A fascinating contrast between this pair – both are very tasty. Clos du Gaimont Vouvray Sec 2014, Loire, France (£10.99 Virgin Wines) Starts off all elbows, with taut, slightly bruised green apple and pear flavours tinged with notes of herbs and pebbles, and with its zingy acidity front and centre. […]
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Thought long and hard before giving these low silver medals rather than high bronzes, but since they deliver so much pleasure and I’m in a good mood… Campriano Chianti Colli Senesi 2013, Tuscany, Italy (£11.45/£10.17 by the case Haynes Hanson & Clark) A friendly, juicy gush of dark cherry, red berry […]
Two Chiantis
Clos Rocailleux Gaillac Blanc 2013, South West France (£11.99 Red Squirrel Wine) A wine of two halves, the bracing citrus and herb aromas and bready/yeasty character seem promising, but when you come to taste it, it seems to be lacking freshness, offering up bruised green apple flavours with nutty overtones. […]
Two white wines from Southern France
Andrew Peace ‘The Unexpected’ 2014, Victoria, Australia (£5.99 The Co-op) Young fresh Aussie blend, with a minty note in among the berry and blackcurrant flavours, does have a bite of acidity and some spice, but veers towards the jammy dodger – fair enough at £6. C+ Mission Estate Cabernet/Merlot 2013, […]
Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends from Argentina, Australia & New Zealand
For those who like their wines to make a bold first impression… Pillitteri Estates Vidal Icewine 2012, Niagara, Canada (N/A – the 2013 is £10.99/200ml at Laithwaites, £14.99/375ml at Lidl) Exotic cocktail of crème brûlée, dried apricot, crystallised orange and rich caramel, there’s lots of fruit, and it’s intense and […]
Pillitteri Estates Vidal Icewine 2012, Niagara, Canada
Christmas morning fodder? Champagne Thiénot Brut Rosé Édition Limitée NV, France (£40.49 Champagne & Châteaux) Quite a rich, yeasty, almost creamy young wine with crisp citrus and apple to the fore, and hints of darker fruit – cherries and raspberries, plus an almost Cab Franc-like blackcurrant leaf character – in […]