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Vin d’Alsace Pinot Gris Cave de Beblenheim

21 November 2011
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For those in any doubt, there couldn’t be much more difference between Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio. Common sense and, moreover, a passing knowledge of French and Italian, will tell you they are basically meant to refer to the same thing (the thing being a grape in this case), but then so are ‘Syrah‘ and [...]

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White Chateau Musar 1991

11 November 2011
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White wine is supposed to be drunk young, right? Well, not always. Many white Burgundies benefit from aging 5 -10 years, sometimes even longer. Dessert wines also are usually better the older they are, it’s not unusual to drink dessert wines that are 10 or more years old. However, age a white wine in the [...]

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Château Bouscaut White 2010

9 November 2011
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…or should that be ‘Blanc‘? Probably. Either way it certainly would have helped us work out what this Bordeaux actually was before we opened it to accompany a Saturday evening run-through of retro ’70s board game, Kingmaker, last weekend. A friend brough the bottle along, having been given it by his sister, who in turn [...]

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2008 Virgilius by Yalumba

31 October 2011
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France is the home of Viognier, Condrieu being the most famous of the wines made from the grape. Viognier however, doesn’t just grow in the Rhone Valley. It has found a home in the Eden Valley in Australia and has been carefully cultivated by the winery of Yalumba. They planted Viognier 26 years ago and [...]

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Viognier Vin de Pays d’Oc 2009, Délas Frères

7 October 2011
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It may not be as well known as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but Viognier is definitely on the up in terms of popularity. Until the 80s only a relatively small amount was being grown in France. It is a tricky grape to grow: one that requires the grapes to be fully ripened before they impart [...]

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Marks & Spencer Saint Mont 2009

20 September 2011
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I’d have sworn blind this was a Sauvignon Blanc if it was from any country other than France, but being from France – as it undoubtedly is – it ought to be no surprise to me or anyone else that it’s actually made from Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu & Arrufiac - three grapes I’d never heard [...]

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Wickham Vineyards Limited Release Medium White 2009

16 September 2011
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Wickham Vineyard is situated in Hampshire, just a matter of miles north of the M27 and the South Hants Conurbation of Portsmouth, Southampton and everything inbetween. An unlikely setting it may sound for a vineyard, but the 18 acres of vines are – if the pictures are to be believed: I’ve yet to visit, myself – as [...]

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Wolf Blass Pinot Noir Chardonnay Sparkling Brut 2008

9 September 2011
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Putting the ‘sham’ in Champagne, Wolf Blass is one of many, many winemakers worldwide defying the French AOC’s entitlement to the holy grail of sparkling wine grape combinations and giving it a go themselves. And why not? With a birth in the family in recent weeks we’ve been popping more corks than we normally have [...]

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2010 Bella Riva Pinot Grigio/Vermentino

1 September 2011
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The De Bortoli family emigrated to Australia in the 1920s from Northern Italy. The founders Vittorio and Giuseppina De Bortoli put down roots, so to speak, in the Riverina Valley in New South Wales and began the wine dynasty that is now De Bortoli Wines. Their son Deen was the true innovator and he expanded [...]

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Runamok Fireship Garnacha Rosé 2010

30 August 2011
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For me, the first association conjured by this pretty pink Chilean rosé is the opening track of Austrian death metal band Cadaverous Condition’s 2006 album, To The Night Sky. (Linked for those with access to Spotify). I hardly think you can compare the two, so it seems strange they’ve taken inspiration from the same source: [...]

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Cotes de Provence Grenache 2009

26 August 2011
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If there was an Olympic event in guessing the base wine-grape behind a rosé, I wouldn’t even be in contention for a bronze medal. (Not that I’m in contention for any other Olympic event bronze medals, mind you.) From the smell, I’d probably have guessed this fancily bottled little French number was a Pinot Noir, [...]

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