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April/May 2005Previous months' recommendations:
March
2004 | April 2004 | May
2004 | June 2004 | July
2004 | August 2004 | September
2004 | October 2004 | November
2004 | December 2004 | January
2005 | February 2005 | March
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.
I’m beginning with a theme
this month: four joyful, inexpensive red wines. I'll then follow up with a
couple of rather serious whites.
St Hallett Gamekeeper’s
Reserve 2004 Barossa, Australia
This is an unoaked blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Touriga Nacional. It
has a lovely, immediate nose of sweet ripe raspberry jam, with some
subtle, darker, spicier notes keeping it from being too jammy. The palate
is rounded and quite spicy but the dominant theme is lush, forward fruit
that is defined by some spicy structure. Alas, the price you pay for such
ripeness is 14.5% alcohol, and I couldn’t help thinking the wine might
be better say at 12%. Very good+ 89/100 (£5.99 Waitrose [currently on
offer for £4.49], Majestic, Co-op)
Diemersfontein Pinotage
2004 Wellington, South Africa
Winemaker Bertus Fourie has fashioned a remarkably forward, modern,
classy Pinotage that totally succeeds in taming the funkier aspects of
this grape. It’s dark coloured and has an alluring nose of smoky,
roasted dark fruits. Sweet ripe and meaty. The palate is savoury, spicy
and quite rich with a nice stucture and more of that roasted character.
Chocolatey richness, too. A crowd pleaser. Very good+ 89/100 (£6.99
Asda, Waitrose)
Swartland Winery Pinotage
2003 Swartland, South Africa
Deep colour. Lovely rich plum and blackcurrant nose is very fruity
with a dark spicy element in the background. The palate is ripe, juicy and
fruity with really vibrant berry and blackcurrant fruit. Quite delicious
as an easy drinking, yet substantial wine. Hardly any funk. Very good+
87/100 (£3.99 Majestic)
Château Cazal Viel Cuvée
des Fées 2003 Saint Chinian, Languedoc,
France
Fantastic stuff, and after trying it again, I’m giving this a second
mention in my reccomendations. A perfumed, open ripe nose shows beguiling
notes of earth, herbs, spice and meat with real savoury warmth. The palate
is ripe and rounded with minerally, spicy fruit. A brilliantly expressive
wine for current drinking and just begging for a steak, roast lamb or even
meaty sausages to accompany it. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£6.99
Waitrose, currently on offer at £5.59)
Eben Sadie Palladius 2002
Swartland, South Africa
£30 for a South African white? Am I out of my mind? Perhaps, but this
is a very good wine indeed. Made from bush vine Viognier, Chardonnay and
old vin Chenin, fermented for 14 months with wild yeasts followed by 12
months on lees with a small proportion of new oak. The nose is bright and
intense, showing pure, rich, herby fruit. Very classy. The palate has a
lovely, rich, fat rounded structure with softness and intensity at the
same time. It’s a thrilling, unusual wine. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£30
Berry Bros & Rudd, www.bbr.com)
Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru
Clavoillon 2001 Burgundy, France
Anne Claude Leflaive’s white Burgundies are utterly compelling.
Fantastic nose is complex, full, herbal and savoury with a lovely rubbery,
cabbagey edge that is quite common in top white Burgs. The palate is full
and broad with complex minerality. Fascinating stuff. Very good/excellent
94/100 (£33.49 Corney & Barrow)
E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions
at jamie@wineanorak.co.uk
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