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Out of 50
recommendations picked from their autumn press tasting, there should be
something for everyone here. Waitrose snatched the award (again) for Wine
Supermarket of the Year in the 2004 International
Wine Challenge, and it's
not hard to see why. They have 166 branches, and the wine department seems
to be run a bit like a specialist shop chain (or at least should be). The
good news is that Waitrose has spread into virgin territory in the north
of England and Wales, since they bought 19 stores in the fallout of Morrisons' takeover of Safeway.
There were some disappointing areas in the tasting though, it has to be said.
Like Majestic, they stock some brilliant Burgundies - e.g. Drouhin's
Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru - but a few surprisingly mediocre, overpriced ones too
(conclusion = Burgundy is the problem as these guys know how to taste
wine, after all). I also wasn't very impressed with
some of their new Eastern European wines, and Portugal was a bit variable. In contrast, I've selected a nice variety of reds particularly from
Italy, Spain (lovely Riojas), Chile and South Africa (classics from
Rustenberg).
 In addition, Waitrose stocks several top wines from Australia (all
styles); take a look at Pinot Noirs from Stonier and Henschke. Among the
whites, Germany (including Künstler and Prüm), Austria, France (especially
their Alsace range) and Ken Forrester's South African Chenin Blancs really stand
out. I appear to have had a bit of a Sauvignon Blanc frenzy as well,
including several great examples from the Southern Hemisphere. Mind you,
be wary of some 2004 New Zealand Sauvignons though; I've tasted a few that
display too much of those grassy green pepper characters, perhaps due to
overly high yields and under-ripe grapes. But Craggy Range
and Jackson Estate show real class; ditto Nepenthe, Shaw & Smith... Wines
tasted October 2004, text 25/11/04. More words & wines
regarding things Waitrose.
Austria
Schloss Gobelsburg, 2003 Gobelsburger Grüner
Veltliner, Kamptal (12.5%) - Vegetal aromas turning nutty, quite
intense and peppery with crisp acidity set against rounder off-dry finish;
nice commercial style. £5.99 85+
Schloss Gobelsburg, 2003 Gobelsburger Riesling, Kamptal - Fine greengage and celery mineral nose, vibrant
concentrated pure fruit with zesty crisp length. £7.49
87+
Felsner Grüner Veltliner Moosburgerin Kabinett, Kremstal 2003 -
Aromatic zesty and very spicy, delivers lovely concentration and class
with crisp intensity balanced by nice depth of pure fruit. Try with Vietnamese
stir-fried squid! £7.99 90
South Africa
Ken Forrester, 2003 Chenin Blanc,
Stellenbosch (14%) - Delicious honey and greengage fruit, a little
sweetness balanced out by the tight acid framework, and a touch of toasty
oak and quite high alcohol add weight to the palate. £6.99
89
Ken Forrester, 2002 Meinert Chenin Blanc,
Stellenbosch (13.5%) - Voluptuous fruit layered with coconut, showing late
harvest sweetness characters set against toasty oak then tight mineral
acidity and length, so in the end it doesn't really taste that sweet. Wow:
a one-off. £14.99 94+
Rustenberg Wines, 2003 Chardonnay,
Stellenbosch (14.5%) - Very buttery and toasty on the nose, weighty creamy
palate with intense green edges, massive flavour yet becomes more elegant
and tighter on the finish. Wow. £9.99 93+
Rustenberg Wines, 2001 Peter Barlow Cabernet
Sauvignon, Stellenbosch - Somewhat closed up on the nose at first,
shows bags of coconut oak on the palate but it's concentrated and grippy too with tight long finish; needs a few years to express itself and
integrate (I hope...). £22.50 selected branches only.
90+?
Porcupine Ridge Syrah 2003, Boekenhoutskloof, Coastal Region
(14.5%) - Meaty nose with cinnamon edges, quite perfumed and peppery black
fruits on a tight long palate. £6.99 89
Semillon 2002, Boekenhoutskloof, Franschhoek (14%) - Creamy
yeast-lees & toasty
notes contrast nicely with its tight structure, nutty elegant finish
rounded out by well integrated alc. £13.50 90
Springfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc special cuvée 2004, Robertson -
Asparagus and spearmint aromas, very intense fruit offering nice weight
yet mineral depth too, long crisp finish. £7.99 91
Chile
Piedra Feliz, 2001 Pinot Noir,
Casablanca Valley (14%) - Lightly toasty and smoky notes on the nose lead
to silky "sweet & savoury" fruit on the palate, quite concentrated with
firm long finish. £9.99 90+
Santa Rita Floresta Sauvignon Blanc 2003, Leyda Valley (13%) -
Very vibrant pure gooseberry nose, green pepper notes on the palate
rounded out by weighty concentration, intense wow finish. £9.99
90
Errazuriz Max Reserva Chardonnay 2002, Casablanca Valley (13.5%) - Wild
aromas on the nose, creamy fat palate balanced by subtle bite and acid
structure, big v elegant. £7.99 90
Nativa Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, Carmen, Maipo Valley - Rustic cassis notes
jump out of the glass, has lovely depth of fruit in the mouth finishing
with firm conclusive bite. £7.99 90
France
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, 2002 Zind, Alsace (Auxerrois
50%, Chardonnay 35% and Pinot Blanc) - exotic voluptuous nose following through to
delicious fruit and concentration, has a touch of sweetness but also fresh
"cut" to balance, nice coating and texture in the mouth. £13.99
93
Jean Marc Brocard, 2002 Chardonnay Vin
de Pays Coteaux de Tannay, Burgundy - from 40 miles (65km) south of
Chablis. Mature "Chablis" style, quite fat and creamy actually set against
nice mineral bite, good length and a bit of class too at the price: £5.99.
87-89
Domaine Huet Vouvray sec Le Haut-Lieu 2002 (Chenin Blanc) -
Ripe and oily nose with a touch of botrytis richness, concentrated palate
rounded by very light toasted oak, fine underlying acidity leading to off-dry finish. £10.99
89
Heresztyn Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2002, Côte de Nuits (Pinot Noir) - Shows
good "sweet & savoury" Pinot style, with quite silky fruit set
against firm tight palate, nice length and bite. Needs a bit of time to
develop. A classic for duck dishes. £19.99 90
Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Furstentum
"Vieilles Vignes" 2002,
Alsace (14%) - Elegant pure Gewurz nose of rose water and lychees, very
rich and concentrated showing purity and depth of fruit, then lovely bite
on the finish cutting through the sweetness (32 g/l residual sugar with
14% alc.). Perfect match for Munster cheese. £17.50
94
Menetou-Salon "Clos de Ratier" 2003, Domaine Henry Pellé, Loire Valley
(Sauvignon Blanc 13.5%) - Ripe oily citrus fruit contrasts nicely with
pungent lees characters, quite open and soft actually with subtle length
and light-ish acidity. Get the goats' cheese out. £9.99
87+
Pinot Noir 2002, Domaine Paul Blanck,
Alsace (13% screwcap) - Nice
perfumed style with dry bite on the palate contrasting with typical "sweet
& savoury" fruit. Try with choucroute (sauerkraut) and charcuterie. £8.99
87
Pouilly-Vinzelles 2003, Thibert, Mâconnais (Chardy) - Juicy ripe fruit
contrasting with leesy bite and intensity, fresh elegant length. £8.99
87
Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Folatières" 2001, Joseph Drouhin, Côte de
Beaune (Chardy 13.5%) - Delivers fat and rich
mouthfeel set against aromatic lightly green fruit, sexy creamy palate
rolls out underpinned by fine
acidity on the length. Yum although not cheap of course: £29.99.
95
Organic
Vin de Pays du Gard 2003, Saint Roche, Languedoc (Carignan Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon) - Attractive "sweet" rustic fruit with various
berries and liquorice notes, has a touch of grip on a nice finish. £4.99
84+
Italy
Dardi la Rose, 2000 Barolo, Piemonte (Nebbiolo)
- Lovely smoky tobacco notes with generous fruit underneath, then firm
bite of tannins and acidity building a solid framework. Good trad style,
shame about the price: £25 (admittedly not so silly compared with some
Barolos). 90+
Borgo Salcetino, 2002 Chianti Classico, Tuscany (Sangiovese
Canaiolo Nero 13%) - Quite rustic and soupy but has attractive
smoky fruit and concentration, showing nice austere bitter cherry style
and bite; needs time. £8.99 89
MGM Mondo del Vino "Da Luca" Grillo/Chardonnay 2003,
Sicilia (13.5%) - Interesting nutty fruit, quite concentrated in fact
showing nice weight and oomph yet a bit of fresh bite too, and very light
touch of toast to finish. £4.99 87
Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino 2003, Campania (13%) -
Zesty perfumed aromas suffused with banana and herbs, lovely concentration
and style, long balanced finish. £9.99 89
Tria Syrah 2003, Sicilia - Appealing
pure spicy blackberry and cherry, quite "modern" fruit-forward style but
is chunky and grippy with vibrant fruit finish. £5.99
85
Spain
CVNE Monopole Rioja blanco 2003 (Viura)
- Creamy coconut fatness contrasts interestingly with its nutty dry side,
has a bit of bite too on the finish along with well handled oak. £6.49
87
Celler de Capçanes Mas Collet 2001, Tarragona (Carignan
Garnacha Tempranillo 14%) - Rich smoky nose leads to firm palate
supported by lovely tobacco and liquorice fruit, has good bite and length
too. £6.49 89
Reserva Selección Especial 2000, Muga, Rioja (Tempranillo
Garnacha Mazuelo 13.5%) - The nose is a bit closed but it's
concentrated and firm in the mouth, showing nice raspberry fruit tempered
by subtle oak; has real bite, intensity and depth of flavour. £16.49
94
Ribera del Duero 2002, Vega de Castilla (Tempranillo)
- Quite complex, smoky and minty nose paves the way to a grippy palate,
yet balanced by good depth of fruit. £7.49 87
Rioja Reserva 1998, Dominio de Conte, Rioja Alta (Tempranillo
Graciano) - Rich cheesy maturing nose invites you in to this
classic style Rioja, pitching "sweet" raspberry fruit against firm
structure, finishing with elegant length. £12.99 92+
California
RH Phillips Dunnigan Hills Syrah 2001
- Appealing pure spicy fruit style, chunky and firm in the mouth showing a
little well-balanced wood to round it off. £6.99 85
Germany
J.J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 1994,
Mosel - Ten years old and looking good: maturing mineral and petrol
aromas, still has a zesty edge supported by elegant concentration,
finishing not so sweet (46 g/l residual sugar versus nearly 10 g/l total
acidity!). And reasonable too at £12.99 considering its age and class.
93+
Franz Künstler Hochheimer Kirchenstück Riesling Spätlese 2002,
Rheingau - Very zesty mineral style, concentrated vs tight fresh and fine;
finishing not so sweet despite its lush 102 g/l residual sugar, thanks to
almost 10 g/l total acidity; meaning it will develop for a long time!
£13.99 92+
Australia
Henschke Henry's Seven Shiraz/Grenache/Viognier 2002,
Barossa Valley - Berries and liquorice aromas reveal nice depth of fruit,
firm yet elegant finish despite the high-ish alcohol. £14
87+
Henschke Lenswood "Giles" Pinot Noir 2002, Adelaide Hills - Ripe
"sweet & savoury" nose, tangy and complex mouthful offering lovely depth
of fruit, vibrant ripe characters yet meaty/mushroomy too, and silky
tannin texture to finish. Yum. £19.50 very limited availability.
95
Domaine Leasingham Magnus Riesling 2003,
Clare Valley - Lime zest aromas abound, very fresh and crisp acid
structure needing a few years to develop and soften; very good but not for
everyone. Try with a fishy Thai green curry. £7.99
89+
Reserve Pinot Noir 2000, Stonier,
Mornington Peninsula - Gorgeous "sweet & savoury" style, showing silky
soft fruit, texture and elegance skilfully balanced by firmness and
structured finish. £17 93
Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Nepenthe,
Adelaide Hills - Displays great intensity of eye-watering green fruit with
very crisp, elegant long finish; one for SB fans (I am), needs food I'd
say e.g. a goats cheese or anchovy salad £7.99
92
Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Shaw & Smith,
Adelaide Hills - Yeast-lees notes on the nose, elegant palate offering
gooseberry fruit and subtle zesty extract with long fine finish. £9.99
90+
Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Suckfizzle Augusta,
Margaret River - Not obvious on the nose to start, green fruit and white
pepper notes develop with crisp subtle palate, has a touch of roundness
too without trace of oak flavour (10% barrel-fermented) finishing very dry
yet with nice fruit. £7.99 90
Step Road Sangiovese 2001, Step Wines,
Langhorne Creek (with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon)
- Attractive "Tuscan" style offering sweetness of fruit and tobacco notes
yet firm tannins, good long bite on the finish. £6.99
88
New Zealand
Old Renwick Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Craggy Range,
Marlborough - More subtle still than the Jackson yet shows nice trademark,
very intense gooseberry fruit; super concentration and tight long finish.
£9.99 94
Private Bin Pinot Gris 2004, Villa Maria,
Marlborough - Alsace leaning style but zestier and crisper, offers lovely
floral honeyed spice and juiciness typical of decent PG, good depth and
purity of fruit too. £6.99 90
Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Jackson Estate,
Marlborough - Intense gooseberry fruit yet has elegant mineral dimension
as well, very tight and crisp palate with super zesty green fruit finish.
£8.99 92
Mexico
Petite Sirah 2002, L A Cetto, Baja
California - Spicy blueberry aromas, chunky and fruity palate offering
nice style and grip on the finish. £5.29 85
Portugal
The Cork Grove Castelão/Touriga Nacional 2003,
Casal Branco, Ribatejo - Juicy blackberry/cherry fruit with nice
perfumed edges, quite chunky and attractive style with pretty firm finish.
£4.49 85 |
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