Here is another stunningly impressive Nero d’Avola and it is even more rounded and fruit-stuffed than Corbello. Ideal for barbecue food, in particular really good sausages, this is a heady and lip-smacking wine. in , 23rd June 2018
This wine is class personified. If you would like to taste a wine which, to my palate, defines this world-famous grape variety, then look no further. The perfume is so pretty and delicate and the palate is lithe and lemony – I will be drinking a good few bottles this summer. in , 23rd June […]
An alternative red for chicken? Try a medium bodied, juicy, succulent Italian red such as the Ca Viola Dolcetto D’Alba Vilot 2016 a deceptive wine: initially fragrant and almost floral, with some lovely cherry notes, but also concentrated, with a long finish as the flavours deepen on the palate. in , 22nd March 2018
…The cool, pure air of the Alto Adige has allowed these Pinot Bianco grapes to ripen slowly, retaining lemon acidity and a plush, concentrated palate. There is great drive and energy here, with a long mineral finish. A Pinot Bianco with real character from this leading cooperative, with vineyards up to 900m above sea level. […]
…Made by the highly popular Olivier Leflaive, this is a great example of the often under-rated Aligoté. Decidedly Chablislike, with just a hint of a little extra stone fruit ripeness. A very pure, mineral and focused wine, with rapier-like acidity. in April 2018’s
…If it’s a partner to a meat dish, a bit weightier, but still shot through with freshness, is the sublimely elegant Tuscan Stile di Campriano Toscana 2015, carefully aged to bring out the smooth, sweetly spiced and cherry fruit flavours of the sangiovese grape. Both warming and enlivening. in on 18th February, 2018
Expressions of bright citrus and grapefruit that are verging on astringent. There are gently integrated oak characters supporting and balancing the flinty minerality and a bracing finish. Drink 2018-2020. (New Zealand Chardonnay Panel Tasting, February 2018 – Highly Recommended) Panel tasting in the February 2018 edition of magazine.
A little rustic but still very enjoyable drop that will go down nicely with your midweek spaghetti bolognese or Friday pizza. Expressively juicy red cherry and thyme notes on a smooth palate. The tannins are present but soft, wrapped around bright acidity. in the February 2018 edition of magazine
My ‘lighter’ red looks like it might be a Super-Tuscan given its name, and in a way it is, but in fact it is simply a renamed Chianti Riserva. Winemaker Rannucio Neri decided that it should wear the IGT Toscana badge in order to give him more freedom from the regulators’ often constricting wine rules. […]
Solid, reassuring, slightly perfumed and reminiscent of hay, soft saddles and strawberries with a frisky finish. Best decanted for 10 minutes. Serve it from a carafe and your friends will never guess how cheap it is. in on 25th November, 2017
At HH&C they like their wines fresh and clear-cut, so while this has the clovey pomander spice and broad, rich red fruit so typical of a St Émilion satellite merlot, there’s also a crisp edge and a bit of uplift. Very enjoyable drinking. in on 21st October, 2017
A simple but vivid claret, this is a new find for HH&C and “sometimes we taste hundreds of wines without finding anything under £10” says buyer Siobhan Gillespie. It’s based on merlot (70 per cent) with 10 per cent cabernet franc, which gives it a deliciously perfumed lift. in on 21st October, 2017
A rustic nose, with vibrant fruit, macerated black cherry, black olives, a hint of mocha and sweet spice. A little sparkle on the palate at first, but decant the bottle and this will dissipate, leaving bright cherry fruit, smooth tannins and vivid acidity. A very characterful wine, this will benefit from being opened a few […]
Cornas is of course made from syrah, which in the Rhône often tastes as if it has been seasoned with crushed black peppercorns. If it’s a good wine there ought also be a skein of mineral, and, if the wine is stil young or youngish, a dense, purplish-black lick of fruit. This Alain Verset Cornas […]
Ah, there it is on the nose, the tantalising, shiver-inducing fragrance of blood, iron, spice, violets and earth of a real Rhône syrah. Verset used to work in a factory and make wine as a hobby; now in his 60s, this tiny set-up is what he does full-time. Great wine. in on 24th June, 2017