Co-op Christmas '06 Wine Selection

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Co-op Christmas '06 Wine Selection

From: Mark
Category: Wine
Date: 30/11/2006
Time: 20:07:02

Comments

Co-op have kept their hand in the wine game with a small selection of wines. In many instances nothing to write home about but as far as convenience shopping goes it gives you a solid option when before there was none (or Spar). If you are on you way around to friends, or just rushing home to enjoy your evening and you are bereft of any libation then, if you pass by a Co-op, at least you know there are some fall-back options in store that will serve you well enough.

WHITE

Chablis (La Chablisienne) 2005 £7.80
An above average Chablis from the quality conscious, go-ahead co-operative La Chablisienne. It is a moderately rich, ripe interpretation of Chablis but none the none the worse for that.

Explorers vineyards Co-op (Saint Clair Estate Wines) Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Marlborough, New Zealand £6.48
An excellent, well made, well balanced passion-fruit and goose-gog infused wine. Fresh, clean and fruity.

Explorers Vineyard Co-op (Saint Clair Estate Wines) unoaked Chardonnay 2005 Marlborough, New Zealand £5.99
Another refreshing Kiwi wine - this time an un-oaked Chardonnay. I think some of the best balanced, restrained, quality Chardonnays now come from New Zealand. A real antidote to the often over-blown baked incarnations from across the Tasman Sea. This is a cooler-fruited (peach, grapefruit, lime) with hints of vanilla spice (even though it is un-oaked. Fresh, young and with a touch of residual sugar to give it more richness and weight.

Wolf Blass President's Selection Chardonnay, South Australia, 2005 £10.00
Wolf Blass (part of the mightly Beringer Blass empire) is one of our larger 'players'. Nevertheless their commitment to quality is no less inspirational than some of the artisan producers I have listed. This is the quintessential Aussie chardonnay...but of the best kind. Restrained floral nose with rich figgy, melon, buttered toast and med/high-char oak palate. Silky finish of persistent length. All truly well judged and not overdone (for a Aussie chardonnay that is!). Classy stuff.

RED

St Hallett Gamekeepers Reserve, South Australia 2005 £6.30
Once upon a time St Hallett could have been called a boutique operation but over the years it has grown into a fairly large commercial outfit but with a strong quality focus. This is powerful mix of Shiraz, Touriga (a port grape) and Grenache. Smoky on the nose with raspberry, cherry, damson plum, some floral voilet and peppery notes and vanilla spice. An very decent glass of wine for the money.

Zonte's Footstep Shiraz Viognier 2005, Australia £8-9
Drongoland is now getting more sophisticated with its treatment of wine. Blending is something they have always been OK at but it has been single varietal wines that has been their main strength. Whilst good examples of Semillon-Chardonnay and Shiraz-Cabernet have been around for years they have now picked up on the old European habit of blending a little aromatic white wine in with a red wine (like they have been doing with Cote-Rotie in the Northern Rhone for decades). These new Shiraz-Viognier wines are scooping up the major Shiraz trophies in competitions all across the Outback and this is no exception. The Viognier (a peachy, candy floss flavour wine) gives the Shiraz an aromatic boost and balance, matching the juicy, spicy character of this grape.

Jacob's Creek Shiraz 2004 South Eastern Australia £6.20
Okay. I didn't want to do this....but I have. When I tasted I thought...gosh this is pretty good. Very well made (albeit in gargantuan teralitre quantities) it has all the classic hallmarks of an Aussie Shiraz - spicey, oaky, blackberry, spicy plum, pepper. Polished and very long. Damn. Damn good that is. I am now going off to eat my hat.

Wither Hills Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand 2004 £13.80
Some of the most accomplished Pinot's outside Burgundy now come from New Zealand. A winery that has been gaining ground in these stakes for over a decade now is Wither Hills. This cooler, smoe may say lean, greener, leafy, aromatic style of Pinot gives it more in common with those Burgundians. Still. Better that than over-cooked and bloated. Yup, I'll have another bottle please. en tannins. Very good though. Jim Barry The Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia 2004 £9.50 Dark, concentrated, spicy oak notes, liquorice, black cherry, cassis...almost savoury and sweet at the same time.

Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz South Australia 2003 £9.50
Another good-to-very-good Shiraz from Penfolds. They might have pretty characterless 'Bin' numbers but they have plenty of character in the bottle. I think that their c£10 wines offer glimpses of the legendary wines thery have up the price scale. This is perfectly balanced, wirth classy use of oak, whistle clean wine making, coconutty american oak and blackberry fruit. A solid, reliable performer.

Penfold's Bin 28, Kalimna Shiraz 2003 South Australia £9.50
Kalimna fruit used to (it might still be in small quantities) go into the legendary Penfold's Grange (£130-200 a bottle). This wine demonstrates why Penfolds sets itself apart from the other larger operators in terms of quality and style at all levels. I would never be embarrassed turning up to a dinner with a bottle of Penfolds. They deserve more recognition than ever. This example has brooding dark fruits with real concentration and potential complexity as it ages.

SPARKLING

Carte d’Or Brut (Champagne Drappier) £17.20
A very well made, concentrated, rich fizz made by a quality 'marque'. Excellent price for a real, decent Champagne.

Piper Heidsieck Brut NV £22
If you want to drink one of the best Non-Vintage Champagne then make a bee-line for the earthy, creamy, nutty, toasty Pinot-dominated wine from Piper H. Classy stuff and now truly back on form.