Vouvray - 2004

 
Nice Vouvray wine from the Loire valley. Nice label too.

La Ciboise - Coteaux du Tricastin

 
Ok you might think I am narrow-minding myself down to only Cotes du Rhone wine, but actually I just focus on this region before I move on to other countries and areas. I call Rhone wine my home wine. You need a benchmark anyway, and I know that most people use Bordeaux aus their benchmark. So far I also like south African Pinotage and West Australian Shirah. Would I know the difference between west- and east-Australian Shirah? No, probably not. Most are just west Australian. Also I like a lot of good white wines. Especially the ones from Luxembourg (Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Elbling, etc) and some German Riesling. Well, I also like Chiliean Cabernet Sauvignon and Californian Shirah. Anyway, back to the old good Rhone wine. This one is again by my favourite producer Chapoutier, and it's the cheapest one at under a fiver from Asda. Great value, lots of cherry flavours and great with a chunk of cheese. Of course not the finesse of a Cotes du Rhone Villages or Vacqueras/Gigondas/Chateauneuf... but good nonetheless. So there!

Rasteau

 
Another great Cotes du Rhone Villages Rasteau wine. This time from the well known Perrin & fils estate. This again is a very warming red that is really good to drink with anything, but probably best with grilled meats.

Crozes Hermitage - 2003

 
This is my first Crozes Hermitage. After opening this bottle I poured myself a small sample and swirled it around and then put my nose in the glass. The smell of this wine was fantastic. Reminded me immediately of the Provence, of wines like the Vacqueyras. It has the same woody smell, and also what comes to my mind is that I can really just smell the warm southern french climate in this wine. Sandy dry land with lavender bushes and rosemary. No, you can't smell exactly those notes, but it just smells as if you'd open the bottle in the Provence in a cafe outside on a terrace. I enjoyed the smell of this wine so much, I was not even is such a great rush to taste it. The colour is rather light, which you could already make out before you opened the bottle. The taste was then, compared to the other Cotes du Rhone, rather weak, but none the less fruity and aromatic. You can't really compare it to the traditional Cotes du Rhones, this is much more light and refined and easy drinking, if you like. It is medium bodied rather than full, and can be enjoyed on its own or with some light cheeses or crackers. I am eating Lancashire cheese with it, and while the cheese is relatively mild, it is already almost overpowering the wine. I think strong cheeses would kill it. Bottom line, I love this wine, and I sniff before every gulp.