…this is altogether sleeker and more refined – a real mini sancerre. Very finely delineated, with a grassy taste and a mineral backbone. Classy stuff. in , 8th March 2019
…I knew that ’17 Campriano was special and, of course, it is. This is one of the juiciest, most joyous and finest value Chiantis I have tasted in years… in , 8th March 2019
Made from vines that grow outside St-Joseph in the northern Rhône, this opens with a burst of dark fruit and moves on to bacon fat and smoke. One for food. in , 1st December 2018
Nero d’avola is Sicily’s signature red grape – here it makes a wine like a mouthful of tart redcurrants and sweet-sour cherries. Sappy, and crunchy, with a good intensity of flavour. in , 1st December 2018
A seriously impressive, refreshing Loire sauvignon blanc that is a delight to drink: lissom, with beautiful pace and flow, and ripples of fresh grass, citrus and cold gooseberries. in , 22nd November 2018
If you are searching for an inexpensive Pinot Noir which actually tastes accurate and also classy, then look no further. This wine comes from the wilds of the Cévennes but it is distinguished and also rather raffish and it will amaze you with its value for money. in , 23rd June 2018
Here is another stunningly impressive Nero d’Avola and it is even more rounded and fruit-stuffed than Corbello. Ideal for barbecue food, in particular really good sausages, this is a heady and lip-smacking wine. in , 23rd June 2018
This wine is class personified. If you would like to taste a wine which, to my palate, defines this world-famous grape variety, then look no further. The perfume is so pretty and delicate and the palate is lithe and lemony – I will be drinking a good few bottles this summer. in , 23rd June […]
An alternative red for chicken? Try a medium bodied, juicy, succulent Italian red such as the Ca Viola Dolcetto D’Alba Vilot 2016 a deceptive wine: initially fragrant and almost floral, with some lovely cherry notes, but also concentrated, with a long finish as the flavours deepen on the palate. in , 22nd March 2018
…The cool, pure air of the Alto Adige has allowed these Pinot Bianco grapes to ripen slowly, retaining lemon acidity and a plush, concentrated palate. There is great drive and energy here, with a long mineral finish. A Pinot Bianco with real character from this leading cooperative, with vineyards up to 900m above sea level. […]
…Made by the highly popular Olivier Leflaive, this is a great example of the often under-rated Aligoté. Decidedly Chablislike, with just a hint of a little extra stone fruit ripeness. A very pure, mineral and focused wine, with rapier-like acidity. in April 2018’s
…If it’s a partner to a meat dish, a bit weightier, but still shot through with freshness, is the sublimely elegant Tuscan Stile di Campriano Toscana 2015, carefully aged to bring out the smooth, sweetly spiced and cherry fruit flavours of the sangiovese grape. Both warming and enlivening. in on 18th February, 2018
Expressions of bright citrus and grapefruit that are verging on astringent. There are gently integrated oak characters supporting and balancing the flinty minerality and a bracing finish. Drink 2018-2020. (New Zealand Chardonnay Panel Tasting, February 2018 – Highly Recommended) Panel tasting in the February 2018 edition of magazine.
A little rustic but still very enjoyable drop that will go down nicely with your midweek spaghetti bolognese or Friday pizza. Expressively juicy red cherry and thyme notes on a smooth palate. The tannins are present but soft, wrapped around bright acidity. in the February 2018 edition of magazine
My ‘lighter’ red looks like it might be a Super-Tuscan given its name, and in a way it is, but in fact it is simply a renamed Chianti Riserva. Winemaker Rannucio Neri decided that it should wear the IGT Toscana badge in order to give him more freedom from the regulators’ often constricting wine rules. […]