Summer Reds

A theme based on easy-going reds suitable for summer BBQs, pizzas and picnics.

• 2023 Camillo Donati 'Il Mio' Lambrusco dell'Emilia IGT 86 Points

  Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco dell'Emilia IGT

  The colour of strong dark Ribena where you went light on water. Tastes like Ribena too, with a nice and fairly mild spritz to it. A little funky on the nose, but not full barnyard. Fruit pastille palate with a herbal bitter finish. Really stains the glass a vivid dark pink. This is quite refreshing I suppose, but I am not a fan of this (or any Lambrusco), even if it's quite nicely done.

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• 2021 Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly Vieilles Vignes 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly

  Medium red. A clear fruity Gamay, bright juice, slight reduction. Perfect pizza wine, sweet olives and pepper, some green bitterness that is not at all unpleasant. There is a casual roughness about this which is rather nice.

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• 2015 Jean-Claude Lapalu Côte de Brouilly 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côte de Brouilly

  Dark red. Smells serious and structured, and not like Gamay. Deliciously tart, but what is this? Blind there is no way I’d pick this, it has earthy elements of Pinot but it’s not that either. There is smooth vanilla in the mix, some polish and some ripe tannin still, and the package as a whole it just classy. This is serious wine, fine wine, doesn’t fit the summer brief at all. Another surprising Beaujolais.

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• 2021 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Langhe Freisa Bonina 87 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Slight spritz here, and curious element of frankfurter brine or something like that. Olive, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar, fennel – all about savoury goodness. Easy drinking, but not instantly pleasurable for some reason. Maybe the herbal nature is at the expense of the fruit here?

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• 2020 Foradori Teroldego Morei Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 93 Points

  Italy, Trentino Alto-Adige / Veneto, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT

  Medium dark red. Sweet fruit on the darker spectrum that is nicely ripe but not overdone, think light jam. Coupled with really zingy acidity this is supremely quaffable, really complete, a summer gem, and a wine that almost seems to cuddle you. Delightfully pleasant drinking. Never even heard of the grape but this made me sit up and take notice. Simply lovely.

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• 2022 Alex Foillard Beaujolais-Villages 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages

  Everything you would want from a young Beaujolais Villages. Tart, fresh, super fruity. Simple and unsophisticated and pretty perfect - really ticks the “with pizza” box for me, and that is not damning it with faint praise. This is what you expect when you pull the cork and this is what you get.

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• 2017 Azores Wine Company Isabella a Proibida 90 Points

  Portugal, Açores, Vinho Regional Açores

  Clean and cold, like clear-press. What is this? It has a touch of animale, some high-toned gloss, really unique and like nothing I’ve come across. Blind I could easily have said this was a slightly reductive Chardonnay, this is how unusual this is. And this is what is so great about these loosely themed tastings, you get to taste wine you would never in a million years have picked up yourself. So a very pleasant surprise. Easy drinking, a pure and linear red that I think really works in hot weather. As an aside, the label is ridiculous - you can barely even tell the vintage or much else about it which is just silly. But I suppose this is all part of the marketing.

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• 2019 Azienda Agricola Crasà SRC Etna Alberello 88 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

  Reminiscent of a Piedmontese nebbiolo, sharply tannic and with that sour cherry edge. Others said they felt it was like Xinomavro, this is a bit of a chameleon, could almost be anything. Regardless it is really punchy at this stage, a bit unforgiving, if I had any more I would be tempted to squirrel it away for a few years. Over-priced I felt, didn't (at this stage anyway) deliver the complexity that the £30 price tag merits. Still very enjoyable though, refreshingly moreish as these tangy acidic wines often are.

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• 2014 Domaine Le Soula Terroir d'Altitude Rouge 87 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays des Coteaux des Fenouillèdes

  Dark red. We are clearly back in France here, and as a GSM blend this really calls out its southern heritage. Has some sweetness to it from the ten years. Pleasant red fruit, not at all prune-y, nicely controlled, and some herbal and olive notes. Once again a very pleasant and easy-going wine, but perhaps a bit heavier than I would like for a summer red.

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• 2019 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Trousseau Singulier 90 Points

  France, Jura, Arbois

  A cloudy appearance that at first glance is a bit off-putting. A bit natural-looking, uh oh! And on the nose a deep inhale gets you some cheesy socks or wet washing….. someone bottled a teenager. But wow, leave the curious nose behind and this is in fact on fire - amazing! Highly interesting, and very compelling - it's fresh and alive, with a core of pure succulent red-berries that give it an almost urgent intensity. Lovely stuff.

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• 2021 Jean Foillard Morgon 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon

  Tres tres Gamay. The maker read the instructions and came up with the goods. Late in the evening this was very refreshing indeed, but we probably ought to have opened it earlier.

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Some terrific wines, some confounding wines, some really weird but somehow they worked wines. What a fun evening!