Two contrasting Rhone-style wines from California and Australia
Two rather different takes on the Rhone here, one tending towards old world elegance; the other, unashamedly ripe and new world in style. They’re both from UK supermarket (or, to be technically...
View ArticleA lovely Gigondas
I’ve neglected the Southern Rhone a bit of late. Here’s a good one, from father and daughter team Bernard and Celine Chauvet of Domaine Grapillon d’Or (www.domainedugrapillondor.com) Domaine Grapillon...
View ArticleDomaine of the Bee: a new high-end Roussillon wine
A couple of years ago, Justin Howard-Sneyd, who was then in charge of wine at UK supermarket Waitrose, told me he had bought a small vineyard in the Roussillon, as a sort of hobby project. Justin is a...
View ArticleA brilliant value Garnacha from Navarra
Garnacha, aka Grenache, is a variety that can tend to soupy lushness when it’s grown in warm climates. Here, in Spain’s Navarra, from old vines, it has produced a really fresh, peppery, full flavoured...
View ArticleTwo Chateauneufs: Beaucastel 99 and Vieux Telegraphe 95
Nice to be able to compare these two side by side. The Beaucastel had the slight edge, although it’s not a competition of course. The VT 1995 is a wine that I’ve drunk on several occasions over recent...
View ArticleA lovely natural Garnacha from Bodegas Ponce – Buena Pinta
Continuing a bit of an Iberian theme here on the world’s second oldest wine blog, this is a wine that I can heartily recommend. Imported into the UK by the fabulous www.indigowine.com, it’s a natural...
View ArticleA brilliant, natural California Grenache
Now this is a superb wine. Before opening it, I admit I was expecting something very sweet and ripe, in the new world mould. But what I got was something thrilling, elegant and amazingly drinkable....
View ArticleSerious Spanish Garnacha from Artadi
Impressed by this. It’s made by high-end Rioja producer Artadi’s Artazu estate in Navarra. It’s expensive, yes, but not when compared with its qualitative peer group. Artadi Santa Cruz de Artazu...
View ArticleOld vine Garnacha from Domaines Lupier, Navarra
Two impressive, potentially ageworthy Garnacha (Grenache) wines from Navarra. They’re quite difficult to assess right now because they are just so tannic and primary, but I think they will be special...
View ArticleA superb, inexpensive Ventoux
Continuing in my theme of brilliant wines under £10, here’s a Ventoux that I was seduced by. It’s one of those wines that manages to hold the sweet fruit and savoury notes in tension. It’s almost...
View ArticleDomaine Camp Galhan ‘Les Pérassières’ 2012 – a brilliant, affordable Rhone red
This is a really super wine, made from a lesser known IGP on the edge of the Cevennes, not far from Avignon and Nimes. One of the best value reds I have had of late. Domaine Camp Galhan ‘Les...
View ArticleWind Gap Syrah and Grenache – class from California
I’ve written recently about Pax Mahle’s Wind Gap, giving his Trousseau Gris a positive review. Now it’s the turn of two Rhone varieties, Syrah and Grenache. They’re both beautiful, but my preference...
View ArticleTestalonga King of Grapes: precise elegance or ‘cranberry flavoured wheat beer’?
I was thrilled by this. It’s the latest red from Craig Hawkins in the Swartland, and it has been a bit controversial in the wine press. Andrew Jefford, normally a hero of mine, seems to have it in for...
View ArticleSome nice wines at The Remedy – Don Chisciotte Fiano, Salvaje Blanco, Vin Nu,...
Popped into The Remedy a few days ago for a drink with Mr Primack. We had some interesting things, as you’d expect. Here are my notes. Barranco Oscuro Salvaje Blanco 2014 Spain This comes from Europes...
View ArticleThistledown Thorny Devil Grenache 2014 Barossa, Australia
This wine is made by Giles Cooke and Fergal Tynan of Alliance Wine, in conjunction with Aussie winemaker Peter Leske. It’s a single vineyard, old vine Grenache from the Barossa, and it captures the...
View ArticleA day in Sydney
After a morning coffee and a quick blog, I set about ensuring internet access for the trip. Roaming is just too expensive, even with bundles, so I bought a cheap android phone and 3 gigs of data, and...
View ArticleGarnacha not Guerra 2015
This is a new wine. Naturally made Garnacha (deliberately chosen as the name to indicate a style difference, rather than the local Cannonau), just 360 bottles produced! It’s such an indulgence to...
View ArticleThe Bee-Side Grenache from Domaine of the Bee
Justin Howard-Sneyd’s Domaine of the Bee is based on three small plots of old bush vines in Cathar country, deep in the south of France near the village of Maury. Normally, the wines are made in a...
View ArticleFugazi! A lovely McLaren Vale Grenache from Ochota Barrels
Had this bottle the other night at Noble Rot. You can tell times are changing if I’m going out and ordering (a) a Grenache (b) from the McLaren Vale. Both grape variety and region are underestimated,...
View ArticleThe amazing Vanguardist Wines, from South Australia
I was really pleased to try these wines (thanks to Christina Rasmussen for getting these samples to me). They’re from a relatively new project, Vanguardist, which is a collaboration between three...
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