The Cotes du Rhone appellation is one of the world’s largest wine-producing regions. The variety of grapes is amazing. Crozes-Hermitage is the largest appellation in the northern Rhône . I had a strategy of buying wines from the less highly regarded appellations neighbouring the very expensive ones which I can rarely afford to drink –…
Month: June 2018
Villa Maria Chardonnay
New Zealand is associated (in my mind at least) chiefly with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. This chardonnay is from the warmer North Island. At £9 a bottle I’m beginning to have expectations of a wine – and one of my aims is to factor in an element of ‘value for money’ to a wine’s…
The Wild Peacock, Chardonnay
An unoaked Chardonnay from the warmth of South Africa; this wine would be better if it carried some kind of endorsement of Fairtrade – for which I’m afraid I must deduct points. In the news this week, ‘land grabs’ are beginning to occur in South Africa – I hope that the companies which engage &…
Albariño, Vinas del Rey, Tesco Finest
Tesco’s updated ‘Finest’ range is doing a good job of teaming up with good producers and releasing own-label wines that are interesting and reasonably priced. As I’m off to Spain shortly I thought I’d get in the mood by trying another of Tesco’s (so far) interesting, well chosen ‘Finest’ range of wines. In recent years Albariño attracted…
Most Wanted Chardonnay
Clem Yates is a Master of Wine (MW) – one of only about 300 or so, and is also a graduate chemist – so she is well qualified to be a winemaker! She used to work for Sainsbury’s wine before leaving to branch out. She is Australian too, so this wine is in good hands!…
Pinot Pinot, Pinot Grigio
I’ve written elsewhere about the insipid nature of so many Pinot Grigios, however this is good wine and is currently at a fair price point. I’m regularly finding that Australian and Argentinian pinot grigios are more interesting than Italian wines; perhaps Italian winemakers have become complacent because their wine sells so well… Tasting notes: This…
Cuchillo Malbec
We visited Mendoza in Autumn 2016 and spent 5 days tasting a range of wine. Located in the eastern foothills of the Andes, in the shadow of Mount Aconcagua, vineyards are planted at some of the highest altitudes in the world – with the average site located 600-1,100 meters above sea level. The principal wine-producing…
Languedoc, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference
I have been looking at how Tesco’s updated ‘Finest’ range (which teams up with good producers and releases own-label wines that are interesting and reasonably priced) compares with Sainsbury’s ‘Premium’, Taste the Difference range. As a punter, it pays to seek out the maker’s name. Few winemakers are more consistent than Paul Mas. My…
A Time for Wine 