VinoViews switching Platforms My Wine /Beer reviews will no longer be seen here (From March 2023) as I am switching to a new platform Medium – Dave Cronin VinoViews I will continue to post reviews on the new platform and hopefully, those of you who follow this Blog will continue to follow me on Medium. By the way, I also post wine-related tweets on Twitter @VinoViews so please feel free to check it out. Thanks and see you on Medium Like (0) The post VinoViews has left the building! appeared first on ..read more

Felix Solis situated in Spain’s Valdepenãs and La Mancha is amongst the top 100 wineries in the world, voted by the World´s Association of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers, and is the brand behind my latest review, a red blend called Mucho Más. Mucho Más – Vino Tinto Fairly understated-looking bottle with a simple label ‘Mucho Más’ (translates to ‘Much more’). The wine itself is a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah, in which the grapes are from distinct vines, selected either for their regionality or for their variety and picked when ripe to intensify the fruitness. In the glass, it ..read more

Always nice when a supermarket wine lives up to expectations and this Spanish Ribera Del Duero certainly does justice to the label on the bottle. Tesco is the retailer in question and this wine is part of their popular and best-selling ‘Finest range’, instantly recognizable by the silver emblem on the bottle. This is a Ribera del Duero ( Northwest Spain , around 2 hours north of Madrid) made from the Tempranillo grape (used in Rioja ) but due to the altitude of the region, with extreme heat by day and cooler nights it produces wines that are much more intense and concentrated, they also tend t ..read more

When I see the name Adnams I automatically relate it to their excellent range of beers but amongst other things they are also a wine merchant and judging by these two bottles, a very good wine merchant. These particular bottles are new to the ‘Countries Range’ which focuses on specific regions, depicting a close-up map of the country on the label. Chile is the focus here with a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. These are by no means fine wines but what they are is a very good introduction to familiar styles and their regions. All wines are sourced from renowned estates within the region, givi ..read more

I’ve now decided I don’t drink enough Italian wine and I can’t remember any time recently enjoying a bottle of wine as much as I did this ‘Rosso Del Palazzone’ which is in effect a Baby Brunello di Montalcino, combining a blend of Sangiovese over three different vintages 10% 2020, 60% 2019, 30% 2018. Sangiovese is a grape I always enjoy, and I love that crushed cherry tartness you find in Chianti’s but this particular Tuscan offering was a different beast altogether but an absolute delight! Rosso Del Palazzone – Vino Rosso In the glass it was a very vibrant violet colour with heady aromas of ..read more

Originally from South West Bordeaux Carménère now finds a home in central Chile where probably the best versions now reside. This particular bottle is such great value currently at the bargain price of £6.99 on offer from Waitrose, a wine I’d happily pay the full price for. In these trying times, it’s good to know that there is still some value to be found if looking for any kind of quality sub £10 wines and this more than fits the bill. The MontGras winery which opened in 1993 is situated in the prime Chilean wine-growing region, which runs along the Colchagua riverbank in the Colchagua Valle ..read more

Grenache, Garnacha or if you use its Catalan name Garnatxa is often called the ‘Pinot Noir of the south’ but whatever name it goes by it is one of Spain’s most widely planted grapes. This ‘Garnatxa Negre’ comes from Gandesa which is the capital of the comarca of Terra Alta, in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia. Picked this particular bottle up on a whim from a wine shop in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, ( Grape Expectations ), and opened it to accompany a lamb, chickpea and chorizo stew, must say I wasn’t disappointed with either. Via Terra Selection Garnatxa Negra 2019 First thing that struck m ..read more

Pilsner lager can be a little run of the mill and dare I say it even one-dimensional but this collaboration between London-based Brewery/music venue, Signature Brew, and renowned American craft beer brewers Dogfish Head have teamed up to create a wonderful Czech-style Pilsner lager called ‘Piercing Pils’ and it’s anything but one dimensional. The two breweries have a common love of indie/punk music and this particular can features artwork from veteran punk member Jon Lanford from the group ‘The Mekons’ who recently played at Signature Brewery for the launch of ‘Piercing Pils’ on 29th October 2 ..read more

Strange one this, I noticed this bottle many times and always dismissed it, if I’m honest, it was probably the label that put me off, just looked like an over-the-top naff picture trying to disguise what’s actually in the bottle. Popped into the Co-op recently, I picked it up then put it back, then picked it up again, and finally stuck it in my basket not thinking too much about it. Well, just shows how wrong you can be and you should never judge a book by its cover or in this case a bottle by its label. Here is what I thought……. Co- Co-op Irresistible Carménère 2020 From the Maipo Valley in ..read more

G’day all, been a while since I opened up something from our friends in Australia and what a delightful surprise this was. Grant Burge wines are located in the heart of South Australia’s Barossa Valley and this Shiraz, ‘Barossa Ink’, so called because of its very dark colour in which you could probably dip a fountain pen in the glass and write with it. I always enjoy a good Shiraz, especially the rich and opulent ones from Australia and this fitted the bill perfectly if perhaps a little jammy for some but every now and then you just need that velvety hug of ripe sweet spicy fruit, just the job ..read more