Naked Wines - A closer look...

Hello All!

A couple of weeks ago, I looked at a mixed case from Naked Wines (here:) and although blown-away by some of the wines,  I was a little under-whelmed by the "helping the little guy" ethos of the company. It it commendable? Yes. Do I really care? Not really. Are they a source of good value, good quality wine? Yeah, I think so.

Basically, there are two ways of getting even better value. They are not without "catches", albeit minor ones.

1. Become a "Naked Angel" - for this you need to sign-up to a regular (monthly) financial commitment of £20 per month (or more if you want). What do you get for this? 33% cash-back to your Naked Wine Account on everything you buy. In a few months, you have a decent wad built up and can buy a case. Do this a few times and you've earned enough cash back for a free case. Seems pretty good if you like the range of wines and can afford to commit £20 a month to the one supplier.

2. Buy up-front -  known as "Advance Bookings" and get a BIG discount. Basically, you buy the case before it's actually landed in the UK. It could be on the boat on the way to the UK, in bottle in the winery, in the tanks or barrels or even still on the vine. The earlier you buy the more you get off (typically discounts are 30 - 50%). The catch is - you have to wait. Some wines can be a couple of weeks away, some can be a few months before delivery. This is good if you want a case of one specific wine and are familiar with the producer, confident of the vintage etc, or prepared to take a gamble in search of a bargain. It's a big saving.

So basically this money you invest, gets used to help the winemakers with cashflow, offers them guaranteed sales etc. In return for investing with the winemakers, Naked gets wines at a preferential price and special wines made etc.

Anyway, I received some more wines for review and they turned out pretty good. Two Reds, a Rosé and three Whites...

Benjamin Darnault, Picpoul de Pinet, 2009

Another Picpoul from the Languedoc. Cool bottle - bright green glass with some funky shapes. 12.5%

The Look: Brightly coloured, very crisp yellow with green hints.

The Smell: Lovely. Grapey and spicy.

The Taste: Again, lovely. Grapey (think white Schloer grape juice without the bubbles). Nice, pleasing acidity. A long mineral finish with some honey-sweetness. Some apple hints as well. Great balance and was superb with our salmon fillets topped with garlic and herb soft cheese.

The Score: Very good. A great food wine but tasty enough to have on its own too. 8/10. Recommended.

VFM: At £9.99 this is good value at VFM = 0.8 (the Angels scheme would give you £3.33 back!).

Small and Small, Sylvia Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2010

A Marlborough Sauv Blanc here, named after the Winemakers' daughter Sylvia. Big at 14%.

The Look: A pale watery-white with a slight lemony tinge.

The Smell: A huge hit of ripe gooseberry and perfume.

The Taste: GREEN PEPPER?! Very odd - literally like biting into a green pepper. I think this will really polarise opinion, a real "Marmite wine" - love it or hate it. The acidity is very sharp and tangy, there was some gooseberry fruit but mainly savoury green pepper was the dominant taste. Definitely unique. I couldn't decide whether it was genius or disgusting. D reckons genius. I'm on the fence.

The Score: It wasn't unpleasant. It was different. I think I'll recommend on the basis of it should be tried; you'll either love it or hate it!  7/10. Recommended.

VFM: At £13.99 this is not cheap, giving a VFM of only 0.5. However, if you love it and you are an "Angel" then the £4.62 cash back might help.

Arabella, Viognier, South Africa, 2010

Produced in the family-run winery by Stephen de Wet in the Western Cape region. A big one at  14%.

The Look: A pale gold turning to water-white at the rim. Big and clingy on the glass.

The Smell: Lovely. Grapey, peachy, melon, apricot and sweetness.

The Taste: Unoaked. First taste had an almost "bubbly" acidity to it. Peach schnapps, white grape juice (again!), just off-dry with an apricotty-sweetness on the long lingering finish. Not silky smooth like most Viogniers. Good balance and good with our spicy Chinese noodle broth.

The Score: Pretty good. A solid wine for the money. 7/10.

VFM: At £7.99 this is good value at VFM = 0.88, Angels getting £2.64 back.

Castillo de Tafalla, Garnacha Rosé, Navarra, 2009

By Benoit Dreyer. Normally £6.99 a pop, but the 2010 can be ordered via the "Advance Booking" for £27.72 per 6-bottles (only £ 4.62 each) for delivery in March. 13.5%.

The Look: Deeply coloured; bright, dark-strawberry red.

The Smell: A great nose for a Rosé. Baked bread - specifically Tiger Loaf, tobacco, caramel, and lots of sweet, jammy red fruit.

The Taste: Actually very good. Delicious. The first thing you notice is the balance between bright acidity and sweet fruit; raspberry and strawberry along with some caramel or chocolate.

The Score: It may well be the two bottles we'd shared before this one talking, but damn it, I'm going to give it an 8/10. and yes, Highly Recommend it. If Rosé is your boat, then this should float your bag.

VFM: At £6.99 this is superb value at VFM = 1.14, but if you take up the Advance Booking it is mega-value at VFM = 1.73.

Bodegas Bargondia, Black Label, Rioja, 2009

By Carlos Rodriguez. Apologies for the picture, I had trouble getting the right exposure for this one, what with the black label and the auto-focus really wasn't up to it. That'll teach me for being lazy! Website says 14% my note says 13%. I've binned the bottle so can't check. Apologies again.

The Look: An oddball this one. Deep purple almost opaque with a violet rim. Not traditional Rioja in the slightest.

The Smell: It actually smells great; creamy sweet berries, like summer  fruit pudding or cheesecake. Some woodsmoke and some blackberry. Again, not a traditional Rioja.

The Taste: Bright acidity. VERY heavily oaked. This isn't even a crianza but is super-oaky. Spicy red berries, warming finish. A bit hot and a bitter aftertaste. Unusual blackcurrant.  This has no identity - tasting blind I would have said it was an over-extracted attempt at a Cabernet/Tempranillo from a hot dry Aussie region. The bitterness did fade with time and food but still nagged on the back palate.

The Score: It wasn't bad. It does lack identity and it is not for traditional Rioja fans. If you like dark, dense, hot, oaky Aussie wines then maybe give it a go. For £9 you can certainly do better. 6/10

VFM: At £8.99 this is reasonable value at VFM = 0.67, and Angels get £2.99 back.

Benjamin Darnault, AOC Minervois, 2009

Another one by Benjamin Darnault. Embarrassingly, I had to check on what the Minervois blend consisted of; Carnigan and Cinsault I knew but this surprised me by being just Grenache and Shiraz. 13%.

The Look: Dark purple, not 100% opaque but nearly there.

The Smell: Intense nose of violets. Floral with some lavender maybe? Soapy, caramel and black cherry yoghurt.

The Taste: Much the same, black cherry, intense violet. Smooth tannins, reasonably long finish. Developed raspberry and spice after a while. But, unfortunately, a bit hot and a bit harsh.

The Score: No great shakes but drinkable 6/10.

VFM: At £9.49 I thought this was a bit steep; VFM = 0.63, but Angels get a few quid back (£3.16).

So there we have some more from Naked Wines. Not bad on the whole; the whites definitely shone more than the reds this time. However, this is only a small sample. There were some great wines in the last mixed case and several I'd still like to try:

  - Plunkett Fowles and the "490m" sub-brand (so they're not all about the little guy) - We've seriously enjoyed their Shiraz before and the Chardonnay is an experience; tasted of smoked ham and cheese mixed with buttery, oily fruit (both also sold at Oddbins). The Riesling is also available and will probably blow minds.

 - I'd love to try the Brewery Hill Reserve Shiraz and Chardonnay after rating the standard Shiraz highly last time around.

 - The other Arabella wines should offer good value.

 - From Argentina; the Calicata Syrah and Occaso Torrontes look interesting.

 - The Classic South Pinot Gris (the Sauv Blanc was LUSH).

 - Kimbao seem to be highly rated, there's now some German wines and some "Named Village" Cote du Rhone (Rastau and Cairanne I beleive) from Cristia.

So, the range isn't as limited as I first assumed; clearly there's some good stuff, BUT, they are a small outfit.  The range will always be limited but I believe they are growing. If you want some bargains and are prepared to commit, either money, time or both, then there's even more value available through the discounting schemes covered. You can also feel slightly smug about doing a good deed while you're drinking.

I guess it boils down to: Will I use them again? A resolute Yes.

As always,

Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Virgin Wines - Final Part

Welcome to the final part of the Virgin Wines case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. The last three bottles (remember one was for cellaring) were a white and two reds...

Miudino, Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain, 2009

This Albarino comes from Rias Baixas in the North-West corner of Spain, bordering Portugal. Albarino, for me, typically has smells and tastes of Peach Schnapps. Think Archers and lemonade but dry and less sweetness. Let's see...12%

The Look: A pale lemonny yellow. Again!

The Smell: The typical smell for me of peach schnapps and maybe toffee or toffee apples?

The Taste: Tastes much the same - ripe peaches, peach schnapps but with a lovely citrus edge. Fresh acidity. Good, long, crisp finish.

The Score: Very well balanced, well-integrated fruit, alcohol and acidity. 7/10. Recommended, on the basis that if you haven't had Albarino before then you should try it!

VFM: Normal price of £9.49 yields a VFM of 0.74 but at the case average price (including discount) it gives VFM = 0.92. Good value.

 

The Seventh Row, Petit Verdot, Western Cape, 2010

Petit Verdot is most common in Bordeaux blends but more recently it's becomming popular as a single varietal wine, especially from the New World, often Australia, or as we have here; South Africa's Cape region. I must admit, it's my first one...14%

The Look: A dark plum-purple, fading to a violet at the rim.

The Smell: Intense smell of violets with some caramel-like sweetness. Think "Parma Violets" kids' sweets and you're close. Some blackcurrant leaf smells too. Very nice.

The Taste: Intense violet taste, sweetness, nice fresh acidity, some good tannin. "Substantial" is the word I'm looking for. Feels like there's really something in your glass. We had a glass and popped the screw-cap back on 'til the following day - it was even better then, more aroma, more fruit taste - which leads me to beleive that this needs to be opened an hour or two before drinking to get the best out of it! 

 

Word of warning too: This is a real tongue, teeth and lip-stainer! Be careful having this with polite company. Luckily we don't know anyone like that so polished the lot and laughed at our black mouths! I've just realised that this is possibly the longest tasting note I've ever written so I need to shut up and and score it...

The Score: Very good. It does actually make sense as a single-varietal wine. 7.5/10 And again, Recommended, on the basis that if you haven't had Petit Verdot on its own before then you should try it!

VFM: This is good value here. Regular price £7.99 giving it VFM = 0.94 or 1.0 at the case-average price.

 

Fabre Montmayou, Barrel Selection Malbec, Patagonia, 2007

A real gutter. We were really looking forward to this, having really enjoyed (and recommended) this producer's Gran Reserva Malbec, but - It was faulty. Volatile acidity - was very hot and vinegary in the mouth, burning the gums. A damn shame. It was refunded though, so I may get another bottle sometime.

 

So to sum-up the Virgin Wines case: 4 recommendations. 1 highly recommended. One absolute horror. One faulty. The rest were reasonable. Not too bad. I will probably buy from here again, but will keep an eye out for discounts rather than pay in full.


My hand-picked Oddbins choices next time closely followed by reviews. We're getting through some wine lately!

Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Virgin Wines - Part 2

Welcome to the second part of the Virgin Wines case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. We really were hoping for better things after the first four. Nevertheless, we plundered into the next four. One red and three whites is how it rolled this week...

Beneficio, Single Vineyard Shiraz-Viognier, McLaren Vale 2008

The famous blend of Cote-Rotie, Shiraz Viognier. McLaren Vale in South Australia produces some superb Shiraz. The Viognier is meant to give it a "lift". This is £16.49 normally. I can't help but be excited opening this... 14.5%

The Look: A deep, dense, dark purple almost to the rim.

The Smell: Spicy, plummy, blackberry, blueberry.

The Taste: Much the same - peppery black fruit with some blueberry. Not much complexity. Can't detect any "lift" from the Viognier. Sadly, no real identity apart from fruity Aussie Shiraz - and you can get that in abundance (and even better than this) for £7.99 almost anywhere.

The Score: Don't get me wrong - it's good, but for the price its very disappointing. Seriously, £7.99 in most wine selling establishment could beat this. Would have been great for a Fiver but £16.49...!? Nah. 6.5/10

VFM: At full price this would get a paltry VFM = 0.39. As it is, this was £7.57 (based on the average bottle price of the case after discount) giving pretty good VFM = 0.86. If you can get a good discount try it, otherwise avoid: check out McPherson Wines; Andrew's Shiraz 2009, or The Full Fifteen 2008 instead. Much better. Much cheaper.

 

Vina Leyda, Reserve Riesling, Chile, 2008

Leyda Valley is a cool-climate sub region of the San Antonio Valley. Just 10 miles in off the Pacific coast and 55 miles west of the capital; Santiago. 12.5%

The Look: Not quite golden, but a lemonny mid-yellow.

The Smell: Citrus, grapefruits and a herby/minerally characteristic too. Lovely.

The Taste: This is great. Really fresh with a zingy acidity. I could pick out pink grapefruit, lime and exotic fruits or pomegranate on the finish. It has that herby/minerally edge to it as well which brings a bit of complexity. Stonking stuff.

The Score:  This confirms that Chile really is up there in terms of value for money. Superb.  8.5/10 Highly Recommended.

VFM: This goes for £9.99 normally (well worth it) giving a good value for money score of VFM = 0.85, but even better at the case average price (after discount) of £7.57, giving VFM = 1.12. I am going to try to seek out more of this producer's wines. They do a Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Ones to watch.

Chibet, Chardonnay, Vin Pays d'Oc, 2006

From the Languedoc region of southern France. The sun should give this more ripe fruitiness and less minerality than a Chablis or white Burgundy. Let's have a try... 12%

The Look: A real golden yellow this one. Makes a change after all the pale whites recently. Robust-looking.

The Smell: Smells of honeyed fruit, apple, citrus, spice and oak.

The Taste: Smooth, buttery, slight citrus tang with something like fruitcake or cinammon on the finish. Very nice. Oak is not overdone, neither is the acidity. Well balanced.

The Score: A good, tasty white with plenty of fruit and some complexity. You can't really ask for more for £6.99. 7/10. Recommended.

VFM: Great value here at its normal price, VFM = 1.0.

The Devil's Peak, Limited Edition Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, 2008

There is a LOT of Chenin Blanc coming out of the Cape region of South Africa, the two are almost synonymous. Can it distinguish itself...? 11.5%

The Look: Pale lemonny yellow.

The Smell: Very restrained. Not giving away a lot initially. Apple, bit of citrus and maybe some honey.

The Taste: Green apples, tangy citrus and slight honey and spice. Very drinkable and food friendly (we had it with a creamy pasta sauce). Not amazing by any stretch, but not bad either.

The Score:  A decent drop.  6.5/10

VFM: At the case-average price of £7.57 it gets a pretty good VFM = 0.86 but it's ever-so-slightly more expensive normally at £7.99 giving VFM = 0.81.

So, there's the second four! Not bad, two recommendations on the whites (one great wine), one decent drop with good value but a poor value Shiraz. Only 3 wines to go now before the case is finished (I forgot that one has to be cellared so can't be reviewed!). I'm looking forward already...

Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF