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March 2005Previous months' recommendations:
February 2004 | March
2004 | April 2004 | May
2004 | June 2004 | July
2004 | August 2004 | September
2004 | October 2004 | November
2004 | December 2004 | January
2005 | February 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.
Marks & Spencer
Old Vines Grenache Noir 2003 Roussillon, France
To kick off with this month I have four great value reds that offer
stunning value for money, beginning with this M&S wine. Hand picked
grapes, old vines, unoaked, and less than a fiver a bottle. This is a
delicious red wine showing rounded, juicy fruit with a nice savoury, spicy
twist. An impressive Grenache. Very good+ 87/100 (£4.99 Marks &
Spencer) Tesco
Unwind Tempranillo NV, Mendoza, Argentina
A cheap wine that's lots of fun. Deep coloured. Ripe, smooth, slightly
sweet berry fruit on the nose with some brooding black fruits, too. Spicy
edge. The palate shows nicely balanced savoury red and black fruits with
some structure and a hint of sweetness. Very appealing well balanced wine.
Very good+ 88/100 (£4.99 Tesco) Marks
& Spencer Macon Rouge 2003 Burgundy
Made from Gamay grapes using three vinification methods: traditional,
in oak and flash détente (a novel mechanism of extraction that uses heat
to get the maximum amount of colour from the skins). Lovely intense,
fresh, cherryish fruit on the nose, which is vivid and full. The palate is
bold and juicy with lovely ripe, savoury bright fruit. Fantastic for the
price. Very good+ 89/100 (£5.99) Domaine
Clavel 'Les Catalognes' 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc Terroir de la Meanjelle,
France
Rich, aromatic spicy earthy nose with hints of savoury garrigue-like
character. Dry and dusty. The palate is savoury and earthy with soft,
slightly sweet herb-tinged fruit, but with a dry, tannic clamp: a
signature of many 2003s. Drying finish. It's an appealing, savoury
southern red, but with the drying tannins food is called for. Overdelivers
on value. Very good+ 88/100 (£6.49 Oddbins) Domaine Larreyda
Jurançon Sec 2003 Southwest France
You know how I like slightly weird stuff. Well, this is a bit of a weird
white, but it's fantastic, and less than £10 to boot. Jean-Marc
Grussaute has 8 hectares of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng vines; this
wine is a blend with a majority of the former. It has an austere,
straw-like herby nose which is full, savoury and intense. Lovely
characterful herby, savoury palate is excitingly dense and full. Lots of
character and depth here. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£9.25 Berry Bros
& Rudd, www.bbr.com) The
Foundry Syrah 2002 Stellenbosch, South Africa
A serious South African Syrah. Very classy, full-on nose: full, spicy and
savoury. The palate is expressive, firm and well defined, bolstered with
good acidity. Savoury and full with a nice minerality. Very good/excellent
93/100 (£17.50 Raeburn, Swig, Noel Young) Bodegas
Alión 2000 Ribera del Duero, Spain
I love Alión: owned by Vega Sicilia, this is much more modern than
Vega, with less time in oak, and the oak being French rather than
American, but it's not overly modern. This has tight, dark fruits on the
nose with a subtle herby, spicy edge. Complex and full. The palate is
concentrated and expressive with powerful, spicy dark fruits and a lovely
liqueur-like sweetness, together with some spicy oak. Dense, full and
almost profound. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£29.95 Berry Bros &
Rudd) Jamet
Côte-Rôtie 2001 Northern Rhône, France
Explosive, open meaty, animally nose with dark savoury red fruits. The
palate is dense, full and very meaty with a black olive overlay and good
acidity. Savoury and firm, this is a meaty style that's just hitting its
stride and clearly has a long way to go. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£25
Majestic, Fine Wine section)
E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions
at jamie@wineanorak.co.uk
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