Dr Hermann, Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese, 2007, Germany
Wow, wow, wow. This Riesling from Dr Hermann was magnificent. Off dry with complexity and length the flavours of lemon, citrus, peach. honey and a little petroleum made this a truly excellent wine. We paid about £20 a bottle on a trip to Germany. I wish I could have brought a case back. Even at £40 or £50 a bottle it’s worth trying just for that brilliant wine making.
Prović, Livija, Zlatarica, 2022, Croatia
This white wine from the Provic Winery could be described as simple and easy drinking which is not bad. light, off dry with citrus mainly and stone fruit poking through its a summer wine to be just drunk and not thought about to much. Enjoy it for what its meant to be.
Aldi sells some great wines and although it’s not great when you consider the price of £4 a bottle it’s hard not to be impressed. It’s a cheap red wine for sure, dry, unbalanced on the tannins and flavours. There are positives. Reasonable red fruit and tannins don’t overwelm. It’s better to chill this a little and drink it in the garden on a summer’s day.
This is a classic Bordeaux white wine, its a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Sémillon and 15% Muscadelle. Dry, crisp, with ripe pineapple, citrus and very fruity it needs a second glass to get that refreshing hit which others have commented on. At £12 a bottle it’s not amazing value or gold medal winning but it’s worth trying. Think based spec Ford Focus.
Vinarija Jovac, Single Vineyard Selection, Chardonnay, Serbia
This single Vineyard Chardonnay from Serbia went down a storm with friends. It’s dry and light with good acidity and all that tried it, loved it. Long length of ripe pineapple, citrus, lime, pear and melon made this a firm favourite. A great Chardonnay to just drink and enjoy on a summer’s evening.
Lyrarakis located in Crete, Greece is an interesting example of a red wine from Greece. It’s dry and reasonably light with small amounts of tanning. Its ok as a wine to go with food but just lacks character on its own. At £20 a bottle it’s way over priced.
Ermacora, Schioppettino, 2020, Italy
You can’t really go wrong with Italian red wine and this one from Ermacora in Northern Italy almost proves it. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, its just a dry red wine. Red fruit and pretty light is the best any of us that tried it could say. When tasted one evening with 2 other reds, it was left limping into 3rd.
Tender Hope, Coral Syrah, 2018, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Canadian wine has come of age and the Okanagan Valley and Tender Hope vineyard is testimony to this. A smooth, dry red wine that feels at home in a high end restaurant. There’s black fruits galore with sweet spice, oak and firm tannins. We had this with a BBQ and it was a perfect fit. At CAD30 a bottle is good value too.
Greek red wine can be excellent, world beating and it’s not to say that this red made from the Liatoko grape is bad. It lacks any real sense of depth or standout flavours. Its a lunch time, dry red wine to be drunk and enjoyed with a meal. Certainly at £20 a bottle there are better wines out there, but at least it’s a “not to be refused if you are offered a glass” category.
Ensamblados, Blend de Terroirs, Malbec, 2020, Mendoza, Argentina
It’s another Argentinian Malbec, but this one is actually really rather excellent. There’s black plum and blackberry and smooth tannins. Hints of oak, leather and a bit of mint poking through for a long lasting taste. It reminds me of a VW Pola, solid with a chunk of quality all the way through. At about £15 a bottle it’s very good value.