NORTHERN HEMISPHERE RED
LOUIS JADOT COTE DE BEAUNE-VILLAGES 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: Burgundy Producer: Louis Jadot
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13% Price: £13.95 Acidity: 3.5 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Sweet and very appealing nose. Gorgeous palate. Bright and exciting acidity with ripe fruit and a hint of oak. Ideal.
CHATEAU ST GERMAIN 2012
Region: Entre-deux-Mers Producer: Les Grands Chais de France
Grapes: 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
for 12 months in vat, bottled at the Château, then aged for 12 months.
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £8.26 Acidity: 3 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Lovely aroma. Blackcurranty and appealing. Light on the palate and intensely savoury. Good price.
CHATEAU TALMONT BORDEAUX 2012
Producer: Cave les Peyrières
Grapes: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 12% Price: £8.00 Acidity: 4.4 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Sweet vanilla oak on the nose. Very savoury and dry with maybe a hint of marmite. Nice.
CHATEAU DE LUSSAC 2009 WINE SHOP
Region: Bordeaux AOP Producer: Les Grands Chais de France
Grapes: 77% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £17.98 Acidity: 3 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.9 g/l
Very inviting nose. Clarety, but ripe. Cedar on the palate but this is a rounded and ripe wine. Delicious.
EXTRA SPECIAL COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES 2012
Producer: Cellier des Dauphins
Grapes: 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £6.75 Acidity: 3 g/l Residual Sugar: <2 g/l
Nice blackberry aroma. Carries through to the palate very nicely indeed. Great price.
JEAN-LUC COLOMBO COTES DU RHONE BONNE ROCHE 2010 WINE SHOP
Producer: Jean-Luc Colombo
Grapes: 50% Syrah, 45% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre
Alcohol: 13.8% Price: £9.95 Acidity: <1 g/l Residual Sugar: 1 g/l
Very black peppery nose. Good taste, too. Savoury but rounded and nicely spicy. Good.
LA COTERIE VACQUEYRAS 2012
Producer: Vignobles La Côterie
Grapes: 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 3% Mourvèdre, 2% Cinsault
Alcohol: 14% Price: £8.00 Acidity: 4.5 g/l Residual Sugar: 1.9 g/l
Ambitiously heavy bottle. Very rich nose. Chocolate, perhaps. Delicious. Long, full, bright and very moreish.
FAMILLE PERRIN GIGONDAS LA GILLE 2011 WINE SHOP
Producer: Famille Perrin
Grapes: 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.6% Price: £19.45 Acidity: 3.2 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Farmyardy with a hint of spirit on the nose. Farmyard, I love. Spirit, not so much. However, the palate is delicious. The fruit is sweet and almost tropical. This is fabulous.
EXTRA SPECIAL CROZES HERMITAGE 2008
Producer: Cave de Tain l’Hermitage
Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 12.6% Price: £8.75 Acidity: 3.7 g/l Residual Sugar: <2 g/l
This has a touch of fresh mintiness on the nose, with some very ripe fruit. Very bright and mouth-watering acidity. Good. Excellent price.
JEAN-LUC COLOMBO CROZES HERMITAGE LA TULIERE 2010 WINE SHOP
Producer: Jean-Luc Colombo
Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 13% Price: £13.98 Acidity: 3.6 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Very spicy and savoury nose. Dark, moody palate. Very dark and savoury. Prefer the ES above.
EXTRA SPECIAL CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2012 NEW VINTAGE
Producer: Leon Perdigal
Grapes: 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre
Alcohol: 14% Price: £12.50 Acidity: 3.3 g/l Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
Very thin colour. Sweet, light aroma. Rather lacking on the palate.
FAMILLE PERRIN CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE LES SINARDS 2010 WINE SHOP
Producer: Famille Perrin
Grapes: 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre Organic
Alcohol: 14.7% Price: £25.50 Acidity: 3 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Fabulously inviting nose. Warm, slightly woody, with developed fruit and some freshness. Very savoury, woody and exciting on the palate. Ought to be, though.
EXTRA SPECIAL BARBERA 2011
Producer: Araldica Vini Piemontesi
Grapes: 100% Barbera d’Asti
Alcohol: 14.5% Price: £8.00 Acidity: 6 g/l Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
Very herbal and inviting nose. Just the right palate. Barbera used to be a light wine but there seems to be a move towards rich and farmyardy wines, which I love. I’ll buy this for home.
EXTRA SPECIAL BAROLO 2009
Producer: Araldica Vini Piemontesi
Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo
Alcohol: 14% Price: £15.00 Acidity: 5.3 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Light colour and some woodiness on the nose. Lovely fresh acidity on the palate. Really lifts the mouth. Delicious, but lacking fragrance found on more expensive examples.
EXTRA SPECIAL CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2009
Producer: Castellani Spa
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Alcohol: 13% Price: £9.00 Acidity: 5.1 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.2 g/l
Minty and appealing aroma. Woody, savoury palate with nice acidity. Not bad at all.
EXTRA SPECIAL PRIMITIVO 2010
Region: Puglia IGT Producer: Casa Girelli Spa
Grapes: 100% Primitivo
Alcohol: 13.7% Price: £7.00 Acidity: 5.7 g/l Residual Sugar: 5.5 g/l
Sweet, baked fruit aroma – really fragrant. Baked fruit palate. If you like Barossa Shiraz consider trying this. Fair price.
EXTRA SPECIAL DAO 2011
Producer: Falua Sociedade de Vinhos
Grapes: 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Jaen, 30% Tinta Roriz
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £7.25 Acidity: 5.7 g/l Residual Sugar: <4 g/l
Sweet, parma violet nose. Fruity and the price is about right. I can’t get excited about this.
TAGUS CREEK SHIRAZ TRINCADEIRA 2012
Region: Tejo Producer: Falua Sociedade de Vinhos
Grapes: 50% Shiraz, 50% Trincadeira
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £6.25 Acidity: 5.5 g/l Residual Sugar: <4 g/l
Sweet, dark and plummy nose. Baked and pleasant palate. Great price. Again, if you like Barossa Shiraz, this is worth trying.
CONDE DE VIMIOSO 2011 WINE SHOP
Region: Portugal Producer: Falua Sociedade de Vinhos
Grapes: 20% Aragonez, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Nacional, 20% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £8.50 Acidity: 5.5 g/l Residual Sugar: <4 g/l
Fabulously inviting aroma. Dark and perfumed. Sweet palate. Good.
EXTRA SPECIAL OLD VINE GARNACHA 2012
Region: DOP Cariñena Producer: Covinca
Grapes: 85% Garnacha, 15% Syrah
Alcohol: 14% Price: £8.25 Acidity: 5.8 g/l Residual Sugar: 3.5 g/l
Simple fruity aroma. Ditto palate.
EXTRA SPECIAL EL MESON RIOJA GRAN RESERVA 2001 NEW
Producer: Baron de Ley
Grapes: 100% Tempranillo
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £13.00 Acidity: 5.3 g/l Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
Wow, this smells extraordinarily delicious. How can this be 2001 and cost £13? Peppery, oaky and refreshing. The taste lingers. W-O-W.
GRAN COLINA GRAN RESERVA 2006
Region: Rioja DOCa Producer: Bodegas Muriel
Grapes: 100% Tempranillo
Alcohol: 13% Price: £14.00 Acidity: 5.6 g/l Residual Sugar: <2 g/l
Quite a woody nose – more French in style than American. Light palate. I prefer the previous wine.
PAUL DE ALBAS RIBERA DEL DUERO 2012
Producer: Bodegas Larchago
Grapes: 100% Tempranillo
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £8.25 Acidity: 5 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Dark, plummy aroma. Definitely leads with its dark fruit and, to some degree, its alcohol.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE RED
EXTRA SPECIAL PINOT NOIR 2011
Region: Marlborough Producer: Wither Hills
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £12.00 Acidity: 6.4 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Lovely, inviting pinot nose. The palate is sweet, simple and of cherries. Nice, but no more.
EXTRA SPECIAL YARRA VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2012 NEW
Producer: De Bortoli
Grapes: 91% Pinot Noir, 6% Shiraz, 3% Other
Alcohol: 13% Price: £8.00 Acidity: 5.8 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.1 g/l
Disappointing aroma – a touch of damp dishcloth. Light and easy palate.
STONELEIGH PINOT NOIR 2011 WINE SHOP
Region: Marlborough Producer: Stoneleigh Vineyards
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.4% Price: £15.77 Acidity: 5.8 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.4 g/l
Very pale colour. Very oaky, smoky, bacony nose. Savoury and pretty nice palate. Price has jumped since last time I had this.
VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION PINOT NOIR 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: Marlborough Producer: Villa Maria
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £14.97 Acidity: 6.2 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Gentle fruit and some white pepper on the nose. Spicy, savoury palate. Bright and tangy. Alive. Good.
STONIER PINOT NOIR 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: Mornington Peninsula Producer: Stonier Wines
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.5% Price: £15.95 Acidity: 6.5 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Bacony, smoky nose. Bright, tangy palate. Really alive and exciting.
EXTRA SPECIAL BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ 2013 NEW
Producer: Complexity Wines
Grapes: 95% Shiraz, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 15% Price: £6.00 Acidity: 6.5 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Baked aroma, as expected. Palate very spicy and hot.
HEARTLAND LANGHORNE CREEK SHIRAZ 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: South Australia Producer: Heartland Wines
Grapes: 100% Shiraz
Alcohol: 14.9% Price: £13.95 Acidity: 5.6 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.5 g/l
Jeepers, that smells of heaven. A great big and exciting wine but with hot alcohol. Spoilt by that alcohol. If they tamed the heat, this would be stunning.
D’ARENBERG THE CADENZIA 2009 WINE SHOP
Region: McLaren Vale Producer: d’Arenberg
Grapes: 50% Grenache, 45% Shiraz, 5% Mourvèdre
Alcohol: 14.5% Price: £13.97 Acidity: 7.4 g/l Residual Sugar: 3 g/l
Very bright and fruity aroma. Dark and baked palate. A little dark and furry on the fi8nish.
HARDY’S EILEEN SHIRAZ 2004 WINE SHOP
Region: McLaren Vale Producer: Accolade Wines
Grapes: 100% Shiraz
Alcohol: 14% Price: £45.00 Acidity: 6.4 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.8 g/l
Excellent aroma. Bright, almost tropical, fruit. Inviting sweet vanilla oak. Really intense colour which stains the glass. The oak leads the palate, with its sweet vanilla. There’s a lot going on here, but will Asda’s customers want to spend £45?
JACOB’S CREEK JOHANN SHIRAZ CABERNET 2009 WINE SHOP
Region: Barossa Valley and Coonawarra Producer: Orlando Wines
Grapes: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14.6% Price: £37.48 Acidity: 6.1 g/l Residual Sugar: 6 g/l
Lovely smell – like beef with black bean sauce and green peppers. Beautiful palate – again, roast meaty with some soy and some green pepper. Don’t be cross with the description until you’ve tasted it. Very good.
HEARTLAND LANGHORNE CREEK DOLCETTO LAGREIN 2010 WINE SHOP
Producer: Heartland Wines
Grapes: 51% Dolcetto, 49% Lagrein
Alcohol: 13.7% Price: £11.45 Acidity: 5.8 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Very chocolaty oak. Great big, savoury and solid wine. Nice acidity. Interesting flavours.
HEARTLAND LANGHORNE CREEK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 WINE SHOP
Producer: Heartland Wines
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14.8% Price: £13.95 Acidity: 5.8 g/l Residual Sugar: 1.6 g/l
Not a huge amount of cabernet on the nose. The palate is massive, with toasty oak and bright acidity. Very savoury and rather good.
JACOB’S CREEK ST HUGO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 WINE SHOP
Region: Barossa Valley and Coonawarra Producer: Orlando Wines
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Vegetarian/Vegan
Alcohol: 14.5% Price: £28.50 Acidity: 6.8 g/l Residual Sugar: <1 g/l
Very exciting cabernet aroma. Blackcurrant leaf and some oak. Very dry palate. Good for food.
CONO SUR 20 BARRELS PINOT NOIR 2011 WINE SHOP
Region: Acongagua Producer: Cono Sur
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.8% Price: £16.97 Acidity: 6.3 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.3 g/l
Smells of heaven. Essence of pinot noir. Besutiful in the mouth. I love this wine.
ERRAZURIZ MAX RESERVA MERLOT 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: Aconcagua Producer: Errazuriz
Grapes: 90% Merlot, 5% Carmenere, 5% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14% Price: £12.47 Acidity: 6 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.6 g/l
Curiously lacking in aroma. I expect Max Reserva and Chilean merlot to give me a real hit of aroma. The palate is pleasant enough, but the alcohol leads.
ERRAZURIZ MAX RESERVA CARMENERE 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: Acongagua Producer: Errazuriz
Grapes: 100% Carmenere
Alcohol: 14% Price: £12.47 Acidity: 5.9 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.9 g/l
Really stalky and appealing nose. Dark, typical and appealing palate. Good price.
CONO SUR 20 BARRELS SYRAH 2008 WINE SHOP
Region: Limari and Maipo Valley Producer: Cono Sur
Grapes: 93% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 13.6% Price: £15.47 Acidity: 6.1 g/l Residual Sugar: 2.3 g/l
Sweet and syrupy nose with herbs. Very herbal palate. Lovely. A really bright and complex mouthful.
SWEETIES
VINCENT CAREME VOUVRAY SPRING 2012 WINE SHOP
Producer: Domaine Carême
Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
Alcohol: 12.5% Price: £11.48 Acidity: 4.9 g/l Residual Sugar: 5 g/l
Not a great deal of aroma. Dry, tangy and grapefruity. Long and rather nice.
MONCUCCO MOSCATO D’ASTI 2011 WINE SHOP
Producer: Fontanafredda
Grapes: 100% Moscato
Alcohol: 5.5% Price: £14.98 (50cl) Acidity: 6.6 g/l Residual Sugar: 140 g/l
Little aroma. Beautiful rose flavour. Touch of fizz. Sold in a Bordeaux bottle, not a fizz bottle. Beautiful.
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO LATE HARVEST SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010 WINE SHOP
Region: Maule Valley Producer: Concha y Toro
Grapes: 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Riesling, 5% Gewurztraminer
Alcohol: 12% Price: £5.97 (37.5cl) Acidity: 6.5 g/l Residual Sugar: 105.5 g/l
Sweet, syrupy nose. Sweet and rich but with the sauvignon tang. Good and fab price.
VILLA MARIA RESERVE MARLBOROUGH NOBLE RIESLING BOTRYTIS 2011 WINE SHOP
Producer: Villa Maria
Grapes: 100% Riesling
Alcohol: 10% Price: £18.45 (37.5cl) Acidity: 7 g/l Residual Sugar: 188 g/l
Very exciting nose. Gorgeous floral palate. Perhaps a little sticky on the finish.