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Excellent Barry. I think the Berberana offer has finished at Tesco now - but fear not - Castillo San Lorenza Rioja - 2005 Reserva has taken its place as the half-price Spanish bargain (£4.99 from £9.99) and very good it is too!
(PS - your PM inbox is full, but thanks for the message, glad all is A Ok.) :)
We bought some of this from out local Waitrose in Willerby yesterday after reading this :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
http://www.waitrose.com/branches/bra...s.aspx?uid=697
Took some finding as was in the area where they have 'special' wines on a posh display stand in a corner with wooden crates etc, not on the shelves with the usual budget wines :lol:
saving it for the weekend :cool::cool::cool:
Mark.
Hi Mark,
Of course, old boy. Did you expect me to recommend a wine likely to be kept where the oiks and chavs go for their Lambrusco? :lol: ;)Quote:
Took some finding as was in the area where they have 'special' wines on a posh display stand in a corner with wooden crates etc, not on the shelves with the usual budget wines...
It'll be interesting to know what you think of it :)
Marco.
Recently quaffed this Bordeaux, bought from the Co-op for £6.50:
http://www.weinwelt-probst.de/images...ges/1400_0.jpg
2008 Chateau Pierrousselle, chateau bottled 13% ABV
74.5% Merlot, 14.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc
"Situated in the Entre-Deux Mers region, the vinyard is planted with Cabernet Suvignon and Merlot grapes wich gives a rounded, supple wine with flavours of damson and blackcurrent."
"Château Pierrousselle AC 2007 is an intense dark purple red in colour. It has a complex nose giving you both spice and delicious mouthwatering black fruit aromas. The blackberry fruit notes are well rounded and the wine has a good finish.. Bottled at the Château Pierrousselle. Owner is Michel Lafon. Vineyard has 43 hectares and the vines are 25 years old (on average)."
Probably best keeping for a year or two, but can be drunk now.
Tesco have on offer at half price:
2009 Ogio Della Venizie.
100% Pinot Grigio, 12% ABV. £4.49 Offer ends 5.10.10
http://napi.net-flow.com/ogiowines.c...ottle.php?ID=2
and
2008 Saint Joseph.
100% Syrah, 12% ABV. £6.50 Be quick - offer ends 21.09.10.
http://img.tesco.com/wine/UIAssets/p...el_126x150.jpg
Can be drunk now or kept for up to 5 years.
I have recently enjoyed a bottle of 2006 Masi Costasera Amarone, a beautiful Italian red Valpolcella Classica.
http://static.winedirect.co.uk/image...2-ITMS0601.jpg
I am not particularly knowledgeable about Italian reds; my tastes in red wine have been limited to those from French vineyards. In fact apart from a few bottles of Barolo and some dubious Chianti, my experience of Italian reds is lamentable. It was a forum post by Marco that drew my attention to Amarone and some of the better but lesser known reds from Italy.
This bottle was on ‘offer’ in Tesco at £23. Usually it sells for more, so I grabbed the opportunity to try it out. Running the name past Marco, assured me I hadn’t bought a ‘pig in a poke’; apparently Masi are producers of some of the finest Amarone.
I’ll quote the blurb on the bottle:
“COSTSERA: the coasts which face the sunset are the best ones in Valpolicella Classica for producing a high-quality Amarone. Here, where the day is longer, the vines, which overlook lake Garda, benefit from the reflection of its light and its milder climate. Amarone is a unique wine due to its origin, ancient grape varieties and production method (vinification of grapes that have semi-dried for 3 – 4 months on bamboo racks). The Costasera Amarone expresses a particular majesty and complexity. …”
So what’s it like? Well in short: it’s big, bold and beautiful! Oh yes, this is a big wine: full-bodied and powerful (15% ABV). It’s also beautifully balanced and structured - I’ve never tasted a wine that is so free of tannins: no need to describe this wine as "having supple tannins", it’s so obvious it doesn’t need stating. The Amarone is an intense wine with complexity and a smooth, long finish.
A wine that can be enjoyed seul but goes wonderfully well with red meats and cheese. In fact this bottle was consumed with the following:
Scottish venison steak, served with Pommes Dauphinoise, lightly sautéed mushrooms and corgettes, red cabbage, purple-sprouting broccoli, carrots, fresh garden peas (there’s something therapeutic about shelling peas) and fine beans. There might have been some asparagus there but I don’t remember.
If you have ever drunk Barolo, the Amarone is Borolo-plus, if not ‘Borolo-zilla’. Don’t expect much in the way of postprandial activity. You’ll have just about enough energy to load the dishwasher, pour yourself a cognac and pull out a few CDs to play.
It’s that good – nice one Marco!
Great review Barry - I've yet to find an excuse for a bottle but maybe I should try harder after reading your description! :cheers:
Finca Flichman - Malbec Mendoza..
Around my neck of the woods, Wirral, there is an excellent bitter called Trappers Hat made by the Brimstage Brewery. It's not too strong but is very tasty with a good hop aftertaste. You can drink a few without getting brain damage (I drink Belgian for that).
Wossat like then, Andre, and where do you get it from? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
Hi Campbell,
I'll remember that, as I have quite a few friends in the Wirral. Where's the best place to drink it? I'm in the area quite often :cool:Quote:
Around my neck of the woods, Wirral, there is an excellent bitter called Trappers Hat made by the Brimstage Brewery. It's not too strong but is very tasty with a good hop aftertaste. You can drink a few without getting brain damage (I drink Belgian for that).
Marco.