Grape Minds

04/09/2026

Passing by us in Wallingford or Summertown? Pop into Grape Minds and taste our Touraine Sauvignon Blanc open all weekend. Lovely family w**emaker, delicious fresh white w**e, and just £12.49 a bottle… You’ll love it, and if you don’t, we’ve got 500 other things for you to take instead! **emerchant

27/08/2026

🍷 NICK PICKS 🍷

Hi, it’s Nick!

This week I’ve picked a w**e from one of our favourite producers: Gérard Bertrand 🇫🇷

Former rugby player, heir to a w**emaking family, pioneer of biodynamics and one of the real trendsetters of modern French w**e, Gérard Bertrand now has 17 biodynamic estates across the Languedoc-Roussillon, producing w**es that put terroir firmly front and centre.

🍇 This is Cigalus Rouge — a fascinating blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Grenache, Caladoc and Carignan.

And there is a serious amount of care behind it. The grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed, each variety is vinified separately, the w**e spends 12 months in specially selected and toasted oak barrels, before the final blend is carefully assembled. It’s also certified biodynamic by Demeter 🌿

The result? A beautifully complex, powerful yet balanced red.

🫐 Ripe blackberry, black cherry & plum
☕ Coffee & dark chocolate
🌿 Liquorice, vanilla & spice
✨ And a loooong, fresh, minty finish

What’s not to love?!

At £35.99 a bottle as part of our case-price deal, I think it’s an absolute must-try.

And while you’re in the shop, have a look at the rest of the Gérard Bertrand range too. Gris Blanc Rosé has been one of our bestsellers this summer ☀️ and Cigalus Blanc is every bit as brilliant as the red.

Cheers! 🍷
Nick

17/08/2026

Hi, it’s Nick! 🍷

This week I thought I’d shine a spotlight on one of my favourites from the red Burgundy shelf in the shop — Philippe Colin’s Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge. 🇫🇷

Philippe Colin is best known for his beautifully expressive Chassagne whites, but he brings exactly the same precision and attention to detail to this slightly rarer village red. He dedicates all of his Champs de Morjot vineyard holdings to red w**e, showing just how refined Pinot Noir from Chassagne-Montrachet can be.

🍇 A little Burgundy fact… Pinot Noir accounts for roughly 30% of the appellation’s production today, but it hasn’t always been that way. Until the 1980s, Chassagne-Montrachet was predominantly red w**e territory, with much of the village’s reputation built on Pinot Noir before demand for Chardonnay really took off.

Hand-harvested, gently extracted and aged for around 12 months in mostly older French oak barrels, the w**emaking allows the purity of the fruit and terroir to really shine through.

And the result? A beautifully aromatic Pinot Noir packed with bright red fruit — wild strawberry, fresh raspberry and ripe cherry — alongside rose petals and subtle notes of earth and spice. 🍓🍒🌹

The palate is silky and incredibly well balanced, with fine tannins and a looooong, savoury, mineral finish.

At just £35 as part of our case price deal, I think this represents brilliant value for a proper village Burgundy of this quality.

Definitely one to look out for next time you’re in the shop!

Cheers! 🍷

Nick

**eSpotlight

14/08/2026

Oh no, we’ve accidentally opened another bottle… Might as well pop it on the tasting counter!

14/08/2026

Nick has opened up di Filippo’s fantastic Grechetto this weekend, and though he manages to keep a straight face, this is a beauty! Unmistakably Italian, juicy but dry with a captivating texture and gentle spice and almond on the finish. Don’t believe us? It’s open to try for free in Wallingford and Summertown all weekend.

07/08/2026

🍷 W**e Spotlight

Hi, it’s Nick! 👋

This week, for my W**e of the Moment, I’ve chosen something a little bit special…

La Xispa Selecció, from Cellar Alimara — a family-run w**ery in the Terra Alta region of Catalonia, Spain. And when we say limited, we mean it: just 2,000 bottles produced. 🍇

Made from a blend of their very best Carignan and Grenache grapes, La Xispa Selecció is only produced in truly exceptional vintages.

After 12 months ageing in a combination of new and old French oak barrels, it’s a seriously impressive glass of w**e. Think intensely concentrated dark fruits, ripe figs, graphite, toffee and coffee, with beautifully smooth tannins and a lovely freshness running through it all.

At 14.5% ABV, it certainly packs a punch 💪 — but this isn’t a big, jammy fruit bomb. The grapes’ natural acidity keeps everything beautifully balanced, giving you a w**e that’s powerful, rich and full-bodied, but still wonderfully refined.

Food-wise, this is crying out for something equally bold: a great steak, slow-cooked lamb, or something smoky straight from the barbecue. 🔥

And at £29.99 as part of our case price, I think it represents fantastic value for a w**e made in such tiny quantities.

A really special bottle and an absolute must-try on your next visit to Grape Minds.

Cheers! 🥂
Nick

**eMerchant **eSpotlight

04/08/2026

Last night we had the pleasure of welcoming Jean-Luc and Mathilde from Ch*****ne Alfred Tritant to O X T WO for a very special Ch*****ne tasting evening.

Guests enjoyed an incredible line-up of Grand Cru Ch*****nes from the renowned village of Bouzy, perfectly paired with six bespoke small plates created by our kitchen team. It was a fantastic opportunity to explore the character, craftsmanship and heritage behind one of Ch*****ne’s finest grower producers.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a memorable evening. 🥂

*****neTritant *****ne Bouzy

03/08/2026

Very pleased to once again help sponsor the Minster Lovell Festival

🍻 The drinks are officially locked in! 🍷🎶
We're excited to reveal the final drinks line-up for the Festival. Whether you're a fan of crisp la**rs, refreshing ciders, award-winning local cask ales or a chilled glass of w**e, we've got something to keep you refreshed all day long. A huge thank you to all of our fantastic sponsors whose support helps make all of this possible. We can't wait to welcome you for great music, great company and even better drinks. Which one will you be trying first? 🍺🍎🍷 See you at the festival!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/minster-lovell-festival-2026-tickets-1984761413817?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_id=97759_v0_s00_e0_tv3&fbclid=IwVERDUATdpuRwZG9mAWZkaWQWULwWiQhcNPFNku4s7BC9DkbxL7YltGV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6qAfVprLCE0yQxfETjzXPUKLZr4bTsDTYXsPVS5YgWH9CSeuoX9qucS-4J-g_aem_NnGF5wiN2q76bv7fo1rHAA
G Hill& Sons Ltd JS Motor Services
Onyx Build Minster Lovell Sports & Social Club
A.K Timms & Sons Ltd JA Shirley building services ltd Grape Minds Little Ox Brewery Hook Norton Brewery Hawkstone Vale Brewery Loose Cannon Brewery

03/08/2026

🍷 W**e Spotlight

Hi, it’s Nick! 👋

I wanted to kick off a new series highlighting some of the w**es I think deserve a little extra attention when you’re browsing the shelves at Grape Minds.

This week, it’s the Brookdale Old Vine Chenin Blanc from South Africa – a truly outstanding w**e from the beautiful vineyards of Paarl, nestled beneath the dramatic Klein Drakenstein Mountains.

Brookdale take a minimal intervention approach in the w**ery, with two hand harvests, full malolactic fermentation, 11 months in oak, a further 11 months in large foudres, followed by six months resting in bottle. The result is a w**e that’s had plenty of time to develop real depth and character.

In the glass you’ll find layers of crisp apple, white peach, ginger, honey and fresh herbs, alongside creamy lees, ripe apricot and a hint of pineapple. Rich and textured, yet beautifully fresh and balanced, it’s a wonderfully complex Chenin Blanc that keeps you coming back for another sip.

If you love the style of great white Burgundy but fancy exploring something a little different, I can’t recommend this enough. At £29.99 as part of our case price, I genuinely think it offers exceptional value for the quality in the bottle.

Have you tried South African Chenin Blanc before? Let us know below! 🍷

**eMerchant **e

31/07/2026

This week it’s a brand new Sancerre open to try in both stores. The Jean-Max Roger Cuvee Genese and it’s a banger. Pop into either store to try, and it’s available from £19.99 **etasting **emerchant