Graham Beck Chardonnay & Pinot Noir Brut NV

From - Western Cape, South Africa
Grape - Chardonnay; Pinot Noir
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose; Majestic
Price - £13.99

Appearance - Clear; golden; medium intensity

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; apples, lemon, autolysis

Palate - Dry; medium+ acid; medium+ mousse; medium intensity;  medium body; medium alcohol; medium to medium+ length; apples, pears, lemon, bread, stone fruit developing as the temperature raises.

Balance - 8  Length - 7 Intensity - 6.5  Complexity - 7

A gorgeous wine that is superb value for money.  When first pouring it I was met with that familiar traditional method aroma of bread, with citrus and green fruit.  The palate was also thrilling, with more zing and acid than I anticipated, and made it even more reminiscent of Champagne, but at a much lower price.  Creamy, and very delicious,  this is excellent. If you like your bubbly then do not hesitate to try it.  Happy New Year to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to visit my blog or share my blog posts. I hope your 2015 is balanced, long, intense (in a good way) and complex (also in a good way)!

Chateal La Pointe Pomerol 2011

From - Bordeaux, France
Grape - Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Alcohol - 13.5% abv
Available - www.corkr.com (from Suffolk!)
Price - £18-20

Appearance - Clear; medium+ intensity; garnet

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; dark cherry, floral, truffles.

Palate - Dry; medium acid; medium+ tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ intensity; medium+ length; plums, raspberry, floral, cassis, cloves.

Balance - 8  Length - 8  Intensity - 8 Complexity - 7.5

A splendid Bordeaux blend that is very smooth but still plenty of ageing potential.

 

Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore

From - Valdobbiadene, Italy
Grape - Glera
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose; Ocado
Price - £13.49 (currently one-third off this price)

Appearance - Clear; pale; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developed; pears and grapes

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity; medium alcohol; medium- intensity medium mousse; medium body; medium length; Green fruit, lemon finish.

Balance - 8  Length - 6.5  Intensity - 4.5  Complexity - 4

This is a very nice, refreshing bottle of that wine that is all the rage currently.  It seems to be on fairly regular discount, as well, and has won a 'best sparkling' gong from Which? magazine.  A wine to drink as an aperitif, in my opinion, and  it has served this purpose as a pre-Christmas breakfast aperitif, today!

Escarpment The Edge Pinot Noir 2013

From - Martinborough, New Zealand
Grape - Pinot Noir
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose, Ocado, thedrinkshop.com
Price - £14.99 (currently 25% off this price)

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; ruby.

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; black cherry, strawberry, redcurrant, a touch of savoury and minerality.

Palate - Dry; medium+ acid; medium alcohol; medium- tannin; medium+ length; medium body; Lots of black cherry, also strawberry and a touch of spice (nutmeg, I think) and a little earthy.

Balance - 7  Length - 8.5  Intensity - 6.5  Complexity - 7

It's about time I reviewed this one.  I love it - one of my favourites, and I'd encourage you to try it as soon as you can.  I am reviewing 2013 vintage which has had a little bottle ageing.

Loads of fruit but with a twist, it is silky-smooth and although it is a surprising 14% alcohol this is not at all overbearing, but takes its place in harmony with the other flavours.  Pinot Noir is an extremely versatile grape with food, and if you are going round someone's house for a bite to eat this would impress and match up with a wide range of main courses.  Martinborough is in the south of NZ's north island, and its moderate climate and mineral rich soil is a place for good old Pinot Noir to thrive.

This wine has great length, which regular readers will know I value highly.  Genuine ageing potential for a year or two to achieve those thrilling PN flavours.

Duval-Leroy Fleur de Champagne Premier Cru NV

From - Champagne, France
Grape - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose; Ocado; thechampagnecompany.com
Price - £29.99 (although £19.99 as I type)

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon-gold

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; apples, biscuits, lemons

Palate - Dry; high acid; medium alcohol; medium+ length; medium intensity; medium mousse; medium body.  Apples, lemon-lime, autolytic flavour (see previous post on Autolysis).

Balance - 8  Length - 7.5  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 7

A tasty Champagne featuring a blend of the three Champagne grapes.  Zingy and featuring very pleasant autolytic biscuity flavours, with a touch more mouth-filling body than I expected.  An absolute steal at the moment.  Duval-Leroy is one of the few remaining independent, family-owned Champagne houses, which counts for something in my book.  I served this lightly chilled so that the full flavour could be experienced.

Baron de Ley Reserva Rioja 2009

From - Rioja, Spain
Grape - Tempranillo
Alcohol - 13.5% abv
Available from - Waitrose, Ocado
Price - £12.49

Appearance - Clear, medium+ intensity; garnet

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; black cherry, strawberry, lots of vanilla, nutmeg.

Palate - Dry; medium+ intensity; medium+ alcohol; medium length; medium+ body; medium+ intensity, medium tannin.  Black cherry; vanilla, cloves.

Balance - 9  Length - 6  Intensity - 8  Complexity - 7.5

Smooth tannins in the mouth, with an impressive nose of cherries and vanilla.  Quite intense, lots of body so a good food wine.

Cederberg Bukettraube 2013

From - Cederberg, South Africa
Grape - Bukettraube
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Maruis (www.jouwwijnvriend.nl - pic of store below!) 12Euro; www.sawinesonline.co.uk £12

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medum+ intensity; developing; pear and apple, stone fruit, floral.

Palate - Medium-dry; medium+ acid; medium alcohol; medium+ body; medium+ length;  medium intensity; medium alcohol.  Pear, peach, lime, spicy

Balance - 7 Length - 7.5  Intensity - 6.5 Complexity - 6

A new grape for me.  I picked up this wine on my last trip to Holland after a chat with a very helpful lady at Marius in Wassenaar.  Bukettraube is described as being similar to Muscat, and this seems true,  as this has the stone fruit flavours and floral boquet.  Medium-dry, with a decent level of acid, this was a great match for our balti following a delicious glass as an aperitif.  We loved it.

Calvet Pouilly-Fume 2013

From - Loire, France
Grape - Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Waitrose, Ocado
Price - £15.49 (currently £9.99)

Appearance - Clear; lemon-gold; medium intensity

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; herby, lime, apple, mineral.

Palate - Dry; medium+ acid; medium intensity; medium body; medium alcohol; medium+ length; lemon& lime, mineral, apple on the finish.

Balance - 7.5  Length - 8  Intensity - 6 Complexity - 7

Pouilly-Fume comes from the opposite bank of the Loire from Sancerre, made with the same grape.  This is all you would expect of a good quality French Sauvignon Blanc.  It doesn't have the big boquet that you get from Marlborough SB, but is more restrained and elegant.  It does have the high level of acid that you will always get with SB, and is a really lovely and interesting combination of flavours.  A great aperitif drink, but would combine well with the usual fare - salads, seafood etc.

Journey's End Sir Lowry Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

From - Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape - Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose,
Price - £14.99

Appearance - dark ruby-garnet, medium+ intensity, clear

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; plums, dried fruit, cinnamon, vanilla

Palate - dry; medium+ alcohol; medium acidity; medium+ body; medium tannin; medium intensity; medium+ length; plums, cloves, tobacco, vanilla.

Balance - 7  Length - 8  Intensity - 6.5  Complexity - 8

I got this on recommendation from a real expert, and it does not disappoint.  Cabernet Sauvignon from the new world is known for being softer and richer than their friends in Bordeaux, and indeed the tannin present here is not particularly mouth-drying.  This looks great in the glass, is a real mouthful (that is, it has plenty of body) and the time in oak was well spent, giving it the complexity that I have described.  I have a bottle in my 'time machine' (a box that I have just put away for at least two years) and I am expecting a good reward from this for my patience.  It is quite splendid now, however.

If you are wondering, I don't have a bias for South African wine, but I may be developing one, at least a bit!

Mas Amiel Maury 2011

From - Rousillon, France
Grape - Grenache
Alcohol - 16%
Available from - bancroftwines.com, theperfectcellar.com
Price - £21.99

Appearance - Clear; medium+ intensity, tawny

Nose - Clean, medium- intensity; developing;  Bramble, nutmeg, pepper.  Very pleasant nose.

Palate - medium sweetness; medium+ acid; medium- tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ intensity;  full body.  Blackberry, cassis, candy, coffee, cloves, raisins.

Balance - 6.5  Length - 7 Intensity - 7.5 Complexity - 9

We attended a tasting at Arlington's in Ipswich last evening, presented by Neil McAndrew of Bancroft Wines.  It was great as usual, and this wine was particularly enjoyable.  Although a dessert wine, it was not very sweet, I have captured it as medium sweetness, and it had a thrilling combination of flavours as each mouthful passed slowly by.  It was the most expensive of the evening but you could tell it was a very well made wine.  It was served lightly chilled which was very agreeable.

We were informed that this wine is made in the same way as Port, in that spirit is pitched into the wine when it reaches the right level of residual sugar, the spirit then raising the alcohol level.

My next favourite from the evening, if you're asking, was Bourgogne Blanc Vielle Vignes, from Christophe Cordier, France.  A very dry white Burgundy with apples, mineral and smoke, and plenty of body.  It would be a good food wine.  Cool bottle and label, too.

Domaine des Homs Viognier 2013

From Pays d'Oc, France
Grape - Viognier
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - languedocwineshop.com; de Druiventros, Wassenaar NL
Price 10-14 euro

Appearance - Clean; medium- intensity; lemon

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; floral, apple, stone fruit; nettle.

Palate - Dry; medium+ body; medium acid; medium+ alcohol; medium+ length; apple, floral, smoke

Balance - 7.5  Length - 8  Intensity -7  Complexity - 6.5

Viognier is well known for its aromatics and often features in blends with other grapes to add aroma.  Very enjoyable although the alcohol felt a bit to the fore.  This would be great for an aperitif, and it has more body than I expected, and great length.

George Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2014

From - Beaujolais, France

Grape - Gamay

Alcohol - 12%

Available from - Waitrose

Price - £7.99

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; ruby

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; cherries, redcurrants, a touch floral

Palate - Dry; medium acid; medium alcohol; low tannin; medium length; medium body; sour red fruit, slightly earthy.

Balance - 8  Length - 5.5  Intensity - 5.5 Complexity - 5

Beaujolais Nouveau is a 'harvest to table' wine that is produced quickly to a good standard, but must be drunk promptly, as the vibrant fruit will simply fade and it will go off before very long.  Around this time of year, every year, this wine drops on a specific date which is rather hyped, but the buzz encourages people to drink a drop of wine, so I'm all for it.

Georges DuBoeuf's Beaujolais Nouveau has won a rather prestigious gong, it seems.  Namely, the Lyon-Beaujolais Gold Medal.  BN is generally light and fruity, but this seems to have something just a touch extra. It is going down really quickly!  

Waitrose Partnership Solera Jerezana Palo Cortado

From - Jerez, Spain
Grape - Palomino
Alcohol - 19% abv
From - Waitrose
Price - £9.75

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, amber

Nose - Clean; intentionally oxidised; developed; nuts and grapes

Palate - dry; medium+ acid; high alcohol; full bodied; medium intensity; medium+ length, at least; nuts (hazelnuts, almond), blackstrap molasses.

Balance - 5 Length - 8 Intensity - 6 Complexity - 7

This is a really good, grown-up bottle of sherry at a great price. It was the perfect match for the cashew nut paella that I prepared for dinner (or tea, for Northern readers!).  In fact, what else could we have had with it?  Having considered what a big element of the flavour reminded me of, I came very much to the conclusion that it was blackstrap molasses, although this wine is not at all what you would call sweet.

The solera system is where sherry producers blend younger wines over time, usually annually, to their product, thus producing a final wine that is hopefully consistent.  Sherry's distinct flavour is caused by deliberate oxidisation, that is that it is allowed to 'go off'.  This makes sherry the delight it is, but would be grim with many other wines.  If you have a wine that has been exposed to air for so long, you might notice that the smell becomes similar to sherry.

Southern Right Pinotage 2012

From - Hemel-en-Aarde valley, Walker Bay, South Africa
Grape - Pinotage
Alcohol - 14% abv
Available from - Waitrose, strictlywine.co.uk
Price - £13.99

Appearance - Clear, medium+ intensity, ruby-red

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, developing, red cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, herbs.

Palate - dry, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin, medium+ alcohol, medium+ body, medium+ length, berries, cherries, a touch of coffee on the aftertaste, with other oak elements.

Balance - 8.5  Length - 8  Intensity - 8 Complexity - 8

A real treat.  The balance may go even higher with bottle ageing as the alcohol is just a touch high in the mix in my opinion, notwithstanding a lovely bottle of wine, I can imagine this with 'gravy dinners' as they are called in this house. Loads of length, which makes it great value. The tannin levels seem to be significant but the ripe fruit means that they aren't  mouth drying.  This is easily worth the price tag, and the bottle will be gone by the time the football finishes this evening, for sure! I enjoyed the Barbaresco, this is better!

The Pinotage grape is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault.

Interestingly, this wine is named after Southern Right whales, who are neighbours to the vineyard.  You can see one in the picture below, and I understand that some of the takings from the wine goes towards their conservation.

Künstler Hockheime Holle Riesling Kabinett 2013

From - Rheingau, Germany
Grape - Riesling
Alcohol - 12%
Available from - waitrosecellar.com, Ocado (2012 vintage)
Price - £16.99

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developing; apple, peach, mineral.

Palate - Off-dry; medium+ acidity; medium alcohol, medium+ body; medium intensity; apple, mineral, citrus. medium length.

Balance - 6 Length - 6.5  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6.5

A grape that my partner is becoming very fond of.  It may now be her favourite.  This is a really nice example (as you would expect at this price) that has a touch of sweetness but plenty of acid.  It was gone in a few minutes.

Araldica Corsini Barbaresco 2011

From - Piemonte, Italy
Grape - Nebbiolo
Alcohol - 14%
From - Waitrose, Taylor's Fine Wine
Price - £12.99

Appearance - Clear; pale; ruby; clear at rim.  Thick 'legs'

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; floral, cherries; chocolate, vanilla

Palate - Dry; medium acidity; medium tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium body; medium intensity; medium+ length; Very red cherry, berries, cloves, chocolate, a touch of musk.

Balance - 7.5 Length - 8 Intensity - 7  Complexity - 7

It's a hit.

I was seduced into buying this one by the promise of coffee and chocolate flavours.  Although I could discern the chocolate, I couldn't get the coffee.  A fellow member of this household, interestingly, could discern the coffee but not the chocolate. Hopefully the coffee will come through with glass number 2.  It is surprisingly light and really agreeable, and with enough oak complexity, and plenty of length.  Being Italian, it undoubtedly designed to drink with food, so I'm getting the passata out as I type.  At 14% it would be very easy to get drunk quickly on this!

Here are some Nebbiolo grapes to get you in the mood.

A&R Boy Meets Girl Gewurztramer 2013

From - Victoria, Australia
Grape - Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris
Price - (latest vintage not currently available)
Alcohol - 12.5% ABV
From - Naked Wines

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon-gold

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; exotic fruit and floral

Palate - Dry; medium + acidity; medium alcohol; medium body; medium intensity; medium+ length; pears and apples, papaya, a touch of savoury spice.

Balance - 7  Length - 7  Intensity - 6 Complexity - 6.5

This was a gift from a very kind lady.  It is very fruity and tasty, and would make a great aperitif and a useful accompaniment to a creamy curry (such as Thai).  Very nice indeed.  The same blend as Hunky Dory The Tangle reviewed previously, which possibly just edges it between the two but they are both good.

Here are some Gewurztraminer grapes on the vine

Chateau de Fesles Chenin Sec 2011

From - Loire, France
Grape - Chenin Blanc
Alcohol - 13.5%
Price - £13.99
Available - waitrosecellar.com; Ocado

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, golden

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; floral, pear, honey

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity; medium+ alcohol; medium+ body; medium intensity; pears, limes, smoke, savoury spice.

Balance - 7.5 Length - 7  Intensity -7  Complexity - 7

An acidic white with silky mouth-feel, and a good length.  This would be a good aperitif and worked well with the Thai curry we had.  Pleasant enough, although I am not sure it'd be one I'll be looking out for, in the future.  High acid should make it last well and I think that it would improve with age.

Salwey Oberrotweiler Kasleberg Spatburgunder 2011

From - Baden, Germany
Grape - Pinot Noir
Alcohol - 13%
Price - £14
From - Laithwaite's

Appearance - Clear; medium- appearance; ruby

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developed; red fruit, decomposing leaves

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity, medium- tannin; medium alcohol; medium body; medium+ intensity; cherries, redcurrant, leather, decomposing leaves, earth, other vegetal.

Balance - 7; Length - 8 Intensity - 7.5  Complexity - 9

I was lucky enough to try this wine at a Laithwaite's tasting in Ipswich earlier this year.  In the midst of many good wines, this stuck out as a really exceptional one and the pick of the bunch.  I headed home with a bottle, with the intention of opening it on successful completion of my Wine Specialist course.  Having heard of my success on Monday, the bottle was promptly opened.  I did wonder whether it would live up to my recollection, and my goodness it did. 

Most of you will be familiar with Pinot Noir, and I've reviewed a few.  I am a big fan.  Generally PN is drunk young, as the fruitiness will fade over time.  However, I had heard tell of the delicious, strange complexity that careful ageing can give to a very good PN, and this provided me with such an experience.  You have your lovely red fruit coming through loud and clear, but it is accompanied by a very distinct vegetal taste which includes that aroma of rotting leaves that you may get on a country walk this time of year.  That may sound weird, and it probably is, but I cannot begin to tell you just how delicious it is.  I am not given to hyperbole, but I genuinely cannot imagine a more satisfying bottle of wine.  Not to my palate, anyway.

The aspects of the palate are not particularly balanced, as you will see, but the balance of fruit and vegetal/animal flavours is great.  I think I would drink this vintage now, as time would fade the fruit and bring the vegetal more to the fore, which I do not think would be an improvement on now.  I have scored the complexity high because of the strange and wonderful combination of flavours that have occurred due to high quality fruit and careful ageing.

Dourthe St Emiilon Montagne St Emillon 2012

From - Bordeaux, France
Grape - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Price - £11.79
Alcohol - 13%
Available - Waitrose; Ocado

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; ruby-garnet

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developed; fruits of the forest, sweet spice.

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity; medium tannin; medium to medium+ alcohol; medium body; medium intensity; medium length;  black cherry, blueberry.

Balance - 8 Length - 6  Intensity - 6 Complexity - 6

This is a pleasant, fairly smooth Bordeaux blend.  It is a good bottle, but I don't rate it quite as highly as the Douro and Les Dauphins recently reviewed.  It will be a good match for meat, so those of a carnivorous persuasion can certainly bring your Dourthe to the slaughter!

St Emilion vineyard shown in the picture below.

Petaluma Shiraz 2010

From - Adelaide Hills, Australia
Grape - Shiraz
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Majestic
Price - £18

Appearance - Clear; medium+ intensity; garnet

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; ripe red fruit, cinnamon.

Palate - Dry; medium acidity; medium+ tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ body; medium+ intensity; medium+ length; as per nose, plus anise and cloves.

Balance - 8.5 Length - 7.5  Intensity - 7  Complexity - 7.5

This is a delicious, smooth Shiraz.  The fruit tastes beautifully ripe, and the oak influence adds complexity in a fairly subtle way.  The ripeness means that the tannins are very smooth.  The alcohol taste on the palate is just a touch more to the fore than I prefer, although it is very warming on a cool evening.  I have a second bottle, and I am looking forward to seeing how this develops, if I can have the patience and self control to leave it in the rack.

Dr Loosen Urzinger Wurtzgarten Kabinett Riesling 2012

Grape - Riesling
From - Mosel, Germany
Alcohol - 8%
Price - £15.99
From - Waitrose, Ocado

Appearance - Clean; medium - intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; pear, grapefruit, a little spice

Palate - Medium-dry; low or medium- alcohol; medium+ acidity; medium body; medium intensity; medium length; apples with pears and citrus.  A little spicy.

Good; mid-to-high price; ready to drink but may improve

Balance - 7  Length - 6 Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6.5

Drinking this wine was a great experience.  It is something different from the normal bottle you would pick up.  German wines are categorised on the amount of sugar remaining in the grapes when harvested, and Kabinett is at the bottom end - that is not to say that a Kabinett cannot be a great wine, as demonstrated here.

The lower alcohol, residual sugar and rather high acid made it unusual, but the sugar provides body that is often provided by the alcohol.

This is quite a pricey wine, but we were not disappointed.  Sadly it disappeared very quickly!  Below is a lovely picture of the vineyard.

Waitrose Partnership Douro 2010

From - Douro Valley, Portugal
Grape - Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Franco
Alcohol - 13.5%
From - Waitrose
Price - £11

Appearance - Clear; medium+ intensity; garnet

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; lots of plums

Palate - Dry; medium+ tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ body; medium to medium+ length, medium intensity; Cherries, plum, bramble.

Balance - 8  Length - 6.5  Intensity - 7.5  Complexity - 6.5



We had this with a mushroom roast, veg and gravy.  This was a good match, and brought the blackberry more to the fore.  We drank it slowly over the evening, having decanted first for an hour, and as time went on the black cherry flavour really came through, making it very pleasant to the end.

Waitrose Bright & Fruity Italian Sparkling White

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Glera
Alcohol - 11.5%
From - Waitrose
Price - £6.49

Appearance - Clear, pale to water-white; almost colourless

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developing; apple

Palate - Dry; medium acid; medium- body; creamy mousse; medium- intensity; medium- length; apple, lemon

Balance - 8  Length - 4  Intensity - 3  Complexity - 3

This is a light and refreshing fizzy white, and is a bargain.  I used it for a tasting and it went down a storm.  It uses the Glera grape, which is the same as is used for Prosecco.  However, this wine is produced just outside the proscribed geographical area for it to carry the Prosecco name.  This, together with it being shop's own brand, means that it is much lower price than it would otherwise be.

Tabali Encantado Reserva Chardonnay 2012

From - Limari, Chile
Grape - Chardonnay
Alcohol - 14% abv
Bought from - Waitrose
Price - £10

Appearance - Clear; pale; gold.  Strong legs from high alcohol

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; apple and pear, tropical fruit, nutmeg

Palate - dry; med acidity; medium+ alcohol at least; medium intensity; medium + body; medium intensity; medium length; apple, lemon, sweet spice.

Balance - 5  Length - 6  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 7

This is a decent bottle of wine and the price is about right.  I prefer the nose to the palate, as for my taste the flavour of alcohol is a little dominant.  For this reason I think there is potential for the wine to develop.

vivino.com app

This is a fun app for wine enthusiasts.  What you do is you capture an image of the label and the app gives you reviews, ratings, prices and (hopefully) where you can buy it.

http://www.vivino.com/

Les Dauphins Cru des Cotes du Rhone Vinsobres 2013

From - Rhone, France
Grape - Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £13.99 although currently £8.99

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; purple to rim, more ruby to core.  Persistent legs due to higher alcohol.

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, developing, cherries, raspberries, alcohol

Palate - Dry, medium acid, medium tannin, medium+ alcohol, medium+ length; medium+ body, medium intensity; very fruity, strawberry, cherry, blackberry, some spice.

Balance - 7 Length - 7.5 Intensity - 6.5  Complexity - 7

This is a lovely, smooth, very moreish bottle of Rhone red.  Grenache is the dominant grape in the blend, which means it has lots of red fruit, with perhaps a little more alcohol and less tannin than if Syrah was dominant.  The length is very good, smooth and subtle, probably the highlight for me.

This is the type of wine that would work well with stews, we had it on its own to start with and then with a slightly spicy beetroot stew and it seemed to bring the blackberry to the fore.  As it is so smooth and fruity I imagine it being fairly adaptable to food.

I will definitely buy more.  Pass the bottle.....

Heaven on Earth Organic Muscat

From - Stellar Organic Winery, Western Cape, South Africa
Grape - Muscat
Alcohol - 11%
Available from - C1000 (NL); vintageroots.co.uk
Price - 7 Euro; £9.40

Appearance - Clear; Medium+ intensity; amber

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developed; honey, floral

Palate - Sweet; medium+ acidity; medium alcohol; full body; medium+ intensity; medium+ length; honey, stone fruit; raisin.

Balance - 7  Length - 7  Intensity - 7  Complexity - 6.5

This is absolutely beautiful.  A take-home from a trip to Holland, I am pleased to see it is available from the good folks at Vintage Roots, but at a significantly higher price.  It has a full body due to the sugar, and enough acid to balance the luscious sweetness.  This is gorgeous and if you like your dessert wines, you must try it if you get a chance.

To make this wine sweet, the grapes are dried on straw and rooibos tea.  No doubt the tea contributes significantly to the flavour.

Wither Hills Pinot Gris 2012

From - Marlborough, NZ
Grape - Pinot Gris
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose, Majestic
Price - £10.99

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; lemon-green; persistent legs

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developed; apples and pears, floral.

Palate - Dry; medium+ acid; medium+ alcohol; medium to medium+ length; medium+ intensity; medium+ body; apples and pears, mango, lychee, lemon

Balance - 8  Length - 6.5 Intensity - 8 Complexity - 7

A really fruity wine with lots of body and luscious fruit flavour.  The higher alcohol provides the body without there being an overbearing alcohol taste or aroma.  The green and tropical fruit on the foretaste gives way to more lemon in the aftertaste, with a decent length.

As the alcohol taste is already in the background, it's hard to imagine that this wine would improve much with age, but rather the intense fruit flavours may lessen.  I am not certain about this and I would love to hear the views of others.

Excellent value, and would be good with a spicy dinner (not that there is any other kind of dinner in our house).

Clos de Nouys Vouvray 2012

From - Vouvray, France
Grape - Chenin Blanc
Alcohol - 11.5%
Available from - bottlebank.co.uk
Price - £13.60

Appearance - Clear; Lemon-green, medium- intensity.

Nose - Clean, medium intensity; developing; apples and subtle herbs.

Palate - Medium; medium- alcohol; medium body; medium+ acid; medium length; medium- alcohol; apples, lemon.

Balance - 4  Length - 6  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 5

Nice,easy drinking, with a noticeable amount of residual sugar that adds body, more than balanced out by a generous amount of acid.  A great match for many foods, particularly if they are acidic (eg tomatoes, vinegar), or a little sweet, or a bit spicy.  I had it with my curry.  A nice bottle, although maybe not absolutely terrific value, in my opinion, unless you are looking for something decent quality that is a safe food match.

Esprit de Buganay Rose 2012

From - Provence, France
Grape - Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol - 12.5%
From - Waitrose, Ocado
Price - £10.49

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; salmon

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; strawberry

Palate - Dry; medium to medium+ acid; a touch of tannin; medium intensity; medium length; medium alcohol; strawberry, raspberry, cherry.

Balance - 8 Length - 6  Intensity - 5 Complexity - 5

A typically restrained and elegant Provence rose, with an interesting blend of grapes.  I was recommended to try this wine by the owner of a Brasserie in Colchester and it is, as he promised, very pleasant.  It would be great on a summer's day, for a picnic or before a meal.

Hunky Dory The Tangle 2013

From - Blenheim, NZ
Grape - Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £11.99

Appearance - Clear; pale, lemon-green

Nose - Clean; developing; medium intensity; apple, tropical fruit.

Palate - Dry; medium intensity, medium to medium+ acid; medium+ alcohol; med+ body; med+ length; apple, tropical fruit, spicy.

Balance - 8; Intensity - 6.5 Length - 7.5 Complexity - 6.5

Organic wine from New Zealand, a very interesting blend giving great fruity flavours and an appealing spice.  This would go really well with a slightly spicy dish with the fruit and the spice from the Gewurztraminer.   A very good wine, and taking into account the USPs of the blend, its organic credentials, the good length and agreeable taste, it justifies the price.

Campo Viejo Gran Riserva 2007

From - Rioja, Spain
Grape - Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - drinksdirect.co.uk, thedrinkshop.com, Sainsbury's, Ocado,
price - £16-ish

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, garnet

Nose - clean, medium- intensity, cherry, sweet spice.

Palate - dry; medium+ acid; medium+ tannin; medium intensity; medium length;medium complexity, cherry, plum, cloves.

Balance - 6.5 Length - 6.5  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6

The word 'Reserva' on a bottle of wine from Spain is particularly significant, because it is a term that legally requires for the wine to have spent particular time in oak.  In other countries, reserve usually means that the maker is saying that they kept their best grapes aside for this wine.  This is a Gran Riserva which means that it has done at least three years in oak, and therefore has more complexity and a great colour, compared to what it would have, otherwise.

I drank this at a friend's house.  They had some at a party the night before.  Because of the complexity and intensity of flavours anticipated I had decanted the wine about an hour before we drank it - their impression was that this made the fruit flavours more prominent.  I found this (although it didn't taste like a big-hitter, quality-wise) as very pleasant and extremely drinkable and I'd have been able to drink the bottle on my own no problem!

First Press Napa Chardonnay 2010

From - First Press Wine Cellars, Manteca, Ca. USA
Grape - Chardonnay
Alcohol 13.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £16.99 (although 20% off as I write)

Appearance - Clear; lemon-green; medium intensity

Nose - clean; medium- intensity; lime, apples and pears.

Palate - dry to off-dry; medium+ acid, medium+ alcohol; medium+ length; full body, medium intensity; apples and pears, melon.

Balance - 9 Length - 8 Intensity - 6 Complexity - 6

I have been looking forward to doing a proper review of this since May, my partner Jojo and I went to Haarlem and drank some great wine whilst there, but this one was our favourite.  Although this is described as dry, it is not, quite.  It has great mellow fruit flavours, and has a great, kind of buttery, creamy mouthfeel - a truly delightful palate, and a really great wine, I think.

Apparently there are people whom, due to a character on some stupid TV programme (Footballer's Wives, I think - I've never seen it), won't drink a Chardonnay due to there being a character with that as her name.  Those people are clearly of questionable judgement if they allow such nonsense to influence their wine choices, and as a result of this will miss out on a real treat with this one.  Still, that leaves more for the rest of us who think with our taste buds and noses and make our own minds up!

Waitrose Brut Special Reserve Vintage 2004

From - Champagne, France
Grape - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £30.99

Appearance - Clear; lemon-green; medium intensity.  Significant viscosity shown when swirling.

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; autolytic aromas (yeasty), apples, limes.

Palate - medium+ acid, medium intensity, medium+ length, medium body; medium alcohol medium mousse.

Balance - 7  Length - 9  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 7

Decanter.com (wine enthusiast's magazine) gives 2004 Champagne 4 out of 5, and describes wines from that year as of 'outstanding quality with excellent balance and fruity acidity'.

It was exciting to have the opportunity (albeit at my own expense!) to taste and analyse a 2004 Champagne.  Although typically for Champagne this is rather dry and acidic, so would not be to everyone's taste, but I am enamoured by the lovely, warm, autolytic flavours and excellent length.  This is a high quality wine at a good price.

Terredavino Barolo 2009

From - Piedmont, Italy
Grape - Nebbiolo
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £17.49 (although it's 25% off as I write)

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; tawny

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; alcohol, red and black fruit, vanilla, floral

Palate - Dry; medium+ intensity; medium+ tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ body; medium acidity.  bramble, liquorice, tea(!).

Balance - 9 Length - 6  Intensity - 7  Complexity - 7

Barolo is normally rather expensive, and considered to often be rather harsh.  The reviews of this wine suggested that it was rather more smooth, and also the price was good.

It is still fairly intense, but it is well balanced, I think.  I put it in my decanter about 90 minutes before drinking, which I think was important.  It is a great colour from the oak which also gives it some interesting flavours - I couldn't put my finger on one aspect but read a review that suggested black tea, and I can see that being very true.

This is a food wine, for sure, I can imagine it with an Italian dish, and carnivorous types would find it useful in view of the tannin.  It does have a significant amount of  tannic mouth-drying power, which would be a big turn-off for someone who doesn't normally drink reds.  They'd be better off with a lower-tannin red like a Pinot Noir.

I reckon that with the oaky flavours, a few years tucked away would make this very interesting, as the oak flavours develop and the tannin and alcohol mellows.

Nicolas Potel Pouilly Fuisse 2012

From - Burgundy, France
Grape - Chardonnay
Alcohol - 13%
Available from - waitrosecellar.com; uvinum.com
Price - £12.99

Appearance - Clear, golden, medium intensity

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing.  Apples, lemon, a touch of melon

Palate - Dry; medium acid; medium+ alcohol; medium+ body; medium intensity; medium+ length; apple and lemon.

Balance 7, Length 8,  Intensity 6, Complexity 5

This is a delicious Burgundy white.  I think it would improve in the bottle.  The nose is just a touch more intense than the palate.  I think that this would impress on a special occasion, and I think you're getting a classy bottle of wine for a pretty decent price.

Joseph Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune 2011

From - Burgundy, France
Grape - Pinot Noir
Alcohol - 13%
Bought from - Waitrose
Price - £15.99

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; garnet

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developing; redcurrant, cherry, pepper

Palate - Dry; medium+ acid; medium alcohol; medium body; medium- tannin; medium intensity; cherry, raspberry, redcurrant.

Balance - 5, Length - 8 Intensity - 6  Complexity - 5

A Burgundian Pinot Noir with lovely, fruity length.  Organic and bio-dynamically produced, it doesn't score high on anything but length but is really delicious and very easy-drinking, and justifies its higher price.  As a typical Pinot Noir, it works well served cool or even slightly chilled, and is great to drink on its own or with lots of different types of food (as long as it isn't sweet). 

St Michael-Eppan Pinot Grigio 2013

From - Alto Adige, Italy
Grape - Pinot Grigio
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £11.99

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developing; pear, lemon, mineral.

Palate - Dry; medium acidity; medium+ alcohol; medium+ acid; medium+ body; medium intensity; medium+ length; apple, mineral, a touch of stone fruit.

Balance - 8 Length - 7 Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6

On request I have reviewed a higher-end Pinot Grigio.  This wine is has a lot of body, being high in alcohol, and I enjoy the mineral flavour.  It would make a great aperitif on a special occasion and I also imagine it being just the thing with a creamy Italian dish.

Vina Taboexa Albarino 2012

From - Rias Baixas, Spain
Grape - Albarino
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - waitrosecellar.com
Price - £10.49

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; lemon.

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developing; apple, melon, nettle/herbs.

Palate - dry; medium acid; medium alcohol; medium body; medium intensity; apple, grape, lemon, herbs.

Balance - 8 Length - 7 Intensity - 6.5 Complexity - 6.5

I picked this up cheap in a clearance.  It is extremely pleasant, particularly the nose.  The citrus aspect is not as obvious to me as I have since read on reviews, but the green and stone fruit, together with the grassy, herbaceous flavour is a real winner.  A really ace wine.  The first glass disappeared in about twenty seconds!

Rustenberg John X Merriman 2011

From - Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, SA
Grape -  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc & Malbec
Alcohol - 14%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £14.99

Appearance - Clear; medium+ intensity; ruby; more intense at core

Nose - clean; medium+ intensity: developing; plums, red fruit, pepper, a touch of smoke and coffee.

Palate - Dry; med+ acid; medium+ alcohol; med+ tannin; medium+ body; medium intensity; plum and cherries, pepper, maybe a touch of leather, earthy aftertaste.

Balance - 8  Length - 7.5 Intensity - 6.5  Complexity - 7

Another one from South Africa, this time a red.  Very nice indeed, lots of body and fruit and subtle oak flavours.  This is another that you can see will develop well - I imagine the tannins mellowing and the oak influence coming through to emphasise the complexity.  The bottle claims that in the right conditions it could improve for a decade!

It is very interesting that this wine uses five of the six permitted grapes in Bordeaux (although Carmenere is the sixth, this is rarely used in Bordeaux).

Morgenhof Estate Chenin Blanc 2012

From - Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape - Chenin Blanc
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £11.99

Appearance - Clear; golden; medium+ intensity

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; lime, apple, peach, green pepper.

Palate - Dry; medium+ acid; medium+ alcohol; medium intensity; full body; medium+ length; apple, lemon&lime, a touch of smoke, stone fruit.

Balance - 6 Length - 8 Intensity - 6 Complexity - 7

This is terrific value.  It has a really creamy, almost chewy body, probably due to the fact that it has had some time maturing in oak - even so, it is surprisingly, and pleasantly, full bodied.  The bottle claims ageing potential and I agree, I can see the alcohol flavour mellowing and the complex flavours from the time in oak coming to the fore. I am inclined to buy another one and give it a couple of years in my wine rack, as I am confident that patience will pay off.

Don't drink it really, really cold because you will lose some of the subtle flavours.

Chenin Blanc, as a grape, produces high acid wines in hot climes, which is unusual.

Hema Gruner Veltliner 2012

From - Wachau, Austria
Grape - Gruner Veltliner
Alcohol - 13%
Available from - Hema (Holland - yes I do get some 'views' from The Netherlands! sorry, everyone else)
Price - about 6.50euro

Appearance - clear; medium intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; apple, pepper.

Palate - Dry; medium acid; medium intensity; medium+ body;
med+ alcohol; apple and pear, pepper, smoke, a touch of citrus and musky, savouriness.

Quality - good

Balance - 7  Length - 6.5 Intensity - 6 Complexity - 7

A real surprise.  I bought this several months ago on a trip to Holland and picked it up as I wanted to try the variety.  It is very satisfying and extremely good value, although of course booze is much cheaper in Holland!  the green fruit and pepper is quite obvious on the nose and palate, which makes you think of potential food matches.  There are other, rather subtle flavours afoot.  I've had a stab at naming them but I am not entirely convinced at how I've done.  I am keen to try a higher-end Gruner Veltliner, now, as I understand the features of this wine are typical of the variety.

Autolysis - Champagne

Champagne and Cava makers carry out secondary fermentation in the bottle, adding some extra yeast and sugar, following the primary fermentation in vats.  When the yeast dies, it goes through autolysis, also called 'self-digestion'.  Enzymes from the yeast cells are released, and they break down the cells, and release proteins and polysaccharides into the wine.

Leaving the dead yeast in the wine is called 'Sur Lie ageing' (you may have seen the words Sur Lie on a bottle of Loire Muscadet previously).

This process adds complexity to the drink, such as creamy mouth-feel; bready, toasty, yeasty flavours and reduced astringency.

Sur Lie you can't be serious?  Yes I am being serious, and don't call me Shirley.

Piper-Heidsieck NV Brut

From - Champagne, France
Grape - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Alcohol - 12%
Available from - Majestic
Price - £30

Appearance - clear; medium intensity; golden

Nose - Clean; medium intensity (maybe even a touch more); apple, lemon

Palate - Medium acid, medium alcohol, medium body, medium length; medium mousse; medium body. Lots of lemon, green fruit (apple), toasty-bready flavours from autolysis.

Quality - Good.  Drink now.

Balance - 9 Length - 7 Intensity - 6 Complexity - 6

This is a really nice wine.  I picked it up cheap (cheaper than shown above) as a bin-end but it is superior to some other NV Champagne that I have tried before.  It is very citrus and appley as one might expect, with the flavours expected from bottle fermentation making it very tasty.  I will post about autolysis separately.

Jojo said it made her think 'apple pie' - which is from the appley quality of the cooler climate Chardonnay, and the bready quality from the yeast.

It did not seem as acidic on the palate as I expected.

The 'balance' score, I assure you, was not contrived.  I contemplated scoring it 'medium+' for length, but I am confident that 'medium' is right.  Medium across the board on the palate makes it pretty balanced, but referring back to one of my early posts, balance isn't everything.

This is probably quite expensive at the full price for one bottle shown on Majestic's website, but I understand it is on fairly regular promotion.  A pleasant and very drinkable bottle of wine.

Chateau Haut Branda 2010

From - Bordeaux, France

Grape - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol - 13.5%

Purchase from - Waitrose

Price - £9.99 (currently £7.29)

Appearance - Clear; garnet; medium+ intensity; more intense at core.

Nose - Clean; Medium+ intensity, developing, red and black fruit; sweet spice from oak.

Palate - Dry; medium tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium tannin; medium acid; medium length. Red and black fruit, clove, vanilla.

Quality - Good
Balance - 7 Length - 6 Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6

A pleasant and smooth Bordeaux, needing a bit of time to breathe before drinking.  Really good value at seven quid.  It would be a good food wine for those of you of a carnivorous persuasion.

Paul Blanck Gewurztraminer 2012

From - Alsace, France
Grape - Gewurztraminer
Alcohol - 13.5%
Purchase from - Waitrose
Price - £15.49

Appearance - Clear; medium intensity; golden.

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing; apple, floral, citrus.

Palate - medium-dry; medium+ acidity; full body; med+ alcohol; medium+ intensity; medium+ length; Pear, violets, tropical fruit, slight spice.

Balance - 8 Length - 7 Intensity - 7 Complexity - 8

This is terrific.  Gewurztraminer gives slightly spicy wines, and this, together with the fact that it has a bit of residual sugar (and so is medium-dry) and lots of fruit flavour, means that it is a great match for a slightly spicy dish.  We had it with mushroom and tofu red curry, and the match worked as well as was hoped.  The quite high alcohol and residual sugar gives it lots of body, and there is a good bit of acid that gives it great balance (and stops it being cloying), and also makes it good as a food-match wine, as acid in wine promotes appetite.  I will definitely buy this again, as it is an excellent example of how spending a bit more can make your wine experience much more satisfying.

Vignale Pinot Grigio 2013

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Pinot Grigio
Alcohol - 12%
Purchase from - Waitrose
Price - £5.29

Appearance - Clear; pale; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; apricot and apple/pear.

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity; medium body; medium alcohol; apricot, pear, lime zest; medium length.

Balance - 7 Length - 7 Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6

This wine delivers impressive value for money.  The length is good and the flavours are interesting.  Just the thing with a summer salad or on its own on a sunny afternoon in the garden.

Laboure-Roi Cote de Beaune-Villages 2012

From - Nuits St Georges, Cote d'Or, Burgundy, France
Grape - Pinot Noir
Alc - 12.5%
Price - £10.99
From - waitrosecellar.com

Appearance - Clear, pale, ruby.  Paler to rim

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity, developing; red fruit (raspberry, red cherry); sweet spice

Palate - dry; medium+ acidity; low tannin; medium alcohol; medium body; medium intensity; raspberry and spice, earthy.

Conclusions - very good; mid priced (at least); ready to drink, may improve.

Balance - 7 Length - 8 Intensity - 6.5 Complexity - 7

I really like this.  It is more intense on the nose than the palate, and the experience begins as soon as you open it.

The low tannins and lightness of the wine, and higher acid, would make it a versatile wine with food and more likely to be of the palate of someone who doesn't always enjoy reds.  The earthiness is, I understand, very common in red burgundies, and is really very palatable.

This vintage I think is now hard to get hold of, but look out for the next one.

Beronia Rioja Reserva 2009

From - Rioja, Spain
Grape - Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo
Alcohol - 14%
Price - £13.49
From - Waitrose

Appearance - Clear; deep intensity; lighter at rim; ruby to garnet.

Nose - Clean; developing; medium + intensity; red fruit; spice.

Taste - dry; medium acidity; medium tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ intensity; medium body.  Red fruit, black fruit, spice incl. cloves, musky

Conclusions - good; higher price; ready to drink, may improve a little.

Balance - 7 Length - 7  Intensity - 8  Complexity - 8

No, this is not my third bottle of the weekend!  To keep the reviews coming, I am posting one I had six weeks ago and noted in my wine diary.

I loved this one, that's why I chose it.  I scored it 9 out of 10.  It was very smooth, I think that the tannin was perhaps higher than I have scored here, but as it has been matured well, and probably because of a high standard of grape selection, the tannins are smoother and therefore less obvious on the palate (to me, anyway).

I really liked the smoothness, complexity, and the flavours.  This is about the same price as Cune Reserva Rioja, and for my money is the better of the two.

Montgras Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2013

From - San Antonio, Chile
Grape - Sauvignon Blanc
Alc - 13.5%
Price - £9.49
From - Waitrose

Appearance - clear; pale; lemon-green; paler at core compared to rim

Nose - Clean; medium; developed; citrus (grapefruit & lime) apple, grass, mineral, maybe a touch of spice.

palate - dry; medium+ acidity, medium alcohol; medium body; medium intensity+; medium + length; apple, lime, melon, sweet pepper, asparagus.

Conclusions - good, mid-priced, ready to drink, unlikely to improve.

Balance - 6 Length - 8 Intensity - 7 Complexity - 7

You can get some EXCELLENT value for money from Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.  I will probably do a post about the grape in general soon, but this wine in particular is really good value.  Unfortunately, I think this specific one is no longer available for the vintage but no doubt the 2014 one will be out before very long, and unlikely to be too much different, so look out for it.  Sauvignon Blanc rarely improves with age, rather it is inclined to simply become dull with age, and therefore is produced to be drunk sharpish.

Chilean SB tends to really emphasise the grassy element, which I find very pleasant.  Also gooseberry flavours can be at the fore but not in this one as far as I can discern, which has more citrus fruit and melon.  The high acid levels that you get from SB makes it good for an aperitif, but I had this with a salad (rocket and baby-leaf with tomato, green pepper, beetroot) dressed with balsamic dressing.  The acid made a good match for the dressing (standing up to the vinegar, cutting through the oil), the tomatoes (that are acidic) and the green, grassy flavours were complimentary to the dish.

Like (some) other Chilean SBs (not all!) the length is really good for a wine at this price.  As I type, I've not had a glug for about five minutes and I still have citrus and grass flavours in my nose and mouth.  I think that length is a huge part of how much value you are getting from your wine (just as long as the flavours that linger are pleasant!).

The vegetal flavours in this wine are very agreeable and exciting to me, adding to my perception of complexity, making this almost a savoury flavour.  Also, despite the fact that you may not consider the balance to be particularly good, the refreshing nature of the wine makes it very drinkable.  I would imagine that this would be a great match for the reputedly difficult-to-match asparagus (particularly if dressed with balsamic vinegar - that's how I like mine).

I know that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is all the rage, and for good reason with the face-full of flavour you can get.  However do check out Chile for SB as you might get an absolute bargain, particularly if you like your SB to be more intense than the more restrained types from Loire or Bordeaux.

Bouchard Pere et Fils Beaune du Chateau Premier Cru

From - Burgundy, France
Grape - Chardonnay
Alc - 13.5%
Price - £25.99 (currently £20.99)
From - waitrosecellar.com

Appearance - Clean, medium intensity, lemon.

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developed; lime; herbs and spice, maybe gooseberry?

Palate - dry, medium to medium+ acid; medium+ body; medium intensity.  Apples, limes, mineral, medium+ length.  Silky.

Quality - very good, higher price.

Ready to drink, but can improve.

Balance - 8 Length - 8 Intensity - 6 Complexity - 7

This is an interesting wine.  It is quite high priced but there are subtle characteristics that mean you get a feeling for it being higher quality.

There is a silky-smooth mouth-feel, a good bit of length, and nice minerality (if you like that, not everyone does).  The citrus flavour is the most full-on, so it's important to savour it to consider the other aspects.

A really agreeable point is the fact that the balance is very good, and the experience of drinking it got better and better as the bottle went down, backing up the comments that I made previously about the considered importance of balance.

With a wine with subtle complexity like this, it is important to allow the temperature to raise a little from chilled to lightly chilled, as a very cold serving temperature can inhibit flavour.

I did enjoy this wine very much, but it is expensive.

Cune Rioja Reserva 2009

Cune Reserva Rioja 2009
From - Rioja, Spain
Grape - Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha (Grenache)
Alc - 13.5%
Price - £12.99 (currently £9.99)
From - Waitrose

Appearance - Clean; medium + intensity; developed; garnet/tawny; consistent legs

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; developed; red fruit, spice, vanilla.

Taste; dry; medium acid; medium tannin; medium+ alcohol; medium+ length; cherries, a touch of black fruit, cloves, vanilla.

Conclusions - Very good; ready to drink, might improve.

Balance - 7 Length - 8 Intensity - 7 Complexity - 6.5

This is a really nice and interesting bottle of wine.  It has spent some time in oak, due to the 'Reserva' title (Spanish wines that have been oaked for periods of time are referred  to, in asciending order of time 'Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva).  Beronia Reserva Rioja is the same price, and I think that I found that one marginally more palatable, though.  It was just a touch smoother, I recall.  This is really good, though, and worth thirteen quid.