Keo, St John’s Commandaria, Cyprus
This St John’s Commandaria from Cyprus is made usinf grapes that have been dried in the sun and allowed to concentrate the sugars so the wine has a raisin, nutty full on flavours that are similar to PX sherry and that no bad thing.
Sip it, savour it and have small glasses, oh try it with cheese its a great match.
Château de Pez, 1998, Saint-Estèphe, France
At 23 years old this wine from Chateau de Pez shows what excellent wine that France can produce, rather than the bulk wines that so many people only drink. At £50 a bottle its not cheap but excellent,
Its a bold, dry wine with decent well integrated tannins that make you want to sip and take your time when drinking. aromas and flavours of black fruits, oak, cedar, leather and a hint of smoke this is a grown ups wine. Trully excellent.
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Hencote, Solaris, 2018, Shropshire, England
English white wine is pretty good and this Solaris from Hencote in the north of England is fresh and clean on the palate. There’s citrus, gooseberry, grass and mineral flavours which are subtle but easy. Thats the best part because you don’t get much in the way of aromas.
The only other bad part is the cost, which at £20 a bottle is far to much. At £10 it would be worth getting.
TerraNoble, Lahuen, 2017, Chile
Chilean wine is great stuff in general, this red from Terranoble is excellent. This red has aromas of red fruit, oak and spice notes. the flavours are well integrated the smoothness is quite wonderful.
Of course there’s a but here and its with the price. £30 a bottle is way too much.Its very good but half it and its worth getting.
Chateau Bonhomme, Mademoiselle, Minervois, 2017, France
South West France produce lots of wine and this blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault from Chateau Bonhomme is half decent. Bold, dry and plenty of tannins. There’s spice, oak and lots of red fruit on the nose that come through on the flavour and are join with plum and pepper notes.
Its a good wine which needs food to really balance out some of the harshness. Steak or tomato based foods are the ones to go for with this red.
English red wine is hard to get right and this blend of Regent, Rondo and Triomphe D’Alsace grapes gives it quite a rustic taste and aroma, quite farmyeard on the nose and smokey and woody finish on the taste.
Its pretty light and very low tannins. This is either an acquired taste wine or one to drink with food.
Herdade Penedo Gordo, Monte Penedo Gordo, Reserva, 2014, Portugal
Bold, dry and reasonably smooth this is another good red wine from Portugal. You get lots of aroma, black fruit, oak, earthy with hints of leather. The flavour is pretty full on with spice and vanilla joining lots of fruit with a decent finish and good blance.
Ar Eur15 a bottle its on the mark for value. Its a good posh BBQ wine.
Bardfield, Anne of Cleves, 2017, Essex, UK
We have visited Bardfield and its an english vineyard that make great easy drinking summer wines. Made with the Bacchus grape you get fresh citrus on the nose and in the taste that’s joined by a lime and lemon under note. It has good length its clean fresh taste makes this a great white wine to just drink on a hot summers day watching the world go by.
At £12 a bottle its what you pay for english white wine. A shame in some ways as the price will put some people off.
Albert Mann, Prinot Gris, 2013, Alsace, France
Albert Mann is a quality producer, getting a bad bottle is very unlikely and this standard Prinot Gris is no exception. There’s a slight kerosine undertone with lots of pear coming through on the nose. Its medium, on boldness, acidity and dryness. You get a creaminess, honey and fresh citrus flavours which make this easy to drink with a salad, white meats yet perfect to just sip throughout the evening in the garden on a summers day.
At about £20 its a little pricey but great quality.
Smith Woodhouse, 1988, Madalena, Vintage Port, Portugal
I love port, esp vintage port and this Smith Woodhouse 33 year port is pretty good. There’s aromas of leather, black cherry, chocolate and spice with additional flavours plum, blackberry, toffee and a silk like texture.
Late bottle vintage and normal port are more velvet in texture, this is more delicate but with plenty of depth. Its not in the same league as a Grahams or Taylors vintages of the 70’s or 80’s but its well worth trying.