Castle Venlaw Wine List
Welcome to the Castle Venlaw Hotel wine list. Our full hotel wine list can be downloaded from our downloads page or if you prefer, viewed below.We have tasted many wines to fine tune our selection from around the 'vinous world'. This wine list, details our wines by country; we hope you enjoy our selection.
From South Africa:
1) Flying Griffin Chenin Blanc 2005 £13.95
A brilliant Chenin, dry with pleasing lime and melon flavour.
2) Flying Griffin Cinsault Ruby Cabernet Red 2005 £13.95
A star find by the Venlaw tasting team. Full, round and smooth on the palate, with a delicious lingering finish.
From Chile:
3) Norte Chico Sauvignon Blanc 2006 £14.95
A citrus fresh Sauvignon, made from grapes grown in the Central Valley. This has a lovely crisp finish.
4) Norte Chico Merlot 2006 £14.95
Soft, smooth, damson fruit structure fills this smooth merlot. Chile excels with this variety producing amazing value.
From Australia:
5) Heartland Stickleback White 2006 £17.95
A deliciously refreshing blend of Chardonnay, Verdelho & Sauvignon. Made by Ben Glaetzer, a young winemaker with an outstanding pedigree.
6) Heartland Stickleback Red 2005 £17.95
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Grenache grapes grown in the Langhorne Creek region, south of Adelaide. Soft, round and spicy.
Rose:
7) Rosato 2005 Alpha Zeta £16.95
A lovely, light, dry rose from the Veneto region of Italy, very traditional in colour. The wine has a lovely suggestion of raspberry and strawberry fruits and the finish is dry and fruity.
White Wines
France
8) Sancerre 2005 Paul Doucet et Fils £19.45*
From the famous Loire Valley in France. Solid, herbaceous, Sauvignon fruit which is firm on the palate. A perfect foil to our fish and seafood dishes.
9) Pouilly Fume 'Chateau De L'Abbaye' 2005 £19.50
The famous cousin of Sancerre, this is a single vineyard example packed with fruit and mineral notes.
10) Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur lie 2004/05 £14.95
A great seafood wine from the Loire valley in France. Left on it's yeasty lees to extract maximum flavour. A refreshing, lively, white wine.
11) Domain de Millet Gros Manseng 2005 £17.95
A lovely, medium sweet white wine from the gourmet heartland of France- Gascony. Made from Gros Manseng grapes, this is similar to a medium fruity Vouvray.
12) Chablis La Chablisienne 2004 'Cuvee LC' £18.95*
Chardonnay from the most northern edge of Burgundy, grown on chalky soils and fermented without wood. Full of fruit and delicious with all white meat and fish dishes.
13) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2003 £36.50
Classic single vineyard Chablis. A lovely mineral fruit quality combined with beautiful structure.
14) St Veran 2005 'Moulin du Pont' Auvigue Bros £18.95
Made from Chardonnay grapes, grown in the Southern part of the Burgundy region. The Auvigue brothers produce white Burgundy of impeccable character. Lean citrusy mineral notes, with a beautifully balanced palate.
15) Rully 'La Chaume' 2004 Domaine J Dury £23.75
Another hidden gem from Burgundy. Beautifully structured chardonnay. Lemon & apple notes, with a hint of spice. Nice crisp finish.
16) Chateau Sainte Marie Entre deux Mers 2005 £17.50
A delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle grapes. Crisp, dry, white Bordeaux from Gilles and Stephane Dupuch. A great match with fish and seafood dishes.
17) Jurancon Sec 2003 Clos Guirhouilh £23.75
A dry, flavoursome white from the rolling hills South of Pau, in South Eastern France. Smooth mellow stone fruit style, lovely with white meats.
Spain
18) Lagar de Cervera Albarino 2005 £19.95*
From the Rias Baixas region of North West Spain. Rick Stein found it to be the perfect match for seafood and fish. Crisp, dry, refreshing and one of our favourites.
Italy
19) Pinot Grigio 2005 Alpha Zeta £18.50
A delightful grapey white from the Veneto region of Italy. Made by Kiwi wine maker Matt Thompson. Matt spends a lot of time in the Italian vineyards, sourcing the best grapes for his wine. Fresh and lively.
South Africa
1) Flying Griffin Chenin Blanc 2005 £13.95
A brilliant Chenin, dry, with pleasing lime and melon flavour.
20) Chardonnay Bon Vallon de Wetshof 2005 £16.95*
A South African Chardonnay, with all the finesse of a 1er Cru Chablis. Left on its yeasty lees until bottling for extra freshness.
21) Iona Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Elgin £19.95
Benchmark Sauvignon from Andrew Gunn and a Gold medal winner at the Veritas awards in South Africa. Fresh gooseberry fruit attacks the senses and leaves you wanting more. This is our favourite Sauvignon Blanc. A great find!
New Zealand
22) Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc 2006 £19.95
Vividly refreshing crisp Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Made by Award winning winemaker Matt Thompson. Lively and refreshing, ideal with sea food, salads and on its own.
23) Pinot Gris 2004 Godfrery's Creek Reserve St Clair £23.95
New Zealand is now producing 'world standard' Pinot Gris. This lovely luscious, smooth, single vineyard wine is a great expression of the vineyards. Not as tart as Sauvignon Blanc, yet equally refreshing.
Australia
24) Pinot Grigio 11.05 Beelgara 2005 £16.95
Yes the famous Italian white grown in Australia! This has been given the 'Aussie' kiss of life. Lots of white stone fruit character with a smooth refreshing finish.
5) Heartland Stickleback White 2006 £17.95
A deliciously refreshing blend of Chardonnay, Verdelho & Sauvignon. Made by Ben Glaetzer a young winemaker with an outstanding pedigree.
25) Hellfire Bay Chardonnay 2005 £18.95
A nice citrusy style of Chardonnay from the 'Great Southlands' of Western Australia. Lovely tasty palate of exotic fruits, great with fish and white meats.
26) Sauvignon Blanc Shaw & Smith 2005 Adelaide Hills £19.95
Grown in the cool vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, an environment which concentrates the limey, gooseberry flavours that makes Sauvignon the favoured grape with the Lady of the house.
Germany
27) 'Doctor L' Riesling 2005 E Loosen £16.95
Ernie Loosen picked up six awards at the last International Wine Challenge! An amazing achievement. This lovely Riesling has a lime and lemon quality with just a touch of refreshing sweetness.
28) Ayler Kupp Riesling Spatlese 2005 £19.95
A beautiful racy and fruity Riesling from the cellars of the Simon family, Whose vineyards sit beside the River Saar. This wine offers the near perfect balance of fruit and acidity.
Chile
29) Gewurztraminer 'Explorer' 2005 Concha y Toro £15.95
Medium to taste, with tropical fruits. A pleasing juicy style, which complements spicy dishes well.
3) Norte Chico Sauvignon Blanc 2006 £14.95
Citrus fresh sauvignon, from grapes grown in the Central Valley. This has a lovely crisp finish.
California USA
30) Seghesio Pinot Grigio 2005 £24.50
Produced in the Northern Sonoma vineyards of the Seghesio family. The family's origins were as winemakers in Italy. They grow a selection of Italian varieties and this Pinot Grigio is outstanding. Great to drink on it's own or with lighter salad dishes, chicken and pork.
Red Wines
France
31) Chateau Sainte Marie 2004 Bordeaux Superieur £21.95
A delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Grown towards the southern reaches of Bordeaux. It's full bodied, with smooth integrated gentle use of oak. It's a great red meat wine.
32) Chateau Hermitage des Bruges 2004 £16.95
A brilliant wee Claret. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, produced for early drinking, with a soft black fruit character.
33) Chateau Teyssier St Emilion Grand Cru 2003 £28.95*
A big St Emilion from a wonderful vineyard on the south side of St Emilion. Crafted by Scotsman Neil Whyte from Selkirk. Made from smooth merlot grapes.
34) Cotes du Rhone Escaravailles 2005 £16.95*
A fine Rhone from Domaine des Escaravailles. Lovely herbaceous notes of wood smoke and lavender, the perfect match for lamb, veal and all pork dishes.
35) Chateauneuf du Pape Domaine de la Cote D'Ange 2003 £24.50
Made predominately from Syrah grapes with a touch of Grenache. Rounded with a hint of wild marjoram, thyme and leather. Complex and rewarding.
36) Maranges 1er Cru- La Fussiere 2002 Deleger £24.95
Grab it while you can! We have a limited supply of this quite wonderful Burgundy from Montrachet producer Michel Colin Deleger. Rich, spicy, red fruit, very complex Pinot Noir. From vineyards hidden away behind Chassagne Montrachet.
Spain
37) Vina Portal 2004 Semi Crianza Pinol £19.95
An exceptional, gently wood aged red from high Catalonia in Northern Spain. A complex Tempranillo based wine, with spice and vivid red fruit flavour.
38) Marques de Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2001 £28.95*
Given barrel ageing to bring out a ménage of fruit and vanilla flavours. From Rioja's finest bodega.
39) Riberal Crianza 2003 Ribera del Duero £28.95
Made from fruit grown on the Spanish side of the river Duero, which downstream in Portugal is famous for being the home of Port. This is a big spicy red wine, with great character which complements all meat dishes from pork through to good Scotch beef.
Italy
40) Chianti Classico Villa Cafaggio 2003 £19.95*
From the heart of the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Villa Cafaggio produces Sangiovese fruit with full fruitcake and mandarin orange characters.
South Africa
2) Flying Griffin Cinsault Ruby Cabernet Red 2005 £13.95
A star find by the Venlaw tasting team. Full round and smooth on the palate, with a delicious lingering finish.
41) Southern Right Pinotage Hamilton Russell 2004 £21.95
Full flavoured Pinotage with a firm backbone and a distinctive bramble and wild raspberry flavour. Anthony Hamilton Russell is famous for his Pinot Noir, his Pinotage is one of the best from South Africa.
42) Dragon Tree Cabernet Sauvignon / Pinotage 2003 £22.95
This wine stood out at a recent tasting by our wine buying team. Rich and rounded blend with a lovely smooth mocha coffee character. The balanced fruit and oak is beautifully integrated and leaves a lingering cassis note on the palate.
New Zealand
43) Kim Crawford Marlborough Merlot 2005 £22.50
A super smooth Merlot from Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand. Grown on the Gimlet Gravels, Merlot ripens well here, and produces a lovely fruity St Emilion style.
44) Mount Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2005 £29.50
A lively red fruit flavoured Pinot Noir from glorious Central Otago, Surely the most beautiful place to grow grapes on this earth! Named after an old gold miners water race this is exceptionally fine Pinot.
Australia
45) Hellfire Bay Grenache Shiraz 2004 £16.95
A full super smooth red with rich black fruits on the palate. A suggestion of sweetness makes this a very upfront easy drinking proposition.
6) Heartland Stickleback Red 2005 £17.95
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Grenache grapes grown in the Langhorne Creek region, south of Adelaide. Soft, round and spicy.
46) Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Heartland £23.95
A vividly flavoured Cabernet, made by Ben Glaetzer from grapes grown along the Limestone Coast, east of Adelaide. Lively blackberry and mint flavours, make this an excellent choice with red meats.
47) Boycat Merlot 2004 McLaren Vale £18.95
Made by super talented winemaker Linda Domas. A bright and vividly flavoured Merlot which has balanced damson fruit and chocolate notes. Linda has taken her winemaking skills to a new level with this lovely wine.
48) Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2005 McLaren Vale £27.95
Another medal winning wine from Frank Mitolo. Lovely ripe spicy Shiraz fruit, full and smooth on the palate with a lingering, black damson fruit finish.
49) Glaetzer 'The Bishop' £34.95
Distinctive juicy Shiraz from the impressive winemaking of Ben Glaetzer. Succulent, spicy, rich and juicy berry fruits layer the palate. An ideal match for hearty meat dishes.
Lebanon
50) Chateau Musar 1999 £35.50*
The most famous wine from the Lebanon. Made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, with a touch of Carignan grapes. Smooth, warm red fruit flavours wrapped in velvet. Outstanding.
Chile
4) Norte Chico Merlot 2006 £14.95
Soft smooth damson fruit structure fills this smooth Merlot. Chile excels with this variety producing amazing value.
51) Pinot Noir Explorer 2005 Concha y Toro £16.95
Known as the grape variety of conviviality, this brilliant value Pinot from the Casablanca valley in Chile offers even more. Very full flavoured with generous quantities of raspberry and strawberry fruit. Finishes tight and expensive!
California USA
52) Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2003 £29.50*
Uniquely North American, Pete & Jeff produce excellent wine in this, the most beautiful area of Northern Sonoma. Spicy, lush and distinctive. Wine Spectator recently voted the team top three status as Zinfandel producers!
Rose Wines
7) Rosato 2005 Alpha Zeta £16.95
A lovely light dry rose from the Veneto region of Italy, very traditional in colour The wine has a lovely suggestion of raspberry and strawberry fruits. The finish is dry and fruity.
53) Norte Chico Merlot Rose 2006 £18.50
A delicious very fruity, deep coloured rose with an abundance of red fruit flavours such as raspberry, cranberry and strawberry.
Sparkling Wines & Champagne
54) Green Point (Australia) £18.50
A great find! Made by Moet et Chandon's star sparkling winemaker Brett Crittenden. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Close your eyes and you could be drinking the real thing.
55) Pinot Noir Brut Codorniu Cava (Spain) £18.50
Made by the biggest sparkling winemaker in Spain. A pink wine made from Pinot Noir. A refreshing glass of 'Penedes' sunshine.
Champagne
56) Champagne Devaux Brut Grande Reserve £35.00*
From a small producer in the Southern Champagne region. Devaux produces 'classically' styled Champagne which is tight and flavoursome.
57) Veuve Clicquot 'Yellow Label' £40.00
The 'Widows' wine has never tasted better. Our tasting has revealed that this Champagne house is producing some of it's finest wines ever.
58) Dom Perignon 1998 £120.00
The ultimate, and still one of the best Champagnes around. Made by the fine winemakers at Moet et Chandon and named after the blind monk who was responsible for the fine art of blending wine.
59) Moet et Chandon Brut Rose £57.50
One of Moet's finest champagne's, richly flavoured pinot noir bubbles, with a lingering soft red fruit finish.
Half Bottle Selection
White
H8) Sancerre Paul Doucet (France) £9.95
H12) Chablis La Chablisienne (France) £9.95
H18) Lagar de Cervera Albarino Lagar de Fornelos (Spain) £10.95
H20) Chardonnay Bon Vallon 'de Wet' (South Africa) £8.95
H56) Champagne Devaux Brut Grande Reserve (France) £19.95
Red
H33) Chateau Teyssier St Emilion Grand Cru (France) £18.00
H34) Cotes du Rhone Villages Beaumes de Venise** (France) £8.95
H40) Chianti Leonardo** (Italy) (not Classico as on list) £8.95
H50) Chateau Musar (Lebanon) £18.95
H52) Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel (California) £19.50
** denotes that wine is different from full bottle on our list.
Sweet / Dessert Wine
Half bottles
H60) Essencia Orange Muscat Andrew Quady (California) £14.95
Andrew Quady's wines are served at the finest European & American restaurants. A quite delicious Muscat grown near Sacramento, the Californian capital.
H61) Belgravia 2002 Late Harvest Semillon (Australia) £19.95
A richly aromatic wine with, peach, honeysuckle and almond. A soft textured palate with oak, spice and tannin.
Please note: vintages change quickly. Once the stock of the vintage stated on the list is exhausted, it will be replaced by the next available vintage. * Denotes ½ bottles are available.
