Australia – Red – 2009 – 13%
Region: South Eastern Australia
Grape: Shiraz
Cherry red in colour with full aromas of currant, blackberry, roses and a hint of wood smoke. Medium bodied wine with smooth texture. Flavours of red and black berry fruits, licorice and tar. Fairly impressed with this wine, would buy it again.
M&S £4.99
France – Red – 2008 – 13%
Region: Languedoc
Producer: Thierry Beaudinaud
Label: Les Montgolfiers
Grape: Shiraz
Dark purple-red wine. Not terribly complex aromas of red berry fruit and shoe polish. Medium to full bodied with slight acidity and a velvety texture; no great length or finish. Flavours of blackberry,vanilla and pepper. This is clearly a mass-produced wine but good value at the offer price of £4.99. Wouldn’t be quite as happy to have paid the regular price, though…
Tesco £6.99
France – White – 2006 – 12.5%
Region: Bordeaux
Producer: Maison Sichel
Label: Chateau D’Argadens
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc 55%, Semillon 45%
Lovely yellow-gold colour. Faint aroma of apple; soft acidity, not much length or finish. Flavours of grass, toffee, apple and calvados with a mineral background. This wine should have been drunk younger, hence the bargain price of £3.99 and it probably would have been very pleasant. This taste was a lesson in drinking a wine past its time and I’ll look forward to another white Bordeaux that hasn’t aged too far.
Secret Cellar £3.99 Bin End
Australia – White – 2005 – 13%
Region: Clare Valley
Producer: Jim Barry
Label: The Lodge Hill
Grape: Riesling
Pale yellow with aromas of kerosene and lemon. Smooth and slightly lean with good length and finish. Flavours of lime, butter, mineral and a hint of pineapple. Got this as a bin end for £3.99 which was fantastic value, the best price available elsewhere is over 10£ which still wouldn’t be a disappointment.
Secret Cellar £3.99 Bin End
Italy – White – 2009 – 12%
Region: Sicily
Producer: Ca Di Ponti
Grape: Cataratto
Pale yellow wine with aromas of peach and beach pebbles. Smooth with slight acidity; faint bubble-gum flavour over stone fruits. Not a remarkable wine but not bad value.
Secret Cellar £4.99
Spain – Red – 2008 – 14%
Region: Jumilla
Producer: Bodegas Juan Gil
Label: Honoro Vera
Grape: Monastrell
Deep ruby colour, aromas of blackberry and fresh red meat. Medium to full body, some sharpness of acidity and a mildly matt tannin with flavours of dark berries. A nicely balanced wine and reasonably good value.
Secret Cellar £5.99
Italy – White – 2007 – 13%
Region: Veneto
Producer: Cantina di Monteforte
Label: Passo Avanti
Grape: Gargenega
Pale gold in colour, creamy aromas of pineapple, almond and a hint of orange. A refreshing drink with soft acidity and full flavours of butter and pineapple. A reasonable value white wine.
Waitrose £5.69
