christinac
Fortunate to have been born in the great city of Liverpool and to fall into the world of wine. More than 20 years later I'm Boutinot's marketing manager for much of Europe (mostly Italy and Spain) and more than content with my compact family, including 3 cats (sadly just the 11 legs) and a 1969 'Dark Star' (no, not a wine!)
We truly believe our wines are fantastic, but you already knew that – we wouldn’t sell them if we didn’t!
That said, it is always nice when someone else recognises the quality in our portfolio, even better when they write a lovely review in the press to tell everyone about it…
Here’s a round-up of what they’ve been saying about us recently!
A good way to round off ’24 is with these wines which were included in the Wine Spectator ‘Top 100’ of 2024:
#24 – San Felice Il Grigio Riserva, Chianti Classico DOCG 2021: Offers cherry and plum fruit framed by earth, mineral and wild herb flavors. Poised between elegance and power, this red is beautifully balanced. Dusty tannins support the fruit on the long finish. 93pts.
#56 – Clió, DO Jumilla 2021: This muscular red finds fine balance and poise, integrating firm, sculpted tannins and bright orange peel acidity. Offers rich and expressive flavors of boysenberry and blackberry coulis, licorice, singed apple wood and ground coffee. Hints of toast, tar and dried mint and thyme linger on the fine-grained finish. Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2031. 92pts
#70 – Prà Soave Otto, Soave DOC [Organic] 2022*: A lithe, mouthwatering white, with zippy acidity driving flavors of ripe yellow plum, pink grapefruit granita and peach skin, revealing minerally smoke and stone accents, followed by a floral finish. Drink now through 2027. 90pts *we have now moved on to the ’23 vintage
Staying with Prà, their Monte Grande, Soave Classico DOC [Organic] 2022 has been recognised with the top award ‘Tre Bicchieri’ in the new edition of the Italian Wine Guide, Gambero Rosso 2025, along with San Felice’s Borgo Chianti Classico DOCG 2022.
Cum Vineis Sclavis Schiava, Trentino DOC 2022: This is a delight – a pale, fresh, perfumed, cherry and strawberry-fruity, yet savoury, light-bodied red. It’s made from an old Trentino grape variety, Schiava (meaning slave in Italian, but that’s a story for another time) and it’s the kind of red wine you can drink on its own or pair with cured and air-dried meats, aubergine, tuna steak, prosciutto-wrapped monkfish or chicken breast, or roast poussin. JoannaSimon.com (November 21st)
Champagne Gremillet Brut Ambassadeur NV: “Reliable All Rounder”. This small but beautiful family-owned champagne house is judged by its flagship ambassadeur brut because it’s made such a name for
itself. Off the bat, fresh floral aromas flood the nose flanked by sweet brioche and baked biscuit. Fresh peach and vivid citrus round out the profile, and 18 months of ageing on lees delivers a fine mousse and a crisp, rich elegance to the finish. Forever reliable, the florality and fruits are just so endlessly quaffable. Aidy Smith for the Independent (December 4th)
Cascina Nuova, Nizza DOCG 2019: Sweet aromas of vanilla and flowers and brooding black-fruit nose. Showing fresh juicy red berries and spices, live cloves and cinnamon. The oak is well-managed, and the palate is fresh with robust and integrated tannins. Warm and concentrated fruit, salty and mineral finish. Needs a bit more time in the bottle to develop fully. 91pts Decanter Magazine (January 2nd)
Tentua Santa Seraffa Gavi del Comune di Gavi DOCG 2023:..Boasting opulent flavours of fresh honeyed apples, peach stones and warm hay. Try with gemolata-topped pasta or roast vegetables. 91pts Decanter Magazine (December 9th)
Heaphy Sauvignon Blanc 2023: No shortage of pyrazines here – herbal, tomato leaf, sugar-snap peas. The fruit has the green freshness of just-ripe kiwi, green figs and grated lime. Zippy, lively, sea-spray fresh on the palate. There’s a touch of generosity and texture, providing a welcome balance to all that raciness. Undeniable refreshment and cool Nelson character, but that intense herbaceousness won’t be for everyone. 16pts Jancis Robinson (November 2024)
Heaphy Riesling 2023: Vibrant nose – intense, well-defined lime, grapefruit and peach skins. With a little time, some grated ginger and gentle coriander aromas, too. Expressive and bracing at the same time. The palate has all those exotic citrus and inflections lifted on laser-focus acidity. Very racy, but in no way lean. Mouth-watering salty length. 16pts Jancis Robinson (November 2024)
Henners Vintage 2018: Hazelnut and almond edge to the lovely pure, vivid citrus fruit. There’s a hint of green apple, too. Really expressive. 92pts Jamie Goode (December 20th)
Henners Brut Rosé NV: Sappy green edge to the nose as well as some pure citrus fruit with a touch of cherry. Lovely balance here. 91pts Jamie Goode (December 20th)

Boutinot ‘Les Six’, Cairanne AOC 2022: What unbelievably good value! A Grenache, Syrah, Mourverde, Cinsault, Counoise Carignan Noir blend from Southern Rhone this is a rich, complex, full-bodied and generous red wine that retains a youthful freshness even through the robust flavour. Looks and tastes twice the price. Libby Brodie (November 25th)
Domaine Boutinot Les Six, AOP Cairanne 2022: Another good value southern Rhône – this one from the Cairanne appellation. Impressively complex and full of evocative sun-warmed herb aromas, meaty, peppery spice, dark fruit and lush texture. You could confidently cellar this for another five years. The Six refers to the number of grape varieties – more than you usually see in the southern Rhône. Joanna Simon (November 21st)
Domaine Boutinot Argiles Blanches Blanc, AOP Cairanne 2022: Boutinot’s Cairanne reds have a big fanbase but this….is just as impressive. Fermented and briefly aged in oak, it’s satisfyingly rich and rounded, with stone fruit and floral notes, but with a fresh mineral seam that gradually reveals itself. The Wine Merchant (October 2024)
Valenciso Cemento Rioja, DOCa Rioja 2021: Pristine aromas that are rather reticent and closed at this stage, but the mineral quality shows through, with subtle plums and red cherries. The mid-weighted palate shows spot-on balance, with firm, crunchy tannins and a confident finish where bright berry fruit and minerals come through at the end. Better in one year more. 93pts James Suckling (January 9th)
Valenciso Rioja Blanco, DOCa Rioja 2023: Light meringue on the nose with hints of marzipan, wet stones, fine lees and white fruit. Fresh and effortless on the mid-weighted palate, showing nice fluidity, good freshness and balance. Lightly minerally and creamy in the finish. Viura and garnacha blanca. Drink now or hold. 92pts James Suckling (January 9th)
Valenciso Rioja Reserva, DOCa Rioja 2019: Ripe, racy aromas of dark plums, cherries, dark earth, walnut husks, dark mushrooms and graphite. Restrained and rather understated in style, with a medium body evenly packed with juicy fruit and fine-grained tannins. Firm and pretty long in the finish. Drink or hold. 93pts James Suckling (January 9th)
Wild House Sauvignon Blanc, WO Western Cape 2024: Guavas, gooseberries and grapefruit on the nose of this crisp and fruity white. It’s medium-bodied with lively acidity and a tangy, lightly leafy and flavorful finish. Sustainable. Drink now. Screw cap. 90pts James Suckling (January 9th)
Wildeberg Terroirs Chenin Blanc, WO Paarl 2023: I like the honey, flint and wild herb undertones to the stone fruit and green mango aromas. Hints of licorice too. It’s full-bodied, very bright and lively, with a lingering creamy and spicy finish. Sustainable. Drink now. 92pts James Suckling (January 9th)
Wild House Chenin Blanc, WO Western Cape 2024: Sliced apples, lemons and wet stones on the nose of this crisp white. It’s medium-bodied with a lick of minerality to the crunchy fruit. Easy finish. Drink now. Screw cap. 89pts James Suckling (January 9th)