Just Wine

Not in the mood for food? Here’s a stash of wine articles, tasting tips & events.

Summertown Wine Cafe & Superb Lazy Monkey

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The Summertown Wine Café offers excellent value for money. Just because they source their produce from small independent vineyards does not mean that they charge boutique prices. The wines are very affordable but also unique in a high street with bland carbon copy wine offerings.

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A little bit of German heaven on Belgrave Square

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I’ve just returned home from the Germany Wine Masterpiece Tasting. It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted such an amazing selection of German wines under one roof! Well done Iris for putting together such an amazing day. MY HIGHTLIGHTS WERE: Weingut Wirsching – Franken www.wirsching.de Meet the Doctor!! It was a pleasure to meet [...]

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New Year’s Eve Fiz

Berringer Rose – The first thing I thought was that someone dropped some berries in the bottle or something weird happened, but of course that cannot be so it must be me dreaming!!
The fact is that this rose smelled of boiled sweets, candy, strawberries and a big bowl full of “loveliness” The only thing that worried me was that I thought it was going to be a little too sweet for me and as expected it was quite sweet. It was delicious to say the least but maybe a little

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Want to buy red wine? Looking for Soft and Juicy?

Gamay, Vin de Pays, Southern France,

Want to buy red wine? Compiling a red wine list for dinner? Looking for Soft and Juicy? These two words are what is on the mind of everybody that orders or drinks red wine, being it in a Restaurant or at home. Inspector Grape tastes 3 wines to see just how juicy they are! 2007 [...]

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Sparkling Wine – Cavas, Proseccos and New World Sparkling wines

Lindaur NV New Zealand

There are hundreds of Cavas, Proseccos and New World Sparkling wines to choose from but which ones are the better ones and what do they taste like? Why do we like them so much and what makes a good one stand out amongst the rest? Affordable, Crisp, Dry and Fresh sparkling wines are what we [...]

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Champagne list and Champagne grapes to fit a celebration!

Oudinot NV Brut

The perfect champagne list to celebrate episode 10 and more about those bubbly champagne grapes. We are so tired of the same boring old house hold names found in Champagne lists so we are putting Sainsburys and Marks & Spencers own brand Champagnes to the test. Sainsburys Own Demi Sec £18 something Dawid thought it would [...]

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Pinot Gris

Finca Las Higueras, Mendoza, Argentina

This increasingly fashionable vine variety is responsible for producing soft, gentle perfumed wines with more body and colour than most white grapes out there. Finca Las Higueras, Mendoza, Argentina 6.19 Waitrose This wine immediately shouts out: I’m different!! Lovely white peach and blossoms with red and green apple on the finish. This is different from [...]

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Riesling white wine & perfectly paired Riesling food!

The Naked Grape, Riesling, Pfalz, Germany,

Riesling white wine is produced from Inspector Grape’s favorite grape! It is extremely sad that the public still thinks of Riesling as a “sweet” wine when 90% of all Riesling in the UK is dry! So many people are missing out on beautiful Riesling when choosing white wine not to mention perfectly paired Riesling food! We put 4 top Rieslings to the test, some cheap and some, well, not so cheap!

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Affordable Bordeaux wine tour

Porte Cailhau, France, 2006

Is there such a thing as affordable Bordeaux that’s not going to ruin your palette? We embark on an Affordable Bordeaux wine tour! 2006 Porte Cailhau, France, £4.99 Sainsbury This is the cheapest bottle of Bordeaux that Inspector Grape could find, so lets see if its drinkable! Good colour, smells of cedar wood but tastes [...]

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Cheap in Chile – Chilean wine put to the test

Palo Alto Reserve, Maule Valley, Chile

90% of all London Restaurants will have a Chilean wine somewhere near the top of their wine list. Inspector Grape tests 3 wines from 3 different regions in Chile to find out if cheap Chilean wine is drinkable. 2007 Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Central Valley – Chile £6.80 Sainsbury We hear from Inspector Grape that [...]

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Why Chardonnay? Why Not Chardonnay!

Chardonnay, Spier, Stellenbosch, South Africa

5 Years ago saw the ABC boom – Anything But Chardonnay – there was just too much oak in the bottle. Dawid tastes examples from Australia, South Africa and France to see whether they have learnt their lesson. Things seem to have changed to WNC – Why Not Chardonnay! Food suggestions: 2006 Cave de Lugny [...]

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Pinot Grigio – Love it or Hate it!

Pinot Grigio, Yalumba, South Australia

The British public has a phenomenal love affair with Pinot Grigio. Dawid tastes examples from Hungary, Italy and Australia. The Hungarian does not impress, the Italian is a bit green but the Aussie gets top marks. Crisp, dry and affordable – the British love Pinot Grigio. Food suggestion: This Pinot Grigio would be a great [...]

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Sauvignon Blanc from the Southern Hemisphere – what’s the fuss all about?

Sauvignon Blanc, Porcupine Ridge, Franschhoek, South Africa

Sauvignon Blanc loves a cooler climate and a maritime influence. Originally from the Loire valley in France but now roaming the world – how has it adapted to its new home in Chile, South Africa and New Zealand? The Chilean bites Dawid on the nose but he loves the lip smacking acidity of them all. [...]

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Good Cheap Red Wine? We find Reds for under £10!

Vina Albali, Spain

Looking for good cheap Red Wine? We love a bargain that delivers! So we scoured the high street to find Reds for under £10! Inspector Grape samples an Italian Chianti, a Vina Albali from Spain and against all odds an offering from America’s biggest brand Blossom Hill. Two of them are even under £5! We have [...]

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Best white wine and a Rose for under £10

Chardonnay Semillon

Inspector Grape is on the hunt for the best white wine he can pick up the high street for under £10 per bottle. He throws in a cheeky Rose to mix things up. Most wine snobs believe there is no such thing as good cheap wine, let’s see if we can prove them wrong! His [...]

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