Cote de Beaune


I didn’t taste these side by side, but I’ve ended up giving them all similar marks – would happily drink them all, but none had me jumping out of my seat and shouting ‘Whoopee!’ Vergelegen Premium Chardonnay 2013, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£12.49 Majestic, Roberts and Speight, Stewart Wines, Liquid Treasure, Noble Green […]

Chardonnays from France, South Africa & USA


Blind Spot Pinot Noir 2014, Yarra Valley, Australia (was £9.50 The Wine Society) Soft, gentle, quite mature and very moreish, this is made by the talented Mac Forbes, whose wines seem to have retained the freshness they’ve always had, but now seem to offer a little more joie de vivre. […]

Pinot Noirs from Australia, Austria & France


Slightly tardy in some of posting these but got there in the end… Domaine Cheysson ‘L’Exception’ Beaujolais Blanc 2014, Burgundy, France (£13.99 Laithwaites) There’s and almost salty tangy to this wine, which is crisp, brisk and reminds me more of Burgundies from further north. Taut citrus, light peach, very tasty […]

A raft of Chardonnays



Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay 2013, Adelaide Hills, Australia (£24.99 Majestic, Bentley’s Wine Merchants, CellarVie Wines, D Byrne & Co, Harrods, Leamington Wine Company, ND John Wine Merchants, Noel Young Wines, Ozwines.co.uk, Philglas & Swiggot, Provender Brown, Taylor’s Fine Wines, The Secret Cellar, Shills of Cockermouth, Slurp.co.uk, Winedirect.co.uk) Initially shy […]

Chardonnay from Australia, France, South Africa & California


Final post from the week in which Australia Day falls, with the accent today on Pinot Noir. Louis Latour Maranges 2012, Burgundy, France (£23.54 Spirited Wines) There’s gentle raspberry fruit in here, but overall, it’s rather fey, with not enough flesh and flavour to back up the stalky notes, and […]

Pinot Noir from Australia, California & France


Louis Jadot Côte de Beaune Villages 2011, Burgundy, France (£16.75 Majestic, NISA, Constantine Stores, Bacchus Wine, Noble Green Wines, Village Wines, Cotswold Vintners, Eagle Wines, Partridges of Sloane Street, winedirect.co.uk) Typical young Jadot style, with great depth of plummy red berry fruit and an earthy undercurrent in a firm, tannic […]

Pinot Noir from Chile, Burgundy and California