USA


Marimar Estate Albariño 2013, Russian River Valley, California (£26.95 Edgmond Wines) Smells rich and fleshy, sl peach – cooked and fresh, crystallised orange, weighty, nutty, peachy fruit, like Albarino with a dollop of Chardonnay, but nice dry finish. And regarding my comments on the video wondering whether it would open […]

Marimar Estate Albariño 2013, Russian River Valley, California


I didn’t taste these side by side, but I’ve ended up giving them all similar marks – would happily drink them all, but none had me jumping out of my seat and shouting ‘Whoopee!’ Vergelegen Premium Chardonnay 2013, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£12.49 Majestic, Roberts and Speight, Stewart Wines, Liquid Treasure, Noble Green […]

Chardonnays from France, South Africa & USA


Byron Pinot Noir 2013, Santa Barbara County, California (£16 Slurp.co.uk) Some will like the soft, vanilla tinged ripe red berry flavours here, but others will think that (like many Californian Pinots) it veers too much towards the overripe. I tasted this over a couple of days to see if a […]

Four Californian Pinot Noirs



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


Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay 2013, Adelaide Hills, Australia (£24.99 Majestic, Bentley’s Wine Merchants, CellarVie Wines, D Byrne & Co, Harrods, Leamington Wine Company, ND John Wine Merchants, Noel Young Wines, Ozwines.co.uk, Philglas & Swiggot, Provender Brown, Taylor’s Fine Wines, The Secret Cellar, Shills of Cockermouth, Slurp.co.uk, Winedirect.co.uk) Initially shy […]

Chardonnay from Australia, France, South Africa & California


Albanta Albariño 2013, Rías Baixas, Spain (£12 Asda) Showing the exotic side of Albariño, this has a rich, almost Viognier-like nut kernel character plus notes of peach, passionfruit and lychee, but just when it was in danger of going a bit wobbly, a stony citrus side chips in to provide […]

Three Albariños from Spain and California