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Grape Minds Grape Minds is North Oxford’s independent wine specialist, with wine, beer and spirits for every occasion.

Hi, Nick here at GM Summertown — and I’ve got a new favourite w**e in the shop! 🍷Last month was **eMonth, which gave us...
03/10/2026

Hi, Nick here at GM Summertown — and I’ve got a new favourite w**e in the shop! 🍷

Last month was **eMonth, which gave us the perfect excuse to delve a little deeper into Bordeaux. And, despite having around 700 w**es on our shelves, I came away having discovered a new personal favourite…

Château Mangot Distique 9, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2016.

Distique 9 is a tiny-production cuvée from the Todeschini brothers at Château Mangot. The name marks the ninth vintage they produced since its first release in 2008 — and the bottle we have is from the brilliant 2016 Bordeaux vintage.

We’re on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, where Merlot normally rules the roost. But this is a little different — and probably explains why I like it so much:

40% Cabernet Franc
30% Merlot
30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Franc takes the lead, giving the w**e a wonderfully fresh, aromatic character alongside all that classic Saint-Émilion richness.

The grapes are hand-harvested, plot by plot, meticulously sorted and then aged for 12 months across oak and clay amphora.

And the result? Full, rich and beautifully smooth.

Blackcurrant, blackberry, violet, mocha and mint, with cherry and plum, earthy spice and a seriously long, fresh, dark-fruited finish.

It’s a brilliant snapshot of the quality coming out of Château Mangot — an estate promoted to Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé in 2022.

Bordeaux W**e Month might be over, but this particular discovery is definitely sticking around!

Pick up a bottle from Summertown or Wallingford for £54.99 at case price.

Cheers!
Nick 🍷

**eMonth **e

02/10/2026

This week we’ve opened an old favourite and an absolute bargain Red from Chile! **etasting

26/09/2026

Last night, two sold-out stores discovered the wonder of Alsace! 🇫🇷🍷

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Summertown and Wallingford for two brilliant evenings exploring one of France’s most distinctive w**e regions.

From beautifully aromatic whites and razor-sharp Riesling to rich, textured Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and some seriously impressive Pinot Noir, Alsace showed exactly why it deserves a place in every w**e lover’s glass.

Great w**es, packed shops and plenty of lively discussion — exactly how we like our tastings at Grape Minds.

And a huge thank you to **esofAlsace for helping us share a little bit of Alsace with Oxfordshire. 🥂

Missed out? Don’t worry — plenty of our favourites from the night are waiting for you on the shelves…

**esOfAlsace **es **esofalsace

18/09/2026

from on the Grape Minds stand at **efest

14 amazing w**es including dry Auslese from 1992 and Eiswein from 1983!
**etasting

🍷 WALLINGFORD W**E FESTIVAL – FINAL TICKETS!Wallingford W**e Festival is back on Saturday 10th October — and we’re now d...
17/09/2026

🍷 WALLINGFORD W**E FESTIVAL – FINAL TICKETS!

Wallingford W**e Festival is back on Saturday 10th October — and we’re now down to the final tickets.

Join us for an afternoon discovering 100+ independent w**es, meeting passionate w**emakers and importers, and enjoying great food in a relaxed, friendly setting.

🌟 AFTERNOON SESSION: 1pm–4pm – final tickets available
🌙 EVENING SESSION: 6pm–9pm – almost sold out

Whether you’re already a w**e lover or simply fancy discovering something new, there’ll be plenty to taste, explore and enjoy.

📍 Masonic Lodge, Wallingford
📅 Saturday 10th October
🎟️ Tickets £35

Don’t leave it too late — once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Tap the link in our bio to book your tickets

🍷 NICK PICKS 🍷Have you ever tried Xinomavro?This week, something a little different has landed in the shop: Ktima Foundi...
16/09/2026

🍷 NICK PICKS 🍷

Have you ever tried Xinomavro?

This week, something a little different has landed in the shop: Ktima Foundi’s Naoussea 🇬🇷

Estate Foundi is a small, family-run w**ery in the heart of Naoussa, Central Macedonia. Founded in 1992 by Nikolaos Foundis, the estate is now run day-to-day by his daughter Georgia and her husband — while Nikolaos is supposed to be retired… 👀

This traditional Greek red is made from 100% Xinomavro, the signature grape of Naoussa.

If you’re a fan of Nebbiolo, Xinomavro is absolutely worth discovering. It has that same combination of elegance, bright acidity and firm, grippy tannins, but with a wonderfully distinctive Greek character.

The grapes are hand-harvested and meticulously sorted before the w**e spends 12 months in French oak, followed by at least 36 months ageing in bottle.

🍒 In the glass: bold, dry and seriously structured. Sour cherry, cranberry and dried strawberry meet tomato, olive, dried herbs, pepper and spice, with vibrant acidity, robust tannins and a long, complex finish.

This is a proper food w**e — serious, complex and built to age for decades.

And at just £26.99 as part of our mixed-case deal, it offers an incredible amount of w**e for the money.

If Xinomavro is new to you, this is a brilliant place to start.

**e

🍷 NICK PICKS 🍷Hi, Nick here. I’ve got a good one for you this week!🇮🇹 Biné Gavi Riserva DOCG – Vigna GambarottaWe’re hea...
10/09/2026

🍷 NICK PICKS 🍷

Hi, Nick here. I’ve got a good one for you this week!

🇮🇹 Biné Gavi Riserva DOCG – Vigna Gambarotta

We’re heading to Piedmont in Northern Italy, home of Gavi and the Cortese grape. This is Biné’s flagship cuvée, made from fruit grown in their finest vineyard: Vigna Gambarotta.

And the vineyard itself is something special. Planted in rows down the slopes of a south-facing amphitheatre, its distinctive shape was the inspiration for Biné’s beautiful sunburst logo. ☀️

But this isn’t your typical young, fresh Gavi.

The Riserva undergoes an incredible four-year maturation: two years resting on its lees in stainless steel, followed by another two years ageing in bottle before release.

The result? A Gavi with extraordinary depth, texture and complexity.

🍑 Ripe white peach
🌰 Sweet almond
🍈 Honeydew melon
🍏 Golden apple
🍐 Pear & quince
🌼 Chamomile
🍋 All lifted by a wonderfully vibrant, lemony acidity

And here’s the really interesting bit: there’s no oak ageing at all.

Instead, that prolonged time on the lees gives the w**e a wonderfully rich, dense and structured mid-palate, adding surprising weight to the naturally light and elegant Cortese grape.

There’s incredible freshness, fascinating hints of oxidative ageing and layer after layer of flavour.

Big. Interesting. Hyper-complex. But never heavy.

And the best bit?

Just £26.99 as part of our case price deal. 🙌

If you think you know Gavi, this might just change your mind.

Go on… treat yourself!

Nick 🍷

**eOfTheWeek **e ItalianW**e

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

🍷 NICK PICKS 🍷Hi, it’s Nick!This week I’ve picked a w**e from one of our favourite producers: Gérard Bertrand 🇫🇷Former r...
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

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 sho...
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

Address

Oxford

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 3:30pm

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01865 661749

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