WHITES...

REDS... MARCH 2018 TASTING NOTES £89 CASE

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TERRES NOIRES PRICE: £6.99 (code 717881)

Domaine du Bosc ORIGIN: French Country, France

Syrah As preferences for rose has shifted to lighter styles led by the rise in popularity if Provence rose. We still think there’s a place for a riper, fuller style of rose that’s still dry in style but packed with flavour.

A succulent, spicy, deeply-coloured rosé perfect for an impromptu picnic.

Chill and enjoy with salads, quiches and sushi.

The grapes are sorted and crushed for just a short time on the skins to give the rich colour and texture. Winemaking is then finished at low temperatures with some lees aging to add a creamy finish.

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BLAUFRANKISCH PRICE: £8.99 (code 717060)

Johannes Muenzenrieder ORIGIN: Neusiedlersee, Austria

Blaufrankisch

The Müenzenrieder estate lies in the Neusiedlersee/ Seewinkel National Park in the eastern reaches of Austria. The Heideboden is a vast shallow site stretching towards Lake Neusiedl, where its sandy, gravely soils are very permeable and extremely consistent, so regardless of bad weather and inclement conditions, the vineyards here produce very good wines.

Rich flavours of black berried fruit and plums with a pert freshness.

Slow braised beef with shallots and root veg.

This is a full-bodied red which can be drunk easily now, as well as cellared for a couple of years. Through natural cultivation methods, rigorous sorting of fruit and meticulous cellar work, winegrowers Johann and Johannes produce wines which have real character, which is what alerted us when we tasted them.

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CARMENERE PRICE: £7.99 (code 714999)

Casa Rivas ORIGIN: Maipo Valley, Chile

87% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon

The discovery of the Carmenere grape muddled in with Merlot from France means that we now get to enjoy this grape variety in its honest form. Wineries have dedicated time to finding the best vineyard and winemaking methods to truly showcase the variety.

A top example of Chile’s adopted red grape. Vigorous wild black fruit flavours. Concentrated and structured.

BBQ chicken skewers with ‘Pebre’ sauce with lots of lemon, parsley & coriander.

The 2,600-hectare Rosario de Naltagua plot lies in a loop of the Maipo River, 40 minutes’ invigorating drive south of Santiago. Ideal growing conditions, notably cold nights and hot days, produce deeply-coloured wines like this.

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COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES PRICE: £8.49 (code 716739)

Domaine de la Cadenette ORIGIN: Rhone, France

Syrah & Grenache Run by the third generation of Diderons, this in conversion organic, 60-hectare estate sits between Nîmes and the Camargues about 30 minutes from the Med. The vines are planted on stony soils with Rhône galets (pudding stones), which retain the daytime heat and imbue these southern wines with sweet, ripe fruit characteristics.

Fresh, juicy black fruit and plum skin flavours with a hint of wild thyme.

Grilled or slow cooked pork stew with almonds and apricots.

The component parts of Syrah and Grenache are carefully blended after the winter, producing this easy, juicy black fruit and plum skin flavoured red.

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ADNAMS VIURA PRICE: £6.99 (code 717736)

Bodegas Tempore ORIGIN: Northern Spain

Viura The unsung hero of Spanish whites. The Viura grape, normally blended with Verdejo in the classic whites of Rueda and white Riojas. Here it’s given the time to shine as a single variety showing off its floral, aromatic style.

Vibrant and zesty, with aromas of lemons gooseberries and notes of tropical fruits and peaches.

This wine is very seafood-friendly!

Tempores organic values extend from the vineyards and into their overriding philosophy. They’re convinced that the wines are born in the vineyards so are incredibly hands-on in the vineyards which they believe brings out the best in the vines.

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FETEASCA ALBA ‘TRADITIONAL’ SEC PRICE: £6.99 (code 718136)

Jidvei ORIGIN: Romania

Feteasca Alba

Adnams have been championing the wines of Romania for years. The Jidvei winery is one of the oldest in Romania and their ‘Traditional’ range of wine was launched over 40 years ago.

Light, lively and very floral.

Buttery fresh asparagus as a lovely aperitif.

Modern, yet simple, winemaking techniques meet traditional grape varieties with respect. The target here is to showcase the originality and character of the grape.

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ADNAMS PINOT NOIR PRICE: £6.99 (code 717733)

Darwin Vineyards ORIGIN: Central Valley, Chile

Pinot Grigio If you would like to know how a certain grape should taste, this range is the perfect introduction. Each wine has been selected for its character and excellent value.

Light, fresh, and appetisingly simple. Aromas and flavours of black cherries and raspberries.

Best served slightly chilled; great with duck or chicken.

Typically modern with simple winemaking concentrating on vibrancy of fruit. Chile’s climate lends itself brilliantly to growing pinot noir with a cool and consistent climate.

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‘BULL’S BLOOD’, TALISMAN PRICE: £6.99 (code 718126)

Torley Vineyards ORIGIN: Tokay, Hungary

Egri Bikaver

Torley is an innovative winery at the forefront of Hungarian winemaking and Bull’s Blood is one of Hungary’s most famous wines and according to legend, dates back to 1552.

Aromas of dark fruits and ripe plums balanced with notes of black pepper and hints of autumnal leaves.

Rustic and wintery meaty stews with peppers and paprika.

The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested in late October from vineyards near the town of Eger. They were then fermented on their skins in stainless steel tanks for 12 days to enhance the freshness of the fruit flavours before being fermented in Hungarian oak barrels for six months to enhance the bold dark fruits and peppery notes.

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TERRA DE LOBOS PRICE: £6.99 (code 714757)

Quinta do Casal Branco ORIGIN: Ribatejo, Portugal

60% Castelao & 40% Cabernet Sauvignon

Just to the north of Lisbon, on the east bank of the river Tagus, Quinta do Casal Branco is a large mixed farm that grows tomatoes, melons, wheat and maize. Jose Lobo de Vasconcelos, whose family has been here since 1775, also has 135 hectares of vines. Jose uses a mix of local and international grape varieties to produce great value wines of real character.

Full, juicy and smooth with cherry and purple fruits. A spicy and floral nose. complexity and richness, bright fruit flavours, well balanced acidity.

Traditional, smoky flavoured Pata Negra Ham from Portuguese black pigs

Fermentation takes place in big concrete vats with rigorous temperature monitoring. No Oak ageing keeps the wine vibrant, fruity and fresh.

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CHEMIN DES PÈLERINS PRICE: £7.49 (code 717506)

Producteurs Plaimont ORIGIN: Gers, France

Arrufiac, Petit Courbu and Manseng

In the heart of South-West France, in a beautifully-preserved region, the appellation of Saint Mont stretches out to the foothills of the Pyrenees. Benedictine monks grew vines here in the 11th century as can be seen today from the Monastery which dominates the village of Saint-Mont.

Fascinating Gascon grapes give a complex array of fruity, floral and herby characters in this dry white.

Great with terrine, påté and pickles.

Each grape variety is harvested at optimal maturity and vinified separately, the wines are then carefully blended together. There is some skin contact during the winemaking of the Gros Manseng to give texture ripeness.

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DÃO ‘GANDARADA’ BRANCO PRICE: £8.99 (code 717412)

Boas Quintas ORIGIN: Northern Portugal

Encruzado, Cerceal Branco and Malvasia Fina

Sociedade Agrícola Boas Quintas is a personal project of the oenologist Nuno Cancela de Abreu, launched in 1991 with the objective of producing estate-bottled wines from the re-awakening ancient wine region of the Dão. The philosophy underlining the project is to produce wines of high quality but of essentially Portuguese character.

With a pale green colour and a citrussy and mineral aromas, this wine has refreshingly balanced fresh and crisp flavours on the palate with a very lifted, aromatic finish.

Great as an aperitif wine with salads and light fish dishes.

Grapes are harvested, destemmed and crushed quickly with fermentation at cool temperatures. All done to retain vibrancy and crisp acidity.

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BACCOLO BIANCO PRICE: £8.99 (code 718177)

Famiglia Cielo ORIGIN: Veneto, Italy

Garganega, Sauvignon Blanc

The use of the apassimento technique with white grapes sounded intriguing and we we’re stunned by the texture that the winehad while retaining freshness and vibrancy. Clever stuff indeed.

Ripe textured with lively acidity, flavours of dried apricot and almond.

This is a perfect white to go with creamy and nutty cheeses.

Made using the ‘Appassimento’ technique (usually reserved for red wine) of drying the grapes slightly before making the wine. This production method gives a ripe and full-bodied texture and concentrated flavours. The use of this technique retains acidity, aroma and elegance, an approachable and intriguing white, interesting stuff.