Had a variety of wines over the holidays this year, some with food some stand alone. On the whole I've not been terribly satisfied with my selection but there were a couple worth returning to.
2009 Vina Leyda Falaris Hill Chardonnay - Chile
Wine shows a lovely light touch of oak, imparting a little spice and a delicate creamy texture. Unfortunately this is spoilt by an overriding taste of tart, acidic lemons with a few notes of bread showing through. Probably best with a rich meal. 3/5
2008 Heartland Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia
Big, thick, succulent flavours of red and black fruit without much in the way of background sweetness or excess acid makes a unusual, almost savoury and very well balanced wine. Good supple tannins and a hefty finish of spicy, smoky pepper and liquorice complete the mouthful. 4/5
Dow's Finest Reserve Port
Offers a measure of pencil shavings up front before walloping you in the face with a big hit of powerful but indistinct red and black fruit. Any subtlety is lost amidst a riot of sticky sweetness and hot spice and alcohol. 3/5
2006 Falernia Carmenere Reserva - Chile
Smell of meaty game and bramble wood. Dense, savoury flavours of smoke, bitter chocolate and liquorice with a little cherry and smooth, velvety tannins. Offers big flavour, good length and superb balance but lacks fruit to my palate. 3/5
2007 - Buglioni "Il Ruffiano" Valpolicella Superiore
Packed with rich flavours of prune and cherry fruit in a well structured wine with soft tannins and good supporting flavours of smoke and spice from the oak. 4/5
