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Recommended wines Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
June 2001
Wines under £8 | Wines over
£8
Previous months' recommendations: August 2000|September 2000|October 2000|November 2000|December 2000|January 2001|February 2001|March
2001|April 2001|May
2001
My rating
system explained
Bargain picks: wines under £8
Domaine des Espiers Sablet 1999 Côtes du Rhône Villages
I've enjoyed everything I've tried from this Southern Rhône producer. A
concentrated red/purple colour, this is a gorgeously rich-textured Côtes du
Rhône Villages that is really punching above its weight, with soft olive
and herb flavoured fruit and a sweet spiciness. There's enough tannin to
give some structure. Delicious stuff for current drinking. Very
good/excellent (£7.95 La Vigneronne)
Peter Scherf Waldracher Krone Riesling Auslese 1989,
Mosel Saar Ruwer, Germany
When you see a 12 year old wine selling for six quid, you'd expect
something to be seriously wrong with it. Well there isn't. Instead,
this wine has a sensational nose with refined honey and lemon notes,
and a bit of petrolly character. On the palate it is bold flavoured,
with more lemon, apple juice and honey notes and a rich texture. Since
I first tasted this in late April I've enjoyed two more bottles, with
consistent notes. Very
good/excellent (£5.99)
Quinta de Bons-Ventos, Vinho Regional Estremadura Tinto 1999, Portugal
A bit of a beast, this one. A blend that includes Periquita, Camarte, Tita
Miúda and Touriga Nacional, this is a deep purple/black colour. The nose
displays vanilla and creamy berry fruits, which are followed up on the
palate by an intriguing mix of coffee, chocolate and dark berry fruits.
Quite oaky, this is dense and chunky, with juicy lemony acidity. It's quite
modern, yet retains an attractive rusticity. Great value. Very good+ (£4.79
Sainsbury)
Oxford Landing Limited Release Viognier 2000
Cheap Viognier usually sucks, but not always. Yalumba are Australia's Viognier specialists, and this inexpensive
example shows impressive varietal character. The peachy, floral nose shows
tropical fruit and spice elements. The lovely rich textured, full
flavoured palate still manages to keep the delicacy that's a hallmark
of the best Viogniers. Follows on the heels of the equally successful
1999. Very good+ (£5.99 Majestic)
Sandemans Vau Vintage Port 1997
[I know I've featured this wine separately, but after selling out it
seems to have reappeared on the Oddbins shelves at the offer price once
again. Note that the regular 75 cl bottle is still £25 a pop!] Sandemans has had a mixed reputation in recent decades, but signs are
that they are getting back to top form. The Vau Vintage port is quite
controversial: it's a proper Vintage port, made from the very best grapes
and only in a good vintage, but in a style more approachable in its youth
(apparently they had the American market in mind). This is a thick
purple/black colour. Terrifically dense on the palate with masses of sweet,
liqouricey plum, cherry and damson fruit and notes of tar and spice. Firm,
spicy tannins provide plenty of structure, and although this isn't as
unapproachable as traditional vintage styles would be at this stage, it's a
huge wine that will age well for a decade or so. However, it's no crime to
drink this now because it is so delicious. Excellent, and a sensational
bargain at £4.99 for a half bottle (Oddbins)
Wines over £8
Domaine Bertagna 1997 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru
Les Plantes
This is a lovely red Burgundy. A full red/black colour, it shows a
complex, deep, rounded nose of cherries with some spicy notes and a touch
of caramel. On the palate there's still plenty of lush primary fruit, but
underneath this there's an undercurrent of complex earthy, herby notes
that suggest that this one still has some development ahead of it.
Excellent (Berry Bros £26.95)
Domaine Les Aurelles 'Aurel' 1998, Coteaux du
Langeudoc
From a domaine located near Pezenas started a few years ago by Karl
Mauguin and Basile Saint-Germain. This is a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
blend from low-yielding old vines. A red/black colour, this has a ripe,
herby, sweetly fruited nose. Soft spicy fruit is backed by firm tannins.
It's chunky and savoury, and a bit like a very good Châteauneuf du Pape.
Very good/excellent, but needs time. (£15.95 La Vigneronne)
Rymill Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Coonawarra, Australia
Beautifully perfumed nose showing leafy blackcurrant with cedar notes
and a mineralic core. The palate is full, with lovely fruit and some real
complexity: no new oak apparent. A delicious drop. Very good/excellent
(£8.99 Majestic)
Lost Lake Shiraz 1999, Pemberton,
Western Australia
Deep red/black colour. Very interesting nose of mint and herbs (thyme and
rosemary). Powerful, odd-but-fascinating herbal palate: tastes like a
Provencal hillside. Firm tannins. Lovely stuff. Very good/excellent
(£10.52 Domaine Direct)
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Herrenweg Turkheim 1993, Alsace
A deep yellow/gold colour, this expressive Riesling has a lovely rich
nose with a citrus edge and some spicy notes. The full, fat palate has bags
of ripe citrussy fruit and tangy acidity. It's quite complex and with a
little bit of residual sugar there's nice balance here, and it's not too
sweet and fat to pair well with food. Drinking beautifully now, and quite
profound in a ripe style. Excellent (Wine Rack discounted to £9.99) [Note:
you may have to hunt around a bit in various Wine Rack and Bottoms Up stores
to find this. They used to carry an excellent and well priced Alsace range,
which they seem to be reducing drastically. There are some bargains to be
had, but watch out for poor storage conditions.]
E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions
at jamie@wineanorak.co.uk
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