Marquês de Borba Alentejo Branco 2011, Portugal (£8.70 Tanners) Quite full in flavour but with enough citrus acidity to rein it in, this combines taut lemon and nectarine flavours with a fleshier, nuttier peach and apricot kernel side to good effect. Just let down by a slightly jelly-like finish. B(+) […]
Languedoc
Tinpot Hut Steam Wharf Road Syrah 2008, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (£14.99 Tesco) As with many Hawkes Bay Syrahs, this starts well with lovely aromas of clove, pepper and vanilla, but then you wonder whether there is enough fruit to prop up the aromas. Here, there is – blackberries, plums […]
Wine Tasting Video: Five Syrah-based wines from New Zealand, Chile, ...
Alain Grignon Carignan Vieilles Vignes IGP Pays d’Hérault 2011, Languedoc, France (£7.49 Majestic) Starts off well with a fresh spicy edge, fruit is OK but veering towards the jammy dodger/baked spectrum, and there’s also a muddy vanilla softness. Can we have more spikes please Mr G? B- Miguel Torres Cordillera […]
Wine Tasting Video: Carignan, Carmenere & Malbec
Tomàs Cusine Auzells 2011, Costers del Segre, Spain (£9.95 The Wine Society) A gentle cocktail of several grape varieties blending nutty, peachy flavours with the grapiness of Muscat and the stony citrus bite of Sauvignon Blanc. B+ Viña Real Barrel Fermented Rioja Blanco 2011, Spain (£9.99 Majestic, Kingsgate Wines, Clifton […]
Wine Tasting Video: White wines from Spain, France & Australia
Yali Wetland Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2011, Colchagua, Chile (£6.99 Morrisons) Not much to start with but then opens up to show fresh but gentle red berry, blackcurrant and redcurrant fruit freshened up by notes of citrus and baked apple. B(-) Guerrieri Rizzardi Bardolino DOC Chiaretto 2011, Veneto, Italy (£12.99 Harrods, […]
Wine tasting Video – Rosé wines from six countries
Tesco Finest* Picpoul de Pinet 2010, Languedoc, France (£7.29 Tesco) Fresh clean style with a bracing marine tang, combines a fleshy peachiness with firmer, tauter apple and citrus flavours, and a leafy finish. B+ Crego e Monaguillo Godello 2011, Monterrei, Spain (£7.95 Saddleworth Wine Vault) Vigorous youngster, initially the pear, […]