Some red wine highlights from online retailer The Sourcing Table
I have to declare an interest here as contributing editor, but that said, online retailer The Sourcing Table has the sorts of wines that I love to drink – which is why I got involved. I tasted through some of the current range at the second birthday party last week and here are my notes of the reds that really took my eye.
El Risco Bobal 2020 Catalayud, Spain
Beautiful aromatics here: floral and vivid with sweet cherry and plum fruit, as well as a bit of grip. So fresh and fruit driven, with hints of olive. Pure and with some lushness to the fruit. 93/100 £14.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/el-risco-calatayud-2020
Verdier-Logel Les Gourmets 2021 Côtes du Forez, Auvergne, France
This is a brilliant Gamay. Floral red and black fruits on the nose with nice purity, leading to a palate of supple red cherries and redcurrants. It’s grainy, mineral and very fine, and quite thrilling. Such an expressive Gamay. 95/100 £15.20 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/cave-verdier-logel-cuvee-des-gourmets-2021
El Montanista Criolla Titan 2021 Valle de Calingasta, San Juan, Argentina
Matured in ceramic eggs. Pale red in colour, this is highly aromatic with red cherries and cranberries and some dried herb notes. Juicy and supple in the mouth it’s an easy glou glou style, but it really puts weight on in the mouth and expands, showing some tannic grip. 94/100 £24.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/el-montanista-criolla-tintas-2021
Rogue Vine Grand Itata Tinto 2021 Chile
Mostly Cinsault with some Pais. Notes of lavender, dried herbs and raspberry on the nose. Sweetly fruited on the palate with red cherry and plum as well as some grip. Lovely mid-palate depth. So lovely. 94/100 £20.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/rogue-vine-grand-itata-tinto-2021
Domaine du Cros Le Sang del Pais 2019 Marcillac, France
An old favourite. Supple, rounded and quite elegant with sweet red cherries and some plums, showing nice focus, with a bit of grip, and just a hint of the trademark blood and iron that’s more apparent when this wine is a bit younger. 93/100 £13.20 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/rogue-vine-grand-itata-tinto-2021
Domaine Jeanduge French Lippee Rouge 2020 France
12.2% alcohol. Syrah. Lively, vivid and vital with some dissolved CO2. Raw with notes of apple and raspberry. Vivid and spicy with a juicy edge and a bit of grip. 92/100 £17.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/domaine-jeandauge-franche-lippee-rouge-2021
Natte Valleij Natte Valley Cinsault 2020 Coastal Region, South Africa
From four different farms. Strawberries, cherries and plums here with a chalky edge to the vivid palate. Fruity and a bit assertive with a grippy edge and good focus, and a hint of cheesiness on the finish. Very fine. 94/100 £19.90 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/domaine-jeandauge-franche-lippee-rouge-2021
Eduardo Torres Acosta Versante Nord Rosso 2019 Sicily
This is Nerello Mascalese. Juicy, stony and mineral with chalky red fruits, red cherries and plums, showing a bit of grip. Saline and mineral with nice structure, and some appealing red fruits. Fruity and fine with a stony edge, and quite thrilling. 95/100 £28 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/eduardo-torres-acosta-versante-nord-rosso-2018
William Downie Cathedral Pinot Noir 2021 Australia
So floral and expressive with strawberry and cherry fruit. Supple and fine, and stony and mineral, with dried herbs and pepper as well as ripe strawberries. Silky and fine with a bit of grip, showing lovely weight and a lot of flavour. 94/100
Scar of the Sea SLO Coast Pinot Noir 2020 Saint Luis Obispo, California
Highly aromatic showing richly textured, spicy fruit on the palate – raspberries and cherries. There’s a touch of dry tannin which adds a bit of a foil to the sweet core of fruit. Complex and bold, showing lovely density. 94/100 £32.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/scar-of-the-sea-slo-coast-pinot-noir-2020
Envinate Albahra 2021 Castilla La Mancha, Spain
13% alcohol. An old favourite that’s better than ever this vintage, showing more freshness and focus. Beautiful aromatics of blackberry jam and sweet cherries, with a bit of raspberry. Very fresh, supple and linear with lots of dense, ripe fruit and also great freshness. Has some grop, and a nice stony edge. 94/100 £19.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/scar-of-the-sea-slo-coast-pinot-noir-2020
Rebel Rebel Syrah 2020 Bottelary Hills, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Made by Kayleigh Hattingh, assistant winemaker at Kaapzicht. Peppery and intense on the nose with lovely red cherry and raspberry fruit. Direct, savoury and spicy on the palate with vivid black fruits and some ripeness evident. Fresh, vivid and even a bit meaty. 93/100 £26 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/rebel-rebel-syrah-2020
Château du Mourre du Tendre Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Paul 2018 France
Silky and fine with inky fruit and some peppery notes – it’s quite liqueur-like with a juicy edge to the sweet fruit. Stony and mineral on the finish – quite lovely. 94/100 £16.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/chateau-du-mourre-de-tendre-cotes-du-rhone-cuvee-paul-2018
Casa Castillo Monastrell 2020 Jumilla, Spain
Good concentration here with red cherries and dried herbs. Some silkiness to the fruit, and also some rose petal notes. It’s warm but also slightly saline in the mouth. Lovely fruit here. 93/100 £17.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/casa-castillo-monastrell-2018
Joan d’Agueira Alta Roses 2020 Montsant, Spain
Garnacha. Pale in colour and quite elegant. Silky, sweetly fruited, fine and peppery with a nice chalky, grainy structure. Not at all heavy, and offering a lot of pleasure and finesse. 94/100 £24.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/collections/joan-danguera/products/joan-danguera-altaroses-2020
Pax Syrah North Coast 2020 California
Great intensity to this wine, which is concentrated yet fresh with a peppery edge to the structured cherry and plum fruit. There’s some freshness, floral perfume and good structure. Amazing aromatics and intensity. 95/100 £37.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/pax-north-coast-syrah-2020
Viñedos de Alcohuaz Tococo Syrah 2019 Elqui, Chile
1700 m altitude! Tight, slightly reductive nose leads to a tannic, focused palate showing fresh black fruits with good acidity and density. Notes of olives, herbs and tar, finishing grippy. 92/100 £41.80 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/pax-north-coast-syrah-2020
Maison Stephan Côte-Rôtie Les Binardes 2018 Northern Rhône, France
Pepper, olives and black cherries on the nose. Focused and vivid, and quite expressive on the palate with olives and spice as well as some grippy tannins under the supple black fruits. Typical of its place, concentrated and a little stern, but beautiful with it, with a drying peppery finish. 95/100 £70 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/domaine-jean-michel-stephan-cote-rotie-les-binardes-2018-2018
Precedent Evangelho Vineyard Zinfandel 2018 Contra Costa County, California
Fresh and focused for a Zinfandel with supple, elegant black cherry and blackberry fruit. Lush but fresh at the same time with a slight salty edge. 93/100
PerSe Inseparable 2019 Gualtallary, Mendoza, Argentina
Very supple and fine with a salty undercurrent to the balanced sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit, with some plummy depth. There’s a bit of grip, too, and nice structure. Fresh, fleshy black fruit is the main drive here in this fresh, expressive red. 94/100 £31.50 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/perse-inseparable-2018
Dominio del Aguila Picaro del Aguila Tinto 2020 Riberal del Duero, Spain
Juicy red fruits dominate: fresh raspberries and cherries with some chalky, grainy character and a bit of grip. Lovely forward fruit, but also such freshness. 94/100 £31 https://thesourcingtable.com/products/dominio-del-aguila-picaro-del-aguila-tinto-2018
