Category Archives: Red wine – Europe

Hugues Valrasque, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2017, Rhone Valley, France

Posted on by
Reply

General the rule of Chateauneuf du Pape is that you spend a lot more than usual to get a good one and £18 a bottle for this Hugues Valrasque one is not quite enough. Its decent but what if you spent another £5 or £7, could you get a better one? probably.

Very dry, bold and reasonable smooth with a chuck of red and black fruits, cherry (lots of cherry on the nose), blackberry, fig, spice with an earthy, oaky undertone. The issue I have is that’s a little unbalanced and not quite “there”. It fails to elevate itself to a great Rhone red, decent but spend more.

Hugues Valrasque, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2017, Rhone Valley, France

Hugues Valrasque, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2017, Rhone Valley, France

 

Lunadoro, Prugnanello, Rosso di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy

Posted on by
Reply

made with 100% Sangiovese from Tuscany this red from Lunadoro is a pretty tannic and bold. Reasonable amount of red fruit, redcurrant and cherry and medium in body and finish, its well suited to a BBQ. Its easy drinking and not the big red you might think of from Tuscany.

At £15 a bottle is a bit overpriced. £10 or less is the right price for this, at £15 I would want more on all levels.

gnanello, Rosso di Montepulcian, Tuscany, Italy

Lunadoro, Prugnanello, Rosso di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy

Mazzei, Poggio Badiola, Toscana, 2015, Tuscany, Italy

Posted on by
Reply

Tuscany chucks out hundreds of different great quality wines and a lot more good wines each year and this Poggio Badiola, Toscana is the latter. Its a blend of 70% Sangiovese, and 30% Merlot and it gives you aromas of black fruit such as blackberries, black cherries with spice and tobacco. These follow into the flavours but there’s also a toasty under tone in there I think. The finish a bit short and not quite as fully flavoured as I would like, even at £14 a bottle. This medium body, dry red is better with food, pizza, meat dishes or hard cheese.

Mazzei, Poggio Badiola, Toscana, 2015, Tuscany, Italy

Mazzei, Poggio Badiola, Toscana, 2015, Tuscany, Italy

Montalbera, Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato, 2015, Piedmont, Italy

Posted on by
Reply

Piedmont in Italy does some excellent wine and this Montalbera Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato, La Tradizione is a great example.

A lively red in colour with a smell of raspberries, violets and blackberries. Tasting this you get a sense of balance between the dryness, tannins and black fruit. This is a long lasting wine with the flavours lasting and you wanting to have a second glass.

At £20 a bottle its a bit pricey but very good.

Montalbera, Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato, 2015, Piedmont, Italy

Montalbera, Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato, 2015, Piedmont, Italy

Felsina Berardenga, Chianti Classico, 2006, Italy

Posted on by
Reply

Felsina Berardenga is a great producer and makes amazing Chianti Classico wine. A younger Chianti would be deep ruby in colour with aromas of redberries, cherries and notes of spice. There would be flavours of these with dryness and medium tannins that should be well integrated. 14 years old and these are still here, a little softer maybe and a little less vibrant in colour but so good, wonderful, fabulous and worth every penny.

At £20+ a bottle for the younger versions, a can’t see 2006 available, its worth a few bottles and opening every few years to see the developments that may occur, or dont occur.

Felsina Berardenga, Chianti Classico, 2006, Italy

Felsina Berardenga, Chianti Classico, 2006, Italy

 

Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue, Grès de Montpellier, 2012, France

Posted on by
Reply

Sitting in the Languedoc Roussillon in the south of France this blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache Noir is typical of the area and Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue make a very good job of blending.

Dry, bold and a good chunk of tannins makes this like many other reds from the Languedoc. There’s a fair bit going on here, spice, leather, plum and black fruits on the nose with underlying tobacco and oak notes, these following in the taste with prunes, chocolate hints and herbs. The tannins are a little much for me, if you have it with food, such as beef than you won’t notice the tannins. At £12 a bottle it’s great value.

Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue, Grès de Montpellier, 2012, France

Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue, Grès de Montpellier, 2012, France

Brunello di Montalcino, Il Poggione, 2010, Italy

Posted on by
Reply

There’s a fair bit of wine that comes out of Brunello, some good and some great, like this offering from Il Poggione. This is a rich Sangiovese wine but the aromas are quite subtle, some red fruit and spice but the flavours is where you get mountains of red fruits, cherry and violets. You get spice, meaty flavours with an earthy tone all in balance.

At £45 a bottle its not cheap and although excellent I would find it hard to recommend someone buying this when there are cheaper wines that deliver 90% of this wine.

Brunello di Montalcino, Il Poggione, 2010, Italy

Brunello di Montalcino, Il Poggione, 2010, Italy

Le Clos des Cazaux, La Tour Sarrazine, 2014, Gigondas, Rhone Valley, France

Posted on by
Reply

Clos des Cazaux is a well establish and well regarded vineyards in Gigondas in the Rhone Valley. Made with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre from vines averaging 50 years old. This is a bold, dry red wine with strong tannins, black fruits, leather, pepper and oak notes on the nose with red cherry, smokeyness, cigar flavours and an earth undertone when tasted.

Pair with game, grilled meats and strong cheeses otherwise the wine will over power your food. At Eur35 a bottle is a bit pricey for what you get but its Eur20+ bottle certainly.

Le Clos des Cazaux, La Tour Sarrazine, 2014, Gigondas, Rhone Valley, France

Le Clos des Cazaux, La Tour Sarrazine, 2014, Gigondas, Rhone Valley, France

Altos R Pigeage, Graciano, 2014, Rioja, Spain

Posted on by
Reply

Made with the Graciano grape rather than the usual Temperillo grape , this Rioja is pretty good, excellent I would say.

There a black fruit, chocolate and coffee aroma mix that is added to in the taste department with red fruit and oak notes. Its a full bodied, smooth with firm, but well intergrate tannins and is excellently pair with red meat or in front of the fire just being sipped.

At over £25 a bottle is not cheap but I think it is justified.

Altos R Pigeage, Graciano, 2014, Rioja, Spain

Altos R Pigeage, Graciano, 2014, Rioja, Spain

Chateau De Berne, Rouge 2014, Provence, France

Posted on by
Reply

We went to Chateau De Berne and carried this Rouge 2014 back from Provence.

Wine in a square bottle is a De Berne thing, thankfully it doesn’t adversely effect the wine. Made with mostly with Syrah and chunk of Cabernet Sauvignon this is a dry, medium red colour and reasonably light wine. You get a hit of black cherry and plum on the noise with a hint of herbacious in there. This follows through in the taste with medium tannings and a pretty smooth texture. This is a fruit driven wine more than big tannins that grip your mouth.

At about Eur20 a bottle its not cheap, its good but a little overpriced.

Chateau De Berne, Rouge 2014, Provence, France

Chateau De Berne, Rouge 2014, Provence, France