So yesterday was the first Wine Trade XI cricket match against the Gents of Essex at Coggeshall, Essex. It was a good day out, with perfect weather. We got hit about a bit, and the Gents declared shortly before tea at 278-6. But then we hit them about a bit – a magnificent opening stand was followed by a fragile middle order collapse. It meant I actually got to bat, and had to hold on for 7 overs with Nick Oakley at the other end for the draw. I think we had about 215-8 in the end.

As usual, we brought two bottles each with us for lunch. These were some of the highlights.

Main divide Riesling 2009 Waipara, New Zealand
From Kiwi Riesling masters Pegasus Bay. I love this wine. It’s tight in an off-dry style with crystalline fruit, citrus and pear. A lovely taut wine that’s rich yet fresh. 91/100

Sabinares Blanco de Guarda 2011 Arlanza, Spain
I’ve written about this producer before. And now Laithwaites are listing this remarkable Spanish blend. It’s clean and pure with pear and white peach, some nice herbs, and some waxy, crystalline fruit characters. A dense and lovely fresh white. 93/100 (£25 Laithwaites)

Bruna Bansigu 2012 Colline Savonesi, Liguria, Italy
This is a Grenache-dominated blend from Bruna, a really interesting Ligurian winery. It’s a lighter-style red that shows sweet, soft, rounded, elegant cherry and strawberry fruit. It’s a sort of Italian Beaujolais, but perhaps with a bit more seriousness than most, and is very fine and expressive. 89/100 (£9.95 Red Squirrel Wine)

Clos Rocailleux Braucol Rose 2012 Gaillac, France
This is remarkably good. It’s a rose made from the Braucol variety in the southwest France appellation of Gaillac, and it is super-elegant. Subtle, pale and textured with a distinct mineral dimension. Really elegant and supple with some red cherry fruit. Very fine. 91/100

Algueira Cortezada 2011 Ribeira Sacra, Spain
This wine is imported into the UK by Bibendum, and it’s a blend of Godello, Albariño and Treixadura. Stony character with notes of nuts, apples, herbs and pear. A really nice textured white, with subtle oxidative notes, but also compelling stony minerality. Rich but fresh. 91/100

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