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We trawled through 18 wines and I split them 5 categories. Threshers submitted a huge number of samples and as you’ll know have a 3 for 2 offer on all wines. The offer price is in brackets.
From the Old World, I split wines into “clean and fresh” and “richer and heavier”. Our favourite clean and fresh wine was The Naked Grape Sauvignon Blanc 2005, which is £5.99 from Waitrose. It had a strong catty smell, which was made even more attractive by a heady dose of passion fruit. Both these aromas were echoed in the mouth. It was attractive and crisp, which would make it ideal as an aperitif and would be nicely cooling for the frantic chef. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Muscadet 2005 had almost no smell, as you might expect, and was fresh with lemony acidity. Absolutely as it should be and perfect for light, perhaps fish-based starters.
Our favourite richer and heavier wine was Cazal Viel Viognier, Grande Reserve 2005, which is a Vin de Pays and is £7.99 (5.33) from Thresher. It smelt oaky with vanilla and orange marmalade and was very perfumed in the mouth. This wine has the balls to stand up to the rich and delicious little extras you’ll be slaving over. Cordier’s Pouilly Fuissé, Terroir de Fuissé 2005 is £9.99 from Majestic, or £8.99 until February, gained slightly fewer marks for a buttery or perhaps oily smell. The fruit was ripe and the wine was smooth and yet had plenty of acidity, which pleased everyone.
Our favourite New World Sauvignon Blanc was Kaituna Hills Reserve 2005, which is a very good buy at M&S for £7.99. It absolutely reeked of gooseberries in a very attractive, inviting way. It was beautifully acidic in the mouth – a very good example. While this would be fine with a starter, it would be a great wine to welcome guests with and would really whet appetites. Mondavi Fumé Blanc (ie oaked Sauvignon) 2003 is £9.99 (6.66) from Thresher. I love this wine and will be whipping round to Thresher to get some for our Christmas day. It is beautifully oaky, but may just be too chewily woody for some.
Our favourite New World Chardonnay was Porta Reserve 2005, which is Chilean, is £5.99 (3.99) from Thresher. Their Pinot Noir is also excellent. Rhonwen thought it smelt of toast and marmalade and it also tasted toasty, but also of butter and vanilla. Maven Marlborough Chardonnay 2006, which is £9.99 (6.66) from Thresher and Stoneleigh Marlborough Chardonnay 2004 at £7.49 (5.00), also at Threser, tied for second place. The Stoneleigh was oakier and we felt that we wouldn’t pay £9.99 for the Maven, but that £6.66 was very fair indeed.
We had two miscellaneous wines, which came pretty close. However, we just slightly preferred Ken Forrester Handmade Chenin 2005, which is £5.99 (3.99) from Thresher. It smelt of very ripe greengages and toast and had fat body and sweet fruit. This is far too sweet to serve with anything plain, but would be perfect with something fatty. Deep-fried camembert would be delicious. Santa Julia Viognier 2006, which is the same price from Thresher was heavily perfumed, reminding us of pink shrimps and was hot, rich, full and oily in the mouth. A very typical example of the grape.