Tomorrow, June 10th, is Portugal’s national day (and my dad’s birthday…). How about celebrating it with some va va Vinho Verde? Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde 2011, Portugal (£6.75-£7.50 Waitrose, Oddbins, Majestic, Booths, The Wine Society) Bracing mineral-laden youngster, with sprightly citrus and apple fruit, a yeasty bite and a […]
Portugal
Les Crouzes Colombard 2010, Comté Tolosan, South West France (£5.39 Co-operative) Reasonable crunchy ripe pear with an earthy zing, but there’s also a lemon edge that shrieks just a little too loudly. C(+) Sacha Lichine La Poule Blanche2010, Vin de France (£9.95 Wine Hound, Last Try Wines, Wine Reserve, Living […]
Wine Tasting Video: Assorted whites from France, Spain, Portugal & ...
Ribeiro Santo Dão 2009 (£10.60 Bottle Apostle) Juicy young wine, fresh but firm, full flavoured but never too big, with plummy berry and tomato flavours, smoky bacon oak and an earthy, savoury finish – gets more serious with time. S(-) Sogrape Callabriga Dão 2008 (£12.95 Berry Brothers & Rudd) Sprightly […]
Wine Tasting Video: Reds from Beiras (Dao & Bairrada)
Samos Co-op Anthemis 2005, Samos, Greece (£7.50/half The Wine Society) The classic barley sugar and grapey headiness of Muscat are joined by gentle floral and fresh vanilla edges. Sweet and sticky, in a fruit-cake-y way, but still has some zesty orange peel acidity to keep it fresh. B+ Warre’s Otima […]
Wine Tasting Video: Port, Madeira, Samos Muscat & PX Sherry
Barbeito Single Harvest Meio Seco 2000 (£19 per 50cl Butlers Wine Cellar, Amps Fine Wines, Selfridges, Uncorked, Reserve Wines) Fresh and remarkably young for an 11-year-old, although this is quite dry (not bone dry), it’s almost Muscat-y, with a grapey/barley sugar character, gentle toasty nuttiness and something peaty almost like […]
Wine Tasting Video: Five Madeiras
Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Reserva 2008 (£25 The Real Wine Company) Kicks off with a creamy, smoky bacon oak edge, then the plummy savoury berry and blackcurrant fruit kicks in, with earthy spice overtones to add interest. Also has a note of violets, but I just wished […]