Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Chardonnay 2012, Western Cape, South Africa (£9.99 Tesco) Reasonably fresh with a touch of oak, but the lime jelly cube flavour is a bit simple and confected, and I taste processes rather than a place. C+ Viñalba Reservado Chardonnay 2012, Mendoza, Argentina (£11.99 Majestic) 14.5% alcohol, but […]
South Africa
Badenhorst Family Wines Secateurs Red Blend 2011, Coastal Region (£11.50 Swig, Oxford Wine Co, Harvey Nichols, Good Wine Shop, St Andrews Wine Shop, Woodwinters, Handford, Roberson, Stone Vine & Sun, Philglas & Swiggot) Smells as if it’s going be a little jammy – remember Jammie Dodgers? – but it’s actually […]
Wine Tasting Video: Three Rhône-inspired Red Blends from South Africa
Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc 2012, Pays d’Oc, France (£9.99 Strictly Wine, Freshfield Fine Wines, Wapping Wines, Smoking Jacket) Pale and interesting wine, with a slightly sandy, salty note to its gentle apple, citrus and raspberry flavours, crisp & svelte, tasty. S- Jean Luc Colombo Les Pins Couchés Rosé 2011, Méditerranée, […]
Wine Tasting Video: Rosé from France, New Zealand, Spain, South ...
Jean Luc Colombo Crozes Hermitage ‘Les Gravières’ 2011, Rhône, France (£13.99, Waitrose, Ocado) Peculiar wine, not very Rhône-Syrah-like with its vanilla tinged floral peach notes on top of the berry fruit. Some spice and darker fruit does emerge with time, but still a bit of an oddball. B Domaine Vintur […]
Wine Tasting Video: Syrah/Shiraz & Grenache from the Rhone, Australia ...
So why’s there a Madeira in among all these reds? The answer is chocolate… Changyu Cabernet Blend 2011, Ningxia, China (£9.90 currently not in the UK) Has the gentle leathery character and slightly figgy dark fruit of mature but not especially great Bordeaux, plus a slightly smoky note. OK, but […]
Wine Tasting Video: Red wines from China, France, Argentina & ...
Benjamin Darnault Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2011, France (£10.99 Naked Wines) Soft, sweet and ripe, with hints of liquorice and black pepper, but it needs a little more freshness, and the fruit’s too jammy and baked for real class. B Virgile Joly Languedoc Saint Saturnin Paradise 2009, France (£15.99 Naked […]