Category Archives: Red wine – Europe

Provins, Les Titans, Pinot Noir, 2012, Switzerland

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Provins, Les Titans, Pinot Noir, 2012, Switzerland

Provins, Les Titans, Pinot Noir, 2012, Switzerland

This Pinot Noir from Provins winery in Switzerland is quite an interesting wine especially for 9 years old. It’s a light very smooth and dry red wine party as you expect from being a Pinot Noir. You got quite a lot of raspberry cranberry with a bit of earthiness. I found it really quite drinkable although others the try it weren’t that convinced, however the next day it fell off a cliff. Most of flavour had gone and it was very bland, probably best to drink up, at this age in one night.

Swiss wines are expensive anyway and it’s £40 a bottle it’s not cheap. Interesting and I would like to try a younger wine from this winery.

Ernst Loosen, Pinot Noir, 2019, Germany

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Ernst Loosen, Pinot Noir, 2019, Germany

Ernst Loosen, Pinot Noir, 2019, Germany

I do like German wine and this Pinot Noir from Ernst Loosen really shows why. It’s reasonably light got lots of redfruit which is vibrant with decent acidity and smooth tannins which makes this a very easy red wine to drink.

It’s on at £10 from Majestic Wines which makes this really quite cheap and worth buying a few bottles.

E. Guigal, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2011, France

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Chateauneuf de pape is one of those classic red wines from the rhone valley France it’s a safe bet if you just don’t know what red wine to buy

Walking with decent hangings and buying dried and yet there are some soft this to it probably best for food it was a mistake as to source that sort of thing but there’s every some amount going on you do get earthy and leather notes with tobacco, vanilla from the Shiraz and plum, black fruits from the grenache.

It’s a nice wine I can’t say it’s the best but I did enjoy it. The biggest problem I have is with the price at around £35 a bottle there’s just better stuff out there. Think of this as the ultra high-end Porsche, do you really get much more than a normal Porsche?

E. Guigal, Chateauneuf du Pape, France

E. Guigal, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2011 France

Bodegas Muro, Maturana, Rioja, Spain

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Bodegas Muro, Maturana, Rioja, Spain

Bodegas Muro, Maturana, Rioja, Spain

This Rioja from Bodegas Muro is made from the Maturana Tinto grape and it is a lot better than the vast amount of Rioja wine out there.

It does the basics really well, medium but grippy tannins coupled with good lengths on the flavours of plum, cherry with a little spice and hints of chocolate. It went down very well with Lamb and steak at a BBQ.

 

 

Abbotts & Delaunay, Boréas Faugères, 2017, Languedoc, France

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This red from Languedoc is a pretty bold, tannic wine. Very dry with peppery notes and spice on the nose. You do get red fruit on the flavour front with reasonable fruit levels coming through but I would definitely recommend having this with food juicy steak or tomato pasta would be ideal.

At about £10 a bottle is decent value.

Château de Pez, 1998, Saint-Estèphe, France

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Château de Pez, 1998, Saint-Estèphe, France

Château de Pez, 1998, Saint-Estèphe, France

At 23 years old this wine from Chateau de Pez shows what excellent wine that France can produce, rather than the bulk wines that so many people only drink. At £50 a bottle its not cheap but excellent,

Its a bold, dry wine with decent well integrated tannins that make you want to sip and take your time when drinking. aromas and flavours of black fruits, oak, cedar, leather and a hint of smoke this is a grown ups wine. Trully excellent.

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Chateau Bonhomme, Mademoiselle, Minervois, 2017, France

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Chateau Bonhomme, Mademoiselle, Minervois, 2017, France

Chateau Bonhomme, Mademoiselle, Minervois, 2017, France

South West France produce lots of wine and this blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault from Chateau Bonhomme is half decent. Bold, dry and plenty of tannins. There’s spice, oak and lots of red fruit on the nose that come through on the flavour and are join with plum and pepper notes.

Its a good wine which needs food to really balance out some of the harshness. Steak or tomato based foods are the ones to go for with this red.

Herdade Penedo Gordo, Monte Penedo Gordo, Reserva, 2014, Portugal

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Herdade Penedo Gordo, Monte Penedo Gordo, Reserva, 2014, Portugal

Herdade Penedo Gordo, Monte Penedo Gordo, Reserva, 2014, Portugal

Bold, dry and reasonably smooth this is another good red wine from Portugal. You get lots of aroma, black fruit, oak, earthy with hints of leather. The flavour is pretty full on with spice and vanilla joining lots of fruit with a decent finish and good blance.

Ar Eur15 a bottle its on the mark for value. Its a good posh BBQ wine.

Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus

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Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus

Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus

This was quite a surprise, not so much that its from Cyprus as most countries have the ability to make excellent wine but that the flavour is so good.

Made with Cabernet Franc and Lefkada (I had not heard of that one before) its a deep red for a rosé, this is no weedy Provence rosé. Dry with light red fruit aromas, the surprise is the range of flavours, strawberries, raspberries, melon, cherry. Its a clean, fresh wine that really is a delight to drink. At £13 a bottle its not cheap but thats price for quality.

Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.

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Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.

Pago De Orazu , 2016, Spain.

Made with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo this red from Spain got a commended at the Decanter international wine awards in 2020, I think they’re missing something.

Aromas of red fruit and oak with a hint of smokiness. It’s a dry wine with tannings easy drinking the favours maybe a little lacking but it’s very easy drinking and for a drinker on a summer’s day this is pretty good.

It’s €18 which is the biggest problem I have with it, it’s too much money for what it is. It’s good, it’s just not €18 good.