Top new products: November

Hibiki japanese harmony

The House of Suntory has announced the release of a specially designed bottle of Hibiki Japanese Harmony to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hibiki brand. Inspired by a traditional kimono pattern, the bottle is embellished with the tabane-noshi, a Japanese symbol of celebration that has adorned gifts since ancient times. Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a blend of the finest selection of malt and grain whiskies from the House of Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries, and is available from retailers including Harrods and The Whisky Shop.

RRP: £105.

Contact: lily.wiggins@hopeandglorypr.com, +44 (0)20 3588 9713

Champagne Castelnau extra brut

Champagne Castelnau is adding an extra brut to its range in response to growing demand for ultra-dry styles of fizz. In keeping with Champagne Castelnau’s signature style of long lees ageing, the new expression is matured on its lees for seven years, and is made from a blend of 45% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir and 45% Pinot Meunier, of which 20% is reserve wines, with a dosage of 2g/litre. “This new style in our range gives us additional possibilities to communicate with consumers about the occasions in which to enjoy our Champagnes,” said Pascal Prudhomme, managing director of Champagne Castelnau.

RRP: £35.

Contact: Castelnau Wine Agencies, + 44 (0)20 7751 2490

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2008

Champagne Pol Roger has released its 2008 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, described as “the most investable Churchill” it has ever made. The prestige cuvée is made predominantly with the first pressings of Grand Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, which were under vine during Churchill’s lifetime. It is described as a Champagne with “notes of white flowers, freshly baked brioche, dried fruits, toasted almonds, hazelnuts and a hint of orange zest” on the nose, with “citrus notes, notably grapefruit, and creamy notes of pastry” on the palate.

RRP: £175.

Contact: Pol Roger Ltd, +44 (0)1432 262 800

McGuigan Black Label Tempranillo

Australia’s McGuigan Wines has added a Tempranillo to its Black Label range in the UK, at a time when it says European varieties, and Tempranillo in particular, are achieving increasing sales and popularity. A tasting note describes it as having “deep flavours of plum, cherry and blackcurrant, with a subtle vanilla undertone, as well as integrated mocha and spice notes”, leading to a “lingering finish full of soft, ripe fruit with a lasting hint of spice”. It joins other Black Label wines, including a Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling, and three Black Label sparkling wines.

RRP: £7.49.

Contact: Australian Vintage, +44 (0)20 7924 8091

Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask

A brandy cask malt has been unveiled by one of Scotland’s leading tourist attractions, Deanston Distillery. After being matured in traditional oak casks in Deanston’s impressive vaulted warehouse, this limited-edition expression was then specially selected in 2016 to embark on a two-year finish in French brandy butts. Deep amber in colour, this special whisky offers flavours of “dried fruit and grapes, as well as sweet notes of vanilla and toffee, with subtle undertones of exotic spices”.

RRP: £60.

Contact: Distell, eventsales@distellinternational.com

Midleton Very Rare 2018

Irish Distillers has released the 2018 edition of its Midleton Very Rare whiskey, marking the 35th anniversary of the range that was unveiled in 1984. Midleton Very Rare 2018 is a blend of single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys selected by master distiller Brian Nation. Each cask has been matured in lightly charred ex-Bourbon barrels for between 12 and 28 years. Nation, master distiller at Midleton Distillery, said: “We set aside very small amounts of particularly fine single pot still and single grain distillates each year so that the Midleton Very Rare legacy can continue.”

RRP: €180.

Contact: irishdistillers@rtc.london

Beefsteak Club Malbec 2017

Ehrmanns is adding a Malbec to its Beefsteak Club brand – a Vin de France Malbec made from grapes grown in the cool-climate Limoux area of the Languedoc. Made by local French vigneron Frédéric Garrabou, who has previously worked in Burgundy and Bordeaux, it is, as its name suggests, intended to pair with meat. Grapes are harvested at night to retain their freshness, and the wine is unoaked to reflect pure varietal fruit character. A deeply coloured and full-bodied wine, it has “concentrated blackberry and plum notes, with soft tannins and a hint of peppery spice on the finish”.

RRP: £8.75.

Contact: Ehrmanns, +44 (0)20 3227 0700

Félix solís dos copas

Spain’s Félix Solís has expanded its range, with the launch of three wines made for sharing. Called Dos Copas, which means ‘two glasses’ in Spanish, each of the wines is housed in a 50cl bottle, containing four glasses, making them ideal for sharing between two, and also in line with a growing trend among consumers, in particular the younger generation, to drink less. The range comprises a 12.5% Verdejo/Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache Rosé, along with a Shiraz/Tempranillo at 13.5%, all made from grapes sourced from Castilla La Mancha.

RRP: £4.50 per 50cl.

Contact: Felix Solis Avantis, +44 (0)1227 478 300

Giulio Ferrari Rosé 2006

The first sparkling rosé from Trentodoc’s Ferrari, Giulio Ferrari Rosé represents a milestone in the century-long tradition of the company making wine in Trento. Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it is selected from vines tended in the family-estate vineyards on the higher slopes of the Trento mountains. Only made in select vintages suitable for a Riserva, the first release has been aged on its lees for 11 years and boasts notes of “ripe fruit and citrus” on the nose, together with “baking spices and mineral sensations” on the palate. Only 5,000 bottles have been produced, each presented in an elegant collector’s case.

RRP: £180.

Contact: Ferrari Trento, +39 (0)461 972 361, info@ferraritrento.it

Habibi vodka

Luminescent in nature, Habibi Vodka is the latest spirit to emerge from the traditional French region of Cognac. Made from French wheat and distilled five times, it is described as an “ode to womankind” by its makers, being the “perfect mix of luxury, sensuality and street culture”. It has a distinctive delicate floral scent and citrus flavour, giving it a soft and unique taste. Its bottle is made from black smoked glass, and carries a striking neon-pink label, which can be revealed under a black light.

RRP: £35.

Contact: contact@habibivodka.com

RARE LE SECRET HIGH JEWELLERY

Piper-Heidsieck has released two special editions of its Rare Champagne prestige cuvée. Called Rare Le Secret High Jewellery and Rare Le Secret Goldsmith, both bottles, which are available exclusively at Harrods, were designed in collaboration with French jewellery house Mellerio. Only three High Jewellery bottles are on sale in Harrods, each fastened with a piece of jewellery “inspired by the bows that adorned Marie-Antoinette’s lavish gowns”. The gold band that wraps around the neck of the bottle comes set with 510 diamonds, and a centrepiece of one of four precious stones (ruby, sapphire or emerald – a diamond version was sold in advance in France). It is sold in a mirrored presentation box inspired by the ones that Mellerio used to present jewellery to Marie Antoinette in. Anyone lucky enough to buy a bottle of the Le Secret High Jewellery can take the ornament to Maison Mellerio – the designer’s flagship store in Paris – where the jewellers will shape it into a piece of wearable jewellery, such as a brooch, bracelet or pendant. The Rare Le Secret High Jewellery – in sapphire, ruby, and emerald – is priced at £115,000 per bottle.

RRP: £115,000

Contact: Maud Rabin, maud.rabin@rare-champagne.com

RARE LE SECRET GOLDSMITH

As well as the diamond-encrusted magnum of Champagne, Piper-Heidsieck has also released the Rare Le Secret Goldsmith – a limited edition of 1,000 numbered and engraved magnums. These are accompanied by a gold plaque that pays homage “both to Mellerio’s expertise as a goldsmith and to the identification plaque in front of the cabinets of Rare Champagne vintages in the collection room”. This limited-edition is held in a gold mirrored case designed to reflect the “minimalist creation”. The cuvées were produced with the Piper-Heidsieck 1997 vintage, a wine the Champagne house has kept stored on the estate for 20 years.

RRP: £1,150.

Contact: Maud Rabin, maud.rabin@rare-champagne.com

Teatro alla Scala brut 2013

As the exclusive sparkling wine of the opera house Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Franciacorta producer Bellavista has released its latest limited-edition Teatro alla Scala Brut 2013. Bellavista has been the official wine of Teatro all Scala since it reopened after a refurbishment in 2004. That year and every year since 2012, the producer has released a Teatro alla Scala Brut housed in a limited-edition gift pack, featuring the work of a different artist. This year, the packaging pays homage to the opera house itself, featuring upholstery patterns from its décor, and a box featuring the façade of the building, built in 1788 by architect Giuseppe Piermarini.

RRP: TBC.

Contact: info@bellavistawine.it

Echigo Koshihikari rice lager

Echigo Koshihikari is a micro-brewery beer from Japan brewed using rice, which brings a mild sweetness and soft texture to the light drink. Made in the Niigata Prefecture, this 5% ABV lager is produced using malted barley, wheat and Koshihikari rice – a popular variety of rice cultivated in Japan, as well as in Australia and the US. Created in 1956, its taste is said to differ from region to region, much like a grape. The addition of wheat makes for a creamy palate. Regarded as Japan’s original craft beer, having launched in 1994, it is now available in the UK via Hammonds of Knutsford.

RRP: TBC.

Contact: Hammonds, enquiries@hammondsofknutsford.co.uk