Winning
Reviewed by Wes Game
Italy
Barolo Sant’Orsola - Nebbiolo
Italy
Gavi - Cortese
£12 Tesco
Majestic £8/10
Barolo is one of the world’s great red wines
and is from the Piedmonte (meaning foot
of the mountain) area of North West Italy.
All Barolo is made from the grape type
Nebbiolo and has to be aged for 3 years
minimum before release (with 18 months
in oak barrels). The vines are low yielding
giving intense flavours. This Barolo is slightly
lighter and less intense than other full-on
Barolos, with aromatic aromas of rose, violet
and vanilla. Will soft red fruit flavours on the
palate, this is velvety, well-structured and
harmonious. I enjoyed this wine with roast
beef on Boxing Day, but I’m sure you would
enjoy it with any meat. I can’t believe I drank
a bottle of wine from Tesco!!
Another wine from the Piedmonte region
of Italy. Gavi is not far from Genoa and
produces wines exclusively from the grape
type Cortese. Cortese is indigenous to the
north of Italy and produces fresh crisp citrus
aromas. Unoaked, this wine is lively and
refreshing. With a hint of lime, these is a
slight mineral flavour adding to the cleanness
of this lovely wine. A popular example of a
wine found in the restaurants of the North
West coast line of Italy. Get a bottle or two
and have an “Italian night in”.
Australia
Deen De Bortoli – Botrytis Semillon
France
Chateau Simard - Saint-Emilion 1996
£8 (half bottle) South Downs Cellars
Majestic £12-16
What is Botrytis? (also called Noble Rot). It’s
hard to believe that wine can be made from
rotten grapes! The Semillon grapes are left
on the vine after ripening and are naturally
infected with a fungus due to the humid warm
conditions. If you saw the pictures you might
not drink the wine. This exceedingly sweet
wine is like liquid marmalade with hints of
honey and apricots. Served well chilled and
sip whilst having a nice hot pudding. It will
keep for 5-10 years although I doubt you can
resist it.
Chateau Simard is a small family run
vineyard on the “Right Bank” of Bordeaux at
the foot of the hills. St Emilion is well known
for producing Merlot based wine. This fine
Claret is 80% Merlot (the most widely planted
variety in Bordeaux) and is blended with
20% Cabernet Franc to give extra flavours.
Having already been aged before release, it
has smooth red fruit flavours as well as subtle
cherry and plum aromas. A little lighter than
you would expect but still a few hints of spice.
A very silky, easy to drink wine. Thank you
Majestic.
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