Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah 2008, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (£13.99 Oddbins, Wine Rack, nzhouseofwine.co.uk) Fragrant and elegant to start with, showing touches of pepper (white & black), berry and plum, but then a slightly thoddy vanilla edge intrudes, and there’s just this feeling of incompleteness, as if it would […]
South Australia
Wakefield Riesling 2010, Clare Valley, Australia (£10.49-£12.99 Waitrose, www.slurp.co.uk, Nidderdale Fine Wines, Oliver’s Beers and Wines, Wadebridge Wines, Wine in Cornwall, Wines of the World, Sommelier Wine Company, Victor Hugo Wines) Good mix of the full, fleshy plummy rhubarb flavour with more sleek and tangy citrus notes. Add in some […]
Wine Tasting Video: Rieslings from South Australia & the Rheingau ...
Alain Grignon Cuvée Chasseur 2010, Vin de France (£4.29 Waitrose) Smells decent, like a slightly leafy Bordeaux propped up with a draught of the warm south, but while the blackcurrant and blackberry flavours are reasonable, it would be far better without that touch of sweetness. C+ Parducci Zinfandel 2009, Mendocino […]
Wine Tasting Video: Spicy reds from France, California & Australia
Panamera Cuvée Napa 2007, Napa Valley, California (N/A in the UK) OK dark deep baked berry, but overdone smoky bacon oak, which lingers when the fruit has begun to fade, ripe but overblown and clumsy, with nothing in the way of freshness. C- First Drop ‘Mother’s Ruin’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, […]
Wine Tasting Video: Cabernet-based reds from Chile, California, Australia & ...
First Drop Wines ‘The Big Blend’ Nebbiolo/Barbera 2009, Adelaide Hills, Australia (£18.99 Secret Cellar, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Hanging Ditch, Harvey Nichols, The Sampler) The bold berry fruit verging on the jammy dodgers, the note of liquorice and the aromas of mint and eucalyptus betray its Aussie origins, and despite a […]
Wine Tasting Video: Three reds with northern Italian accents – ...
Guigal Cotes du Rhône Rosé 2009, France (£9.99 Amps Fine Wines, Hailsham Cellars, Yorkshire Vintners, www.vintagemarque.com) Showing some mellow maturity, but its plummy, earthy orange and raspberry flavours tinged with vanilla, nuts and burnt sugar are rather appealing – rosé for white Burgundy fans. B+ (Hey, Guigal, update your website! […]