Red Wine
Chateau Sainte-Marie 'Alios', Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux 2015 Review
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- Published: 21 September 2018 21 September 2018
Merlot (74%), Cabernet Sauvignon (21%), petit verdot (10%)
A decent combination of dark fruit and spice, chocolate and tannic grip. It is drinking very well now and I have opened with friends who all commented on the quality of the wine. Great for this time of year with wild boar, venison, rabbit.
Vines situated on a steep slope of 24º, gravel and iron soil (hence Alios). Alios ripens faster because the soil absorbs the heat and the southern facing slope exposes them to more sun.
Stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Soft extraction using pumping over twice the volume of the tank. Fermentation in tank and then moved to french 400litre oak barrels for 12 months. The larger barrel allows for less exchange of flavour with the oak.
For more information on buying visit Wine-Searcher
Main article and discussion with Stephane Dupuch of Chateau Sainte-Marie: (Re)Defining the Entre-Deux-Mers: Interview and tasting with Stephane Dupuch
Tasting notes for the following wines can be found here:
Château Sainte-Marie, Vielles Vignes blanc - Madlys, Château Sainte-Marie, 2016 - Château-Sainte-Marie, Vieilles Vignes, Bordeaux Supérieur, 2016 - Chateau Sainte-Marie 'Alios', Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux 2015
Château-Sainte-Marie, Vieilles Vignes, Bordeaux Supérieur, 2016 Review
- Details
- Published: 21 September 2018 21 September 2018
72% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark fruit, very elegant, violets. Ripe but not overripe. 2016 was a cooler vintage than 2015. The 2015 are bigger in fruitiness and ready to drink but the 2016 have a more elegant character, are more balanced. These will age well.
For more information on buying visit Wine-Searcher
Main article and discussion with Stephane Dupuch of Chateau Sainte-Marie: (Re)Defining the Entre-Deux-Mers: Interview and tasting with Stephane Dupuch
Tasting notes for the following wines can be found here:
Château Sainte-Marie, Vielles Vignes blanc - Madlys, Château Sainte-Marie, 2016 - Château-Sainte-Marie, Vieilles Vignes, Bordeaux Supérieur, 2016 - Chateau Sainte-Marie 'Alios', Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux 2015
Louis Jadot’s Beaujolais Village 2016 - Review
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- Published: 19 June 2018 19 June 2018
At this time of year the palate starts to crave refreshing wines that match the seasonal menus and attire. Red wines that are full bodied are fine for big food dishes, bbq’s or cooler nights, but having wines made from the Gamay grape is a good strategy.
Wine tips: Three very discerning malbecs
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- Published: 03 April 2018 03 April 2018
Maybe often seems a much-overlooked wine and not for any good reason. Recently I have stumbled upon a few that have given us bags of pleasure! The same grape expressed individually, from Cahors, Hawkes Bay New Zealand, and the Colchagua Valley in Chile.
Chateau D'Auzanet - Review - Good Value Organic Claret
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- Published: 04 March 2018 04 March 2018
This is a claret worth mentioning both for the taste quality and the lightness of the price tag. For many drinkers I speak to these days, there is a growing interest in organically produced wines and this is exactly what Chateau D'Auzanet is producing. The style is typically Bordeaux: blackberry and plum with good tannic structure and length. An easy accomplishment to many a cool climate evening (such as we are used to in the UK!!).
Cune Rioja Reserva Review: seasonal classic pleasure
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- Published: 03 December 2017 03 December 2017
A lovely classic Rioja Reserva with ripe dark red Fruit, easy going tannin, succulent body. Sexy on its own or pleased to assist with a wholesome bite of your favourite wholesome dish. At this time of year some oven roasted rabbit seasoned with lemon, honey, rosemary and thyme should do the job perfectly well!
Cune make very good benchmark quality wine and this 2013 reception is no exception.
£12.99 from Majestic (or cheaper when mixed with a case of 6)
Available in the UK from Majestic, Waitrose Wine Cellar
Roccolo Grassi Valpolicella - Indelible Veronese charm
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- Published: 31 October 2017 31 October 2017
The centre of Verona has a quite a strange charm that transports one back in time. Not to the Roman age but rather to a time of over-exposed matt film photography; old school markets and the bustle of tourists and locals that can appear as quickly as they vanish at the turn of a narrow street.
Hush Heath Manor English Pinot Noir Review: I think you might like it!
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- Published: 12 October 2017 12 October 2017
With so much English sparkling wine (ESW) being produced from the most typical grapes grown in Champagne, it is no surprise that producers are bottling pinot noir for our pleasure.
A few fabulous reds under £15
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- Published: 08 March 2017 08 March 2017
Check out these recently tasted tips:
Mind expanding Rioja's - Cheek to cheek, not head to head! (part 1)
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- Published: 04 December 2016 04 December 2016
Wines from this famous part of north west Spain are part of the modern British psyche. In this first segment of notes we taste 1 crianza and 2 reserva’s. These examples are great examples of what benchmark Rioja should taste like - rich and dangerously pleasurable.
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