Beautifully scented, floral rich gewurtztraminer from Hugel. Viscous, oily, lovely mouthfeel and length, dry with a hint of sweetness. Great with panfried sea bass in Soller olive oil.
£13.95 from The Wine Society.
Category Archives: wine of the month
Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir 2010
Succulent fruit, fine supple tannins, gamey savoury notes. Chameleon like, sometimes like wet fur, other times ripe plums. Currently on special at Majestic, normally £15.99 but 20% off. Recommended.
Domaine Wachau, Gruner Veltliner Terrace 2009
Great value summer drinking – for when the sun arrives! Wonderfully crisp, fresh, well balanced with minerality. Excellent value at approximately £8 from Waitrose and often discounted in store.
Pol Roger reserve NV champagne
If you fancy a real treat this summer you must try this or treat your friends! A delicious champagne, very creamy, almost vanilla ice cream, tight compact bubbles, plenty of fruit and great length. Winston Churchill’s favourite, and you will see why. Currently on discount from Majestic Wine.
Vina Esmerelda, Torres 2010
A lovely mixture of muscat and gewurtztraminer from Spain. Well balanced with plenty of acidity and lush honeysuckle aromatic flavours. Fresh and lively on the palate, great as an aperitif or with delicately spiced food. Fantastic value, £5.99 at Majestic.
Jim Barry, The Lodge Hill 2008 Shiraz Clare Valley
International wine challenge gold, 2010. Brilliant value, 14.5%, deep dark garnet colour. Robust aromas of rasberry, coffee, cherry, mulberry, chocolate and liquorice. Fine to open on Monday pm and enjoy as the week progresses. In fact, it opens up over a few days, gradually revealing sensual ripe sweet tannins. This wine is packed with the lot and is remniscent of the far costlier Jim Barry McRae Wood, which is also excellent. This is a bargain 20% off at Majestic, down to £7.99. (I may have snapped up Majestic’s stock, but it is also available through other merchants – check out www.wine-searcher.com
Felton Road pinot noir, Bannockburn 2009
Blair Walters winemaker believes this could be the best vintage ever at Felton Road. One sniff of this and you can see why. Lush perfume, flowers, rose petals, violets. Very precise, clean, beautiful finish, an absolute gem, as are the others (Cornish Point/block 3), but harder to find here. I tried the range at Felton Road two weeks ago. Available at Farr Vintners. Some stock at Tesco fine wine for £25 per bottle – one for a special occasion.
Masi Costasera Amarone 2006
Delicious, full bodied, liquorice on the nose, deep purple, sweet aromas, dried prunes, long finish, soft tannins. An early Christmas present. Will be a great treat over the holiday season! Tesco wines, £21.84 per bottle.
The Quarry Gimblett Gravels 2002, Craggy Range
Lovely savoury Chinese plum sauce, wood and damson on the nose. A rich mix of dark fruit, mocha and cocoa powder on the palette, again savoury, yet sweet and delicious. Develops a little in the glass, not hugely long but lots of pleasure. Age has rounded and softened the wine compared to the 2007 Sophia from the same winemakers. ***
Was available from the Wine Society but they seem to have run out. I’ve seen the 2005 from £40, which is a bit steep. Look out for Craggy Range Sophia, which is similar but more of a Bordeaux right bank blend for about £20, or the Te Kahu, a merlot and cab sav blend for everyday drinking.
Cloudy Bay Pelorus
A delicious sparkler, right up there with quality champagne. Made the same way, with two years on lees. Wonderful, chalky, yeasty, full of fizz and joy. Veuve Cliquot own Cloudy Bay. Currently on special at Majestic.
WanderCurtis Wine 