The late Jessica with a bottle of Chateau Saint Martin, De la Garrigue, Gres de Montpellier, 2010, Languedoc, France.
This chateau Saint Martin is another cracker from the Loire. Dry with a great deep purple colour and Aromas of stewed plums, spice and caramel and these follow through into the flavours. The flavours are full with well integrated tannins and excellent length.
At £20 a bottle it’s not cheap but you get what you pay for.
Coteaux du Vendômois, Montagne Blanche, 2016, Loire, France
Coteaux du Vendômois, Montagne Blanche is a rose from the Loire, France and it’s quite typical of the roses from the region this is not to say a bad thing but it does differ from the typical Provence roses that people see in the market in the UK. This has a copper colour which would normally indicate big bold flavours but the flavours quite subtle and you get hints of raspberry, strawberry and red currant but the crispness and dryness is what is immediate.
This is a drinking wine and probably should have been drunk a year or two ago so I’m not going to put it down too much. It’s a easy drinking summer wine either with salad or on its own.
I have a soft spot for Rustenberg as the wines are generally good quality I could prices and this pretty much follows through in this Chenin Blanc. Deep lemon in color and although it’s not meant to have been aged in any Oak you do get much more richness that you might expect, I think this is partly because it’s been left on its lees for maturing. It’s dry and crisp and lots of flavor of pear and citrus possibly a little strong for my liking that said it would go very well with white meat fish and Chinese food so from that aspect a thumbs up. At about £6 a bottle it is good value.
Rustenberg Estate, Chenin Blanc, 2018, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Hospices de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Premier Cru, Cuvée Fouquerand, Alain Corcia, 2002, Burgundy
Big name and big price but this is really quite a special wine from Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy. Although it’s 19 years old it has fabulous structure soft tannins which are firm but not excessive with beautiful soft red fruit flavours. There’s not much on the aroma side but it glides down very well with or without food. I had this with annoying of pork with a red wine reduction and the pairing was perfect.
Some people will think it’s overpriced and I get that but sometimes it’s so nice to be able to taste something that is old but where the winemaker has made it but you can enjoy it decades down the line. Not your average drink but they’re are other wines out there for those times.
Tsiakkas winery, Commandaria, Desert Wine, Cyprus
Almost any country can grow grapes and make wine good wine on the other hand is harder to make, cypress can make flipping good wine as this Commandaria, desert wine from Tsiakkas winery shows. It’s a deep rich colour with the aromas of citrus, apricot, dried figs and raisins which follows through into the flavours and is joined with a toffee undernote. There’s definite sweetness which sticks to the mouth but isn’t sickly, it is quite fantastic.
We sit on its own and had it with cheese which was just magical. An amazing dessert wine that I’d be happy to drink the rest of my life.
Domaine Richou, la Grande Selection, Loire, France
I like Domaine Richou wines and this desert wine is interesting. It’s sweet but not sticky in the flavours are defined but not overpowering. You get some honey and apricot but these are subtle, there’s a little bit of oxidization but only a hints, but that’s because we’ve left it too long. The deep orange colour is quite unusual but this does not attract from wine.
Hacienda, Casa del Valle, Syrah, 2016, Spain
Red wine from Spain is a favourite of mine and this Syrah from Hacienda is great, but for all the wrong reasons!
Aged for over 6 months in French and American oak, it’s dry but quite light with lack luster aromas of red fruits that follows through in the taste. So what makes this great? Drink it, just that. No complexity, no messing around with amazing flavours and aromas. It’s a drink, enjoy wine and less chance of a hangover too. Some wines are wines for a moment and this is a drink and don’t think wine, which is what you just need after s crap day at work. Oh at £5 a bottle it’s great value.
Baigorri, Belus, 2013, Rioja, Spain
Rioja is a regular wine in our house and this one from Baigorri shows why.
Dry, high in tannins and pretty bold all round this red wine has lots of aromas and flavours of oak, vanilla, spice, black fruits, plum and a smokey undertone. Its a good red wine although at £15 a bottle its a bit pricey, not only for a Rioja but for a red wine. It will go well with red meat and tomato based pasta and as the summer is coming up and BBQ’s are the order of the weekend, its one to try.
Nederburg, Sauvignon Blanc, Auction Reserve, 2015, South Africa
Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa is generally good, more french than New Zealand but this Auction Reserve from Nederburg is superb. Suble aromas of lemon, pineapple and hints of gooseberry and minerality and added flavours that include lime and peach.
There’s lots here but all in harmony and working together. Excellent, truly excellent.
Chateau Mercian, Hokushin Chardonnay, 2016, Japan
It’s been a few years since I tried a Japanese wine and I understand why when trying this white wine. It’s not that this wine is terrible but 5 years on it’s still very green with sharp green apple has the main flavour. It’s dry and quite acidic so it would be ok with seafood but on its own it’s just that bit too much.
An interesting wine but probably not one I’d want to go back too.