One of the best wines I have tasted was an Argentinian Torrontes which I reviewed here. My love of Argentina and its wines is documented here. Torrontes is known in Argentina as ‘the liar.’ This is because its aromas often differ from the taste. Torrontes is a bit of a ‘marmite’ wine… The worst wine…
Sainsbury’s ‘Taste The Difference’ Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio remains the World’s favourite white wine grape. Is the Sainsbury’s offering any good…? At £6 – yes… Tasting notes: It’s appearance is pale lemon in colour. Citrus notes on the nose. Well balanced. Medium finish. Medium body. Some complexity on the palate; citrus and stone fruit flavours, some ‘nutty’ notes. Short to medium…
German ice wine harvest destroyed by warm winter.
In the summer I visited Germany and travelled widely. I tried a number of excellent sweet wines and am saddened to learn that Germany’s harvest of Eiswein – produced from grapes that have frozen whilst still on the vine – has failed this year because the winter has been so warm. None of Germany’s 13…
Chapel Down
The Chapel Down vineyard is near Tenterden in Kent. It was started in 1995 and 25 years later it is England’s leading winemaker. English wine has been in the ascendancy for several years, gaining public support, critical acclaim and international accolades. My first experience of English wine was Denbies near Dorking – a beautiful spot,…
Louis Latour Pinot Noir ‘Valmoissine’ 2015
Pinot Noir Domaine de Valmoissine Louis Latour There are two theories regarding the ‘Pinot’ name. One is that it came about because their bunches are similar in shape to a pine cone (pinot in French). It may derive, however, from a place name in France such as Pinos or Pignols from where cuttings were obtained….
Fortnum & Mason Brut Reserve Vintage Champagne
Britain’s ‘prosecco boom’ could be over. Sales of sparkling wine in the UK have fallen for the first time since 2012, according to new figures. New sales numbers from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, reported by the Financial Times, show sparkling wine sales in Britain fell by 5% in 2019. The drop is equivalent…
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Champagne
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle is a blend of three different vintages of premier cru champagnes – it is classified as NV as a result but it’s so much more than that. The magic here is in the winemaking; the blending of different vintages to create something which is greater than the sum of its parts. I…
Time…
It’s been a while! After a sabbatical I’m back to writing. My sabbatical has involved much travel; France, Spain, Austria (twice), USA, Germany – and a number of countries which don’t produce wine. I also took two WSET courses and attended a number of tastings – totalling hundreds of wines. I was invited to Paris…
Wolf Blass Red Label Chardonnay Semillon 2017
Wolf Blass Wines is one of Australia’s greatest success stories. From a humble tin shed in the legendary Barossa Valley in 1966, Wolf Blass has grown to become one of Australia’s most successful and awarded winemakers. I have a lot of affection for this brand – but had read recently that the winery was on the…
Coolwater Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2017
This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc again has that characteristic ‘New World’ taste to it – I guess from fermentation at relatively low temperatures. The winemakers are Peter Yealands Estate and this wine tasted indistinguishable from their sauvignon Blanc reviewed here The difference is therefore only the label – as both wines cost £8. Tasting notes:…
Picpoul de Pinet ‘La Font Française’ Ormarine 2017
Picpoul used to be cheap, and unusual to find outside France until a few years ago when it cropped up more frequently, particularly on gastro-pub wine lists. Prices rose as it became more popular. My most read article of all time with hundreds of views, is Sainsbury’s Baron de Guers Picpoul de Pinet which is…
Contralto Pinot Grigio 2017 Sainsbury’s Winemaker’s Selection
My most read review of the last year was for a Pinot Grigio. This review has had hundreds of hits, from all over the world. This shows that people may be a little unsure about this wine, and google it whilst in the supermarket to see if it’s any good. This isn’t surprising as Sainsbury…
