Welcome To John Gerard Wines

John Gerard Wines is a UK mail order wine merchant specialising in the supply of mixed cases of wine from Western Australia. Western Australian wines are renowned and we bring them to you with pleasure.

WA produces some 4% of Australia's wine yet it accounts for some 25% of the premium wine from the 'Lucky Country'. We aim to make more varieties of Western Australian wine available to you than you can readily find in the High Street.

WA also has about 15% of Australia's winemakers so you can see one of the reasons for so much quality wine being made.

Our approach to tastings is described on the site but we have put up dozens of different WA wines for local tasting over the last year and this service will continue.

And because we like Irish Whiskey we stock a small range of whiskies. There is also a small range of wine-related items. There is a feedback form for you to request Bin End notifications and newsletters.

STOP PRESS The Search facility is really useful. You can search for a winemaker eg Evans & Tate or a grape type eg Shiraz or a region eg Margaret River. But please note that the price will be shown exVAT and this will be corrected.

Some of the photographs are courtesy of the Australian Wine Export Council.

Houghton Pinot Noir Chardonnay at CLA Game Fair 25-27 July 2008

We were delighted to sponsor the rural dating agency Muddy Matches by providing Houghton Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2002 sparkling wine at their Saturday evening event 'A Muddy Affair'. The Houghton sparkling wine was the major element of the cocktail Sloe Royale, the Sloe Gin being provided by SloeMotion. Some 100 people enjoyed a run of Blind Date, hosted by Katy Cropper, the only woman to have won 'One Man and his Dog', before settling into a free-range party to meet other singles.

National Trust Barrington Court Winemaker's Dinner Friday 23 May 2008

A winemaker's dinner was held on Friday 23 May 2008 at Barrington Court, near Ilminster in Somerset. The wines were from the Ferngrove Winery in Western Australia and we were well entertained by Stephen Bradshaw. The message was that if you like The Stirlings then you need to buy whilst stocks are available and King Malbec is only available for forward ordering as none of it is brought into the UK on spec. Only the best two barrels each year, and only if they are good enough, make it to The Stirlings label.

White Cabernet Sauvignon?

Of course one can't refer to it as cabernet sauvignon but the chance seedling discovered in WA in 1989 by Dorham Mann, son of Jack Mann, had all the characteristic of cab sauv; grape size, bunch shape and leaf pattern, but it failed to change colour. It was propagated, nurtured and submitted for assessment and certification as a new variety. A new variety was born. I tasted it a couple of years ago and the latest vintage has been found good enough to release. We have a small allocation. Don't miss being in at the start of a new story. It is different, it has the body of a good Chardonnay, the aroma of Viognier and so much more.

Look for Cygne Blanc on our White and Rose page.

Madeira Mandolin Orchestra

Just what does this have to do with a wine site devoted to wines from Western Australia? The clue lies in our wine list, Verdelho. This is one of the grapes from which Madeira wine is made. Whilst in Madeira we picked up a couple of tickets for a concert by the Madeira Mandolin Orchestra and we were delighted by their performance. Twenty-three players and their conductor provided a super sound - all light classical pieces including The Skaters Waltz, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 and Dance of the Hours. And did I hear one of the youngest members interject with "Hello Mother, hello Father" during a quiet phrase of Dance of the Hours? There was a ripple of amusement and no lessening of our enjoyment. If you get the chance to hear them then do so. Or visit The Madeira Mandolin Orchestra website

Best Selling Items

[Bin 7] Houghton HRB 2002

£7.53

This classic blend of premium red grape varieties is textured and flavoursome. Spicy raspberry and blackcurrant flavours, subtle oak characters, balance, structure and a long finish are combined in this fine wine that will continue to evolve with three to five years careful cellaring. A harmless crust of sediment may form in this wine. This is a sign that the wine has benefited from minimal handling to preserve its natural flavour. ABV 13.5%.

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £21.45
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[Bin 72] Evans & Tate Classic White 2006

£7.30

The best parcels of fruit have been taken from Margaret River and Manjimup, two of the finest regions within Western Australia to produce a wine that is varietally distinct and stylish. Produced from premium fruit, cold fermented and bottled early to retain freshness and intensity, this wine exhibits all those aromas and flavours so typical of the best Semillon Sauvignon blends. ABV 12.5%. (S).

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £20.79
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[Bin C] Greenore 8yo Single Grain

£28.34

This is something different. The single grain is corn, or maize as we know it. Smooth, mellow, easy sipping with a distinctive soft finish.
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[Bin 61] Stella Bella Pink Muscat 375ml 2007

£7.78

The 2007 is here. These are, without a doubt, 'one-girl bottles'. Partially fermented grape must. Delicately scented and fruited. Slightly sparkling with all the attributes to maintain it in the condition that it was bottled in dark glass unlike so many rose wines. 375ml bottle. ABV 8%. (S)

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £22.17
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[Bin 64] Stella Bella Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2005

£10.89

Fresh scents of citrus and fresh lemon herbs with gooseberry, tropical fruits and vanilla pod spice. Rich and tangy, Semillon’s yellow and orange citrus flavours of ruby grapefruit and tangerine combine well with Sauvignon Blanc’s ripe gooseberry, dusty black currant and tropical fruits in a mouth-watering, intensity of vibrant and lush fruit. ABV 13.0%. (S)

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £31.04

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[Bin 69] Palandri Solora Shiraz 2004

£7.36

This is a terrific quaffing wine. ABV 14%. (S)

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £20.98
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New Wines On List

[Bin 108] Benson Rise Cygne Blanc 2007

£13.59

Truly unique in the world, Cygne Blanc is a new white winegrape variety. It emanated from the chance discovery in 1989 of a naturally occurring seedling vine in Western Australia. The variety is unique in character with its distinctive perfumed bouquet, intensity of flavour and lingering fine finish. Grown at an elevated single vineyard overlooking the Southern Ocean on the Limestone Coast of South Australia, Benson Rise Cygne Blanc is a cool climate style dry wine. It is enjoyable in its youth and promises rewards with bottle ageing. So although it is not now a WA wine we give it pride of place at the top of the list. ABV 13.5%.

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £38.76
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[Bin 103] Houghton Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2002 Sparkling

£15.99

The best possible fruit is harvested by hand from select cool climate regions of West Australia. The fruit is then whole bunch pressed to retain delicate and distinctive fruit quality. The traditional method 2002 vintage wine displays refined Pinot Noir characters complemented by subtle zesty Chardonnay flavours. The seamless, finely textured palate and persistent bead has the complexity and maturity from more than four years maturation on yeast lees. Serve well chilled. ABV 13.5%.

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £45.57
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[Bin 111] McHenry Hohnen Three Amigos 2005 Shiraz, Grenache Mataro

£12.70

The McHenrys and the Hohnens have been growing grapes in the southern half of the Margaret River region since 1970. This wine combines Shiraz from our Rocky Road vineyard and Grenache from McLeod Creek and Mataro from the McHenry's vineyard. Sweet fruit flavours wrap around a firm tannin core. This is a 'drink me now' dry red wine with attitude - rustic but charming. ABV 14%.

If you didn't already know, David Hohnen cofounded Cape Mentelle.

Multi-Buy price for 3 bottles is £36.20
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