TASTING WITH WILLIE No.3
“It’s amazing to taste a line up of six wines at £10 which are normally priced at 50% more! What’s not to like?”
My third #tastingwithwillie featured six so called Fine Wines on offer at Waitrose for £10 until 6th April. Calling these Fine Wines is a bit of a dodgy description IMO! Fine Wine suggests rarity,excellence over many years and an acknowledged pecking order. None of the wines I tasted was part of that exclusive club! But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some crackers in the line up! It’s amazing to taste a line up of six wines at £10 normally priced 50% more! What’s not to like?
FIZZ
GRAHAM BECK CHARDONNAY, PINOT NOIR BRUT NV £10 until 6th April! 18.5 points
If you’ve been to Robertson where this amazing fizz is produced, you wouldn’t believe it was possible. But the secret is that despite being boiling hot in the daytime South African sun, it also gets pretty chilly at night. This preserves the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir’s acidity. The winemaker Pieter ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira is a magician! Lovely delicate aromas. Amazing balance of citrus,nuts and hints of spice. This is a fizz that could easily be mistaken for Champagne. And good Champagne at that! And only £10. FILL YOUR BOOTS!!!
THE WHITES
SANCERRE LES MARENNES 2019 £10 until 6th April! 14 points
I was expecting great things of this, but I was disappointed. For £10 it was perfectly ok, but a lacklustre aroma led to a pretty neutral wine lacking any spicy sauvignon get up and go. perfectly ok, but not worth buying!
LOUIS LATOUR BOURGOGNE BLANC CHARDONNAY 2019 £10 until 6th April! 17.5 points
This comes from a large famous Burgundy negociant, that is infamous for its supremely anodyne Macon Lugny. This White Burgundy is a massive step up I’m pleased to say. Lovely aromas of peaches, svelte,round, clean citrus palate with overtones of peach. Not too rich but it has a medium finish. Ripe yet balanced. Great for a tenner!
THE REDS
BERONIA RIOJA RESERVA 2016 £10 until 6th April! 18 points
Definitely the best of the reds. This was a real surprise!! Gorgeous dark brick red colour, lots of concentrated red fruits on the bouquet together with nice cinnamon spiced vanilla. The flavour is fabulously smooth, but packed full of rich redcurrant and tayberry fruit. You also get a bonus of beefy umami to add to this brilliant red’s complexity. This is seriously good Rioja, a great link between tradition and modern. WHAT A BARGAIN!
CROIX DES COTEAUX SAINT EMILION 2016 £10 until 6th April! 17.5 points
A lovely blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This intense red Bordeaux has lots going for it. The aromas are full of spice and red stone fruit, but it’s all quite reticent. The flavours are plums, cherries and scented leaf. There’s a lot going on, but to really enjoy this, you need to aerate the wine by decanting it a good two to three hours ahead of drinking it! Who knows it might be brilliant in 5 years time!
JOURNEYS END SIR LOWRY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 £10 until 6th April! 17.5 points
Journeys End is an amazing story. One hour east of Cape Town you go through a township which is massively supported by the Gabb Family at Journeys End. Their wines are tip top, and if you like brazen, full on blackcurrant Cabernet with lots of spice and a good vanilla kick, this is for you! There’s plenty of lovely acidity to keep it all fresh and balanced. YUM!
CONCLUSION
This was a brilliant tasting. A cracking fizz and four really good wines. You cannot go wrong with any of my recommendations and I’d get a shedload of Graham Beck!! Well done Waitrose!
