Taste the Difference South African Pinotage 2011 £7.99
100% Pinotage. The Fairtrade certified vineyards are situated on the west coast of South Africa, 30km from the Atlantic Ocean. These dry land bush vines are planted on decomposed sandstone soils at 500m above sea level, where the daytime temperature in the summer is 33°C and by night 15°C, contributing to even ripening and good colour intensity of the grapes. This Pinotage was picked at the beginning of March and had 24hrs of skin contact at 15°C to obtain the desired colour and flavour before fermentation was started with selected yeast strains under controlled conditions at 29°C. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then matured for four months on French and American oak staves. It is fined with bentonite and filtered prior to cold stabilisation and bottling. Residual sugar: 2.7g/l. Winemaker: Jaco Brand at Charles Back’s Citrusdal Fairtrade Winery.
Available now, 499 stores, exclusive, screw cap 14.5%

Not a great deal on the nose but the taste is lovely. Really bright, juicy and refreshing.  The oak is a little woody, if I can say that - that'll be the chips - more surface area.

House Pinot Noir NV £4.49
100% Pinot Noir from vineyards located in the foothills of the western Carpathian Mountains of Romania on light loam soils with outcrops of limestone bedrock, within IG Viile Timisului. The grapes were harvested between 15th – 20th September 2011, with 30% of the wine undergoing carbonic maceration and 70% fermented in stainless steel tanks for 3 weeks. Once fermented dry, the wine is gently pressed then undergoes malolactic fermentation. 75% of the wine is aged in stainless steel for a minimum of 4 months and 25% is aged for 3 months with Transylvanian oak staves. The wine is fined with egg white and filtered using a crossflow filter. Residual sugar: 5g/l. Winemakers: Hartley Smithers and Nora Iriate.
Available now, 585 stores, exclusive, screw cap 13.0%

Lovely pinot nose. A lot of nose for the price. Heck, the price is good as well. The Burgundians don't need to lose any sleep, but this is a cheerful little pinot at a cracking price.



Giesen Estate Pinot Noir 2010 £10.99
100% Pinot Noir sourced from 6 Marlborough vineyards in Rapaura, Kaituna, Brancott, Waihopai and Riverlands. There was almost a month between the first and last picking dates, such is the variation between the 6 locations. All but one vineyard is hand-harvested with the hand-picked fruit being sorted and partially crushed into fermenters then held cold on skins for 7 to 14 days for flavour extraction. Some batches have up to 15% whole bunches so that the stems contribute to the unique character of the wine. The grapes are then warmed and a combination of selected yeast added, then a wild ferment commences. Fermentation is completed over 12 to 20 days and the wine is left on its skins for up to 4 days before pressing into 225L and 300L French oak barrels ranging from 1st to 5th use for up to 12 months. A natural malolactic fermentation is completed in spring as the cellar warms up. The wine sees light egg white fining before filtration and bottling in September. Residual sugar: 4.6g/l.
Winemakers: Andrew Blake and Anna Kingscote. This wine has ageing potential of up to 5 years.
New, available 15th June, 300 stores, exclusive, screw cap 13.5%

Not a great deal on the nose. Light, fruity and easy. Doesn't really warrant £10.99.

Taste the Difference Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010 £9.99
100% Pinot Noir from a north-facing hillside vineyard in the Lowburn sub-region. The vineyard’s dry, arid schist slopes abound with wild thyme and roses. Selected blocks are hand-harvested, destemmed and crushed into small vats. The must is cold-soaked for 6 days prior to indigenous yeast fermentation and hand-plunged for gentle colour extraction and texture. The wine undergoes a short post fermentation maceration in vat prior to malolactic fermentation and elevage. 60% of the wine is matured in oak barrels for 1 year. The wine undergoes minimal fining and filtration. Residual sugar: <2g/l. Winemaker: Tony Bish at Sacred Hill Wines.
Available now, 450 stores, exclusive, screw cap 13.0%

Not a lot of aroma. Sweet palate. It's pinot, but it doesn't sing.

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2010 £9.99
100% Pinot Noir selected from high quality parcels from a diverse range of microclimates, grown on predominantly loamy sand soils. Some parcels are whole-bunch fermented in small, covered bins, while others parcels are destemmed and crushed in small static fermenters. Some parcels are fermented with indigenous yeasts. After pressing of the skins, parcels are matured in French oak hogsheads (around 4% new oak). The wine is filtered using SMP/PVPP fining agents. Residual sugar: 0.6g/l. Winemaker: Sam Kurtz.
New vintage, available now, 422 stores, exclusive, screw cap 13.6%

Very little aroma. Very light and easy. Nice, gluggable, no more.

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