Rustenberg, John X Merriman, 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec snd left in the cask for 20 months makes this red blend from Rustenberg rather good. There’s plenty of red and black fruit flavours, spice, leather, oak notes with a slightly smokey under tone lifts this above the completion. At £14 a bottle it’s not cheap but it’s very nice.
Les legendes, Petite Arvine, 2020, Valais, Switzerland
Petite Arvine is a predominantly Swiss grape and this example from the Valais region shows it to be a good drinking grape. Its not a big style of white wine, dry with subtle aromas and flavours but there’s lemon and lime flavours with hints of peach and blossom. A wine just to drink and enjoy and not think to much on.
Vinalba, Reserve Malbec Touriga Nacional, 2020, Argentina
Vinalba make a lot of wine and it’s generally decent. This is no different it’s a fairly simple dry red wine with decent length and flavours of cherry, redcurrant, a little blackcurrant and hints of chocolate. The IWC gave this 95 points which seems very high to me. It did go very well with a big plate of cheese and biscuits but at £12 a bottle it’s a bit overpriced, its wine to just drink not to think about.
The King’s Desire, Pinot Noir Rose, 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand
New Zealand Pinot Noir has a very good reputation, but things are changing and cheaper wines, especially pinot noir from New Zealand, are starting to come on the market. This is good if the quality can keep up with the lower price but I think this is an example where it’s slid in the wrong direction.
Its dry and crisp. You get aromas and flavours of raspberry and redcurrant but it’s a little bit on a flat side and a bit one dimensional. Normally New Zealand Pinot Noir has been at a much higher standard. At £13 a bottle, for a single bottle at majestic, its way over priced but at £8 bottle mix it’s fair value it’s hard to fault it at that price.
Asda, Extra Special Fiano, 2020, Sicily
Supermarkets like Asda in the UK sell some really good wines and this Extra Special Fiano from Sicily is a good example. It’s made with the Fiano grape as per the name and this may be new to people and throw them off side. Theres a definite freshness with flavours of lemon and hints of peach but it’s pretty aromatic and this not always what people expect.
At £6 a bottle it’s hard to fault it and went well with mixed bean salad sitting in the garden.
Bird In Hand, Two In The Bush, Shiraz, 2020, South Australia.
Another over oaked red wine from Australia or a fabulous Shiraz at a great price? well this Shiraz from the Bird In Hand in South Australian is more the later, smells and flavours of blackberry, plum, pepper and other spices with hints of chocolate, licorice and eucalyptus. Its dry with medium tannins and good length.
At £14 a bottle from Tesco its pretty good value, better when its on offer though.
Aldi, chassaux et fils, Grenache, Cinsault, Rose, 2020, France
The issue with Audi wine and not just with their rosé is that they produce an absolutely corkers and then it’s gone on which is really frustrating. This Rosie made with Grenache and Cinsault is a classic example it was an impulse purchase as it was £2.99 so not exactly a lot of money.
It’s a clean Rosie with lots of red fruit and aromas of strawberry and redcurrant it’s not elegant but it’s a nice rosé wine that I really enjoyed drinking in February, which is not a month associated with drinking such wine in the UK.
Indomita, Gran Reserva, Pinot Noir, 2020, Chile
I love Chile Pinot Noir and this one from Indomita is very good. I’m not sure its in the same league as Morande Pinot Noir but its half the price on a mix 6 at Majestic.
Dry, smooth and reasonable light with aromas of red fruit and notes of oak and coffee. There are flavours of redcurrant, strawberry, herbs and vanilla with hints of eathiness. Its the price where this really scores, at £8 a bottle its well worth buying.