SPARKLING
Josef Chromy Tasmanian Sparkling NV £20.00
Winemaker and winery: Jeremy Dineen, Josef Chromy
Grape varieties: 55% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 5% Riesling
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes for this wine were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, and the juices were tasted and blended before fermentation. Primary fermentation was carried out in stainless steel tanks with a natural yeast strain, and the wine was then stabilised with the same yeast strain prior to re-inoculation, ready for bottle fermentation. The wine was tiraged with no malolactic fermentation, and was disgorged after 18 months on lees.
Base: 2012
Disgorgement Date: February 2013
Dosage: 9g/l
12.0% vol.
Tinned grapefruit nose. Light and off-dry with a grapefruit finish.
CHAMPAGNE
Charles Orban Blanc de Noirs BrutNV £30.00
Winemaker and winery: Christophe Rapeneau, Charles Orban
Grape varieties: 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier
Viticulture/Vinification: This champagne was produced in the traditional method. The cuverie at Charles Orban uses 100% thermo-regulated tanks.
Base: 2009
Disgorgement Date: November 2012Dosage: 12g/l.
12.0% vol.
Very full-flavoured and biscuity. Good, but on the expensive side.
Orpale Grand Cru 2002 £60.00
Winemaker and winery: Yannick Collet, Union Champagne
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Viticulture/Vinification: All of the grapes used to produce this champagne were sourced from classified Grand Cru vineyards. Only 50% of the base wines underwent malolactic fermentation, and after secondary fermentation the wine was left to mature on lees for at least 10 years in cellar.
Base: 2002
Disgorgement Date:June 2012Dosage: 7g/l.
12.5% vol.
Dark golden. Very, very savourily biscuity. Really toasty. Yum but not cheap.
Italy
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Toscana Bianco 2012 £5.99
Winemaker and winery: Miria Bracali, Val delle Rose/Villa Cerna
Grape varieties: 62% Vermentino, 28% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Tuscany
Viticulture/Vinification: The vineyards here have an average yield of nine tonnes per hectare. Temperature controlled fermentation occurred at 15°C.
12.00%
Lightly fruity nose. Sweetish and flabby. Why?
Grillo 2012 £6.99
Winemaker and winery: Stefano Chioccioli, Petrosina
Grape variety: 100% Grillo
Region: Sicily
Viticulture/Vinification: The climate is warm and Mediterranean and the vines are on average 20 years old. The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested late in mid September, and after primary fermentation the wine underwent cold stabilisation. The wine did not receive oak treatment.
13.00%
Little aroma. Fizzy and bitter. Not good. Even with food, this wouldn’t work.
Grecanico 2012 £6.99
Winemaker and winery: Giuseppe Clementi, Caruso e Minini
Grape variety: 100% Grecanico
Region: Sicily
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes for this wine were hand-picked and then soft pressed whole after being subjected to a sudden, sharp drop in temperature. After static clearing of the must, fermentation occurred at a controlled temperature of 16°-18°C for 20 days in stainless steel tanks.
12.5% vol.
Full of flavour on the nose. Really ripe and heavy. Same in the mouth. Bone dry but very interesting and not just for an Italian white. Good.
Zibibbo 2012 £7.49
Winemaker and winery: Stefano Chioccioli, Cantine Fina
Grape variety: 100% Zibibbo
Region: Sicily
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes for this wine were picked late in mid-September. Primary fermentation was followed by cold stabilisation, and the wine did not receive oak treatment.
12.0% vol.
Pretty nose. FYI Zibibbo is Muscat in Italian. It’s very floral, but it’s bone dry, with a grapefruit backbone. Would work for those who like Torres Vina Esmerelda.
Diantha 2012 £9.99
Winemaker and winery: Gaspare Catalano, Carlo Pellegrino & Co.
Grape varieties: 80% Malvasia and 20% Grecanico
Region: Sicily
Viticulture/Vinification: The10-12 year old vines here are trained on the Guyot and Espalier systems and undergo medium-long pruning. The vineyards are located in the Marsala/ Mazara region near the sea, where the soil is predominantly clay. The grapes were soft pressed and fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. The wine received no oak treatment.
Plenty of flavour. A slight fizz. Quite good. Needs to be chilled right down.
Langhe DOC Arneis 2012 £12.99
Winemaker and winery: Giuliano Bedino, Cantine Ascheri
Grape variety: 100% Arneis
Region: Piedmont
Viticulture/Vinification: The vines here are trained on the Guyot system and simple pruned with around seven or eight buds per spur. The average age of the vines is 20 years. Destemming and crushing was followed by a 6-8 hour criomaceration at 5°C. Controlled temperature fermentation took place at 19°-20° for around 20 days, and the wine was then left on lees before cooling, clarifying, and bottling.
13.0% vol.
Fresh, herbal and interesting. Long, savoury and interesting. Delicious.
Australia & New Zealand
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Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2012 £9.99
Winemaker and winery: Andrew Spinaze, Tyrrell’s Wines
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Hunter Valley
Viticulture/Vinification: The juice was separated quickly from the skins and fermented with a small amount of solids at 18°C for week. It was left on gross lees for six months prior to adjustments and bottling.
12.0% vol.
Stinky, reductive nose. Pithy, dry taste, which reminds me more of semillon. Pity about the nose.
Mule Viognier 2011 £13.99
Winemaker and winery: Steve Flamsteed, Innocent Bystander
Grape variety: 100% Viognier
Region: McLaren Vale
Viticulture/Vinification: The 2011 vintage in McLaren Vale had minimal rainfall in the ripening season. The soil here is limestone under red, sandy loams, and the vines are on average six years old. 100% Viognier from the HTK clone was used to produce this wine. The grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. The juice was wild fermented in barrel, with monthly bâtonnage. The wine was kept in old French barriques for six months.
13.0% vol.
Not a huge amount of aroma. Bone dry and grown up. Grapefruity finish.
Red Claw Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2011 £17.99
Winemaker and winery: Tom Carson, Yabby Lake
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Mornington Peninsula
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes were hand-harvested and gently whole bunch pressed in small batches before being left to settle overnight. Fermentation occurred in French oak barrels and there was no malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged on lees for eight months, before bottling in December 2011.
12.5% vol.
Not a very overt nose. Then I had a little chat and when I came back to it, it had opened up to be wonderfully aromatic. Pour this into your glass before you want to drink it. Tangy, dry and rather wonderful. Try the red as well.
WHITE CHILE
Paradiso Sauvignon Blanc 2012 £7.99
Winemaker and winery: Nicolas Bizzarri, Luis Felipe Edwards Wines
Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Central Valley
Viticulture/Vinification: This wine originates from T trellis system, drip irrigated vineyards that are located in the Central Valley and produce yields of around 12 tonnes per hectare. The Mediterranean climate of this area has clearly marked seasons, and high summer temperatures are tempered by both the marine breezes of the Pacific Ocean and the winds of the Andes Mountains. The grapes were fermented for three weeks at 14-15ºC and then kept on fine lees for two months.
12.5% vol.
Vegetal nose. Eau de spring onions. Not for me.
PX-Elqui 2011 £6.99
Winemaker and winery: Giorgio Flessati, Viña Falernia
Grape variety: 100% Pedro Ximenez
Region: Elqui Valley
Viticulture/Vinification: The Pedro Ximenez grapes used for this wine were hand-picked and then gently pressed within hours. The must was clarified by natural sediments and fermented in stainless steel tanks at 14-16ºC with selected yeasts. Following alcoholic fermentation the wine was racked and stored in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature on fine lees. There was no malolactic fermentation. Cold tartaric stabilisation at -4ºC occurred before fining and bottling.
13.0% vol.
Zesty, pithy nose. Very promising. Clean, dry and tangy. This is a great wine at a brilliant price. Not for beginners.
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Kaituna Hills Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012 £11.99
Winemaker and winery: Marieta Blasco Pérez, PRNZ Marlborough Winery
Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes for this wine were harvested in late April 2012. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were crushed and gently bag pressed. The juice was then fermented slowly at cool temperatures.
13.0% vol.
Lovely aroma – peapods and grass. Ripe and with grapefruit on the finish..
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Crow’s Fountain Chenin Blanc 2012 £7.99
Winemaker and winery: Jeff Grier, Villiera Wines
Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: Western Cape
Viticulture/Vinification: This wine originates from vineyards grown on light, low potential soils that are located to benefit from the cool breezes from False Bay. The grapes were hand-harvested in the early morning and underwent four hours of skin contact before being gently pressed in a Velo bag press. Cool fermentation followed, and 40% of the wine was then aged in a mixture of new and used French oak for six weeks.
12.5% vol.
Is this reductive or is it wet wool? Smells like damp cardboard. Bitter finish. Pity.
M’Hudi Sauvignon Blanc 2012 £8.99
Winemaker and winery: Jeff Grier, Villiera Wines
Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Western Cape
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes for this wine were sourced from a variety of locations. The Elgin grapes were taken from 11 year old vines grown in cool climate, high altitude vineyards, while the Stellenbosch grapes were taken from both Villiera’s trellised vineyards, and Villiera’s Bush Vine vineyard (old vines). This wine did not receive oak treatment.
13.0% vol.
Green, clean nose. Dry, clean and Loire-ish.
Villiera Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2012 £11.49
Winemaker and winery: Jeff Grier, Villiera Wines
Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: Stellenbosch
Viticulture/Vinification: For this wine fully ripe grapes with approximately 5% botrytis were picked from three selected mature vineyards. One of the blocks was a low yielding dry land bush vine vineyard. The settled juice was fermented in 225L French oak barrels (50% new and 50% 2nd fill). Malolactic fermentation was allowed in selected barrels, while bâtonnage was practiced on all barrels. The wine remained in barrel for three months prior to bottling.
14.0% vol.
Quite ripe fruit on the nose. Ripe palate as well. Not overtly oaky, but with a hint of texture and nice weight. Not terribly long.
France
WHITE LOIRE
Pouilly Fumé Mathilde de Favray 2010 £14.99
Winemaker and winery: Quentin David, Domaine Favray
Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Loire Valley
Viticulture and Winemaking: The vineyards at Domaine Favray grow on chalky soils and were harvested plot by plot at optimum ripeness. The grapes were pressed within 30 minutes of picking, and then fermented at a controlled temperature of 18ºC. The wine was kept on fine lees for three to six months in tank.
12.5% vol.
Lovely flinty nose. Very pithy, to the point of bitterness.
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Le Fleuve Bleu Blanc 2012 £5.49 and 1.5L pouch
Winemaker and winery: Philippe Amphoux , Vignerons Laudun Chusclan
Grape varieties: 68% Ugni Blanc/Colombard, 21% Grenache Blanc and 11% Chardonnay
Region: Southern France
Viticulture/Vinification: The vines here are planted on gravelly slopes, trained in the Cordon de Royat trellis system, and pruned in the Gobelet method. Direct pressing of the grapes by pneumatic press was followed by fermentation at 15-17°C in stainless steel tanks. The wine was fined and filtered before bottling.
Availability: 502 stores
12.0% vol.
Fresh, clean and aromatic. Tart, dry and I might have thought this was Sauvignon de Touraine.
Naturae Chardonnay 2012 £9.99
Winemaker and winery: Gérard Bertrand, Gérard Bertrand
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Pays d’Oc
Viticulture/Vinification: This wine was produced without added sulphur or any other additives. After harvest the grapes were immediately pressed, with cold must settling. Alcoholic fermentation was quick, and the temperature was restricted to 18°C. The wine was purified by racking before malolactic fermentation, and a further racking phase took place at controlled temperatures. The wine was bottled relatively early.
13.5% vol.
Little aroma. Good taste. Dry, pithy and grown up. Long.
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Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2011 £12.99
Winemaker and winery: Xavier Frouin, Cave de Tain
Grape variety: 100% Marsanne
Region: Crozes Hermitage, Northern Rhône
Viticulture/Vinification: The grapes for this wine were selected from vines up to 20 years old. They were crushed in pneumatic presses, and settled for 24 hours at 5ºC. Yeasting and fermentation in stainless steel tanks took place at a controlled temperature of 17ºC. The wine did not receive oak treatment.
13.0% vol.
Not a lot of nose. Bitter, but with weight.
Condrieu Les Etelles 2011 £39.00
Winemaker and winery: Yves Cuilleron, François Villard & Pierre Gaillard, Les Vins de Vienne
Grape variety: 100% Viognier
Region: Northern Rhône
Viticulture/Vinification: All the work carried out in the vineyards at Les Vins de Vienne is done by hand. Fermentation occurred in vats and casks at a low temperature with indigenous yeast. The wine spent nine months on lees, 50% in stainless steel vats and 50% in French oak casks.
14.0% vol.
Deep golden. Smells like greenhouse flowers and carries onto the palate. Alcohol, as usual, a little warm.
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White Burgundy 2011 £8.99 and 25cl
Winemaker and winery: Georges Brichon, Vignerons Des Terres Secrètes
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Burgundy
Viticulture/Vinification: The vines here are grown on soils composed of limestone and clay. After pressing, the juice was racked to separate the must, and fermentation at a low temperature of 16°C followed. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation, bentonite fining, and kieselghur filtration, but received no oak treatment.
12.5% vol.
Neutral nose and palate.
Chablis 2010 £10.99
Winemaker and winery: Cyril Gros, La Chablisienne
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Chablis
Viticulture/Vinification: The juice was cold settled before controlled temperature fermentation took place between 16-20°C in stainless steel tanks. The wine underwent natural malolactic fermentation and 10 months ageing on fine lees before bottling. Prior to release the wine was left to age for a further 18 months in bottle.
12.5% vol.
Nice green clean aroma. Very full flavoured, vibrant and exciting. VG indeed.
Organic Chablis Brocard 2010 £15.49
Winemaker and winery: Nadine Gublin & Odile Van der Moere, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Chablis
Viticulture/Vinification: At Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard crop sizes are carefully monitored and the biodynamic vineyards are kept herbicide and pesticide free. The natural immune system of the vines is encouraged through the introduction of predatory vine mites to eliminate phytophaous mites. Controlled fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, and malolactic fermentation was 100% completed. The wine received no oak treatment, but was aged on lees.
12.5% vol.
Deep golden. Full, leesy nose. Beee-utiful taste. So rich and ripe and heavy and textured. Blimey.
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Fleur d’Amélie White 2012 £9.99
Winemaker and winery: Valerie Valmy, Château de Sours
Grape varieties: 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon
Region: St. Quentin-de-Baron, Bordeaux
Viticulture/Vinification: The vines here are closely planted in high density on the limestone plateau that surrounds the Château. Here the terroir consists of shallow soil over a deep limestone base. The wine was cold fermented at 16°C for four to six weeks in stainless steel tanks with some of the wine being transferred to 2nd and 3rd year French oak barrels after fermentation began. This portion of the wine was then aged in oak for four to six months with regular bâtonnage. After ageing it was blended back into stainless steel tanks and filtered before being prepared for bottling. This wine was produced in a sustainable manner. Weed killers and pesticides were not used, and natural grass and wild flowers were planted to aid water regulation in the vineyard.
12.5% vol.
Catty, floral nose. Ditto taste. Bitter aftertaste. Not bad.