Cantine di Dolianova, Anzenas Cannonau di Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
This red wine from Sardinia is not going to set the world alight, its not a gold medal winner but Cantine di Dolianova has produced a well rounded red just to drink. Its dry, medium tannins and good length of flavours. There’s plum, blackcurrant and cherry in there. Pair with a tomato pasta or red meat dish. My only issue is at £15 a bottle it’s pricy for what it is.
Altar Uco, Edad Moderna Blend, 2022, Argentina
This red Bordeaux blend from Altar Uco in Mendoza is rather good. There’s lots in this dry red wine with firm tannins and plenty of black fruit with tobacco, leather, oak, coffee and a slight earthy undertone all integrated very well.
With Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Merlot and Malbec it makes the most of each grapes strengths. That said at £17 a bottle it’s not cheap, that’s a shame.
This is my first Colombian wine and Vina Sicilia has done a good job on it. It’s dry with good fruit concentration and decent length. Black cherry and plum are your primary flavours with hints of oak and raspberry poking through. It’s not a subtle red wine but it would be a good pairing for a BBQ or Sunday roast beef dinner. At about £12 a bottle it’s OK value.
Louis Pommery, Brut, Sparkling Wine, England, UK
The French of started to taking English vineyard seriously and Louis Pommery has started to make wine in Hampshire and it’s pretty good stuff. Its dry, fresh, but classy with more citrus fruit than toasty notes in French Champagne. I’ve you like the new style of sparkling or a good cremant sparkling wine then this is for you.
At £25 a bottle it’s good value for champagne although a cremant is usually much cheaper at £10.
Chateau de l’Hyverniere, Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie, 2020, Loire, France
This white wine from the luave Valley from Chateau de l’Hyverniere is quite wonderful. It’s a dry white but quite light and frisky with high acidity which would make this perfect to go with seafood full stop there are flavors of citrus, lemon and grapefruit and green apple. There’s a mineral undertone which makes this quite a fabulous wine and at under £8 a bottle it’s great value.
Domaine Lafage, Centenaire, 2019, Languedoc, France
This white wine from Domaine Lafage in the Languedoc, France is made with Granache Gris and Granache Blanc and is quite good, even great in some ways. Bold, dry with plenty of length there are ripe citrus and honey flavours with a bit of minerality and green apple poking through. The bit I’m not some keen on is the grapefruit hints. Great wine for chicken, zesty salad or watching a sunset.
Bald Hills, Single Vineyard, Pinot Noir, 2015, Central Otago, New Zealand
New Zealand Pinot Noir is some of the best in the world and this one from Bald Hills really shows class. Refreshing, light, red wine that’s very smooth and dry with lots of cherry and raspberry flavours with hints of strawberry. There’s some oak and chocolate and vanilla in there and earthiness which is refreshing, not overpowering and shows subtlety.
Sure it’s £25 a bottle but it’s worth it.
Mascota, Unanime, Merlot, 2018, Mendoza, Argentina
Argentinian makes a fantastic wine and this Merlot from Mascota is quite divine. Dry with plenty of red fruit with blueberry as well, chocolate and black pepper under pin the flavours. I wouldn’t say it was particularly complex but there’s definitely good structure here and a very long finish which makes this a superb wine for approximately £15 a bottle.
Domaine du Tix, Cuvée des Grandes Pountes, Vaucluse, France
This Viognier from the Rhone is quite something, with a rich texture and lots of fruit, peach and apricot, green apple, citrus and a mineral afternote it’s on thd dry side but quite bold. With decent acidity underlying everything it’s a classic French wine that’s done well and at £10 a bottle, great value. It’s a shame that not more French white wine is of this quality and price.
Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Syrah, 2021, Rhone, France
This syrah from Paul Jaboulet Aîné, in the Rhone of France is a marmite wine, its love it or hate it red wine when its first opened. Its dry, medium bodied and very juicy with rich aromas and flavours of blackcurrant and hints of spice but with a tanker full of herbs thrown in. When I tried it the next day much of the overpowering herb flavours had disapated. It’s not bad with all the herby nores but not what I was expecting, but it is also more juice focused and one dimensional. Even at £6.99 at Majestic Wines on a mixed 6 offer i couldn’t give it more points, sorry not for me.