AUGUSTE NURDIN COTES DU RHONE

This is a pleasant little quaffer at a bargain price. Nothing exciting about it and absolutely nothing wrong with it. Would do perfectly well as a function wine.

2.12euro from SuperU France 
3.5/5 Rating from me

THE FRENCH HAVE A DAMN FINE CRACK AT McLAREN VALE

Ogiers 2016 Heritages Cotes du Rhone


This is that classic Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre trifecta that our favourite region in Australia does so well. Well this one is blended to perfection with rich, ripe fruit characters in perfect harmony. With a hefty 14.5% a/v this superb red is the perfect antidote to any homesickness I may have for Australia

5.75euro from SuperU France 
5/5 Rating from me

A BIT OF A STRANGE ONE BUT WELL WORTH A TRY

 Pays D'oc 2016 Muscat Sec Grande Reserve
I was surprised how well this was received at an impromptu campsite wine tasting. It opened strangely with a cloying front palate intensity that lasted about 30 seconds. Once that dissipated a tasty balanced long palate emerged. Won't be to everyone's taste. Very impressive packaging.

3.55euro from SuperU France 
4/5 Rating from me

ROSENHOFF 2016 ALSACE SYLVANER

 The wine with the crazy retro label delivers again with an outstanding expression of this variety. It opens just a little subdued and then explodes into a spectrum of flavours. If you're looking for a change from sauvignon blanc this is definitely worth a try. Absolute bargain.

3.89euro from SuperU France 
5/5 Rating from me

THIS WINE IS RIDICULOUSLY OUTSTANDING AND JUST 2.15 euro

Cotes de Gascogne Colombard Sauvignon


It comes in the cheapest bottle money can buy with an unpretentious label definitely not trying to deceive. Just how ordinary can a wine be at this price? the answer is EXTRAORDINARY! It's beautifully dry with an appealing minerality. Fruit character in the apple/pear spectrum is balanced by crisp acidity. It's such an outstanding bargain it would be worth nipping over to France to grab as many dozen as you could legally bring back to the UK.
2.15euro from SuperU France 
5/5 Rating from me

The Tunnel Top, Dutton Cheshire

The building looks like it needs a lot of work but at the moment the owners are concentrating on getting everything inside just right. And they're succeeding. The young bloke behind the bar was a natural, the beer and cider outstanding and the Tbones we ordered were cooked to perfection. We even got to meet the guys from the kitchen who shared one of their latest creations with us. Tunnel Top, we wish you well.

http://www.thetunneltop.co.uk/

5 STAR PRIMITIVO

PEUCETA 2016 PUGLIA PRIMITIVO


This is a delicious, delightful fruit bomb backed up with tannins and a firm acid spine. It even has flash packaging that can be deceptive. Not here. The wine is probably even better. Very highly recommended as I've grabbed a few.





5/5 rating from me  
£4.99 from Lidl  

This is probably the best budget white EVER!

COTES DU GASCOGNE 2015 EXOTIQUE
In the 40 [yes I started young] odd years I've been raving about wine I can't recall a better budget white than this. 
It's from the south west of France not too far from Portugal's Vinho Verde. It's probably a Lidl controlled brand and it's probably mostly colombard.  And if it was VV it would be as good as I've tasted. It has a crisp dry lifted vibrancy that absolutely dazzles - you'd think it was bottled yesterday. A truly outstanding wine that I would recommend to anyone.
NB This is one that Lidl regularly feature as one of their £2.99 weekend promotions. Which means it's usually sold out very quickly on a Saturday morning

5/5 rating from me
£2.99 from Lidl on promotion
£4.29 the rest of the time

A really difficult wine to score

MARKS AND SPENCER 2016 CLARE VALLEY RIESLING
With a minimalist front label that had the three magic words of clare, valley and riesling we were drawn to the back label for more information. Made by Pikes!! Oh happy day. You don't see many OZ rieslings in the UK and this has been one of my favourites for many years. 

Sadly it was a disappointment and the back label description was way off. It was one of those glycerol laden rieslings that have never enjoyed much of a market that I could find. Of its style it's a perfect example. It may be flavoursome but it's certainly not crisp and fresh. And where the back label author got the idea of "an uplifting hint of sweetness" is beyond me.


2.5/5 rating from me  
£13  from Marks and Spencer

The Beer of the Year ... So far

SADLER'S HOP BOMB
How could I resist a beer with a name like this. It's been brewed using five different hops and combined outstandingly with some serious malt. A beautifully balanced beer that is nudging perfection.

5/5 rating from me
500ml bottle


4.6% a/v
£1.49 from Home Bargains