| The Precious Reds |
| Name: The Long Flat Vineyard Red Type: Red Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec Vintage: 2000 Origin: Australia, Hunter Valley Producer: Tyrrel Vineyards Status: -- Place of Purchase: NTUC Fair Price (Tampines) Description: At first, this wine is reeking of cherries and taste sweet and pleasant. I thought this would remain until I drink about half the bottle, the tannin takes over and it changes to a more serious character. Then the spices becomes apparent and the wine becomes quite complex towards the end. I guess that's the fun of drinking a wine blended from three different grapes. At $18+, it is a superb buy from the supermarket! Seems perfect but a slight flaw is that this wine lacks a strong after-taste that makes other wines great. Another unique gem from Australia. Rating: 8, a good and unique wine... go ahead and try it! |
| Name: Valpolicella Classico Type: Red Valpolicella, Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella Vintage: 1999 Origin: Italy, Venetto Producer: Folonari Status: Denominazione di Oringine Controllata (DOC) Place of Purchase: Cold Storage (Parkway Parade) Description: I have read about the Italian wine Valpolicella and so bought one to try. But instead of enjoying it, this wine falls too far short from my expectations. Not only does it taste too mediocre and plain, the oak flavor is unnatural and slightly pungent. It tastes a bit of cherries but not strong enough to be enjoyable. Most importantly, the wine feels diluted in my mouth and leaves a 'distilled water' after-taste which is not very comfortable. I suspect the wine is diluted by water and made into 'Classico' by adding oak chips into it. Not that actual Valpolicella is no good but I feel its producer Folonari is not very conscious about quality control. It doesn't seem to live up to its DOC designation. For me, it is far too mediocre to be truly enjoyable. Costing $20+, this wine is definitely not value for money. Rating: 5.5, quite mediocre in quality so don't expect too much. |
| Name: Rose D'Anjou Type: Rose, Gamay or Groslot (not specified) Vintage: 2000 Origin: France, Loire Valley, Anjou Producer: De Luze Status: Appellation Rose D' Anjou Controlee Place of Purchase: Cold Storage (Parkway Parade) Description: This is the first rose wine I have tasted and it's definitely enjoyable to me. It has a distinct grapefruit taste with a limey twist to it. It also has a slight floral aroma and is relatively sweet for easy drinking. In its glorious days, Anjou was famous for its rose wines... until in the late 90s when it was saturated by cheap watery syrup that eventually sank its boom. This wine seems to be what's left of the more quality rose from Anjou. Although quite soft, I can still tell that it's WINE and not some diluted junk that I last drunk. Costing around $20+ and looking incredibly cute in pinkish color, this wine captures my attention easily. Then my friend chose to buy it as a gift... and we frequently enjoy this wine at home. Rating: 7, easy drinking, not very serious but just enjoyable. |
| Name: Regnie La Roche Thulon Type: Red Beaujolais, Gamay Vintage: 1999 Origin: France, Burgandy, Beaujolais Producer: Maison Luis Latour Status: Appellation Regnie Controlee Place of Purchase: Bedok NTUC Description: Regnie is supposed to be the newly promoted Beaujolais wine to be in the ranks of the elite Crus in recent years. I bought this wine at $28+ and hope to enjoy one of the Crus at home. Well, what can I say? Slightly fruity and lingers with cherries, it is not a bad wine after all. However, it is not a great wine -- it doesn't leave a deep impression on me and neither does it taste extraordinarily good. Just another simple wine that takes advantage of the Cru ranking of Regnie and sold at a higher price. It seems that the last Beaujolais wine I drank (Domaine Des Platers) tastes even better than this Cru. At such a price, I have a little regret in buying this slightly above average wine. Rating: 7, relatively expensive but not fantastic, just an average wine. |
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