Monday (although could be any day… lockdown & freelance makes individual days a blur).
Very late to the party, and I can only add my small voice to the general praise for TWS Greek White 2019. Which is sold out, although I imagine the 2020 will be along soon. Lovely label, Sainsbury used this style of artwork in the '80s.
The wine… is nothing like I remember Greek white wine to be: this is light, rounded, ever so slightly off dry (yet balanced with apple/ lemon acidity) with fabulous honeysuckle notes.
It’s remarkable really that I’ve been on this forum for going on three years now, I think, but I’ve never yet had a Thymiopoulos or even a Xinomavro. This is largely due to the comparisons always being made with Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo nether of which are my favourite grapes. However I don’t actually dislike them so figured I had to give this one a try. https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=GR1571
Sadly I’d have to say that, whilst, as with the other two, I don’t dislike it, I just don’t find it very exceptional. Pleasant, easy, fruity drinking, a bit of interest with some smokiness and pepper but mostly just a fair wine for the price. Nothing I can really get excited about I’m afraid.
Had a couple of glasses of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Gavi with risotto last night. The branding is a misnomer, I could not taste the difference between that and any other generic dry white.
Speaking of Gavi and Sainsbury’s - have you tried the Ascheri Gavi they sometimes stock? A friend gave us a bottle a few months back, and after drinking it recently I thought it was the best Gavi I drank to date (which, admittedly, is a small sample). Worth seeking, when you next shop there.
Don’t think I have tried that actually, but being a Gavi di Gavi it makes sense that it’s a cut above. I’ve had some pretty good ones over time, but I think my tastes have changed for Italian whites as I used to really like Gavi but am a lot less keen recently. It might be a winter thing to some extent - a cool, fresh, Lemony Gavi probably suits the sunshine a bit better than miserable February. Give me a richer Verdicchio di Matelica any day
This is as good as the 2017 – perhaps even a bit bolder and more vivacious on the palate. Pale straw colour in the glass, the nose has expressive floral notes of almond blossom and mild jasmine fragrance, with delicate notes of honeydew melon, pear, quince and hazelnuts.
However, it’s the palate that really excites with its citrus-fresh yet creamy mouthfeel, the notes of ripe pear, guava and stone fruit and the finish that goes from citrus pith (reminiscent of Vermentino di Gallura) and almond notes to a honeyed peachy note. There is real verve and liveliness to this wine - thank god some wise old Piedmontese thought it worth saving!
With a mid-winter warmer of Cauliflower/bacon cheese with chicken (admittedly this would have been a bit better last week when it was dropping below zero )…
Last of six, I noticed this was on TWS recent list. I didn’t buy, but would have recommended it.
The first bottle was a little unbalanced, needed a couple of years to settle (and this is starting gently on it’s downslope) but whilst it will never set the world alight, the quality of the wine-making means that it isn’t crumbling any time soon. Citrus, stone fruit, Vanilla and, just starting to emerge, that kind of bees-waxy oiliness that you get with aged white wine. Really decent level of complexity for (ISTR) about £13 all-in.
It starts out with melon, peaches and stone fruits, but then gives way to pepper and bitter almonds on the finish. There’s a definite saline note to it, too. Excellent midweek drinking, and would be good value at the normal price (not listed on TWS at the moment, but looks to be around £13). A snip at £8 in a Mystery Case.
I feel like I’m populating the mid-week drinking thread a little too much of late, but you know, I’m just trying to recalibrate my sense of taste and smell after covid
So tonight (with a sort of Mediterranean vegetable Melanzane)…
Oh my, this is wonderful. The earlier bottles were more high-toned, sour red fruits, but this has developed an earthiness, principally the smell (and taste) of the soft flesh of Kalamata olives, still with that pomegranate sweet-sourness on the finish. And only 12.5%. Apostolos Thymiopoulos can do no wrong for me
Cork was slightly soft and so was immediately suspicious. The nose confirmed the wine was slightly corked. Damp wool aroma and woody palate. Shame. Still drinkable with hints of raspberry, strawberry and black currant.
This a a good value simple Beaujolais, went down all too easy. Nice rich fruit and not thin sharp and over-cropped like cheaper BJ can be. Lots of fun, would recommend it slightly chilled in warmer weather.
Is there any relationship between physical condition of cork and likelihood of TCA?
I get that a poor condition cork means the wine is more likely to be oxidised but I wouldn’t have though the condition/appearance of the cork correlates with TCA as this is more about contamination?
Initial nose I thought it could be a bruiser, all alcohol, tannin, acidity and grip.
Left well alone without tasting for a while and it’s opened up.
Since then quite the transformation. A concentrated pepper capsicum balsamic black cherry nose.
Intense and concentrated on the palette. Not overly generous on the fruit with a fairly dry finish. Quite heavy at 15% and a touch intellectual vs immediate pleasure on it. I’m sure it will develop further if I had more bottles (which I don’t)!
I don’t drink much Monstant so good to try and grateful for the tip.
Sorry about blurry photo. It’s El Peuco 2013, tempranillo, mourvedre. Slight panic on opening as it didn’t seem to have any smell, but it was because I was cooking and the wine was rather cold. Very dark reddish black colour, rather like Cruella DeVille’s blood. Black fruits, tar, and leather predominantly. This is another wine more for meat-eaters I think, though it goes quite well with hard cheeses.
01438 741177
)…
