W(h)ine

[Nickslikk2112]

Tesco has a £5.50 range called 'Campaneo' with a Garnacha and a Tempranillo.

I just love getting a decent bottle of plonk for under £6.00. Favourite wine at the moment is also from Tesco and is again a Spanish one, it's called 'Mucho Mas'

The Campaneo Garnacha is particularly good. Being as my brother was over at the weekend and he wouldn't appreciate my good stuff I served it for him, he thought that he was getting the good stuff.

Mucho Mas is also good - especially when on offer - spend peanuts on the label and more money can go on the wine!

[Matt2112]

Toro Loco at Aldi is extraordinary value for money at less than a fiver.

In blind taste tests it compared favourably with wines ten times the price.

[Matt2112]

I will try the above suggestions - thanks chaps.

[Slim]

Tried a Spanish Sauvignon Blanc at the weekend - again, a bit bland, needed a bit more of a kick. The NZ variety appears to be the best.

[Matt2112]

Next - a slightly more expensive Selfridges purchase: a Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah from Washington State, which sounds right up my street.

Had this over the weekend.  The first few sips had a spiciness to them that's a classic Syrah trait, which settled as I worked down the bottle,  and the more I worked down it the more velvety smooth and quaffable it got. Very enjoyable - and pretty strong too.  May well purchase another bottle.

Next up: the Joseph Swan 2012 Californian Zinfandel at a price I absolutely would not have paid had I not received that Selfridges gift card from work last Christmas.

[Nickslikk2112]

Had my first ever Orange wine today. It's white wine made like a Red wine - the fermenting wine is kept in contact with the grape skins - and was it ever different! It did actually smell a bit orangey, but tasted like a cross between a Scrumpy cider and an American IPA.

Went very well with a Chicken Satay Curry.

[David L]

Had my first ever Orange wine today. It's white wine made like a Red wine - the fermenting wine is kept in contact with the grape skins - and was it ever different! It did actually smell a bit orangey, but tasted like a cross between a Scrumpy cider and an American IPA.

Went very well with a Chicken Satay Curry.

Well, I like scrumpy cider and I like American IPA. I'll pop into my local Nisa and grab a bottle

[Matt2112]

Next up: the Joseph Swan 2012 Californian Zinfandel at a price I absolutely would not have paid had I not received that Selfridges gift card from work last Christmas.

Well, perhaps its relative priciness raised my expectations artificially high, but I didn't really enjoy this all that much until I got very near to the end of the bottle (the stronger than average ABV possibly influencing that).

It seemed overly complex, not terribly quaffable and for the most part I was actually craving a bottle of 19 Crimes, which is almost a tenth of the price from the village shop. Ah well.

[Nickslikk2112]

Next up: the Joseph Swan 2012 Californian Zinfandel at a price I absolutely would not have paid had I not received that Selfridges gift card from work last Christmas.

Well, perhaps its relative priciness raised my expectations artificially high, but I didn't really enjoy this all that much until I got very near to the end of the bottle (the stronger than average ABV possibly influencing that).

It seemed overly complex, not terribly quaffable and for the most part I was actually craving a bottle of 19 Crimes, which is almost a tenth of the price from the village shop. Ah well.

Californian wines do tend to be overpriced.

A good wine can take time to open up though. My dad when he was Finance Director and Company Secretary  where he worked, took it upon himself to procure the wines drunk at Board Meeting lunches (when the company was taken over by the French, the Frogs were impressed by his choices)

He would always open one last bottle, have a glass then bring the rest home to share with me. One time it was a Morey St Denis Premier Cru. He brought it back saying he was not impressed. Well all I can say is that a few hours later it was sensational, I could fully understand why people are prepared to pay big money for red Burgundy. I've never had any Pinot Noir come close to that since.

[Nickslikk2112]

Had my first ever bottle of Lebanese Rosé tonight. Had Lebanese reds before - mainly Musar - but this onde from Massaya was very good. Think I'd chilled it down too far as it opened up over a couple of hours, really intense red fruit flavours with a peppery edge to it.

[Nickslikk2112]

Drinking a glass of la Gitana Manzanilla en Rama. Lovely real Sherry, bottle fresh from the cask with no filtration. Smooth and dry, bready and yeasty with a salty tang to it. A perfect aperitif.

[Matt2112]

A Tesco's Finest Primitivo, was about £8.00 after a Clubcard discount.

Enjoyed it thoroughly - a full-bodied and peppery affair that gave a pleasant "buzz" from its 14% ABV.

I was thinking after this that I don't think I've ever had a Primitvo I didn't like; but then I remembered a Primitivo is basically Zinfandel by another name, and the 2012 Californian Joseph Swan bottle I got for relatively silly money (albeit via a gift voucher) wasn't that good.

[Nickslikk2112]

On Monday night, being a good cyclist, I couldn't turn down the chance to drink a bottle of Tom and the Peloton a wine from the Ventoux appellation. Mont Ventoux of course being where Tom Simpson expired from a cocktail of brandy and amphetamines.

[Slim]

I bought this in Tesco on Friday, just to try a bourbon-cask-aged wine. A bit more expensive than I'd usually pay. Really nice. The bourbon taste is subtle.

[Slim]

Inevitably, I started drinking again on holiday in Montenegro. I wasn't going to, but I couldn't find a bar that offers 0% beer. Glad I did though because I discovered this stuff, a Rosé called Whispering Angel. In the past I've avoided Rosé as being a bit sickly sweet, but some of the pale ones are very nice.

This one was dry and slightly aromatic with a strong flavour - almost like a liqueur.