We have a rigorous tasting & buying process, with a buying team comprising 5 people who collectively have over 120 years of experience in the Wine trade! We meet once a month to taste a combination of new vintages and new wines from existing suppliers and to look at potential new producers. We also visit most major wine producing regions annually.
We always taste first without prices and then draw up a shortlist which normally narrows it down to around 25% of the wines we started with. We then re-taste the shortlist and assess whether the wine delivers for the price, calculating what our selling price and in turn what the retail/restaurant selling price would be.
We are confident that if we have listed it, it’s good – we reject far, far more than we accept. This is reinforced by the new listings and growth enjoyed by Cachet over recent years - when sending samples to existing and prospective customers we enjoy a very healthy success rate.
It is however always nice to get a bit of recognition from journalists and here’s some of my favourite write ups:
Deux Grives Marsanne-Viognier, Languedoc
- Victoria Moore, The Telegraph November 2023: "A sensational white for the price, this is gently perfumed with hints of roasted almond, soft yellow plums, white blossom and musky apricot wrapped around a firm core. With warm flavours underpinned by a tangy freshness, this is a great winter white that works as an aperitif as well as with the festive food."
Jean Didier Grande Reserve Colombard-Ugni, Languedoc
- Graham Holter, Wine Merchant Magazine, August 2023: "These days it's worth giving serious consideration to any wine with an ABV of 11.5% that also hits the shelf under £10. This Colombard/ Ugni Blanc blend from south west France is seemingly aimed at Kiwi Sauvignon lovers on a budget, and while it's less intense it's certainly zippy, with lime and lychee notes".
Le Professeur Marselan, Languedoc
- Silver Medal, 88 points- London Wine Fair, 2024
- JancisRobison.com, 2023: ''Pretty much everything you want Marselan to be. Juicy, as sweetly ripe and dark as a fistful of late-summer figs soused in cassis. The tannins feel just like a perfectly brined kalamata olive – in that space where silky turns oily turns dry-leafy. This is a quaffing wine, but it does Quaffing Generously, capitalised.''
Big Beltie Cabernet Sauvignon, Languedoc
- Silver Medal, 83 points- London Wine Fair, 2024
- David Williams, The Guardian, May 2023: "In the right hands, cabernet sauvignon is far too interesting and adaptable a grape to ignore, however, with a wine such as the superb-value Big Beltie bringing a little French Mediterranean solar charge to the classic cassis characters."
- Jancisrobinson.com, 2023: "Classic blackcurrant fruit. Ripe, bodacious and extrovert. Lovely network of thyme, tarragon and sweetbox bring herbal fragrance. Plush, velvety tannins. Easy, ready and full of charm."
- Joanna Simon’s Wine of the Week, 27/10/2022: "...in case you're jumping to conclusions, this isn't a big belter of a wine. It's medium-full and pulsing with Cabernet Sauvignon energy and rich, sunny fruit. Think plum and cassis lightly brushed with aromatic, woody herbs, supple tannins discreetly wrapped in oak, and a flourish of bay-leaf spicy freshness. "
- Tom Surgey, Three Wine Men, November 2022: "Love the brightness and the juicy blackcurrant attack; the layers of spice and a bit of leaf sit in good harmony and while secondary to the fruit itself, they give it complexity and extra dimensions that elevate it....Top work! Genuinely great value wine."
Argelieres Cabernet Franc, Languedoc
- Wine Merchant Top 100 2023, Highly Commended
- Victoria Moore, Telegraph, Wines of the Week, 25th March 2023: "An impressive cabernet franc that has broad flavours and ringers of fresh red berries. One for lamb-chop suppers."
Avondale Cyclus, Paarl
- Decanter, November 2023, 96 points: '' There aren't many Roussanne- driven blends in the Cape, but this five-way blend (Viognier, Chenin, Chardonnay and Semillon are the others) suggests there maybe should be. An elliptical wine that starts with a bright point of citrus, broadens through flowers, greenage and lime, then tightens once more to a mineral, pebbly finish.''
Primitivo ‘Appassimento’ Preciso, Puglia
- Wine Merchant Magazine, Tried and Tested, April 2023: "You can dry your grapes on straw mats or you can make it happen on the living vine, as is the case at this Puglian estate, where the stalks of mature berries are twisted to stop further nourishment. This creates a 30% reduction in liquid and a concentration of raspberry and cherry flavours, enhanced by a hint of blood and spice."
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