Virgin Wines Winter Press Tasting 2011

I'm always curious about 'wine club' wines. Laithwaites, Virgin, Naked Wines, Sunday Times Wine club, etc. They are a gateway for people to get into wine. They offer mixed cases of wines to uninformed people at a reasonable price (that sounds snobbish but I mean that in a good way - we need it). However, often the wines themselves aren't so great, despite the marketing hype behind them. Sure, they are not necessarily a rip-off, but you can usually do better once you accumulate your own knowledge and can make informed choices.

The wines themselves at this Virgin tasting are best described as 'safe'. They are definitely a step up from say, a Laithwaites-driven wine club introductory case, which from my own experience is rubbish (although to be fair they do offer good wines as well if you seek them out). There weren't many duds, and there was also a couple of pleasant surprises. The individual bottle prices I think are a bit steep, but as part of a mixed case they are reasonable. As a result I've left the prices out, but they are mostly in the £9-12 range, with the odd exception.

There seemed to be heavy emphasis on Spain, Australia, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. Not a criticism - they just seem to be catering to popular taste and good value.

Tom and I compared notes, and here's what we found. We didn't both taste all the wines, but between us we had them all covered.

Thanks to Louise for being such a gracious host.

Discovery Club Festive Selection

This is an introductory 'festive' case. Tom didn't get a chance to taste these, so here are my thoughts:

Indomita Arte Reserve Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc 2011. Fresh, good acidic bite, no dodgy lingering aftertaste (which I find can happen with Chilean SB). 3/5

Transit of Venus Sauvignon Grenache Roussanne 2010. Fresh but slightly muted flavour. Good if you like your Sauvignon Blanc with a bit more subtlety. Interesting blend. 3/5

The Lost Arrow Reserve Western Australian Chardonnay 2010. Fresh and good acidity, would be a great food wine. 3/5

Pary Dumont Viognier 2010. Slightly peachy, but again a bit muted, although proper Viognier character. 3/5

Indomita Reserve Casablanca Pinot Noir 2011. I quite liked this - a surprise for me as I usually don't like new world Pinot Noir. Fresh, fruity, a bit of tannic grip. And best of all no dirt/straw character. 3.5/5

Star & Vine Lodi Shiraz 2010. California Shiraz that for me paralleled the Chilean style, which I like. However if seemed a bit one-dimensional. 2.5/5

Don Diego Escolano Reserve 2007. Back to a more traditional and reserved style with this Spanish red. Good. 3/5

Ravensthorpe Padthaway Shiraz Grenache 2008. I thought this was rather plonkish. 2/5

First Class Discovery Club Festive Selection

This is supposedly a classier version of the Discovery Club Festive Selection. The wines are a pound or two more. Both Tom and I tried these, so I'm just going to offer a Siskel & Ebert-style thumbs up / thumbs down (a thumbs up being '+' and a thumbs down being '-').

Ralio Gillo 2010. Nice characterful Italian white. I've been looking for an Italian white like this for a long time. Tim+

Tom+

Atalaya do Mar Gordello 2010. Similar to previous, but the Spanish version. Tim+ Tom+

Red Ocean Reserve Barrel Chardonnay 2011. Disappointing lack of oaky, butter character (which is apparently intentional). Not my thing. Tim- Tom-

Coteau Chatrie Vouvary Demi-Sec 2010. Honey sweetness balanced by good acidity.Tim+ Tom+

Artazuri Garnacha 2010. Another pleasant surprise. Racy, fruity, almost fizzy. Could have glugged it all evening. Not Tom's thing though. Tim+ Tom-

Desert and Dunes Reserve Shiraz 2011. Doesn't stand out. Pretty boring Aussie Shiraz. Tim- Tom-

'The Big Mo' Barossa Valley Shiraz 2009. Spicy oaky vanilla Shiraz. Tim- Tom+

Stars of Tomorrow

This is a selection of 'test' wines that Virgin would like to sell, but are awaiting the response of the consumer before permanently adding them to their catalogue. More interesting wines for sure, although I think they could do better in terms of quality/price.

Soaring Kite Viognier Riesling 2007. Promising, intriguing blend. Has bottle-age Riesling character (petrol), but finish is fairly flat. Past its best? Tim- Tom-

Castell del Remel Blanc Planell Costers del Segre 2010. I though this was competent. Fresh, tart and restrained. Tim+ Tom-

Domaine les Grands Presbyteres Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie 2009. I liked this - crisp and refreshing, and no dodgy yeasty aftertaste like you get with some of these Muscadets. Tim+

Nico 'The Blend' Sauvignon Blanc 2009. Some stony and sour character in this South African Sauvignon Blanc. Interesting take on this grape. Tim+

De Martino 347 Limari Chardonnay 2010. A lot of unoaked Chardonnay at this tasting. I thought that bugbear was behind us? Well made but not my thing. Tim+

Domaine d'Aiguillon Viognier 2010. Perfectly safe, drinkable white. Tim+

Domaine Andre Brunel Vin de Pays de Vaucluse 2010. Spicy, balanced but maybe a bit over-oaked. Tim+ Tom+

The Grid Triple Barrel Shiraz Private Bin 2009. Over-oaked, poor fruit character. Tim- Tom-

Novas Winemakers Selection Casablanca Syrah 2008. Typical Chilean dark chocolate notes. Fairly full-on. I like it but Tom doesn't. Tim+ Tom-

Mas Oller Blau 2009. Good fruit and oak. Tim+ Tom+

Finca Laderas Del Espiagno 2009. Fruity but I found it boring. Tim- Tom+

Wilson Family Vineyard Comald Victorian Merlot Cabernet Shiraz 2010. Well-done Bordeaux blend (with Aussie Shiraz twist). Tim+ Tom+

Top 12 All Star Wines

Customer Favourites. It was interesting to compare our thoughts to those of Virgin's customers. The result is a mixed bag.

Les Audrelles Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2010. Didn't get past Tom. Tom-

Oroura Station Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010. Sour apple, shellfish, scallop and crab character? Um...ok. Wish I had tried it now. Tom+

Pax Verbatim roackwater Fountain Viognier 2009. One dimensional. Tom-

Coltbridge Reserve High Eden Valley Chardonnay 2010. Minerally unoaked Chardonnay. Again, not my thing but well made. Tim- Tom+

Vina Leyda Gewurtztraminer Reserva 2010. I felt this had poor Gewurtz character. A let-down. Tim- Tom-

Domaine Clos de Chevigne St. Veran 2007. Syrupy, unpleasant. Tom-

Pasion de Bobal 2009. Hot-climate baked character. Good depth and tannic grip makes up for it. Tim+ Tom+

Arva Vitis Cuvee del Pago 2006. I felt it had an unpleasant rubbery nose, but had depth and a length finish. Tim- Tom+

The Comeback Kid McLaren Vale Shiraz Cabernet Merlot 2008. Tom thought it was a 'Coca-Cola' wine, but I liked it for what it was - a rich, fruity, full-on slow sipper. Tim+ Tom-

The First Chapter Shiraz Viognier 2010. Fruity and restrained. Good. Tim+ Tom+

Dauvergne Ranvier Costieres de Nimes 2010. Hands down the worst wine of the tasting. Complete plonk. Terrible. Tim- Tom-

Perez Cruz Winemaker's Selection 2009. Good, as the price should indicate. Well made, balanced and classy. Tim+ Tom+

Tasting Report: Decanter world fine wine event

The Decanter world fine wine encounter took place on the 21st to 22nd of November 2009 in London NW1. This was a serious tasting in itself with nearly 100 producers including Chateau Palmer, Craggy Range and Chateau Leoville Poyferre involved. In addition to that there were also Masterclasses held on the various days. I was lucky enough to be invited to the event as well as a Masterclass tasting of Chateau Angelus, by Didier Marcelis of Chateau Serilhan (incidentally, himself producing a lovely St Estephe... to be reviewed in the future).

By the end of the event my tastebuds were on fire and my mouth ringing with acidity from the wines. So none of the reflections below will go into any detail. I just want to sum up what is an excellent event that is well worth the ~£50 ticket. Keep your eyes pealed for the next events including a French fine wine event in February.

So here are some highlights (not by any stretch of the imagination exhaustive):

Fleur de Bouard Lalande de Pomerol (2006 and 2005). The difference between the 2005 and 2006 Bordeaux vintages is incredibly apparent. The 2006 is fruity and opulent, already great to drink. The 2005 by contrast is reserved and much softer, displaying more balance but too closed at the moment. In the long run this will age far better.

Chateau Angelus Premier Grand Cru Classe St Emilion (2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000). What a wine. It lives up to its reputation and delivers a beautiful balanced fruit and cigar box palate with flowers and spice. Sounds overblown? Well yes, but some wines deserve it. Something that was really striking was the consistency through the vintages, each year showing very similar characteristics. I guess this is what happens when you only select the very best grapes. On the otherhand, the 2000 was showing less predominance of spice and was both mellow and opulent.

Chateau Leoville Poyferre Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe St Julien (2004). Cigars and spice again come through on this classic left bank Bordeaux. Its also got berry fruits and plenty of tannins. They were offering it at £32.30 and this seems a great price.

Chateau Phelan Segur St Estephe (2004). By now my tastebuds are starting to drop but I can still taste the wonderful violet sweetness and balanced tannins of this wine. This punches above its weight.

Chateau Palmer Troisieme Grand Cru Classe Margaux (2001). What a wine. Great smell of flowers and fruits and a delicate balance of violet sweetness and tanins. Wonderful lingering finish.

Chateau Beychevelle Quatrieme Grand Crus Classe St Julien (2000). Coffee and cassis on the nose, violet and dark coffee taste, this is a seriously intense wine. Fantastic (you can tell my taste buds are now at deaths door)

Alpha Estate Macedonia, Greece. Here I tasted the Xinomavro and the Estate Red (both 2007). I was very impressed. I don't trust my palate enough at this point to give even a cursory description but these were very well balanced and full bodied wines showing the kind of progress that some in the Greek wine industry are making. This seems to be one of the rising stars of Greece, along with Kyr Giannis. Definitely one to look out for.

So if this list of just some of the excellent wines on offer at this event hasn't convinced you to go to the next one then I don't know what will!

Tasting Report - Halloween 2009

On Hallowe'en this year a friend of mine hosted a wine tasting. While the kids were running around dressed like skeletons and spiders, we were sipping a diverse variety of fine wines.

There wasn't a theme. The idea is each person (or couple) brings one bottle of 'fine' wine. Because 'fine wine' is difficult to define, we decided on a guideline of £20+ for each bottle. Each person also brings a suitable food match nibble, such as cheese that is supposed to pair particularly well with their wine.

There wasn't a dud in the whole bunch. I would have liked to have seen more whites, but that's not a criticism, it's just my personal taste.

• Domaine Huet, Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Dec, 1996, Loire Valley, France. This was my contribution, and the first wine to kick off the tasting. I would have preferred a demi-sec, but I wanted something with at least 10 years bottle-age, and this was all BBR had to offer (besides the 1995 which apparently was inconsistent). Nose of honey and sultanas. Very dry, tart palate. Buttered toast finish. Nice, but I think a bit of residual sugar would have complimented the acidity nicely. 4/5. (BBR, £23.50). Food match: Loire Valley goats cheese.
  
• Domaine Michel Cecillot Santenay, 2004, Burgundy, France. Couldn't find any info on the producer of this Cote d'Or white Burgundy. We struggled finding descriptors for this wine. It was good, but the only things we could come up with were cinnamon and asphalt. 3.5/5. Food match: cold lobster.
  
• Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006, Rhone Valley, France. Typical Rhone-like nose of blackcurrants, which I don't much fancy, but makes up for it with powerful, intense palate and a long, gravelly finish. Nice. 4/5. Food match: Pâté.
  
• Agricola do Sanguinhal Quinta des Cerejeiras Reserva, AOC Obidos, Portugal. Can't remember the vintage. Claret-like nose, very perfumed. Classy. 3.5/5. Food match: Manchego cheese.
  
• La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, 1997, Rioja, Spain. Benchmark Rioja from an average vintage. All the interesting things were in the nose - some Burgundy-like fecal notes, tomato. I found the palate slightly sour and vinegary. Not much to my liking. 2.5/5. Food match: chocolate cheesecake.
  
• Scala Dei, 2005, Priorat, Spain. Grenache/Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Nose of dried chilies, powerful wine with drying tannins. High alcohol and savoury fruit. I like this style of wine. 4/5. Food match: Spanish omelette.
  
• Les Vignerons de Maury, 1928 Solera, Roussillon, France. Last wine of the afternoon, the only notes I have is a walnut-like nose. Port-like, with good complexity and length. 4/5. Food match: Saucisson au Chocolat.
  

Wine Society Tasting - Wines of South Africa

A bunch of us attended this tasting on Wednesday evening (October 14th, 2009). These Wine Society events can be good fun and enlightening - or they can be laborious. This one was something in the middle, as there were a lot of wines (around 30), and a lot of people (it was uncomfortably crowded). The ticket prices are quite steep at £27.50, but you get to taste around 20 - 30 wines in a lovely venue (usually some sort of guild hall). Usually there are wines from the whole range, from cheap and cheerful to high-end and expensive.

Overall I was impressed with the wines, especially the reds. The good stuff was in the £15 range, although there were a couple under £10 that I liked as well. Highlights included:

• Boekenhoutskloof. The Chocolate Block 2007 (£14.95) didn't impress so much, but the Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah varietals were lovely (£20 and £23 respectively). Boekenhoutskloof also produce the Porcupine Ridge label, which is an excellent value range that you can pick up in supermarkets.
  
• Chamonix. The Chamonix Rouge I thought was the best value wine there. For £5.75 you get an easy drinking blend of merlot, cab franc, malbec and cab sauvignon. If I was buying anything it would have been this.
• Kanonkop. At this point in the evening everyone was getting a bit fatigued, but that didn't stop these wines from impressing. Excellent Pinotage (£17) and Cabernet Sauvignon (£18) varietals, as well as a lovely blend - 'Paul Sauer' (£20). These wines were big, rich and complex and would also benefit from the cellar treatment.
• Quoin Rock. The 2003 Chardonnay was lovely - barrel fermented and bottle aged. For £9.95 it is a good deal.
• Tierhoek. The Tierhoek Straw Wine is a delicious sweet wine with a lovely nutty finish made from air dried Chenin Blanc grapes. Not cheap at £19 per half-bottle.
• Warwick Estate. I've tried Warwick Estate wines before - they're available at Waitrose (a Sauvignon Blanc and a Bordeaux blend called 'The First Lady'). 'The First Lady' was showcased here, and also a Wine Society own label blend - 'Exhibition Cape Blend' (£8.95). I liked The First Lady when I tried it from Waitrose, but here compared to some of the finer reds it paled a bit, but for £7.95 it's a good wine for the price. I don't think I tried the Exhibition Cape Blend...

Vinoteca Australia and New Zealand Tasting

I spent last Thursday evening at Vinoteca tasting their Australia and New Zealand range. The event is pretty easy to attend - you just need to call or email them and get your name on a list, and then you pay at the door (£10).

There was an interesting range of wines on show. Although it was advertised as an Australia and New Zealand tasting, there were a few Italian wines that were made by a Kiwi winemaker. Looking at my notes however it seems I didn't like any of those. They also had some Aussie wines that were made from Italian grape varieties, and I did like those. The wines that I liked (i.e. I would score them a 3 or above) included:

• Rippon Estate Riesling 2006, Central Otago, NZ (£17.50). A fantastic off dry Riesling, just the way I like them. Complete with petrolly character.
• Shaw & Smith "M3 Vineyard" Chardonnay 2007, Adelaide Hills, South Australia (£19.50). A wonderful wine. Creamy, spicy character from malolactic fermentation and new oak, good fruit and great depth. Excellent.
• De Bortoli Deen Vat 10 Pinot Noir 2008, Victoria, Australia (£8.50). I was surprised that I liked this wine from De Bortoli, as I wasn't a fan of their Gulf Station bottling. It was a bit lighter in style and seemed more elegant than the Gulf Station. It seemed more Burgundian. Good price too.
• Heartland Stickleback Red 2007, South Australia (£7.50). This wine is good value. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Grenache and Dolcetto (an Italian variety). Big ripe fruit, would be a great wine for sharing on its own.
• Thorne Clarke Terra Barossa Nebbiolo 2005, Barossa Valley, South Australia (£9.25). Nebbiolo is the grape used in Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont, Italy. It's rare to see it outside of its homeland. This example I found interesting - it's obviously new world in style but retains some of that cherry and tar character that the Italian versions are famous for, as well as the tannins. Also starting to turn an orange brick colour. Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I dug it.
• De Bortoli Windy Peak Sangiovese 2005, Kind Valley, Victoria, Australia (£9.50). Another Aussie take on an Italian variety, this time the grape of Chianti. This one was interesting as well, with an intense, sour cherry flavour.
• John Duval "Plexus" 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia (£18.75). High quality Aussie "GSM" blend. A GSM blend is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre, a combination also found in the Rhone Valley, France.
• Yarra Yering "Underhill" Shiraz 2004, Yarra Valley, Victoria (£35.00). Wonderful Shiraz. Haven't had too many better than this (actually probably none). Well structured, elegant and powerful.
• De Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon 2005, Riverina, New South Wales, Australia (£6.95 37.5 cl). A sort of Aussie Sauternes. Intensely rich, sweet but with good acidity with a long finish. Great value.