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.