Maximin Gruenhaeuser Herrenberg - Riesling 2009

Back after almost 2 years! Here a review of a Riesling. Having put my order through for the 2009 Bordeaux en primeur, which will only be delivered in 2012, I have recently decided I would research a bit about Rieslings, given, also that I have relocated and now live in close proximity to the world's best Riesling near the Mosel! I bought this bottle, alongside another 2009 Riesling from a good wine shop in Trier, Germany. I first had a wine tasting of 5 Rieslings for Euros 6.50 which I thought was brilliant value for money. I like the Riesling Kabinett Trocken, which is why I selected two. They are dry, crisp, light coloured with a hint of green, smell absolutely gorgeous of apple, citrus and apricots. When drunk on a hot summers day like today (30 degrees) it is absolutely refreshing, delicious, and for me at least, ticking all the boxes for a dry white wine. Get it for just over ten Euros! It also matures well apparently. 

Montana Pinot Noir 2007

 

An update! A wine review! Finally! For all the thousands of readers, here is a new review! I got this nice little Pinot Noir from Waitrose today. I was looking for two wines from New Zealand. A pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc. I wanted to test them. This is from the big Montana producer and it is the slightly cheaper Pinot Noir (they also had the reserve one) which is yet still quite expensive. Well it travelled around 20,000 miles or so to arrive at my dinner table, no wonder. This wine, as I expected, was quite different to a Burgundy Pinot Noir, or indeed a Californian Pinot Noir, it almost does not taste like pinot noir. On the nose is young fruit, cherry almost but also oak. The taste is much sweeter than the Burgundy pinot noirs. Typical new world, and if I did not know it was pinot noir, I probably would have guessed a different grape variety. It is particularly easy to drink. I think the taste is of cherry, liquorice, wood, grapes, grapes, grapes and grapes. Yeah, great review. Well but I liked the wine!

The Wine Society - Pinotage 2003

 

This one is a good one! South African Pinotage is still one of my favourite reds. Although very much on the sweet side, almost jam like, it is absolutely delicious and probably the most easy drinking red around. This is the first slightly older one that I have tried of this grape variety and I have to say it is very good. Next time I'd buy a case of this if I had that wine cellar.... one day!

Cote de Nuits-Village

 
Bought this one along with a Mercurey of the same big name producer of the Burgundy region. They were meant to be drunk with friends over a Chinese new years dinner at ours but somehow we ended up drinking 1997 Chianti Reserva instead which was fantastic. The Cote de Nuits-Village was good too though. Very dry and with tannins. Not really an easy drinking wine even though you would think so of a lightly coloured red. The next one in review was much more easy drinking...

Baron de Brane 2005

 
Our wedding wine was the 2004. I tried this half bottle out of curiosity, especially since 2005 was supposed to be the great year of the Bordeaux. While it tasted good, this one was definitely too young. It was interesting though to look out for the potential in this wine. Being a second wine of a grand cru, from one of the best vintages ever, it certainly had something special about it. You could taste the ripe deep fruit, even though still very fresh, odd in a way. I would definitely recommend putting this one away for at least 5 years before trying it. That's what we are doing with our left over wedding wines...

Diemersfontein Shiraz 2004

Anyone would like this one. This is better than the 2006 Pinotage even because it is not too sweet, yet very deep, dark red, fruity yet dry, easy drinking, likeable. Great with any food, especially seafood pasta! Very easy drinking. But I think you only get it at Asda. Have not seen it anywhere else. Would like to visit the winery in South Africa. Check out their website. Great producer!!

good burgundy

Baron de Brane - 2004

 
This is it

Cahors - Pont du Diable

Picked this one up at Waitrose today for under 5 quid. Just fancied something different. It said dark berries on the label. I knew I was in for a treat. Grabbed some cheeses off the counter as well and once at home had a good tasting. This is a quite strong and a bit rougher tasting wine. Made from the Malbec grape, this is different than the normal wine I drink, but from the strength, acidity and tannins it reminded me of my favourite Rhones, although it did not have the Provence-sandy hills-herby taste to it. However, I can just imagine how great this would taste with a nicely grilled piece of meat on the balcony under a tree in the South of France. I loved this wine. Great with strong cheeses (Camembert) or something meaty. I'll have it again.

Pouilly Fume - Appellation maison

Then mid week I had this no-name unknown-vintage home made Pouilly Fume. A friend gave this to us as a present. While he is from Burgundy, this wine is actually from the Loire. At first it tasted slightly home-made, smelled great, but just had a hint of self-production about it. It tasted good though. I liked it even more on the second day. Don't know anything else about it.

Sarget de Gruaud Larose - 2001

From the St. Julien region in the Medoc of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Gironde, this is from a well known chateau as it was classified as 2eme Cru Classe in the 1855 ranking. This particular one (Sarget) is the second wine of the chateau. This just means that it is from the vines that are sub-prime from the rest. They are still from the same vineyards and made in the same way, they are just the lesser quality grapes. Probably the ones that get more shade for some reason or the ones near the busy road or something. But I honestly think a lot of second wines are just the same as the first, and just a means of the chateau to reach a wider consumer base. Like Tesco's own brand Chateauneuf du Pape made at the St Pierre vinery is most likely exactly the same as St. Pierre's own branded wine that is sold for 3 pounds extra, also at Tesco. Or Waitroses own branded pasta. Do you really think Waitrose have their own pasta factory? No, they pay Buttoni or some other Pasta producer to produce for them, for their own brand. Both win. Wider audience. Anyway, back to the Sarget. It's now most definitely my favourite Bordeaux. I will get it for my wedding if I can get hold of 4 cases. It is classic Bordeaux. Ripe leather, old library book, museum, ripe fruit pudding kind of taste. We shared it with my brother over Sun's nicely baked ham&cheese Quiche. It was great. Special wine, not for every day, but worth getting.