Prestige de Calvet Bordeaux 2011

France 12.5%

Repeat visit to this Prestige de Calvet  Bordeaux  for me, not because it’s a great wine it just happened to be near the front of my rack and I wanted an inexpensive (it was at the time of buying , around £5)  wine to accompany my evening meal.

Last time I drank this straight from the bottle (although not literally !)  this time I poured a large glass and left it for an hour or so before drinking.  It’s a 80/20 % blend of  Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and  in the glass it was a very dark with an OK nose of dark fruits, mainly black currants, with a whiff of smokiness.  Looking back at my previous notes I mentioned that it was hard to distinguish much aroma wise and this was again the case.

After first opening the bottle the taste was a little tart with just a hint of sweetness but after a while left in the glass it softened to a much more palatable and enjoyable drink. Medium bodied perhaps a little thin but easy to drink and not unpleasant, still with characteristics of a Bordeaux. There was some oaky vanilla and spice and overall  it was a smooth enjoyable drink.

One definitely to consider but only when on offer.

My Rating 7/10 Corks   Tesco & Various around £8

Chilean Pinot Noir

If you’re looking for a good introduction into Pinot Noir I’ve found two very good affordable Chilean examples, the ‘Luis Philipe Edwards Estate Collection Pinot Noir 2012’ from Morrison’s and the equally good ‘Santa Rita Winemakers Lot Pinot Noir 2012’ from Tesco.

Luis Philipe Edwards Estate Collection 2012

This award winning wine comes from the Leyda Valley Chile where the vines are grown in a cool climate close to the Pacific ocean.

Light typical Pinot colour in the glass with aromas of smokey strawberries  and raspberries which gives way to a rich elegant mouth full of slightly spicy, ripe juicy red fruits, again predominately strawberries with just the right amount of sweetness  and a little touch of herbs.  Soft tannins and a lasting finish make this a very enjoyable wine that can be enjoyed with or without food and currently on offer at Morrison’s for around £6 reduced from £9.99 but even at the higher price it’s still good value. 14% ABV.

 

 

 

My Rating 8/10 Corks  – Morrisons offer around £6 (normally £9.99)

Santa Rita Winemakers Lot Pinot Noir 2012

In the glass it was light in colour, see through and a violet red.  Lovely nose of ripe cherries, raspberries, very aromatic with pine needles and a slightly savoury.

Taste – aromatic and sweetish were my first thoughts, full of juicy red fruits with a touch of spice. Very nice mouth feel and very easy to drink and  13.5% ABV. Being a little on the sweet side it did feel like a new world Pinot and that sweetness might not be to everyone’s taste, for me though it was very enjoyable.

Chile are now producing some pretty good, really affordable wines and this is a good addition to the Tesco range up there alongside Casillero and Cono Sur.

 

My Rating 7.5/10 Corks – Tesco £7.99

Tesco Finest Chateau Palatio Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie – 2012

France 12%

Fancy an extremely light, steely , crisp and dry (not the oil) white then this Muscadet made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape from the Loire valley probably fits the bill.

In the glass it looked clean, fresh and very pale, for me though what let it down slightly is the lack of any real aroma. After vigorous swirling there was what I could describe as a gentle waft of sea breeze blowing over an apple orchard.

Taking that first sip you realise how dry this is, It’s  very sharp and crisp like biting into a under ripe Granny Smith apple, it’s minerally, acidic and has a stony quality finishing off with a touch of lemon juice.

To sum up, for me,  this was an ok wine if you want something  dry, refreshing and tangy, it would certainly fit the bill chilled with seafood on a hot summers day,  doesn’t quite have the same affect on a cold rainy January evening.

My Rating 7/10 Corks          Tesco £7.49

Tesco Finest Ribera del Duero Reserva 2009

Spain 14%

A recent addition to The Tesco Finest range this Ribera del Duero Tempranillo from northern Spain is not for the fainthearted, bold, full of vanillary oak and I liked it !

Straight out of the bottle aromas of blackberries and dark plums hit you and that initial taste of rich rustic fruit and in your face oak set the taste buds tingling.

Maybe a little bold for some to start with, I decided to decant this for a couple of hours in which time it had settled into a much smoother and palatable drink although it still retained the hefty kick of oak. Left for a while it did seem to mute some of it’s initial aromas but this didn’t detract from what is a lovely tasting drink that would have some longevity.

Finally, for me, this needed food and the Roast lamb with Rosemary and Garlic that I had with it paired beautifully. If you like Big bold, oaky wines full of Spanish charm, this would be perfect.

My Rating 8/10 Corks            Tesco Currently 25% off at £7.49

Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013

New Zealand 12.5%

Bought this when on offer and I’ve been meaning to try it for a while now, having only tasted it at organized events. Unfortunately it looks like it’s now unavailable, online anyway, might be able to find some still in store.

Very pale straw like colour but with an unmistakable, very intense Sauvignon Blanc aroma of grass, nettles, lemon, pineapple even got a little hint of asparagus. Taste – Like a ripe fruit salad with a few rogue sour grapefruits thrown in and mixed with the contents of a lawnmower box after a shower. Although a little sharp there was generally a good balance and it made for a nice SB.

Although there are better New Zealand SB’s out there I still enjoyed this and if anything as it warmed up in the glass it became more flavoursome. I actually preferred it not too chilled and it went really well with my fish n chip dinner.

Another decent wine from the excellent ‘Tesco Finest’ range.

My Rating 7/10 Corks – Tesco £9.99

Leon Perdigal Cotes du Rhone 2012

France 14%

This Léon Perdigal CdR was named after the first cellarmaster from the largest cellars (Ogiers) in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvedre. Fantastic looking bottle that really stood out with its embossed glass and vivid label. First tasted this at a Majestic ‘Winter Tasting evening’ late last year and it’s a pretty solid CdR and at £6.99 a bottle on multi buy, good value.

In the glass, not as aromatic as I thought it would be, fairly muted nose of red fruits raspberries, cherries, some  blackcurrant  and slightly smokey.

Taste – Very drinkable, soft, much more fruity and ripe than I expected with firm acidity and a sweetish finish. Hints of smoke, spice and licorice.  Drank this straight after opening and it was pretty good but it did improve while sitting in the glass, so maybe let it breathe and open up a bit and you will be rewarded with a decent  CdR which can be enjoyed with or without food.

So, big thumbs up if you want a easy drinking soft, slightly sweet, spicy and smokey French red.

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My Rating 8/10 Corks – Majestic Usually around £9.99 (on offer multi buy for £6.99)