(2025) Miguel Torres (the man) has a deep felt commitment to sustainability and environmental causes, and this wine from a small new range is the first time his Chilean wines have been shipped to the UK in bulk, for local bottling. For many producers that's a cost-saving measure, but I believe the 40% saving to CO₂ emissions that it brings is a driving force. The wine is also packed in a lightweight bottle for onward transport. That's the main point of interest here really: don't get me wrong, it's a punchy and well-balanced Sauvignon with plenty of grassy freshness and juicy peach and tropical fruit, but the message behind it is the main reason it's featured as Wine of the Week. Watch the video for more information.
(2025) Les Dauphins is the brand of a large Rhône Cooperative cellar, with around 2,000 vine-growing members. This wine comes in a 250ml can as reviewed, equivalent to a large glass. It is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, from certified High Environmental Value vineyards. Bright, raspberry, cherry and kirsch aromas are primary and bold. In the mouth it is juicy and blackcurranty, exactly what you might expect, with modest tannins and enough acidity to balance it weighty 14% alcohol. Price for a 250ml can.
(2024) If you have tried Noval's LBV before you are in for a treat: unflitered and aged five years in casks, the fruit (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Sousão) comes from their own vineyard and is trodden by foot in traditional lagares. It has a heavenly nose, spices and intense floral and dried fruit notes combine with juicier blueberry and a hint of dark cocoa. The palate is powerful and structured, framed by powdery tannins but abundantly sweet with 90g/l of residual sugar it seems endlessly long. This will also cellar for a decade or more. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) A Syrah and Grenache blend, unoaked but given some time to mature in the cellar before release, this comes from the Unions des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône co-operative. It has lift and vibrancy on the nose, kirsch and violet edging black fruits that are ripe and immediately suggest a juicy pastille quality. In the mouth there robust, sweet and chunky fruit, though the finish does tail off slightly into a slightly sharp astringency that just detracts from an otherwise enjoyable CdR.
(2024) An absolutely delicious and relatively 'hedonistic' style here, the oak influence up-front with toast and creaminess, nutty and rich aromas over ripe stone fruits. Sometimes a wine like this just absolutely hits the spot, whilst edged with a little flinty smokiness, it's really about the abundant ripe fruit that floods the mid-palate, bolstered by that creamy and toasty, spicy oak. Is that all too much? Well not when the whole composition is harmonius thanks to its core of acidity and not so obvious subtleties of flavour and aroma.
(2024) Manzanilla Sherry, from the salt-licked seaside vineyards of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, is one of the world's greatest, and most consistent wine styles. Aged for many years under a protective layer of 'flor', the combination of rich nuttiness and saline intensity is as gastronomic as it gets. Barbadillo's inexpensive example is top stuff: aromatics are concentrated with chamomile and almond, then the lightly oily palate is bone-dry, saline, and yet has an orange and lemon zestiness to the fruit too. It's 15% abv, so not much higher in alcohol than many table wines too. Watch the video for more information. Price given for a half bottle, but note Waitrose has full bottles reduced from £12.99 to £9.99 until 20th August 2024.
(2024) From an appellation in the Loire Valley, this is an organic certified Sauvigon Blanc. It is fairly subdued aromatically - certainly no herbaceous or elderflower fireworks - more cool apple, citrus and a faint herbal edge. In the mouth a little peachy juiciness comes through, but it is a wine that's more about texture and a mineral and citrus line of acidity.
(2024) The Goring family's West Sussex estate, Wiston, was planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir in 2006. This wine spent 42 months on lees and was bottled with 8g/l dosage. Quite a deep bronze colour, an indication that this is an 'assemblage' with 15% vinified as red wine, there's a lovely rhubarb and hint of truffle depth to tangy raspberry fruit. The palate marries vibrant Seville orange, more raspberry and a hint of juicy strawberry, but with excellent acidity never wavering at the core. Long and delicious from ace winemaker Dermot Sugrue.
(2024) 100% Furmint, this is fully sweet Tokaji, but in a lighter style, bottled with 131g/l of residual sugar. It is made from late-harvested rather than Botrytis-affected grapes and sees a little ageing under flor. Only 15% was fermented in barrel, the rest in tank, and the blend was matured for two years in seasoned barriques. Golden coloured and lush on the nose with apricot and barley sugar, a hint of mint or bergamot in there too. In the mouth it has a flowing texture rather than the somewhat thicker Aszu style, with plenty of toffeed, spiced orange sweetness and really nicely fresh and zipping citrus acidity that cleanses and propels the finish.
(2024) This is a single vineyard Malbec from the El Alto Vineyard in the premium Luján de Cuyo district of Mendoza. Following fermenation in concrete vessels it spent 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% of which were new. Though Malbec has the reputation of being a tannic, powerful wine to be drunk with a chunk of steak off of the asado, in fact Malbec also has a fragrant and more elegant side, and that's where this wine sits. The violet and kirsch lift on the nose is unmistakable, then the palate has juicy acidity and fine tannin. That hones the edge of more ripe, black fruit and lightly charry oak. This is a Malbec on the juicier and more elegant side than some, and I enjoyed that aspect. Watch the video for more information.