The UK-based Wine Society continued its biannual tradition of showing off the great value it offers its members (who have admittedly to pay £40 for a life-time share in this wine-buying co-operative). Note the number of GVs and even VGVs below.
The reds were even more impressive, if anything, than the whites, although Mac Forbes' Blind Spot bottlings from all over Australia were outstanding value by any measure, especially when one thinks of the strength of the Australian dollar (although I thought the Yarra Chardonnay from his home patch one of the weaker wines in this range). There were some great bargains from Portugal, too.
Wines are listed by colour and in descending score order.WHITES
Delicate, well balanced, slightly salty. Quite light and racy...
50% tank fermented and 50% barrel fermented. Broad palate entry...
Sulphides rule! And rob this wine of a little of its fruit. Hard...
Part barrel-fermented. Juicy, green and with a hint of popcorn...
Unoaked. Very competent but perhaps not quite as exciting as the...
Pungent and pure. Just the ticket. Very competent.
Big and off dry with quite a bit of residual sugar – borderline...
A beautiful wine showing the finesse and balance that may be...
Light and fresh. Delicate grapey fruit with a dry finish – quite...
Water white. Sweetish and sherbetty. Off dry. Charming and full...
Complex smoky nose. Creamy and rich. Then a dry finish. Really...
Rather industrial nose. Fast fade on the finish.
70% Moscatel, 15% Sauvignon Blanc plus others. Heady and sweet...
100% Roussanne from a single vineyard. I'm a fan of The Foundry...
Bit dull but very green, fruity and refreshing. Competent even...
Organic. A bit ordinary and mass market on the nose. Slightly...
Tangy and bone dry. As though picked just a little before full...
ROSÉS
40% Nielluccio, 40% Sciacarello, 20% Grenache. You have to...
REDS
Not mad about the sweet oak. More appetising than the pure...
More serious than the Marselan, this has very sweet fruit with...
Lively, clean and fruity though far from the best value in this...
Sweet and vibrant nose then a bit dull and sour on the end...
The second wine of Gruaud-Larose, farmed organically. Not...
Fairly standard issue. Slightly inky. Not much charm. Wait?
Useful half bottle. Lovely pure scent, even from this...
Deep crimson. Very nervy and rich on the nose with sleek, well...
Rather sweet and modern and a tad industrial. Quite a jolt in...
Wonderfully seductive complex nose. Lighter and more open than...
Xynomavro, 40-year-old vines. Looks and smells quite evolved...
More complex nose than the Craggy Pinot made especially for the...
From their Te Muna Road vineyard. Interesting nose that splits...
Very aromatic and ethereal after the much earthier Marsannays...
Intense and rewarding, though still awfully dry after a very...
Pale cherry red. Bracing and uncompromising. None of the...
70% open-topped tanks and with new oak reduced from 40% to 20%...
Exciting mineral streak cuts through the vibrant fruit. Dry...
Very fresh and pretty on the nose. Bone dry but some very...
