Sugrue, English Sparkling Wine, South Downs, UK
Its the first time that I have tried Sugrue’s english sparkling wine which is from the South Downs in England and I was very surprised.
Dry, crisp with high acidity and tasting exactly like Champagne I was expecting more fruit driven flavours rather than deep yeasty notes. Its nice but I’m more a cremant person, its good but just not for me.
Zantho, St Laurent, 2015, Burgenland, Austria
Austrian wine has had a bit of a come back in recent years and this St Laurent from Zantho in Burgenland shows why.
There is some much going on, aromas and flavours of cherry, plum, blackcurrant, tobacco, licorice, hints of chocolate and oak. It’s dry, medium bodied with soft but “present” tannins. The length of these are good and integration is excellent.
One of the best wines I have tried in years and at approximately £15 a bottle it’s great value.
Tsiakkas Winery, Porfyros, Cyprus
Cyprus makes some decent wine and this read from Tsiakkas Winery is pretty good. It’s made with Grenache, Merlot and Agiorgitiko. Show me best with food because although you’ve got cherry and blackcurrant and plum flavours with a background of oak, coffee and chocolate, it’s a little unrefined. It’s not so much criticism but it’s a wine for place and time and that’s with food. It went well with a burger! It’s an everyday drinking wine that you can just, well drink and don’t think too much about, enjoy it.
Cantina Negrar, Vigneti Di Roccolo, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico, Italy
There are many Amarone’s out there and this Vigneti Di Roccolo from Cantina Negrar is one of the best Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico wines I have tasted in many years
There is just so much going on, sure it’s bold, it’s also quite smooth. It’s not overly dry and there’s definite softness on the texture. You’ve got cherry, raspberry, redcurrant, you got some plum, BlackBerry, there’s chocolate and tobacco. Hints of coffee and there’s some smokiness and in a bit of earthiness in there as well, which just complement each other superbly.
The only sad thing is that with spring upon us there will be probably be less opportunity to drink Amarone, you really want to drink this in front of the fire or with a hearty stew. We did have it with homemade pizza which which was probably quite decadent. At £25 a bottle it’s actually good value for Amarone, sure it’s £25, but it’s Amarone.
Herdade, Grand Reserva, 2006, Portugal
Made with a blend of Touriga National and Syrah this Grand Reserva from Herdade is Pretty good, sure at £25 a bottle is not cheap but there is quality. It’s a bold wine with plenty of tannins, very dry with massive flavours of plum, blackcurrant, vanilla, oak and chocolate coming through. There are hints of leather and smokiness that are all really well integrated and after 16 years it’s incredibly drinkable.
Franchini, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sedèse, 2017, Italy
Oohh this a great example of Valpolicella Classico from Italy. There are red and black fruit aromas with a dry, medium tannins and good length in the flavours. It’s a firm but soft red wine that lends itself to red meat meals or cheese and biscuits in front of a wood fire.
At £20 a bottle it’s not cheap but for a Decanter Silver medal winner it’s a fair price.
Hencote, Solaris, 2018, Shrewsbury, UK
The UK makes good white wine, excellent sparkling and ok red wine but this Hencote, Solaris from Shrewsbury, that’s up north! Is really good, excellent you could say.
It’s fresh and vibrant with smells and flavours of grapefruit, lemon, lime and a mineral undertone on the taste. There’s acidity there which would pair this well with shellfish.
The fact it come from so far up north is amazing and shows the skill of the wine maker.
Reva Rakvice, Frankovka, 2018, Czech Republic
Never underestimate Czech Republic wine because they can make good wine and this red from Reva Rakvice proves it. It’s a lovely purple colour with strong aromas of red fruit slightly sweet tannins and a little bit too much sour cherry for my liking if I was drinking it’s on its own but with food, excellent. We had this with a full roast turkey dinner and it complemented the food very well.
Marisco, Pride and Glory, Sauvignon Blanc, 2015, New Zealand
This is the first Sauvignon Blanc from Marisco that I have tried and and the name is quite correct, they can certainly claim pride and glory in what they produced.
You get tropical notes with a bit of gooseberry a little butter and vanilla on the nose and flavours that are subtle reasonably complex but well integrated hint of oak finishes this off and it’s certainly an excellent wine it’s just a shame at £35 a bottle it’s out of reach of most people. The one that is equally as good and half the price that should be tried is the Greywacke standard range Sauvignon Blanc.
Aldi, chassaux et fils, Grenache, Cinsault, Rose, 2020, France
The issue with Audi wine and not just with their rosé is that they produce an absolutely corkers and then it’s gone on which is really frustrating. This Rosie made with Grenache and Cinsault is a classic example it was an impulse purchase as it was £2.99 so not exactly a lot of money.
It’s a clean Rosie with lots of red fruit and aromas of strawberry and redcurrant it’s not elegant but it’s a nice rosé wine that I really enjoyed drinking in February, which is not a month associated with drinking such wine in the UK.
