Isn’t this weather great? I don’t even to have to put white and fizz in the fridge. I just leave them in the hall.
2006 Gapsted Victorian Alps Riesling, King Valley, Australia
Mouthwatering, textbook, lime-peel flavours and the beginnings of some minerally, petrolly bottle-age, together with a touch of riper peach-cum-apple on the finish. Medium-dry with refreshing acidity. Great as an aperitif or with food. Try it with some lightly spiced prawns, smoked meat or fish or some (rather unseasonal) grilled Mediterranean veg – red peppers, aubergine, tomatoes – with pesto. It comes from Victoria’s cool-climate high country and is 12.5% abv. Find Wine started last year and sells small parcels of wines which are organized by style, rather than region or grapevine. Theirs was a very popular table at The Wine Gang Christmas Fair. Well worth a look.
£8.99, findwine.co.uk
2001 Taltarni Pyrenees Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Victoria
Mature, but very much alive Australian cabernet, with a minty fresh note (no, not unripe), black-fruit sweetness, a little bit of dark chocolate and oaky, smoky, licoricey maturity. A powerful, well-structured wine with a long finish. 14% abv.
£9.99, findwine.co.uk
2005 Hans Lang Barrique Pinot Noir, Rheingau
Germany’s answer to red burgundy and better than many a burgundy at the price. It’s medium-bodied with supple, red-berry fruit, a fair bit of vanilla-oak and a crisp finish. 13.5% abv. If a third of Germany’s vineyards are planted with red wine grapes, why don’t we see more German red wines here? Thirsty domestic market.
£11.99, Virgin Wines
