CO OP, Les Pionniers, rosé Champagne is rather good, it’s very drinkable. Dry with plenty of fruit it’s not a bready Champagne but more cremant style. Raspberry and hints of strawberries and redcurrant it’s one to sip in the garden on a summer’s evening. We’ll done CO OP.
Averys, Fine White Burgundy, 2019, France
Averys is a well known and respected wine supplier and I was so looking forward to their own label Fine White Burgundy. The smell was wonderful, creamy lees with citrus hits the nose. The wine is dry, soft and unfortunately lacking is any real taste. It just tastes flat and pretty non descript. This is a wine you expect at £4 not at over £20.
Alain Grignon, Carignan, ‘Vieilles Vignes’ 2022, Pays de l’Hérault, France
Carignan is not a typical supermarket wine so it’s not appreciated enough as it can make some rather excellent and cheap 😀 wine which this one from Majestic shows. Dry with plenty of blackcurrant and cherry flavours with a hint of spice and oak. It has soft tannins and decent lengh and at £8 it’s a decent mid week drinker.
Chateau de la Greffiere, Chardonnay, 2022, Macon la Roche, France
The french generally produce great Chardonnay and this is a perfect example. Its dry, clean, fresh with subtle flavours of citrus and peach with a creamy undernote which makes it a delight to drink. At £16 a bottle it’s decent value too.
Domaine Les Ondines, Vacqueyras, Passion Blanc, 2020, Rhone, France
This Rhone white wine from Domaine Les Ondines is rather good. With medium body and long length you taste the components that the 4 grape varieties add – Grenache blanc at 35%, Clairette at 35%, Roussanne at 20% and Bourboulenc at 10%. Theres citrus and melon with a hint of eucalyptus. It’s a grown up wine to be tasted rather than guzzled.
At £15 a bootle it’s pretty decent value too. Pair with a fish dish or roast chicken.
Domaine de la Bressande, 2019, Mercurey, France
The french do know a thing or 2 about Pinot Noir and this one from Domain de la Bressande is a classic. There’s plenty of red fruit with a hint of raspberry and the typical earthy undertone with oak and vanilla poking through. On the light side with smooth tannins and
La Vieille Ferme, Rose, 2023, France
La Vieille Ferme, Rose is a dry, light easy drink Rosé wine that will surpriseyou. A mixture of Cinsault, Syrah and Granache it’s not going to win any gold medals, but it has subtle flavours of strawberries and stone fruits and is a drinking with friends sort of wine. At £8 a bottle is reasonable value.
Domaine du Bicheron, Mâcon-Péronne, 2020, Burgundy, France
If you don’t like Chardonnay then try a good white Burgundy because you can see the grape at its best and this one from Domaine du Bicheron is pretty good, not amazing but at £16 a bottle it’s a good starting place. Dry, light with high acidity and has citrus flavours and a little apple poking through. There’s a minerality, cleaness and freshness with good length. Great with fish or a zesty salad.
Bio Full, Sauvignon Blanc, Organic, 2022, France
Sauvignon Blanc has become a well known grape thanks in part to New Zealand making gallons of wine from it but France was there decades earlier making good quality wine from this little grape. Made from organic grapes it’s less gooseberry than New Zealands typical offers with more grapefruit and hints of lemon and citrus in the background. I liked thd dryness and high acidity but there was a hint of sourness that stayed a bit long for me. At £13 a bottle it’s a bit overpriced.
Patriarche Pere et Fils Bourgogne Chardonnay
Love it or hate Chardonnay, Burgundy does seem to produce better Chardonnay than most other places. This is a competent dry white wine with plenty of acidity and depth of flavour although a little one dimensional. Citrus and apple are in there but it’s a little sharp for me. At £16 a bottle there are better Burgundy Chardonnay’s out there.