Jancis Robinson The Purple Pages
22 May 2013
In response to a survey to her readers which revealed a demand for reviews of wines under £10, Jancis Robinson recommended a number of wines from the Ehrmanns Porfolio on her recent Purple Pages review on 22nd May 2013.
Williams & Humbert, Collection Fino NV Jerez - Xérès - Sherry 17.5 Drink 2013-2014
Wonderful toasty, developed character. Really persistent apple fruit. Loads of character. Excellent. So vibrant and tangy – yet properly mature too. (RH) 15%
Williams & Humbert, En Rama Fino 2006 Jerez - Xérès - Sherry 17 Drink 2013-2014
Interesting nutty, bready character. More characterful than their Collection, but not necessarily more complex. Does have an impressive length though. It’s like Fino squared. (RH) 15%
Williams & Humbert, Manzanilla NV Jerez - Xérès - Sherry 15.5 Drink 2013
Aged in solera under flor in 500-litre American white oak butts for an average of three years. This ageing took place in Sanlúcar de Barrameda due to the favourable microclimate of the area.
Quite racy and much livelier than the Fino. Good spine and salty tang. GV 15%
£6.99 Marks & Spencer
Giesen Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Marlborough 15 Drink 2013
Solid and representative. Tight and fresh. Serviceable. 13%
£9.99 Majestic (summer offer: buy 2 bottles save 20%)
Craigmoor Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Western Australia 16.5 Drink 2013-2015
100% Sauvignon Blanc from 10-25 year old vines, vertically-trellised and mechanically-harvested in the cool of the morning at ideal ripeness. Established in 1858, Craigmoor is one of Australia's oldest wineries. Fermented in stainless-steel tanks. Winemaker Larry Cherubino. TA 6.81, pH 3.38, RS 2.64 g/l.
That Larry Cherubino gets about… Very satisfying fruit this. Great balance on the palate and no silly OTT aromas. Just straightforward very clean fruit left to express itself. A very comfortable wine. Great testament to UK bottling! 13%
£8.99 Waitrose
Craigmoor Shiraz 2011 Mudgee 16 Drink 2013-2015
100% Shiraz from vineyards near Eurunderee Creek, owned by Robert Oatley. Vines are 15 - 30 years old and planted on rich volcanic soils at an altitude of 450 - 550m. Grapes were machine-harvested in the cool of the early morning. Fermented traditionally then matured for short periods in second and third fill French oak. Winemaker Larry Cherubino. TA 7.15 g/l, pH 3.43, RS <1 g/l.
A delicate but attractive leafiness, indicating cool climate not underripeness. Dry and tight and refreshing with a long fresh, peppery finish. Extremely digestible. GV (JH) 13%
£8.99 Waitrose
Robert Oatley, Chain of Fire Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Western Australia 16 Drink 2013-2014
100% Sauvignon Blanc, lightly pressed, before being cold steeled, reductively racked and then fermented cool. The wine was then kept on lees, but did not receive oak treatment.
Crystalline fruit. Lots on the mid palate. Some structure and no hint of canned asparagus juice! 13.5%
£8.99 Marks & Spencer online only
Luis Felipe Edwards Carmenère/Shiraz 2012 Central Valley 15.5 Drink 2013-2015
60% Carmenère and 40% Shiraz with grapes sourced from prime sites throughout the Central Valley. The vines are located on rich loam soils primarily found in the flood plains of the rivers that flow down from the Andes. The fruit was hand-harvested from April to early May with yields of 12,000 - 14,000kg/ha. Destemmed and crushed, the grapes were fermented in stainless-steel tanks for 10 days at 25 - 28°C with daily pumpovers to extract tannins. TA 5.07 g/l, pH 3.51, RS 5.7 g/l.
Remarkably purple colour. Smells like blackcurrant biscuits with intense blackcurrant fruit and a vanilla biscuity layer without being overly sweet. Smooth and full of fruit. Simple but sound. (JH) 13%
£5.99 Waitrose
Castaño, Casa Carmela Monastrell 2011 Yecla 15 Drink 2013-2014
100% Monastrell sourced from high altitude vineyards 700m above sea level with dry-farmed bush vines but also low yielding trellises. The soil here is mainly limestone, very stony and poor in organic sediment. These vineyards are located in the northern areas of DO Yecla (Campo Arriba or High Lands) with little irrigation and very high day-night thermal difference. Grapes were harvested in late September and fermented for 8-10 days at 26-28°C. Gently pneumatically pressed and then full malolactic in stainless-steel tanks. 10% of the final blend had a brief spell in oak. Winemaker Ana Isabel Rubio. TA 5.1 g/l, pH 3.6, RS 3 g/l.
Smudgy cherry red. Lively red fruit – raspberry and strawberry. Juicy, refreshing, uncomplicated though the oak sits a bit apart on the finish. (JH) 13%
£7.79 Waitrose
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