Carignan

Private Beach Rosé 2017, Vin de France (£9.99 Laithwaites) Some vague peach and raspberry flavours here but not much else, OK and I’d finish a glass, but overall a bit meh. C- Château Terrebonne Côtes de Provence Rosé 2017, France (£12.99 Laithwaites) Manages to be fresher and crisper than the […]

Four Rosés from France & Italy

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…beginning in Portugal Quinta Nova Reserva Terroir Blend 2015, Douro, Portugal (£16.48 Portugal Vineyards) Smells like a port winery at vintage time, the air thick with heady aromas of berries, cassis, violet and herbs, buoyant, spicy dark fruit flavours in abundance and a backbone of citrus freshness and ripe tannin […]

A mixed bag of reds from around the world…

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Two wines from the same stable, both lovely but quite different in style… Torre de Oña Rioja Reserva 2012, Spain (£22 Armit) Currently showing some youthful oakiness, but it’s in balance with the gushing red and dark berry, apple and orange peel flavour and hints of spice. Powerful and persistent, […]

Two excellent Riojas

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Torres Natureo Rosé 2016, Spain (£5.99 Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon, Bacchus Wines, Taylor’s Fine Wine) A fair attempt at making an alcohol-free wine, I’d probably finish a glass of this fresh, easy-going strawberry laden concoction, but I’d much rather have a decent cordial or a glass of citrus-infused water (the white […]

Four rosés from Spain & Chile

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CVNE Rioja Reserva 2012, Spain (£15.40 Majestic, Waitrose, Wholefoods, Wine Rack, Fresh and Wild, Eynsham Cellars, Islington Wine) Nicely structured young wine with lightly bitter herb-tinged red berry, orange peel and gentle vanilla spice flavours supported by fresh acidity and quite bold tannin. Young, chunky, quite tight-knit at the moment […]

CVNE Rioja Reserva 2012, Spain

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Guigal Gigondas 2011, Rhône, France (£24.26 Chordale Wine Merchants, Bubbles And Wine Ltd, Roberts and Speight Ltd, Portland Wine Company, Fenwick Ltd, R Campbell & Sons Ltd, Clifton Cellars, Hailsham Cellars, Liquorice) Dumb initially, this opens up over the course of a couple of hours to reveal its core of […]

Assorted reds from France, South Africa & Portugal

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