Wildekrans, Cape Blend, Barrel Select Reserve, 2013, Bot River, South Africa

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Wildekrans, Cape Blend, Barrel Select Reserve, 2013, Bot River, South Africa

Wildekrans, Cape Blend, Barrel Select Reserve, 2013, Bot River, South Africa

 

Wildekrans vineyard in the Bot River, Westerncape, South Africa is a must visit place. Their wines are amazing across the range and this blend is no exception. Made with 48% Pinotage, 36% Shiraz, 8% each of Cab Sav and Pinot Noir a lot of thought has gone into this. Rich and silky on the platte its dry with flavours of plum, blackberry and licorice. Hints of chocolate and oak with a little leather and nod to the soil of the estate its truly a great wine and at £25 a bottle amazing value. One of the best wines I’ve ever tasted.

Fondo Antico, Nenè Nero d’Avola, Sicilia, Italy

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Fondo Antico, Nenè Nero d'Avola, Sicilia, Italy

Fondo Antico, Nenè Nero d’Avola, Sicilia, Italy

Dry and bold but pretty smooth best describes this southern Italian red wine, or great red to just enjoy. With Red cherry and redcurrent flavours and notes of oak and leather with a very slight smokiness and chocolate poking though its very easy drinking and doesn’t need food to be enjoyed, just what I like. Pasta and red meat would still go very well with this. At about EUR12 a bottle its a wine to buy by the case.

 

Reininger, Syrah, 2017, Walla Walla Valley, Washington State, USA

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Reininger, Syrah, 2017, Walla Walla Valley, Washington State, USA

Reininger, Syrah, 2017, Walla Walla Valley, Washington State, USA

 

This 2017 Syrah from Reininger got a silver medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards with 90 points which may have been a little stingy because its really rather good. Its a dry red wine with a silky texture and well integrated tannins. Aromas and flavours of plum, blueberries with licorice and hints of pepper. At USD50 a bottle its not cheap but rather good. Serve with steak and or sip slowly and just enjoy.

J. de Villebois, Sancerre Rosé, 2021, France

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J. de Villebois, Sancerre Rosé, 2021, France

J. de Villebois, Sancerre Rosé, 2021, France

 

Can you get a bad bottle of Sancerre? well this rosé from J. de Villebois is not going to let the side down. Dry, crisp but nice and light it has refreshing flavours and aroma of strawberries and hints of raspberry and citrus with a minerality which pins it all together.

The downside is its price which at £25 a bottle is rather steep. its good but not £25 a bottle good

Kostantino Winery, Selections, Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Greece

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    Kostantino Winery, Selections, Sauvignon Blanc 2022, GreeceKostantino Winery, Selections, Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Greece

 

You can get some excellent greek wine, unfortunately this is not world class. There are a number issues with this wine. It has a slight aroma of nail vanish which is off putting. Its to acidic and to non descript. there is very little taste and no characteristics of the grape. At Eur17 a bottle its a no on all fronts from me.

Ghost Creek, Showcase, Riesling, 2017, Canada

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Ghost Creek, Showcase, Riesling, 2017, Canada

Ghost Creek, Showcase, Riesling, 2017, Canada

 

I do like Canadian wine, they don’t make much of it but what they do make is generally very good. This Riesling from Ghost Creek is excellent. Dry with a distinct petroleum note to the nose there’s flavours of citrus and stone fruit with a little peach and hints of honey. The biggest thing I get is just how clean and fresh this is 7 years on. Excellent,  truly excellent.

At £20 a bottle it’s decent value too.

Dagernova, Dernauer Schieferlay, Spätburgunder, 2017, Germany

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DagernovaDernauer Schieferlay Spätburgunder

Dagernova
Dernauer Schieferlay Spätburgunder

 

Most of the German Pinot Noirs you get in the UK are pretty good. This one from Dagernova is excellent.  Light, dry with soft tannins and well integrated fruit flavours of cherry and red current. This a little oak and hints of earthiness poking though. Delightfully subtle and easy drinking it’s hard not to drink the bottle in one go.

Camel Valley, Bacchus, 2013, Cornwall, England

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Camel Valley, Bacchus, 2013, Cornwall, England

Camel Valley, Bacchus, 2013, Cornwall, England

 

Camel Valley know how to make great wine but this Bacchus from 2013 is something else. Drink Bacchus young has been the saying but at 11 years old thus is still great. Dry, balanced acidity with crisp citrus and a slight hint of grapefruit is a wine to enjoy watching a sunset. At about £15 a bottle for current vintages it’s one to just buy.

Averys, Fine White Burgundy, 2019, France

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Averys, Fine White Burgundy, 2019, France

Averys, Fine White Burgundy, 2019, France

 

Averys is a well known and respected wine supplier and I was so looking forward  to their own label Fine White Burgundy. The smell was wonderful, creamy lees with citrus hits the nose. The wine is dry, soft and unfortunately lacking is any real taste. It just tastes flat and pretty non descript. This is a wine you expect at £4 not at over £20.