G. D. Vajra, Dolcetto d'Alba, Coste e Fossati 2009
£17.00 13.5% The Wine Society
Intense flavour of briars and soft yet fresh fruit from the estate's oldest vines. Coste and Fossati are Aldo Vajra's two best dolcetto vineyards, producing intense, balanced wine with an unusual ability to age. The vineyards are situated at 400 metres above sea level in the village of Vergne in the commune of Barolo. No wood ageing on this wine.
Not a lot on the nose. Quite chewy tannin. Not great. I’d wait a couple of years for this.
Mascarello, Dolcetto d'Alba, Bricco 2009
£11.95 14.5% The Wine Society
More evidence that 2009 is a super vintage for dolcetto with generous aroma and flavour. This lovely wine is made from grapes grown at the top (bricco) of their Monprivato vineyard.
Nicely farmyardy nose with, perhaps, liquorice. A very odd taste. Intensely savoury – almost to the point of Marmite. Needs food. Or toast.
Thymiopoulos Naoussa 2009
£10.95 13.5% The Wine Society
A great discovery for us with seductively fragrant bouquet and Burgundian finesse and texture. Made from unoaked young-vine xynomavro close to the northern Greek border.
Apostolos Thymiopoulos recently took over the family vineyard and has transformed the quality.
Pale, like pinot noir, for those of you not au fait with xinomavro. Cherry aroma. Lovely taste. In the same ballpark as pinot noir, I suppose. Cherry flavour and light, but with a hint of furry tannin.
Duas Pedras 2009
£8.95 13.5% The Wine Society
Duas Pedras is a smooth and fragrant blend of approximately 60% touriga nacional with 40% syrah, plus a touch of viognier. The vineyards are high (the mountain range, close to the border with Spain, is the highest in southern Portugal), and the wine is named 'Two Stones' after the granite and schist in the soils here.
Strong chocolate nose. Very, very sweet nose – like Black Forest Gateau. Beautiful. Delicious taste. Spicy, with dark, perfumed fruits. Long and very perfumed flavour. Maybe for cheese – definitely not for beef casserole.
Quinta da Manuela, Douro 2001
£18.00 14.5% The Wine Society
A rare example of Douro red with bottle age, this field blend was made from a five-hectare plot of very old vines in the Cima Corgo sub region. 2000 was the first table wine vintage, with the balance of the fruit still sold to Taylors for Port. Made by one of Portugal's most highly respected winemakers, Jorge Serôdio Borges.
Dark, moody nose. Sweet fruit, plenty of alcohol. Quite interesting.
Avaniel, Ribera del Duero 2010
£7.50 13.5% The Wine Society
This is a young, fresh and unoaked wine from Bodegas Monteabellón which offers all the intensity of flavour that has made Ribera del Duero so famous but at a jaw-droopingly low price.
Lovely outlined bottles on label. Dark, spicy fruits on the nose. Pretty sweet and hot. Actually, the price is good. Not my type of wine.