Terra Serena – Piu Rabosello
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Oliver and Greg’s Zinfandel Rose Review
Strawberry, strawberry, strawberry! Beautiful red fruit off the nose, mixed with a smoothness I did not expect from a Rose. It mellows like a red wine in the finish, bringing hints of jam and honey through. It also has rounds of plum, not only in the colour, but in the initial bursts of fruit on first sip. A delightful wine to chill with.
I would recommend pairing this with red meat dishes, complimenting the sweet and smoothness of the wine. This might be contradictory to some people’s palate, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It truly is an extraordinary mix.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Havalos Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Review
This wine is unassuming and unpretentious. It says hello, you say hello back and an hour later you realise that this is something that packs a punch without being loud.
The wine is bold yet light in colour. It is dry on the finish, lingering long on the sides of your palate ten seconds after consumption.
It has light tastes of lemon and orange peel, but the dominant taste is of cranberry, blackberry and pepper.
It is beautifully subtle.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Dragonfly – Chenin Blanc 2019
This is a delicate wine with light fruits, that I was not expecting to enjoy so much. This was chilled nicely and was a cooling tonic after a warm mug of tea. What dominated this wine for me, was the lingering sense of butter mixed with lemon in the aftertaste. All I could think about was going for a bag of popcorn to compliment it! It is certainly moreish. As you have a second glass, you find more balance and stability in the aftertaste.
Pair this wine with cheeses or even a curry.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Principato – Pinot Grigio 2019
This is a playful and easy drinking Pinot Grigio. It has an initial drying taste of lime and oak, that lingers and mellows. In the aftertaste you get stone fruit, such as peach and apricot. This could be easily enjoyed whilst cooking and even afterwards too.
I would suggest pairing this with salmon, oily fish or shellfish.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Viento Norte – Sauvignon Blanc 2018
This is a simple yet elegant Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, that packs a punch with multiple subtle flavours and minerality. First, off the nose are the hints of melon and grapefruit, quickly followed by mild green apple and it has a lingering finish of an earthy texture. This wine is far too easy to drink as you try to figure out its complexities and what flavours everyone else gets. My wife got
I would recommend pairing this wine with seafood or a mild curry.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Santa Luz – Alba Sauvignon Blanc 2020
This is pale, straw coloured Sauvignon Blanc that is bright, crisp and drying on the palate. It bursts on the tongue with green apple, infused with pear and citrus flavours such as lemon peel. It mellows as it goes down, making it a perfect companion for lunch or a summer’s day on a deck. It also has a slight buttery aftertaste which does make it enticing to open another!
I would recommend pairing this dish with soft cheeses or simply cooked shellfish.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Mar de Vinas – Albarino 2019
This is a light and refreshing white wine, which is slightly drying on the palate but not overly so. It has strong hints of pear, green apple and gooseberry on initial taste and is quite subtle on the nose. There are slight hues of vanilla and earthy notes in the aftertaste, but they’re not too obvious. We drank this on its own but should have consumed this with food.
I would pair this wine with tomato sauce-based pasta dishes and lean fish.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Costa Cruz – Tempranillo / Shiraz 2019
This is a delicate red wine, something you rarely find. It isn’t an assault on the nose, being quite neutral initially, but upon tasting strong notes of pepper and cherry come through. I also tasted light notes of sweet raisin and pomegranate as the wine slipped down easily. It does have a drying aftertaste but that’s certainly not off-putting.
I would recommend pairing this wine with beef or gamey meats.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Martoccia Chianti 2013 Review
Open this wine for an hour before indulging is the first piece of advice I’d impart.
It is light and youthful on first taste, atypical of a Chianti, but develops beautifully as air passes through it.
This isn’t a full bodied wine, yet isn’t utterly see-through in colour and structure.
It has strong notes of raspberry and plum, with the aftertaste of smoke on the finish.
It is well balanced and when you finish the bottle, you will want another!
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Vignoble Muret – Picpoul de Pinet 2018
This is a white wine that even totalitarian, austere red wine drinkers will like. It is neither sweet nor drying. It is subtle and unassuming, whilst having tones of sour lime, honey and cream. In fact my wife, who rarely drinks white wine, said that it wasn’t bad and reminded her of younger days when she drank cream soda. It is pale straw yellow in colour and extremely drinkable.
I would recommend this wine with vegetarian cuisine, such as quinoa. It could go very well with lean fish too.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Tola – Nero d”Avola 2018
This is a wine that dark chocolate lovers will gorge on. It is full of dark fruit but doesn’t assault you on the nose. It is bold yet subtle, with strong hues of blackcurrant, cherry and vanilla. There is the undertone of chocolate and raisin in the finish, and it is slightly drying. It is a bottle of wine that you don’t want to end or empty.
This would go well with red meat, particularly beef. Try it with pizza too.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Dominique Baud – Sauvignon Blanc 2017
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
100 Hectares – Curtimenta Branco 2018
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Quinta da Lixa – Pouco-Comum Alvarinho 2019
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Chukkers – Malbec 2015
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Dragonfly – Chenin Blanc 2011
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Passo Antico – Coltivate Con Passione Rosso 2018
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Sabatacha – Petit Verdot 2016
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Dois Terroirs Tinto 2015 Review
This a wine which is excellent value for money. It has similar structure to many Malbec wines, and opens well straight from the bottle being uncorked.
The colour of the wine is purple/red under light and is amazingly easy to drink.
It goes very well with dinner and would pair excellently with steak. The contrast of the woodiness, sweetness of the wine and the meat explodes in your mouth.
One wine I hope to revisit for another tasting soon. I rarely wishlist many wines but this is worthy.
An excellent Portuguese wine.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Amarelo Albarino
Anyone who knows me, will tell you that I am not a big fan of white wine. This, however, I will exception for every day of the week!
It is light and refreshing, drying on the tongue without being off-putting.
It has strong hues of green apple and lemon, giving you that lightness and suplleness.
It also has a minerality and likability that I didn’t expect, being served nicely chilled for a few hours.
This is an excellent white Albarino, one that I hope to sample over the summer months.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Eira Sao Miguel Tinto 2017 Review
This wine is a pleasure to sample whilst cooking or prepping dinner or Sunday lunch.
It is also fantastic with food and if you have some left over once the dishes are done, goes down easily if you’re sitting down relaxing.
It is deep in black cherry and blackcurrant colour. The flavour of dark fruit, in particular cherry, comes through on the nose.
It is drying on the tongue but lingers nicely, giving a creamy, peppery finish.
I smelled mere hints of coffee yet my wife got tobacco, something I didn’t pick up on – but that’s individual noses for you!
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Finca del Alta Malbec Review
This is a complex wine, not too fruity on the nose but bursting with blackcurrant flavour on the tongue.
It’s slightly acidic and has hints of plum and mint.
A really tasty wine that would go well with beef.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
When we Dance Chianti Review
This a slow burner that opens up with the warmth of your hand and being uncorked and left to breathe.
It tastes light, a little playful, with a slight metallic taste on the edges of your tongue.
It does linger, with strong flavours of cherry and hints of milk chocolate. The ruby colour is see-through with little complexity.
It is a beautiful wine, simple and elegant.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
100 Hectares Red (Douro) 2018 Review
This is a complex wine with plenty of drama and lots of fruit. It is dry on the aftertaste with honey mixed in for smoothness. There is a hint of spice on initial tasting which mellows once the fruit hits the back of your tongue. It is a wine best savoured once opened for at least an hour.
As a food pairing, this could be easily be served with cheese or oily fish. Or this could as easily be served prior to dinner – or after.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Duchess De Berry Bordeaux 2017
This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes and is slightly tannic, yet warm on the tongue. It has strong tones of deep black fruit, blackcurrant and plum most notable. It is ruby red in colour under light yet packs more punch than you think it might.
As a food pairing, it is quite versatile. You could have chicken with this wine, or I could see it being an excellent accompaniment with a cheeseboard.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Elisabeth French wine blend 2015
I am predominantly a red wine drinker, but upon my brother’s educated guidance, I am slowly changing my palate and patterns. This is an excellent wine in so many ways. It is supple and slightly oily in the aftertaste, oily in such a way that is moreish.
It has fruit bounding out of the glass before you taste with tropical fruit such as lychee and passion fruit assaulting you before you taste green apple and gooseberry notes. Then you have a light cream finish of peach. It is simply fantastic.
For a food pairing, I would recommend fish such as salmon or tuna, as a great contrast to each other.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Oliver and Gregs Merlot
This is a highly drinkable Spanish Merlot that is slightly tannic but not off-puttingly so. It mellows once opened and goes best with food. It has mild fruity tastes that are not powerful, such as lemon and strawberry.
For a food pairing, I would recommend drinking this with veal or beef.
https://www.vivino.com/users/shane.fitzpatrick
Domaine Passion des Dames Cotes Du Rhone
This a bold wine with strong aromas of dark fruit, plum in particular. It is drying in the aftertaste, but not overly so. It is extremely smooth and even. We drank it after food, watching television, relaxing and it disappeared quickly. There are some hints of earthy undertones. It is subtle and very drinkable.
For a food pairing, this would go excellently with a meat such as beef or lamb.