The Sommelier Wine Awards 2012 were a great success
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Found 8 wines
A breath of fresh air to find cheery Bordeaux at this price. 'While Kofler & Kompanie's Nigel Lister liked the 'red crunchy fruit and well managed tannin', Fionnuala Synnott, Pollen Street Social said, 'Soft, supple and fresh.' Hakkasan's Christine Parkinson said 'Earthy, quite fruity, juicy, light and grippy. Amazing value.' In fact, ideal for our Perfect Pub Pair in the By the Glass section.
£4.95 Boutinot
Looking at the flavour and texture for value ratio, it's not hard to see why Kleine Zalze's Chenin is the most garlanded of all the 2012 wines. With notes of honeycomb and lemon alongside hints of candied peel and jasmineon the nose, the well-balanced, creamy exotic palate sports light oak and some minerality, finishing with a citrus-infused flourish. Head to the Food Match pages to see it triumph against a challenging Thai prawn curry.
£5.69 Matthew Clark
Starting quiet, this builds to a flavourful Gold-medalwinning status. Opening up in the glass to reveal light floral aromas, the well-balanced, rich round palate has a 'delicate tropical fruit, and lychee complexity and superb mouthfeel,' according to The Jugged Hare's Guillaume Mahaut, adding 'The finish is fruity with lots of finesse,' he said, suggesting lobster as the match of choice.
£8.08 Enotria&Coe
Highly versatile, this comes from the heights of Somontano, from a producer who's been growing grapes for centuries. Vivid pink in colour, it has vibrant red berry aromas with a streak of blackcurrant which follow through to a similarly intense palate, to be joined by red cherry. Well balanced and cheerily structured, it's no wonder its food friendly credentials won it a By the Glass recommendation. Our starting suggestions? Confit duck terrine, charcuterie or grilled peppers.
£7.83 Enotria&Coe
Personality and price put Veranza ahead with its Chardonnay. So much so that we decided to make it one half of our Perfect Pub Pair in the By the Glass awards. With fresh aromas of nectarine and white flowers, the lemon-fresh textured palate sports ripe melon, grape and tropical fruits. 'Easy and cheerful,' said Robert Tozser, Galvin la Chappelle, this is great solo, but also good with shellfish, fish, either raw or lightly spiced. Available in the UK via The Vintner.
£4.32 Grupo Codorníu
One of only two wines to score both a Food Match rosette and a By the Glass award, concentrated yet elegant Viña Alarde is Old School at its best. Savoury flavours, spicy dried fruits and coconut notes sit alongside 'excellent tannin management'. 'Much more liquorice, this is smooth and rounded, with good integrated oak, and a long tannin structure,' said Michael Harrison, Hotel du Vin, Henley. Food matches? Need you ask, roast lamb of course!
£7.99 United Wineries
With a complex bouquet of dried orange, quince, custard and croissant, the Vineyard Group's James Hocking declared this 'Well made,' saying it was 'Delicate yet firm with a fine persistent mousse, a crisp palate with decent acidity. While Terroirs' Emilie Courtois thought it was 'great summer material,' Etrusca Restaurant's Luigi Buonanno was going off-piste, and suggesting spaghetti carbonara. With such versatility, it's no wonder it scooped a coveted By the Glass award.
£13.50 Furleigh Estate
Once more this modestly priced trooper has garnered the gongs. 'Rich black and purple fruits, combine with leathery spicy notes on the nose,' said Terroirs' Emilie Courtois. The palate is juicy with some grip, showing good concentration and hints of liquorice and leather. Excellent value, and it goes with food. Burgers for starters, steak as you'll see in our Food Match chapter.
£5.25 Boutinot