Friday, June 21, 2013

Wines for the longest day, 21 June 2013


The idea was that most of these would be perfect wines for lingering over outside this evening, but as it's scarcely crept above 16ºC here in the Lot today, I shan't be hanging around outside for very long tonight. They'll be just as good indoors.   

2012 Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc, Pays d’Oc, France
Ultra-pale, Provence-style rosé made from the pink-berried grenache gris. Strawberries and roses, then red-apple and citrus freshness. Elegant and lots of fun.  13% abv.  88/100
£8.99, The Cave, thecavemos.co.uk

2006 Tyrrell’s Winemaker’s Selection Vat 1 Hunter Valley Semillon, Australia
Could this be one of the best ever vintages of this all-time Australian classic? Bracingly fresh, intensely zesty and lemony, but just starting to show hints of the honey and toast of bottle age. No oak, of course. Give it 10 years. Or 20. 10.5% abv. 94/100
£27.50–£30, The Wine Society, The Halifax Wine Company, and others

2011 Errazuriz Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Aconcagua Costa ,Chile
From the Manzanar  vineyard, a new vineyard, 12km from the oceanPiercing freshness on the nose, but pretty, rather than pungent aromas – grass, nettles, floral. Gooseberry, herb, lemongrass and delicate saltiness on the palate. Elegant and fine. 13.5% abv. 91/100.
£11.99, Waitrose, and others

2012 Jackson Estate Stich Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau River, Marlborough, New Zealand
Intense lemon and elderflower fragrance, but with a spicy, smoky element. Succulent, fresh palate; long and rich, with lemon, spice and mineral flavours. 13% abv. 91/100
£12.49–£12.79, Majestic, Waitrose, and others

2011 Mâcon-Villages, Domaine Mallory et Benjamin Talmard, Bourgogne, France
Creamy, supple and fleshy with lovely freshness and a honeyed, yet effortlessly zesty finish. From hillside vineyards in Chardonnay and Uchizy. 13% abv. Very good value. 88/100
£8.95, The Wine Society

2011 Mâcon aux Bois D'Allier, Domaine Cordier, 2011
Rich and fresh nose, nutty, savoury, crème fraiche flavours with deep, lemony fruit. Tightly packed, textured and rounded, with good acidity. 13.5% abv. 90/100.
£11.95, The Wine Society

2011 Saint-Véran En Creches, Domaine Jacques et Nathalie Saumaize
£11.50 bottle    £138 dozen     
Unoaked for maximum purity. Medium-bodied and gently mouthfilling with real zest. Delicate grassy freshness, peach and apple fruit and a briny, mineral note on the finish. Unoaked for maximum purity. 13% abv. 89/100.
The Wine Society is now out of stock of this (£11.50), but you can add it to your wish list 

2011 Casa Silva Reserva Viognier, Colchagua Valley, Chile
In previous vintages I’ve thought that Casa Silva’s Reserva Viognier has carried too much oak. The smoky, toasty oak is here again, even though only 10% is aged in oak (French) and only for 3 months, but it works, adding a layer of complexity to the intensity of the fruit (citrus, mango, apricot), clarity of the acidity and the alround polish. 14.5% abv. 90/100
£10.10, Addison Wines, addisonwines.com, and others

2009 Casa Silva Quinta Generación, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Off-puttingly heavy bottle, but very good wine: a selection of the estate’s best sites  and barrels; 57% cabernet sauvignon, 34% carmenère, 6% syrah, 3% petit verdot, with malo and 12 months’ ageing in French oak barrels. Big, concentrated, smoky, toasty and chocolaty, but at the same time very pure and fresh, with fine tannins and  flavours of blackcurrant, eucalyptus, coffee and soy sauce. 14.5% abv.  92/100
rrp £15.95. I haven’t found any stockists of the 2009 yet, so let me know if you sell it (anywhere).

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Wine of the week, 9 June 2013


More wines will follow, but here's one for now. Rolle, aka vermentino, is such a good grape variety.  
2011 Caves D’Esclans Déesse Astrée, Vin de Pays du Var
Delicately fragrant; fresh pear and apple with a twist of clove; supple and creamy; gentle grapefruit acidity and a touch of salt on the finish. Delicious. 100% rolle. Sacha Lichine is the man behind D’Esclans – both caves and château and its line of famously expensive rosés. Patrick Léon, ex Mouton-Rothschild, oversees the winemaking. 13% abv. 
I haven't been able to track down any stockists yet. cavesdesclans.com Tel: + 33 4 94 60 40 40 chateaudesclans@sachalichine.com
90/100