Wine
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Wine We thought we'd 'Peaked' at our first vintage of these Clare Valley classics, but they keep on knocking our socks off. This Riesling is immensely appealing, with flavours of lime peel and citrus lending appetising dryness. Not to mention perfect with firm-fleshed fish. It's a neat touch that flame-tressed Jane Mitchell should have chosen vineyards in the Auburn Hills as its source. Set on a seam of slate (bedrock of many German vineyards) the Clare is famed for scintillating Rieslings.
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Wine A dashing blend of traditional Douro grape varieties. Rich, ripe and spicy.
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Wine Big, full-bodied and loaded with ripe blackberry fruit. Benchmark Aussie Shiraz.
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Wine Bodegas Antano, a modern, well equipped winery in Rueda, source grapes from within and outside the DO and bring to bear their admirably stringent standards of viticulture and winemaking to create this simple and appealingly fruity rosado.
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Wine Corsica is not famed for its great wine but the Sica Uval co-operative cellars is modern and innovative and produces fascinating blends such as this native Vermentinu crossed with ripe Chardonnay.
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Wine The Irsai Oliver grape is a relatively new creation and is a relation of the Muscat grape. Hilltop is a substantial producer that exports millions of bottles to the UK. Most interestingly it is very close to becoming an organic producer, unusual for an estate of this size.
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Wine This grape variety of Transylvanian origin produces a light greenish-yellow wine with brilliant reflections. Hilltop is a substantial producer that exports millions of bottles to the UK. Most interestingly it is very close to becoming an organic producer, unusual for an estate of this size.
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Wine We cherry-picked this pure Tempranillo, with its plump, ripe red fruit flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine The domed hill of Vega Sindoa lies south of Pamplona and wine influences in this part of the Basque region are both French and Spanish: you're as likely to find Merlot here as Tempranillo. Having identified the site as rich in wine potential, talented Conchita Viceno was hired to develop the place. She's been hugely successful; one of her reds found a place among WINE's Top 10. We love this simple, heartwarming style, mouthfilling, savoury and full of juicy black fruit flavours.
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Wine More Syrah? More Grenache? Mourvèdre? Mark Ryckwaert is always keen for us to critique his wines from the baking slopes of Uchaux. We joined this Algerian ex-fruit grower in his pursuit of excellence from 1978, since when he's struggled against uneven terrain, a TGV line and an arson attack. Yet he always prevails, and his wines are now standard-bearers for the region. This warm, spicy wine, with its ripe redcurrant fruit and peppery, herby hints, excels with casseroles.
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Wine We cherry-picked this pure Tempranillo, with its plump, ripe red fruit flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine We cherry-picked this perfumed, refreshing white, with its crisp apple skin and citrus flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically-advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine This family estate In the Minervois region of southern France has a couple of hectares of old vine Carignan that produces a Vin de Pays that is full of the flavours of the ripe fruit and wild herbs of the garrigue. Great with barbecued meats.
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Wine More Syrah? More Grenache? Mourvèdre? Mark Ryckwaert is always keen for us to critique his wines from the baking slopes of Uchaux. We joined this Algerian ex-fruit grower in his pursuit of excellence from 1978, since when he's struggled against uneven terrain, a TGV line and an arson attack. Yet he always prevails, and his wines are now standard-bearers for the region. This warm, spicy wine, with its ripe redcurrant fruit and peppery, herby hints, excels with casseroles.
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Wine Romania has substantial vineyards and when foreign companies take an interest, in this case the large German producer Kendermann, modern winemaking techniques and know how transform previously lacklustre wine into readily drinkable offerings like this one.
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Wine We cherry-picked this pure Tempranillo, with its plump, ripe red fruit flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine We cherry-picked this perfumed, refreshing white, with its crisp apple skin and citrus flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically-advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine We cherry-picked this perfumed, refreshing white, with its crisp apple skin and citrus flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically-advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine We cherry-picked this soft-textured rosado, with its pure Garnacha flavours of raspberries and spice, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine We cherry-picked this pure Tempranillo, with its plump, ripe red fruit flavours, from the massive range on offer from Navarra's Bodegas Principe de Viana. Established in 1983 in Murchante, to the north of the region, it has a gleaming new, technologically advanced cellar and access to fruit grown over 400 hectares.
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Wine The Roux family have maintained this property for five generations and now it is the turn of Helene and Yannick who are supported by their son Romain. This is actually one of three château owned and run by the Roux family and their enthusiasm and dynamism shows no sign of slowing down. Their properties are all situated in the Haut Benauge region of Bordeaux some 60 kilometres south east of Bordeaux town.
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Wine Classic Alsace variety deployed to good effect. Hilltop is a substantial producer that exports millions of bottles to the UK. Most interestingly it is very close to becoming an organic producer, unusual for an estate of this size.
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Wine This is a fabulous fruit-driven Chilean Sauvignon with pungently attractive aromas of gooseberry and rhubarb. Winemaker Eugenia Dias' prunes her vines in such a way so as to minimise the use of fertilisers and hand harvests the grapes ensuring only the best are picked.
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Wine An excellently styled Chilean Cabernet manifesting overt blackcurrant fruit, vanilla spice and soft tannins. The Vistasur range is exclusive to Majestic.
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Wine The San Marco estate is one of the largest producers of Frascati wine. Located in the hills overlooking Rome, where the vineyards are on well-drained, mineral-rich volcanic soils. Cold fermentation is used to preserve and intensify the delicate flavours of the grapes. The scent of fresh green apples and ripe white grapes, enhanced with distinctly floral tones. Light in feel, but with good concentration on the palate, and a balance between soft fruit and snappy acidity. A versatile lunchtime white, ideal with seafood platters or risottos.
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Wine The warm, wild black fruit aromas and flavours of Merlot matched by the structure and grip of Tannat. Another good value wine from our friends at the Plaimont co-operative in Gascony producing wines from regional grape varieties.
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Wine The warm, wild black fruit aromas and flavours of Merlot matched by the structure and grip of Tannat. Another good value wine from our friends at the Plaimont co-operative in Gascony producing wines from regional grape varieties.
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Wine Delicate pink; robust, lively flavours of strawberries and raspberries lent freshness by a hint of grapefruit. Our 'Jean des Vignes' range is designed to showcase the best in good-quality everyday-drinking from southern France. Made in this case by the ultra-reliable Plaimont winery, who have an admirable focus on polishing the finer characters of the region's local grapes, bringing intriguing styles to a wide audience. Tannat, the great grape of Madiran, is the variety here.
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Wine The warm, wild black fruit aromas and flavours of Merlot matched by the structure and grip of Tannat. Another good value wine from our friends at the Plaimont co-operative in Gascony producing wines from regional grape varieties.
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Wine Mont Tauch is Fitou’s leading producer where the wines have been described as “natural, bold and bursting with wicked, breathless excitement.” This is a fantastic value introduction to the style of Fitou, an appellation of two enclaves in Corbières. A bouquet of red fruits, spices and wild herbs, with a rich core of savoury black fruit on the palate. As made for rustic meat dishes and casseroles.
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