Red South Australia wine from Australia: 2012

Wine name: Shiraz Producer: Bottled for Australian Vintage (Europe) Limited, London SW11 3TN Vintage: 2012 Purchased from: Present on NSPCC night for playing music Price: £0 Appearance: Deep red, thick and smooth on the glass. Aromatics: Lots of forest floor and juicy berries. Attack: Quite smooth. Evolution: A touch watery and lighter than I'd have liked. Finish: Cherries in the nose, quite an acidic kick on the swallow. Sweetness: 0 Acidity: 2 Tannin: 2 Texture: VERY smooth tannins Length: Quite good. A tiny gap behind the tongue tip Balance: Too watery for a 2012 Aussie Shiraz – I want something chewier. Closure: Screwcap Alcohol: 12.5% abv Notes: Note bad but too light for its type. FrenchWineGuide score: 80 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Red Côtes du Rhône wine from France: 2005 #organic: http://frenchwineguide.blogspot.com

Wine name: Crozes Hermitage Producer: M. Chapoutier, 26600 Tain Vintage: 2005 Purchased from: Leclerc Price: £10 Appearance: Slightly browny, slightly watery colour, very thick and viscous on the glass. Aromatics: Juicy black cherries. Attack: Firm but very smooth. Evolution: That single-variety Syrah juiciness which tastes really mouth-watering, forest floor, a touch of redcurrant. Finish: Black cherries in the nose, redcurrants on the swallow. Sweetness: 0 Acidity: 2.5 Tannin: 4 Texture: Smooth and rough at the same time. Length: Excellent and varied Balance: Lovely – smooth yet strong tannins, good body, nicely mature. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 13% abv Notes: Delicious and very good for the price – structured, smooth, juicy, interesting, and went well with Sausage Neopolitan! FrenchWineGuide score: 89 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Rosé Vendée wine from France: NV : http://frenchwineguide.blogspot.com

Wine name: Terre 85 Cabernet Franc Producer: Les Vignobles Mercier, 85770 Vix Vintage: NV Purchased from: Super U Price: £0 Appearance: Quite pale artificial peach colour, thin and receding on glass and crystal clear. Aromatics: Quite light, a touch of burnt orange. Attack: A little artificial with Tizer-like notes. Evolution: Mellow citrus Finish: Quite refreshing with a strong backbone. Only a touch of the usual rose bitterness. Sweetness: 0 Acidity: 2.5 Tannin: 0.5 Texture: Fine sandpaper Length: A little patchy Balance: Quite nice, although there's a touch too much water for my liking. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 12.5% abv Notes: Not unpleasant for a cheapy, quite drinkable. FrenchWineGuide score: 80 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

White Vendée wine from France: NV : http://frenchwineguide.blogspot.com

Wine name: Terre 85 Sauvignon Producer: Les Vignobles Mercier, 85770 Vix Vintage: NV Purchased from: Super U Price: £0 Appearance: Pale sauvignon yellow, thick and viscous on the glass Aromatics: Grassy. Attack: Quite intense and fruity. Evolution: Hay, summer flowers, some minerals. Finish: Hay in nose, green apples on swallow. Sweetness: 0 Acidity: 4 Tannin: 0 Texture: Thick and a little syrupy! Length: Not bad Balance: Quite acidic and a lot of extraction, but a nice crispness. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 12.5% abv Notes: Nice summer drinking, went well with stuffed marrows. Not complex, but quite satisfying. FrenchWineGuide score: 82 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Red Languedoc-Roussillon wine from France: 2011 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Corbieres Producer: S.A. Trilles,Maureilhan, 34370 Vintage: 2011 Purchased from: Raffle at NSPCC night Price: £0 Appearance: Dark purple, medium and receding on glass. Aromatics: Black cherries and plums. Attack: Quite soft and light-ish. Evolution: Tobacco, black cherry juice. Finish: Black cherries in the nose, a touch of blackcurrant on the swallow. Sweetness: 0.5 Acidity: 3 Tannin: 3 Texture: Thick buffered water, very soft tannins. Length: A little patchy. Balance: Nicely balanced, went well with a medium Japanese curry. Closure: Synthetic Alcohol: 12.5% abv Notes: Not bad for a raffle prize! Nothing special, but quite smooth and tasty. FrenchWineGuide score: 80 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

White Loire wine from France: 2012 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Sur Lie Producer: GAEC Bouchereau, L’Anesse, 44330 Le Loroux Bottereau Vintage: 2012 Purchased from: Stall in Notre Dame De Monts Price: £0 Appearance: Very pale pastille yellow, crystal clear, thick and viscous on the glass Aromatics: Quite light with a touch of candy cigarettes. Attack: Fresh and light. Evolution: Becoming more interesting – green grape skins, star fruit and green apple flesh. Finish: Star fruit in nose and a bitter rose-type taste on the swallow. Sweetness: 0 Acidity: 3 Tannin: 0 Texture: Thick and rough. Length: Patchy. Balance: Nice summery wine. Closure: Synthetic Alcohol: 12% abv Notes: “Cheap and cheerful” - it cost about 3 euros from a stall in the Vendee and is pleasant, light summer drinking. Nothing fancy but enjoyable! FrenchWineGuide score: 81 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Red Beaujolais wine from France: 2013 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Beaujolais Nouveau Producer: Les Vins Georges Dubœuf, 71570 Romanèche-Thorins Vintage: 2013 Purchased from: John Lewis Food Hall Price: £7 Appearance: Deep smooth purple, thick and viscous on the glass. Aromatics: Blackberries. Attack: Quite sharp and juicy. Evolution: Old socks. Not in a really bad way, but certainly there’s a hint of them in there. It’s not very fresh tasting. Finish: Blackberries in the nose and on the swallow. Sweetness: 0.5 Acidity: 3.5 Tannin: 3.5 Texture: Quite rough Length: A little patchy Balance: Over-sharp and over-extracted from slightly under-ripe grapes? Either that or there’s some stalk in there. Closure: Synthetic Alcohol: 12% abv Notes: Not bad but certainly not good. BN is not my favourite wine so perhaps I’m a little biased. Definitely a “food” wine. FrenchWineGuide score: 77 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Rosé Mosel wine from Germany: 2008 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Rotling Producer: Weinbau M. Bach, Im Brühl 30, D-56812 Cochem/Sehl Vintage: 2008 Purchased from: Vineyard Price: £4 Appearance: Deep burnt orange, almost red, very thin and receding on the glass Aromatics: Grenadine. Attack: Fresh and fruity Evolution: Ripe apples, strawberries. Finish: Alpine strawberries on the swallow, Grenadine in the nose Sweetness: 2 Acidity: 2 Tannin: 0 Texture: Light fruit syrup Length: Excellent Balance: Summery and light. A little sweet but OK. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 10% abv Notes: Doesn’t taste its 5 years of age – as a rosé, this is nicely mature and ready to drink, and has none of the bitterness one would associate with rosé wine. FrenchWineGuide score: 86 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Fortified (Apéritif) wine from England: 2009 #organic: http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Christian's Apéritif

Producer: Me!

Vintage: 2009

Purchased from: Home-made!

Appearance: Slightly transluscent purple, thick and viscous on the glass.

Aromatics: Slightly peppery and spicy.

Attack: Smooth, luxurious and juicy.

Evolution: Black fruits, liquorice, aniseed notes, Black Jack sweets.

Finish: Morello cherries on swallow, cloves in nose.

Sweetness: 3

Acidity: 2.5

Tannin: 0.5

Texture: Mouth-watering

Length: Excellent

Balance: Could be richer, but the Black Jack flavour is fascinating!

Closure: Cork

Alcohol: 20.55% abv

Notes: Nice, but as I said, could be richer. The flavours are interesting and the balance is good. It's quite full-on so best enjoyed in liqueur glasses.

FrenchWineGuide score: 86 points.

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Fortified (Other) wine from Spain: 2007 : frenchwineguide.blogspot.com

Wine name: Ariyanas Dulce Producer: Bodegas Bentomiz S.L., Sayalonga (Malaga) Vintage: 2007 Purchased from: Bacchanalia Price: £16 Appearance: Deep amber colour, thick yet receding on the glass. Aromatics: Melon, honey, clay. Attack: Rich honey and a real taste of clay garden soil. Evolution: Carrot honey, lychees. Finish: Honey on the swallow, lychees in the nose. Sweetness: 4 Acidity: 2.5 Tannin: 0 Texture: Very thick and syrupy. Length: Excellent Balance: Good acidity which balances out the fairly intense sweetness. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 13% abv Notes: A fascinating wine. Intensely sweet but not really noticeable due to the fruity acidity. Lychee flavours are delicious and interestingly only present on the back corners of the tongue, and this off clay garden soil flavour and potter’s clay. Really complex and unusual. FrenchWineGuide score: 95 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Red Loire wine from France: 1992: frenchwineguide.blogspot.com

Wine name: Sancerre Producer: Les Celliers Saint-Romble, André Dezat et Fils, Verdigny, 18300, Sancerre Vintage: 1992 Purchased from: Sheffield Park Vineyard Price: £7 Appearance: Well, it’s been in the car all day but still, it’s rather cloudy, and a pale-ish reddy brown colour. Aromatics: A little spicy, a little port-y, notes of over-ripe black grapes. Attack: A little sharp but very juicy. Evolution: Liquorice, white chocolate, sherry. Finish: Sherry and grape juice in the nose, redcurrants and sherry on the swallow. Sweetness: 1 Acidity: 3.5 Tannin: 3.5 Texture: Oily. Length: Excellent. Balance: Nicely balanced, the oiliness offsets some acidity. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 12.5% abv Notes: Nice and drinkable, although Pam and Mum thought this was off. It’s borderline and certainly just past its best, but not far, and I’ve never had a Cabernet Franc which taste’s so soft and luxurious. The liquorice flavours are fascinating, as is the oily texture, and this has certainly lasted well over the past 21 years. FrenchWineGuide score: 91 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

Sparkling Red Pas de Calais wine from France: 2009 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Le Perlé de Cerise Producer: Sté H. Delobel, Loison/Créquoise, 62990 Vintage: 2009 Purchased from: Vineyard Price: £10 Appearance: Very deep red but quite clear, quite a lot of small, medium-speed bubbles, viscous yet receding on the glass. Aromatics: A touch of red wine, Bristol Cream. Attack: Cherry Coke and Norfolk Punch. Evolution: Lots of fruit, like a sweet red; not much in the way of cherries – more wine-y. Finish: Rich cherries in the nose and on the swallow. Sweetness: 2 Acidity: 3 Tannin: 0.5 Texture: Thick and foamy Length: Very good Balance: Nicely balanced and very drinkable. Closure: Cork Alcohol: 11.5% abv Notes: This is nice and not gimicky at all – really tasty and serious. FrenchWineGuide score: 85 points. FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel. http://www.nsales.co.uk

White Minho wine from Portugal: 2011 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Filigrana

Producer: Eng. No. 3674, 2460-526 Alcobaça

Vintage: 2011

Purchased from: Christmas present from M&D

Price: £0

Appearance: Slightly greenish yellow, thin and receding on the glass.

Aromatics: Fresh and light with plenty of citrus.

Attack: Slightly prickly buffered water.

Evolution: Green grass, green apples, quite minerally.

Finish: Star fruit in nose and on swallow.

Sweetness: 0

Acidity: 3

Tannin: 0

Texture: Fine sandpaper.

Length: A little patchy.

Balance: Nicely balanced with good concentration.

Closure: Cork

Alcohol: 12% abv

Notes: A light summer drink which would go well with chicken or fish. It was a little overpowered by pesto risotto, but is a nice wine.

FrenchWineGuide score: 82 points.

FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel.

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White Niagara Peninsula wine from Canada: 2011 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Producer: Jackson-Triggs Estate Wines, Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario, LOS 1JO

Vintage: 2011

Purchased from: Vineyard

Appearance: Sauvignon yellow, thick and viscous on the glass.

Aromatics: Lemon juice and lemon oil. Very fresh yet quite concentrated.

Attack: Flinty, lime juice, very crisp.

Evolution: A touch of softness within the crisp body. There's a hint of candy cigarettes and a minerally flavour and a refreshing touch of water.

Finish: White pepper, lemon squash, star fruit peel.

Sweetness: 0

Acidity: 2.5

Tannin: 0

Texture: Metallic hard water

Length: Excellent

Balance: Fresh and quite zingy, yet with good body and a firm minerally backbone

Closure: Cork

Alcohol: 13.5% abv

Notes: Very tasty, and the watery flavour actually offsets the concentrated flavours really nicely. Eaten with chicken cobbler (leave a comment for the recipe!) and it went really well with it. Very nice!

FrenchWineGuide score: 84 points.

FrenchWineGuide is an offshoot of Naturally Sales Ltd, helping businesses around the world to be successful through improved sales, leadership, communication skills and Microsoft Excel.

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White Cornwall wine from England: 2010 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Phoenix – Orion. Producer: Bosue Vineyard, St Ewe, Cornwall. Vintage: 2010. Purchased from farm shop. Appearance pale straw yellow, thick and viscous on the glass with quite intense and fruity, like a new world sauvignon blanc aromatics. The attack is fresh and zingy. Evolution: Grass, hay, lime zest with a finish which is limey and lingering finish, fresh on swallow and in nose. Sweetness: 0. Acidity: 2.5. Tannin: 0 with a texture which is very slightly effervescent but not unpleasantly so and the length is very good. As for balance, it's just a touch of water on the palate, but this doesn't spoil it – a nice fresh summer wine and very drinkable. The wine has a screwcap closure and is 10% abv. Overall, this wine is: This is a nice wine, went quite well with chicken rissotto and is equally good as an aperitif wine. Tasty, fresh and light yet with good body.. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 84 points.

Sweet Bordeaux wine from France: 1949 (approx) : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Marquis de la Rose. Producer: Sichel & Co. Vintage: 1949 (approx.) Appearance: deep amber colour, very slightly hazy, smooth and viscous on the glass with notes of honey and over-ripe pears. The attack is quite soft, with a cordial-like fruitiness, developing notes of deep honey, a slight dryness as you get from an older wine, hay, and a touch of white pepper and white grapes. The finish is long with slightly acidic grape juice, acacia honey, and with a soft grapey fruitiness in the nose. The finish is very long and pleasant. Sweetness: 2.5 / 5 Acidity: 3 / 5 Tannin: 0 / 5 ...with a texture which is like a light fruit syrup crossed with extra smooth water, and the length is long, complex and mouth-filling. As for balance, it's beautifully balanced, and no-where near as sweet as I was expecting, with good acidity. The wine has a cork closure and the alcohol content is not stated. Overall, this wine is delicious! Nicely balanced and actually doesn’t taste its probable 60 years of age. Tastes quite fresh and smooth with plenty of complex honey flavours and good structure.. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 91 points.

White #Rueda #wine from Spain: 2011 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Vega de la Reina. Producer: Haciendas de Espana Wine Estates & Hotels, S.A.U, R.E. 3940-VA, Rueda, Valladolid. Vintage: 2011. Purchased from bacchanalia. Appearance chardonnay yellow, medium and viscous on the glass with fresh yet soft, a touch of spring flowers aromatics. The attack is a little flabby on the attack with a new world concentration and flavours of lemon oil. Evolution: Oak, lemon oil with a finish which is lemon oil all the way!. Sweetness: 1.5. Acidity: 4. Tannin: 0 with a texture which is buffered thick water and the length is excellent. As for balance, it's quite concentrated but nice, went well with cheese. The wine has a cork closure and is 13% abv. Overall, this wine is: Nice, interesting grape variety and good body which stood up well to smoked cheddar and stilton, despite its initial flabbiness. This is a nice wine, definitely best with food. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 84 points.

Sparkling White #Loire #wine from France: NV : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Saumur. Producer: Thierry Duval, St-Hilaire-St-Florent, Maine et Loire. Vintage: NV. Purchased from calais. Appearance slightly dark yellow, medium amount of medium-sized slow bubbles, medium-thin and receding on the glass with fruity, a touch of banana, lemon oil aromatics. The attack is medium with an attack of bubbles. Evolution: Toasty, a touch of dry Sherry, candy cigarettes with a finish which is toasty and liquorice-y with a slight lemon oil bitterness. Sweetness: 1. Acidity: 3.5. Tannin: 1 with a texture which is a cross between sparkly and foamy and the length is excellent. As for balance, it's nicely balanced. The wine has a closure and is 12% abv. Overall, this wine is: Doesn’t taste its 12 years of age at all, but has nicely matured. Quite mellow, was a little overpowered by fish & chips and ketchup. Interesting flavours of older Chenin Blanc mixed with a touch of forest floor and more candy cigarettes. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 84 points.

Red #Mendoza #wine from Argentina: 2010 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd @NakedWines

Wine name: Ocaso. Producer: Bodegas Y Vinedos Valle Escondido S.A. Calle La Gloria S/n, El Peral, Tupuingato, Mendoza. Vintage: 2010. Purchased from christmas present from m&d. Appearance deep red with a purple hue, smooth and viscous on the glass with black fruits with a certain freshness about it and a touch of forest floor aromatics. The attack is thick and dense with a touch of rich sweetness. Evolution: Very New World – juicy, heavy, rich, a little rustic and rough round the edges – delicious! with a finish which is heavy blackcurrants in nose and on swallow. Sweetness: 1. Acidity: 2.5. Tannin: 3.5 with a texture which is like sandpaper and the length is excellent. As for balance, it's rich and heavy but went well with guinness stew and chips. The wine has a synthetic closure and is 13.5% abv. Overall, this wine is: Lovely – I adore Malbec and this certainly didn’t disappoint – very, very nice, rich, juicy and rustic.. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 88 points.

White #Pfalz #wine from Germany: 2011 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Klein. Producer: Gerhard Klein GbR, Weinstraße 38, 76835 Hainfeld. Vintage: 2011. Purchased from christmas present from m&d. Appearance riesling yellow, slightly hazy, medium and smooth on the glass with lemon oil and an idea of pineapple – very fruity yet firm aromatics. The attack is a touch watery, then citrus and a sweet sharpness. Evolution: Grass, hay, lemon oil with a finish which is a touch of neat alcohol on the swallow, freshly cut grass in nose. Sweetness: 0.5. Acidity: 3.5. Tannin: 0.25 with a texture which is rough thick water and the length is excellent. As for balance, it's very nicely balanced – good body and acidity, shame there's just a touch of water. The wine has a screwcap closure and is 12.5% abv. Overall, this wine is: Very nice – young, fresh Riesling from a screwcap – like a German summer meadow in a glass. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 89 points.

Sparkling White #Mosel #wine from Germany: NV #organic: http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Bremmer Calmont Riesling Spätlese. Producer: Weingut Th. Franzen-Martiny, D-56814 Bremm, Mosel. Vintage: NV. Purchased from vineyard. Appearance pale yellow, lots of small medium-speed bubbles with very little aromatics. The attack is toast, lemon, candy cigarettes, acid. Evolution: More concentrated than champagne with lots of fruit with a finish which is slight candy cigarette  smell in nose, musty citrus on the swallow. Sweetness: 1. Acidity: 3. Tannin: 0 with a texture which is foamy and the length is good but needs finding. As for balance, it's nice, not as subtle as it could be. The wine has a cork closure and is 12% abv. Overall, this wine is: Nice, good substitute for champagne with breakfast! Nice with ham croissants. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 82 points.

Red #Rheingau #wine from Germany: 2005 : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Rheingau 2005. Producer: Weingut Robert König, D-65385 Assmannshausen. Vintage: 2005. Purchased from rüdesheim. Appearance slightly watery-looking browny red, medium and smooth on the glass with fresh with red fruits and a touch of wood aromatics. The attack is soft, smooth and juicy. Evolution: Liquorice, black cherries – all the types of flavours you don't associate with a Pinot! with a finish which is fruit in the nose and on the swallow – all very fresh yet quite rich. Sweetness: 1.5. Acidity: 3. Tannin: 1.5 with a texture which is buffered rough water and the length is very good. As for balance, it's beautifully balanced. The wine has a closure and is 12.5% abv. Overall, this wine is: I didn't like this when I first bought it 5 years ago, but as with many Alsace and German Pinots recently, it's REALLY mellowed with age and is very tasty indeed – smooth, quite rich, and accompanied a steak very well. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 85 points.

Fortified (Other) #Haute-Savoie #wine from France: NV : http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Hypocras. Producer: Abbaye d'Ailps. Vintage: NV. Purchased from abbey shop. Appearance like a pale sherry, medium-thick and smooth on the glass with a little like old-fashioned medicine! aromatics. The attack is sandpapery, spicy, quite full-on. Evolution: Spicy like eating a curry! A little curry-like burning in the mouth and taste of medicine and cardamon with a finish which is mead in the nose, spice on the swallow. Sweetness: 3.5. Acidity: 3. Tannin: 1.5 with a texture which is thick buffered water and the length is average. As for balance, it's nicely balanced. The wine has a cork closure and is 11% abv. Overall, this wine is: Interesting and one to try making ourselves. I was impressed by the real cork and interested that it appears to have been made from white wine. Perhaps a little old-fashioned spicy to be truly enjoyable, yet I enjoyed it!. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 81 points.

Red #wine from France: 2011 #organic: http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Virgile Joly. Producer: Virgile Joly & Cie, F-34725. Vintage: 2011. Purchased from Naked Wines. Appearance deep purple, thin and receding on the glass with very fruity with notes of strawberries and blackberry juice aromatics. The attack is blackcurrant, quite dense on the tip of the tongue. Evolution: Concentrated black berries, a touch of liquorice, giving way to black cherries with a finish which is blackberries on the swallow, black cherries in the nose. Sweetness: 0.5. Acidity: 2. Tannin: 2.5 with a texture which is slightly rough thick water and the length is excellent. As for balance, it's very nice, went well with austrian gulasch. The wine has a screwcap closure and is 14.5% abv. Overall, this wine is: Delicious! Full-bodied, interesting flavours and nice smooth tannins.. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 88 points.

White #Alsace #wine from France: 1997 #organic: http://tinyurl.com/3qjhotd

Wine name: Gresser. Producer: Rémy Gresser, 67140 Andlau. Vintage: 1997. Purchased from andlau. Appearance medium amber, very thin on the glass with bananas, esters, pineappe boiled sweets aromatics. The attack is quite soft with flavour that takes a while to come, eventually being dried pineapple. Evolution: Dried pineapple, hay, pear drops with a finish which is lingering pear drops and a slight grassy bitterness. Sweetness: 2. Acidity: 2.5. Tannin: 0 with a texture which is slightly rough syrup and the length is excellent – long and lingering. As for balance, it's lovely balance – quite sweet but with loads of fruit and respectable acidity. The wine has a closure and is 13% abv. Overall, this wine is: Very nice. We drank this with coley topped with chorizo and a cheese & potato pudding – quite rich and oily which this stood up to beautifully. I am a huge fan of Gresser wines, and this doesn’t disappoint at all – looking forward to seeing how this develops over the coming years. My score (which is NOT the same as Robert Parker's!) is 90 points.