Late harvest Kadarka, made from Botrytized grapes is not uncommon in Hungary. But it’s not the reason the Toronyi 2016 from Szekszárd is so interesting. Continue reading
Revisited: Bodri Szekszárdi Kékfrankos 2018
Nice cheap Chianti – Corte alle Mura Chianti Riserva 2015 from Lidl
When looking for value, supermarket Lidl is often a good choice. Especially some of the Italian and Spanish reds they offer. The only issue is that these are available only for a few weeks in every year, at least in Hungary, and stock runs out quickly. This Chianti is one to buy by the case for the mere 4 Euros they ask for it.
Better drink in its youth – Domaine Des Roches Neuves 2016, Saumur Champigny
At what age does a mid-range Loire Cabernet Franc tastes the best? A more adequate question is perhaps: if great on release, will such a wine offer that enjoyment later or dumb phases are expected, like in the case of Southern Rhone reds?
Collemattoni Rosso di Montalcino 2017
I hoped for a little Brunello, but this was a disappointment. Continue reading
Fine Beaujolais Nouveau: Jean-Baptiste Duperray, Vieilles Vignes 2020
It’s titled Vieilles Vignes (old vines), but just like other similarly priced (around the 8€ mark) and well made Nouveaus, it’s easily up to most Beaujolais Crus in quality. Just like others I have been buying in recent years.
Bakonyi Kékfrankos 2017, Villány, Hungary
The first vintage of the wine. The 2018 is more serious, but priced a bit higher and not yet ready to drink, as opposed to this one. I would happily drink this now. Continue reading
Post House Blueish Black 2018, WO Western Cape
A nice Barbera – Marziano Abbona Casaret 2018, Langhe
I brought this to our last Kékfrankos (Blaufrankisch) blind tasting, just to see if it would confuse people. The two grapes have some similarities (notably the bright acidity), but this clearly did not belong to the line-up. Not to mention that it outshone all the Kékfrankos wines, despite being less expensive than most of those. Continue reading
Not for the faint-hearted: Tesco Finest Valle del Limari Shiraz 2019 (Chile)
I hope I can visit Chile one day, during the harvest period and taste some black grapes. Doing a vintage in a cellar would be even more amazing. That way I could probably understand where that very special character comes, which hallmarks the red wines of the country.