Some In-betweeners and Upcoming Celebrations

Hello all!

So we're between cases right now, while we wait for some wines from The Wine Society. I chose some of their own-label type stuff in a mixed case entitled the "Society's Top Sellers" - anyway, I'll elaborate on all that and what it was like shopping with them when we get stuck into the wines.

I think we're going to have a pause from the formulaic "mixed-12" reviews for a short while, and indulge ourselves a little. D and I both share February as our Birthday month so I thought we might have a couple of special bottles. Nothing too extravagant mind, it's not like we're going to be tucking into the Mouton or any of our other investments, or anything like that. No, nothing flash, but possibly something that may not be considered entirely frugal. So yes, if you can bear with us, for the next week or two, there might be a little change of focus, price-wise, but overall, my working class sensibilities will have the ultimate say on how much we spend!

Everything we drink over the next two weeks will be written up. I've bought D a few of the Concha Y Toro Trio Cab Sauv 2008 that she loved (maybe I'll make her write a tasting note for it!). I've been collecting the odd "nice bottle" with every order we've placed so far, so have a reasonable stock built up from Majestic, Oddbins, Laithwaites, Slurp and Virgin.

We started the ball rolling this week with the superb "Ladies Shiraz" as the staff at Oddbins called it. We bought two of these before Christmas and they were supposed to go into the cellar (i.e. wardrobe) for a few years. But....as you can guess, we couldn't resist. The other one is staying there though... Honestly.

Plunkett Fowles, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz, 2008

A kind-of "Artisan" producer, blending cool wines in the awesomely named "Shire of Strathbogie" in Australia's State of Victoria. This is sold at Oddbins. Big at 14.5%

The Look: Super-dark, inky black-purple. 100% opaque and dense almost to the rim.

The Smell: I could pick out blackberry, plum, white pepper and bitter dark chocolate.

The Taste: Big and bold. So much fruit! Initial tastes were blackberry, smoky plum, violet and dark chocolate. Warmth but not "hot". Not an incredibly long finish but decent length. Fruit intensifies with time leading to intense black berries and a chocolate/coffee/mocha finish. Superb. Great balance.

The Score: Intense. Fruit first. Complexity second. Perfect amount of both. Could have been longer but very good indeed. 8.5/10. Highly Recommended.

VFM: Ok so VFM really isn't the main concern during this period of "treats" but what the hell...Normal price is £16.99 giving a VFM = 0.5 but when purchased with 5 other bottles (of anything) the 20% discount applies meaning £13.59 and a more palatable VFM = 0.63. Well worth it!

So after our Birthdays pass we'll return to more frugal ways and a nice mixed case from The Wine Society... Although we may need a dry week to sober up, in-between! I'll let you know how we get on!

As always...

Speak to you soon!

Cheers

WBFTF

Bank Holiday Wine-Off...Number 2

Hello all!

Well, it happened again! Another bank holiday wine-off. If you missed the last one (here) then the basic premise is this: We turn up at our friends' house with some wine. They cook amazing food (one of our friends is a Chef and the other is gastronomically savvy to say the least!). We eat the food. They also have wine. While stuffing ourselves, we compare the wines. Six people in total (Chef's GF, other friend's guest, D and myself) and normally about a dozen or so wines makes for a brilliant night!

It was a bit more structured this time. It was to be old world versus new for the fish and meat courses. Plus a couple of other bottles thrown in. I drew old world for fish and new world for meat. We took a bottle of Vintage Champagne because our friends were cooking and providing the venue, so we thought it only fair. At about 7:15pm we arrived and I cracked the Heidsieck Gold Top 2005 (£20, Majestic Wine). Lovely orchard fruit, lots of bubbles but not too aggressive. Lovely, but ultimately a bit too young and reticent (7.5/10). While we finished off the Champers we nibbled smoked rainbow trout with soft cheese and chive, and Ox-tongue with creme fraiche and horseradish served on a dry crostini/biscuit type "thingy" (that is a sad testament to my food knowledge!). Really good.

Out came the next course; a field mushroom stuffed with mozarella, cherry tomatos and basil, and salad leaves with balsamic dressing. This was occompanied by the Chef's Markowitsch Pinot Noir 2008 from Austria (£15.99, Oddbins) - very light in colour, a pale ruby and completely transparent. Lively smell of summer berries and spice and tasted very similar. Nice but a slight harshness on the finish (6.5/10) which might mellow out with age as this can be cellared for up to 8 years.

Next came the fish-starter; "re-invented fish pie" - basically a kind of upside-down fish pie - chunks of tuna, salmon and king prawns in a white wine sauce on a bed of saffron mash in a filo pastry basket, with a rocket and pecorino shaving side-salad - and absolutley stunning! With this I whipped-out the Domaine La Serre Picpoul de Pinet 2009 from the Languedoc (£9.99 from Naked Wines). I'd hedged my bets on no-one having tried this grape before and I was right! I think it was enjoyed by all with its aromatic citrus and grassy smells. It tasted of grape juice, plenty of citrussy fruit with a dry herby finish. A perfect match for the food (7/10).

The next course was the fish-main. Awesome Monkfish fillet with chinese noodles (ginger, lime, corriander, chilli, honey). Here, my old world white would be up against a new world white. I opted for Pouilly-Fume Les Griottes 2009 (cheaper than I thought at £11.99 from Majestic Wine). I thought that Sancerre would be a bit too typical and you can still get a lot of crap Sancerre even if you pay respectable amounts for it! Anyway, the wine was gorgeous; a pale lemonny yellow with a grassy, minerally citrus nose. In the mouth it was superb with citrus, gooseberry and tropical hints with a long mineral finish. Bags of fruit for a French wine (8/10). This was up against Kuru Kuru Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (£10.99, Oddbins) and obviously the new world  opponent being from New Zealand's Marlborough region. Different in style but equally as good. Fruity and grassy on the nose with a massive mouthfull of zesty mango and tropical fruit. Huge. Great (8/10).

Next was the meat course and a chance for the reds to shine. Lamb cutlets marinated with garlic and thyme on risotto in white wine sauce. Delicious. We'd all defied convention on the reds. I was expecting Bordeaux and they were expecting a Chilean Cabernet from me. However, I threw in a curveball (to use the Americanism) in the form of one of my favourites; the Lebanese Chateau Musar 2002 (£17.99 from Majestic Wine). I'm probably biased, but this was (once again) superb. A deep ruby colour, purple at its darkest and with a brick red/brown rim, just starting to show signs of bottle-age. Cabernet-dominant smells of cassis and cherry. The taste still bright and young with loads of blackcurrant and cherry fruit with spice and "leafy" hints, for want of a better term. Stunning (8/10). This was up against a mighty Pesquera Crianza Ribera del Duero 2007 (£24.99 from Oddbins). This was an intense, deep purple with a violet rim. Again, intensely spicy on the nose and suprisingly Cabernet-like with cassis and black cherry. Interesting. It developed meaty aromas after a while. It was good, but a little harsh. Maybe in a few years it will excel (can be cellared for up to 10 years) (7/10). The Chef threw in a Stone Dweller's Merlot 2008 (£16.99, Oddbins). A deep purple again with a lipstick rim. Smoky plum and caramel smells. Powerful, lots of smoky, spicy fruit. Some acidity and very warming. The only criticism being that it was a bit "hot". High alcohol level was immediately apparent, but not too detracting. A solid (7/10).

Desert followed. A bloody fabulous mascarpone, cassis and bluberry tarte with flaked almonds, blueberry compot and vanilla ice cream. Sublime. I was absolutely stuffed but could have eaten two portions of this, and I'm not usually a "sweet" man. With this we had the desert wine Muscat de st. Jean de Minervois (various places and about £8 for a 375ml bottle). Despite a luke-warm reception, I thought it was lovely for a dessert wine - brimming with peaches and apricots but still showing good acidity. It was sweeter than the sweet itself though I must admit. (6.5/10).

By now it was gone Midnight, and we still had the cheese course and three more wines to go! I must admit, by this time I was absolutely stuffed to the point of discomfort (D had stopped eating and drinking!) and feeling the effects of the previous 9 wines, but determined to finish. We are all big red fans so the final three were greeted with big smiles.

My Catena Malbec 2008 (£11.99, Majestic) was up against the Chef's big Chilean blend Quinta Generación 2007 (about £16, Good Wine Online) comprising Carmenere, Shiraz, Cabernet and Petit Verdot. The two wines were identical in colour, intense opaque purple with a violet rim. The Catena smelled of blackberries and pencils. Tasted very similar with blackberry, violets and graphite. Some good acidity but a dry tannic finish. A bit "hot" and ultimately, dissapointing (6.5/10). The Quinta had intense red berry, cherry and medicinal aromas. Big, powerful, a good mouthful of fruit, violets and spice but again, sadly, disappointing (7/10). I'm not sure if it was the amount of food, or quite possibly wine, that we'd had before this point that spoiled the wines for us, or whether they were genuinely disappointing? It would be good to try both again, in a more benign atmosphere to re-score them. However, the winner for me was the Gemtree Bloodstone Shiraz 2008 (£14.99, Oddbins). A little more transparent but still opaque at its core. Bursting with red berries and raisiny at first, it developed a lovely blackberry taste after a little while. Great (7.5/10)

By now it was approaching 1:00am. I think we were all slightly tipsy by now as we finished off the cheese and crackers. That's all I can remember is some smoked Gouda, some orange coloured cheese with black mould - very strong on its own but a winner with the (AMAZING) cheesy, peppery crackers and a mouthfull of the Quinta Generación. Oh, and there was goat's cheese. Oh, and some crazy pumpkin seed crackers. That's about all I can remember (the note-taking must have taken a turn for the worse by that point). Anyway, with the eating done, we proceeded to plough back into the wines. I had another glass of Musar, the Ribera del Duero, Catena and Quinta.

We finally called a cab for 3:00am. We'd had an amazing night. We thanked our friends profusely. It arrived. I was forced to neck the last glass of Bloodstone. We sleepily clambered out of it at 3:15am, smoked the last cigarettes of our lives (hopefully, as we intend to give up for good this time!) and were probably asleep by 3:30am. No doubt dreaming of the next wine-off and wishing we hadn't eaten so much!

Here's to the next one!

As always, speak to you soon!

Cheers

WBFTF

Oddbins - Final Part & Case Summary

Welcome to the final part of the Oddbins case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. We finish off with a Rosé, a Red and two Whites.

You can now follow my Tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/WineBlogFrugal

By the way, for any new readers unfamiliar with my blog, please see my other posts over to the right and down a bit or read my introduction here:

Benchmark Rosé, South Australia, 2009
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.

 

El Furioso, Tempranillo, Castilla Y Leon, 2007

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.

 

DeBertoli, Vat 7 Chardonnay, South East Australia, 2008

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.

 

Andrian, Gewurztraminer, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2009

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

Oddbins Part 2.5

Welcome to the second part of the second part (if that makes any sense!) of the Oddbins case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. Again a quickie - only two bottles this week. Apologies for the pictures, I was at the mother-in-law-to-be's for these and didn't have my camera so had to make do with the mobile.

By the way, for any new readers unfamiliar with my blog, please see my other posts over to the right and down a bit or read my introduction here:

Casillero del Dioblo, Pinot Noir, Chile, 2009

Owned by the large "Concha Y Toro" brand. Picked from several vineyards in the Cassablanca Valley. It has had some maturing in French Oak barrels for 8 months. 13.5% alcohol.

The Look: Bright raspberyy-red with lipstick-red highlights.

The Smell: Very fruity smell. Red fruit squash and an uncanny smell of "Ribena".

The Taste: Again, bright strawberry, raspberry and cherry with some spice, doubtless from the Oak-ageing. Alcohol was a little too hot and overpowering. The acidity was also maybe a little bit too harsh. We had this pre-dinner and the mother-in-law-to-be enjoyed it (not normally a red drinker) and D liked it too.

The Score: Not too bad. A tasty, fruity, value quaffer but lacking in any sort of finesse. 6.5/10.

VFM: At £7.49 a bottle this gives good value for money at VFM = 0.88.

 

Familia Zuccardi Reserva Bonarda, Mendoza, 2008
One of the oldest winemaking families in Argentina.Their "Zeta" Malbec blend sells fro £30+ a bottle. This is a little more affordable but hopefully from a good heritage nonetheless.Sourced from the arid Santa Rosa vineyard which is practically a desert and Oak-aged for 10 months. 13.5% alcohol.

The Look: Quite a deep plum-purple, not quite opaque but almost.

The Smell: Smells of lovely dark black fruit and some spicy Oak. Couldn't really pick out any strawberries or raspberries  (as described by the online tasting note) but the kitchen was filled with the smell of D's awesome lamb dinner cooking so maybe they were there?

The Taste: Lovely creamy mouthfeel. Balanced acidity, fruit and tannin. Strong black cherry finish with some vanilla, spice and warmth. It was great with the lamb dinner and rich gravy, it didnt lose any flavour or overpower the food. Not normally a match with lamb but for the lack of a Cabernet we had it anyway!

The Score: Good wine. Decent value. Not a lot else needs to be said.  7.5/10. Recommended

VFM: Normally £8.99 a bottle giving decent value at VFM = 0.83.

 

So, 8 out of 12 sunk and going strong. We'll hopefully have a bit more time to relax this week and should complete the reviews of the Oddbins case in the normal style of 4-bottles per posting. Soon I'll be ordering from Majestic Wine. No discounts or vouchers per se, but with an exceptional range of wines they have once again won the Decanter retailer of the year award - so I must take a look.


Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Oddbins Part 2.0

Welcome to the second part of the Oddbins case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. Just a quickie this week, we've only had two bottles as we haven't had much time to relax! Two whites were sunk...

By the way, for any new readers unfamiliar with my blog, please see my other posts over to the right and down a bit or read my introduction here:

Huber Riesling, Traisental, Austria 2009

This Riesling is from the Traisental region of Austria, normally associated with the Gruner Veltliner grape. The grapes are sourced from "upper slopes". 12%

The Look: A pale lemony yellow, typical Riesling.

The Smell: Slightly reticent, not giving away much but nice hints of grapefruit, citrus and some spices. D could smell "honeydew mellon".

The Taste: Lemon and lime followed by a huge fruit explosion after a few seconds. Very fresh zingy acidity. Palate cleansing. This then leads onto a lovely pink grapefruit and mineral finish. We had it with a beef stir fry (of all things) and it stood up well!

The Score: Very good Riesling. Enough said 7.5/10. Recommended.

VFM: This normally goes for £11.99, making it a bit pricey, giving a VFM = 0.63. However, I only paid £8.14 a bottle on-average after discount so the VFM increases to 0.92. Good value at £8.14. Is it worth £11.99? Hmmm, I think I'd plump for the excellent Vina Leyda Reserve Riesling from Virgin @ £9.99 if I was getting just the one, but in a mixed case at 20% off then it's worth a try.

 

Villa Maria, Reserve Clifford Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2009


Award-winning stuff here being a recent Decanter World Wine Awards Gold medal winner. Let's see if it deserves that medal... 13.5% alcohol.

The Look: Very pale, almost water-white but with a lemony tinge.

The Smell: Very fruity smell, citrus, tropical fruits, gooseberry and slight grassy hints.

The Taste: First up - a lovely burst of acidity, perfectly balanced, not the slightest bit harsh. Lemon, lime and tropical fruit bursts over the tongue. Long mineral finish. Top class.

The Score: Superb.  8.5/10. Highly Recommended .

VFM: The normal price is £14.99 making it more of a treat than value-drinking. This gives a VFM = 0.57. However, at 20% off it's £11.99 which is more palatable (VFM = 0.71) but at the case-average, even better at VFM = 1.04. So is it £6 better than the Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc at £8.99? Same score, so probably not. I think I'll have to get them both side-by-side and get D to serve them to me "blind".

 

Ok, so that's part 2.0 of the Oddbins case, part 2.5 should follow soon. Two great whites and so far, the Oddbins case has been great. I hope the rest are as good. We'll see shortly...


Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Oddbins - Part 1

Welcome to the first part of the Oddbins case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. We had a sparkler to kick things off and that was followed by 3 reds. Here's how they went down...

Lindauer, Special Reserve Brut Cuvée, NV

A sparkling wine from New Zealand, made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Non-Vintage (NV). Embarassingly, I forgot to note the alcohol level, but sparklers tend to be around the 12% mark.

The Look: A huge suprise actually - it's PINK!!! I was expecting this to be a sparkling white (which it still is, kind of). An almost Rosé-like salmon pink. Some skin contact with the Pinot grapes has coloured this with a pink blush.

The Smell: Lovely smell of sweet biscuits or more accurately perhaps, "crumble mix".

The Taste: Strawberries and pink-lady apples! Very nice. Good acidity. Good bubbles. Neither of which were too aggressive.

The Score: Great stuff. Reasonably priced to celebrate any occassion and won't break the bank. 7.5/10. Recommended.

VFM: This normally goes for £11.99, making it good value when priced against Rosé champagne and gives a reasonable VFM = 0.63. However, I only paid £8.14 a bottle on-average after discount so the VFM increases to 0.92. Great value for money.

 

Bodegas Renacer, Punto Final Malbec, Mendoza, 2009


The 2008 was a Gold Medal winner at the recent Decanter World Wine Awards but they'd run out of that so I settled for the 2009. Actually 97% Malbec with 3% Cabernet Franc added to the mix. 13.5% alcohol.

The Look: A dense, dark, opaque purple with a violet rim. Also came with the most bonkers cork I've ever seen (see pic below main pic) - Bright fluorescent orange plastic. Certainly distinctive!

The Smell: Initial smell is smoky, leathery, black cherries, blackcurrant and almost Bordeaux-like hints (no doubt coming from the Cab Franc which I didn't realise was blended in until writing this). After a while, more fruit was dispalyed especially blackberry.

The Taste: Spicy, plummy and black cherry-like taste. Warming i.e. warms the chest! Balanced acidity. Not too harsh but fresh. Some tannin present. And a decently long finish. After an hour or so, much more blackberry and sweet black fruit was evident.

The Score: The more we had the better it became. Developed into a stunner 8/10. Recommended

VFM: Normal price of £9.99 yields a VFM of 0.80 but at the case average price VFM = 0.98. Very good value, either way.

 

Villa Wolf, Pinot Noir, Pfalz, 2008

This one was actually off (volatile acidity). I swear that it changed in front of my eyes, fine one minute, faulty the next! But more than likely, my palate didn't immediately pick up on it. A shame, we were looking forward to German Pinot (or Spätburgunder as they sometimes call it, which translates to "Late Burgundian".

No score unfortunatley.

 

Craggy Range, Block 14 Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, 2008

Ever so slightly pissed off that I ordered the 2007 but the 2008 came. 2007 was superb for the Hawke's Bay area of NZ. 2008, in all honesty, I know nothing about. Anyway, this is from the Gimblett Gravels area, the spiritual home for New Zealand Syrah (never called Shiraz here for some reason). 13.4%

The Look: The bottle is majestic! Class oozes from the label and colour scheme. 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. D says "Soap and sweetcorn" - I agree with the "soap" possbily coming from the lavender/violets but "sweetcorn" I couldn't smell! :)

The Taste: Right this bugger wasn't cheap so I was determined to write as detailed an account as possible. The bottle was left open for an hour before tasting:

The first thing you notice is a striking, vibrant acidity.

This then flourishes into black fruit across your tongue - blackberry, blackcurrant and slight hints of blueberry.

Then it delivers a spicy, peppery after-kick.

Mouth-feel is very smooth. Some tannin evident.

Lovely long finish. 

There are hints of Aussie Shiraz at the fruit end, but more complexity and the peppery-ness (if that's even a word) sets it apart. Absolute class. After an hour or so even more fruit, aroma and spice came out.

Still a bit young.   With time, the remaining tannin will integrate seamlessly and the vibrancy of the acidity should fade slightly giving even more pleasure. The bottle says it's capable of being aged up to 7 years from bottling date (so 2015 effectivley). I'd say in 2 years it'll be at its peak, but hey, I'm no expert!

The Score: Absolute class. Delicious. Damned expensive.  9/10. Highly Recommended if you've got 20 sheets burning a hole in your pocket! If this was £12 a bottle I'd be out robbing Grannies to pay for a case. At £18.99 is it worth it? Phooo, tough decision. I'd like to say yes, and I think I'm going to...Yes it is worth it, but not very often. Once a year treat I think.

VFM: Normal price of £18.99 yields a VFM of 0.47 which is immaterial really, this is a treat, not value for money drinking. The case price averaging out to £8.14 eases the pain a little giving VFM = a whopping 1.11.

So, that's the first part of the Oddbins case done. 3 out of 4 recommended (one highly) and one faulty. Not a bad start at all. We'll be getting stuck into some whites this week, so as ever...


Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Oddbins - What I chose...

After our recent Oddbins tasting we decided to go back and get a case. Oddbins offer 20% off a mixed-case of any 12 (or more) wines, plus your ticket price back if you attended any of their tastings. (NB: Single ticket i.e. £10 back if you spend over £75, but couples-ticket i.e. £15 back if you spend over £100).

This sounds like a pretty good discount and for the majority of bottles it might be, but, certain things are more expensive to begin with. For example, Villa Maria Reserve Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc has a particularly high markup at £14.99 before discount (£11.99 after). This can be had for cheaper elsewhere, for example: £13.49 at New Zealand House of wine (www.nzhouseofwine.co.uk/) (or as low as £10.79 if you buy 2 bottles) and at Slurp (www.slurp.co.uk) for £12.49 if you're only after the one.

So, bear in mind that any permanent discount is more of a marketing trick and the wines are probably marked up sufficiently to cover it. However, the range at Oddbins is nonetheless very good, so we got stuck in...

Taking my own advice for picking a mixed case (see here:) we chose the following: (prices shown are before discount!).


1. Sparkler – Lindauer Special Reserve NV, £11.99. A sparkler from New Zealand made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

2. Rose – Benchmark Rose 2008, £8.49. A Rose made by Grant Burge in South Australia from 100% Shiraz - hopefully giving it full colour and flavour.

3. The “off the wall” one – Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah 2007, £18.99. Yes I know. I really pushed the boat out on this one! Lately the wine press have been banging on about New Zealand Syrah (it's always called that, not Shiraz as the Aussies do) and especially from the Gimblett Gravels area of Hawke's Bay. Being a Shiraz/Syrah lover I really had to see what all the fuss is/was about...

4. Something for the cellar (or wardrobe) – Domaine Chantegut Vacqueyras 2007, £14.99. 2007 was a superb year in the Rhone. Never had a Vacqueyras before and its blend of Grenache and Shiraz, along with the "good year" should give it the ability to age and develop complexity.

5. Old World White #1 – Huber Riesling 2009, £11.99. We are Riesling lovers. Austrian - never before tried so I thought we could give it a go...

6. Old World White #2 – Adriano Gewurztraminer 2009, £15.49. We actually ordered an Alsatian one for £11.99 but this turned up, which hails from the Italian side of the Alps. Should be "fresh"!

7. Old World Red #1 – Villa Wolf Pinot Noir 2007, £10.99. Again, new territory here having not tried German Pinot before. This hails from the Pfalz region.

8. Old World Red #2 – El Furioso Tempranillo 2007, £6.49. Coming from the fashionable Castilla y Leon region. 100% Tempranillo (i.e. the Rioja grape) but not oaked.

9. New World White #1 – Villa Maria Reserve Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009, £14.99 . The requisite NZ Sauv Blanc. Recent Decanter World Wine Awards Gold Medal winner and I am dying to get this down my belly!

10. New World White #2 – De Bertoli Vat 7 Chardonnay 2008, £9.99. From the Riverina area of New South Wales. They may be a "mega Brand" but should be a big, fruity, creamy Chardonnay nonetheless.

11. New World Red #1 – Casillero del Diabolo Pinot Noir 2009, £7.49. Again possibly a mega-brand (they are stalwarts of the supermarket shelves) but, if it's nice then it's one hell of a bargain. I've had the Cab Sauv before and enjoyed it so why the hell not?

12. New World Red #2 – Familia Zuccardi Reserva Bonarda 2007, £8.99. I saw the Familia Zuccardi advert in a recent Decanter so this caught my eye. Bonarda is one of Argentina's "other" red grapes next to Malbec, but by no means far behind. Some good stuff is apparently coming out of there so I thought I'd give it a look...

So that's it. After the discount £97.70 spent, £8.14 a bottle on average! Not bad seeing as most bottles are well over a tenner! There are (hopefully) some beauties in there, so we're really looking forward to drinking and reviewing them.

Oh...I was a bit naughty here...I also got...13. a bottle of the Bodegas Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2009 (£7.99 after discount) because the 2008 recently won a Decanter World Wine Awards Gold Medal so I wanted to see what the fuss was about, albeit a different vintage


Oh, and I was naughty again and bought a bottle of...14... the superb Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz 2008 that we had in the tasting and loved. (£13.59 after discount!). I'll put this away for a few years if I can resist the temptation to open it. That might be a big "if".

Er, plus a couple of others but I better keep those quiet, D might be reading this! Ssssshhhhhh  :)

Speak to you soon.

Cheers

WBFTF

Bank Holiday Wine-Off

Ok so I’m a little late in writing this one but I’ve been suffering from a migraine since Monday. Today’s the first day I can even look at a computer screen!

First up, thanks to our friends for hosting this and orchestrating the whole thing! The original plan was to bring a couple of wines (maximum spend £25 per bottle) for a head to head taste-off. However, when we got there the aroma of delicious food wafted through the air as we were greeted with a glass of Prosecco. To our surprise, a very well structured evening had been planned out with various courses of food for wine pairing and comparing/contrasting. I’d rustled up a couple of gems from my cellar (read wardrobe) for the occasion.

The Prosecco Ca’ Rosa NV (Oddbins £8.99 here: ) was very good, bready, great bubbles and plenty of acidity on the bright finish. 7/10. The first dishes to be brought out were pan-seared tuna with sweet pepper and chive and hot-smoked salmon with crème fraiche and lemon on a crostini. Accompanied by the rest of the Prosecco and a very minerally "Groovey" Salomon Grüner Veltliner from Austria (Oddbins £8.49 here: ). Its restrained fruit and light structure lent itself very well to the fish course. Hints of apple and pear with a good acidity and smoothness. However, I don’t think it would have shone on its own. 6.5/10. Food was superb.

Next came duck carpaccio (although slightly over-done for our benefit; we’re not fans of raw meat) with duck crackling on a leaf of bok choi, and chilli infused cheese with tomato and basil on a sponge-like base that I’ve never seen before! Two of my wines were up; the 5th growth Chateau Lynch Moussas 2006 (Laithwaites, £16.50, not available from here anymore but try elsewhere), from Pauillac, Bordeaux and a grand-old Rioja Gran Reserva from 1998, the Fortaleza de Imas (I think I only paid £10.49 for it – must have been on offer, Laithwaites, Not available any more :( ). The were up against The Tin Mine 2006 (Oddbins, £10.99, here:), from Stellenbosch South Africa. A blend of Shiraz, Cab Sauv, Merlot and unusually, Primitivo. This had lots of cherry and blackberry but the alcohol was still a little overpowering leaving a burning sensation on the tongue. Another few years in bottle should see this emerge! 6/10. The Bordeaux was typical deep red/mid purple in hue, with cherry, blackcurrant and oak smells. Tannic and almost porty in taste. Lovely but not superb 7/10. The Rioja, in all honesty, I was hoping that it hadn’t gone off, after so much bottle age and not having much luck with Rioja. So what a great surprise it was…Lovely brick red colour with brown tinges, showing its age. Raspberries, strawberries, oak and spice smells and tastes. So full of fruit, not muted at all. Fantastic. Clear winner of the round here, and everyone in agreement. 9/10. Food was lovely.

The next round would be a difficult one. My Trapiche Orellana Single Vineyard Malbec, Mendoza 2007 (Laithwaites, £22, here) would be up against two other wines and have to accompany honey & mustard glazed Lamb with baby onions and red wine sauce, and red Thai Lamb curry in a courgette “bowl”. First up was the Cono Sur 20 Barrels Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley 2007 (Oddbins, about £18 but not available any more from here), traditionally an excellent pairing with Lamb. It lived up to tradition – very deep purple with a powerful blackcurrant smell. Lots of blackcurrant fruit and still plenty of tannin. This was surprising as I’m familiar with other Cono Sur offerings, often leaving me less than pleased. However, this one really is a cut-above. Very good 7.5/10. Next up was Edgebaston The Pepper Pot (Oddbins, £12.99 here:), Stellenbosch, 2009, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Tannat. A very similar deep purple to the Cab Sauv. Lots of pepper, spice, plums, blackberry and blackcurrant. Stood up and punched through the curry with ease, still displaying lots of fruit. This was really, very good. 8/10. Last up was the Trapiche. I was expecting big things from this, especially being a Malbec fan and its price. A nose of cherry and tobacco, maybe hints of leather. A lighter red than most Malbecs, more reserved, more finesse than the teeth-stainers, but to its detriment. Spicy black cherry and blackberries, plenty of tannin but, ultimately, disappointing for £22. The acidity was still a bit harsh. One to put away for a few years and try again, 6.5/10. So a clear winner for this round was the young South African blend, the cheapest of the three at £12.99 and literally blowing the others out of the water. Superb stuff, I have to get some! Food was great.

Finally, the two heavyweights were up. Pitted against each other, dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chocolate with chilli and a selection of cheeses and crackers. First was the Matetic Vineyards “Corralillo” Organic Syrah Reserve 2006 from San Antonio, Chile (Oddbins, £16.99 here:). A very dark purple, almost opaque with ruby at the rim of the glass. A powerful smell of caramel, pepper, nettles, maybe damsons and dark chocolate. Very little fruit on the nose which was surprising as it had massive fruit on the palate. Very complex, lots of flavours to try and pick out, with refreshing acidity. Very nicely done but atypical if you’re used to big Aussie fruit-bomb type Shiraz. Cool climate Syrah is typified here with great fruit but above all complexity. It stood up to the dark chocolate and was great with the saltier or smoked cheeses. Great stuff 8.5/10. The Enamore 2007 Malbec, Shiraz, Cabernet, Bonarda (Oddbins, £15.99, here:) followed, with a lovely sweet raisiny smell. Made in the style of Amarone where the grapes are partially dried. Sweet raisins, plums and blackberries on the palate. The elements of alcohol, tannin, sweetness and fruit combined perfectly here into a fitting end to the night (well, almost) and went well with the sweeter cheeses. All in all, a bit too sweet but well done 7/10.

So, after everything had been tasted, there were murmurings of our Rioja being the wine of the night, which I was both surprised and pleased with. However, it was decided to go through them all again in the same order but a bit quicker to see if anything had changed or opened up marvellously. Most wines, we all found, had opened up, over the several hours, and were displaying more fruit characteristics and a bit more nose. However, we were all far too pissed at this point to make proper judgements, so I guess wine of the night remains undecided.

At some point, all the wine had disappeared and someone decided it would be good to move on to Jaeger and Palinka (Hungarian moonshine made from fruits and honey) which was over 60% alcohol by volume! Lovely fruity/honey followed by HOLY SHIT MY MOUTH AND CHEST ARE ON FIRE. It made D sick and made me sick the following morning. Palinka: 3/10.

NOTE TO SELF: Never, EVER, drink it again!

When I can face it, I’ll be drinking some wine again and posting the reviews here!

Cheers

WBFTF