I know a lot of this is about the winemaking style, but it’s a style I love Les Eminades ‘Montmajou’ St Chinian Blanc 2012, Languedoc, France (£15-£15.50 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Aubert & Mascoli) Is it minerality or is it sulphur-related? Probably a bit of both, this has quite exotic pear, […]
Grapes
Not from anywhere near the sea, but this had that bracing briny edge found in coastal wines like Muscadet, Vinho Verde and Rías Baixas Laurenz V und Sophie Singing Grüner Veltliner 2013, Lower Austria (~£14) Young, taut and fresh initially, with citrus and green apple to the fore, a breezy […]
Laurenz V und Sophie Singing Grüner Veltliner 2013, Lower Austria
Don’t buy cheap Châteauneuf, this is far, far better Domaine La Haute Marone ‘Le Torrent du Trignon’ Sablet Côtes du Rhône Villages 2012, France (£11.99 D Byrne, The Vineyard, Highbury Vintners, Bacchanalia) There are lots of Rhône reds with similar warm plummy generosity and earthy spice, but this stands out […]
Domaine La Haute Marone ‘Le Torrent du Trignon’ Sablet Côtes ...
Nearly very good, but suffers from the same problem as many Priorats… Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Priorat 2011, Spain (£11 Sainsbury’s) I like the plump plummy berry notes here, and there’s also a fragrant herb-scented character breezing through the wine. However, some of the fruit seems to have been picked a […]
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Priorat 2011, Spain
Not a huge Pinotage fan, but I can imagine quaffing this with pleasure on a chilly evening Neethlingshof Pinotage 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£8.99 Wine Rack) Classic Pinotage characters of spice-infused berries and bananas, along with notes of chocolate. There’s also a savoury tomato note in there too , alongside […]
Neethlingshof Pinotage 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Verdelho doesn’t seem to be as popular as it was a few years ago – a shame when there are wines like this… Tyrrell’s Old Winery Verdelho 2012, Hunter Valley, Australia (£11.99 The Wine Society, House of Menzies, Amathus, vintagemarque.com) Imagine a wine that has the peachy weight of Chardonnay in […]