Domaine Zinck, Terroir Pinot Gris 2011, Alsace, France

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Alsace make some amazing wines and this Pinot Gris from Domaine Zinck is a very good example, Zinck produce a fantastic range of wines by the way. Even though this is 9 years old its pretty good on all levels, reasonabe critus fruit aromas and a wonderfall deep yellow colour, very seductive.

This is a bold wine, not quite full bodied but rich in flavour with ripe flavours of pineapple, lemon and minerality. In reality it should have been drunk within 5 years but its still very drinkerable and at wat under £10 a bargin.

Domaine Zinck, Terroir Pinot Gris 2011, Alsace, France

Domaine Zinck, Terroir Pinot Gris 2011, Alsace, France

 

Schmit-Fohl, Crémant de Luxembourg, Brut.

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Crémant de Luxembourg Brut is not something you get in the supermarket, let alone one from an excellent producer such as Schmit-Fohl .

This is made with Chardonnay and Auxerrois, its dry and has some green apple and brioche aromas, the flavours are light but refreshing with apple, grass and brioche flavours. There are loads of small, fine bubbles that show off the quality of the wine.

At £13 a bottle this is a great price and a great wine.

Schmit-Fohl, Crémant de Luxembourg, Brut

Schmit-Fohl, Crémant de Luxembourg, Brut

Schmit-Fohl, Crémant de Luxembourg, Brut

Schmit-Fohl, Crémant de Luxembourg, Brut

 

 

 

Chardonnay, Auxerrois

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Veneto, Italy

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Amarone was a wine that i could not see the point of the generally high price tag, this classico from Giusti shows why you may have to pay a high price to get a real cracker of a bottle.

At 16.5% alcohol strength this is a bold wine with a capital B. Its dry, but as about 30% of the grapes are dried you get a sweetness which is very seductive. There are aromas of cherry, plum, herbal and vanilla notes. These follow through in the taste and you get a long finish and real smoothness to boot

At about £40 a bottle is not cheap but its a great wine.

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Veneto, Italy

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Veneto, Italy

Tarapaca +, Organic Red Blend, 2014, Chile

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Organic wine is seen as a bit “niche”, not main stream and a bit wacky but this red blend from Chile shows what fantastic, amazing and bloody great value wine you can get organically. The blend is usually made with a combination of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It has great balance of fruit flavour with acidity, ripe black fruit aromas with spice notes that are added to with red fruit flavours, tobacco and low tannins. Its smooth, so smooth, wonderful.

At under £10 a bottle this is brilliant value and a fabulous wine.

Tarapaca +, Organical Red Blend, 2014, Chile

Tarapaca +, Organic Red Blend, 2014, Chile

Weingut Bernhard Ott, Fass 4, Gruner Veltliner 2016, Austria

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Gruner Veltliner is an under drunk wine. This wine from Weingut Bernhard Ott has typical characteristics of apple, grass and white peach with a clean fresh smell and taste. There’s a mineral overtone and it has some wonderful green apple acidity. It has a beautiful green tinge to the colour.

Great one its own or with, fish and asian foods, such as sweet and sour chicken. At about £20 its not cheap but thats in part Austrian wine for you. A worthy bronze medal winner at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

Weingut Bernhard Ott, Fass 4, Gruner Veltliner 2016, Austria

Weingut Bernhard Ott, Fass 4, Gruner Veltliner 2016, Austria

 

Richou, L’ R Osé, Loire, France

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Richou, L' R Osé, Loire, France

Richou, L’ R Osé, Loire, France

Loire rose often comes second to Provence rose but it does it a disservice, Richou shows what a great rose region the Loire is. Its made with Gamay and Cabernet Sauvignon and you get a darker rose in colour because of these grapes used. This is a not a cheap rose but at £10 a bottle feels priced correctly. This is an off dry, fruit driven rose with just the right amount of acidity. You get strawberries on the nose with redcurrant under notes.

The smell is more noticeable than the taste, you get the flavours but they are down a notch on the smell. In many ways that’s a provence style wine, a bit more flavour would have been nice, buts its great summer wine.

Château Grand Billard, Bordeaux 2010, France

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Made with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot its a good blend. 10 years old you may feel that this red is ready for drinking, esp as its a “Grand” Bordeaux. Its just part of the name, its not a grand vin. That said there is much to commend this wine.

Its still got a dark purple colour but the aromas and flavours are quite light for a Bordeaux. You get blackberries and cherries on the nose and in the taste, some oaky notes and smooth tannins but its the lightness that I’m liking. In reality it should have been drunk 2 or 3 years ago to get a bolder hit of flavours and aromas.

At about £10 a bottle its reasonable value for a lighter red but if you want a full Bordeaux you will be disappointed.

Château Grand Billard, Bordeaux 2010, France

Château Grand Billard, Bordeaux 2010, France

Gérard Bertrand, Joa Rosé, Languedoc, France

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Languedoc, France make some of the most wonderful Rose wine in the world and this Joa, from Gérard Bertrand shows off what you can expect. Its made with shiraz, Grenache and Cinsault grapes.

Its very dry, light, a little acidic, crisp and has subtle aromas and flavours of wild strawberry, redcurrant, melon and floral hints in there.

At £13 a bottle its a little overpriced, but it a bio wine and therefore expect to pay that little bit more.

Gérard Bertrand, JoaRosé, Languedoc, France

Gérard Bertrand, JoaRosé, Languedoc, France

Domaines Vinsmoselle, Grand Premier Cru, Riesling 2011, Luxembourg

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Luxembourg is not the place you may think of for quality wine but this Grand Premier Cru Riesling from Domaines Vinsmoselle shows what can be done.

At 9 years old there’s lots of green apple and petroleum notes on the nose. There’s freshness and balance on the taste with grass, lemon and lime flavours and that petroleum notes that linger.

Its quite gorgeous, if you like older Riesling. Fortunately I do but you may wish to drink this earlier rather than later.

At £15 a bottle is bang on the money for value, quality isn’t cheap but you don’t need to pay a fortune for it either.

Domaines Vinsmoselle, Grand Premier Cru, Riesling 2011, Luxembourg

Domaines Vinsmoselle, Grand Premier Cru, Riesling 2011, Luxembourg

Claudio Alario, Barbera d’Alba Valletta, 2017 from Piemonte, Italy

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Claudio Alario makes some great wine. This “Valletta” is made with 100% Barbera grape from the Barbera d’Alba DOC in Piemonte, Italy.

You can read what comes next or you can just buy it, it’s absolutely beautiful, wonderful, magnificent.

Its a bold, dry with a big hit of balanced acidity that makes it so smooth. There aromas of cherry, smoke and plum thats joined with vanilla, pepper, sweet spices, nutty, cassis and dried fruit flavours, so much going on. Its the wonderful balance and smoothness that I love.

At £23 a bottle its not cheap but so worth it, Magic in a bottle.

Claudio Alario, Barbera d'Alba Valletta, 2017 from Piemonte, Italy

Claudio Alario, Barbera d’Alba Valletta, 2017 from Piemonte, Italy