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California does things differently,' says JANE MacQUITTY and she's not very impressed. California has become complacent about the needs of the British palate, most likely because sales of the cheap, sweet, bottom-end Golden State wines are growing like topsy here.' The good news, however, is that a bumper 2005 harvest looks set to create a wine glut similar to those of the early Noughties', she continues, which should see the appearance of a few bargains in the UK. MacQuitty's favourites from California include 2002 Ironstone Cabernet Franc (6.99; Somerfield and Waitrose) and 2004 Fetzer Valley Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (6.99; Waitrose, Co-op).
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ANTHONY ROSE sweet talks his readers this week, saying forget Liebfraumilch and Lambrusco, 'the fine sweet wines that end a meal beautifully are among the great wonders of the wine world'. If price is a problem, Rose lets slip that 'Australia cunningly replicates the Sauternes experience at a fraction of the price in wines such as the 2002 Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Botrytis Semillon (5.99-6.99, half-bottle; Booths, Oddbins and Jeroboams). Sweet Riesling from Germany is a classic style, Rose continues, but 'no pantheon of sweet wines would be complete without Tokaji', and one of the best of the best is 1999 Royal Tokaji Tokaji Asz 5 Puttonyos (8.99; Waitrose).
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ANTHONY ROSE takes on two of the wine world's heavyweights this week, saying: 'Hugh Johnson and Robert Parker may be the twin colossi of wine writing, but as a weighty biography of one [The Emperor of Wine, by Elin McCoy] and the other's characteristically fine new book [Wine: A Life Uncorked, by Hugh Johnson] make clear, they're poles apart.' Rose is a fan of Johnson's prose, which he describes as 'a window on mouthwatering feasts and intriguing personalities'. Parker is more about numbers, however, and Rose suggests, 'Could it be that the 100-point system for rating wines was in fact Parker's way of compensating for his own lack of vocabulary in the face of Johnsonian eloquence?' For good wine under a tenner, Rose suggests 2004 La Toledana Gavi, Villa Lanata (7.99; Majestic).
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The average bottle price for Kiwi wine may be down to 5.68 from more than 6, but there's no need to panic, says ANTHONY ROSE. New Zealand is 'still way ahead of its closest rival with only Australia and France hurdling 4 a bottle, while the rest of the world languishes on a puny 3.85'. One of the reasons for this success, he continues, is 'because it plants only two hectares to every 15ha in Australia, it has had to make its voice heard by putting quality before big brands'. Malborough is still the region in the starring role with wines such as Jackson Estate Sauvignon (9.99; Tesco), although Rose discovers that other regions and varieties are beginning to make an impact. One example is 2004 Vidal Riesling (7.50-8.24; Kingsgate Wines, Wimbledon Wine Cellar, Noel Young Wines).
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The average bottle price for Kiwi wine may be down to 5.68 from more than 6, but there's no need to panic, says ANTHONY ROSE. New Zealand is still way ahead of its closest rival with only Australia and France hurdling 4 a bottle, while the rest of the world languishes on a puny 3.85'. One of the reasons for this success, he continues, is because it plants only two hectares to every 15ha in Australia, it has had to make its voice heard by putting quality before big brands'. Malborough is still the region in the starring role with wines such as Jackson Estate Sauvignon (9.99; Tesco), although Rose discovers that other regions and varieties are beginning to make an impact. One example is 2004 Vidal Riesling (7.50-8.24; Kingsgate Wines, Wimbledon Wine Cellar, Noel Young Wines).
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'English wine is no longer the joke it once was,' says Owen Elias, winemaker at Chapel Down in Kent, talking to JONATHAN RAY. Ray is keeping Elias company on a visit to Jean-Philippe Archambaud, winemaker at Simonnet-Febvre in Chablis, but ends up feeling a little out of his depth once the chatter turns to rainfall, sunlight hours, sugar levels and acidity. Although he's back in the frame when the tasting of 2003 and 2004 Chablis begins: 'The wines differ across the quality levels, but their hallmark remains a soft, gentle butteriness with elusive hints of honey and an appealing freshness.' A return match is on the cards for next week, with France putting England to the test. Wines of the week include 2004 Vergelegen Chardonnay, South Africa (7.99 as part of a case; Majestic).
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If you're looking for a wine to go with bruschetta of red pepper and goat's cheese, GILES KIME says you can't go far wrong with 2005 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc (7.99; Majestic).
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JAMIE GOODE is bowled over by South Africa, saying, 'The wine scene is so vibrant here that it's hard to keep check of what's going on.' He advises on a few top bottles such as 2005 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc, Helderberg (7.99; Tesco, Sainsbury's) and 2004 Porcupine Ridge Syrah, Coastal Region (6.99; Waitrose).
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JOANNA SIMON compiles a three-page guide to 'a stellar cellar'. Among her listings, there is a panel of 'names you can trust' among the brig brands. Her list includes Torres, Concha y Toro, Cono Sur, Peter Lehmann, Yalumba, De Bortoli, Villa Maria, Montana, Robert Mondavi, Santa Julia, Calvet and Douthe.
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JAMIE GOODE seeks out the best wines to suit Japanese cuisine. His first choice is 2004 Devils Rock Riesling (4.49; widely available): 'Wines like this are in danger of making German Riesling popular again. No, really.' He also picks 2004 Tesco Mcon Blanc Villages Chardonnay (4.99): 'This is a crisp, fresh all-rounder with a nice hint of lemon and apple and a minerally edge. You could match this with almost anything.' His last selection is Villa Maria Private Bin Gewurztraminer (8.25; Waitrose): 'With a sweet, musky smell of grape and melon, this remarkable white couples a rich texture with lovely fresh fruit.' n
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JANE MacQUITTY is also loving Argentina and asks why 'British drinkers still treat its wines with suspicion'. Malbec is Argentina's 'strongest suit', and this becomes all the more apparent to her after the recent Wines of Argentina tasting - 'Gone are the rustic Malbecs of a decade ago, and in their place are gorgeous, chunky, rich reds.' Her top-end choice is 2003 Lurton Brothers Chacayes (34.95; Robersons), moving down the price range to 2005 Catena Argento Malbec (4.99; Sainsbury's).
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GILES KIME is rooting for Riesling and his drinks of the week include 2003 Bassermann-Jordan Pfalz (6.99; Waitrose) and 2003 Tesco Finest Great Southern (7.99; Tesco).
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Rich, aromatic and white is the order of the day from GILES KIME and he suggests trying a 2004 Villa Maria Private Bin Gewurztraminer (8.05; Waitrose) or a Brown Brothers Pinot Gris (6.99; Waitrose). n
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ANTHONY ROSE is happy to dispel the old line about Australian wines 'all tasting the same'. At an Australian Wine Club tasting, he was hugely impressed with the line-up. Highlights included 2002 Basket Press Shiraz (23.99), which ages 'into a majestic Hermitage-like red'; 2004 Poverty Hill Riesling (9.99), which is 'in the keroseney mould'; and Peter Lehmann's 1998 Stonewell Shiraz (30), which displays 'immensely rich liquorice spice and bittersweet chocolate characters'.
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Fancy a walk-on part in Desperate Housewives? All you need to do is cough up $7,500 to enter Auction Napa Valley, bid a few thousand more, and your 15 seconds of fame is assured. ANTHONY ROSE reckons that as wine auctions go, the event 'supplants the annual Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy both for munificence and ostentation': 'A litany of extraordinary lots included the opportunity to buy 60 special bottles and taste, eat and drink with its creators, Napa luminaries Robert and Peter Mondavi. Only in America.' Rose also recommends 2003 El Dueo Chardonnay (4.99; M&S); 2004 Santa Rita Floresta Sauvignon Blanc (9.99; Waitrose); and 2003 Petaluma Adelaide Hills Viognier(19.9924.50; Oddbins Fine Wine, Harvey Nichols).
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In the first of a six-part series examining grape varieties, MATTHEW JUKES chooses his favourite Sauvignon Blancs. His Wine of the Week is the 'very laid-back, mellifluous' 2004 Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough (10.49; D Byrne, Connolly's of Birmingham, Hoults of Huddersfield, Philglas & Swiggot). Other examples of this 'cheery, cheeky category of wine' to get the Jukes seal of approval include 2004 Quincy, Cuve Villalin, Domaine Jacques Rouz (8.40; Haynes, Hanson & Clark); and 2005 Dolphin Bay Sauvignon Blanc (3.99; Marks & Spencer).
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Has the 'Brett police' gone too far? ANDREW JEFFORD suggests it may have. He points to a controlled blind tasting of Syrahs from around the world, conducted by consultant Sam Harrop MW for his MW thesis, as evidence that Brettanomyces-infected wines need not necessarily be, as Tom Carson of Yering Station and many other Australian winemakers believe, 'undrinkable'. Only one of the 25 wines in the tasting was free of Brettanomyces, but Harrop's conclusion was that 'while excessive levels of volatile phenols can have a negative impact on wine quality, lower levels can enhance wine complexity and quality'. The benevolent effects of Brett, of one strain or another, can also be seen in the beer world, with makers of Belgian lambic and gueze beers, and traditional British stock ales, actively seeking out strains of the yeast. Jefford is concerned that the obsession with 'cleanliness' in today's winemaking, and the eradication of Brett and other 'faults' such as volatile acidity and dimethyl sulphur ('a principal aroma key for Carling' lager), will lead to 'acute boredom' for wine drinkers. As he says: 'The wine regarded as a hot contender for the greatest of the 20th century, 1947 Cheval Blanc, has levels of volatile acidity that would see it banned from sale were it produced today.'
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A rant from JANE MacQUITTY this week. Miffed that judging her Top 100 Wines list 'gets harder instead of easier', she despairs at fine wine merchants, who 'put forward a clutch of ropey old has-been bottles, thereby forcing me to reject some 19 20 red Burgundies and dismiss most of the clarets before I could find a trio of each to recommend'. This week, she highlights 2004 Jindalee Chardonnay (3.75; Somerfield until 5 July; 2003 Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc (two for 3.99 each; Majestic); and 2004 Paul Mas Sauvignon Blanc (4.99; Waitrose).
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GILES KIME has no such doubts, and recommends a host of his favourite ross, including Ros d'Anjou (2.86; Asda); 2004 Domaine de Pellehaut Ros (5.15; Waitrose); and Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Ros (5.85; Majestic).
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PETER GROGAN heads for the Napa Valley 'the Monaco of the wine world'. Grogan learns that the average bottle price at the Groezinger wine merchant in Yountville is 39, and enjoys a 140-a-head meal at The French Laundry. He says: 'The best of the big names Ridge Montebello, Dominus and Shafer Hillside Select are made in the image of modern claret. Even at today's exchange rate, however, Bordeaux offers better value.' Recommendations include 2003 De Loach Pinot Noir (6.95; The Wine Society); 2003 Avila Pinot Noir (9.99; Oddbins); and 2002 Wente Chardonnay (5.59; Waitrose).
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