In a constant quest to find new wines that will go down well with the wine loving enthusiasts I hosted a tasting at the Cross Stobs Bottle Shop in Barrhead, just outside Glasgow. And it was a very good run too as most of the wines were worthy of being included in the ever growing selection.
We kicked off proceedings with the Caruso and Minini, Terre di Giumara Inzolia. I had meant to use the Grecanico instead as I think it is a perfect wine to replace the omnipresent Pinot Grigios. I hadn’t tried the Inzolia before but it was equally good and the refreshing citrus flavours are perfect for what little summer we may have left. Next up it was a trade off between the Clos Henri – Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. It was either this one or its cheaper sibling the Petit Clos. We went for the big one and it proved a massive hit. The estate is owned by French wine domain Henri Bourgeois and they have deliberately moved to make a less aromatic and tropical version of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. There is a ripeness of fruit that gives away its new world characteristic with with a distinct old world elegance and charm. Is this as close as Marlborough gets to Sancerre? Judging by the reaction it was worth its £18 price tag.
For a mid-summer tasting we had to take the opportunity to bring in a new rose too. The Carteron Cuvee Elegance Cotes de Provence is a gorgeous dusty pink. A dry rose with a beautiful red fruit character that is light and elegant. Don’t expect a sweet, jammy new world pink here, but a wonderfully refreshing clean rose that would make a lovely match to a tuna nicoise salad
A wine that has proven consistently popular is the Familia Pacheco Roble, Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah-Monastrell from Spanish wine region Jumilla, just inland from Alicante. Known for its main grape variety Monastrell (Mourvedre) the blend of three varieties gives a wine that is modern in style. Lots of dark fruit and a bit of spiciness from the oak this drinks much easier than you would think at first. And that’s the danger, it’s dangerously good. Our quest continues with the Domaine de Moulines Merlot, Vin de Pays de l’Herault. The Cabernet Sauvignon from the same estate has been a hit for a while so it was time to put the Merlot through its paces. There is a distinct plum and sweet spice flavour here that should work well with things like casseroles or beef stew. Maybe one to stock up on for the winter.

Finally there is a red wine from the same region, Mas des Amours, Côteaux du Languedoc. Predominantly from the Grenache grape this is a very generous red with lots of dark fruits. Black cherry and blackberry come to mind and something called garrigue, which is the scent of the Languedoc region and is best described as a combination of lavender and provencal herbs.
Smooth and lively this wine took me completely by surprise with its great character and would make a perfect match to roast lamb.
As a bonus we had lined up a sweet wine, the Zuccardi Torrontes Tardio a late harvest wine from Argentina. Fortunately Joyce Brady from the Wee Fudge Company didn’t take too much persuading to come along and bring some of her amazing fudge that we could taste alongside the wine. The Raspberry and white chocolate fudge in particular made for a spectacular combination judged by the reaction of the assembled tasters. A wonderful sugar rush to finish the evening on
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