Monthly Archives: October 2014


Sturdy fare from a country whose wines we rarely see… Stobi Vranec Classic 2011, Tikves, Macedonia (£10-11 Cornelius Wines, Cork & Cask, Wine Rack, House of Townend, Turton Wines, North Coast Wine Co) Deep in colour, and stuffed with dark fleshy berry and kirsch flavours. Also packs in notes of […]

Stobi Vranec Classic 2011, Tikves, Macedonia


Best region in Spain for white wine – Rueda, Rías Baixas or Valdeorras? Or somewhere else?? Vetus ‘Flor de Vetus’ Verdejo 2013, Rueda, Spain (£11.99 Meat, The Wine Reserve, Charlie Crown, Grape & Grind, Scarlet Wines, The Jolly Vintner Too, Shaftesbury Wines, The Cellar at Clevedon, Woodford Wine Room, Loki, […]

Vetus ‘Flor de Vetus’ Verdejo 2013, Rueda, Spain


A consistent performer for forty years, and still going strong… Wirra Wirra Church Block 2012, McLaren Vale, Australia (£13.49 Waitrose, Ocado, Tesco, TheDrinkShop.com) Ripe fleshy cassis tinged with notes of smoky, earthy spice, some classic Aussie mint/eucalyptus notes, and a leathery note to the finish that will get stronger as […]

Wirra Wirra Church Block 2012, McLaren Vale, Australia



This grew on me… Izadi Rioja Blanco 2013, Spain (£14.99 Eton Vintners, New Forest Wines, Charlie Crown, Grape & Grind, The Cellar at Clevedon, Bentley’s Wine Merchants, Loki, Aitken Wines, Lockett Bros, The Fine Wine Company, Winedirect.co.uk, Thedrinkshop.com, Slurp.co.uk) A wine that’s as much about texture as flavour. There’s not […]

Izadi Rioja Blanco 2013, Spain


The modern side of Dão but still rather tasty F’Oz Dão 2012, Portugal (£7.99 Tesco) Plummy rose hip and dark berry characters to the fore, with a slightly floral note, some spice, an earthy undercurrent and a supple finish. There are more fragrant and complex wines from Dão but this […]

F’Oz Dão 2012, Portugal


Yawn… (PS Thought I’d posted this yesterday..) Edna Valley Chardonnay 2012, Central Coast, California (£12.99 Majestic) There is a touch of citrus freshness, but this majors on rather too plump ripe peach and pineapple flesh, with an overlay of butterscotch – just too large and simple. C+

Edna Valley Chardonnay 2012, Central Coast, California