).
Domaine de la Renjarde Côtes du Rhône Villages 1998
Renjarde is a property owned by Château La Nerthe. It is located
at Serignan-du-Comtat, between Orange and Montpellier. Grenache,
Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault are planted on calcareous
sandstone soils. The grapes are machine harvested and fermented in a
combination of concrete and temperature-controlled stainless steel
vats. This is quite a substantial red wine. Deep colour with a savoury
nose of wet stones and a touch of spice, and a tiny bit of alcoholic
heat. Palate is rich, ripe and spicy with a mineralic edge. Very
attractive: approachable but still nicely savoury. Good value. Very
good+ (£6.95)
Domaine Capion ‘Le Sorbier’ 1999 Vin de Pays de l’Hérault
Neighbouring Mas de Daumas Gassac, this property is now owned by
South Africa’s Saxenberg Estate. From a Languedoc area better known
for its red wines, this is an ambitious, striking white wine. Powerful
nose of lemony, floral fruit with lots of vanilla-edged new oak.
Savoury, intense palate with coffee and vanilla notes, a rich spicy
texture and some of that soapy, soft texture often found in southern
French whites. The oak is quite dominant but it works well. Complex
stuff. Very good+ (£10.95)
Somerset Hill Pinot Noir 1999, Denmark, Western Australia
A family owned winery with 9 hectares of vineyards (Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Blanc) planted in 1995. Denmark
is quite a cool region and Somerset Hill's vines are the
highest-located in the area, the last to be harvested each vintage.
Quite a pale ruby red colour. Slightly cloudy. Striking herby, sweetly
spiced nose with just a touch of undergrowth about it. Palate shows
more spicy, herby character. Quite woody. Works quite well but it is
an unusual, full flavoured wine: subtlety is not its strong point.
Very good+ (£10.95)
Osborns Cabernet Merlot 1998 Mornington Peninsula
A family owned winery in the Mornington Peninsula. Frank and
Pamela Osborn planted their first vineyard there in 1988, and now have
6 hectares. Sweet forward nose of minty, spicy fruit with cinnamon and
vanilla notes. Palate shows nice balance between the berry fruit,
spicy tannins and acidity. Quite savoury in style despite the sweet
oak influence: this wine relies heavily on new oak for its flavour,
but it is very appealing if you don’t mind this, with some cool
climate character. Very good (£11.95) 03/02
Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon ‘La Voute St-Vincent’ 2000,
Beaujolais
Louis-Claude Desvignes, a 7th generation vigneron, has vineyards
situated on the Montagne de Py in the centre of Morgon. The wine is
vinified by the traditional cru Beaujolais method with a grille to
keep the cap submerged. Quite deep coloured. There’s an attractive
meaty, spicy edge to the cherry and raspberry fruit on the nose.
Savoury, firm palate shows good acidity and some tannin. A satisfying
wine that would be good with food. Very good+ (£8.45)
Beaumont Jackals River Pinotage 1999 Walker Bay
Raoul and Jayne Beaumont bought this property in 1973. Today there
are nearly 50 hectares of vineyards planted with a wide range of
varieties. Sweet, lush nose with creamy vanilla and coconut edge to
the herby fruit. Quite attractive and accessible with plenty of oak,
plumy herby fruit and a savoury, spicy finish. Quite refined cool
climate fruit, but it’s a little too oaky. Very good (£10.75)
Château Coufran 1997 Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc, France
Coufran is a large Cru Bourgeois (76 hectares of vineyard) located
3 miles north of the St-Estèphe boundary in the commune of St-Seurin-de-Cadbourne.
Very deep red/purple. Striking nose of leafy-edged blackcurrant fruit
with a strong mineral/cedar component. Palate is savoury with high
acidity and a good concentration of leafy, almost herbaceous fruit. It’s
lean and austere, but drinking well now with food. Typical of the
1997s but with a touch more structure than some. Very good
(£9.95)
Hugel Tradition Pinot Gris 2000 Alsace
Yellow gold. Fresh nose displaying spicy, herbal, slightly meaty
notes (a touch of bacon fat?). The palate is dry and nicely structured
with a good concentration of rich-textured spicy fruit. Not as fat as
some Pinot Gris, but lovely typicity and would work well with food.
Very good+ (£12.95) 04/02
Badia di Morrana Vigna Alba 1998
Badia di Morrona is a historical estate now owned by the Counts
Gaslini Alberti, located in the Pisan hills in the north-west of the
Chianti appellation. The estate covers 500 hectares with 60 hectares
of vineyards planted with Sangiovese, Cannaiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot and Petit Verdot. This is a superb personality-filled wine made
from a particular clone of Sangiovese and matured in new oak. Deep
purple/red with a slightly fading rim. Rich, exotic nose of sweet
herbs, cherry fruit and spice, with a tarry edge. Complex and
beguiling. Medium bodied spicy/savoury palate with a dry finish. Quite
elegant; lovely savoury complexity. Not in a big lush international
style. Very good/excellent (£18.95)
Domaine Duffour Vin de Pays des Côtes du Gascogne
80% Colombard, 10% Gros Manseng, 10% Ugni Blanc, average vine age
20 years. Wonderful nose of striking lemon and grapefruit: very fresh
and aromatic. Bright zesty fruit on the palate with high acidity. Good
concentration and some minerality. A brilliantly fresh and crisp food
wine. Very good+ (£4.85)
Patrick Coulbis Pouilly Fumé Les Cocques 2000
Patrick Coulbois has 8 hectares of vineyards from his late wife’s
family (land to the north of St. Andelain) and from his father’s
holdings (to the west of St. Andelain). He practises lutte raisonnée.
Fresh, savoury, minerally nose showing bright fruit and a wet stones
character. Good intensity on the acidic mineralic palate. Very dry and
satisfying, this is a traditional style of Pouilly Fumé: it shows
good concentration but it is not too fruit driven. Needs food. Very
good/excellent (£9.50)
(Azienda Agraria Bianchi Bandinelli) Villa di Geggiano 1998
Chianti Classico
A historic 13th century property that has been in the hands of the
Bandinelli family since 1527, and now run by the brothers Andrea and
Alessandro Boscu Bianchi Bandinelli. The grapes are fermented in
temperature- controlled stainless steel tanks and the wines are then
matured in a combination of small barriques, butts and 700- litre
casks. There’s a tarry edge to the vivid spicy nose: very typical of
Sangiovese. The palate shows savoury cherry fruit with lots of
spiciness, high acidity and tight tannins. Good concentration but
quite challenging on its own. Authentic, well made Chianti. Very good+
(£8.95)