“Whilst we are all awaiting New Zealand’s next harvest let’s enjoy some Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa,” writes Jones.
The London outpost of WoodWinters specialises in Italian wines, but I was also rather impressed with the offerings from elsewhere, with France certainly shining. Andrew Johnson, WoodWinter’s managing director stated that it was easy to list fine wines but the key to the current market is to find great value wines that represent quality and diversity. This was especially true with the wines he was showing from Italy, where lower prices often are reflected in the quality, but it was still a real joy to taste many of these wines with great value that still deliver high quality.
WoodWinters continues to evolve its list and, from the interest at this busy portfolio tasting from a room full of young Italian sommeliers, it seems to be doing a great job.
All prices Trade ex VAT
White Wines
Domaine Les Caizergues Les Tisserands Blanc 2020, £8.91
Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc & Vermentino
The balance of savoury herbaceous flavours intermingling with bright citrus acidity, minerals, stone fruit and spice helps to deliver a great, refreshing wine with plenty of texture and flavour.
Artemis Karamolrgos Santorini 2020, £20.12
Assyrtiko
There are no bargains from Santorini any longer but, if you are looking for quality, this Assyrtiko delivers. With some of the vines over 120 years old, with 10% aged in old oak. Steely, ocean spray, lemon zest, curd, mineral, focused, rather fine and pure. Beautiful.
Carinus Polkadraai Chenin, Stellenbosch 2020, £18.46
Whilst Lukas Van Loggerenberg makes most of the wines for the Carinus Vineyards, this Chenin was made by Chris Alheit, thus as a bargain it sits perfectly here in comparison to the prices that Chris’s wines normally fetch. The two cousins who run the vineyards; Danie and Hugo are 5th generation growers with vineyards across Swartland, Devon Valley and the sought after Polkadraai ward in Stellenbosch, supplying grapes to many of South Africa’s Rock Stars. This is a wine to age, nectarines, smokey herbs, grilled lemon zest, as it sits on the palate there is a pristine pureness about it, leaving a bright star filled mouthfeel.
Gedeelte Sauvignon Blanc, St Helena Bay, 2019, £14.20
Whilst we are all awaiting New Zealand’s next harvest let’s enjoy some Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, this Pouilly Fumé style Sauvignon is robust and textured, spiced apples, delicate citrus, lush fresh herbs, zingy and lingering.
Sensale Grillo, Sicily 2020, £6.26
Delicate refined classy Sicilian, clean white currants, cool refreshing, hint of spice, fresh herbs, apples and pears.
Castello di Tassarolo Gavi Spinola 2021, £10.49
Herbaceous nose, mellow yellow flowers, buttercups, acacia honey, clean and focused on the palate, camomile, orange flower water
Masseria Setteporte Etna Bianco 2020, £16.41
Fresh zingy citrus, lemon and lime, white berries and currants, wild flowers, white peeled nectarines, glowing
Red Wines
Hitching Post Highliner Pinot Noir, California 2019, £26.63
Pretty perfumed nose, dark Scottish Autumn raspberries, delicate refined palate, cool clean luxurious mouthfeel, love the purity and precision of this, quite superb
Sottano, Malbec, Mendoza 2020, £8.46
Refined, elegant, smooth with cocoa, milk chocolate, cassis, cedar and a fresh violet finish
Bosman Grenache, Wellington, South Africa 2020, £6.34
Very light rose colour, fresh bright and clean, serve slightly chilled, great value and an easy drinking wine, perfect with a leg of spring lamb with asparagus
Anysbos Grenache, Bot River, South Africa 2017, £16.51
Strawberry perfumed nose, dark and red berries combine to give a serious structured wine, clean citrus acidity holds it well, delicate and lingering, perfume and essence of berries throughout
Terre des Dames “La Dame”, Languedoc, 2018, £10.51
Grenache, Carigan, Syrah
Gentle perfumed nose with a delicate silky palate, bright red berries, fresh herbs, gentle cedar and vanilla, elegant
Chateau Jamard Belcour Lussac-St-Emilion, Bordeaux 2016, £11.28
Juicy redcurrant, soft cedar, cocoa, vanilla, luscious red plums, gentle and balanced, a lovely refined value added Claret
Vieux Chateau Gachet Lalande-de-Pomerol, Bordeaux, 2015, £18.08
Dark perfumed nose, layers and layers of luscious fruit, polished, bilberries, blueberries, redcurrants and blackberries tingle on the palate. Hint of liquorice on end, drinking well now.
Casale Sangiovese 2015, £8
Exceptional value for this aged Sangiovese, dark cherries and plums, lovely texture, coffee and spices, mocha, ripe and forward lovely raspberries and cherries
Casale Chianti 2011, £16.37
Bilberries and cranberries combine to lift this aged Chianti, copper colour, farmyard aromatics lifted by the bright fruit with blackberries coming through
Casale Chianti Riserva 2006, £25.46
Dark red colour, richly textured, coffee, lacquer, underlined by a ripe clear raspberry/cherry fruit that carries it well. The purity is rather good on this and great value for a 2006.
Tenuta di Ghizzano Veneroso, Tuscany 2016, £22.03
A nod to New World here with a clean fresh savoury and fruit driven wine that combines freshness and elegance, this will continue to age well, such a bright fresh finish, crying out for food.
Tenuta Santa Maria Decima Aurea, Veneto 2015, £22.54
This single vineyard Merlot is full of wild berries, damsons, bilberries, cocoa, spices, cedar gentle espresso but with freshness, rather special wine that has great character and showcases Merlot at its friendly best.
