Boutinot ‘Les Cerisiers’ Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2015, France (£8.50 Hercules Wine Warehouse, Highbury Vintners) Juicy yet precise style, with rounded red berry, ripe red apple and rosehip flavours kept in check by crisp acidity. B+ Chapoutier ‘Belleruche’ Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2015, France (£12.50 Hanging Ditch, Wined Up Here) […]
Rhône
Cape Heights Shiraz 2015, Western Cape, South Africa (£5.69-£6.95 Rannoch Scott, D&D Wine, Worth Brothers, Connollys) Dark earthy chocolate, gentle generous berry and plum, very much in that soft warm earthy South African feel, with a bit of the Cape bake and a savoury plum/tomato edge. Maybe the finish is […]
Spicy reds from Australia, France, South Africa & Spain
Etoile de Mer Luberon Rosé 2015, Rhône, France (£8.99 Majestic) Smart presentation, and smart wine to match. Pale in colour, but packs in the red berry and herb flavours, but finishes in crisp and precise fashion. Would drink a lot of this at a barbecue. B Delaire Graff Cabernet […]
Two Pale & Interesting Rosés
A friend who used to work for a well-known UK High Street chain said that before its wine buyers were able to put a name to brettanomyces, they used to say to potential suppliers that they weren’t interested in reds with ‘that Rhône character.’ Both of these could do with […]
Two southern Rhône reds
Domaine Saint Gayan Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2014, France (£10.50 Yapp Brothers) Bright and breezy style with juicy apple and strawberry flavours, and a slightly salty edge to the finish. Not hugely complex, but it’s a decent fresh quaff. B- Père Anselme La Grivelière Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2014, France […]
A bunch of Côtes du Rhône Rosés
Two different French takes on Syrah Vidal-Fleury Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 2012, Rhône, France (£16.95-£17.95 The Square Wine Company, Hailsham Cellars, Whole Foods Market) With its ripe berry (red and dark) character and hints of vanilla, there’s almost a New World feel here, but then the peppery finesse kicks in, along with […]