Domaine Laborie Pays d’Oc 2011, France (£5.50 The Wine Society) Bit of a bargain, floral, juicy and rounded, with fleshy red berry fruit and a spicy lift, ever so slightly baked but tastes of a place rather than a process. B(+) Jean Luc Colombo Crozes Hermitage Les Fées Brunes 2009, […]
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Fratelli Classic White 2011, Maharashtra, India (contact Hallgarten Druitt) Based on Chenin Blanc, and there is some of the pithy pear and apple flavour plus a touch of honey. Let down by a slightly burnt character and a so-so finish, but perfectly decent. C+ Fratelli Chenin Blanc 2011, Maharashtra, India […]
Wine Tasting Video: Assorted Whites from India, South Africa, Argentina, ...
Samuel Tinon Tokaji Szamorodni 2004, Hungary (£24.99 per 500 ml Hungarian Wine Society) Lovely combination of richness and pithy restraint, with honeyed barley sugar, raisin, nougat and vanilla flavours pepped up by orange-peel-rich marmalade acidity, sweet but so fresh, complete and confident. S+ Lyrarakis Malvasia of Crete NV, Greece (£17.75 […]
Wine Tasting Video: Tokaji, Greek Malvasia, Rutherglen Muscat
Valle Vento Barolo 2007, Piedmont (£14.99 Spar) Some will praise its old-fashioned, volatile, meaty style and rustic charm, others will dislike it for precisely the same reasons. It is a bit tired and consommé-like, but there’s still enough fragrant tar aroma, plum and citrus peel flavour and chewy tannin to […]
Wine Tasting Video: Italian reds from Piedmont & Tuscany
Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde 2011, Portugal (£6.75-£7.50 Waitrose, Oddbins, Majestic, Booths, The Wine Society) Bracing mineral-laden youngster, with sprightly citrus and apple fruit, a yeasty bite and a tingling spine of briny minerality. Perfect summer seafood wine. B+ Terras Gauda Abadia de San Campio Rías Baixas Albariño 2011, Spain […]
Wine Tasting Video: White wines from Vinho Verde & Rías ...
Errázuriz Estate Pinot Noir 2011, Aconcagua, Chile (£9.99 Majestic) Good fresh strawberry and cherry flavours veering towards but never hitting the jammy, but let down by an excess of chocolate wafer-like oak – why? B(-) Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2011, Marlborough, New Zealand (£11 Coop, Budgens, nzhouseofwine.co.uk, Matthew […]