Another spot of blind tasting. Always a good way to learn. These four were selected at random from a large stash of wines I have lying around: there are enough bottles that I’m not going to be able to guess from what I know I have. In terms of identifying the regions, I didn’t do too well. I completely messed up on one of the wines. But it was a good experience.

Domaine du Cros Marcillac Lo Sang del Pais 2009
This is one of my favourite cheap wines, but it’s a bottle that got lost a bit: ordinarily, I’d have drunk this a lot sooner. Still, at four years old, it’s showing well, and it’s sealed with a synthetic cork (a Nomacorc): I might have expected it to be showing a bit of tiredness by now, but it isn’t. Blind, I had this as something very fresh and elegant from the Languedoc or southern Rhone. It doesn’t taste as distinctively Marcillac-like as it did when it was young. Bright, supple red cherry fruit with good acidity. Ripe but elegant. 88/100

Asda Finest Roc Montalon Bordeaux Superieur 2011
Very impressed by this cheapie. It’s actually pretty ripe, and not too green. Tasted blind I didn’t spot it as Bordeaux, but instead headed off to the Languedoc, albeit a fresh expression of a Languedoc red. Bright and supple with nice cherry and berry fruit, with good ripeness and some elegance. Tasted sighted I did get some supple, sappy green notes you might expect from inexpensive Bordeaux. But that’s the difference of tasting blind and sighted. A really nice, drinkable Claret. 85/100

Jim Barry Clare Red Shiraz Cabernet 2008 Clare Valley, Australia
I got this badly wrong, tasted blind. I went for Spain, because of the ripe fruit and oak. But going back sighted, how did I miss the mint/eucalypt character that makes this so distinctively Australian? Very minty, oaky sheen to the nose. Ripe, rich and direct with pure blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, with some eucalyptus character. Vivid, ripe black fruits on the  palate. A direct, vivid wine. 88/100

Cave d’Esclans Deesse 2011 Vin du Pays du Var, France
I went for Languedoc again for this wine, with a hedged bet for southern Rhone. Wasn’t too far off: it’s a provencale red, with sweet, smooth raspberry and blackberry fruit on the nose, together with a hint of herbiness. The palate is pure and rich with smooth, sweet berry and blackfruits and a grainy, slightly chalky texture. Very drinkable and ripe. 89/100