(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.
(2024) Smoky and figgy-rich stuff from the Eden Valley, this may be Botrytis-affected, but despite that initial impression it exists in a featherweight style; the richness of the botrytis adds those mushroom and gentle barlet sugar edges, but the clarity, relatively light body and shimmer of lime acidity ensures this walks to quite a different beat to the more luscious German TBA examples. Nimble and delicate.
(2024) A Crémant made from Pinot Blanc (80%) and Pinot Gris (20%), with secondary fermentation in the bottle and the wines aged 18 months before being disgorged. The nose has a little layer of biscuit or vanilla, but then the luscious ripe pear and apple fruitiness takes centre stage. Pear on the palate too; like suoer ripe and juicy Conference pear, a seam of lemon acid adding cut, and a dry Brut finish that is stylish. A very nice Crémant at a very nice price, from the always reliable Turckheim cooperative. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas. On offer at £9.99 in March 2024.
(2024) Last vintage of this that I tasted was the 2019, standing in the vineyard with Dr John Forrest. It remains one of the better reduced alcohol wines out there (in this case achieved largely by vineyard management rather than technology to remove alcohol), though perhaps it's not quite as convincing as the 2019 which I scored 88/100. Aromatics and flavours are good, but the two elements that just detract a little are too much sweetness (for me) and a slight sense of dilution, the wine fading away rather abruptly. Do not get me wrong: if you like Marlborough SB and want a wine with only 9.5% alcohol, it remains a pretty sound choice in a rather uninspiring field.
