Author Archives: richardgore1200

Cono Sur, ‘La Rinconada’ Single Vineyard Block 28, Carmenere, Chile

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Can you get bad Carmenere? Probably but I’ve yet to taste it. There are better Carmenere’s out there for sure but this is a good one. Lots to smell and taste, aromas mainly of black fruits, cherry, plum with oak, vanilla, leather, tobacco and pepper. Some comes through on the taste but you also get hints of raspberry and strawberries.

It could be a bit more smoother, refined. If I have it with food I would probably be singing it’s praises, on its own I just liked it.

Cono Sur, 'La Rinconada' Single Vineyard Block 28, Carmenere, Chile

Cono Sur, ‘La Rinconada’ Single Vineyard Block 28, Carmenere, Chile

Russian Jack, Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

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New Zealand wine was made on the back of some excellent Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay and Greywacke to name 2.

Pinot Noir is another excellent wine that New Zealand produces and so far I’ve not had a bad bottle, you do get some poor NZ Sav Blanc now a days. Russian Jack is Majestic wine in house NZ Pinot Noir and at £13 a bottle it’s not a cheap NZ Pinot Noir.

You get a fair amount of red fruit, strawberry, redcurrant, plum, cherry, both on the nose and in the mouth. It’s dry with an earthy undertone but it’s a little light all round. There’s little tannins and it’s quite smooth. At £10 or under this would be great but for 3 or 4 pounds more you can get better. Personal I would say nice, but spend a bit more.

Russian Jack, Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

Russian Jack, Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

Domaine Pascal Bouchard Beauroy Chablis, Premier Cru 2004, France

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Old Chablis is not like the fresh flavour, younger vintages. As it ages it softens and loses some of those fresh green notes. The acidity loses its edge and flavours change.

This is true of this Premier Cru, there are subtle light aromas of green apple and vanilla, a lightness of texture and a light taste of creaminess. Delicate and quite special this has been waiting in our wine store since about 2006 and finally we get to try it.

At 15 years old its not something you are going to get even in a decent wine merchant. That’s a shame as few people will get to try what an older white wine tastes like compared to a much one of the same region or producer, even if the younger Chablis is a supermarket standard one.

Find a 15 year old Premier cru and its going cost you upwards of £40 a bottle, my suggestion is by a few of these when young, put them to one side and wait.

Domaine Pascal Bouchard Beauroy Chablis, Premier Cru 2004, France

Domaine Pascal Bouchard Beauroy Chablis, Premier Cru 2004, France

Gevrey Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes 2014 from Domaine Rossignol-Trapet in Burgundy, France

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At £40 a bottle you expect something very special. A friend bought this round for a dinner party we were hosting.

There are delicate aromas of red fruits, redcurrant and hints of raspberries with an earthy and undertone. These come through in the taste but its subtle. Very smooth and elegant but pretty dry.

Its a premium Burgundy and not an everyday wine. We had it with a Norfolk Black Turkey and the extra flavour from this type of turkey worked very well with the light red fruit flavours but also took the edge off the dryness of the wine.

Would I spend £40 a bottle, no, its more my personal taste than anything else. I prefer cheaper fruit driven Pinot Noirs from Burgundy.

Gevrey Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes 2014 from Domaine Rossignol-Trapet in Burgundy, France

Gevrey Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes 2014 from Domaine Rossignol-Trapet in Burgundy, France

Grillhouse, Shiraz Pinotage 2017, Western Cape, South Africa

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From the minute you pour this wine and see the deep purple colour and then smell the black fruit, vanilla, spice and smokey notes you get the impression that this is an impressive wine.

Its a pretty rich tasting wine with loads of black fruits, blackcurrants, plum but also redcurrant. There spice and smoothness with a little dryness that compliments the whole package.

This is a very good wine and at £11 a bottle pretty decent value.

Grillhouse, Shiraz Pinotage 2017, Western Cape, South Africa

Grillhouse, Shiraz Pinotage 2017, Western Cape, South Africa

 

Wooing Tree, Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand

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This was a winner of a Gold Medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2017 and a bronze medal winner from the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards. The 2017 vintage of this got a Gold medal at the 2019 DWWA. The 2014 is better than bronze.

There’s ripe red fruit, cherries, plums with a vanilla and spice undertone. On the palate this wine has supple, soft tannins and a decant balance of dryness, fruit flavours and body. 

The only issue I have with is the £30 price tag. Its very good but your only going be drinking this on special occasions. Thats a real shame as very people will get to try this.

Wooing Tree, Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand

Wooing Tree, Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand LP

Nagy Eded, Grand Cru Furmint 2015, Hungary

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Furmint from Hungary is a wine that many people don’t try, why? its probably because its from hungary and not cheap.

This is a deep wine, golden in colour, aromas and in taste. There’s honey, pear, almonds and ripe citrus with smokeyness, oakyness and a thickness of texture that makes this pretty different. Its not for everyone and the ripeness of the fruit and smokeyness is a little over powering. It got a Bronze in the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards which is right on the mark.

Its about £25 a bottle, which is expensive for what it is. There are cheaper Furmints out there that are are as good and better AND cheaper.

Nagy Eded, Grand Cru Furmint 2015, Hungary

Nagy Eded, Grand Cru Furmint 2015, Hungary

Lirac Vignobles Abeille 2017 Mont Redon, Chateauneuf Du Pape 2017, France

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“I love Chateauneuf Du Pape, its the only decent red wine” I’ve heard people say. Ask them why and they can’t really say. may be they are impressed that it can contain 15 different grapes!

The southern Rhone area has been making and selling wine for hundreds of years, they know what they are doing, balance is the key here between flavour, acidity, dryness and aging.

Deep purple in colour with smells of red fruits raspberry and redcurrants and of blackberry, with subtle herb hints and liquorice. There oakey and earthy notes, this is a robust wine with strong tannins but all in balance. At £15 a bottle pretty good value.

ignobles Abeille 2017 Mont Redon, Chateauneuf Du Pape 2017, France

ignobles Abeille 2017 Mont Redon, Chateauneuf Du Pape 2017, France

The Grinder Blue Moose, Cab Sav and Shiraz 2017, South Africa

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The Grinder was a Laithwaites wine at one point, which had been around for a while although I can’t see it listed presently. This is the first time I’ve had the Blue Moose label. Aromas of black fruits, coffee and tobacco notes. It’s dry on the taste with sour cherry and a little chocolate hint which also comes through in the smell. Made for the Canadian and Scandinavian markets it retails at under EUR9 a bottle which makes this very acceptable.

The Grinder Blue Moose, Cab Sav and Shiraz 2017, South Africa

The Grinder Blue Moose, Cab Sav and Shiraz 2017, South Africa

Glenelly, Lady May 2010, South Africa

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We opened a magnum of the 2010 Lady May at a rather late Christmas dinner for some old friends. A wine thats 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, had 24 months in new French oak may not be quite right with turkey but I don’t think the turkey minded!
Aromas of black plum, chocolate and toffee. There’s additional flavours of blackcurrant and hints of red fruit and black pepper. It has good length and rather dry on the finish, sip don’t gulp. The big issue, if I was to buy this is at £30 per standard bottle was that its over priced. £15+ is more like it.

  • Glenelly, Lady May 2010, South Africa

    Glenelly, Lady May 2010, South Africa LP