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This Rosé is produced by Grant Burge and is made from 100% Shiraz. 13% alcohol.
The Look: Quite an intense raspberry red, which hopefully, you can see from the picture!
The Smell: Bright red fruit with some toffee apple and some citrus. Definitely some Pinot or Gamay hints as well.
The Taste: Quite an array of flavours - apple, strawberry, some raspberry and spice. There's a definite sweetness (off-dry) but also some acidity and minerality. There are hints of white wine - the citrus, acidity and minerality and red wine with the darker fruit and spice. A sort-of halfway house if you can't decide between either!
The Score: Good, but just shy of a recommendation. 7/10.
VFM: At £8.49 a bottle this gives pretty good value for money at VFM = 0.82.
100% Tempranillo here from Spain's Castilla Y Leon region. This has undergone ageing in steel vats for 6 months rather than oak barrel. An Oddbins' exclusive. 12.5% alcohol.
The Look: A medium ruby-red with some tawny brown and a light purple at the rim. Not opaque.
The Smell: The initial smell was quite reticent, some red berries and cherry. Some sweetness and spice. After a few hours though it developed a lovely smell of coffee and tobacco.
The Taste: The initial taste right out of the bottle is very spicy, bright, acidic red fruit with a distinct cherry taste on the finish. Smooth in the mouth and still quite tannic. Not loads of flavour. However, after an hour or two and with food it really opened up - darkened with more black fruit and coffee with just a hint of bitterness.
The Score: A good food wine. It may age well but check it often. 7/10. Maybe in a year or two it will have improved and get a recommendation.
VFM: At £6.49 a bottle you really can't go wrong! Great value at VFM = 1.08.
A barrel fermented Chardonnay here from a "Big Name".12.5% alcohol.
The Look: A pale lemony yellow.
The Smell: Quite sharp - citrus, tropical fruit, grapefruit minerality.
The Taste: Nice creamy smooth mouth feel, plenty of fruit, good acidity and a long refreshing grapefruity mineral finish. Went great with a creamy Stroganoff that D made. On the second glass it softened, creamier, more mellon and peach tastes, almost Viognier-like.
The Score: Lovely. Nothing wrong with it at all. 7.5/10. Recommended
VFM: At £9.99 a bottle this gives pretty good value for money at VFM = 0.75.
I have to admit, I know little of this wine. From the Italian side of the Alps bordering on Austria. A big white at 14% alcohol.
The Look: A lovely golden yellow with light green tints.
The Smell: A powerful nose, chock-full of aromas. Elderflower, Lychees, melon, peach and some other floral whiffs. Really one of the best-smelling wines we've had for a while!
The Taste: A lovely burst of fruit, tangy, tingly acidity. Smooth mouthfeel drenched in lychee, peach and reminiscent of elderflower-wine. Exotic. D reckons "strange"! Very alluring - you want more...
The Score: Very good indeed 8/10. Highly Recommended
VFM: At £15.49 a bottle this is pretty steep. Use your 20% off wisely! Before discount gives VFM = 0.52 but at the case average of just £8.14 it is well-worth-it! (VFM = 0.98)
So that's it. Oddbins done and dusted. Out of 12 wines - 1 Corked, 3 Highly Recommended and 5 Recommended. That is a bloody good testament to their range. I'm sad to see them go because there were some great wines (we'll definitely be going back!) but glad that I had them. Next up is Majestic wine...
Speak to you soon.
Cheers
WBFTF
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