Amanti del Vino Primitivo '10 & Marques de Caceres Viura '11

Grape:             Primitivo

Price:               £8

From:               Portland Wines

Country:          Italy

Region:            Puglia

ABV:                13%

A common trait of the wino is the never ending desire to find the new, different and exciting.  When someone recommends something that you haven't tried before and they do it with such gusto, there hardly seems any reason to knock the suggestion back.  The two I chose this week are previous recommendations given to me and have been on a list that seems to get longer, no matter the effort to shorten it!

First up is this typically Italian Primitivo, an ancient Italian grape with origins in Puglia, the same region that this wine was produced.  The Primitivo grape is also known as Zinfandel across the Atlantic (as well as several other names) and while examples of wine from both side of the pond are high in alcohol and acidity, the latter tends to be more evident in the actual drinking of Primitivo and is something that makes it recognisable as a European wine, whereas a Zinfandel from California, for example, will have the same attributes but the taste will be consumed with bursting, powerful red fruits throughout.  Once again, a great example of how environment, micro-climate, or dare I say....'terrior' affects the same grape (I feel as though I just crossed a line).

On the nose this red is very fruit driven with strong tones of overripe blackberry, cherry and strawberry.  A distinct lack of wood or any accompanying spices was disarming, however, the fruit does more than enough to keep one interested.  On the palate, the first attack is surprisingly mellow but retains all the fruit described above.  Similarly to the smell, the taste is all about the red fruits and the absence of other influences helps to concentrate the taste buds.  The taste develops quickly and finishes with a slightly sour cherry finish which is sometimes quite notable in Italian wines.  Medium bodied and high in acidity, this wine provides a welcome difference to oaky reds and the level of acidity leads me to consider this may be a good wine to try slightly chilled.

Grape:        Viura

Price:          £8

From:          Portland Wines

Country:     Spain

Region:       Rioja

ABV:           12.5%

This week's white is made from the Viura grape and is more commonly known as White Rioja.  Up until the 1980's it was generally made by barrel fermentation which added a layer of complexity and structure which provided flavours of toast, dough and vanilla which was derived from the oak in the cask.  At some point when neon colours were in fashion and Kelly LeBrock from Weird Science was all men could think about, tastes shifted and the Spanish market responded by leaving out the barrel ageing to create a lighter, drier wine which could be produced in higher quantities because of a better yield. Maybe a move to compete with the growing popularity of Chardonnay at the time.

This wine is very clean on the nose with crisp and pronounced sharp citrus notes, alongside a discrete wet granite influence.  Both myself and Mrs Everyman believed we also caught telltale signs of lees, which has a slightly buttery edge, although this was incredibly faint.

The taste is intensely refreshing with the first hit going to acuate lemon citrus which underlines the high acidity and dryness.  Served chilled, this sensation remains consistent throughout and well into the lengthy aftertaste.  This winemaker has a consistent high quality approach to all their wines and this is no exception.  If you close your eyes and squint a little before taking a sip, you can almost imagine yourself sat in the sunshine.

Portland Wines have several stores in the South Manchester/Cheshire area and can be found at www.portlandwine.co.uk

Chateau de Targe 2012 & Marquis de Pennautier 2010

Grape:         Cabernet Franc

Price:           £6.66 (on offer)

From:           Majestic Wines

Country:      France

Region:       Saumur-Champigny, Loire

ABV:            13%

This bevvy of beauties comes from Majestic Wines and is currently in their 'Bargain Hunt' promotion.  Both normally priced at around a tenner, this current push sees the price of both bottles plunge to ridiculously low prices, especially considering the quality of the wine inside (No, I'm not on commission, although maybe I should be. Hint hint).

First up is this Cabernet Franc that claims it's home in the Loire Valley, even though it is grown throughout Bordeaux and beyond.  Cabernet Franc is a new grape to get the Everyman treatment, however, the grape itself is really, really old.  The parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, this grape has long since been associated with great quality wines from the Loire Valley, which stretches horizontally across France from the Atlantic, just below Brittany to the South West of Paris.  It also just so happens to be where I am going on my jollies this year!

Bright ruby in colour, even after 3 years behind cork, the nose is captured by fresh and youthful red fruits, such as strawberries and raspberries.  Not heavy at all, the smell is complimented by faint tones of cedar wood along with an indistinct sweetness that reminds me of chocolate or vanilla.

On the palate it is warm, smooth and medium bodied with a reasonably high acidity that helps to create a wine of lighter proportions, but has the gravitas of a good red wine with 'glugability' (is that a word?...it is now).  Tannins are present throughout and are more prevalent on the back end and aftertaste, and help to provide a good platform for the dying flavours of spice.  Overall, well worth buying, especially at current prices but I would also look out for it after the promotion.

Grape:       Chardonnay

Price:         £6.66 (on offer)

From:         Majestic Wines

Country:    France

Region:      Languedoc-Roussillon

ABV:           13.5%

This wine is a Chardonnay from the south of France.  As mentioned in a previous review, this versatile grape reflects the soils it is grown in and is influenced by the general temperature as the grapes ripen.  To quote Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz in their joint book, ...capable of extreme mediocrity and regal splendour...a poignant quote which sums up all that is great, and not so great about this grape.

This particular bottle certainly errs towards the latter description and displays wonderful fragrant tones of peach and nectarine, combined with a rich and leesy texture which excites the senses and raises expectations of the taste.  Lastly, I did track some more herbaceous or grassy notes, however, these were very faint and only became more noticable as the wine slowly climbed towards a more ambient temperature.

On the palate, this wine is light and friendly with a great balance between acidity and the added structure that comes from oak ageing and stirring the lees (the remaining bits left after pressing) during fermentation.  The main attack belongs to white stone fruit and remains so throughout the length of the taste.  The aftertaste is a little quiet but provides a gentle tingle on the lips and a nod towards ground white pepper before dissappearing under the radar again.  The combination of the fruit along with the crisp acidity and more complex background provide a very drinkable wine with a fantastic attitude. 

Majestic have numerous stores throughout the UK and have extended their reach into France.  

Offering a home delivery service also, Majestic can be found at www.majestic.co.uk

 

Hay Station Ranch Chardonnay 2011

Grape:   Chardonnay

Price:      £6

Store:     M&S

Country: California

ABV:       12.5%

As far as hazards in wine go, coming across a duff bottle is pretty much as bad as it gets.  Not what you would call disastrous or a significant risk to health, still, it is slightly annoying when you have just settled after a hard day's work to find the wine is corked, or it is in fact something you just simply don't like.  Fortunately, nearly all places you buy wine from will gladly give you a replacement for any defect with a wine, provided you don't persevere through three quarters of the bottle before making this decision.  Being stuck with a wine you simply don't like though is more dangerous because you will look at the label and make a mental note not to buy it again.  Even worse, you might decide not to buy that grape variety again.

Chardonnay is one of the world's most versatile grape varieties and responds positively to nearly every wine making process, from oak ageing and natural fermentation to dessert wines and carbonation.  It is suggested this is because the grape itself is fairly neutral in taste and so the changes in where it is grown and how it is made, can be detected in the tasting.  Chardonnay can be grown in both warm and cooler climates, in fact, every wine producing country has a yield of this grape in one form or other.  It is grown in the UK where it contributes to a growing reputation of world class sparkling wines and is of course a staple of the Champagne region in France as well as Chablis, Burgundy, Languedoc to name but a few of the larger regions.  The cool climate helps the grape to create clear, crisp wines with high acidity, citrus and sometimes mineral notes.  Warmer climates including Australia, New Zealand, Chile and America help to develop softer tastes more akin to tropical fruit and honey.  

This week's choice delivers a middleweight aroma of apricots with a zesty citrus outline.  The taste matches beautifully, delivering first the acidic citrus notes with peach and apricot supporting quietly from behind.  As the taste develops, tangy grapefruit and mild mineral help this medium bodied Chardonnay towards a short but palate-cleansing aftertaste which also sees a surprising return of some residual sweetness.

The previous popularity of Chardonnay has caused the reputation to suffer as mass production to meet demand inevitably lowered the quality of the taste and also people's opinion of the wine.  Despite this, the wine is still one of the most widespread and for good reason too.  The variations in terrior and production mean you could drink a glass of Chardonnay everyday for ten years and still not have the same one twice.  Don't let a poor representation of a wine put you off a grape variety as I guarantee you will miss out.

M&S have numerous stores throughout the UK as well as 300 stores worldwide.  They can also be found at www.marksandspencer.com.

Chapel Down Vintage Reserve Brut

I would call myself a reasonably patriotic man.  This week saw the end to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and for once, the incessant noise of the nay-sayers and complainers was drowned out by the noise of a nation full of street parties, park picnics, brass bands, street processions and other 'community considerate' celebrations.  Love thy neighbour is still alive, and it made me proud to be British.  Something we don't get chance at too often unfortunately.

This being said though, I am not the sort to string up bunting or sellotape plastic flags to my front window to openly display my patriotism.  Instead, I prefer to show my appreciation and allegiance to the Empire in more subtle ways.  Like toasting the Queen with an English Sparkling Wine.

Enter Chapel Down Vintage Reserve Brut.  This is a powerful, sparkling wine made by a vineyard based in Tenterden, Kent who use a combination of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier grapes, from nearby vineyards in Kent, Sussex and Essex.

On the nose I could easily detect juicy apple and crisp citrus tones hiding behind the bubbles.  I am advised that other aromas include lemongrass, fresh bread and wild strawberries however, I believe the chilled temperature of the wine, the flute I was using and the fantastically violent effervescence restricted further discovery.  Upon tasting, the first sensation is crisp and almost flint-like.  The bubbles assault the senses and make for a pleasing, dry and refreshing sip.  Further on, I got very subtle hints of raspberries and apple again however, the crisp and balanced acidity remains the star of the show, providing a clear and lasting aftertaste. 

You can get hold of Chapel Down from a number of places including Asda, Waitrose, M&S and good old Majestic Wines.  The price ranges from £15 to £18 and I leave you to draw your own conclusions as to where it costs the most and least.  You will probably be right.

You may still be thinking that us Brits can't produce Champagne, and you would be right - we can't.  We can however, make a world class, award winning, English Sparkling Wine.  That's definitely another thing to be proud of.

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010, Chile

Shaun of the Dead, starring Simon Pegg was released in the UK in April 2004.  Taking advantage of the momentum that Spaced brought, the film was well received by fans and critics alike.  I included myself in this throng but for one reason or another, I just didn't get to see the film.  Such was its popularity that friends would often re-enact hilarious sections and then enjoy post-recital dissection, discussing at length what was so brilliant about the film and the subtle nuances that made each performance shine.  I felt left out and so made a mental note to see it as soon as possible.  Still I didn't.  There was no reason for my avoidance, I liked Spaced and I found Pegg & co very talented. I knew it would be funny and I knew I would enjoy it however, there was simply no reason for my omission, other than maybe apathy.

I eventually did something about it, and when that empty, rainy Saturday came, a revelation took place.  I loved it!  I laughed hard all the way through and marvelled at the clever storyline and inspiring use of the repeated script.  Of course it was old news to everyone else so I missed out on the detailed post-mortem because everyone had gone through this range of emotion years before. 

I went through a similar experience with this wine.  It has been given numerous positive reviews and recommended by friends but for whatever reason, I simply haven't tried it until now.  Majestic Wines helped me to right this wrong to the tune of about £10.  There are definitely no zombies in this wine but the revelation is the same.

On the nose is a distinctive and pleasant buttery and nutty smell with perhaps a hint of freshly risen dough or even cream soda.  The taste reflects the warm buttery smell and is accompanied by vanilla and light oak textures which come from the brief fling the wine has in French oak.  Balanced, smooth and almost creamy there is no kick, although the power of this wine is always in the background, making no more of an appearance than gentle dryness and the faint but pronounced aftertaste of citrus.    The taste is consistent, balanced and a pleasure to drink from pulling the cork to up-ending the bottle.

This Chardonnay stands out because of the way it is made.  The winemaker advises the grapes ripen slowly because of the cooling influence of the sea breeze and fermentation takes place using only the natural yeast found living on the grape and vine (hence the name 'Wild ferment').  The depth and complexity of the grape is evident in the tasting and makes this Chardonnay a must on every wine-lovers list.

'La Rioja' Torrontes Chardonnay Argentina 2011

What I love most about writing these reviews (apart from the joy I know it gives you to read them), is that I push myself into trying different wines that I otherwise might not normally go for.  This inevitably leads to self-discoveries of two different varieties.

Firstly, you have the negative discovery.  Simply put, this is a wine you don't like.  Be it the grape, the acidity, the taste, the company or a combination of factors.  It doesn't matter what it is, you just know that you don't like it.   Each negative discovery however, provides you with another valuable nugget of knowledge about your own preferences and rather than adding to your list, it simplifies matters a little by removing an option instead.  Whilst this is useful info, it still leaves you with one further question.  What to do with a three quarter full bottle of plonk you don't like. (Yes I know OK, you just drink it anyway)

The second type of discovery is my favourite.  Positive discovery.  This week's wine falls perfectly into that category.  This bottle came from the high street champions of fairtrade, the Co-Op at a very affordable price in the region of £6.  The wine is from the confusingly named 'La Rioja Valley' in Argentina but is made from an undisclosed mixture of Torrontes and Chardonnay grape, with not a Tempranillo grape in sight!

As we know from my previous reviews, young Chardonnay can be sharp, flint like and refreshingly crisp.  In stark contrast however, the Torrontes is aromatic, floral and fruity.  They also share similar traits.  Both are dry, medium to high in acidity and perform well while young.  These common characteristics create a very good base upon which to build a great tasting wine.

In this one, the Torrontes provides much of the sweet and aromatic senses on the nose.  You don't have to try hard at all to get clean and pronounced rose, honey and grapefruit, although the latter could be coming from the Chardonnay.  Taking my time, I felt I could also pick up on softer citrus flavours, maybe orange as well as a faintness of ground white pepper.  

Chardonnay grabs your attention by stomping its foot in your mouth with a powerful, crisp and dry minerality.  This is quickly followed with fruit, although most sweetness is left behind in the nose and so delivers only the slightly tart zing of grapefruit with maybe the tiniest hint of peach or lychee to prevent any one-eyed wincing.  The acidity lingers after swallowing but doesn't outstay its welcome, leaving the sensation of enjoyable refreshment. I would compare this to a Gewurztraminer from Chilean wine producer, Yali (which you can get it at Majestic Wine for about £7/£8) which also delivered a sweet and floral nose and was dryer than expected upon tasting.

Positive discoveries also leave you with one further question.  Will anyone notice if I try to get more in my glass than theirs?

Sketches Series Chardonnay Semillon 2011

As I stare out of the window at the rain, I wonder what made me think it would be a good time to root out cheap bottles of plonk to have at barbeques.  In the back of my mind, I have a vague recollection of balmy warm weather followed by an urge to buy charcoal.  Was it all just a dream?

Nevertheless, I soldier on in the hope that one day, the rain will stop finding more ways into my house and the sun will shine through, allowing me to put my expertise at external cuisine back into practice.

I chose this bottle of white from Tesco because it was priced conveniently at £5 and it appeared to be a stand alone label.  I later discovered I was wrong.  It is part of the First Cape family, a commercial name you are most likely to have seen and/or bought in either any supermarket or your local Booze Buster.  I didn't notice this at first glance and had bought the bottle under duress because I had spent so long in the store looking at the backs of bottles, I had become the focus of the not-very-well-disguised store detective and my bladder required my attention elsewhere.

Served chilled, this wine gave very little on the nose other than a dry minerality that I have started to associate with Chardonnay.  No fruit could be detected at any obvious level although silky smooth lime and honeysuckle are suggested on their website.  The taste was mildly surprising though.  It yeilded melon in the first instance, keeping the dryness from being too punchy and overpowering and although acidity was present, it didn't take over as the primary sensation and allowed a reasonably smooth and uneventful finish with no afterkick.

At 2011, this is a young Chardonnay and Semillon mix.  The vintage means that the high acidity in the Chardonnay has not had any time to mellow and develop, making it very dry on its own however, the addition of a low acidic Semillon brings a little fruit and allows the wine to find a safe balance and a smoother finish.

This is a pleasant dry white that isn't as harsh as the Zalze Chenin Blanc or Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay that I have previously reviewed.  This would be a good, flexible companion at a barbeque as it can easily be drank with or without food.  

Or sunshine come to think of it!

Luis Felipe 2011 Chardonnay Chile

Luis Felipe is a name that you are likely to have already come across.  These chaps are from Chile and their lower priced bottles can be very competitive with their more expensive counterparts from say New Zealand or Australia.  In my opinion, a stalwart brand that could quite easily have a Hardy's/Jacob's Creek sort of presence in the near future.  I bought this at good old Majestics but I have seen it in other stores.  This bottle works out about £5.

Being a very young wine, it isn't aged in oak casks and so the flavours are punchy and upfront.  The back of the bottle states, "fresh and fruity with flavours of melon and tropical fruit".  Giving it a good sniff, I could detect faint hints of green fruits with gooseberry and melon springing to mind first.    These smells aren't obvious and I had to persevere until I had something to write about rather than enjoy.  

The taste was clear, dry and very crisp.  The acidity of this young wine comes across in the dryness of the taste, which is consistent until it fades.   I found it difficult to detect any real fruity presence in the taste but that isn't necessarily unexpected.  Unoaked chardonnay of good quality is synonymous with being bone dry with the acidity working in it's favour to make it a very refreshing drink.  This bottle certainly displays the right characteristics and I could imagine appreciating a glass of this on a warm day to cool myself down.