Tag Archives: 2013

Chapel Down, Kits Coty, Chardonnay, 2013, UK

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Chapel Down, Kits Coty, Chardonnay, 2013, UK

Chapel Down, Kits Coty, Chardonnay, 2013, UK

If you think you can’t keep English wine for years before drinking it you’re wrong and this is exactly the bottle to try. Chapel Down make a lot of wine and a million bottles on a year but this kits coty is one of their premier lines.

Even after 8-years it is stunning wine to taste and although it costs over £25 a bottle it’s a must to try anyone that likes white wine. A worthy gold medal winner.

Theres still complexity in this wine with aromas of peach and apple, apricot with flinty under notes and subtle oak and a very long finish.

With summer and sitting out in the garden eating salads and barbecues, talking with friends this is got to be one to put on the menu.

Cliff Lede, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013, Stag’s leap District, Napa Valley, USA

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Cliff Lede, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013, Stag's leap District, Napa Valley, USA

Cliff Lede, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013, Stag’s leap District, Napa Valley, USA

Stag’s leap District is well-known in Napa Valley and around the world for producing fantastic red wine. This red wine from cliff lede is really outstanding. It’s full of red and black fruits and is full-bodied but very well-balanced with well-integrated tannins and acidity. It’s fantastic with steak, in our case we had venison stew.

The only downside is it’s price which at £55 is quite a significant amount. It’s a shame as it will put people off trying it.

Albert Mann, Prinot Gris, 2013, Alsace, France

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Albert Mann, Prinot Gris, 2013, Alsace, France

Albert Mann, Prinot Gris, 2013, Alsace, France

Albert Mann is a quality producer, getting a bad bottle is very unlikely and this standard  Prinot Gris is no exception. There’s a slight kerosine undertone with lots of pear coming through on the nose. Its medium, on boldness, acidity and dryness. You get a creaminess, honey and fresh citrus flavours which make this easy to drink with a salad, white meats yet perfect to just sip throughout the evening in the garden on a summers day.

At about £20 its a little pricey but great quality.

Baigorri, Belus, 2013, Rioja, Spain

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Baigorri, Belus, 2013, Rioja, Spain

Baigorri, Belus, 2013, Rioja, Spain

Rioja is a regular wine in our house and this one from Baigorri shows why.

Dry, high in tannins and pretty bold all round this red wine has lots of aromas and flavours of oak, vanilla, spice, black fruits, plum and a smokey undertone. Its a good red wine although at £15 a bottle its a bit pricey, not only for a Rioja but for a red wine. It will go well with red meat and tomato based pasta and as the summer is coming up and BBQ’s are the order of the weekend, its one to try.

 

Domaine de Pouzac, Grand Jacquey, 2013, Languedoc, France

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Domaine de Pouzac, Grand Jacquey, 2013, Languedoc, France

Domaine de Pouzac, Grand Jacquey, 2013, Languedoc, France

Domaine de Pouzac and its Grand Jacquey is a solid red wine from the Languedoc.

Dry with firm but soft tannins and aromas of black fruit and and earthiness, that at first puts you off but taste it and its a different matter. That smoothness is what puts this part from the rest. I had this with a tapas meat selection and it was a great balance.

At £15 a bottle its not cheap but its pretty good.

Domaine De La Desoucherie, Cheverny, 2013, Loire Valley, France

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Domaine De La Desoucherie, Cheverny, 2013, Loire Valley, France

Domaine De La Desoucherie, Cheverny, 2013, Loire Valley, France

This white wine from the Domaine De La Desoucherie in the Loire Valley is typical of the whites from the region.

Its subtle and easy drinking, there are aromas and flavours of citrus and its about Eur8 a bottle.  We picked this up when visiting the Loire Valley and its a shame in many ways that we can’t get this in the UK. Its a great white for the summer to just drink in the sun.

 

Brand’s Laira, Blockers, Shiraz, 2013, Coonawarra, Australia

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Brand's Laira, Blockers, Shiraz, 2013, Coonawarra, Australia

Brand’s Laira, Blockers, Shiraz, 2013, Coonawarra, Australia

Coonawarra produce great, bold, flavourful red wines and this is good, not outstanding but it wont embarrass you if you served this with a chunk of red meat. With aromas and flavours of red and black fruits, pepper and oak. Its bold and pretty dry but 7 years on its smoothed out and is easy drinking. Have it with red meat or game bird and I’m sure you will enjoy drinking it, its worth taking your time and at £12 a bottle its OK value.

 

 

Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo, Chianti Riserva, 2013, Italy

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Chianti, Chianti, Chianti, the more I drink of it the more I see the point and this one from Cantine Leonardo da Vinci is pretty reasonable. Its a typical dry red with a chuck of tannins and plenty of red fruit flavours, raspberry, strawberry, cherry with vanilla and oak notes that have decent length. The taste is more pronounced that the aromas which I thought let it down a bit but the dryness is more than the fruit which for me, I would prefer the other way round.

Its £11 a bottle and that’s decent value, no outstanding but not bad.

Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo, Chianti Riserva, 2013, Italy

Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo, Chianti Riserva, 2013, Italy

C da Silva, Presidential, LBV Port, 2013, Portugal

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I love Port and this offering from C da Silva with their Presidential, LBV Port, 2013 is better than most, excellent in fact. Made with 33% Touriga Franca, 33% Touriga Nacional, 34% Roriz there are aromas of wood and spice with flavours of plums and sour cherry, a richness with long lasting tastes make it better than most LBV Ports. At £15 a bottle it’s worth paying extra.

C da Silva, Presidential, LBV Port, 2013, Portugal

C da Silva, Presidential, LBV Port, 2013, Portugal

 

Minkov Brothers, Oak Tree, 2013, Bulgaria

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Bulgaria makes some very wines, lets get that straight and this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc is not bad at all, not outstanding though. There are aromas of black fruit and smokeyness with spice as you would expect. Its a reasonable purple colour, very dry and flavours of black fruit, spice and pretty smooth. there are tannins but they don’t suck your mouth dry. The problem I have with it is it should have been drunk a few years ago, everything finishes too early or its too light in the smell or flavour. My fault in reality.

At Eur15 a bottle its not cheap either, better 7 year old reds out there for that money.

Minkov Brothers, Oak Tree, 2013, Bulgaria

Minkov Brothers, Oak Tree, 2013, Bulgaria