Bisol ‘Cartizze’ Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore 2008, Veneto, Italy (£22.99 Bibendum) Starts off lush and peachy, but then the minerally restraint kicks, adding a drier, more serious, clay-like edge and keeping you coming back for more. S- Cono Sur Brut NV, Bío-Bío, Chile (£9.99 Morrisons, Oddbins, Tesco.com) Toasty sweet’n’sour Riesling […]
France
Cantina Tramin Lagrein 2008, Alto Adige, Italy (£11.49 Hallgarten Druitt, www.wineman.co.uk, www.everywine.co.uk) Refreshing, genuinely light-to-medium-bodied red, almost Dolcetto-like, with crunchy, earthy black fruit (especially cherry) and fresh, sausage-friendly finish. B+ The Society’s Exhibition Chianti Classico 2007, Tuscany, Italy (£11.95 The Wine Society) Modern and fresh, but has this lovely velvety […]
Assorted reds – Lagrein, Chianti, Corbières & WA Shiraz
A rather diverse sextet of sparkling wines that I’ve just tried from various parts of France and northern Italy… Blason de Bourgogne Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé NV (£9.99 Waitrose) Slightly bitter edge, but then opens up to show ripe raspberry and cherry. Not complex but a nice drink. B- Réserve […]
Sparkling sextet – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and Prosecco
Ferngrove “Symbols” Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2009, Frankland River, Western Australia (£8.99-£9.50 Seckford Agencies) Crisp, grassy, herby, with the Semillon adds punchy pungent weight to the citrussy treble notes of Sauvignon. Nice seafood style. B+ Leaping Lizard Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Western Australia (£7.99-£8.50 Seckford Agencies) Not as immediate and forward as the […]
Semillon – a very fine swan indeed
All with Merlot as the predominant grape. Château de Sours Bordeaux Rouge 2007, France (~£11) Crunchy young wine, fresh and earthy but with pleasing plump plum and blackcurrant fruit behind, touches of smoke and vanilla, clean refreshing finish. B(+) Clos Cantenac St Emilion Grand Cru 2007, Bordeaux, France (~£25 contact […]
A quartet of Bordeaux reds
(an experiment with a different video camera that didn’t work as well as I’d have liked – normal service wil be resumed etc) Casillero del Diablo Pinot Grigio 2009, Limarí, Chile (£7.49 Majestic – £5.99 until end of Jan 2010) Young, fresh and appealing, tangy but not much beyond youthful […]