A generous, warm climate red that overdelivers when it comes to value. And it’s not a boring, predictable one – a real winner.
Great value red: Clos Mont Blanc Xipella 2015, D.O. Catalunya, Spain
Great dry Tokaji – Gizella Barát Hárslevelű 2018
Gizella is one of the best producers of Tokaj, making wines in a modern, precise and crispy, almost steely fashion. Their entry level white (reviewed here) and the Szamorodni (see here) are both at the top of their class, just as is this single vineyard Hárslevelű.
Savage Thief in the Night 2018
Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Replace the latter with Mourvedre and you get a classic Rhone blend. This has nothing to do with Rhone reds, though.
Great South African Chenin Blanc – Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2014
Recently I’ve been opening the South African whites I bought many years ago – I stocked up on them back then. Each and every of them turns out to be wonderful. Now I have confidence that they don’t simply shine as young wines, but can age remarkably as well. Continue reading
Good midweek dry Tokaji – Gizella Furmint / Hárslevelű 2019
A quite common Furmint and Hárslevelű blend from one of the best producers of Tokaj, positioned just under 10 Euros so that it’s affordable. Production is also considerably bigger for this entry level white, than for the top wines.
Serious dry Muscat from Mátra, Hungary: Centurio Fáy-Domb Sárgamuskotály 2019
There is quite a lot of Muscat planted in Hungary and besides some very cheap, sweet(ened) versions it’s actually used for dry wines – that’s perhaps not the most common path for Muscat growing countries. And these dry versions can be good, very good.
S. C. Pannell Basso Grenache 2017, McLaren Vale
It’s been too long since the last Grenache post on this blog… so here you go. This comes from Australia, from a highly regarded artisanal producer and it does not disappoint.
Summer red – an 11% alc. Hungarian Syrah, Válibor 2018 from Balaton
This is no ordinary Syrah. How often do you see 11% alc. on the back label of a red made from this powerful grape? Continue reading
New wave Priorat – Terroir Històric Negre 2018
Returning to the roots. This Grenache and Carignan blend is made with ancient winemaking techniques, and the result is clearly different from the oaky, heavy interpretations of Priorat most of us are familiar with.
Something unusual – Csernyik Turán 2018, an aromatic and tannic red from Mátra, Hungary
Turán is a Hungarian cross, a teinturier grape variety (whose flesh is red, or rather inky purple) with poor reputation. It ripens early, has a muscat-like aroma but it’s very tannic and slightly bitter to taste. A blending component to boost color, not much else – at least in most winemakers’ eye.