Excellent blend of 60% Syrah with 20% each of Mourvèdre & Grenache Mas de Cynanque ‘Acutum’ Saint Chinian 2010, Languedoc, France (£14.99 Cambridge Wine Merchants) It’s that Côte-Rôtie-like roasted character of Syrah that you notice first, but then other flavours get to have their say – plums, blackcurrants, strawberries and […]
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The label may be jokey, but the wine is seriously good – why buy £10 Bordeaux when you can have this? Paul Mas Striking French! Merlot Pays d’Oc 2012, France (£9.99 Majestic) Still on the youthful side, with toasty oak quite prominent, but the main attraction is the wealth of […]
Paul Mas Striking French! Merlot Pays d’Oc 2012
Modra Frankinja is also known as Blaufränkisch. And Lemberger. And Kékfrankos. And Jubiläumsrebe. And even Sirokolidtnyj… Pullus Modra Frankinja 2011, Stajerska, Slovenia (£9.95 Winety) Refreshing red wine, juicy and sappy, with a slightly earthy undercurrent to the fresh cherry and blackberry flavours, and a slightly leathery, rustic note on the […]
Pullus Modra Frankinja 2011, Slovenia
Interesting fact: the Fernão Pires grape changes sex and becomes Maria Gomes as you travel further north in Portugal… (In fact many Portuguese grapes have dual identities – Sousão/Vinhão, Aragonez/Tinta Roriz, Trincadeira/Tinta Amarela etc) Tagus Creek Chardonnay/Fernão Pires 2013, Tejo, Portugal (£6.49 Asda) Simple but honest and tasty wine, with […]
Tagus Creek Chardonnay/Fernão Pires 2013
Some Priorat can be a bit bloated and plodding: not this one… Torres Salmos Priorat 2011, Spain (£18.99 Waitrose, vintagemarque.com) A lovely combination of exuberance and freshness, packed with plush berry, plum and damson, with an ever-so-slightly rustic raisinny note too, but there’s also an earthy coolness, presumably a product […]
Torres Salmos Priorat 2011
The second of a couple of 2013 rosés from Yves Grassa’s Domaine du Tariquet – the, first, Rosé de Pressée, is HERE Domaine du Tariquet Marselan Rosé Côtes de Gascogne 2013, South West France (£9.40 Wineservice, Old Butcher’s Wine Cellar) Gentle red berry aromas with a touch of spice – cinnamon? […]