Crossroads Syrah 2008, Hawkes Bay (£13.50 Mentzendorff) Has a fragrant, peppery roasted aroma, along with fresh blackcurrant, plum and raspberry fruit, but could use a little more body to live up to that fragrance. B
Vidal Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2008, Hawkes Bay (£10.99 Waitrose, Halifax Wine Co, Trina’s Wines, www.nzhouseofwine.co.uk) Not quite as fragrant and peppery, but there’s fresher, more lively, bouncy black fruit, and an earthy, tar-like edge to the finish. A combination of the fragrance of the Crossroads with the fruit here would work well. B+
Craggy Range Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2008, Hawkes Bay (£17.99 Waitrose) Classy wine with a haunting violet aroma, herby peppery dark fruit and a rich roasted character. Confident and fleshy, with structure to match, but never too brawny. Lovely gentle, balanced finish too. S
Esk Valley Syrah 2007, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (£12.99 Laytons, Irvine Robertson, Peckhams, Trina’s Wines, The Leamington Wine Co., www.nzhouseofwine.co.uk) Showing some leathery maturity alongside the peppery/roasted edges, but while the dark berry fruit is pleasant, it’s let down by a slightly confected vanilla character. B-
Vidal Syrah 2007, Hawkes Bay (£10.99 possibly still in some Waitrose) Gentle and juicy, more confident than the Esk, and without the vanilla, but while there’s still the earthy black fruit character of the 2008, this feels like its just losing freshness. B
Villa Maria Private Bin Syrah 2005, Hawkes Bay (£9.99 Wine Rack, Rhythm & Booze, Earls Court Wines, James Wallace Wines) Surprisingly fruity for a five-year-old, with blueberry, blackberry and black cherry flavours, and lots of pepper/spice character, but it’s let down by a slightly charmless, hard, almost fizzy edge. C+
Advertising maven John Hegarty – sorry – SIR John Hegarty needs no introduction for those in his field of influence. And the good news is that his field of influence is spreading ever wider- he’s due to do a presentation to the Institute of Masters of Wine about how wine should lose its mystery but retain its magic – and that’s what I’m aiming to do with my site. But Sir John – he’ll probably hate the monicker – also makes some rather nice wines at the southern French estate he bought in 2002. Unfortunately, one of his wines had me reaching for my guitar and wearing a Pocohontas wig…
Domaine de la Graveirette MusT 2007, Vin de Pays de la Principauté d’Orange, France (£9 Bowes Wine) Quite developed, almost port-like edges – is this suffering from oxidation? Some rustic, plummy tar edges, but lacks freshness – would make comments such as ‘Is this wine as you’d want it to be showing?’ at a tasting. ????
Hegarty Chamans Minervois les Chamans 2007, Languedoc, France (not in the UK at present) Showing the wild herby and crunchy/peppery violet edge of Carignan, concentrated but also perfumed, with vigorous blackcurrant & blackberry notes, touch of brett but in balance. B+
Hegarty Chamans Minervois Cuvée No.2 2008, Languedoc (£12.75 Adnams) Softer than the Chamans but more ethereal, with cooked strawberry and a plummy warmth tinged with rose petal and an earthy minerality, some liqueur flavour but no alcohol burn. S
Hegarty Chamans Minervois Cuvée No.1 2005, Languedoc (£15.50 Adnams) Has the classic Carignan footprint of spice, violet and peppery blackcurrant, tinged with the minerally note of the Minervois terroir, juicy & young, with a nice cooked wild strawberry edge, but lacks the tang and complexity No.2. S(-)
Hegarty Chamans Minervois Black Knight 2005, Languedoc, France (not in the UK at present) A more fleshy version of the above, with Grenache filling in the gaps missing in the previous wine. There’s the warm herbiness, notes of herby violet, orange peel, and plump plummy berry all with the firm, tannin, dry but promising structure and dusty/iron-rich terroir edges. Lovely wine. S+
McHenry Hohnen Cabernet/Merlot 2008, Margaret River (£9.99 Majestic) Surprisingly forward, rounded wine, showing just the right amount of leafy mint and eucalyptus character alongside juicy plummy fruit, hints of leather and tobacco and smooth ripe tannins. B+
Averys Pioneer Barossa Shiraz 2007 – made by Yalumba (£8.99 Averys) A lovely bear-hug of a wine, ripe and confident, but never jammy, with meaty leathery plum, liquorice and chocolate flavour tinged with cloves. S-
Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz 2005, Grampians (£29.99 Harper Wells, Harrods) Rich, exotic style with exuberant blueberry and blackcurrant flesh, notes of pepper, clove and oriental spices, and an earthy ferrous note to the finish. My only reservation is I’d like to have seen it picked slightly earlier – it’s 15% alcohol, and there’s just a touch of jamminess as the wine open up. S
Botham Merrill Willis 25th Anniversary Shiraz 2005, McLaren Vale (£14.99 Christopher Piper – £2.50 from each bottle goes Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research) Less fragrant and more stolid than the Langi, has a warm chocolate and orange liqueur edge to its dark fruitcake flavours, but it’s let down by a volatile, port-like character. B(-)
Part 2 of my look at a selection of wines from Naked Wines – Part 1 is here.
(any topic you’d like to see me covering in forthcoming videos? Do leave a comment below)
Monowai Pinot Noir 2006, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (£10.99 www.nakedwines.com) The berry fruit’s a little stewed, but overall this is plush, velvety and relaxed wine with a hint of coffee – Pinot for Shiraz lovers. B+
Manley Pinotage 2006, Tulbagh, South Africa (£11.99 www.nakedwines.com) Has some of the berry flesh of Pinot Noir, along with a sandy, savoury edge, warming and quite full but not overripe, but let down by a slightly muddy finish. B-
Vicien Syrah Reserve 2006, Catamarca, Argentina (£10.99 www.nakedwines.com) The jammy dodger fruit is OK, but this is let down by rather crude smoky bacon/toasty oak, which dominates and dries out the finish. C+
Moerbei Sable 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£9.99 www.nakedwines.com) There’s toasty oak here too, but it’s in balance with the pippy plum and blackberry flavours, young and a touch alcoholic, but good. B
Blackwood Ridge Shiraz 2008, Central Victoria, Australia (£9.99 www.nakedwines.com) Bold and fleshy wine with buxom bramble and blackcurrant flavours, touches of licorice and oatmeal, and a warm finish: just a bit too hot & jammy for real class. B(+)
Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz 2007, Strathbogie Ranges, Australia (£15.99 www.nakedwines.com) Big but quite subtle, showing plush blackcurrant, blackberry and plummy fruit, some licorice and leather and also minerally complexity, good now but built to last. S(-)
All these are from a tasting I was supposed to be doing for James Nicholson in Northern Ireland in early May 2010 – it was postponed due to volcanic ash travel problems but is due to be rescheduled very soon…
(and it’s also a video I did in my office bunker, having been banished by the rest of the family from the lounge – hence the slightly odd lighting…)
Domaine Rives-Blanques Chardonnay Chenin Vin de Pays d’Oc 2008 Fresh and slightly yeasty, almost Mâcon-like in style, with appley notes (fresh and cooked), a touch of pear and a creamy finish. B
Domaine Gayda L’Archet Maccabeo Vin de Pays d’Oc 2006 Remarkably fresh for its age, with some peach/apricot edges reminiscent of Viognier, plus more exotic lychee and guava flavours, a yeasty note to the finish. B+
François Collard Fontaine du Roy Vin de Pays du Gard 2007 Not sure what the blend is but it’s pungent Viognier peachiness that leads the way, along with touches of pears, quince and herbs. Rich but the finish has a floral, zesty mineral edge to keep it fresh. S
Domaine Le Roc des Anges ‘Segna de Cor’ Côtes du Roussillon-Villages 2008 Lovely mix of ripeness and freshness. There’s voluptuous plummy berry flesh, but then the peppery violet and blackcurrant tang of Carignan kicks in. The result is precise and poised, with a slightly salty/briney edge to add further interest. S
Château du Vieux Parc Corbières La Sélection 2007 Another that manages to be both brainy and brawny, this shows the orange peel, plum and bacon fat of Syrah spiced up by smoky but never OTT new oak. Rich but lively, and with a lovely warm spiciness to the finish. S(-)
Domaine Gayda Chemin de Moscou Vin de Pays d’Oc 2007 Immensely classy wine, again with Syrah to the fore. There’s the same orange peel and plum of the Roc des Anges, but this packs in more damson, dark berry and herby meatiness, and feels the most coiled and brooding of these 3 reds. Classic G-
CVNE Rioja Crianza 2006, Spain (£7.99 Majestic, Booths, www.everywine.co.uk, Wimbledon Wine Cellar) Bouncy pippy berry and bramble – raspberries, loganberries – with a spicy edge, a touch of vanilla rather than a huge dollop, fresh, sappy, tangy finish. Nice wine, tastes of modern Rioja, but also a good refreshing summer red. B+
François Lurton Barco Negro Douro Tinto 2007, Portugal (~£10) Heady, rich warm dark fruit, blackcurrants and blackberry, with earthy overtones, yet despite its brawn, remains fresh, and has a gentle floral/spicy edge. S-
Onda Nova Syrah 2007, Algarve (£9.99 www.mollybrownswinelist.co.uk) A full-flavoured, fleshy youngster that speaks of a warm climate with its plummy dark chocolate flavours, but which never goes overripe and remains fresh. Nice meaty finish and potential to develop further. B+
Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima Tinto 2008, VR Tejo (£8.40 Clark Foyster) Smooth, easy drinking red – too smooth? There’s soft strawberry and plum fruit, but the flavours are slightly muddied by a confected vanilla edge. B-
Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima Tinto Reserva 2008, VR Tejo (£10.90 Clark Foyster) More of that vanilla, but here it’s in balance with the black cherry, blackcurrant and redcurrant flavours, and there’s an intriguing mineral twist to the finish. Good but not great. B(+)
A couple of wines from a well-known (in the UK at least) singer’s estate in the Algarve plus a rather unusual sweet wine from the Ribatejo – or Tejo, as we should now be calling it.
Onda Nova Verdelho 2008, Algarve (£9.99 www.mollybrownswinelist.co.uk ) Clean, fresh, tight peach, citrus peel and gritty pearskin character with a touch of brine, ripe but still refreshing, wears its 14% alcohol well. B(+)
Onda Nova Syrah Rosé 2008, Algarve (£9.99 www.mollybrownswinelist.co.uk ) Bouncy rosé, packed with strawberry (fresh and tinned) flavours, fleshy and ripe but still dry, with an honest lively finish. B
Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima Late Harvest 2008, Ribatejo (N/A in UK – Clark Foyster are Lagoalva’s importers) A touch of volatility (think nail varnish), then oodles of fruit – peach, pear, apricot, grapefruit, elderflower, orange marmalade – but there’s also a less ripe, almost smoky edge that seems slightly at odds with the lusher sweeter side of the wine. Overall though, pretty tasty. B+ (see notes on the 1995 here)
La Cuvée Mythique Blanc des Vignerons de la Mediterranée 2008, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France (£7.99 The Co-op – down to £3.99 10th Feb – 1st Mar) (Would love to give a link to the two Cuvée Mythique wines, but in classic French fashion, there’s no obvious web site…) Nice combination of aromatic complexity, fleshy fruit and minerally restraint. Peach, waxy pearskin, cream and nut kernel all bound up in a taut stony overcoat. Lots going on here but never in-yer-face, very moreish. B+
Paul Mas Estate Viognier 2009, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France (£8.99 Majestic – £5.99 if you buy two 2nd Feb-26th Apr)
(Even here, the web site is poor, and neither this nor the red seem to feature at www.paulmas.com)
Proper plump, plush Viognier, with lush peaches and cream fruit, but there’s also some freshness and tension here, plenty of fruit and flavour, but finish reined in by zesty acidity. B+
La Cuvée Mythique Rouge des Vignerons de la Mediterranée 2008, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France (£7.99 The Co-op – down to £3.99 10th Feb – 1st Mar) Classic southern French red, all meaty, herby intensity with gentle, mature plummy berry and raisin fruit encased in a refreshing white-peppery structure, rustic in the best sense of the word. B+
Paul Mas Estate Syrah/Viognier 2008, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France (£8.99 Majestic – £6.49 if you buy two 2nd Feb–26thApr)
Big, rich roasted meat aromas, then bold berry, blackcurrant and orange peel character comes through, along with a ferrous edge, young, wild wine with a promising future. S
Australia Day + 1, so a few hangers-on from the haggis adventure, plus a moody but not all that magnificent Italian…
Jacobs Creek Grenache Shiraz 2008, South Eastern Australia (£5.99 Tesco, Asda, Ocado) Quite light, almost refreshing, sweet raspberry aroma and flavour, slightly jammy, but then the more earthy gravitas of Shiraz comes through. Good, easy commercial style, almost chillable. B
Peter Lehmann Layers Red 2008, Barossa, Australia (£10.50 SWIG) Liquorice and earth, slightly jammy dodger-like sweetness, big, quite fleshy, concentrated and juicy, and the blackberry and plum fruit isn’t overripe, but seems not to be quite sure what it wants to achieve. B
Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Founder’s Reserve Shiraz 2005, South Australia (£9.99 Majestic) Big, pungent, peppery, inky, has a pleasing black fruit and herb intensity, but there’s a slightly ‘processed’ feel to it, along with some vanilla that detracts from that nice fruit. But a decent glug all the same. B(+)
Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino 2007, Tuscany, Italy (£15.07 Bibendum – sale price from Feb 2nd £7.82) Vague brown sugar, black cherry and Cola, touches of vanilla and bayleaf, but ultimately quite simple with not much in the way of aroma, and a finish that’s just that bit too dry and charmless – too controlled. B-
