House Dessert Wine NV 37.5cl £3.99
A blend of Riesling, Rivaner and Silvaner from the Rheinhessen region of Germany. The grapes for this Beerenauslese are hand-harvested and fermented for a period of 30 days in a stainless steel tank at 16–18°C. The wine is then held in stainless steel before bottling. Bentonite is used for fining and the wine is filtered with a crossflow filtration. Residual sugar: 120g/l. Winemaker: Peter Griebeler. New, available now, 485 stores, exclusive, screw cap 9.5%
Little aroma. Sweet, simple and pleasant.

Sainsbury’s Muscat de St. Jean de Minervois NV 37.5cl £4.99 100% Muscat Petit Grain. The vineyard is located on a white limestone plateau located 50km from the Mediterranean. The grapes undergo typical Muscat vinification: pressing, decanting, fermentation in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature and then pure alcohol is added to stop fermentation and preserve sugar levels. Residual sugar: 125g/l. Winemaker: Marie Julian at Val d’Orbieu Group. New vintage, available now, 461 stores, exclusive, synthetic cork 15.0%
Spicy barley sugar aroma. Sweet, heavy and rolls around your mouth.  The alcohol is warm, and the finish is butterscotch.

Taste the Difference Sauternes 2010 37.5cl £12.99 65% Semillon, 35% Sauvignon, produced at Château Guiraud, 1st growth in Sauternes, consisting of 85ha of single vineyards. This wine is hand-picked by successive selections through the vines (2-6 selections), selecting only botrytised grapes. The Sauvignon is picked at about 18° alcohol potential to give acidity. The Semillon is picked at about 20° alcohol potential to give body. The vines are cultivated on sandy gravel (80%) and clay gravel (20%). The sub-soils are extremely diverse with sand and gravel crossed through with red and white clay, limestone marls and fossilised oyster beds. 50% of the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures and 50% in new barrels over a period of three weeks to two months. Different batches are fermented on lees until they reach their own equilibrium, which is dependent upon their selection. This vintage is 100% aged in new oak barrels for 12 months. The wine is fined with bentonite. Residual sugar: 123g/l. Winemaker: Xavier Planty, winemaker and co-owner of Château Guiraud, 1st grand cru classé in 1855 and certified as an organic estate in 2011. New vintage, available now, 376 stores, exclusive, natural cork 14.0%
Wonderful aroma of jasmine, ripe apricots, some marmalade. It hangs in the mouth, with marmalade pith.  Nice.

Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla NV 50cl £6.99 100% Palomino Fino. Young and old vines up to 100yrs old are planted in the famous chalky Albariza soil in the ‘Balbaina’ and ‘Miraflores’ areas of the Jerez Superior District (200ha approx). The old vines are harvested by hand and the wine is produced from only free run juice. Fermentation is controlled in water-cooled stainless steel tanks, using the naturally occurring yeast. Fortification, from 11.5% approx. to 15% alcohol by volume, then takes place using grape alcohol. The wine is then matured in a solera system in 14 criaderas of American oak casks in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Andalucia. The use of 14 criaderas rather than the usual 7 is unique to the Bodegas Hidalgo warehouses and adds complexity to the maturing blend, resulting in the presence of much older wines in the blend. Bentonite is used for fining. Residual sugar: 0.03g/l. Winemaker: Antonio Sanchez. The family-owned company, dating back to the 18th century, is run by Javier Hidalgo, representing the 6th generation of ownership. New, available mid October, 353 stores, natural cork 15.0%

This smells like rain on warm cement. Beautifully savoury, but not austere.  If you need to drink sherry (some of us do) and you aren’t sure you like it, this is a very good starting place.  Note: the price is for a smaller bottle. Very useful.

Bodegas Hidalgo Pasada Pastrana Manzanilla NV £12.99 100% Palomino Fino from the single estate of Pastrana. The idea for this wine came from a collaboration in 1987 between Javier Hidalgo of Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana and his old friend and fellow winemaker of the Oporto region, Cristiano van Zeller. The wines selected originate from the Hidalgo family’s ‘Pastrana’ vineyard situated in the Miraflores district near Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The wine is produced from only free run juice. Fermentation is controlled in water-cooled stainless steel tanks, using the natural yeast on the grape. Fortification, from 11.5% approx. to 15% alcohol by volume, then takes place using grape alcohol. The wine is then matured for roughly double the time of La Gitana Manzanilla in the same solera system of American oak casks in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Andalucia. The 14 criaderas in the Bodegas Hidalgo warehouses rather than the usual 7 is unique to Bodegas Hidalgo and adds complexity to the maturing blend of Manzanilla, resulting in the molecular presence of much older wines in the final blend. Bentonite is used for fining. Residual sugar: 2 g/l. Winemaker: Antonio Sanchez. The family-owned company, dating back to the 18th century, is run by Javier Hidalgo, representing the 6th generation of ownership. New, available mid October, 89 stores, natural cork 15.0%

A little more aroma than the Gitana. Much more texture and salt on the palate.  Really tasty and ideal with mushroom starters, soups, and so much more.

Taste the Difference 12 Year Old Amontillado 50cl £7.99 100% Palomino Fino from Lustau’s Montegilillo vineyard situated at ‘Pago Carrascal’ to the north of the sherry district. The chalky albariza soil, rich in calcium carbonate and with high porosity, retains the humidity for the vines. The grapes are picked at the end of August and the resulting must is fermented in stainless steel tanks before being fortified. The wine is aged for 12 years in American oak casks through the solera system in Lustau’s cathedral-like bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera. Prior to bottling, the wine is fined with gelatine and bentonite, and filtered to 0.65 microns. Residual sugar: 6g/l. Winemaker: Manuel Lozano at Emilio Lustau S.A. Available now, 401 stores, exclusive, cork stopper 19.0%

Deep amber colour.  Not much aroma. Lovely flavour.  Very salty and savoury, with some dry caramel flavour.  Think salted caramel sauce, but not sweet.  Or good on ice cream.

Taste the Difference 12 Year Old Oloroso 50cl £7.99 100% Palomino Fino from Lustau’s Montegilillo vineyard situated at ‘Pago Carrascal’ to the north of the sherry district. The chalky albariza soil, rich in calcium carbonate and with high porosity, retains the humidity for the vines. The grapes are picked at the end of August and the resulting must is fermented in stainless steel tanks before being fortified. The wine is aged for 12 years in American oak casks through the solera system in Lustau’s cathedral-like bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera. Prior to bottling, the wine is fined with gelatine and bentonite, and filtered to 0.65 microns. Residual sugar: 8g/l. Winemaker: Manuel Lozano at Emilio Lustau S.A. Available now, 401 stores, exclusive, cork stopper 20.0%

A rich and chocolatey aroma.  This is dry, but there’s a definite sweetness when you first try it and then a definite savoury dryness. Nice.

Taste the Difference 12 Year Old Sweet Pedro Ximenez 50cl £7.99100% Pedro Ximenez grown in Southern Andalusia and aged in Williams and Humbert’s bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera. The grapes are hand-picked and left on straw mats in the Andalusian sunshine for about two weeks to dry and become raisin-like. The soils are chalky white and excellent for retaining moisture, with Summer temperatures reaching 37-40ºC. The wine undergoes a brief fermentation in stainless steel tanks before fortification. It is then aged in oak casks using the Criadera and Solera System of Jerez for a minimum of 12 years. There is no fining process and only light filtration is undertaken. Residual sugar: 385g/l. Winemakers: Antonio Fernandez and Paola Medina.Available now, 378 stores, exclusive, cork stopper 18.0%

Brown, like marmite. Smells of malt and figs.  Syrupy and figgy and rolls around your mouth, very, very sweetly.

Sainsbury’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port NV, Douro Valley £14.40Traditional Portuguese varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão are sourced from Symington family Quintas and independent farmers. All grapes are hand-picked and fermented with natural yeast at 26-30°C until desired sweetness is reached (within 48hrs). The wine is fortified with grape brandy at 77% v/v (80% must / 20% brandy) and aged in seasoned oak vats until it reaches maturation. The wine is fined with bentonite and gelatine and undergoes Kieselguhr clay and pad filtration to 25 microns. Residual sugar: 112g/l. Winemaker: Charles Symington. Available now, 100 stores, exclusive, natural cork 20.0%

Pale red colour, rather than brick-coloured tawny. Not much aroma. Sweet, spicy, hot alcohol. Lovely. Try it with cheese or chocolate.

Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port NV, Douro Valley £19.99 Primarily sourced from Graham’s Quintas: Quinta dos Malvedos, Quinta do Tua, Quinta das Lages, Quinta da Vila Velha and Quinta do Vale de Malhadas using a blend of traditional Portuguese varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão. The region’s hot and dry micro-climate and unique schist soil provide optimum growing and ripening conditions. All grapes are hand-picked and fermented with natural yeast at 26-30°C until desired sweetness is reached (within 48hrs). The wine is fortified with grape brandy at 77% v/v (80% must / 20% brandy) and aged in seasoned oak vats until it reaches maturation. The wine is fined with bentonite and gelatine and undergoes Kieselguhr clay and pad filtration to 25 microns. Residual sugar: 112g/l. Winemaker: Charles Symington. Available mid October, 422 stores, natural cork 20.0%

This comes in a dumpy, heavy bottomed bottle and cardboard tube and so makes a nice present. Little aroma. Sweet, rich, savoury, baked, caramel.  Lovely. 

_________________
mel