Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port, Douro Portugal (£15.70 Planet of the Grapes, New Street Wine Shop, Cambridge Wines) Gentle, soft, juicy style, round and mellow with a wealth of plummy berry and damson flavour and warming spirit giving it some fire in its belly. Maybe a touch simple but very […]
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Champagne Comtesse de Bellefleur NV, France (£29.99 Laithwaites) Rich with a slight nuttiness, but it looks like that richness seems to come from high dosage rather than extended aging or a good base wine. OK, but not much class. C(-) The Society’s Champagne Brut (Alfred Gratien), France (£29.50 The Wine Society) […]
Four Sparkling Wines – Champagne, Cava & Tasmania
Two different French takes on Syrah Vidal-Fleury Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 2012, Rhône, France (£16.95-£17.95 The Square Wine Company, Hailsham Cellars, Whole Foods Market) With its ripe berry (red and dark) character and hints of vanilla, there’s almost a New World feel here, but then the peppery finesse kicks in, along with […]
French Syrah from the Rhône and Languedoc
Bit of a mish-mash – but a nice mish-mash… Cantina Gadoro Beneventano Fiano 2013, Campania, Italy (£8.99 Waitrose) Reminds me of a white Bordeaux with a dollop of Viognier in there. Tinned pear, nutty, peachy exuberance and a touch of vanilla all reined in by a spine of herbal freshness. […]
Assorted Whites from Italy, Germany, Romania & France
Let’s see if we can understand why the Chileans mistook Carmenère for Merlot for so long… Montes Alpha Merlot 2012, Colchagua Valley, Chile (£12.99 Philglas & Swiggot, D.Byrne) Typical Chilean imprint of blackcurrant pastilles, also note sof rosehip and mulberry, but while the fruit is generally quite juicy, there’s also […]
Merlot and Carmenère – can you tell the difference?
Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay 2013, Adelaide Hills, Australia (£24.99 Majestic, Bentley’s Wine Merchants, CellarVie Wines, D Byrne & Co, Harrods, Leamington Wine Company, ND John Wine Merchants, Noel Young Wines, Ozwines.co.uk, Philglas & Swiggot, Provender Brown, Taylor’s Fine Wines, The Secret Cellar, Shills of Cockermouth, Slurp.co.uk, Winedirect.co.uk) Initially shy […]