Author Archives: richardgore1200

Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus

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Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus

Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus

This was quite a surprise, not so much that its from Cyprus as most countries have the ability to make excellent wine but that the flavour is so good.

Made with Cabernet Franc and Lefkada (I had not heard of that one before) its a deep red for a rosé, this is no weedy Provence rosé. Dry with light red fruit aromas, the surprise is the range of flavours, strawberries, raspberries, melon, cherry. Its a clean, fresh wine that really is a delight to drink. At £13 a bottle its not cheap but thats price for quality.

Soumah, Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Australia

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Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Australia

Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Australia

Australian Chardonnay use to be a bit oaky and big and this one from Soumah in the Yarra Valley has a lot of that.

Its dry with little aromas but a chunk of oak on the flavour front. Your do get flavours of citrus, apple, grapefruit and hints of vanilla but the oak is too much for me. Its not terrible but at £12 a bottle there are better Chardonnays out there.

Moet & Chandon, Brut, Champagne, France

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Moet & Chandon, Brut, Champagne, France

Moet & Chandon, Brut, Champagne, France

Its Champagne and with the Moet name behind it, its going to sell but is it any good?

Its Dry and acidic, made with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier it has a yeasty, toasty nose that follow through with hints of citrus on the flavour front. Ideally pair with shell fish or have watching a sunset. Its decant sparkling although I still favour Bouvet sparkling on a personal basis, esp with that costs a £10 when the Moet costs over £30 a bottle.

Shawsgate, Rosé, 2016, Suffolk, UK

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Shawsgate, Rosé, 2016, Suffolk, UK

Shawsgate, Rosé, 2016, Suffolk, UK

Shawsgate is based in Suffolk, in the UK and does a rather good red wine, but this time I’m trying Rosé which is actually really very good, not just for English Rosé but in general. This is fine stuff at £10 a bottle excellent value.

It has redcurrant and raspberry on the nose and this follows through in a taste with stone fruit and a ziggingness that is fresh, slightly on the sweetest side but it’s more of an undertone sweetness that makes this ready excellent summer drinking. If this was the only rosé I had all summer I would not be disappointed. It’s probably the best rosé I’ve had in 2021.

 

 

Maison Gutowski, M–G Rosé Grande Cuvée, 2019, Provence, France

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Maison Gutowski, M–G Rosé Grande Cuvée, 2019, Provence, France

Maison Gutowski, M–G Rosé Grande Cuvée, 2019, Provence, France

Provence normally screems rosé and this is typical of Provence, albeit this one from Maison Gutowski is a good rosé.

There’s not much on the nose but there are sublime flavours of redcurrants, citrus, watermelon and grapefruit. It’s dry, high in acidity and refreshing. It’s over £15 a bottle so not cheap, that’s the only fault in it.

 

Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.

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Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.

Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.

Made with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo this red from Spain got a commended at the Decanter international wine awards in 2020, I think they’re missing something.

Aromas of red fruit and oak with a hint of smokiness. It’s a dry wine with tannings easy drinking the favours maybe a little lacking but it’s very easy drinking and for a drinker on a summer’s day this is pretty good.

It’s €18 which is the biggest problem I have with it, it’s too much money for what it is. It’s good, it’s just not €18 good.

La Marca, Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore, Italy

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Italian prosecco is pretty popular in the UK and there are some good sparkling examples and some bad, this one from La Marca is a good one.

Its light, fizzy with high acidity but with a sweet under note. Theres not much aroma but you get flavours of apple, pear, citrus with a creaminess that elevates this prosecco above many others.

At £14 a bottle its a bit pricey but its rather good.

Vina Arnaiz, Verdejo, 2019, Rueba, Spain

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Spain produces and also lots of wine and not all of it particularly good however this one from Vina Arnaiz is pretty good, I’ll go as far as say is excellent.

Dry, fresh and full of flavour. There’s a real freshness on the nose with delicate notes of citrus and stone fruit. There’s flavours of lemon and lime with a little bit of grapefruit. The acidity thats there, you know it’s there but so well integrated, it would be fantastic with seafood. Downside is that you can easily drink a bottle of this in one go.

Vina Arnaiz, Verdejo, 2019, Rueba, Spain

Vina Arnaiz, Verdejo, 2019, Rueba, Spain

Indomita, Gran Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2017, Maipol, Chile

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Maipo valley produces a lot of Chilean wine and most of it is actually really good, it’s consistent. I think this is a really good example Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon although not sure the Gran Reserva label adds to the taste.

It’s a dry red thats pretty bold with firm tannings. The aromas of red fruit, leather and a slight smokiness on the nose which is joined by plum and oak on the taste which has good length and under £10 a bottle this is really good value definitely ones are having especially with a lump of meat, game bird or tomato pasta dish.

Indomita, Gran Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2017, Maipol, Chile

Indomita, Gran Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2017, Maipol, Chile

Beyra, Superior Tinto, 2017, Portugal

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Beyra, Superior Tinto, 2017, Portugal

Beyra, Superior Tinto, 2017, Portugal

Portuguese wine has got an excellent reputation for quality because even the so-called bad wines are cut above other countries wines of similar type. This one from Beyra is different.

It’s a bold and dry why red but at the same time really rather smooth with reasonable nose of red fruit hints of liquorice a well integrated tannins that are apparent when you taste it. You get hints of chocolate and liquorice, oak and spice. It’s not that there’s a lot necessary going on, but what you get is well integrated.

I really liked this wine, it only got a bronze at the 2019 the Decanter World Wine Awards but I think it was worth a lot more, maybe not gold but crumbs a silver surely.