Supermarket Sweeps - Six for £60 - Tesco Part 1

Hello All,

Welcome to the second installment of my look at the supermarket shelves for value wines, this time Tesco. Any large Tesco now has a reasonable array of wines, but what caught my eye were the Tesco Finest range (which made up the majority of my purchases). They're priced keenly and had some interesting grapes and regions on display. Also, you get 5% off any 6 bottles purchase in store. I managed to buy 6 bottles and a bottle of Port for about £55. So, let's see if they were any good.

Oh and don't forget to follow me on Twitter for further little nuggets of wine-related stuff.

Tesco Finest, Tingleup Vineyard Riesling, Great Southern, 2009

£8.68. This is from Western Australia's Great Southern region. The 2010 vintage just recently won the Decanter Regional Trophy for Australian Riesling under £10, so I was hoping this would be good too. On the light side, at 12%

The Look: A pale gold colour with greeny hints.

The Smell: Great smell, really fresh with a burst of lime juice, some minerals and spice.

The Taste: A huge burst of fruity, fresh limeade, very zingy acidity. Lovely.

The Score: Quite simply, a great Riesling 8/10. Highly Recommended

VFM: At £8.68 this is a bargain and great value at VFM = 0.92

Tesco Finest, Picpoul de Pinet, 2010

£7.29. Picpoul de Pinet describes both the grape and the region from France's southern Languedoc area. An interesting variety and not often found on supermarket shelves, but it's gaining some fans.  12.5%

The Look: A pale straw colour with greeny hints.

The Smell: Smells very grapey, slightly floral with what I thought was elderflower. I could pick up something like pear drops after a while too.

The Taste: Nice refreshing acidity, grapefruit, grape juice, elderflower on the taste too. Crisp but with a discernible bitterness at the end, like the aftertaste of a hoppy beer. The tang was a bit too much after a while.

The Score: Not bad, but the bitterness detracted from the enjoyment, so sadly, can't quite recommend. 6.5/10.

VFM: At £7.29 this is still a bargain, and if you haven't tried a Picpoul then I'd give it a go. However, there are better out there. VFM = 0.89

Tesco Finest, Cotes de Provence, Rosé, 2009

£7.99. Provence in France makes some very serious Rosé. Some would say, the best in the World so I was excited to see this at this price. Notoriously food friendly rather than overtly fruity, I was hoping for good things. 12.5%

The Look: Salmony pink with copper-orange tints.

The Smell: Very reticent with all but the faintest whiff of red fruits, although I couldn't pick anything particular out.

The Taste: The good points: good food wine, pleasing balance, no overpowering flavours, some hints of red fruit and a caramel hint. The bad: Bitterness. They seem to have extracted all of the magnificent colour from the skins, but all of the bitterness too and none of the flavour from the grapes. Didn't want to finish the bottle.

The Score: All the seriousness of Provence, none of the charm. Avoid. 5/10.

VFM: At £7.99 I would not but this again, despite a reasonable value of VFM = 0.63.

So, in summary, a brilliant Riesling, a mediocre Picpoul and a Rosé to avoid. The full spectrum then!

I wish I'd have plumped for the Montes Alpha Chardonnay or Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc. Oh well, maybe next trip...

Next time; the reds and the port!

As always, speak to you soon!

Cheers

WBFTF

Wine Society Recommendations - Part 2

Hello All,

Welcome to Part 2 of some recommendations from the Wine Society. You can find Part 1 here:

Three whites and only one red this time, as it turned out we'd had some faulty red bottles, but duly refunded, so top marks there.

Some time soon I'll be starting the Supermarket Sweep Six for Sixty series so keep posted for that, despite a slight fly in the ointment: The Decanter World Wine Awards Issue! If you want to know what's good in the Supermarkets, in all likelihood, it'll be described therein. It had slipped my mind that the issue would coincide with my planned start date.  I don't really want to just re-iterate what they have recommended as good, so I will try to remain as impartial as I can. One or two overlaps might occur if I really fancy something, but I'll try to avoid simply plumping for what they rate and hopefully cover different ground. But hey-ho.

Anyway, without further ado, the Wine Society whites...

Clos La Coutale, Cahors, 2009 

Cahors, the famous "Black Wine" from south-west France, the spiritual home of Malbec, renowned for its deep, dark colour and teeth-staining quality! Predominantly Malbec, although this one has some Merlot blended in. ...13.5%

The Look: Well, not quite black, but a deep plummy purple core leading to a pinky/purple rim.

The Smell: Super fruity, jammy smell.

The Taste: Great fruit, blueberry, black cherry yoghurt, violets and oak. Very tannic so needs a while to soften but delicious.  

The Score: Great stuff. 7.5/10. Recommended

VFM: At £7.95 this is very good value VFM = 0.94

Les Chailloux, Sancerre, 2009 

Probably the most well-known area of the Loire valley for growing Sauvignon Blanc. More expensive and exclusive than Touraine and arguably Pouilly-Fumé, it normally shows in the price, although I'm inclined to challenge that...13.5%

The Look: Very bright, sprightly yellow-green.

The Smell: Herby, grassy, minerally, citrus fruits and slight grapefruit zest.

The Taste: Fresh acidity, zingy citrus fruit with a mineral edge and some bitter grapefruit on the finish. A hint of tropical fruit creeps through. Good body, length and smooth texture.

The Score: Restrained and classy. 7.5/10. Recommended

VFM: At £12.50 this isn't cheap, but it is Sancerre, and it's good. VFM = 0.60

Plantagenet, Riesling, 2009 

 

From the Great Southern area of Western Australia. Owned by an Englishman, Plantagenet have a great reputation and make some premium wines. Cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks keeps this fresh. Fairly light at 11.5%

 

The Look: Bright! Pale lemony yellow. 

The Smell: Bright! Very citrussy nose.

The Taste: There's a theme here...Bright! Very bright, fresh, zingy acidity, lime and grapefruit. We had it with spicy enchiladas and it cut through perfectly.

The Score: Delicious, fresh and zingy 8/10. Highly Recommended

VFM: At £12.95 this is fairly steep, but a cut above your average £7 supermarket Riesling. Still, not bad value at VFM = 0.62.

Gavi La Battistina, 2010 

Named after the town of Gavi in Piedmont, this region is often dubbed "Italy's answer to White Burgundy" and also, embarrassingly, my mother's pet name for me! Made with the Cortese grape. 13.5%

The Look: A medium lemon yellow.

The Smell: Lovely smells of honey, peach, slight citrus zing and a floral hint too.

The Taste: Really zesty on the palate with very fresh, zingy acidity, hints of grapefruit, lime, spice and a green apple hint too.

The Score: Great, although not very Burgundian this one! 7.5/10. Recommended

VFM: At £7.95 this is cracking value VFM = 0.94

So there we have it, an end to the Wine Society wines for now, no doubt returning in the future, but as I alluded to earlier, I'll be concentrating on the Supermarket Sweep series next. That will probably take us up to the run-up to Christmas, and then it'll be balls-to-the-wall with wine treats!

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

Birthday Celebrations 1

Hello all!

So last week was D's birthday and I whisked her away to the Hilton at Puckrup Hall near Tewkesbury which was superb. We had some great food; D had a Salmon & Rocket starter and I had Leek soup, both very good. For mains D had Pork and spring onion mash with bok choi and I had the tastiest Beef in Guinness stew ever, served in a Yorkshire pudding with mustard mash. D had a dark chocolate and orange creme brulee and I had a forest fruit cheesecake. Amazing dinner. Wine-wise, to start we had a glass of Piper Heidsieck Brut NV at £8.05 a glass! Expensive but superb - great fruit, lively bubbles and perfect refreshing acidity (8/10). D then liked the sound of a Zinfandel so we ordered the bottle of Ravenswood Vinters  Blend Zinfandel 2007 (nearly £26!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) - which is on sale at Majestic for £4.99. After nearly choking on the price, we enjoyed its soft fruit and some spice (6.5/10). Decent for a Fiver but not £26 - ridiculous markup.

We'd recommend it to any looking for a luxury getaway, if only for the buffet breakfast! Eat as much as you like...and I did!

Anyway, the night before we set off we also treated ourselves to some lovely wines from Slurp. Another thing I like about Slurp is that some of the bottles have a few years bottle age in them already, its not all about shifting the most recent vintage to make room for the next.

Esk Valley, Riesling, Hawkes Bay, 2007

From winemaker Gordon Russell, this Riesling is very "German" in style; low alcohol (10%) and some residual sugar to make it just off-dry. Produced from two vineyards in Clive and Takapau, Hawkes Bay, NZ. The black label Sauvignon Blanc was immense for the price and we're hoping this will be too.

The Look: Brightly coloured; a mix of gold and deeper green hints.

The Smell: Quite a complex mix of lime, some soapy/floral hints and some savoury/herby elements.

The Taste: Very bright, zingy acidity. Limes, passion fruit, buttery and herby. The acidity then fades to an almost imperceptible sweetness but enough to counterbalance the acidity. Really good. This will age well and according to the back of the bottle, should keep for "many years"; developing toasty elements.

The Score: Again, brilliant stuff from Gordon Russell. 8/10. Highly Recommended.

VFM: At £10.80 a bottle, this is not bargain-basement, but in my opinion, neither is it exclusive or out of reach. The VFM is a very respectable 0.74. A nice treat with your spicy Asian dishes or as a lunch wine or just for indulgent quaffing.

Vina Tabali, Reserva Syrah, Limari Valley, 2007

From the cool climate Limari Valley 29km from Chile's coastline. This winery is part of the same group as Vina Leyda (who also produce some stunning cool-climate wines in the Leyda Valley) but run independently. Big one at 14.5%.

The Look: Dark, intense, opaque purple with a slight rim of violet.

The Smell: A lovely, complex mix of strawberry, plum, white pepper, blackberry, dark chocolate, sweetness and florality (if that's a word?). Slightly hot on a deep sniff.

The Taste: Unsurprisingly; much the same as the above; blackberry, violets, bitter dark chocolate, brighter red fruit (maybe redcurrant) giving a brisk acidity. A slightly overt bitterness did detract from the enjoyment slightly but did fade after a glass or two. Slightly hot but a lovely long finish.

The Score: Very enjoyable. Hotness and slight bitterness did nag slightly, but I may be being too harsh. 8/10. Highly Recommended.

VFM: At £14.95 a bottle, this is a bit of an indulgence, but what the hell; it's celebrating-time! VFM = 0.54 but we don't care!

Some more celebrations to come as we approach my birthday so we'll keep you posted on what we're glugging. The wines from The Wine Society have arrived so we'll be tucking into them very shortly.

As always,

Speak to you soon...

Cheers

WBFTF

Majestic Wine - Part 2

Welcome to the second part of the Majestic Wine case, handpicked mixed-12 according to my rules. A quick summary of what I chose can also be found here:

We had to catch up on the whites this week after devouring three reds last week, but threw in a cheeky red and a Cava also. And there were some beauties...

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:

Villa Maria, Private Bin Riesling, Marlborough, 2009
The "Private Bin" series wines are the entry level wines for this brand. This Riesling comes from vineyards scattered amongs the Wairau and Awatere valleys of Marlborough on the North East coast of New Zealand's South Island. 12.5% alcohol.

The Look: A very pale wine with lemon highlights and almost water-white at the rim.

The Smell: Quite restrained at first but this was straight from the fridge and pretty cold. Did develop smells of lemon/lime, sweet apples and maybe some melon or peach.

The Taste: Wow! A big hit of fruit and lively, refreshing, acidic "tanginess". Green apples, peach and  a lemon/lime citrus burst. Pleasing in the mouth and gorgeous! The only thing (and this is a very slight thing) that lets it down is that after the 2nd or 3rd glass, the acidity did start to become a little mouth-puckering and grated slightly. However, with food I think this would not be noticeable.

The Score: I dont use the term lightly; this is a kick-ass wine. Only £7.99? Really? Sssshhhh don't tell anybody and we can snap it up before the price rises... 8.5/10. Highly Recommended.

VFM: At £7.99  a bottle this is fantastic value; VFM = 1.06. This is what it's all about, great tasting wine at a great price. Bravo.

 

Verdiccio dei Castelli di Jesi, Monte Schiavo, Italy, 2009
From the hilly Marches DOC area of Italy on the Adriatic coast. The "Classico" on the label suggests it is from one of the oldest districts of the region. 13% alcohol.

The Look: A pale yellow with straw-coloured hints. Almost water-white at the rim.

The Smell: Very similar to a Sauv Blanc, citrussy, slightly grassy with a herby/minerally edge to it.

The Taste: A nice, fresh acidity. Good balance of fruit with abundant nectarine, grape-juice and grapefruit. Lovely. Went well with our bacon-wrapped Cod fillets wiht Rosemary. Not incredibly long, More "minerally restrained" than a "fruit bomb". A very good, food-friendly white or equally at home on its own.

The Score: Good stuff, plainly and simply. 7.5/10. Recommended

VFM: At £7.49  a bottle, again, this is GREAT value VFM =1.0.

 

Neblina, Carmenere, Central Valley, 2009
Valle Central , as the Chileans say, is directly across the Andes from Argentina's Mendoza region. A real bargain wine here (£5.99), let's see if it's any good... 13% alcohol.

The Look: A deep, plummy purple turning to a bright lipstick red at the rim.

The Smell: Smells smoky and meaty with lots of plum character. Also faint hint of violets/floral whiffs.

The Taste: Very much like it smells; spicy, smoky plum. Fairly bright acidity, some decent tannin. All in all, quite well integrated. Not a bad drop. D said "very drinkable". 

The Score: Very good for the price!. 6.5/10.

VFM: At £5.99  a bottle this is again gives great value at VFM = 1.0

 

Codorniu, Seleccion Raventos, Cava, NV
A traditional Champagne method sparkler here from the Catalan region (I've just returned from Barcelona and criminally, didn't try any local Cavas whilst there!). This particular cuvée is to celebrate 125 years of Cava-making .11.5% alcohol.

The Look: Pale straw-yellow with greenish highlights.

The Smell: Smells citrussy, with cakey-sweetness. Champagne flutes are not the best for smelling - I should have used my tasting glasses!

The Taste: Taste is citrussy-fresh, good acidity, fine bubbles. Some apples and pears and a long finish that is biscuity or cakey. Can definitely pick out the Chardonnay..

The Score: Very good. Better than some £20 Champagnes we've had and this is only £6.99 Cava!. 7.5/10. Recommended

VFM: At £6.99  a bottle this is again gives superb value at VFM = 1.07. A great (and much cheaper) alternative to Champagne.

So, there we have the second part. Very good indeed with three great wines. Value and quality at the same time? Majestic are shaping up to be a good merchant.

Next time, to finish off the case, there remains a Kiwi Pinot Rosé, a Cote du Rhone and a Rioja Blanco. A potentially fine finish? If current form is anything to go by then yes!

As always...

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

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