November 2021 - Wines from Jeff Carrell

 

Wines by JF Carrell in the Languedoc Roussilon. Presented by Bill and Margriet.

JF Carrell (Jeff) is a new wine maker in the Languedoc and is ploughing his own furrow, so to speak. Experimenting, seeing what works.

All available through The Real Wine Company.

 

Whites/Roses

1. Domaine d’Ansignan, Les Grenadine, 2020 13% Grenache / Maccabeu / Carignan / Syrah / Pellut. £13 (This is a Rose/Light Red)

2. Plein La Vue, 2019. Sauvignon Blanc 2019, 12.5%. £12.50

3. Domaine St. Roch, 2019. 13.5% Viognier. £11.50

4. Morillon Blanc, 2019. 14.5% Chardonnay. £13.50

Reds

5. A Vue de Nez, 2019. 14.5% Cabernet Franc/ Syrah. £13.50

6 Les Darons, 2019 14.5% Grenache (70%), Carignan (20%), Syrah (10%). £11.50

7 Le Grenache Under my Skin, 2018. 15.5% Grenache (80%) Syrah (20%). £15

8 Maison Carrel Corbieres, 2019. 14.5% Grenache(40%), Syrah(30%), Cinsault(20%), Carignan(10%). £15

One notable point is the alcoholic strength of these wines – all the Reds are 14% +. And one at 15.5%? - Crikey!

October 2021 - WInes from Lidl and Aldi

 

Presented by Tony Hooper, a long time UWS Member

Aldi and Lidl are relatively speaking the new kids on the block for supermarket wine. But are they any good?

Tony got these wines for the Septemer meeting which was cancelled, so some of them may no longer be in stock – Aldi and Lidl (in particular) have very fast changing ranges

As per usual, 4 whites, 4 reds, with range of countries and grapes.

Whites.

1. Feteasca Regala – Romania. 11.5%. £4.79. Aldi

2. Assyrtiko 2020 – Greece. 13%. £6.99. Aldi

3. Val de Salis Viognier 2020– Pays d’Oc, S France. 13.5%. £7.99. Lidl

4. Jurancon 2019 – France. 12% £7.99. Lidl

Reds

5. Morgon (Beaujolais cru) 2019 – France. 13.5%. £7.99. Lidl

6. Domaine Coutougno 2019 – Fougeres, Languedoc, France. 13.5%. £6.99. Lidl

7. Canyon Springs Old Vine Zinfandel 2017 - Lodi, California. 13.5%. £6.99. Aldi

8. Rasteau, Domaine de la Combe Dieu 2019 – France. 14.5%. £7.99. Lidl

Tony had done his research – of the 8 he’d tried 7 (I think) and not a duff one amongst them.

The first – excellent VFM – light fresh, that little bit different. The Assyrtiko and Viognier, both perfectly good modern whites, while the Jurancon is a sweeter wine.

Of the Reds, the Domaine Coutougno is a Carignan/Cinsault/Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend – classic S French varieties – and none the worse for that. The Zinfandel is a steal – a 2017 Old vine Zin for £6.99? Buy it.

And the Rasteau similarly – a powerful, well balanced red. 14.5% can often overpower the wine – not this one. Buy this as well.

There are none of these that I would not buy. Just popping out now…..

September 2021 - NOT back at the Library

 Sadly, there was a mess up, and our Key monitor got given the wrong keys by the library. So we all turned up at 8pm and couldnt get in!

Back at the Library

 We are now back at the library from Sept 16th - Hooray.

August 2021: Wines from Laithwaites

 

Wines from Laithwaites presented by Keith.

This was the last of the Summer (Covid) Outdoors series, we had a little party afterwards too. The weather was kind, after a scarily dreadful forecast. Next month (september) we’re back in the Library.

Some very good wines in here, as you’d hope from Laithwaites. There are 3 prices – Single bottle, Mix 12, and Offer. So what will you actually pay? Who knows.

Whites

Champagne Brigitte Delmotte – Cote de Bars - £35/£29.99/£17.99.

A very good example of Champers. Worth it at £18.

Campanula, Pinot Grigio, Etyek-Buda, Hungary. 2020 - £9.99/£8.99

Good, but lacks body.

East by North East. Pinot Grigio, Friuli, Italy. 2019 - £20/£17/£10

Excellent – A top notch PG

Stellenrust Heritage Collection, Bush Vine Chenin Blanc. Stellenbosch, SA. 2020 - £11/£10

Very good indeed. Well worth the money.

Reds

Rex Mundi, Shiraz/Grenache Blend. Roussilon, France. 2020 - £10.45/£9.49

Weird, really sweet. No.

Stonewall Pinot Noir. Marlborough, NZ. 2018 - £13.99/£12.49

A very light Pinot Noir, odd as well.

Le Champ des Etoiles, Pinot Noir, Languedoc, France. 2020 - £11.49/£8.99

A very full bodied PN, at 14%. Very good indeed.

Red Heads R’Dotto Royale. Blend* Adelaide, Oz. 2018. (No longer listed)

* Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Montepulciano, Sagrantino

A good solid blended Red.

Which would I choose?

A very easy choice – The Chenin Blanc from SA, and the Languedoc Pinot Noir.

July 2021 - Wines from The Wine Society

 In the garden again under Covid rules (30 max, outdoors), the wines were presented by Robert W, being a summer selection from The Wine Society, all at the affordable end of the scale 

All the scores are absolutely personal

Whites:

Giuliana Vicini; Cococciola; Pecarese (Abruzzo), Italy. 2020. £6.95

            Quite a dry white, but still fresh and interesting. Good VFM 8/10

Domaine de Tariquet; Gros Manseng; Cote de Gascogne, France. 2019. £9.95

We don’t see much straight Gros Manseng, here’s one - Not much flavour, and what there was was slightly odd. But others did like it. 6/10

Feudo Arancio; Grillo; Sicilia, Italy. 2020. £7.50

An excellent VFM white; clean fresh interesting. Try it. You are unlikely to be dissappointed. 9/10

Boutinot; Semillon/Sauvignon (80/20); Kaap Plaas, W Cape, S. Africe. 2019. £7.50

Suffers from too much Semillon. Its not that common to have this much Semillion in a blend. Not my favourite. 7/10.

Red Wines

Trinity Hill; Shiraz/Viognier; Gimblett road, Hawkes Bay, NZ. 2019. £13.50

A light Shiraz, with 5% Viognier. I’m not sure if it works. Light but still tannic, but few Shiraz characteristics. Quite expensive. 7/10

The Society’s Sicilian Reserve.Fuedo Arancio; Nero d’Avola; Sambuca & Ragusa, Sicily. 2017. £8.50

Good. 8/10

Boutinot Percheron; Shiraz/Mourvedre; Swartland, S. Africa 2020. £7.25

Hefty at 14%, This is one I’ve had before. Good. 8/10

Domaine Jaume; Grenache/Syrah; Vinsobres Altitude 420; Rhone, France. 2017. £10.95.

Even heftier at 14.5%. Good – but not as good VFM as the previous. 8/10 

 

The next meeting  will be the last outdoor one, but we'll be allowed a full house. No 30 limit. Hooray.

June 2021. WInes from Majestic, in the Garden

Again this month, in line with the Covid rules, presented in a members garden, with 30 members.

Presented by Phil, our chairman, with a focus on slightly unusual wines, all readily available from Majestic. All prices are the Buy 6 prices.

All scores are my own. Opinions may differ 

 

Whites:

• Albarino Caixas 2019, Galicia, Spain. £9.99. 12.5%

8/10 – A very straightforward clean, fresh white

• Lyrarakis Assyrtiko 2020, Crete. £9.99 13.5%

6.5/10 – Bone dry. Tart. There are better Assyrtiko wines out there, can be very good.

• Fincher & Co Sauvignon Blanc 2019. Awatere Valley, NZ. £10.99 13.5%

8.5 - A classic NZ Sauvignon blanc. You won’t be dissappointed

• Kuhlmann Platz Cave de Hunawihr Riesling 2020. Alsace, France. £10.99 13 %

9/10. I’m biased. I always like Alsace wines. A solid, full bodied, well balanced Riesling.

Reds

• Lulu L’Alouette Cabernet Franc 2019. Saumur, Loire, France. £10.99 13.5%

6/10. Not the best.. Had an odd taste to me, but others did like it.

• Cune Maruxa Mencia 2019. Galicia, Spain. £10.99 13.5%

7.5/10. The Mencia grape is not that common over here. But a straightforward easy drinking full bodied red.

• Surani Costarossa Primitivo di Manduria 2019. Puglia, Italy. £8.99 14 %

9/10. Oaky. Well rounded, full bodied. An excellent wine at the price.

• Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Carmenere. Colchagua Valley, Chile. £10.99 14.0%

9/10. As above but more so.