DESSERT WINE
L’Ilot de Haut-Bergeron Sauternes 2010 £9.99
Winemaker and winery: Hervé and Patrick Lamothe Château Haut Bergeron
90% Semillon 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle
Viticulture/Vinification: Average age of vines is 60 years. Grapes are hand-picked vinified and a proportion of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.
402 stores
14%
Gorgeous lime-zest nose. Really floral and inviting. Refreshing acidity. Very very floral. Gorgeous.
Late Harvest Riesling 2011 £14.99
Winemaker and winery: Andries Burger Paul Cluver
100% Riesling
Elgin South Africa
Viticulture/Vinification: Following skin contact the grapes are pressed and the juice settled at 5°C for 2 days. Fermentation is controlled at 14-16°C for 8 weeks. 30% is fermented and matured in third and fourth fill barrels for 6 months prior to blending stabilizing and bottling.
65 stores
10.50%
Deep amber/gold colour. Heavy heady dried apricot nose. Intensely sweet and luscious. The merest hint of marmalade and the rest is like good apricot jam.
Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2001 £14.99
Winemaker and winery: Akos Kamocsay Hilltop Neszmely
70% Hárslevelü and 30% Furmint
Viticulture/Vinification: Grapes are harvested towards the end of October. Furmint wine is added to the Botryised grapes for 24 to 36 hours. The wine is then partially fermented in Hungarian oak barrels for 8 years.
200 stores
11.50%
Ginger colour. Barleysugar nose. Quite a savoury sweet taste and not heavy because of the bright acidity.
Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina 2003 £15.99
Winemaker and winery: Gianfranco Grati Fattoria di Vetrice
35% Trebbiano 35% Malvasia and 30% Sangiovese
Tuscany
Viticulture/Vinification: A Vin Santo is only made during the best years. The grapes are hung from rafters to dry from when first harvested until December. They are then are soft pressed. The must is sealed into Caratelli (small barrels of up to 50 L) for a minimum of 6 years to a maximum of 10 years.
229 stores
17%
Dark amber. Burnt caramel nose. Very oxidative taste. Almost oloroso sherry like. Nice.