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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