The Wine Review

Pouilly Fume Domaine de Maltaverne 2005, France - £10.99

ouilly Fume is made in the Loire valley in central/northern France from the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety and is now nearly as famous as its very popular neighbour Sancerre. This is a fantastic example how Sauvignon should taste from this area, lots of ripe concentrated gooseberry fruit with an herbaceous grassy edge and a crisp dry finish. Goes with most food but best with fish and white meats. Still a good buy at £10.99 for a quality wine.

Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc 2006, New Zealand - £9.79

It was such a joy when I first tasted this wine from the rapid growth area of Marlborough to the north of the South Island in New Zealand. So many wines I taste from this area are so in your face with over extracted fruit not showing the true potential of Sauvignon and sometimes masking the actual quality of the wine. This wine shows elegance yet still has good pungent fruit that represents this great region. This wine and many others is the reason why New Zealand still poses a great threat to the more famous French Sauvignon being produced in the Loire. A must try at £9.79.

Aloxe Corton Vielle Vigne - Edmond Cornu 2001, France £19.99

I still believe Burgundy produces the best Pinot Noir even though prices are high and competition from the new world countries is getting stronger and stronger. Aloxe Corton is a small village in the north of the Cote de Beaune in eastern central France producing top quality wines. This wine is made from old vines which gives it great complexity and structure with lots of those red berry fruits on the taste. Drinking very well now and will cellar further. £19.99 - total class, but at a price.

Wild Earth - Pinot Noir 2004, New Zealand- £17.49

This treasure of a wine is made in the most southerly wine growing region in the world in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. The region near Queenstown is probably more famous for skiing and extreme sports than producing quality wine. Yet having recently been and tasted about 40 Pinot Noir wines, I think there will definitely be huge growth in the future. Wild Earth is one of the best IÕve tasted, having layers of brambly plummy fruit yet still elegant with good structure. Pinot fans will love it at £17.49.

Review By Paul Merrett

Premier Cru ine
Wine,
Guieley

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