Wines in Tuscany are mostly derived from the Sangiovese grape, i.e: Chianty, Brunello or vino nobile di Montepulciano. There is a separate category however outside the traditional DOC/G´s focused on Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot) for which the climate in Tuscany is very favourable. These wines are called Super Tuscans due to the higher tannin content, strength and age-ability. Picconero is a great example of Super Tuscans. Great wine for drinking now, it will age very well also.

APPEARANCE
Clarity: Clear
Intensity: deep
Colour: ruby


NOSE
Condition: clean
Intensity: pronounced 
Aroma characteristics: blackberry, black cherry, black currant and violets 

PALATE
Sweetness: dry 
Acidity: high
Tannins: high
Body: full 
Flavours: blackberry and black cherry marmalade
Finish: long


CONCLUSION: Outstanding. Big flavours of black fruit, well balanced with high alcohol and tannins plus a long finish. Well formed super Tuscan.

Matua, the Maori word for head of the family, claiming to be the first to plant Sauvignon Blanc in Malborough, New Zealand. Sauvignon Blanc has a grassy herbal character which makes it stand out from other white wines. Matua is particularly fruity with a very slight hint of green flavours. 

Not your typical blockbuster Sauvignon Blanc where you are hit with big bold flavours, Matua is more sophisticated than that, the flavours are there, a little time to learn to love it is required. Top of the Sauvignon Blancs in my book. The only problem you will have is that once you start it will be difficult to stop. 

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear. Intensity: pale. Colour: lemon

NOSE
Condition: clean. Intensity: medium
Aroma characteristics: ripe melon, a hint of elderflower and freshly cut grass

PALATE
Sweetness: dry. Acidity: high acidity, very refreshing
Body: full bodied
Flavours: intensely fruity, grapefruit, with a hint of asparagus
Finish: long finish, the flavour lingers in your mouth and in your mind well after you have finished

Met a friend for a coffee after work on Friday afternoon. Looking for a nice Café we came across a gastro pub and stopped for a nibble and wine instead. 

The day before midsummer, it was particularly warm, we sat outside the pub for some tapas. Wanting something to match the warm weather and seafood we went for a bit of fizz in the form of Conde Villar, vinho verde 2013.

Vinho verde comes from the north of Portugal, south of Galicia (where albariño comes from), i.e: fairly cold and wet. The perfect wine for a summer evening on its own or with seafood. Loureiro, Arinto and Trajadura are the grapes that make this wine and at 10.5% alcohol it is light and very very refreshing.

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear. Intensity: pale. Colour: lemon

NOSE
Condition: clean. Intensity: medium. Aroma characteristics: the sweetest clementine and lime

PALATE
Sweetness: dry. Acidity: medium. Body: light. 
Flavours: lime, bay leaves (=Loureiro in Portugese), with a refreshing light fizz
Finish: long finish 

CONCLUSION
Very good to outstanding. Very well structured wine, the combination of aromas, flavours and freshness transport you somewhere distant by the sea. Can't wait to go there again and again.

Similar wines can be found in the following supermarkets: 

Fruity and refreshing, non fizzy. Morrisons at £4.49
http://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Morrisons-Vinho-Verde/119873011?prevPageIndex=0

Aldi's vinho verde at £4.99
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/product-range/drinks/wine-cellar/white-wine/white-wine-product-detail-page/ps/p/vinho-verde/

Sainsbury's vinho verde. Excellent value at £5.20, lime, fizz, refreshing.
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/ProductDisplay?langId=44&storeId=10151&catalogId=10122&productId=53096

Tesco Finest Vinho Verde at £5.99
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=267931111

Traditional sauvignon blancs come from around the Loire and Bordeaux areas. Over the last 10-20 years however, New Zealand has been producing some amazing sauvignon blancs to rival the most traditionalists.

Sauvignon blanc varies in flavour from lime, grapefruit, passion fruit and even stone fruit, depending on how and where it is produced. It has a grassy herbal character which makes it stand out from other white wines. This herbal streak can be a strong asparagus flavour, gooseberries or flinty mineral flavour which some describe as cat's pee (enough said about that). 

What has made New Zealand popular is value for money. In spite of high logistic costs and a price hike in the last few years, NZ Sav Blanc is very good value. While an average Sancerre or Poully-Fume will set you back anywhere north of £12-£15 per bottle, the New Zealand equivalent will cost you half of that. What's not to like?

Oyster bay, Sauvignon blanc 2013

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear. Intensity: pale. Colour: lemon

NOSE
Condition: clear. Intensity: medium to pronounced.
Aroma characteristics: grassy (light asparagus) and fruity (lime/grapefruit)

PALATE
Sweetness: dry. 
Acidity: high acidity (it makes your mouth water)
Body: medium to full body
Flavours: grapefruit, lime with a hint of pear and the characteristic gooseberry/mineral flavour
Finish: medium to long

CONCLUSION
Very good and great value for money. Amazing balance of intense flavours with a medium to long finish. Try it with chicken and/or Asian food, fish is also good.

Oyster bay is a quite popular example of well made Sauvignon Blanc wines from the Malborough region in NZ (South island). It is widely available in the UK as its one of its biggest markets. 

Morrissons has it on offer and its way below everyone else at the bargain price of £7.29
http://www.morrisonscellar.com/shop/oyster-bay-sauvignon-blanc-750ml-0988240

Majestic also has it on offer, two bottles at £7.99 each (£11.99 individually)
https://www.majestic.co.uk/Oyster-Bay-Sauvignon-Blanc-zid37047

Tesco is second best buying a case of six at £8.39 per bottle
http://www.tesco.com/wine/product/details/default.aspx?id=260222846

Asda sells it at £10.98 although the website shows it out of stock...
http://direct.asda.com/Oyster-Bay-Sauvignon-Blanc-2013/006748943,default,pd.html

Celtic in origin, workship to St James, green landscape, bagpipes, fjords, 2000ml of rain per year. We all think Wales, Scotland or Ireland. Galicia couldn't be any further away from Spanish stereotypes. The landscape too harsh for growing anything and a climate almost too wet for vines, special planting techniques are used as conventional viticulture doesn't work here.

Alvariño is the main grape in the Rias Baixas DO (denomination of origin). Under the name Alvarinho (same grape) vinho verde is produced across the border in Portugal. Alvariño was almost extinct in a country of red wines, where the conditions were once too tricky to make good quality wines. With the arrival of new techniques, investments have poured and wine quality has improved dramatically. It is one of their most important white grapes in Spain and makes one of the best white wines in the world.

Orballo, Albariño 2012

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear. Intensity: pale. Colour: lemon

NOSE
Condition: clear. Intensity: pronounced.
Aroma characteristics: floral (honeysuckle?) and fruity (stone fruit, apricot)

PALATE
Sweetness: dry. 
Acidity: medium to high acidity (it makes your mouth water)
Body: medium to full body
Flavours: peach, red apple and grapefruit
Finish: medium

CONCLUSION
Very good and great value for money. Great balance of intense flavours with a medium to long finish. Try it with Vietnamese or Thai food, a normal dinner will turn into an experience.

For those with an incline for a point system, Decanter gives this wine 94 out of 100. Best drunk when young, within two years from production, although some Albariños are oaked and destined to mature in bottle.

John wines has the most competitive offer for the Orballo 2012 at £9.95 per bottle
http://www.johnhwines.co.uk/product/albarino-orballo/

Aitken wines sells Orballo 2012 at £9.99 per bottle (not far off)
http://www.aitkenwines.com/item/Brand_All-Wines_Orballo-Albarino-2012-Rias-Baixas-Spain_17_0_399_0.html

Virgin wines sells Orballo 2012 at £10.99 per bottle
http://www.virginwines.co.uk/wines/Orballo-Albarino/PRD~C04718/

Following from last month, Chardonnay is one of the most versatile grape types. It shows very different characteristics in the different climates where it is grown. 

In the Côte de Beaune region in Burgundy chardonnay is mostly oaked and shows a richer nuttier style of wine. The wine is mostly oaked with high acidity although less than Chablis. More often than not the wine would have gone through a secondary (malolactic) fermentation followed by aging in oak. 

Etienne Sauzet, Puligny-Montrachet 2008

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear. Intensity: pale. Colour: lemon

NOSE
Condition: clear. Intensity: pronounced.
Aroma characteristics: vanilla, butter and hazelnut

PALATE
Sweetness: dry. Acidity: high acidity (it makes your mouth water)
Body: full body (oak plus malolactic fermentation)
Flavours: candied lemon peel, red apple, almonds and hazelnuts, vanilla, spice
Finish: long

CONCLUSION
Outstanding. Great balance of intense flavours with a long finish. A fantastic experience when matched with shellfish or roast chicken.

The wine above costs £42.95 today yet since it ages well it will go up on price over the next few years
http://www.davy.co.uk/p/buy-wine-online/european-wines/france/burgundy/white-burgundy/puligny-montrachet-villages-etienne-sauzet-white-burgundy-france-2008.html


Here are some similar wines available in UK retailers. 

Waitrose:
http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=97523

Drinks direct:
http://www.drinksdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Puligny_Montrachet_Domaine_Alain_Chavy.html

Asda
http://direct.asda.com/Chateau-De-Puligny-Meursault-2009/006747914,default,pd.html&cmpid=ppc-_-ad-pla-_-ggle-pla-_-Too-Broad-_-006747914&cm_mmc=ad-ppc-_-ggle-pla-_-Too-Broad-_-006747914&istCompanyId=71f4ae42-94c5-4821-aa58-05eff6da2486&istItemId=xmwwmtrmw&istBid=tztx

Chardonnay is one of the most versatile grape types. It grows in cool (Champagne), moderate (Chablis) and hot climates (California) and in each climate it shows very different characteristics. 

In the Chablis region in north Burgundy chardonnay shows aromas of citrus and green fruit. The wine is mostly unoaked with high acidity and little intervention from the winemaker (not oaked)

Chablis Premier Cru, Montée de Tonnerre 2010

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear. Intensity: pale. Colour: lemon

NOSE
Condition: clear. Intensity: medium.
Aroma characteristics: lemon, grapefruit, green apple, mineral 

PALATE
Sweetness: dry. Acidity: high acidity.
Body: medium body (no oak or malolactic fermentation)
Flavours: lemon, grapefruit, green apple, mineral 
Finish: medium

CONCLUSION
Very good. Matching aromas and palate. Ideal with fish and/or seafood dishes or goats cheese. 

Here are some similar examples available in UK retailers. 

The wine society:
http://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/productdetail.aspx?section=pd&pl=WCHA&pd=BU48301&pc=AAAZ&prl=&cc=WDRINK&anchor=ReviewsAnchor

Waitrose:
http://www.waitrose.com/shop/HeaderSearchCmd?searchTerm=Chablis&defaultSearch=GR&search=

Tesco:
http://www.tesco.com/wine/product/details/default.aspx?searchBox=Chablis&search.x=35&search.y=13&id=265704695

Marks and Spencers:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/chablis-case-of-6/p/p21126691