Out & About Spring 2018

Château Le Peyrat La Chapelle, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2015 £10.50 Hayne Hanson & Clark, Whitchurch A blend of 85 per cent Merlot with 15 per cent Cabernet Franc, this discovery from Castillon is a great find. Mid ruby colour, aromas recall floral red berries with a touch of earthy spice. Palate is medium bodied, with good intensity of ripe fruit flavours, supple texture and a clean, satisfying finish.

El Coto Rioja Crianza £11.95 Innathome, Newbury

The nose is fresh and pronounced with excellent fruit concentration. The palate is clean and well balanced, with a core of strawberry fruit combined with subtle vanilla flavours from American oak. The finish is juicy and long.

Château Martignan, Médoc 2016 £11.90 Hayne Hanson & Clark, Whitchurch

Montes Alpha Colchagua Carmenère £12.95 Innathome Newbury

Deep ruby red with striking violet nuances at the rim. Intense aromas of ripe red and black fruits on the nose, along with jam and pastry. Toasted notes from the French oak deliver great character and complexity with a light touch of vanilla and coffee, which intermingle very well with aromas of violets and sweet spices. The palate is smooth, with silky tannins and tremendous volume.

A lovely wine gives immediate pleasure. The château is located in Civrac-en-Médoc, at the top of the Médoc, north of Saint-Estèphe, where 60 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 40 per cent Merlot grapes have been blended to give a wine of great liveliness and finesse. Mid ruby hue, aromas are delicate and attractive, with notes of sweet red cherries. Medium bodied, this wine dances over the palate, being silkily textured and fresh to the finish.

Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc £14.95 Innathome, Newbury Smoky aromatics, with flint, bitter lemon citrus, grapefruit and tropical hints. The palate is rich, slightly chewy, with good mouthfeel, texture and harmony. Flavours of yellow citrus, currant, papaya.

Bodegas Lavaque Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina Introductory offer of £8.79 The Naked Grape, Hungerford

Black in colour, this wine looks like it’s going to massively powerful, but the core of fruit is soft and juicy with a very fine blackcurrant and sweet jam flavour. An Argentine Malbec which is hard to beat for value and flavour.

Château Sainte Marguerite, Cuvée Symphonie, Cru Classe Rosé £19.99 The Naked Grape, Hungerford Yes, its £20, but this is stunning. Being one of only a handful of Cru Classe wines from Provence, this wine has a head start over all the others. Organic practices contribute to the magical multi-level palate of floral juicy summer fruits. A glorious Rosé.

Fabre Montmayou Reservado Cabernet Franc 2015 £15.99 Laithwaites, Theale

This superb red, made from the grape most favoured by Cheval Blanc, uses all hand picked Cabernet Franc from Luján de Cuyo. Aged for a year in French oak, it’s an elegant, complex red that will make fine drinking over the next few years. Decant to allow the flavours to unfurl.

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