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Stunning Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc: only £17 a bottle The new vintage of Cloudy Bay, the world’s most famous Sauvignon Blanc, is a crackingly good wine—and it’s an incredibly good price for our Members. It received rave reviews from Decanter’s wine connoisseurs, among others—and is again limited in supply. So we are pleased to have for Members 50 cases of this delicious vintage, which is benchmark Cloudy Bay. To this day the annual release of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is much talked about—and allocated, as retailers vie for enough stock. The 2017 is a typical pale straw yellow with a green hue. Aromas are a vibrant mix of lime leaf, lemon zest, nectarine and or- ange blossom—and then comes that Cloudy Bay taste! The palate bursts with ripe citrus, tropical and stone-fruit ﬂavours—pineapple, gooseberry and elderﬂower—underpinned with a sleek and succu- lent mineral backbone and a long ﬂavoursome ﬁnish. Members’ price is only £103 for a case of six bottles, delivered in the UK mainland, instead of the usual £35 a bottle, saving Members £107 per case of 6 bottles. Code CB12LV01. RRP £210. CCUK £103 (equivalent to about £17 per bottle delivered). The nearest Sauternes to the great Château d’Yquem—literally Metres from the world’s top Sauternes, Château d’Yquem, Château Lafon is in the best location in Sauternes. It is sur- rounded on all sides by Yquem vineyards and the wine is aged in Yqeum barrels. Served in the top Michelin Star restau- rants, it has to be one of the most under- priced wines in the world. This 2016 vintage is rich, with honey, crème caramel and luscious stone fruits, balanced by excellent acidity, with a long, elegant ﬁnish. Painstakingly made with up to six separate hand-harvests to select only the best noble rot-affected grapes. Delicious to drink from release, it has the potential to age for a further ﬁve to 10 years. Perfect with blue cheese, and with foie gras, also delicious as an aperitif. Case of 12 half bottles (75cl). Code LS16RW04. RRP £300. CCUK £159. Rioja Gran Riserva by El Coto: Gold Medallist, save £100 Gold Medallist in the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWWC), this ‘Coto de Imaz’ Gran Riserva from El Coto was rated ‘Excellent’ by the Rioja Control Board. Certainly the 2011 vintage in Rioja was amongst the best of the past 30 years, and the wine is stunning. Deep ruby red in colour, the nose shows delicate red fruit, smoky nuances and hints of vanilla from new American oak. The wine is velvety and round, with smooth tannins and good acidi- ty. The ﬁnish is soft, balanced and long lasting. 100% Tempranillo. Case of 12 bottles. Code CC11RW04. RRP £300. CCUK £199. Classic Rioja, as served at the Connaught at £50 a bottle: a snip at £8 Classy, classic Rioja Crianza from a very good producer, Vinestral Rioja Crianza 2015 from Bodegas Marqués de Reinosa is full of fresh berry fruit, complement- ed by a lovely smooth texture from good use of oak. It is a winner. The wine has an excellent pedigree, established in the late 19th century by the Marqués de Reinosa, a key ﬁgure in Rioja. The Tasting Panel recommend it at as a good ev- eryday Rioja, particularly at £8 a bottle delivered, despite its august appearance in the cellars of The Connaught, emerging on their wine list at £50 a bottle. 100% Tempranillo. Case of 12 bottles. Code VR01RW04. RRP £150. CCUK £97. ‘Better than Champagnes at twice the price’ Master of Wine Jancis Robinson called this delectable, full-ﬂavoured dry sparkling wine ‘mountain stream stuff’. Made as Champagne, J Laurens Crémant de Limoux ‘Les Graimenoux Brut’ tastes better than any Champagne we’ve tried at double the price. Citrus, honey, apple; well-rounded, with a long ﬁnish. Case of 12 bottles. CodeCL02RW04.RRP£230.CCUK£159. 268