France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Similar to white burgundy aromatically – cream, vanilla. Round palate. White apple but there’s a little freshly grated ginger too. Very lively with a long, tangy finish. Perhaps lacking a little in terms of definition but great value. 16.5/20.
This wine actually smells bone-dry – like sun-scorched limestone with the merest hint of fruit (grapefruit). Then an intensely stony palate. Perhaps a little too austere to drink on its own. But this is a consistently good wine; and always so distinctive. 16.5/20.
A little softer on the nose (than the Estate wine) with some floral/pollen notes. Full-bodied with a distinctive ‘rough’ texture. Reminds me a little of Semillon flavour-wise. A little warm though – alcohol is 15%, which may also explain the texture. 16.5/20.
Pale orangey-brown. Skin contact. Needs at least five years in bottle, apparently. Lots going on here: rusty nails, ginger, aromatic herbs and – if I’m not mistaken – Irn Bru. Dry, dusty palate with lots of extract. Pretty chewy just now but plenty of acidity that should see it right. Has a similar spicy, warmth to a southern French red. Very unusual. But great! 17+/20 2015+
Deep red colour. Sliced plum with a little vanilla. Fine, dusty tannin. Bordering on rustic. Lots of dried fruit flavours and has the structure to age. Savoury finish with decent acidity. 16.5 2014+
Gooseberry, nettles and lavender. So far, so Sauvignon Blanc. Oh, there’s a bit of Assyrtiko in here as well apparently (10%) – not sure it adds much though. Chewy with a little sherbet-y sweetness. A touch watery. OK but not a million miles away from a Touraine co-op wine – and twice the price. 16/20.
Intensely sweet, aromatic nose. Then a dry, stony palate. It’s the old Muscat/Torrontés trick of making you think it’s going to be sweet. But that’s the most interesting thing about it. 16/20.
Toasty oak with a little apple and citrus. Full-bodied. Round. Oak is there but it’s nicely integrated. Citrus fruit. A decent white burgundy-alike. And good value in that context. 16.5/20.
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Quite a bit of oak influence on the creamy, apple-y nose. Palate is bright, crunchy and Chablis-like but slightly fuller-bodied. No sign of the oak, either. Very long, mineral finish. A real beauty. And a bit of a bargain as well. 17/20.
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Intense aromas of ripe, red cherry. Palate is Gevrey-like in terms of structure with marked acidity. Tastes so young still. Will it come round? The winemaker claims it will do 10-15 years but I’m not convinced it has enough stuffing. 16.5/20 2015+
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Really intense nose – citrus, saline and iodine; a little ascetic too. Palate is quite round and there’s even a hint of sweetness on the finish. Less depth and palate intensity than a Vin Jaune/Chateau Chalon - and nor does it have the length – but very similar in other respects (including price). 16.5/20.
NV Vignoble Guillaume Seduction Blanc de Blancs
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Similar to white burgundy aromatically – cream, vanilla. Round palate. White apple but there’s a little freshly grated ginger too. Very lively with a long, tangy finish. Perhaps lacking a little in terms of definition but great value. 16.5/20.
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2011 Hatzidakis Winery Assyrtiko Santorini
Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini
This wine actually smells bone-dry – like sun-scorched limestone with the merest hint of fruit (grapefruit). Then an intensely stony palate. Perhaps a little too austere to drink on its own. But this is a consistently good wine; and always so distinctive. 16.5/20.
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2011 Hatzidakis Winery Assyrtiko de Mylos Vieilles Vignes
Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini
A little softer on the nose (than the Estate wine) with some floral/pollen notes. Full-bodied with a distinctive ‘rough’ texture. Reminds me a little of Semillon flavour-wise. A little warm though – alcohol is 15%, which may also explain the texture. 16.5/20.
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2008 Hatzidakis Winery Assyrtiko Pyrgos
Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini
Pale orangey-brown. Skin contact. Needs at least five years in bottle, apparently. Lots going on here: rusty nails, ginger, aromatic herbs and – if I’m not mistaken – Irn Bru. Dry, dusty palate with lots of extract. Pretty chewy just now but plenty of acidity that should see it right. Has a similar spicy, warmth to a southern French red. Very unusual. But great! 17+/20 2015+
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2009 Hatzidakis Winery Mavrotragano
Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini
Deep red colour. Sliced plum with a little vanilla. Fine, dusty tannin. Bordering on rustic. Lots of dried fruit flavours and has the structure to age. Savoury finish with decent acidity. 16.5 2014+
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2012 Wine Art Estate Techni Alipias
Greece, Macedonia, Drama
Gooseberry, nettles and lavender. So far, so Sauvignon Blanc. Oh, there’s a bit of Assyrtiko in here as well apparently (10%) – not sure it adds much though. Chewy with a little sherbet-y sweetness. A touch watery. OK but not a million miles away from a Touraine co-op wine – and twice the price. 16/20.
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2012 Wine Art Estate Malagousia Techni
Greece, Macedonia, Drama
Intensely sweet, aromatic nose. Then a dry, stony palate. It’s the old Muscat/Torrontés trick of making you think it’s going to be sweet. But that’s the most interesting thing about it. 16/20.
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2011 Wine Art Estate Chardonnay Idisma Drios
Greece, Macedonia, Drama
Toasty oak with a little apple and citrus. Full-bodied. Round. Oak is there but it’s nicely integrated. Citrus fruit. A decent white burgundy-alike. And good value in that context. 16.5/20.
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2009 Wine Art Estate Techni Alipias
Greece, Macedonia, Drama
Lifted, leafy nose. Palate is dry and structured. Lots of dry fruit flavour with some stemmy/stalky grip on the finish. Ok. 16/20.
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2011 Vignoble Guillaume Chardonnay Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté Vieilles Vignes
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Quite a bit of oak influence on the creamy, apple-y nose. Palate is bright, crunchy and Chablis-like but slightly fuller-bodied. No sign of the oak, either. Very long, mineral finish. A real beauty. And a bit of a bargain as well. 17/20.
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2007 Vignoble Guillaume Pinot Noir Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté Collection Réservée
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Intense aromas of ripe, red cherry. Palate is Gevrey-like in terms of structure with marked acidity. Tastes so young still. Will it come round? The winemaker claims it will do 10-15 years but I’m not convinced it has enough stuffing. 16.5/20 2015+
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NV Vignoble Guillaume Savagnin Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté Cuvée des Archevêques
France, Franche-Comté, Vin de Pays de Franche-Comté
Really intense nose – citrus, saline and iodine; a little ascetic too. Palate is quite round and there’s even a hint of sweetness on the finish. Less depth and palate intensity than a Vin Jaune/Chateau Chalon - and nor does it have the length – but very similar in other respects (including price). 16.5/20.
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