This light pale Vaucluse rosé is smarter than the cartoon girl on the label might indicate. The label changes colour once the wine temperature reaches 12°C, indicating that it's ready to drink. Liberally. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, this spent a quick 6 months in tank after a cool fermentation to keep the freshness front and centre. Youthful strawberry, raspberry, cranberry share the stage on this dry, light-bodied and pink one that finishes sunny and juicy. Chill and enjoy this little charmer this summer.
Chilean Sauvignon Blanc that tastes like Sancerre from the Loire Valley: now that’s something to get excited about, especially since the price is Chilean rather than French. This one has a nose of green plums and nettles; it’s dry, fresh and lively on the palate with flavours of gooseberry and grapefruit and a long, lingering finish.
A first-rate Amarone offering concentrated developed dark fruit on the nose with refined notes of cinnamon, vanilla and clove. Rich dark plum and black-cherry flavours come encased in a firm tannic structure with good weight and balance. A deeply satisfying, powerful wine with room for further development.
Pasteurized only once (most sake is twice pasteurized), this is an intensely fragrant, fresh and aromatic sake boasting traces of ginger and sweet melon. Very crisp and lively in the mouth, its flavours lean towards bright pear and citrus, with some vanilla and banana. Medium-dry with a long, memorable finish, this elegant junmai (which comes across as more junmai gingo — maybe even junmai daiginjo) married beautifully with an ethereal dish of scrambled egg whites, fresh Dungeness crab and silver fungus.
Medium ruby. Fine nose of red berry fruits, just enough oak. Half-bodied, nice fruity taste. Oak is more present on the palate than the nose announced but it is still not too much. A pleasant red that goes down easy on its own or with many dishes.
Reminiscent of a top Puligny! The green apple, mineral and citrus on the nose meets up with smoky minerals, spice, vanilla and toast on the palate. Elegant and poised; there is sound acidity and great length.
Organically grown, this perfumed red pumps out blackberry/cherry jam alongside clove, smoke, rosemary, flowers and cocoa. Already drinking beautifully so pair alongside paella or lamb chops.