St Ewe, Cornwall, £10.50, cork seal
A week in Cornwall and it's time to try a local wine. The Bosue Vineyard lies in the little village of St Ewe, a couple of miles inland from the south coast fishing port of Mevagissey. It's made 
from a blend of Seyval Blanc, Ortega and Kernling
The label claims this has a 'rose blush', but no it's golden yellow in colour and looks pretty much like a white wine to me. On the nose there's not much to sniff at, though the hints of stone fruit and citrus are pleasant enough. Again the palate is light and lacking punch with peach being the main flavour accompanied by a hint of lemon in the background. This is off dry and benefits the initial touch of sweetness that adds a little weight to what's a pretty thin palate. Bosue Vineyard 'Cellar Blend' 2008 is pleasant enough, but really does lack intensity and interest.
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Rueda, $120, screwtop
I've got my WSET exam on Saturday and probably the biggest gap in my knowledge is Spanish white wines. So I was able to purchase and drink this little number and call it homework. Marques de Riscal have been producing wine for over a 150 and are perhaps most well know for Rioja, however they have also have extensive planting in the Rueda DO. This is made from a mix of 85% indigenous Verdejo grapes and 15% Viura. It's good to see a Spanish wine sealed with a screw-top. 
This is lemon yellow in colour and medium intensity (that's getting all WSET on you). The nose is fresh, floral and echoes spring-time. There's aromas of white blossom, plus a touch of lime and pear. On the palate the flavours are green apple and pear and a hint of bitter, green almonds on the finish. Marques de Riscal Rueda 2008 is a tasty wine, it's soft and round; there's not much acidity, but plenty of drinkability. I enjoyed this.
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Alexander Valley, Napa, US$24, screwtop
The duty free selection at New York's JFK airport was extremely average; Jacob's Creek dominated and this was the only US offering. I really have no idea about North American wine, but a bit of research on the web shows that Ferrari-Carano are a family run company who have
vineyards scattered across Napa. It's worth checking out their website to see the smiling proprietors looking oh so Californian.
This is pretty deep gold in colour and having a sniff the age is noticeable. There’s plenty going on with the nose; lot’s of tasty fruit – grapefruit, peach and apricot - but also a bit of late night toast smeared with honey. This is tasty stuff; the palate’s ripe and lush with tropical fruits, peaches, and plenty of melon; there’s also a nice lick of caramel on the finish. I was expecting buckets (or barrels) of oak, but was impressed with how balanced this was. The 13.5% alcohol was really well integrated. Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay 2006 is certainly a lovely wine; full bodied, complex but well balanced. I’m starting to get worried; the last three Californian wines I’ve tried have impressed me…
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Frascati, Lazio, $59, cork
I didn't know a thing about Frascati until a little while ago, but what I found out is kind of interesting. It's a smallish DOC in the Alban Hills 20km south-east of Rome and for thousands of years it has been supplying the pubs of Rome with booze. This specific bottle is a blend of 50% Malvasia Bianca di Candia, 40% Trebbiano Toscano, 10% Malvasia del Lazio, the very same grapes that were used to make Frascati in ancient times.
Fontana Candida Frascati 2006 is a lot darker than I was expecting; it’s a lovely bright gold. It smells good, really good. There are soft fruits and tropical fruits, think apple, pear, starfruit and pineapple, but it’s surprisingly complex with whiffs of almond, summer meadows, and honey. To taste, it screams of the Italian hills; herbs, wildflowers and honey, alongside ripe red apples and pears. It’s a wine with plenty of body and a nice roundness in the mouth. Joey gave this a big thumbs up, and I enjoyed it too; good price as well. I’d drink the 2006 vintage sooner rather than later.
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Eguisheim, Alsace, cork
Yuen Long isn’t known as a hot spot for fishing, but I’m slowly getting a bit of an addiction to casting into the gutters and drains of my neighbourhood. The wine I assume would go rather nicely with a Shan Pui River carp, if I ever manage to land one. This offering from Paul Zinck was grown at an elevation of between 230 to 280 metres on south facing slopes of calcerous silt.
This is darker than I expected and is a lovely golden colour; there’s also an abundant deposits of beautiful wine crystals. Having a smell and things get pretty exciting, pretty quick; there’s crisp green apple, green guava, sherbet, lime, lemon and plenty of minerality; it’s seductive stuff. The palate is totally dominated by lemon; there’s enough citrus here for some kind of festival, though hints of tropical fruit add interest. Round, lush and surprising persistent, what stands out however is the buckets of fresh acidity. Though it lacks a bit of palate complexity Paul Zinck 'Prestige' Riesling 2007 is good stuff; bright and aromatic I’ll buy another bottle when I finally catch my carp.
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Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre, Loire, $158, cork
I try not to buy wine from Park n Shop too often, but occasionally get tempted when something interesting is on special. I had had a Sancerre for ages so when I 
saw this reduced to $98 I thought I’d give it a go. I can't find anything much about this on the web. The bottle names the producer as Domaine Paul Vatton with an address in Maimbray, a village in the commune of Sury-en-Vaux. It is, of course, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
Darker than I expected, Domain de Saint Romble Sancerre 2007 is a lovely golden yellow. OK, OK; so I was looking for cat piss and got a bit of a whiff at the start, but it soon drifted off and I ended up smelling tart gooseberry and grapefruit. The nose on this was pretty interesting with additional aromas of star fruit and coriander. On the palate this was totally dominated by acidity, making it a wine you feel rather than taste. Though there is a big lick of lime on the finish, I would have liked to have seen a bit more flavour on the mid palate. I enjoyed Domain de Saint Romble Sancerre 2007, but in many ways it is a bit of a one trick pony and that trick ladies and gentlemen is the bite, bite, cut, cut acid show.
Reims, Champagne, cork
Yep my mother's in town and out come the bubbles. This non vintage offer from Piper-Heidsieck is made from 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier and 15% Chardonnay and spends at least 24 months on lees (I think - there pretentious website - one of the worst I've seen - has absolutely no meaningful information).
This is a pretty golden colour with relatively fine, persistent bubbles. It smells pleasant with lots of lemon along with yeasty bread, pear and red apples. The palate’s smooth, long and tasty. It’s dominated by a lemony, citrus flavour, though to be honest it’s pretty simple with not much else going on. With just the slightest hint of sweetness this is certainly a nice enough drink, however it isn’t particularly complex of interesting. Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut is just OK la; from a region that’s meant to be the pinnacle of sparkling wine it doesn’t excite me and certainly is worth the money. Yet again, I sadly find myself underwhelmed by Champagne.
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Metcalfe, Macedon Ranges, screwtop
A mate of mine’s involved with this venture and when I returned to Australia at Christmas I was generously handed this and the Metcalfe Valley Shiraz 2006. I enjoyed the 2007 edition of this a lot and was therefore pretty keen to try this recent version, stylish new label and all. Apart from Sauvignon Blanc
grown at the Metcalfe Valley Vineyard this also contains 12% Semillon and 3% Chardonnay sourced from the Yarra Valley and Port Philip (a zone that includes Mornington, Geelong, Macedon, Sunbury and the Yarra Valley).
This smells absolutely delicious; there’s lime and passionfruit, but also a yeasty/ bready element that reminds of good sparkling wine. Tasting this I liked the zippy citrus and richer stone fruit flavours, but what really blew me away was its minerality. Wow this wine is sure a surprise packet; it reminds me more of Chardonnay and Old World Chardonnay at that. Long, balanced and possessing such exciting minerality this makes me wonder why so many in Australia bother with that pungent gunk from across the Tasman. The label’s better than the 2007 and the wine is even more so; Metcalfe Valley Sauvignon 2008 is excellent stuff.
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La Chapelle Vaupelteigne, Chablis, $138, cork
I can't believe my fish haven't featured here before; it's time that the little darlings appeared in a few posts. This is the basic Chablis on sale at Park n Shop and I thought I give it a go when I saw it discounted from its supposed usual price to $98. The commune of La Chapelle Vaupelteigne where this comes from is on the right bank of the River Serein where chalky soils dominate. Having a look online it appears that this same wine is sold by Marks and Spencer in the UK. 
Vincent Sauvestre Chablis 2007 is a lovely golden colour. Initially it’s all big, bold and surprisingly tropical, but as it warms in the glass it smells more citrusy. It tastes rich and lush, with flavours of cantaloupe, honeydew melon, peach, more citrus and just a hint minerality. Initially I described it as “creamy”, but scribbled this out and replaced it with “full” and “round”. It’s a well balanced wine with a persistent finish that has just a hint of sugar. I drank the last couple of glasses at room temperature which really showed off its smoothness. It’s a quality wine, but unfortunately not as 'Chablisesque' as I was expecting - it could have been mistaken for a New World Chardonnay - good juice though.
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Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula, A$26.75, diam cork
While I didn’t get a chance to visit, I did hear many good things about the new Port Philip Estate cellardoor when I recently visited the Peninsula. From all reports it’s a magnificent building with tidy little restaurant. Port Philip Estate is owned by the Gjergja family who also own the highly regarded Kooyong Estate. Like the Kooyong wines, this is made by Sandro Mosele who barrel ferments it in French oak, 30% of which is new. 
Having a sniff you couldn’t mistake this for anything but Chardonnay. There are aromas of lemon sherbet, butter and melon. A sip brings out citrus flavours, perhaps grapefruit, with green melon and hint of walnuts on the finish. Where this wine really shines is its beautiful ‘feel’ in the mouth; it’s rich, textured and creamy. Port Philip Estate Chardonnay 2007; nice wine.
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Nizza Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy, $148, cork
A good mate spent a frustrating 4 hours trying to connect a new wireless router for me Saturday afternoon. He didn't throw it off the balcony or use the language I would of, but by the end of it he 
certainly needed a drink. He loves the sweet stuff and after barbecue, beer and bubbles out comes the Moscato. Purchased from a local Yuen long wine shop, the bottle is sporting the charms of a rather fetching label and a responsible 5.5% alcohol.
There was a fair bit of frizzante action when opened, but it all settled down rather quickly. The nose on this is big and seductive; I'm so caught up in smells of honey and flowers and almost drift off to the Greek Isles. However I'm soon slapped back to reality by the emergence of deliciously intense stone fruit aromas; I'm getting one intense whiff of peaches. Having a sip and the palate is also all about the peaches. I don't want to sell this wine short; it doesn't taste like a simple can of SPC peaches in syrup it's more of a kind-of homemade baked peach dessert with canalised sugar, toffee and a hint of lemon zest. It's an amazingly complex and lush wine, but more importantly it is simply delicious. It's a lot less sweet than I expected; the sugar is well in check making it refreshingly pleasant to drink. Big, bold and delicious Scrimaglio 'Grani di Sole' Moscato D'Asti 2007 comes highly recommended; it's the perfect juice for a frustrated IT expert.
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Marlborough, $220, cork seal
I previously enjoyed the Summerhouse Chardonnay 2006 so thought I'd give their sparkling a go. Produced from Marlborough grown Chardonnay grapes and méthode traditionnelle made, it's non-vintage, but looking at the code on the label - 'L5005' - I'm thinking it perhaps be the 2005 addition. The wine is (or perhaps was) available through the Adelaide Cellar Door.
Summerhouse Blanc de Blancs is a bright lemon, yellow colour with plenty of fine bubbles. It smells good with fruity aromas and a touch of sweetness. It's all about red berries, think strawberries, raspberries and red currents, plus a touch of freshly baked brioche; yum yum. On the palate the red berries remain, plus lemon rind and a touch of saltiness on the finish. The hint of sweetness to this just helps to makes it more delicious. It's soft and fruity and has decent length, though perhaps it's missing a little splash of acidity. Summerhouse Blanc de Blancs is pretty and fun, I like it a lot.
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Valais, CHF16.90, crappy plastic cork
Another wine from Valais. This time a bottle of Heida; a rare Swiss grape variety that is a close relative of Savagnin. Apparently Heida, or Païen as it's known in French, happily grows at an altitude of over 1100m making it the highest grown grape variety in Europe. This is produced by a company called Bonvin et Varon who apparently haven't got a website.
Bonvin et Varon 'Bibacchus' Heida 2008 is a light straw yellow colour. The nose is gorgeous with its delicate smell of honey and a beautiful floral element. While it's probably wishful thinking, smelling this reminds me of fields of alpine wildflowers. There's also honey on the palate as well peach and melon; it really does have a lovely richness. This is good stuff, very good stuff; it's rich, long, textured and tastes bloody good. Confession time: I liked this so much that next morning while waiting for our train to Geneva I drank the leftovers from the bottle sitting at the platform.
Valais, CHF13.50, screwtop
A very Swiss looking bottle with a label that looks like it should be adorning a hunk of Gruyère cheese or something. This is another wine from the Valais region, but in this case a white made from a Fendant (a grape known as Chasselas in France). It is produced by Les Fils de Charles Favre a family company that was founded in Sion in 1944.
This is very light and in colour with just a hint of spritzy bubbles. There's not much intensity to the nose, but what I do smell is perfumed and aromatic. There's a sniff of pear, red apple and musk. It's a nicely textured wine, with a bit of palate weight, but unfortunately it's pretty tasteless. There's a slight echo of apple juice, but not much else. While Dame de Sion Fendant du Valais 2008 is smooth and refreshing, it lacks flavour, it lacks excitement and makes very little impact.
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Reims, Champagne, £21.99, cork seal
Catching up with family in the UK is a pretty good excuse for a bottle of Champagne and this non-vintage offering from Lanson got the job. It is a blend of 35% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier. I was a touch sniffily when I tried this, so if allergies meant I didn't do it justice I blame a rasping, decrepit, aged runt of a dog.
It's a lovely dark golden colour with medium sized bubbles that offer plenty of fizz. The nose took a little time to grow on me, but when it opened up it was certainly in the big 'n' fruity style. There were aromas of red berries, straw, honey and raisin toast. The palate was rich and complex with plenty of rich fruit and touch of sweetness. I tasted red berries, lemon butter, pear and nuts. This is a big, ballsy style of sparkling wine that worked better alongside food. It's got a lovely rich flavour and good length, but I felt that is was perhaps missing the freshness and acidity to be a really blow my mind. Lanson Black Label Champagne; tasty, but not amazing.
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Wairau Valley, Marlborough, $99, screwtop
Summerhouse wines are produced by Heather and Meric Davies, a friendly and genuine couple who I met at an Adelaide Cellar Door tasting event. Meric I might add has what is probably one of the best beards in New Zealand. I was impressed with their wines and especially enjoyed the Pinot Noir and Blanc de Blanc, though it was a bottle of Chardonnay that I found I'd come into possession of. Made in a certified sustainable way the fruit comes from their vineyard in Marlborough's Wairau Valley.
The nose is distinctly Chardonnay and smells of stonefruit, lemons and cashews. There are obvious oak derived flavours on the palate alongside lots of citrus; lemon and grapefruit, actually this tastes a bit like old-school-home-made-buy-at-a-church-fete lemon butter. I drank this over two nights and I liked it a lot better on the second. The first night I found the finish was dominated by alcohol heat, while on the second it seemed a lot more settled and pleasant. I'm not 100% sure about this wine, while I liked it I didn't love it; there's just nothing special enough about it to really rock my boat, though you can’t deny it’s not bad value.
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Awatere Valley, Marlborough, $120, screwtop
I tried this wine at Vartex Wines one Friday and liked it so much I brought a bottle home with me. New Zealand seems to be doing good things in recognising sub-regions and individual vineyards - the last wine I had from their was from 'Block 14' in the Gimlett's Gravels area of Hawkes Bay, while this comes from the 'White Ash vineyard' in the Awatere Valley at Marlborough.
It's yellow gold in colour, but I always say that so I think I'm going to claim it has a slight pinkish tinge. I took a picture of this amongst the lemongrass in my garden, but having a sniff I was all wrong; I can't smell any grass or lemon. This walks the opposite side of the Sav Blanc spectrum and is all about big tropical flavours. What I do smell is passionfruit, apricots, mango and the sweetness of overripe fruit. The palate really is a tropical fruit fiesta, but all these lush flavours are a bit over the top and it's really a tad too sweet for me. I liked this a lot better when I tried it previously and I wonder if it's a bit past its best. While it's got plenty of flavour it is really missing the acidity and freshness to balance out all the lush, sweet stuff.
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Setubal, Portugal, MOP89, cork seal
OK, OK half the reason I bought this is because of the pretty label. It's another Portuguese offering that has found its way to Yuen Long via the grocers of Macau. The Setubal Penin
sula is a wine region to the south of Lisbon that produces sweet fortified wines as well as white and red table wines. The bottle says this is made from Moscatel Graudo, a variety of Moscatel that is popular in Portugal and also, I think, known as Moscatel de Setúbal, though I could discover very little about it. It weighs in at a pleasant 11% alcohol and that folks is about all I know.
This is very golden, a lot deeper in colour than I was expecting. The nose is big and full with a floral component overlaying honey and ripe peaches. I was surprised with how round and lush this wine was. Flavour wise I was hit up with a whole concoction of interesting tastes; banana, honey, pear and tropical fruit juice, yet this mix was almost a little too rich. The alcohol is flawlessly integrated, yet it's a big wine that perhaps lacks the acidity and tightness to make it really balanced.
Reims, France, RMB398, cork seal
Little Zhuhai is often lost; swamped by its more glamorous (Macau) and bigger (Shenzhen) neighbours. However one thing it definitely has going for it is well priced duty-free at the ferry pier; I picked this bottle up for a steal, along with some Wolfblass 
Grey Label for RMB168. If you need an excuse to open Champagne I used Sunday lunch with friends as justification to pop the cork.
Yellow, gold in colour Louis Roederer Brut Premier has plenty of fine bubbles. It really smells pretty tasty; it's fresh and alluring with a fruity hit of raspberries and a background aroma of fresh pretzel (dough, salt and yeast). It's a big drink with a rich, lush palate and intense mouth feel. There's a lovely strawberry flavour, something nutty and a hit of old-school, home-made lemonade. Champagne is always a pretty good way to kick off the afternoon and in this case a non-vintage bottle from Louis Roederer did the job rather nicely.
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Beechworth, Victoria, A$22.25, screwtop
Brokenwood is a great Aussie producer and even a terrible experience at their cellar door several years ago hasn't even been able to lower my opinion of them. While the winery and many of their finest Shiraz and Semillons come from the Hunter Valley, the grapes used to make this wine are from beautiful Beechworth and the Indigo Vineyard to be more specific.
Brokenwood 'Indigo Vineyard' Chardonnay 2005 is a pretty straw gold colour. Well it smells like peaches, millions of peaches. OK apart from the peaches (millions of peaches, peaches for me...) there are also whiffs of citrus and crystallised pineapple; an alluring, sexy nose that is working overtime to seduce. The stone fruit flavours are also all over the palate, though there's also a nice grapefruit element, walnuts and a grainy flavour that reminds me a bit of Wheatbix. It's a clean, flinty package; a well cut wine with excellent length. The oak is in the background ensuring that it's powerful, but steely and focused. There is a hint of alcohol on the tail, but it's certainly not unpleasant. It's a lovely wine that certainly gets a big recommendation from me.
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from a blend of Seyval Blanc, Ortega and Kernling
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