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Maxwell ‘Minotaur’ Reserve Shiraz 2016
£53.95THE NAME
A feature of the Maxwell estate is the conifer maze adjacent to the old Ellen Street in front of the Winery. Many visitors to the estate take time to stroll down its paths. A labyrinth is a special circular maze that in ancient Greek mythology secured the fearsome might of the half man / half bull Minotaur for King Minos of Crete. We have created the Minotaur label to convey the power and intensity contained within this, our Reserve Shiraz.COLOUR AND AROMA
Deep purple / red in colour. Aromas of aniseed, blood plum and vanilla bean, dried herbs and cherries.PALATE
Classic Shiraz flavours of cherry, liquorice and plum fill a generous palate with more subtle notes of cinnamon, vanilla and raspberry make a complex yet elegant wine with a soft velvety tannin structure to provide a long finish.CELLARING POTENTIAL
Though the balance and integration of flavours upon its release are excellent, the Minotaur Reserve Shiraz is made for medium to long term cellaring. Given satisfactory cellaring conditions, it is expected this wine will drink particularly well at 12 to 15 years of age, and beyond. -
out of stock
Maxwell Wines Little Demon Verdelho 2019
£13.50Verdelho is a white wine grape originating from Portugal and is ideally suited to the warm, dry coastal regions of Australia.
Floral and crisp with citrus and honeysuckle characteristics, this Verdelho is ideal for drinking young with fresh seafood.
Ideally consumed alongside Portuguese favourites like squid, octopus, shellfish and fatty fish like tuna (or substitute with South Australian favourite, Kingfish).In the vineyard, Verdelho is a moderately vigorous vine that produces bunches of small oval berries with a high skin to juice ratio. This skins of the berry can be thick and ripen early, for example typically in the first weeks of February each year, meaning it is the first of our grapes crushed each vintage.
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Maxwell Wines Little Demon GSM (Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre) 2018
£13.95Vintage Conditions
The grape quality for the 2018 harvest was formed by having a good wet season in 2017, but a dry season ensuing, which prevents excessive vigour or disease problems. Summer was unusually dry, there was as little as 10mm of rain from 1st of January to mid-April. Favourable summer ripening weather with daytime temperatures in the high twenties, with cool nights, led to fruit in great condition at picking. The good condition of fruit going into the winery allowed winemakers the freedom to give unrushed care for the fermentation period. Crop yields were 15-20% down on Vintage 2017 compared to average.Colour & Aroma
The colour is deep red with bright crimson hues. Deep red berry aromas with stewed plum and herbal notes.Palate
Abundant with rich plum, gamey tone and white pepper spice, supported by soft tannin and lively acidity.Pairing
Confit duck leg with pickled baby beetrootWinemaker comments
This wine is made to enjoy upon release, however it is expected that it will continue to mature to 5 years of age. -
out of stock
Maxwell Wines Little Demon Grenache Rosé 2019
£13.95Colour & Aroma
Bright pink with vibrant strawberry aromas.Palate
Fresh and balanced with vibrant strawberries and cream. The time spent lingering over a plush mouthfeel is rewarded with length, refreshing acidity and a clean, dry finish.Pairing
Sardines, tomato, barillaWinemaker comments
Lightly pressed to give the freshest brightest and liveliest wine possible.Vintage Conditions
McLaren Vale’s 2019 vintage was low yielding but of a very high quality. A very dry winter and a cool spring resulted in poor budburst and flowering around October. Then in December we experienced some amazing wind gusts, which damaged some of the newly formed bunches. Then followed a heat wave which continued to reduce the crop levels. Lower yields do have the benefit of increasing colour density and structure, so although the tonnes are less than most previous years, the quality is very good. -
Maxwell Wines Little Demon Envious Sparkling NV
£15.50The Name
In 1871 Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell proposed a thought experiment,
that involved a hypothetical creature acting as a gatekeeper between two
compartments to sort gas molecules according to their speed. At first glance,
such a system could potentially create energy from nothing… theoretically
impossible given the laws of physics. This hypothetical gatekeeper became
known to physicists as Maxwell’s Little Demon, and has stirred debate in the
science community for more than a century.A simple play on words – ‘Envious’ was chosen to represent Maxwell’s Non
Vintage Sparkling wine, or ‘NVS’ for short.Colour & Aroma
Bright pale straw colour. Aromas of fresh green apple and citrus effervesce.Pairing
Port Lincoln torched sardines, gremolata, pickled onions & barilla.Palate
The citrus flavours illuminate the palate and provide the wine with
freshness. Delicate creamy yeast characters bring style and complexity, while a subtle melon note plays in the background. The wine has good length with a pleasantly dry finish. -
Maxwell Wines Silver Hammer Shiraz 2018
£14.75Vintage Conditions
The grape quality for the 2018 harvest was formed by having a good wet season in 2017, but a dry season ensuing, which prevents excessive vigour or disease problems. Summer was unusually dry, there was as little as 10mm of rain from 1st of January to mid-April. Favourable summer ripening weather with daytime temperatures in the high twenties, with cool nights, led to fruit in great condition at picking. The good condition of fruit going into the winery allowed winemakers the freedom to give unrushed care for the fermentation period.Colour & Aroma
Rich purple and red in colour. The bouquet is abundant with plum, blackberry and red cherries, coupled with hints of mocha and vanilla.Palate
The Maxwell Silver Hammer Shiraz delivers all the hallmarks that make the combination of this variety and the McLaren Vale region so famous. The palate has an abundance of generous flavours, a rich mouthful with plum, vanilla and complex savoury spices. The mouth filling flavours are well balanced, full bodied with a soft finish.Pairing
Beef short rib.Winemaker comments
This wine is made to enjoy upon release, however it is expected that it will continue to mature to 5-7 years -
Maxwell Wines Ellen Street Shiraz 2018
£25.50The Name
What was originally known for over 100 years as Ellen Street runs along the
southern boundary of the Maxwell vineyards. Situated between this road and
the winery is a small vineyard of craggy, gnarled Shiraz vines planted in 1953.
Every year these vines bear some of the most concentrated fruit on the estate.Vintage Conditions
The grape quality for the 2018 harvest was formed by having a good wet season
in 2017, but a dry season ensuing, which prevents excessive vigour or disease
problems. Summer was unusually dry, there was as little as 10mm of rain
from 1st of January to mid-April. Favourable summer ripening weather with daytime temperatures in the high twenties, with cool nights, led to fruit in great condition at picking. The good condition of fruit going into the winery allowed winemakers the freedom to give unrushed care for the fermentation period.Palate
Classic Shiraz flavours of cherry, liquorice and red plum fill a generous body with more subtle notes of cinnamon, vanilla and raspberry. These come together to form a complex core with an elegant, soft & velvety tannin structure completed by a deliciously lengthy finish.Colour & Aroma
Deep purple / red in colour. Aromas of aniseed, blood plum and vanilla bean, dried herbs and cherries.Pairing
Duck, carrot, vanilla.Winemaker comments
This wine is made to enjoy upon release, having already been aged for a couple of years but will reliably cellar for 10+ years. -
Maxwell Wines Lime Cave Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
£25.50The Name
The wine takes its name from Maxwell’s 60m long man-made cave, dug to grow
mushrooms in 1916 into the solid limestone hill that is now home to the estate
vineyards. Above this cave, on the crest of the hill, there are 19 rows of “Reynella
Selection” Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Planted in 1972, these vines originate
from those brought into South Australia by John Reynell over 150 years ago.Vintage Conditions
The grape quality for the 2018 harvest was formed by having a good wet season in 2017, but a dry season ensuing hich prevents excessive vigour or disease problems. Summer was unusually dry, there was as little as 10mm of rain from 1st of January to mid-April. Favourable summer ripening weather with daytime temperatures in the high twenties, with cool nights, led to fruit in great condition at picking. The good condition of fruit going into the winery allowed winemakers the freedom to give unrushed care for the fermentation period. Crop yields were 15-20% down on Vintage 2017 compared to average.Colour & Aroma
Dark purple in colour with aromas of blackberry and dark chocolate.Palate
A generous palate with red currant, cranberry and cherry with integrate cedar oak. Flavours are persistent on the finish with soft and integrated tannins.Pairing
Roasted pork belly, crispy crackling.Winemaker comments
Lengthy time in oak aids softening of tannins. This wine is made to enjoy upon release, however it is expected that it will continue to mature for 15+ years. -
out of stock
Maxwell, Lime Cave, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008
£23.95NEW STOCK AND NEW VINTAGE ARRIVING JANUARY!
The Maxwell Winery is located on the south facing slope of a solid limestone hill in the heart of the McLaren Vale. Next to the winery is a man-made cave, dug in 1916, tunnelled 40 metres into the hill. This is the Lime Cave.
Cabernet Sauvignon for this wine is sourced from vines planted in 1972 above the Lime Cave, on the crest of the estate vineyard. Identified as a Reynella Selection Cabernet vines, the first vines were brought into South Australia over 160 years ago. The estate vines, now into their 4th decade, continue to produce small parcels of remarkable fruit due to the minimal topsoil and solid limestone in which they grow.
Matured in French oak, the abundant mulberry, cassis and violet overtones are well integrated with spice oak. Long grained tannins provide balance and persistence. The elegant Cabernet Sauvignon is a reflection of the unique are of McLaren Vale in which it is grown.
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out of stock
Maxwell Wines Mixed Case
£84.80Maxwell’s estate vineyards are some of the most favourably positioned in the McLaren Vale district. Situated on solid limestone, and in such proximity to the moderating effects of the Gulf of St Vincent, the conditions in the vineyards are ideal and somewhat blessed for producing small quantities of intensely flavoured grapes. Since 1979, the Maxwell family, with its 16 acre estate, have built a solid reputation for producing handmade wines so it makes sense then that the family’s ethos is: “ Life’s too short to drink bad wine”.
The case price of £88.15 includes a 5% discount off the RRP case price of £92.80. The selection is as follows:
x 1 Maxwell Little Demon Verdelho RRP £8.95
x 2 Maxwell Little Demon Cabernet Merlot RRP £13.25
x 1 Maxwell Silver Hammer Shiraz RRP £13.95
x 1 Maxwell Adelaide Hills Chardonnay RRP £15.95
x 1 Maxwell Lime Cave Cabernet Sauvignon RRP £23.95
Click here to browse our entire Maxwell Estate range!
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Maxwell Sparkling Mead (500ml)
£6.75This Mead is made by fermenting pure Australian honey using a method as old as history; In ancient times mead was ‘nectar’ to the Greek Gods and to the Vikings it was the honeymoon drink, believed to have virtues of an aphrodisiac. The Sparkling Mead displays hints of cinnamon and clove, together with stone fruits, citrus and the delicate flavour of ginger.
Super for a festive sparkle or just as good in the summer served over crushed ice and garnished with fresh mint.
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Maxwell, Eocene Ancient Earth, Shiraz 2011
£32.95£22.50The Maxwell winery is located on a solid limestone hill in the heart of McLaren Vale. The limestone was created during the Eocene Epoch, 56-34 million years ago creating the foundation for the low yield/high quality fruit born on our vines.
This is a very limited release Shiraz which begins with a heady mix of aromas including maraschino cherries, aniseed and a rich compote of ripe dark berries. The complex, detailed and multi-faceted palate continues with dark cherries and forest fruits, while introducing layers of dark chocolate and light, savoury earth.
Interwoven by long fine tannins and a backbone of well-integrated cedary oak;
the wine finishes with an abundance of fruit length and intensity – this could easily age up to 15 years. -
Maxwell Liqueur Mead
£14.95Mead at its absolute best! Stunningly rich, aromatic, and intensely flavoured, this is a unique after-dinner liqueur. Starting with a base of Spiced Mead, a special herb & spice infusion is added prior to fortification. An extended barrel maturation of around three years in Maxwell’s cellars completes this limited release mead. Maxwell’s Liqueur Mead has also been twice awarded ‘best dessert mead’ at the International Mead Festival Competition in the USA.
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Maxwell Honey Mead
£14.95Ideally consumed chilled (over ice), it can also be mixed with soda water, lemonade or dry ginger ale. It has been awarded ‘best pure varietal mead’ at the International Mead Festival Competition in the USA.
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Maxwell Spiced Mead
£14.95Our version of Mulled Wine but better!
Like many great things in history, spiced mead was born out of necessity. When mead found its way to England in the middle-ages by the sharp end of a Viking sword, honey was a cheaper commodity than sugar. Mead was fermented communally and was available for collection around the village. Often remaining there for weeks, spices were added as the mead began to spoil to mask any unpleasant flavours! A happy accident indeed.
In the early 1970s Ken Maxwell began selling his famous honey mead with an envelope of spice to allow mead drinkers to ‘mull’ their mead at home. These days Mark Maxwell does all the hard work for you as the now famous ‘Spiced Mead’ is made to a secret and finely honed family recipe.
With an army of loyal followers this winter elixir has warmed the hearts and bodies of a generation or more, a veritable potion of pleasure.
Traditionally served hot (not boiling) to enhance its aromas and warm the soul, it can also find uses in the kitchen as an ingredient in cakes and fruit pies. This is our answer to Tilley’s Wines. In the summer try serving it chilled with dry ginger ale, ice and mint.
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Maxwell, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, 2014
£16.75We simply refer to this wine via its origin. The Adelaide Hills wine region borders McLaren Vale and is in its own right a world-class region, being the home to many of Australia’s best white wines, including Chardonnay. These hills provide elevated and cooler sites for viticulture, producing wines with good natural acid, structure and elegance.
COLOUR AND AROMA
Brilliant straw with golden hues. Aroma is filled with vibrant nectarine, white peach and melon fruits coupled with roasted hazelnut and oak spice.PALATE
The palate displays citrus fruits, lemon curd and almond meal notes. Lees stirring has added texture and mouth feel, creating a wine with balance and complexity. The wine shows great fruit length and refined oak. This is a fine and superbly balanced Chardonnay that captures the essence of its cool-climate origin.CELLARING POTENTIAL
While this wine is made to enjoy upon release, further maturation over 3 to 7 years will enable it to develop even more complexity, assuming satisfactory cellaring conditions.WINEMAKING
A portion of the juice was barrel fermented in new French oak using wild yeast and partial solids to create depth and texture. The remainder of the batch was matured in seasoned French oak for ten months prior to blending. -
Maxwell, ‘Little Demon’, Cabernet Merlot 2013
£13.25THE NAME
In 1871 Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell (Mark Maxwell’s Great Grandfather) proposed a thought experiment, that involved a hypothetical creature acting as a gatekeeper between two compartments to sort gas molecules according to their speed. At first glance, such a system could potentially create energy from nothing… theoretically impossible given the laws of physics. This hypothetical gatekeeper became known to physicists as Maxwell’s Little Demon, and has stirred debate in the science community for more than a century.
THE WINE
Intense purple colour with a generous nose of vanilla, raspberry and spices.
The palate shows both the persistence and depth of Cabernet, and the smooth influence of Merlot. Light savoury notes of black tea blend with more obvious cherry, mulberry and blackberry. Subtle oak and interlacing soft tannins contribute to the velvety palate and soft finish.
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Maxwell, Ellen Street Shiraz, 2012
£23.95COLOUR AND NOSE
The colour of cherry red. This wine shows aromas of coffee and vanilla bean, violets, glacé fruits and cherries.
PALATE
Flavours of plum, chocolate, and blackberry are immediate in the first sip. This Shiraz shows clean minerality from the limestone sub soils and rich earthy characters through the middle palate offering intense concentration of fruit with soft velvety tannin to complete this wine.
CELLARING POTENTIAL
Given satisfactory cellaring conditions, it is expected this wine will drink particularly well at 6 to 8 years of age.