Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz 2013, South Australia (£19.99 Waitrose) Was looking forward to this, but it started off showing a slightly overripe sweetness, like jammie dodger biscuits. A little more time and a more serious earthy liquorice edge emerged, although the jammy side remained. The following day, it was […]
Syrah/Shiraz
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
After yesterday’s white duo, here are five red gems from southern France – does anywhere in the world offer better value? Domaine Bertrand-Bergé Fitou ‘Origines’ 2013, Languedoc, France (£7.95 The Wine Society) Gentle herby ripe berry and plum, tangy and lifted flavours, very easy to drink, but with some earthy […]
Five delicious Southern French reds
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
Peter Lehmann Vintage Bin ‘AD 2015’ 1994, Barossa, Australia (N/A – read about the current release of a similar style HERE) This bottle had been sitting there waiting to be sampled for several years so I thought I’d follow the maker’s advice and drink it late last year. Hmm, I […]