Château Tamagne, Brut, 2013, Russia
Russian wine makers are not the Russian government and with that in mind they shouldn’t be tarnished as is the government is. This sparkling wine is dry with good length and flavours of apple, pear, citrus and hints of pineapple. It’s a good sparkling that is very easy to drink.
Cillar de Silos, La Viña de Amalio, Tempranillo, Spain
This tempranillo from Cillar de Silos is quite a surprise. Bold and pretty dry with medium tannins with very good length. There are plenty of flavours of blackcurrant and plum, chocolate and oak notes with licorice and mint hints in the background.
At £60 a bottle it’s a bit overpriced. Then again when you go over £30 a bottle it probably won’t make sny difference, the only question is, is it any good and yes this is very good. Have with red meat or a tomato pasta dish to drink out the best.
Trump, New World Reserve, 2016, Virginia, USA
President Trump may be tea total but his wine maker can make a very good wine.
Madd with Cabernet Sauvignon this is a bold, dry red with good integration and fitm tannins. There’s plenty of black fruit with oak, chocolate, smoke and earthy undertone. At USD60 a bottle it’s expensive, good but too much. Then again it’s from an unconventional man.
Cà dei Maghi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy
At £40 a bottle this Cà dei Maghi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico from Italy is not cheap but its flipping great, there’s plenty of red fruit with notes of chocolate, oak, vanilla, dried fruit, raisins and cherry. It’s on the sweet side but there’s boldness and smoothness overflowing with great length.
Grand Crès, Cuvée Majeure, Corbières, France
This Cuvee Majeure from Grand Cres is a typical south french red wine. Its dry, bold with decent length of tannins. There’s plenty of red, black fruit flavours with oak and spice in there.
Its a good blend of syrah and grenache that won’t disappoint but there is something missing that I can’t quite pinpoint. At £15 a bottle it’s a little bit to expensive.
Rustenberg, John X Merriman, 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec snd left in the cask for 20 months makes this red blend from Rustenberg rather good. There’s plenty of red and black fruit flavours, spice, leather, oak notes with a slightly smokey under tone lifts this above the completion. At £14 a bottle it’s not cheap but it’s very nice.
California Republic, Pinot Noir, 2019, California, USA
American Pinot Noir is generally very good, not at least when we in the UK can get it. This one from California is no exception. Excellent red fruit flavours and aromas with decent length this is a dry, smooth that won’t fail to be enjoyed. Unless your a tea totaler of course 😀 . Have it with chicken or smoked foods and just enjoy.
Les legendes, Petite Arvine, 2020, Valais, Switzerland
Petite Arvine is a predominantly Swiss grape and this example from the Valais region shows it to be a good drinking grape. Its not a big style of white wine, dry with subtle aromas and flavours but there’s lemon and lime flavours with hints of peach and blossom. A wine just to drink and enjoy and not think to much on.
Brothers in Arms, Shiraz, 2019, South Australia
Another Australian heavy red wine yes but it’s rather good. Its bold and dry with decent tannins and plenty of fruit. There’s red and black fruit, oak, spice and hints of chocolate and leather.
It’s a red for food, a lump of red meat or a big red sauce pasta dish. At £12 a bottle it’s reasonable value.
It’s getting hard to buy a bad bottle of wine from Croatia and this Traminac from Bolfan Primus iz a very example. Theres ripe citrus on the nose and deep rich ripeness on the palette with pineapple coming to the fore. It’s a wine for a roast or on its own. At £20 a bottle it’s not cheap but it’s excellent.
Bolfan Primus, Traminac, Croatia