Edmeades Mendocino County Zinfandel 2013, California (£19.49 Partridges of Sloane Street, Remarkable Wines, Mr and Mrs Fine Wine, Italian Continental Stores, Telford Wines, SH Jones, Thomas Peatling, Wadebridge Wines, Aged in Oak, Vin de Bordeaux, Soho Wine Supply) Just what Zinfandel should be, with that balance between bold, ever-so-slightly jammy/baked […]
Zinfandel/Primitivo
An opinion divider… Apothic Red Winemaker’s Blend 2012, California (£9.99 widely available) Rich, juicy and round, sweet but not excessively so, with a slightly confected blackberry jam/blackcurrant pastille character alongside the creamy vanilla, coffee and chocolate cherry liqueur flavours. C+ (tried this later that evening with a local wine group […]
Apothic Red Winemaker’s Blend 2012, California
Almost a Californian take on Amarone… Edmeades Perli Vineyard Late Harvest Zinfandel 2006, Mendocino, California (£10.79 per half Hailsham Cellars, vintagemarque.com) This oozes decadent fruit flavours – kirsch, very ripe plums, sweet bramble jam – and there’s also a slightly medicinal herbal bite. A perfect winter warmer – and probably rather […]
Edmeades Perli Vineyard Late Harvest Zinfandel 2006, Mendocino, California
Mas Belles Eaux Mourvèdre Vin de Pays d’Oc 2009, France (£14.99 Bennetts Fine Wines, Robin Greatorex Wines, Noel Young Wines, Vin Neuf, Lockett Bros, Aitken Wines, Slurp.co.uk) Decent plummy suppleness, with savoury hints of herbs and spice, but there’s also a dried/cooked fruit and raisinny character and an absence of […]
Wine Tasting Video: Languedoc Reds + Australian Shiraz & Californian ...
Bergaglio Sassaia Monferrato Rosso 2007, Piedmont (₤18.60 Symposium Wines) Oh so nearly… This combines the ripe plummy blackcurrant of Cabernet Sauvignon with the awkward herbiness, rose petal and tar of Nebbiolo and friendly blackberry edge of Barbera, but then the flashy vanilla sheen of oak intrudes and takes away much […]
Wine Tasting Video: Italian reds – Brunello, Monferrato, Primitivo etc
Alain Grignon Cuvée Chasseur 2010, Vin de France (£4.29 Waitrose) Smells decent, like a slightly leafy Bordeaux propped up with a draught of the warm south, but while the blackcurrant and blackberry flavours are reasonable, it would be far better without that touch of sweetness. C+ Parducci Zinfandel 2009, Mendocino […]