Australia



Jeroboams Rioja Reserva 2013 (Marques de Reinosa), Spain (£13.95 Jeroboams) 2013 wasn’t the greatest of Rioja vintages, and there’s a slight earthy greenness in the background here. But thankfully, it’s reasonably concealed by classic vanilla/coconutty oak notes, and generous orange peel, red berry and plum flavours. Good, and even better […]

Tempranillo from Rioja & South Australia


Bouchard Père & Fils Bourgogne Chardonnay La Vignée 2014, Burgundy, France (£13 Penistone Wine Cellars, Just in Cases, Hailsham Cellars, Sandhams Wine Merchant, Wine Direct, Amazon) A bit shy initially but then slinks out of the glass with bracing lemony edge and ripe green apple crispness balanced by an almost […]

Chardonnays from Burgundy and Australia



Two Kiwis to being with Seresin Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand (£17.99 The NZ Cellar, Wholefoods, Davy’s Wine Merchants, House of New Zealand Wines, Noble Green, Bon Coeur, Handford Wines, Hay Wines, Cheers Wine Merchants) 2015 Almost more Loire-like than New Zealand in style with quite precise herby stony […]

An assortment of white wines


Beginning in Italy with Prosecco. Or not… Rivolto Zanotto Vino Bianco Spumante Extra Dry NV, Veneto, Italy (£10 Vino Beano) Fresh, satisfying fizz, not massively complex but scores for its dry caramel and green apple flavours, dangerously moreish… B+   And another Italian I didn’t film… Il Serraglio Saliceto Buzzalino […]

Sparkling Wine Round-Up


Seven Springs Syrah 2013, Overberg, South Africa (~£15 contact North South Wines) Ripe and juicy, with an almost savoury, cooked tomato character alongside more conventional blackberry, blackcurrant and plum, showing some leathery maturity, but still has a backbone of spicy tannin. S- The Restless Wine Merchant Shiraz 2016, Wrattonbully, Australia […]

Two Southern Hemisphere Shirazes