Category Archives: Red wine – Europe

Beyra, Superior Tinto, 2017, Portugal

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Beyra, Superior Tinto, 2017, Portugal

Beyra, Superior Tinto, 2017, Portugal

Portuguese wine has got an excellent reputation for quality because even the so-called bad wines are cut above other countries wines of similar type. This one from Beyra is different.

It’s a bold and dry why red but at the same time really rather smooth with reasonable nose of red fruit hints of liquorice a well integrated tannins that are apparent when you taste it. You get hints of chocolate and liquorice, oak and spice. It’s not that there’s a lot necessary going on, but what you get is well integrated.

I really liked this wine, it only got a bronze at the 2019 the Decanter World Wine Awards but I think it was worth a lot more, maybe not gold but crumbs a silver surely.

Château de Bellevue, Fleurie, 2016, France

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Château de Bellevue, Fleurie, 2016, France

Château de Bellevue, Fleurie, 2016, France

Buy a good Beaujolais is my advice and this one from Fleurie from Château de Bellevue is one of them better examples and certainly one that you should start drinking so you know what to least benchmark against.

It’s dry, light with good acidity you get aromas of red fruit but when you taste it it there there flavours of raspberry strawberry but with hints of chocolate, liquorice and hints of caramel and oak but all nice to balanced.M

My biggest regret is only having one bottle of this as it’s a really good example and at around £10 Super value.

Campo Viejo, Reserva, 2015, Spain

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Campo Viejo, Reserva, 2015, Spain

Campo Viejo, Reserva, 2015, Spain

Another Rioja, which let’s face it, it’s fairly standard for UK drinkers of red wine. This is actually pretty good and get red fruits on the nose.

It’s dry, relatively intense in the flavours of plum, redcurrants, oak and vanilla coming through with little bit of herbaceous notes.

It’s normally about £9 which isn’t bad, but get it when it’s 25% off and it becomes pretty good value. It’s not a red wine that’s going to embarrass you and for the summer good drinking.

Charles Joguet, Silènes Chinon, 2012, Loire, France

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Charles Joguet, Silènes Chinon, 2012, Loire, France

Charles Joguet, Silènes Chinon, 2012, Loire, France

Charles Joguet, Silènes Chinon, 2012, Loire, France

Charles Joguet, Silènes Chinon, 2012, Loire, France

Charles Joguet makes some wonderful wines and I have been to the vineyard twice and tasted some of them. This 2012 Silènes Chinon, 2012 though should have been drunk a fee years ago.its not aged as I had hoped/ expected from a top producer making cabernet Franc wine. Theres little aroma of the red fruit, plum, tobacco and leather that should be there, the flavours are washed out with only hints of what should be. The tannins are there and the dryness too.

It’s a lesson to drink on an occasion rather than waiting for the perfect occasion.

 

 

Calmel & Joseph, Les Terroirs, 2019, Languedoc, France

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Calmel & Joseph, Les Terroirs, 2019, Languedoc, France

Calmel & Joseph, Les Terroirs, 2019, Languedoc, France

Made with Syrah Grenache and Carignan this is a full on red which packs plenty of aromas flavours. It’s a bold dry my red with decent hit of acidity. There’s aromas of tobacco and chocolate and and sour cherry, you’re getting additional flavours of BlackBerry and redcurrent.

At £12 a bottle us a bit expensive but it’s well made with good length.

Coteaux du Vendômois, Cuvée Prestige, 2014, Loire, France

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Coteaux du Vendômois, Cuvée Prestige, 2014, Loire, France

Coteaux du Vendômois, Cuvée Prestige, 2014, Loire, France

This Cuvée Prestige from Coteaux du Vendômois is an interesting red. It’s made from Pineau d Aunis, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc and has soft flavours of red fruits such as raspberry and redcurrant and is pretty dry but the tannins are soft and this makes it a very easy wine to drink, no food needed with this red. Try with lamb, duck or tomato sauce based pasta if having with food.

It’s only Eur6 a bottle which makes it great value.

 

CM by Carlos Muro, 2015, Rioja, Spain

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CM by Carlos Muro, 2015, Rioja, Spain

CM by Carlos Muro, 2015, Rioja, Spain

Rioja produces an awful lot of wine and much of it drinkable and there are some truly excellent reds are produced but is this from Carlos Muro a drinkable or excellent one. The aroma is a little flat, you get some red cherry but that’s pretty much it. It’s a dry fairy bold wine with plum and strawberry flavours and soft tannins which I warmed too. This got a bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2018. It’s definitely better than most easy drinking and you don’t have to think about it which in many ways makes it a great drinking wine.

At about £20 a bottle it’s too much money though. I think they should really be a £10 bottle at the most.

 

Chateau Saint Martin, De la Garrigue, Gres de Montpellier, 2010, Languedoc, France.

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Chateau Saint Martin, De la Garrigue, Gres de Montpellier, 2010, Languedoc, France.

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.

 

 

 

Hospices de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Premier Cru, Cuvée Fouquerand, Alain Corcia, 2002, Burgundy, France

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Hospices de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Premier Cru, Cuvée Fouquerand, Alain Corcia, 2002, Burgundy

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.

Hacienda, Casa del Valle, Syrah, 2016, Spain

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Hacienda, Casa del Valle, Syrah, 2016, Spain

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.