Chapel Down Chardonnay 2010, England (~£14 – ’09 is current vintage, but ’10 should be available from chapeldown.com, slurp.co.uk, Majestic)
(from vineyards in Kent, Sussex & Essex)
Pale and very interesting style, quite bracing, and showing easy yeasty bruised/baked apple flavour with a nutty undercurrent – think Mâcon fruit, Chablis acidity. S-
Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay Gran Reserva 2009, Leyda, Chile (£10.99 Majestic)
Not sure if this is prematurely oxidised, but it’s a rather tired, buxom fruit cocktail type of Chardonnay, with creamy, smoky, clumsy oak. C
Another video featuring some Marlborough Pinots is here.
Nelson Pinot Noir (Seifried) 2010 (£9.99 Marks & Spencer)
A strange mix of stewed and raisinny fruit with the bitter green edge of underripeness of both fruit and tannin, rather scrawny finish. 0
Waimea Pinot Noir 2010, Nelson (£11.49 Majestic)
More vibrant fruit here, with decent raspberry and cherry fruit, some raspberry pastille notes too, but then the warmth of alcohol kicks in – it’s 14% – and the finish could be juicier. B-
Tesco Finest* Pinot Noir 2010, Central Otago (£10.29 Tesco)
Firm, fleshy and fruity style, has a structure of earthy terroir character and quite prominent tannins, but there’s also bold berry, plum and black cherry flesh, plus truffley mushroomy undergrowth notes. Very good, and its best is still to come. S(-)
Taste the Difference Penguin Sands Pinot Noir 2010, Central Otago (£9.99 Sainsbury’s)
Again the firm berry and plum flavours, but this lacks the fragrance and freshness of the Tesco version, and the finish is a little stewed. B
Alana Estate Pinot Noir 2009, Martinborough (£22.50 Grape & Grind, Latitude Wine, Eton Vintners, Slurp.co.uk)
There’s an almost Rhône-like mellow meatiness here, with the fruit more on the dark berry and plum side, and a spicy, gamey warmth to the finish. Maybe lacks the elegance and brightness of great Pinot, but the warm lush flavours are quite appealing. S-
Taste the Difference Chablis 2010 (£9.99 Sainsbury’s)
Young perky style, sprightly and lively with tangy rhubarb, apple and lemon fruit and a richer, mealy streak. S
Waitrose ‘In Partnership’ Chablis 2010 (£10.49 Waitrose)
Feels younger and dumber than the above to start with, but as it opens up, the nutty/leesy character is joined by ample citrus and apple flavours, with cool minerality adding to the pleasure. S-
Louis Moreau Chablis 2010 (£9.99 Marks & Spencer – link is for 2009 vintage)
Starts well, with sappy green apple flesh and a touch of minerality, but overall feels slightly flat, and lacking concentration. B(-)
Tesco Finest* Chablis Grande Cuvée 2009 (£9.99 Tesco – this vintage may have disappeared from many stores)
Quite generous ripe citrus and v ripe green apple, with the creamy nuttiness too, but lacks something of the vibrancy of the best wines here. B+
Tesco Finest* Chablis Premier Cru 2008 (£14.29 Tesco)
The zing of youth may have passed, but this still has taut rhubarb, lemon and apple flavours, nutty notes, a touch of wet clay and a precise mineral backbone. S(-)
All these are from La Chablisienne except the Lous Moreau wine
Pasión de Bobal 2009, Utiel-Requeña (£11.99 Virgin Wines)
Reasonable fruit, juicy plum, cherry and dark berry just heading towards jammy, and with notes of chocolate and desiccated coconut, rounded, warm and spicy, but too simple. B-
Mas Oller Blau 2009, Emporda (£10.99 Virgin Wines)
Combines Rhône-like meatiness with the warmth and dustiness of Spain, rich and earthy, with gutsy spice notes to the gentle berry and damson flavours, honest and very tasty. S
Espiago 2009, Calatayud (£10.99 Virgin Wines)
Has the Spanish dustiness, and decent enough plummy blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, but I find it lacks soul – feels to have been assembled rather than just been left to ‘be’. B-
Don Diego Escolano Reserva 2007, Cariñena (£9.99 Virgin Wines)
Ripe and friendly, with dusty berry fruit and a lick of coconut and vanilla from oak ageing, but the finish is just a little dry for real class. B
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Isabelle Chardonnay 2010 Tumbarumba, New South Wales (£9.99 Waitrose)
Refreshing, fruity style, a mix of citrus (tangerine/clementine) with stone fruit (apricot/nectarine/plum) with a light veneer of smoky toasty oak, ripe but sleek, with a slightly briny tang on the finish. B+
Thorn Clarke Mount Crawford Chardonnay 2010, Eden Valley (~£11 Alliance Wine)
Fuller, peachier style, with nutty/leesy notes, but has tang and freshness, and touches of herbs and minerality. Still feels slightly coiled, and in need of another year or two to show its true mettle. S-
Heggies Vineyard Chardonnay 2010, Eden Valley (£13.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, Premier Vintners, The Wine Society, Majestic, Broadmarsh Wines, Eldwick Post Office, Nidderdale Fine Wines, Oliver & Bird, The Wine Chambers)
Grown up wine, initially (as you’ll see from the video) suggesting it’s a little on the oaky side. However, with time, the oak calms down and the rest of it opens up, revealing a mealy/leesy edge, subtle plum, citrus and nectarine fruit set against spent match complexity, and a fine minerality on the finish. Good on Day 1, better on Day 2, even better on Day 3 – when I finished it off… S(+)
Yalumba FDW7c Chardonnay 2009, Adelaide Hills (£17-£18.50 Noel Young, Gwinology, Hoults)
A different style from the previous two, cooler and sleeker, with apple and citrus tinged with touches of nectarine, has the spent match and mealy notes, with some toasty oak in the background, but overall it’s the tingling spine and elegant minerally finish that make the biggest impression. S+
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 of the pleasure, and it doesn’t seem to dissipate with time. Good, but could have been so much better. B+
Miopasso Primitivo 2009, Puglia (£8.99 Field & Fawcett, Last Drop Wines, Mill Hill Wines, SH Jones, Whitebridge Wines, Trina’s Wines, Wines of the World)
Boisterous brambly style, like you wish Zin was, but seldom is, lovely honest wine with spicy, earthy, herby notes to the joyous blackberry and loganberry flavours and a juicy savoury finish. S-
Piccini Memoro Vino Rosso d’Italia NV (£9.49 Tesco)
Reasonable ripe blackberry, cherry and plum flavours, but there’s that shrivelled character of overripeness, plus an overcoat of rather crude, rubbery vanilla oak that dominates the wine. C(+)
The Spee’Wah Cuvée Chardonnay NV, Murray Darling (£9.50 The Drinkmonger, Bibendum)
Simple, sherbetty style, has a honeyed edge to the cooked apple fruit, quite broad and biscuity, but lacks freshness. C
Jansz Tasmania Premium Non Vintage Cuvée (£13.99 see below for stockists)
Fresh, elegant style, strawberry, raspberry and apple, with a dusting of cocoa and a zesty citrus note on the finish, classy style, plenty of flavour but nicely reined-in. S(-)
D’Arenberg DADD NV, Adelaide Hills (£21 Bibendum)
Can’t fault it for delicacy, but if anything it’s a little too subtlee. Touches of sherbet, citrus fruit and brioche, refreshing but just a little hollow. B(-)
Petaluma Croser Brut 2007, Piccadilly Valley (£20.50 Bibendum)
A fresher, more mineral style than the previous vintage (see here), still has that pineapple edge (and some cocoa), and the rich, bready yeastiness, plus notes of dried apricot and burnt sugar, combines ample flavours with high cheekboned restraint. S+
Jansz Tasmania Premium Vintage Cuvée 2006 (£19.99 see below for stockists)
A more forward, fruity style than the Croser, with a floral note to the jolly red berry and citrus flavours, exuberant and tasty, and still feels like it could develop, but hard to resist now. S
Jansz Tasmania Premium Non Vintage Rosé (£13.99 see below for stockists)
Gentle style, nice depth of red fruit flavour with citrus zing to keep it fresh, generous and rounded, pleasant but maybe lacks the class of the other 2 Jansz wines. B+
Aficionados of Australian country music – and sadly there are many – will be familiar with the late Slim Dusty’s classic track ‘A Pub With No Beer’.
‘But there’s nothing so lonesome, so morbid or drear, Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer.’
It is acknowledged Down Under that the pub that provided the inspiration for this particular ditty did at one time exist, although apparently there is debate, occasionally heated, as to whether it was in Queensland or New South Wales.
But while I can’t locate this particularly sad boozer, I can point you in the direction of a close relative, namely a wine shop with no wine. It’s called Around Wine, and I was there recently having a smashing time with Director Daniel Primack…
Provins Valais Collection Chandra Kurt ‘Heida’ 2010, Valais, Switzerland (N/A in UK)
Quite a bit beefier than many Swiss wines, this has musky peach and walnut flesh pepped up by notes of fennel and quince, and a finish that combines waxy, honeyed richness with a cool freshness. S
Paul Mas ‘Valmont’ Grenache Blanc Pays d’Oc 2010, France (£8.49 Majestic)
Another one with a honeyed/beeswaxy richness, plus flavours of peaches, pears and ripe oranges. I like it, but maybe it lacks a little of the exotic headiness found in the best Grenache Blanc. B(+)
Korta Varietal Viognier/Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay 2010, Lontue Valley, Chile (₤8.90 Symposium Wines)
Odd wine, has some fresh elements and a reasonable nutty peach kernel character but there’s also an overripe melon edge with a touch of oxidation, and a slightly stale, disjointed finish. 0
Bordière Nord Marsanne/Viognier Pays d’Oc 2010, France (£6.99 Majestic)
Honest, simple youngster, has tangy citrus freshness but also some richer walnut, honeysuckle and peach/pear notes, one of those wines that grows on you and gets emptied far faster than you expect. B+
Viognier de Pennautier Pays d’Oc 2010, France (£7.25-£8.99 The Wine Reserve, Berry Bros & Rudd)
Excellent value Viognier, has the proper naughty but nice peachy wobble, with some toasty vanilla elements adding further flesh, but there’s also some freshness here too. S-
Vallée Blanche Malbec 2010, Pays d’Oc, France (£7.49 Majestic)
Reasonable violet-scented plummy fruit and soft spice, but the muddy vanilla character from use of oak destroys the delicate flavours – think of someone with too much foundation… C+
Carmen Reserva Carmenère 2010, Colchagua, Chile (£9.49 Majestic)
More of that clumsy vanilla character here, but the fruit is richer and copes better. Rounded, spicy berry (red & black), with a touch of coffee bean, and even something like honey. But again, why the need for the slap? B(-)
Hahn Estate Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, California, USA (£13.99 Wine Rack)
There’s a slightly overripe baked berry edge here, but the wine still has some freshness and juiciness. Not hugely complex, and with a touch of rawness one the finish, but basically sound. B(-)
Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£13.99 Wine Rack)
The oldest of this quartet, but still very much alive, has tobacco and blackcurrant leaf complexity and rounded plummy flesh, and while there’s a touch of the smoky South African baked character, it’s not centre stage. Juicy, rounded and subtle, nice wine. S
