Le Chemin des Reves, Pic Saint-Loup ‘La Soie’ , Languedoc-Roussillon, 2012, France
This red from Le Chemin des Reves, in the Languedoc is a classy wine, full of red nd black fruit flavours and aromas with depth and smoothness and warmth that makes you want more. It’s handled it’s age well and was excellent with a steak. At £20 a bottle it’s decent value too.
NK’MIP cellars, Meritage, 2012, Okanagan, Canada
I’ve yet to have a bad bottle of Canadian wine and this Meritage blend from NK’MIP cellars in the Okanagan Valley iis no exception. This though is a fantastic red wine.
Theres not so much on the nose but the black and red fruit flavours are well represented. There’s leather, oak, blueberry undertones with a long length. It’s dry, bold and feels soft when you drink it but there’s good acidity to hold everything together.
At £70 a bottle it’s not cheap but this is quality wine.
Finca La Celia, Heritage, Malbec, 2012, Argentina
This is another excellent Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina, Finca La Celia with their Heritage, Malbec shows that they’re top notch producer. There loads of long length flavours of black fruit with leather and chocolate notes and hints of a herby undertone. Dry, smooth and well integrated firm tannins its a great wine.
We had it with brisket thst was slow cooked for 10 hours and it went very well. At £30 a bottle it’s reasonable value given the quality
Paul Schneider, Pinot Gris, 2012, Alsace, France
I went to Eguisheim in Alsace and it was one of the most fabulous wine places I have been too. There are maybe 30 producers in a village that takes no more than 5 minutes to go from one side to the other and the people were so friendly with the wines so amazing. This 2012 shows how good they last, it has amazing ripe citrus fruits and a slightly thicker texture that makes you just want a sip rather than guzzle. At about £10 a bottle its super value.
Collard-Picard, Archives Millesime, 2012, Champagne, France
There are champagnes that are frankly overpriced and take more than just the biscuit as the English would say and this is where this Champagne from Collard Picard comes in. It’s a good Champagne as far as they go with good acidity and flavours of lime and citrus fruit but at about £240 a bottle it’s takes more than a bit of biscuit.
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.
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.
Granmonte, The Orient Syrah, 2012, Thailand
Anyone can make wine but not everyone can make good wine let alone excellent wine, so where does The Orient Syrah come? Its good, very good for an 8 year old Syrah. This was made by someone that clearly knew how to make good wine.
There are aromas of plum, oak, spice and hints of pepper. The flavours of plum, blackberry, blackcurrant are still there but is nice and smooth with mellowness and softness that is a delight.
Thailand is now on the list of countries that can make decent wine, I hope all Thailand wine makers can get to this standard.
This Italian sparkling DOCG wine from La Montina is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.Its a very well crafted wine, very small bubbles, its dry and fresh with ripe fruit rather than a heavy dollop yeasty notes that you would get from Champagne.
We had it with Oysters and dressed crab, the acidity and flavour complimented the food and I did prefer it to Champagne. Well worth the £25 a bottle if you want something as good as the french can produce.
La Montine, Millestimato Brut Sparkling, 2012, Franciaorta DOCG, Italy
I have been drinking a lot of Bordeaux reds recently and you get the same style, big and red but different qualities and this Château Mancèdre from Pessac-Léognan south of Bordeaux is a good example a well made wine from the region. This wine was not great when opened but give it a few hours to open up and the aromas and flavours come out nicely.
This is a bold, tannic and very dry red wine, you can feel the heat of the sun ripening the grapes in the glass. There’s a lot of oak still showing through even after 8 years with smells of leather, tobacco and black fruits. Flavours of black cherry, cloves with under notes of vanilla and redcurrant. At £20 a bottle its not cheap and possibly a little overpriced but thats Bordeaux for you. Drink it with a beef or a tomato pasta dish and sip rather than gulp is my suggestion.
Château Mancèdre, Pessac-Léognan, 2012, Bordeaux, France