Majestic Wine - Recommended Whites

Hello all,

Welcome to the second part of the Majestic recommendations, if you missed last week's Recommended Reds then you can find it here:

We've had some superb whites lately from Majestic and it's worth keeping your eye on them for 20%-off offers that they regularly do. What made these stand out was the added dimension of complexity, either from lees-aging, barrel fermenting or just plain old good winemaking! There's so much more than just fruity plonk from a damn-good white wine, and I think Majestic carry a good range for very little money, in the grand scheme of things. If you're not keen on whites then I suggest you give some of these a try; hopefully they'll change your mind...

Anyway, without further ado, here are the best we've had in the past few weeks...

First up, three great Chardonnays from around the globe:

From South Africa was the stunning Vergelegen Chardonnay 2010 (13.5% and I can't remember how much, but about £11 I think). Awesome smells of honeyed fruit, mint leaves, nutty and creamy, stony fruit and D could smell mown-grass. On the palate it displayed that smoked ham and cheese characteristic of a good barrel-aged Chardonnay (like Applewood smoked cheese!), the sweetness of ripe peach and a slight lemon zing. It developed more fruit, apricot, honey, vanilla and almond with time. Purity, balance, restraint and elegance are all fluffy wine "buzzwords" but, thinking about it, they really do make sense with this wine. Effortless drinking and great complexity 8.5/10. Very much in the same vein was the Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2009 (13.5%). Yeasty, bready smells coupled with honey, woodsmoke, vanilla and tropical fruit. The taste was immense, again smoked ham and cheese evident, "flinty" minerality, tropical fruit and some zingy citrus. Alcohol was apparent but not too overpowering and a slight bitter edge dropped it half a mark on the Vergelegen; giving 8/10. Finally for the Chardies, the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Chardonnay 2010 was another beaut; on the nose, citrussy sharpness mingled with wet-stone minerality, nuttiness and a herby whiff of asparagus/nettles/grass. Great complexity of taste too with plenty of acidity, a lemon/lime zing tempered by a sort of meringue-like sweetness/creaminess. Tropical fruits mixed with peach along with a woody, vanilla, oaky character with an underlying minerality. Lovely 8/10.

I'm a big fan of Italy's Alto Adige region, where the whites always exude a freshness that makes  me think of the snow-covered Alps nearby. Not letting the side down was the Stella Alpina Pinot Grigio 2009 (13.5%). Lots of lemon/lime citrus zing, searing acidity (but not in the slightest bit harsh) and superb fruit purity. Great value too (this was £7.99 on offer) 7.5/10. We've not often had many wines from the US on here (which is bordering on criminal) so I thought we'd give this a shot, from the organic Bonterra Vineyards Viognier 2008 from grapes grown in the Mendocino and Lake Counties and about £9.99. It might have been the several glasses of other wines we'd had before this talking but, this was good! Deep, bright gold in colour it smelled of lemonade, vanilla and peach. Awesome complexity on the palate with toasty, yeasty bread and pure peach nectar. I'd like to re-confirm this at some point but my pissed score is...I'm fairly sure... 9/10! (The handwriting was starting to waiver around this point). Hmmm, one to come back to I think. Lastly, the Torres Vina Esmerelda 2010 was again a pleasure. This was covered more in-depth in my Torres feature but still deserves a mention here. For about £8, this is superb. A blend of Moscatel and Gewurz it is really peachy and smooth, very drinkable with a long refreshing lemon/lime finish. Great stuff and great value 8/10.

So there you have it, some great whites from Majestic and for the most part, great value too.

As always,

Speak to you soon,

Cheers

WBFTF

Majestic Wine - recommended reds

Hello all!

Majestic Wine have currently got a cracking little deal on, 20% off any two bottles from Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Italy (Oh and Beaujolais but I didn't get any of those!) so I thought I'd give some recommendations for the ones we've liked over the past few weeks. Reds this week, whites next week. Obviously this is just a small selection (we'd loved to have bought the whole lot, but funds and sense prevailed) so there's plenty more on offer, I suggest you take a look. Enjoy!

From Spain we have...

...the excellent and great value (£6.99) Sangre de Toro 2008 from Torres.  Superbly fruity with plum, blackberry and violets with some spice (8/10). Two decent Riojas in the form of the CVNE (pronounced "Coonay") Crianza 2007; (£9.99) very light weight with bright, spicy raspberry, cherry, vanilla and oak (7.5/10) and a Gran Reserva 2003 from Berberana Vina Alarde (£10.99). Delicious with that lovely mellow, smooth, strawberry flavour of aged Rioja and a creamy vanilla woodiness from the oak. (7.5/10). Last up a lovely Ribera del Duero 2006 from Emilio Morro; (£13.99) caramel, chocolate, vanilla and red berries on the nose followed up by bright red fruit, "grippy" tannins and lots of creamy blackberry - superb 8.5/10.

From New Zealand we had some beauts...

The Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir 2009 (£12.79) was mind-blowing! Bright, clear ruby red smelling of sweet caramel and vanilla, cherry and raspberry - like a berry cheesecake, amazing. The texture was pure silk and abundant fruit on the palate; raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, the whole gamut followed by a long, dry and herby finish. First class 9/10! Another Pinot was the Villa Maria Cellar Selection 2008 (£10.79) which had a blueberry, violet and cinnamon whiff about it with plenty of bite and grip in the mouth. Blackberry and dark cherries flowed and although great at 7.5/10, paled in comparison to the Te Tera. The Craggy Range Te Kahu 2008 (£12.99) Bordeaux blend had the typical smoky plum, cherry and blackcurrant of its Cab, Merlot, Malbec and Cab Franc grapes. Smooth tannins and lots of black fruit, powerful and long, but ever so slightly hot  7.5/10.

From Italy we had...

Yes! A Pinot from Italy! And it was great! The Bacaro 2009 was £4.99!!! It smelled of blackberries and oaky spice and delivered with silky tannins, lots of dark fruit, cherry, blackberry and a long finish. With fresh acidity this could age well for a few years too (7.5/10). AMAZING VALUE!

From Chile we had...

A very good 2008 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon. (£9.99) Intense, smoky, oaky blackcurrant and cedar and in the mouth it was warming, tannic (a good food wine) and had lots of dark fruit; blackcurrant, blackberry and plums but a little hot. 7.5/10. 

And last-up, from Oz, we had...

a respectable Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz 2009. Classic nose of blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate and oak. In the mouth it was smooth and bright with a crunchy texture. Plenty if plum and bramble fruit with hints of coffee and mocha. Tasty 7.5/10.

So, there we have some great reds from Majestic from their current offers. Next week, we'll be polishing off the whites so stay tuned.

As always, speak to you soon!

Cheers

WBFTF

Wine Investment - The Complete Novice Way - 1 year on

Hello all,

A while back I wrote about our Wine Investment so I thought it was time for an update on how things are going, with it being a year since we made our purchases. Oh and please read the disclaimer below!

*Disclaimer* - you really should seek sound, professional financial advice before investing. Investments can go down as well as up. This is not a recommendation to invest all that you have in wine, it is purely our story!

As I said, D and myself are saving for a house deposit and with the pathetic rates offered by savings accounts at the moment, we opted to invest in wine. As complete novices, it was a bit daunting, but we read around the subject a lot and decided to go for it. Our goal was simple: make as much interest as we can over the next 5 years and try to beat the best ISA or Bond we could find. I think the best one we found was a 6% bond with 5-year lock-in of capital.

What did we get?

The 2009 vintage was expensive, but hailed as the "vintage of a lifetime" and "not to be missed". We were advised by Berry Bros to concentrate only on the 2009s as they would be the ones with the most re-sale potential in a few years, given the outstanding vintage. However, I didn't fancy the risk of putting it all into one vintage, "What if the 2010 vintage, or the next, or the one after that is better than 2009" were my thoughts at the time, and luckily, spurred-on by some cracking advice from Bordeaux Index, I decided to get a few back-vintages. The rest we did spend on 2009s. As luck would have it, the 2009s haven't really returned anything over a year but those back vintages...Wow, I wish I'd put the whole lot into them! Anyway, here's what we bought and what they would cost now to buy...

Ch. Pontet Canet 2009: Purchase Price (PP) then £1150, PP now £1300.

Ch. Lynch Bages 2009: PP then £1040, PP now £1250 (we also bought another 6-bottles in the first tranche from Berry's at a much cheaper £432!).

Ch. Montrose 2009: PP then £1350, PP now £1600.

Ch. Sociando Mallet 2009: PP then £315, PP now £330.

Ch. Mouton Rothschild 2002: PP then £2900, PP now £4000.

Ch. Pontet Canet 2003: PP then £600, PP now £1030.

So how well have we done?

The 2009s have increased by about 20% on average in a year. A fine return you may think, but, if we were to sell them back to the merchant we would probably be charged about 20% commission, wiping out any return. Also, the prices have remained flat almost since this time last year. Were they released at too high a price? Who knows...But, all is not lost. I think there will be a price movement next summer when the wines get shipped and become physically-available rather than lying in a barrel at the Chateau. Hopefully, this will stimulate some trading.

Well, the positive note comes from the back vintages. Pontet Canet 2003 (Parker score = 95) has been a stellar performer. Even at the merchant buy-back price of £850 it has returned nigh-on 42% in one year!!! If I'd had the presence of mind (or a crystal ball) to invest everything in this wine I'd now be a happy bunny! I'm not aware of any other investment with similar risk profiles that has done that well this year! The First Growth; Mouton 2002 (Parker score = 94) has also performed well, returning nearly 21% at the buy-back price of £3500. This proves that the high prices of the 2009s (and now 2010, but more on that below...) has had a great effect on the resurgence of the back vintage, and not necessarily the best ones. 2002 and 2003 are far outshone by 2000 and 2005 but have performed significantly better in terms of Return on Investment. If you were lucky enough to hold some of these, plus the 2004/2006 vintages then you will have made a killing lately!

So, after one year, if we were to sell up now, we would probably make about 21% return. Beat that you crappy 3% ISA! However, we're in it for the 5 year term (at least) so we won't be selling anytime soon, unless of course, the bottom falls out of the market and prices head South!

So what about this year? 

Well, this year (2010), funnily enough, was another "Vintage of a lifetime! Not to be missed! But different to 2009, more classic!". That left many people asking "How the hell...?" and whether it is climatic coincidence or sales rhetoric, there's no doubt that the critics really rate this vintage. Comparisons with 2005 are abound and contrasts and similarities are drawn against the 2009s. Release prices for the majority of chateau actually rose in 2010 (with the exception of only a few) despite the huge prices of last year. With release prices higher than any available vintage of the last 10 years (with the possible exception of the 2000 millennium vintage) it's hard to see how any short term returns can be had. Many exceeded even the high-estimate release prices of many merchants.

 

Did we buy any? Yes, but only one case; Ch. Pontet Canet 2010 - luckily on the first tranche (ish) for £1200. Was that a good idea? In all honesty, I don't know. The last tranche price quickly rose to £1395 but has now dropped back to about £1320 due to lack of demand. What's slightly worrying is that our merchant still has a load of the 2009 unsold and lots of the 2010 too. Is demand waning, or is the price too high? Only time will tell, I guess.

Any advice?

To anybody looking to get in now? Value is hard to find now. I would be very careful. Back vintages are catching up fast with consumers buying the (now) "underpriced" wines of 1996/2001/2004/2006. But, these may be approaching their peak. Even the once very expensive 2005 looks underpriced compared with the last two years.  If I were getting into it this year I'd have a much tougher time of picking the right wines. If all else fails then follow the sage advice of wine investment: If you've got plenty of dough then First Growths are probably a good bet. Historically they've always done well. The Chinese demand for Lafite is insatiable, and although there are signs of demand slowing, prices will probably going to continue to rise. For those of us not on City Bankers' salaries - "super seconds" and other "Blue-Chip" wines are a better bet, but the prices for these are also approaching stratoshperic. Cos, Palmer, Pontet Canet, Lynch Bages, Beychevelle, Pichons, Leovilles, etc - the usual crowd. With my personal affinity for Pontet Canet, I'd say there might be some mileage in the 2006, rated at half a point above the 2003 (at 95+) and about £200 cheaper, but on the move upwards! But hey, it's a gamble. Get good advice from a reputable merchant before buying anything and remember to sprinkle a little healthy skepticism on everything they try to sell you too!

So what does the future hold...?

Luckily we got in at a good time. We have a decent enough return to see us over the next year. However, I'm not selling my 2009s yet and we have several years to go (four, at the very minimum). It will be nice to see a rise next summer when the wines get shipped and become physically-available. Hopefully, Robert Parker will be kind in his re-scoring and things should take a turn for the positive. With regards to the 2002/2003 bottles we hold - I think I'll keep a keen eye on them. If there are signs of a negative slope perhaps it would be prudent to sell, but history says to hold onto them - in general, value goes up with time.

If you're thinking of taking the plunge - good luck

As always, speak to you soon!

Cheers

WBFTF

Naked Again - part 2

Hello all,

Welcome to the final part of our return to Naked Wines. As mentioned in my previous post, these were provided as a preview for their upcoming "meet the winemaker" tasting tours.

No fuss this week; straight into it...

Antoine Simoneau, Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine, 2010

Made in the Touraine winery that has been in the Simoneau family for generation upon generation (since 1790!). Touraine in the Loire Valley is a source of Sauvignon Blanc considered slightly more down-to-earth than the over-hyped Sancerre and heady Pouilly-Fumé but can be a source of great value wines, when compared to those two. This is 12%

The Look: A crystal clear, watery-white with very slight lemon tinge.

The Smell: Grassy, minerally and lots of gooseberry. Slightly floral too.

The Taste: Very fresh, bright acidity with a strong burst of ripe gooseberries and a lemon/lime hint. Backed up by a savoury green pepper and mineral edge. Long tangy finish.

The Score: Not a stunner but a well-made, pleasing wine. 7/10.

VFM: At £9.49 this is on the high-side for Touraine, but still giving good VFM at 0.74. Angels would probably find the price more in line with other Touraines with their 33% off (£6.26). Really the price for this should be around £7.99 - there's a glut of other Touraines about, possibly better than this, at that price. 

Mauricio Lorca, Angel's Reserve Torrontes, La Rioja, 2010

Very little information regarding this, either on the website or the bottle other than the "passionate winemaker" and it's from Argentina's La Rioja. This is 13%

The Look: Pale but fairly deep lemony yellow with green hues.

The Smell: Intriguing smells; woody, herby, slight smoke, hedgerow and elderflower.

The Taste: Slightly smoky and sauvory on the first sip, that gives way to dry, herby elderflower, then florality, finishing with a flat, very bitter, vaguely grapefruity tang.

The Score: Lacks any sort of Wow. Interesting flavours let down by a poor, way-too-bitter finish. 6/10.

VFM: At £8.99 this gets a reasonable VFM at 0.67. Again, "Angels" would probably find the price a bit more palatable, but I would suggest better Torrontes alternatives in this price bracket with a little effort.

Domaine O Vineyards, Trah Lah Lah, Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

This one was faulty so  I can't comment. Did show promise with some smoky plum on the nose but was hot, musty and bitter - faulty.

So, there we have a return to Naked Wines. Some good value wines, especially if you're prepared to commit to the Angels scheme (£20 a month for 33% cashback on purchases) but nothing mind-blowing I'm afraid. Who knows, maybe the next case will convince me that it's worthwhile...

As always, speak to you soon

Cheers

WBFTF

Naked Again!

Hello all,

We return to Naked Wines this week, with the recent news that they are bringing the winemakers to meet the customers in a series of UK tasting tours.  They're coming to London, Brighton, Norwich, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh so if you're nearby, pop along to sample the wines for yourselves. You'll get to meet the winemakers themselves and sample their latest offerings.

Naked kindly provided some wines as a preview (remembering that "Angels" get 33% cashback off the marked price in return for £20 a month regular payment into your Angels account). We had the first three this week and the next three will follow next week. Enjoy!

Castillo de Tafalla Angels Selection Rosé, Navarra, 2010

Winemaker Benoit Dreyer returns with his "pick of the crop" rosé made from Garnacha (Grenache) grapes grown in Navarra. We've had the standard 2009 rosé before and found it to be very good. 14%

The Look: As you can hopefully tell from the photo, this is probably the most striking-coloured wine; bright lipstick-red with orange and cerise hues. Almost fluorescent in its brightness!

The Smell: Apples, some caramel, strawberry, hints of tropical fruit and some cedary/oaky wood.

The Taste: Again, very apply, like a sweet gala apple, some caramel sweetness but balanced by nice crisp acidity, some tropical hints and decent length. Certainly better on the second glass but a bitterness on the finish let it down slightly.

The Score: A decent rosé but didn't wow as much as the 2009 7/10.

VFM: At £7.99 this is pretty good value, giving VFM = 0.88, but I'm not sure the cream of the crop is worth the extra £1 over the standard Rosé at £6.99?

Borgo dei Sassi, Prosecco DOC, NV

Winemaker Alessandro Botter crafts this fizz in the winery his grandfather set up. Extra dry in style, from about 40 miles North of Venice in the Veneto region. Non-vintage and 11%.

The Look: Pale watery-white with a slight lemon tinge.

The Smell: Very aromatic, grape-juice and peaches are evident.

The Taste: Fine bubbles and lots of them! Very fresh acidity, white fruit like grapes, peaches and apricots. Lots of fruit. Slight hint of biscuit but not a great deal of complexity.

The Score: A fresh, fruity, fragrant and accessible Prosecco. Not bad at all 7/10.

VFM: At £10.49 I would suggest that this is about 20% overpriced, it lacks the minerality and elegance that you start can find in £10+ Proseccos. VFM@ 0.67 isn't terrible and with the Angel's 33% cashback it's more in line with what you'd expect to pay.

Montaria, Vinho Regional Alentejano, 2010

From the hot region of Alentejano in the south of Portugal by winemaker Antonio Ventura. This is a blend of indigenous varieties; Trincadeira, Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet. And no, I've never heard of them either! 13%.

The Look: Dark red with purple and violet hues running through. Not quite opaque but nearly.

The Smell: Really great smells, especially after an hour open. Redcurrants, blackcurrants, blackberries and oaky spice.

The Taste: Lots of fruit, a hit of dark cherry, blackberry and brighter more acidic red fruit like redcurrants. Cedary notes as well. Good balance between fruit, acidity and tannin. Not infinitely long but a decent length. Ever-so-slight hotness on the finish. Good, solid, but generic fruity red.

The Score:  At £7.99 it places itself in a tough competitive environment. There's gallons of good wines to be had and this doesn't really stand out. It is, however, an unusual blend and it's worth a try. 7/10.

VFM: The VFM pops out at a pretty respectable 0.88. Portuguese wines are neglected by the majority of the wine-drinking public (I'm guilty) but not deservedly so. Next time I'll probably go for the Reserva 2009 @ £9.99 as I'm sure that would offer a step-up in taste.

So there we have it. Three solid performers this time around. All good value and even more so if you're prepared to stump-up the £20 a month Angels fee. I'll review the remaining three next week, maybe there'll be a breath-taker amongst those...?

As always, speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Icons - Zind Humbrecht

Hello All!

Welcome to the third installment of the Icons series - today, the biodynamic Alsace producer; Domaine Zind Humbrecht. I must admit, until recently I hadn't tried any of their wines but I have seen them lauded many times by the wine press. Current man at the helm in Turckheim is Oliver Humbrecht MW, the first Frenchman to become a Master of Wine. He is the son of Genevieve Zind and Leonard Humbrecht who created the domaine in 1959, although the family have been making wine since the 17th century! 

Their wines are revered for expressing a sense of place from the various Grand Cru and single vineyard sites, no doubt some would say, due to their fastidious vineyard practices (fully-certified as biodynamic). The top wines carry a hefty price-tag, for example a Gewurz from the Hengst Grand Cru vineyard will set you back about £40 - £60 a bottle! 

However, they do offer entry-level wines, and it is here that we'll look to see if you can get a feel for that "terroir expression" so often quoted, albeit at a sensible price. We had the entry-level Riesling and Gewurztraminer, both from 2009 and both from Majestic Wine at £11.99 each (when you buy 2-bottles, normally £14.99 each).

Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Riesling, 2009, 11.5%

The Look: A pale gold, very bright and clear with a watery white rim.

The Smell: Complex. Grapey, creamy vanilla, lots of stone fruit like peach and apricot, slightly nutty and some mineral undertones.

The Taste: There's acidity, smoothness, opulent and luxurious fruit, peach and apricot again dominating plus a long, dry, crisp citrussy finish.

The Score: Good, but not superb. I was left wondering what all the fuss was about, and didn't really get a sense of "terroir expression" apart from a slightly mineral nose. Worth a try, but for £15 I'd really have to go with something a bit fresher from the New World.   7.5/10. Recommended 

VFM: Normal price of £14.99 yields a VFM of 0.50 which is not great value by any stretch, but neither is it appalling! 

 

Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Gewurztraminer, 2009, 14%

The Look: A deep golden white.

The Smell: Very floral, candied-fruit type smell, VERY Turkish Delight and a deep scent. A nutty oakiness too.

The Taste: Off-dry but with plenty of balancing acidity. Smooth, full palate but very heavy and hard-drinking. Lots of florality and Turkish Delight flavours leading to a bitter grapefruit finish. Odd. Really needs food.

The Score: You need food to accompany this wine, rather than the other way around! Really heavy - we didn't finish the second glass (which is highly unusual for us!). I can't deny that it is probably well-made, just not my bag.  6/10.

VFM: Normal price of £14.99 yields a relatively poor VFM of 0.40 which, again, isn't great value.

 

There is a lot of Region-Snobbery as I call it associated with the Alsace, but on the evidence of entry-level wines from Domaine Zind Humbrecht, moderately unimpressed are we. The Riesling was good, but for £15? Pfft. There are bags more flavour in say, an Australian Clare Valley Riesling and signs of better "terroir expression" also coming to light. New Zealand, Chile, and don't forget Germany! 

 

With the Gewurz, in terms of personal choice, I'd much rather plump for a fresh, fruity Gewurz from the New World (Oz, NZ, Bio Bio in Chile etc.) or even better, the supremely fresh wines from Italy's Alto Adige - those to me, typify what Gewurz should be like, drenched in Lychee fruit, zippy-zingy acidity, and bone-dry. In a recent Decanter, Gewurz was described as a "Marmite" wine (love it or hate it). Actually, I'm inclined to disagree. I'd say that Alsace Gewurz is a "Marmite" wine, but the fresh, fruity, delicious Gewurzes from elsewhere have much more appeal. Region-Snobbery was again, horribly-evident in their poll, which basically implied the the only Gewurz worth its salt was from the Alsace. To the wine drinker on a budget that is absolute bollocks. Perhaps, if I was ever inclined to spend £60 on a bottle from the Alsace I may have an epiphany and eat my words. However, to encourage that sort of spend needs at least some sign that trading-up is actually worth it. I have yet to see that evidence.

 

My advice - for aromatics like Riesling, Gewurz and Pinot Gris - go to the New World or Alto Adige. Alsace on a budget is flat and flavourless in comparison.

 

As always, speak to you soon.

 

Cheers

 

WBFTF

Icons - Craggy Range

Hello all!

Welcome to the second of my "Icons" series focussing on the fantastic New Zealand winery; Craggy Range (if you missed the first on the Spanish producer Torres then you can find it here:).
Craggy Range make some fantastic wines. Proprietor Terry Peabody and his family run the estate (his wife runs the on-site fine-dining restaurant!) while Steve Smith MW is chief winemaker.  Based on the bank of the Tuki Tuki  river in Hawkes Bay, just East of Hastings on the North Island, they churn out a fair-few bottles, but always with that hand-crafted, family-run ethos. There's just something about the colour scheme, the labels and the overall mystique they've created that instills in me a love for their produce. It's just one of those brands you seem to latch onto, well, for me anyway! In terms of price, they're not cheap. The iconic wines like Le Sol (Syrah), The Quarry (left-bank Bordeaux blend, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc) and Sophia (right-bank Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cab Franc) go for big bucks in the UK, at about £35 to £55 a bottle so are well-beyond our intended price range here.

However, where I have found true value and great quality is in the single-vineyard (or "Vineyard Designated" as they call them) wines seen in the picture above, a few of which we've enjoyed lately. The vineyard at Te Muna Road, just outside Martinborough, produces Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. I will say though, that however much I love their wines, I wasn't entirely blown away by the slightly hot, alcoholic Pinot Noirs they produce for the Wine Society, but that's by-the-by. The Gimblett Gravels vineyard in Hawkes Bay is immense (Craggy own 100 Hectares alone!) and grows many varieties (Cab Sauv, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Cab Franc etc.) in its stony deposits from a river that once ran there, but changed course after a major flood. Several other vineyards dotting the entire North and South islands produce varietals like Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These mid-level wines come in at around £10 to £20 a bottle, so they're near our upper-limit, but I believe they're also worth it! Keep an eye out for their wines in Marks&Sparks, Majestic, Waitrose, Farr Vinters and many others and keep them peeled for offers and "twoffers" (2 for £x.xx) they're worth getting your mitts on!

Here's the three we've had:

Craggy Range, Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, 2008 

Long-standing readers (or should I say sufferers?) might recall that this was one of my Wines of the Year last year. For a more in depth review you can check here: It used to be known as "Block 14 Syrah" but now simply Syrah. I have another bottle that I'm patiently waiting for to mature in my wardrobe, ahem, I mean cellar! This is from the Gimblett Gravels vineyard.13.4%

The Look: The wine itself a super-dense, completely opaque purple. Only a very slight lightening at the rim to a violet colour.

The Smell: Straight from opening it exudes a peppery, spicy scent mixed with dark fruits such as blackberry, blueberry, plum and something floral like violets or lavender.

The Taste: The first thing that hits you is a striking, vibrant acidity. It drenches your mouth with black fruits; blackberry, blackcurrant and a hint of blueberry and delivers a spicy, peppery mid-palate. A lovely smoothness of tannin gives way to a magnificent, long finish. First class.

The Score: Delicious but quite expensive at £18.99.  9/10. Highly Recommended 

VFM: Normal price of £18.99 yields a VFM of 0.47 which is not value for money drinking, but definitely for an occasional splash-out treat.

Craggy Range, Te Kahu, Gimblett Gravels, 2008 

Again, from the Gimblett Gravels vineyard this is a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.14%

The Look: A deep plummy-purple with lipstick-red highlights, not quite opaque but almost there.

The Smell: Very Bordeaux-like on the nose; blackcurrants and smoky plums and cherries.

The Taste: Plenty of black cherry, ripe plum and blackcurrant. Smooth tannins. Alcohol is apparent but not overpoweringly so. Again, very Bordeaux-like but with a bit more power and size. Long finish, if slightly hot.

The Score: A lovely wine.  7.5/10. Recommended 

VFM: Normal price of £12.99 yields a VFM of 0.58 which is reasonable value, but keep your eyes peeled; Majestic recently had 20% off NZ wines, if you can still find it.

Craggy Range, Sauvignon Blanc, Te Muna Road, 2009

This is from the Te Muna Road vineyard in the Martinborough region.13%

The Look: Crystal-clear, watery white with a pale straw/lemon tinge.

The Smell: Slightly grassy and herby with gooseberry and some exotic fruits in there too.

The Taste: Bright, fresh and plenty of ripe gooseberry, passion fruit and other stone-fruits. A steely minerality leads to a long finish. More restraint than your usual Marlborough offerings and better off for it. Classy.

The Score: Delicious, classy, restrained but at the same time juicy and fruit-packed.  8/10. Highly Recommended 

VFM: Normal price of £12.99 yields a VFM of 0.58 which is again, reasonable value, and yes, I will say it again, keep your eye out for offers like Majestic's 20% off.

So there we have our second "Icons" installment. I hope you enjoyed it. Plenty more where that came from!

As always, speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF