It is a real privileged and treat to be chosen to be a member on their Tasting Panels.
The Project Sauvignon Blanc 2017 is from the Western Cape South Africa and is as geography suggests: not as smooth, subtle and sophisticated as the French yet not as hard hitting and full on like the New Zealand.
A lovely pale yellow in the glass with the base having a slightly green hue. It's nose had plenty of tropical fruits, soft and inviting with that recognisable sauvignon gooseberry nose.
A light taste again sitting between Old and New World, plenty of citrus with pineapple overtones; a very enjoyable wine to drink alone or paired with a light chicken dish, great value at £5.99
The Toro Loco Edicion Memoria 2015 is a brand we have enjoyed before, an exclusive wine at just over £10.
Its dark brooding label is a pointer to its blend of Bobal, Tempranillo and Merlot, giving a deep cherry red that is slightly opaque.
A light peppery nose with hints of oak could have initially offered a little more but did develop as the wine rested in our glasses.
Medium bodied with plenty of red fruits, it was easy drinking, which suited my palate me. However as its oak and tannins did develop so I would prefer to drink it straight away before its length had developed.
Staying with Aldi the tasting for this month at Cuvée Reserve is Maynard's Pink Port.
It was my choice this month and I chose it because although I have (and do) enjoyed Tawny and Ruby Port I have not seen Pink Port before and was intrigued, especially at the reasonable price of £7.99.
It has taken a while to find a bottle as not all stores stock but on a recent trip to Nantwich we found it in their store. I'm looking forward to trying this with a mince pie .... or two.
The reviews will be on Cuvée Reserve from 20th, I wonder what we will all discover.
Late summer we had a lovely holiday in the South of France https://aimetus.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/two-special-vineyards.html during which we visited Domaine Paul Mas. We have been enjoying his wines for quite a few years so were very pleased to be able to visit their caveau.
There were so many wines we had not seen before including a sparkling Picpoul de Pinet and the label Claude Val with its beautiful artwork.
Cote Mas Frisante had all the fun of Southern France beginning with its label, followed by its lively bubbles in the glass.
It was Picpoul de Pinet with added zest - plenty of citrus with that hint of the sea that makes Picpoul the perfect wine with fish.
Not dry or biscuity like champagne, not sweet like prosecco this bottle of bubbles is perfect to be enjoyed on its own, with seafood or even with some soft French cheese - a definite winner for me - I hope it is available in the UK.
Claude Val's label is very eyecatching depicting the ancient town of Pezenas. This brand of three wines, red, white and rose, is a blend of noble and established grapes but is easy drinking without the complexity of higher priced wines.Claude Val blanc is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Chenin Blanc, Chasan, Mauzaca and Sauvignon Blanc.
A very pale colour in the glass with a nose of soft white fruit, this wine is so smooth, so easy drinking, it's just lovely.
I can feel a return trip happening as both these Domaine Paul Mas wines are on my to buy again list. I'd love to try these in the garden in the summer as if they were good indoors in the winter I'm presuming they will be even better chilled on a summer's day.
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