Château Suduiraut Sauternes 1er Cru Classé 2008

Wine: Sauternes 1er Cru Classé
Winemaker: Château Suduiraut
Vintage: 2008
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
Price: £40
Buy From: The Good Wine Shop

A golden hue shimmers through the glass, glistening against the sunlight, pure gold, pure temptation. 

Deep caramel and toffee notes trickle up your nose in a complete euphoria as if Christmas day and your birthday just arrived simultaneously in one combined moment. You think you're already in heaven then the taste hits - fresh honey dripping from the pot, honeysuckle and brown sugar swirled in rich caramel, love and wonder.

This is without question a stunning Sauternes and in my opinion one of the best available. An outright keeper and great vintage to set down. 

Slingshot Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine: Slingshot Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Slingshot
Vintage: 2014
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: £22

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A deep blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry and licorice bomb on the nose, we’re talking black cracked pepper and rich black fruits flowing from the glass. This is one of the most representative ‘Californian Cabernet Sauvignon” noses I have come across in the UK, so my intrigue levels are already peaking. Upon taste there’s that wonderful sweet glaze that covers the palate, backed by an incredible acidity and tannin base.

We’re talking raspberry compote, cedar wood, vanilla bean and an incredibly fresh backbone of ripe meadow fruits picked straight from the forest. The tannins come into play right at the finish a slight coating that gives a smooth finesse to this magnificent wine. As far as I’m concerned this is one of the top affordable Californian wines in the UK and needs to be explored.

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Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel 2014

Wine: Sonoma County Zinfandel
Winemaker: Seghesio
Vintage: 2014
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Price: £21.99

It's pretty damn hard to find a decent quality Californian Zinfandel in the UK that isn't mind blowingly expensive; in most cases it's a hell of a lot easier to plump for a Southern Italian Primitivo instead, it's also usually easier to find a quality example and normally at around two thirds of the cost.

At first this exhibited a certain ruggedness and displayed rather dank aromas, not what I was expecting, but it settled in time and I'm pleased to report it is a thoroughly lovely wine. Not typical of the usual jammy, rich and intensely extracted flavours that this variety is known for, but instead more refined, elegant and dare I say it, more complex.

Baked plums and black cherry on the nose and palate, with subtle aniseed and liquorice employing a wonderful savoury element, adding balance and taming the sweet red fruits beautifully. A silky smooth texture, with oily dense legs, quite the sight when consumed in decent stemware. The tannins at first are little overwhelming, but a good (3hr+) decant will soften them amply; the acidity is linear, but sufficient enough to temper the sweetness, the flavour and aroma intensity pronounced and the finish exquisitely lengthy.

A great wine from a family producer boasting five generations of quality wine production. This would be great with a damn good cheeseburger or rib of beef!

Viva Seghesio!

Buy now from Virgin WInes

Top 5 Vegan Wines In The UK (& Where To Get Them!)

As veganism is gaining in popularity minute by minute, for ALL the right reasons, we thought we'd do our best to help bring the wine loving vegan community up to speed with some of the greatest vegan wines available for purchase in the UK!

 

RAVENSWOOD LODI ZINFANDEL

Wine: Lodi Zinfandel
Winemaker: Ravenswood
Vintage: 2014
Variety: Zinfandel
Price: £11.99
Perfect Pairing: Vegetable Hotpot Click Here For Recipe

This full bodied beast from Lodi performs to an exceptionally high standard year on year and 2014 is every bit as good as previous years. Absolutely packed with blueberry, baked plum, mocha and vanilla, with a dry spicy finish. As mentioned this is a big 'ole wine so a good bit of breathing time really helps release everything it has to offer. A great wine to pair with a warming winter vegetable hotpot and plantain dumplings after a hard days work as the cold nights begin to draw in.

Buy now from Majestic 

 

FAUSTINO 1 GRAN RESERVA RIOJA

Wine: Faustino 1 Gran Reserva
Winemaker: Faustino
Vintage: 2004
Variety: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo
Price: £14.00
Perfect Pairing: Moroccan lentil and butternut squash bake Click here for recipe

Everything about this wine typifies Rioja, the nose and palate are packed full of perfumed red fruit, liquorice, cured meat and leather. The mouthfeel is velvety and this wine really is a class act. For this price you're getting a wine that's over a decade old that has spent a minimum two years in oak and three years in the bottle prior to release, such is the strict ageing rules for Rioja. A great showpiece for a dinner party and lends itself beautifully to Moroccan lentil and butternut squash bake.

Buy now from Tesco: 

LA GIOIOSA PROSECCO SUPERIORE

Wine: Prosecco Superiore
Winemaker: La Gioiosa
Vintage: NV
Variety: Glera
Price: £13.49
Perfect Pairing: Sweet potato and black bean chilli Click here for recipe

A fantastic alternative to higher priced Champagnes, which is an absolute must over the Christmas period as supermarkets gear up to take advantage of unsuspecting customers by aggressively marketing lesser known brands in a bid to take advantage of the infamous North Eastern region of France. Granny Smith apple, tinned peaches and subtly toasted almonds. Vibrant, refreshing and very characterful, perfect as an aperitif and even better with sweet potato and black bean chilli.

Buy now from Waitrose:

DEFINITION CHABLIS

Wine: Definition Chablis
Winemaker: Majestic Wines Defintion Range
Vintage: 2015
Variety: Chardonnay
Price: £14.99
Perfect Pairing: Zucchini fritters and spiced hummus Click here for recipe

A wonderful example of a well made Chardonnay, absolutely perfect to pair with zucchini fritters and spiced hummus. White flowers, lemon and lime with a nice slightly nutty finish. Bone dry, with a pronounced intensity and persistent finish. This wine stands out, where often the quality associated with the region precedes the drink in front of you. Long live affordable quality Chablis.

Buy now from Majestic

NATALE VERGA PRIMITIVO

Wine: Primitivo
Winemaker: Natale Verga
Vintage: 2015
Variety: Primitivo
Price: £7.99
Perfect Pairing: Falafel and artichoke pizza Click here for recipe

There's a lot to be said for Puglian Primitivo, sadly lesser known than Zinfandel, even though they're genetically identical, but there's a trend sweeping across the UK right now where Primitivo is well and truly making a statement. Rich and powerful, packed with inky dark fruits, milk chocolate and dried spices. A real mouthful and incredibly moreish. For the money it doesn't get much better. Try it with falafel and artichoke pizza, it's simply sublime!

Buy now from Majestic

Christian Patat Appassimento 2015

Wine: Appassimento
Winemaker: Christian Patat
Varieties: Merlot, Primitivo & Negroamaro (Undisclosed %) 
Vintage: 2015
Price: £13.99

I'd like to personally thank the extremely talented Christian Patat, for gifting us a little piece of Southern Italy at a fraction of the cost this kind of wine usually sets the consumer back. It's super silky, opulent, elegant and moreishly drinkable!

The aromas upon opening this were astounding: powerful baked dark fruits, think plums and dark berries with liquorice, pipe tobacco and a wispy background note of vanilla. In the mouth it's pure silk, rich, syrupy, intense dark fruits, subtle raisin and powerful vanilla imparted by the wonderful, albeit substantial oak integration.

Full bodied, medium acidity and an everlasting finish. There is literally no wine this situation doesn't suit, it is the epitome of a crowd pleaser. Pair with strong cheeses or pizza. Serve at 18-20'c and enjoy!

Buy Now: From Naked Wines

Nyetimber Classic Cuvee

Wine: Classic Cuvee
Winemaker: Nyetimber
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Pinot Noir/Chardonnay (undisclosed %) 
Price: £32.99
Click Here To Buy

With English sparkling wine becoming increasingly more fashionable by the day and rivalling our French cousins across the pond in Champagne for quality, this classic cuvee blend from Nyetimber is a stand out performer in what has become and is continuing to grow into a fiercely competitive market in the UK.

Citrus and white stone fruit on the nose, with just a feint hint of green fruit and some wonderful bready notes. The palate is crisp and vibrant, whilst remaining elegant and has a restrained style that oozes class. Packed with lemon, fresh apricot and nectarine, all bound together with a refreshingly rasping acidity; the finish is long lasting and complex, with some lovely toast, a seaside salinity and lovely nutty flavours.

Elegant, characterful and perfectly poised. A wonderfully fine mousse, amazing, a truly joyful experience!

Trimbach Alsace Riesling 2009

Wine: Alsace Riesling
Winemaker: Trimbach
Vintage: 2009
Varietal: 100% Riesling  
Price: £17.99

This was my first Alsace Riesling and one that really blew me away! I couldn't have wished for a better introduction into a future world that I'm sure going to over indulge in.

The bouquet is vibrant, energetic, and particularly expressive and captivating. Oodles of sharp tropical notes of grapefruit and baked pineapple, with some lovely, elegant floral notes. The palate is diverse and proud, brimming with character and complexity: loads of citrus notes, unripe green fruit and moving onto some bready almost starchy flavours toward the finish, which adds depth of flavour as well as something unusual in a usually very lean, overly acidic varietal.

Crisp, bone dry and full of zingy acidity, medium bodied, subtle silky tannins (very appealing to me, to find this to be the case in a white wine), a moderate intensity and fabulous farewell of finish.

Partner this with Chinese or spicy Thai cuisine and you'll be thanking me into the next week.