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Casa de Paços Fernão Pires 2016, VR Minho, Portugal (N/A in the UK) Has a light spritz, which brings freshness to the ginger-tinged grape, quince and (slightly cooked) red apple flavours, rounded and peachy and just off-dry, would be good with lightly spicy food. B(+) Casa de Paços Loureiro/Arinto 2016, […]

Two white wines from Casa de Paços


Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge 2015, Burgundy, France (~£20 Hailsham Cellars, The Southwell Vintner, Mr Wheeler, Milford Wine, Saxty’s Wines, Heywood Wines, Flagship Wines, La Zouch Cellars,  Exel Wines, winedirect.co.uk) This is unoaked, but it’s picked up a touch of vanilla from somewhere. However the main event is the juicy, vibrant […]

Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge 2015, Burgundy, France



Mirabeau Pure Côtes de Provence Rosé 2016, France (£12.99 Mirabeau Direct, Waitrose, CellarVie Wines, Ocado) Juicy, fresh style, ever-so-slightly confected cranberry & peach aromas, but nicely textured and dry with an almost salty/sandy edge to the cooked apple and raspberry flavours. B+ Mirabeau Etoile Côtes de Provence Rosé 2016, France […]

Provence Rosé – not just for summer


Seven Springs Unoaked Chardonnay 2014, Overberg, South Africa (~£12 contact North South Wines) There’s a slightly bitter pithy edge and a lemony character here that reminds me as much of Semillon as Chardonnay. It’s still fresh and juicy, but it’s too rich to fall into the ‘pure’ camp and too […]

Chardonnays from South Africa & New Zealand


Half Cabernet, with Merlot and Tempranillo making up the balance Paso-Primero Tinto 2016, Somontano, Spain (£8.90 Tanners) No shortage of gutsy berry and damson flesh here, but the flavours veer towards the jammy and there’s a slightly drying edge of underripe tannin. Not so much that it’s unpleasant, but a […]

Paso-Primero Tinto 2016, Somontano, Spain