With a portfolio of over 400 quality-focused producers from 25 countries, Liberty Wines, founded in 1997, is a multi-award-winning wine distributor offering a range of exceptional wines and excellent customer service to the UK and Ireland’s leading restaurants, hotels, bars, caterers, and retail outlets.
“I started this business determined to work with exceptional producers, whatever their size or location, with the belief that with hard work and by being stubbornly quality-focused we would deliver the finest wines to our customers,” Liberty chief David Gleave told me.
The company was a key supplier to my business for 21 years, and I can confirm that its performance in that time was bang on perfect, helping to build my multi award-winning wine list.
It was as usual a pleasure to attend its annual portfolio tasting in January, spread across three floors at the Kia Oval in Kennington, South London. There were 200 representatives at the tasting; I concentrated on the New World and sparkling wines.
Sparkling wines
With new additions to the list including world class estates Ferrari and Arras, the Liberty sparkling collection has more stars than Hollywood, from the iconic prestige Rare Champagne to the UK’s very own star Nyetimber.
Candover Brook, Hampshire, Brut N.V.
Based on the 2019 harvest, single vineyard, I loved the intensity and depth to this sparkling, delicate floral notes, with splashes of citrus and white cobb nuts, refined orchard fruit, vanilla and bakery notes. The chalk stream (brook) that runs through the property hosts the rare English, white-clawed crayfish.
Langham Wine Estate, Dorset, Culver Classic Cuvee N.V.
Winemaker is Tommy Grimshaw. Beautiful nose, clean savoury notes with persistent bubbles, great linear focus with a stony feel.
Langham Wine Estate, Dorset, Blanc de Blancs, N.V.
A step up, luxurious in feel, nutty, brioche, lovely purity of fresh, precise stone fruit, 75% is aged in second and third use barrels, giving a fabulous texture with floral and spice notes. Impressive.
Rare Champagne, Millesime 2012
The prestige cuvee Rare Champagne, pronounced “RA”, became its own brand in September 2018. Previously labelled, marketed and sold under the Piper-Heidsieck name, Rare Champagne is now managed and labelled independently. Remarkable wine, always on my bucket list, yes it has a price tag, but this oozes quality, luxurious in feel and taste, even better in magnum. The 2012 is even better than the 2013, hints of clementine and tropical notes, caramel, just pure magic on the palate that slips down so easily. Rich but so fresh and focused, a superlative sparkling.
Arras, Tasmania, Vintage Rosé 2016
Good to see Arras back on the UK market after a slight turbulent past with Accolade, rest assured the quality of Ed Carr’s wine has never changed, always at the very top of the sparkling tree. More gold in colour rather than Rosé, but rest assured this is a sublime sparkling Rosé, red berries, yoghurt, potpourri, linear and focused, as it evolves on the palate there is a hint of savoury notes, fresh black truffles, ceps and brioche. Fresh and vibrant, a wine that will evolve beautifully over a decade or so.
Ferrari Trento DOC, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy. Maximum Blanc de Blancs NV
Founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari and owned by the Lunelli family since 1952, Ferrari Trento has made some of Italy’s finest ‘Metodo Classico’ sparkling wines in the Trento DOC, known for their remarkable finesse. They were named ‘Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year’ for the seventh time, and the fourth year in a row, at the 2024 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC). Winemaker Cyril Brun, from Aÿ in Champagne, joined as chef de caves in June 2023, bringing his vast experience and new perspective to Trentodoc sparkling wines.
Classic sparkling, white flowers, almonds, apricot, fresh acidity, crisp and refreshing, a joy to drink. A glimpse into the vast range of sparkling wines that Ferrari produces.
English still wine
Whitewolfe Estates ‘KC1’ Chardonnay 2022, North Downs Kent
Whitewolfe Estates was founded in 2019 by Clare Whitehead and Luke Wolfe, two great friends who met in 2009 while studying oenology and viticulture at Plumpton College. After contemplating the idea of collaborating for several years, a conversation over wine in 2018 saw them acquire a small, 10-hectare vineyard in the Kits Coty region.
Aged for 11 months in oak, this is a class Chardonnay, textured with flinty and lemon peel notes, crushed oyster shells – I love the depth and structure of this wine that will age with grace, outstanding.
Australia
Liberty has always been at the fore with Australian wines, and great to see long term producers like Giant Steps, By Farr, Grosset, Shaw & Smith, Clonakilla and Mount Horrocks continue to thrive.
Here are some newer discoveries and star tastes
Cullen ‘Amber’ Wilyabrup Semillion/Sauvignon Blanc 2023
This was the only ever ‘Orange’ wine we listed on our 1,200-bin wine list, and I still have the original 2014 release, which was in those days a hefty 15% alcohol, now down to 12.5%.
Orange, kumquat, nutmeg, pears, vanilla, ripe and full of harmony, great with sheep and goat’s cheeses.
Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Cellar Aged Hunter Valley Semillon 2018
Always a delicious wine to put on a restaurant wine list due to its age and quality on release, and in the effect drinking window, giving great texture, depth and perceived value for money.
Both Dawson James & Tolpuddle excel and highlight the excellent quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that can be sourced from Tasmania, new to me was Chatto, with its ‘Frankinii’ Huron Valley Pinot Noir 2023 delivering an excellent Pinot that is both dark with inky dark fruit and pencil sharp notes with a beautiful delicate backbone.
Henschke ‘Keyneton Euphonium’ Barossa Shiraz/Cab Sauvignon/Merlot/Franc 2019
Incredible value for this this quality and age, blue fruit, violets, cedar, spice, silky smooth, luscious fresh notes, evolves beautifully on the palate – a serious wine that delivers now but will evolve perfectly. And an added bonus to discuss these wines with Johann Henschke himself.
John Duval ‘Entity’ Barossa Shiraz 2022
John Duval continues to excel with Barossa red wines, whilst I simply adore his Duval Eligo especially with age, the 2008 is drinking perfectly, more readily available is the ‘Entity’, this seamless wine is fresh, light and focused, carries plenty of purity, red berries to begin with then evolves and develops on the palate leaving a fresh but complex flavour of cedar, espresso essence and blue fruit.
Charles Melton ‘Nine Popes’ Barossa Valley 2019
Classic GSM, Grenache, Shiraz & Mourvèdre, this 2019 excels, spiced liquorice nose, with Eastern spice, umami notes, textured, great purity, and juicy fruit.
Balnaves, Coonawarra Cabernet/Merlot 2021
One of the bargain wines of the tasting, this is a classic Cabernet/ Merlot blend that ticks all the boxes and more, it was great to taste this with the grandson of the founder (Doug); Hugo Balnaves. Liquorice, cedar, blueberries, violets, plummy, delicate focused and linear, drinking well now but will age.
New Zealand
Kim Crawford ‘Spitfire’ Small Parcels Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Passion fruit, roquette salad leaves, citrus glow. Then on the palate refreshing pink grapefruit, mineral and saline freshness, I love the vibrancy of this.
Tinpot Marlborough Pinot Noir 2022
Fresh clean lovely purity, a wine that delivers well at this price, delicate with emphasis on bright clean berries.
Blank Canvas ‘Abstract’ Three Rows Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020
If you want quality Sauvignon Blanc you need to pay, and this certainly delivers. Matt Thomson together with Sophie Parker-Thomson delivers high quality pristine wines, blackcurrant and white floral nose, there is no ‘fruit bomb’ here, flinty, saline, focused, clean and pure with a beautiful finish.
Lani, Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2022
Since the demise of Nick Nobilo’s standalone Gewürztraminer winery; Vinoptoma in 2018, there have not been many Gewürztraminers from New Zealand that have excited me as much as this from Lani. A solo venture by Alana McGettigan, this is a ‘Turkish Delight’, floral perfume, Turkish Bazaar aromatics, luscious, taught, focused, wet stone, mineral, ginger syrup, fresh lychees, a fabulous wine.
Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2023
I gave the Greywacke 2021 98/100 in a recent Decanter Panel Tasting, and see this vintage of equal status, especially once it has had some more time to relax. Another example of the quality available in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Other highlights included Felton Road of course from Central Otago and Martinborough’s super star winery, Ata Rangi.
South Africa
Liberty is building up an elite South African pack, with Restless River now joining the ranks, joining superstars like Chris Mullineaux with both Mullineaux and LEEU Passant, Peter-Allen Finlayson with another duo; Crystallum and Gabrieskloof, John Seccombe with Thorne & Daughters and Marelise Niemann with Momento.
Momento Chenin Blanc/Verdelho 2021
Marelise is the quiet marvel in this South African group and delivers some sublime wines, I was enchanted by this blended white, a waxy, funky fresh wine that delivers an extremely attractive style with lots of citrus peel. The Grenache Blanc 2022 had a granite feel, mineral and spiced, saline, nutty and focused, whilst the Grenache Gris 2022 had a perfumed elegance, clean purity with great finesse. The Grenache Noir 2022 had a perfect purity, light and delicate, with great focus, loved the lightness of touch.
Restless River introduced two new wines to me, the Hemel-en-Arde Chardonnay 2023 (as opposed to the established ‘Ava Marie’ Chardonnay). This is an exceptionally clean focused Chardonnay. Equally clean and fresh was the Hemel-en-Arde Pinot Noir 2023, a level up in price and quality is ‘Le Luc’ Pinot Noir 2022, I have followed this wine for a few years now and the age of the vines have helped evolve the quality. Delicate, refined perfumed nose, then a classy mid-palate that delivers a magnificent Pinot. The latest vintage 2021 of ‘Main Road & Dignity’ Cabernet Sauvignon delivers a very Bordeaux style, this is classy and already drinking well but will evolve beautifully over the years. Decant to get the full experience.
Crystallum needs little promoting, but in Gabrielskloof Walker Bay Cabernet Franc 2022, Peter-Allan has produced a classic Cabernet Franc, this was outstanding, cedar, cocoa, spice, violets, rhubarb, blueberries, pencil, cassis all seamless and balanced.
Mullineux’s wines highlight everything that is perfect about South African wines, these will age evolve beautifully into masterpieces, Mullineaux Single Terroir Schist Swartland Chenin 2023 showcases Chenin Blanc at its world class best. It was also a privilege to taste the Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2022 full of white peaches and nectarines, the purity is immense – great focus, lime marmalade, flinty, lemon curd, nutty sweetness, stunning.
Italy
Liberty’s Italian choice is of course special, highlights included two Soave producers: Pieropan of course and for value I thought Cantina di Monteforte was rather impressive, especially its ‘Vigneto Montegrande’ Soave Classico 2022. I have always collected the Vie di Romans estate, especially the ‘Dessimis’ Pinot Grigio, a class act.
Car’ Dei Frati Brolettino Lugana 2023
Made from the Turbianna grape, has a lovely stone fruit and citrus aroma (clementine), vanilla spice, with a creamy texture straightened by minerality and a lovely elegance matched by the elegant bottle and packaging.
