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July 2005Previous months' recommendations:
| June 2004 | July
2004 | August 2004 | September
2004 | October 2004 | November
2004 | December 2004 | January
2005 | February 2005 | March
2005 | April/May 2005 | June
2005
My rating
system explained. Use www.wine-searcher.com
to locate a stockist in your area and my directory
of UK wine merchants for details of those listed here. See also: the wineanorak's
shopping list - recommended wines from each of the main UK retail
outlets. These recommendations are truly independent: I don't accept
payment or other favours for inclusions, nor do I sell wine.
Devil's Rock Pinot Grigio 2004 Rheinhessen, Germany
German wines are still pretty unfashionable, so the producers of this
impressive, fresh white wine have made great efforts to hide the fact that
this is German. In fact they've done such a good job that this wouldn't
look out of place in the Italian aisle of the supermarket wine selection.
It's very fresh, modern and limey with a spicy edge to the crisp palate.
Bone dry, modern, fresh and very well made. A precise, delicate style.
Very good 82/100 (£4.79 Waitrose, Somerfield) Villa Maria Gewürztraminer 2004 East Coast, New
Zealand
This is a remarkable wine. Gewürztraminer is a slightly weird grape
that rarely thrives outside Alsace (its home in France), but here it
excels. The nose is sweet, grapey and melony with a hint of muskiness: it
comes across quite thick and sweet. The palate is slightly off-dry with a
rich texture and lovely fresh fruit. It's a kind of paradox: a wine that
is rich and fresh at the same time. Not for everyone, but I like it a lot.
Good with powerfully spiced or exotic cusine. Very good+ 89/100 (£8.99
Waitrose) Dirler-Cadé
Gewürztraminer Grand Cru Kessler 2002 Alsace, France
Taking things up a notch with the same grape, this stunneris from
little known biodynamic producer Dirler-Cadé. A deep colour, this has a
nice broad, herby nose with some richness. Good concentration and lovely
richness on the palate, which has a thick texture and finishes medium
sweet. Quite a pretty, but serious wine. 92/100 (£19.25 Berry Bros &
Rudd, www.bbr.com) Castello
Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio 2004 Italy
Pale in colour, there's a lovely freshness and transparency to this
refreshing white wine, with some minerally depth to boot. Quite refined
and well balanced - enough class to make a versatile food wine for fine
dining. Beguiling in a subtle sort of way: the minerality is the key. Very
good/excellent 90/100 (£7.99 Majestic, www.majestic.co.uk)
Chileno
Merlot Rosé 2004 Central Valley, Chile
Two rosés follow, beginning with one I like a lot. It has a
distinctive nose of fresh, forward red berry fruit, but its best feature
is the subtle herbal tang to the palate. It’s quite dry and fresh, and
this gives it a savoury sort of character that means it works well with a
variety of foods. A bit more grown up than most rosés at this price. Very
good+ 85/100 (£4.49 Somerfield, Co-op)
Castellero
del Diablo Shiraz Rosé 2005 Maule Valley, Chile
A very forward, playful, upfront sort of rosé with a vividly fruity
nose that has a tiny hint of bubblegum to it. On the palate it’s all
cranberries and cherries, with a little bit of fruit sweetness – the
sort of wine that you can drink on its own just as easily as with food.
This one would go down very well with the footballers’ wives crowd. Very
good 84/100 (£5.49 Oddbins, Majestic, Asda, Sainsbury)
Clot
de l’Oum Saint Bart Vieilles Vignes 2003 Côtes de Roussillon
Villages Caramay
Two reccomendations follow from Eric Monné's wonderful Clot de
l'Oum. A deeply coloured wine. Ripe, forward spicy nose shows
intense, liqueur-like fruit. The palate is concentrated and rich with
lovely forward, spicy fruit. Dense and modern, yet with a nice
minerally streak, too. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£14.50 Grand Cru
Wines, www.grandcruwinesltd.net)
Clot
de l’Oum Numero Uno 2003 Côtes de Roussillon Villages Caramay
A very dark, inky wine. Sweet, intense nose of dark red and black
fruits with a lovely liqueur-like edge. The palate is powerful, dense
and spicy with integrated tannins and some structure. Bold and full
with a nice spicy, mineralic twist. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£19.95
Grand Cru Wines)
Millennium Dolç 2002 Terra Alta, Catalunya, Spain
Xavier Clua’s amazing sweet Garnacha was harvested on 7th November,
put into barriques on 30 December and bottled in April 2004. Just three
barriques of this oddity were made, and it is remarkable stuff. It has a
vivid, spicy, sweet nose with a distinctive aroma of smooth blackcurrant
jam. It’s remarkably rich and pure. On the palate it is vivid, bold and
spicy with a great conentration of sweet blackcurrants and blackberries,
with a tannic, spicy backbone. Good acidity provides focus. This is a
profound effort: quirky, but utterly delicious. Excellent 95/100 (£19.99
Cadman Fine Wines)
E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions
at jamie@wineanorak.co.uk
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