The Wine Society continues to work hard to provide reliable and stimulating bottles for its members – who have to buy a single £40 share in this historic British wine-buying cooperative.
Because this collection of new wines is such a ragbag, we have decided to group the tasting notes by style or colour, then in order of descending score. You can see that both Richard, who tasted most of the reds and the handful of sweet wines, and I found many wines we thought were good value (GV) or even very, very good value (VVGV).
The label looks rather downmarket but it tastes delightfully...
WHITES
Deeper flavoured than the Chenin des Rouillères 2011. With more...
Light nose. Although this wine is certainly fresh, I can’t...
Light nose and slightly diffuse varietal character. Rather a hot...
Real apple-juice Ruwer delicacy. The texture of this puts other...
Lovely open fruit and great delicacy and precision. Racy and so...
Light but, like the Ignacio Riesling, sweeter than it need be. I...
Smells just like a Clare Valley Riesling! Though on the palate...
Quite leesy nose but not obviously Kiwi. Sweet start and racy...
Clean and lively. Bone dry and well polished. Reasonably slim...
Very fruity and fragrant and clean and precise on the nose. On...
Very fragrant and floral. Gentle and off dry. Nice texture. Firm...
Low-key nose. Just a tad heavy. Serve well chilled. I’d rather...
Light, mineral nose. Very firm finish. Should go well with food...
90% Chardonnay, 10% Scheurebe. Candied, marmalade, crystallised...
Perfectly acceptable wine at a good price from the Buxy co-op...
ROSÉS
Pale to mid pink. Smells like Spangles. Plus fermentation aromas...
Big and a little forceful for a rosé really. Round and a little...
REDS
In tall tapered bottle. Vegy/beetroot nose. Very light palate...
Rather round and very textured. Clean and well made. Mineral...
Very unusual stumpy flask-like bottle. Racy and bone dry on...
Definitely more open and fruity than many. Very easy to like...
Mint leaf, blackcurrant, slightly rough-hewn tannins. Dry...
Oodles of black compote on the nose and palate. Not especially...
Juicy red raspberries, chunky without being overweight. Long...
Vibrant cherry fruit. Fine, febrile tannins. Restrained – for...
Very conservative, everyday wine – traditional, balanced, nicely...
Wow, impressive raisined, porty style nose. Lots of minty...
Stinky, reductive. Going towards H2S. Classic black fruit and...
Mealy, spicy nose – almost leesy? Very fine, sieved tannins...
Made from unirrigated bush vines and fermented in amphorae...
Juicy blackberry fruit, soft tannins, pert acid and fine balance...
Ripe, juicy fruit and much cleaner than it used to be – no brett...
Proper black fruit with that mannerly structure of the Médoc and...
Soft, reticent red fruit. Soft. Soft, soft, soft. Fine if you...
Peculiar aroma – what is that? Liquorice and leather and a bit...
Minty, green notes – very Chile – and loads of dense black fruit...
Very ice-creamy style oak, fruit is drying up – not quite as...
Sweet cherry fruit, quite a woody palate with nicely integrated...
Soft, mild mannered, quite slight. Nothing wrong with it but...
Interesting herbal and beetroot character. Does the trick of...
Light, tight, not so hardcore as some Otagans, high acid and...
Very sweet, juicy fruit with loads of dark cherry fruit and a...
Suitably restrained and dainty on the nose, then cheerily bright...
Racy, almost raw nose. Substance and refreshment and structure...
