THE LIST | JUNE 2024
This was JUNE 2024 update
Sainsbury’s
*NEW Louis Vallon Crémant De Bordeaux Blanc De Noirs, France (S) complex, rich, ripe fruit
*NEW Barone Montalto, Grillo, Sicily (W) light, floral, value
*NEW Grüner Veltliner, Taste the Difference, Austria (W) super dry, stone fruits, tight
Taste the Difference Île-de-Beauté Rosé, Corsica (Ro) top-notch, good intensity, soft
*NEW Altano Rewilding Edition Douro, Portugal (R) dark fruit, hint of sweetness, smooth
*NEW Santodeno, Sangiovese, Appassimento, Italy (R) sweetish, plump, black fruit
Terre di Faiano Nero di Troia, Italy (R) flavoursome, plump, slight sweetness
Tesco
Tesco Finest 1531 Blanquette De Limoux, France (S) value, ripe fruit, biscuit
*NEW Plaimont Saint Mont Grande Cuvee, France (W) tropical, freshness, a little bit of bite
Bellingham The Bernard Series Chenin Blanc, South Africa (W) texture, weight, oak
*NEW La P'tite Pierre Rouge, France (R) glugger, medium, easy
Dv Catena Cabernet Franc Historico, Argentina (R) herbal, black fruit, good complexity
*NEW Les Terrasses, St Nicolas, Cabernet Franc, France (R) violets, juicy, served chilled
ASDA
Crémant de Bourgogne, Brut, France (S) fresh, balanced, award-winning
*NEW The Wine Atlas Carricante Terre Siciliane, Sicily (W) interesting grape, mineral, citrus
*NEW La Corriente Sauvignon Blanc, Chile (W) award-winning, fresh, balanced
The Wine Atlas, Feteasca Regala, Romania (W) light, balanced, value
*NEW The Wine Atlas, Monastrell, Rosado, Spain (Ro) herbaceous, spice, interesting
Gros Manseng, Vin Orange, France (Or) good intro, apple, floral
*NEW Bodacious Red, Portugal (R) juicy, black fruit, decent value
Morrisons
*NEW Codorniu Vintage Organic Cava Brut, Spain (S) value, balanced, can’t go wrong
The Best, Assyrtiko, Greece (W) lemon, saline, worth a go!
*NEW The Best Verdeca Igp, Italy (W) light, floral, easy-going
Vitis Nostra Pinot Noir Rose, Italy (Ro) silly price, light, red fruit
Cune, Mencia, Spain (R) light, perfumed, value
*NEW The Best, Ribera Del Duero, Spain (R) good fruit, strong offer, decent intro
Aldi
Specially Selected, Picpoul De Pinet, France (W) fresh, good intensity, lemon
*NEW Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected The Puzzle, France (W) floral, good flavour, worth trying
*NEW Val De Loire Rosé, France (Ro) silly price, light, simple
Animus, Douro, Reserva, Portugal (R) plump, ripe, dark fruit
*NEW Specially Selected Ventoux, France (R) dark fruit, spice, acceptable
Specially Selected Primitivo Di Manduria, Italy (R) plump, ripe, fair expression
Co-op
*NEW Codorníu, Gran Crémant, Eco Vintage Brut, Spain (S) fresh, balanced, good value
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Riesling, Australia (W) fresh, lemon, dry
*NEW Château De Rouet, Provence, Rosé, France (W) delicate, red berries, easy
*NEW Famille Perrin, Les Cardinaux, Rhône, France (R) red fruit, medium, fair expression
Baron de Ley, Rioja Reserva, Spain (R) follower favourite, red fruit, oak
*NEW Molise, Biferno, Italy (R) medium, cherry, juicy
Lidl
*NEW Deluxe, Pinot Gris, Gisborne, NZ (W) slips down, balanced, value
Carpinus, Harslevelu, Tokaj, Hungary (W) apple, nuttiness, weighty
*NEW Pinot Noir Rosé Pays d'Oc, France (Ro) can’t go wrong, light, refreshing
Chianti, Riserva, Italy (R) cherry, subtle oak, excellent value, balanced
270 Alta Expression, Ribera del Duero, Spain (R) bold, black fruit, oak, spice
*NEW Te Haupapa Pinot Noir, New Zealand (R) good intro, red fruit, earthiness, light
Waitrose
*NEW Bodegas Muga, Conde de Haro Cava, Spain (S) brilliant producers, rich, toasty, value
*NEW Bolney Estate Blanc de Blancs, England (S) balanced, pick of the bunch at a recent tasting, complex
Loved & Found Gelber Muskateller, Austria (W) honey, peachy, top-notch
*NEW Triade Bianco, Italy (W) cracking little blend, floral, moreish
*NEW Little Giant Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia (R) strong representation, big, bold, dark fruit
*NEW Rustenberg John X Merriman, South Africa (R) iconic, super price, dark fruit, structured
*NEW Vin Santo Santa Cristina, Italy (Sw) complex, sweet, delicious, nutty
Marks & Spencer
*NEW Collection St. Gall Champagne 1er Cru Brut, France (S) rich, plushness, a good thing
*NEW Graham Beck Cap Classique Rose, South Africa (S) balanced, fresh red fruit, good mousse
*NEW Domain de Mandeville Viognier, France (W) good balance, soft, stone fruit
*NEW Found, Moschofilero & Roditis, Greece (W) floral, expressive, fragrant
*NEW La Cascata, Passivento, Puglia, Italy (R) expressive, rounded, plump, popular
*NEW Lisboa Bonita, Portugal (R) ripe fruit, smooth, enjoyable
Majestic Wine
*NEW Devaux 'Oeil de Perdrix' Brut Rosé Champagne, France (S) cracking wine, elegance, balance, very enjoyable
*NEW Bouvet Ladubay 'Saphir' Saumur Brut, France (S) value, stone fruit, rich
*NEW Nero Oro Grillo Appassimento, Sicily (W) spice, honeyed, flavoursome
DeMorgenzon ‘Reserve’ Chenin Blanc 2020/21, South Africa (W) weighty, fantastic, complex
*NEW Peyrassol 'Les Templiers' Organic Rosé 2022/23, Côtes de Provence, France (Ro) elegant, light, soft red fruit
*NEW Mt Difficulty 'Roaring Meg' Pinot Noir, New Zealand (R) beautiful, red fruit, proper kiwi Pinot
*NEW Quinta do Portal 'Mural' Reserva Tinto, Douro, Portugal (R) black fruit, jammy, oak
*NEW Two Hands 'Angels' Share' Shiraz 2021/22, McLaren Vale, Australia (R) silky, plump, strong expression
Costco
Joh. Jos. Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten, Riesling, Spatlese, Germany (W) sweet, ‘petrol’, highly-rated
Cantina Zaccagnini Tralcetto Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy (R) crowd pleaser, young fruits, slight spice
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2017, Italy (R) big winery, big wine, delicious
Kirkland Signature Series Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, USA (R) cassis, plump, black fruits
Specialists (Wines I’ve tried recently and loved)
*NEW Wraxhall, English Sparkling Wine, Somerset (S) apple, good mousse, broiche
*NEW Waas, Skin Contact Semillon, South Africa (Or) good balance, citrus, easygoing
*NEW Pinos, Bobal Rosé, Spain (Ro) spice, red fruit, good intensity
*NEW Pfalz Spätburgunder, Weingut Ludi Neiss, Germany (R) light, good deal, red fruit, cherry, chill it down
*NEW Ecral, Haras de Pirque, Carmenere, Chile (R) herbal, good body, flavoursome
*NEW Neudorf Vineyards Tom's Block Pinot Noir, New Zealand (R) light, red fruit, earthiness
*NEW Picoron, Le Bon Nobel, France (R) incredible, fresh, full fruit, great body