peaty minerality. This is a complex, savoury wine with plush, firm tannins and a hint of dark chocolate on the long finish. It’s very young, but very good indeed.

 

I’m a big fan of Syrah, especially the more understated wines made from the grape, and I’ve long admired the versions made by Washington’s Gramercy Cellars. The wines are made by Greg Harrington MS (as the initials suggest, a former sommelier – MS stands for Master Sommelier), and always have enough structure to make them work well with food. The 2011 is no exception: it’s a startlingly good wine that has all the grape’s hallmark flavours of black fruit, dark spices and a hint of smoky meat, but keeps it all in check with fresh acidity and gently grippy tannins. This would be devastatingly delicious with a simple chargrilled steak, but I suspect it would also make a great partner for a stir fry of beef with black bean sauce.

 

What do these symbols – // – mean? See here for my rating system.