5/16/2024 - Paul852 Does not like this wine:

No info except L27129 embossed on the label.

My second wine from this family grower, and, at ~US$23, I think the cheapest champagne I have ever drunk.

And, sadly, it's over-priced. It claims to be "extra-brut" but it must be at the very top of that range. There's some honey on the nose. The palate is extraordinarily thin. Almost no acidity. Very little fruit. Blind I wouldn't even be sure this is champagne.

It's not bad or offensive, it just has absolutely nothing to commend it.

5/15/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Well I guess this proves the value of wine pairings! For my next bottle it was paired with some slightly salty green olives stuffed with tzatziki and it worked very nicely indeed.

So I guess the lesson is to pair this with rather saline food.

5/15/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

This is the July 2021 disgorgement; as usual apparently 90/10 PN/C, 10 months in oak, no malo; the producer website suggests 8g/l. And I guess 2019 base with reserves from 2017/18.

Initially this was rather closed down; little on the nose and a rather austere palate (extremely so for 8g/l). It opens up somewhat with 30+ minutes of air - raspberry and redcurrant on the nose; the palate is very crisp, minerality emerges, and it is well-balanced. The finish is quite long and clean. However, I have an overall perception of a slightly "thin" wine, particularly for the dosage.

This is my first Vilmart bottle and perhaps I came in with over-inflated expectations, or maybe as some have suggested it just needs more time in bottle. Anyway, still a very nice wine indeed and OK, if not great QPR at the ~US$51 that I paid.

5/14/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

There's no information on the bottle about the blend or vintages except, perhaps, "L.20" may have some significance.

Anyway, this is a rather nice zéro dosage wine, particularly after a few minutes air to open up. On the nose, something that sits between medicinal herbs and iodine, a bit of bruised apple, and just a hint of cream. On the palate, very crisp, but not tart or bitter; minerality and bruised apple, linear, with a crisp, clean, slightly drying and rather more-ish finish.

Overall, this is a very decent aperitif fizz for those who like their wines at the bracing end of the spectrum. Enough interest in the nose and the palate to not be boring. And very good QPR indeed at the ~US$30 that I paid.

5/13/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

Unripe peach, rather minerally, a little thin on the mid-palate. No great complexity and a bit "meh". But nothing actually wrong with it, and just about OK well-chilled as a simple thirst-quencher.

Not a repeat buy for me at the ~US$15 that I paid.

5/13/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Well the back label of this bottle has exactly the same details as the other "non-Leonard" rosé that I tasted on 17/08/2022, and the producer website lists only the Cuvée Leonard, so I assume these two wines are one and the same with just a labelling evolution.

And 21 months on from my previous TN this holding steady - best with a little air (initially presenting as just a bit sweet for my taste); then the nose has some minerality, a slight floral note; the palate is wild strawberries, redcurrants, slate-y minerality and just a touch of drying tannin on the finish (which is quite long and clean).

This is is a very nice bottle of fizz - enough complexity to be interesting, but not enough to stop it also working as a party wine. It's gone up in price somewhat in the last 2 years, but at ~US$40 it's still decent QPR.

5/10/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Briefly, nice fruity (redcurrants, cherries), crisp, clean on the finish. Not particularly interesting, but fine by the pool on a hot day when well-chilled.

5/10/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

A new producer not just for me but for CT when I added this wine.

On first opening the initial impression is a bit thin, but with a few minutes air it fleshes out, a bit.

There's slightly sweet red fruit on the nose, and the palate is nicely balanced with redcurrants, perhaps a hint of strawberry. The Brut dosage (the only info on the wine) is well-judged, and the finish is clean and a little more-ish.

Overall, this is a very competent straight-forward rosé - not one to turn heads, but perfect as a party fizz which would work for everyone. And it's very decent QPR for that at the ~US$33 that I paid.

5/9/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

On first opening this was far too "natural" for me - very tart, yeasty, unbalanced. And also at room temperature, which didn't work. So it went in the fridge overnight. Next day, cool, it is a bit more approachable, but still very natural. The nose is rather nice rich red fruit; the palate has those fruits, a touch of tannins, nice acidity. But what spoils it for me is inescapable pervasive notes of yeast.

As an experiment as part of the learning process of how to make decent wine I guess this is interesting. But this isn't something I will be paying ~US$44 again for any time soon.

5/8/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Duncan's TN sums this up exactly for me.

5/7/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Briefly, a new batch for me, disgorged 3/2023, but othewise as previously. And pretty consistent with my previous note. I actually prefer this fresh opened and quite cool; after air and towards room temperature it's a bit "meh".

5/4/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Briefly this needs lots of air; I double decanted and then began to drink 3 hours later and it was only an hour after that that things started to smooth out and come together. So if I had another bottle of this I'd decant at breakfast to drink with dinner.

With air it's a decent brunello - nicely balanced fruit, acid, tannins but definitely still a food wine. OK, but not great QPR at ~US$37.

5/4/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

A new batch for me. Still "equal proportions of the 3 varieties" according to the label; Brut; from batch LBRAU750-20 (which I guess means either a base vintage of 2020 or a disgorgment then).

On the nose there is still the wild honey and a little yeast, joined with a hint of salinity. The palate is less rich that I recall from previous batches, perhaps indicating a slightly lower dosage. Still notes of toast (and a little Marmite), citrus and a touch of that wild honey. Now rather crisp, well-balanced; clean on the finish and rather more-ish.

Overall I feel that the wine has evolved in this batch, but not in a bad way for those of us who like their champagnes crisp. It's still an excellent wine, and very decent QPR at the US$35 that I paid.

5/2/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Briefly, this needed several hours of air (open, but not decanted) to reach balance - initially tannins were very aggressive and fruit very muted.

After maybe 3 hours it comes together a bit. Still very much a food wine, with rich dark red fruit on the nose, blood, leather, fruit and still plenty of tannins on the palate. The finish is quite long, very drying, and meaty.

Overall though I don't feel the parts come together as well as they might and the whole thing feels a little disjointed, and probably not a repeat buy for me at the ~US$33 that I paid.

5/2/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

From the 2018 harvest and disgorged April 2021. Extra-brut, but no specific dosage info. 50/25/25 PN/C/PB

The nose is very forward and quite complex: mineral (chalk & iodine) notes, salinity, but also some sweet white flowers and a lemony note.

The palate largely follows the nose, perhaps lighter than I expected, crisp (but not tart), lemon and salinity lead, but there's a floral note running throughout. The finish is slightly drying and slate-y. This is not an austere wine, but it doesn't have a lot of weight on the palate, so for me it's best as an aperitif/palate-cleanser.

Overall, it's rather nice, and decent, if not great, QPR at the ~US$46 that I paid.

5/1/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

A blend of chardonnay and pinot noir from Grand Cru plots in Ambonnay and Avize; zero dosage, but no further information available on the bottle, and no producer website that I can find.

The nose is a little complex - notes of iodine, slightly chalky minerality, candied lemons; new aspects emerge on each swirl.

The palate is crisp, but not austere; again somewhat complex: some citrus, hints of marmite (! in a good way), chalky minerality, slightly drying tart red fruit underpinning things discreetly; the finish is clean, quite long and more-ish.

Overall this is an excellent wine, today as an aperitif for me, but I could see it pairing well with seafood, sashimi, oily fish cooked simply with herbs, etc.

And at the ~US$33 I paid this is really very good QPR indeed. Even better at the community average valuation of ~US$27!

4/29/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

This wine tends to vary from from year to year.

On the nose the 2022 is aromatic with white flowers and a touch of salinity.

The palate is rather rich - more of the flowers and salinity, but with some alcohol heat and, for my palate, somewhat short on acidity. The finish isn't as crisp as in some other vintages, and just a touch cloying.

For me this is not one of the best vintages of this wine, and probably not a repeat buy at the ~US$19.5 I paid.

4/27/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Quite intensely aromatic, especially on first opening: flowers, citrus, a touch of honey.

On the palate, very full with more of the flowers and citrus, nicely moderate balancing acidity (particularly after the wine has been open for a while); there's just a touch of oak adding more complexity. The finish is clean and quite long.

Overall, this is an excellent wine, pairing well with some sashimi and salad; it has the weight to be quite versatile. Definitely a repeat buy for me at the ~US$22 that I paid.

4/26/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

This is currently (as was the 2021 previously) the house red at my club (the Foreign Correspondents' Club in HK) and it's a very quaffable wine, particularly for the price (I believe the club buys these wholesale for less than US$9).

The nose is firm pinot fruit with a clear overtone of slatey minerality. And these follow to the palate, which is quite well balanced, not as acidic as some cheaper pinots, and still with that minerality, particularly on the slightly drying and rather long finish.

Overall, as a wine on its own or for a casual meal with a pizza or other straightforward food this is a decent value choice. I'm happy to have a glass or two at the club from time to time.

4/26/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Another new batch for me: 95/5 PN Vertus /C Mesnil-sur-Oger
Tirage 06/2018; disgorged 02/2023; dosage 4g/l

The higher PN component gives a much more intense scarlet hue to the wine than earlier batches. On first opening the wine is a little tart, closed and unapproachable, but it opens up very nicely with ~20 minutes air.

Then, but only then, this batch aligns with my earlier TN: "The nose brings quite rich red fruits overlaid with minerality. The palate is really nicely balanced for my taste. Crisp acidity, red fruit that sits nicely between tart and rich, and a sort of granite minerality that persists with some light tannins into the quite lengthy and more-ish finish."

This excellent wine will continue to be a repeat buy for me at ~US$47 that I paid.

4/24/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

My first 100% pinot blanc champagne. There's no information on the bottle except "Brut", and none on the producer website except that malolactic fermentation is completed.

The wine benefits from a little air and not being too cold. The colour is a pale straw yellow; the nose has white flowers (camomile?) and herbal notes and a crisp edge. The palate follows and has quite some complexity, particularly as the wine warms. There's citrus tending towards sweet grapefruit, a creamy note, herbs (fennel?), but also some saline minerality. The overall mouthfeel is quite rich and rounded; I'm guessing a dosage of maybe 8-10g/l, but it avoids being cloying.

Overall this is a rather interesting wine. Rather different from other champagnes, and more akin to good still pinot blancs that I have tried. When quite cold it works as an aperitif; a little warmer with some seafood.

At the ~US$35 that I paid this is an interesting bottle and will be an occasional repeat buy for me, although I wish there were more information available regarding the wine.

4/23/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

This wine really benefits from some air. On first opening strong tannins and minerality dominate. However, after about 2 hours of air (open, not decanted) things are much improved.

The nose is very forthcoming: minerals, fruit (redcurrants, cherries?). The palate is light, nicely balanced: red fruit, chalky and slatey minerality, light tannins now, just a little acidity. The minerality lingers on the finish.

It seems to me that this is very much a wine of its place, with a distinctive character, and really very nice indeed.

At the ~US$29.5 that I paid this is very definitely a repeat buy.

4/23/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

This is unremarkable run of the mill rosé - just slightly candied and a little cloying on the finish. Not a repeat buy for me.

4/20/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

I've had a few vintages of this now. It's consistent as a crisp, mineral, saline wine; some white flowers, a little citrus.

Overall it's an OK aperitif for the ~US$15 that I paid.

4/20/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

There are multiple releases of this NV wine. My bottle is of the 4th Release.

This is a very nice wine indeed. On the nose honey, a little minerality, some herbs, lots of complexity. The palate follows with a nice balancing acidity. Some mature notes of slight oxidation add yet more complexity. There is also a lovely herbal/floral note in the mid-palate.

Overall this is an excellent wine that brings new aspects with every sip. It works fine on its own, but also pairing well with some gravlax, mild cheese and pita.

For the ~US$27 that I paid this is definitely a repeat buy.

4/19/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

100% pinot noir; no other info on the bottle except "Brut". From the producer website "Dosage : approximately 9.5g/l".

When opened the initial impression is of a very thin, watery wine; with a few minutes air it fleshes out a little, but it remains a light, crisp, elegant wine, surprisingly so to me given the dosage.

The palate has notes of raspberries initially, tending to a slightly off-dry (peach?) but clean finish. This is a very straightforward wine, which is fine well-chilled as a standalone drink on a hot day. I can't see it standing up to food, and it offers no complexity.

Overall this is a wine to quaff not to sip, but a little pricey for what it is at the ~US$44 that I paid.

4/13/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

The info on the bottle is that this is a blend of pinot noir and meunier, that it gets 30-36 months of aging, and the dosage is 6-8g/l.

Briefly, the end result is a rather simple, inoffensive, but very bland wine, with flavours tending to crisp red fruit. Clean tasting, not complex, a little crisp and more-ish on the finish. Perfectly adequate as a party fizz, but not one for serious contemplation.

Perhaps a little pricey for what it is at the ~US$36 that I paid.

4/12/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

I think this may be my first Müller-Thurgau, and it's rather nice in a slightly austere, minerally way. The nose is chalk, slate, a hint of herbs (maybe menthol). The palate opens with some white flowers, but then minerality takes over.There's minimal acidity, the palate, and particularly the finish, is rather drying, but clean and more-ish. All rather well balanced.

This is not hugely complex, but as a dry, clean aperitif to get the juices flowing this is decent QPR for the ~US$16 that I paid.

4/10/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

This is a rather nice sauvignon, in a style that is quite distinct from, say, New Zealand or Bordeaux. The nose has the crisp, gooseberry/citrus that one expects, but the palate is quite rounded, rich, fruity, tending almost to sweet, but without being in any way cloying. The finish is clean, more-ish and has just a hint of minerality. This is a food wine more than a palate-cleansing aperitif.

Overall for the ~US$19 this is one that I can see myself buying again.

4/9/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

This benefits from a little air to lose an initial slightly bitter edge, but then it's a very decent crisp, minerally wine. The nose is a little complex with mineral, floral and herbal notes. The palate is very crisp, clean and minerally (chalk and a touch of slate); the finish is dry but has a slightly floral edge to it.

Overall this is a very good aperitif wine, also pairing well with a simple salmon salad. It's OK QPR at the ~US$18 that I paid.

4/6/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Briefly, for my second bottle I gave this a splash decant 4+ hours before beginning to drink. It benefitted enormously from this - acidity emerges, the fruit mellows and the whole thing becomes reasonably well-balanced.

The nose has some blue fruit and quite a noticeable herbal note, even some menthol. The palate follows, with nice acidity, and smooth drying tannins which come to the fore on the quite lengthy finish.

Overall after some air (and I suspect it would benefit from even more than I gave it) this is a very decent wine, going well with some fried chicken. But perhaps a bit pricey for what it is at the ~US$25 that I paid.

4/4/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

My first time with a Rancy dry wine, and this is rather nice. Decanted for maybe 15-30 minutes as suggested on the producer's website, which really firmed the wine up from a rather thin and tannic first impression on opening.

The nose is very dark red fruit, a hint of violet. The palate is quite light, elegant, those same fruits and floral/herbal notes, well balanced acidity and smooth fine tannins on the finish.

This isn't a wine of great complexity, but as a weekday wine with simple food it is going down rather nicely and would definitely be a repeat buy for short -term drinking if my supplier had any more at the ~ US$15 that I paid.

4/4/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

4 years on from my last TN, and I feel I was a bit niggardly in my earlier appraisal.

This bottle from lot L122181, which perhaps means bottled in 12/2021, is rather nice indeed.

After a little air, the nose offers slightly sharp fruit (somewhere between lemon and gooseberry!). The palate is crisp, citrus, a tiny hint of brioche, and finishing moderately long with clean flavours of tart red fruit.

Overall this a a very nice bottle of fizz - definitely on a par with many house champagnes, and great value for parties or just general enjoyment at ~US$19.

3/26/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

My second bottle of this. The nose is quite minerally (iodide?) with a touch of strawberry. On the palate quite crisp, unripe strawberries. quite drying, particularly on the finish. Balanced, but for me rather thin and lacking in complexity.

Overall, there's nothing wrong with this and it would make a good party fizz, but for me it's a fairly basic extra-brut rosé and not worth the ~US$53 that I paid.

3/25/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

L217 402 whatever that means. (Maybe bottled in July 2021?)

Anyway, the nose is quite rich, buttery but also saline/mineral. The palate has a citric crispness initially, then some granite, and finally a rounder finish which for my palate strays just to the cloying side of sweet. Overall the wine seems a bit "all over the place" and the cloying side makes it not a repeat buy for me.

3/24/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

The nose is somewhat candied red fruit (redcurrants, strawberry). The palate is crisp, those same fruits, sweet, staying just on the right side of cloying. The finish is clean. Overall this is rather like a better than, say, average Provencal rosé, but it needs to stay well chilled.

Maybe an occasional repeat buy at the ~US$15 that I paid.

3/24/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

Coming back to this wine after a few years... this bottle disgorged 27/4/2023 with a dosage of 8.5g/l.

Briefly, it's red fruits, quite minerally, drying on the finsh, not cloying, but rather thin and one dimensional; little weight and no complexity on the palate. Fine as a party wine, but a bit pricey for that at the ~US$47 that I paid.

3/23/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

My first sparkling rosé from Etna. From the label: 30 months sur lies; bottled in 2022, "lotto 7/2022". From the producer website: a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio.

The wine is a pale salmon colour, with a very fine mousse. The nose is a bit reticent; saline and mineral notes can be teased out. On first opening the palate is rather aggressively tart; with 45-60 minutes air it mellows a little, but it is still very crisp & mineral; the fruit is also very tart, perhaps very unripe strawberries, and the mouthfeel is cleansing without any great depth or complexity.

For me a glass of this would be a good palate cleanser/aperitif, but it's not something I would drink a lot of. It also works against fried food (Korean-style chicken in my case) to cut through the fat. But either case this isn't really close to champagne-class.

Probably not a repeat buy for me at the ~US$23 that I paid.

EDIT to add that after about 2 hours open more fruit is evident - maybe this work better if decanted.

3/22/2024 - Paul852 Does not like this wine:

This is a very basic rosé (as I guess I should have realised from an Italian winery using English words to name their wine): sweet red fruit on the nose; the palate is fruit and acidity in a not very attractive balance; some bitterness on the finish. No complexity. Really rather poor.

3/22/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Briefly, this is a really nice cerasuolo. Drinking it just lightly chilled, the nose has salty and slatey minerality in spades, plus redcurrants. The palate is fresh, balanced, red fruit, herbs, minerality, light slightly drying tannins on the finish.

This is a great BBQ wine for a warm day. Definitely a repeat buy at ~US$16.5.

3/18/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

A very expressive nose of white stone fruit and some slate-y minerality, also a hint of menthol. The palate is very complex: those same fruits, slate, herbs, some spiciness. Each sip brings a new aspect. The finish is clean, quite long, and minerally.

This is an excellent wine and definitely a repeat buy for the ~US$21 that I paid.

3/12/2024 - Paul852 Does not like this wine:

Briefly, I've had timorassos that can be elegant, complex, and wonderful wines. This is the opposite: it's horribly over-oaked, in your face, unsubtle and definitely not worth the ~US$35 that I paid for this.

3/12/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

As others have noted, this benefits from a little air to gain some weight and complexity.

Minerality and a touch of smoke on the nose. After air the palate is well rounded: white fruit, some wild honey, just a hint of citrus; very nicely balanced. Clean on the finish with unripe peach and minerals.

Overall this is an excellent wine, and decent, if not great, QPR at the ~US$28 that I paid.

3/12/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

From the batch disgorged February 2022 and released August 2022 (as revealed by the Louis Roederer app scanning the label).

The nose is quite forward but a little difficult to pin down: there's some minerality, just a touche of brioche, and a faintly herbal note which I'm struggling to name.

The palate starts with crisp red fruit, but the mid-palate is quickly rather creamier and soft, before a finish which stays just on the right side of cloying, but isn't as crisp as I prefer. For my taste I feel that the dosage (8g) is a little high.

Overall, at this point I much prefer the 242 which I drank a few weeks ago. There's nothing wrong with this 243; it's a very good wine but it's just a bit bland and lacking in freshness for my palate, perhaps due to the rather ripe 2018 base vintage.

3/11/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

As others have noted, this is a high intensity, very fruity (peach primarily, but some citrus and other stuff). I would say medium-low acidity though: just enough to stop the wine being cloying.

At ~ US$15 I can see this being a very successful party wine for non-oenophiles (particularly women, sorry to be sexist). And it's not badly made, but the flavour profile really isn't what I look for in a wine.

3/11/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

A blend of 2019 and 2018 vintages. 55/45 Meunier/Pinot Noir. Bottled 7/2020; disgorged 1/2022, 5g/l dosage.

I haven't managed to figure out what the 720 days in the name of this wine means, and, strangely, it doesn't feature on the producer's website.

Anyway, the nose is quite complex... some iodide minerality, a perfumed note that I'm struggling to name (maybe violets?). The palate starts crisp and minerally, then red orchard fruit, and a drying, long and rather more-ish finish. The dosage is well -judged: this is a crisp wine without being austere.

For me this has gone rather well with fried chicken, and also just on its own. For the ~US$37 that I paid I can see this being an occasional repeat buy.

3/10/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

I've been a fan of this producer's more expensive Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Superiore Spelt, so it was interesting to try this beside that wine.

The nose is a little reticent but offers redcurrants and quite a strong minerality and perhaps a little alcohol heat (this is a 13.5% wine). The palate is nicely balanced, sweet (but not cloying) redcurrants, just a touch of tannin, a a hint of acidity that keeps the finish clean. The whole thing is rather straightforward and perhaps a little thin, but when chilled this is would be a decent drink on a hot summer day.

(The Spelt by comparison has a lot more weight and complexity)

At ~US$12 I can see getting some of these in the summer, but for all year drinking, particularly with food I'll stick with the Spelt (which is about US$18).

3/8/2024 - Paul852 wrote:

No information on the bottle except Brut. The producer website says that it is a blend of chardonnay and meunier, plus red wine from meunier.

The nose is rather intense and a little unusual: strongly iodine minerality coupled with strawberries. These follow to the palate to be joined by more fruit, redcurrants primarily, with an overall slightly candied feel. The finish is, for me, lacking crispness and lingers in a not great way. This is not in any way what I would call an elegant champagne.

Overall I think the dosage here is higher than I prefer and the wine is a bit unbalanced for my palate as a result. But I can see that people with a sweeter preference may disagree - there are no major faults as such, but this isn't one that I'll be rebuying.

3/6/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

No information on the bottle (or via the QR code which just gives a broken link or via the producer website). It's 100% Meunier Brut, Lot L1902N.

On first opening there is a rather vigorous mousse, and full-on orchard on the nose and on the palate, where it is rather rough around the edges. However, as so often the case, with maybe 20-30 minutes of air things calm down somewhat.

Then the nose is sweet ripe white fruits; the palate starts with a little citric bite followed by rich, very ripe apples and peaches. The finish tries to be crisp, but for me is just a little cloying. Overall it works best for me with food.

It's clear that Alain Mercier prefers wines with significant dosage, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but this is not a wine for drinkers fixated on extra-brut or brut nature. For me it's good and well made for what it is, but one to drink only occasionally. OK QPR at ~US$38.

2/27/2024 - Paul852 Likes this wine:

Earlier vintages of this that I've tried have been a bit variable, but this is up there with the best so this TN is very similar to that from the 2017...

Herbs and minerality on the nose; nicely balanced on the complex palate with white flowers, a touch of sweetness from white stone fruit and just a little balancing acidity. The finish is clean, with hints of minerality.

Different elements of this come to the fore as it warms from fridge temperature to the suggested serving temperature on the label of 14 degrees.

Very good QPR at the US$16 I paid and definitely a repeat buy.