Peterlongo, Privilege, Brut, Brazil
Can you make decent sparkling wine in Brazil? well this one from Peterlongo makes a good stab at it.
Its not what you would call elegant or refined. Its a dry, medium bodied sparkling. There’s plenty of flavour in there although not much aroma wise. There’s masses of lemon, with hints of pineapple and peach with a yeasty background.
Its not bad and better than lots of Proseccos but I would go for a french cremant such as one from Bouvet Ladubay.
Alpha Estate, Assyrtiko Ecosystem, Aghia Kiriaki, 2017, Greece
Wine from Greece is not the first choice for many wine drinkers but this one from Alpha Estates is very good. It has mid yellow colour, going towards straw.
Its a concentrated wine both in smell with citrus and stone fruit coming though. The taste is clean with good length and a decent balance on the flavour front with lemon, peach and flint notes working together.
This is a good wine.
Château Pierre-Bise, Coteaux du Layon-Beaulieu, Clos de la Soucherie, 2005, Loire, France
Sometimes there’s a wine that is so good, so yummy that you savour every drop and this Château Pierre-Bise, Coteaux du Layon-Beaulieu, Clos de la Soucherie, a desert wine is one of these.
Its got aromas of baked fruits, raisins and these just hang there. The taste is rich all round with the baked fruit coming though, its not overly sticky but each drop is full of flavour. I could go on about who fabulous this is but I would just drink it.
Wonderful with cheese or on its own.
Domaine de Pouzac, Grand Jacquey, 2013, Languedoc, France
Domaine de Pouzac and its Grand Jacquey is a solid red wine from the Languedoc.
Dry with firm but soft tannins and aromas of black fruit and and earthiness, that at first puts you off but taste it and its a different matter. That smoothness is what puts this part from the rest. I had this with a tapas meat selection and it was a great balance.
At £15 a bottle its not cheap but its pretty good.
Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue, 2010, Grès de Montpellier, France
Dry, bold and really smooth is first impression s on this red from Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue.
There’s aromas of oak and earthy notes with hints of black fruit. The taste is plummy with black fruit and spice with firm tannins. Its 14% but seems like more. Its not “in your face” big and bold but its got flavour and its well integrated which is really appreciated.
Later vintages are selling for Eur18 a bottle which is well priced, sure not cheap but good value. I loved this on its own but it will go well with red meat and the first BBQ of the year. Treat yourself.
Tenute Cadorin Le Favole, Vigneti Bosco Bando, Malvasia, Italy
This dry white wine from northern Italy went very well with lobster. Not my usual start to a review but it did go very well.
There are aromas and flavours of pineapple and citrus with light oaky notes. Its a reasonably bold wine with good acidity levels, flavours are well balanced and great with seafood.
Its a very good italian white wine.
Citra, Niro, Montepulciano, d’Abruzzo, Italy
This red wine is made with the Montepulciano grape which gives it a wonderfully rich red colour. It has a full bodied feeling that lasts a long time. There are aromas and flavours of sour cherry, pepper and spices and its very smooth with well integrated tannins.
Its a solid italian red wine that won’t let you down. Pair it with a steak or a beef roast diner and you won’t regret opening a bottle.
Oh its also Eur 6 a bottle, so great value.
Castello del Trebbio, Congiura, Bianco Toscana, Tuscany, Italy
Its unusual for a Tuscan white to be made with Riesling but this wine from Castello del Trebbio gains when adding it to the Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay grapes.
It has a wonderful straw colour with a fresh mineral aromas and flavours with apple and pears and notes of almonds and peach. There’s some complexity to this dry white and it would be well paired with seafood. A decent wine but not fantasic.
New Hall, Bacchus Fume Reserve, 2016, Essex, UK
New Hall in Essex has been making Bacchus for a long time and they are getting better and better. They make a lot of different wines which can be a little confusing, so its best to pop a long to an open day and sample!
This 4 year old Fume Reserve is light with aromas of elderflower and mellon, flavours of apple, lemon and hints of gooseberry. Its not what you may call sophisticated but it is what you would all wonderful.
At £12 a bottle it’s decent value given the quality you are getting.
Pazo Senorans, Albarino, 2016, Spain
£15 a bottle is a decent amount to pay for a wine, you want a good bottle but paying that for an Albarino is hard when there are so many good ones out their for less but this Albarino from Pazo Senorans is very good.
There’s loads going on, subtle but the package is well done. The colour is a wonderful lemon colour and there are aromas of pear, lemon, mellon, peaches and additional flavours of citrus, grapefruit and minerality. Its dry, light, decent wack of acidity, clean and quite elegant.
Its a bit pricey and I should have saved some for the next day but I loved it, its very good, excellent if the price was cheaper but then that’s my tightness 😉 shining through, price wise.