Met up with friends yesterday and sampled a South African wine similar to this:
It’s a blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier; quite young but good value. I think this is similar to red Rhone wines in blend but not in style or price!
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If anyone is interested my first article on Bordeaux 2022 was published today on Tim Atkin’s site.
It’s a really good vintage, and I tried to get to the bottom of why and how.
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Thanks for pointing to that article Rod, very interesting and seems similar to what my merchant is telling me (they probably got it from Tim, now I’ve said it!). Lots of talk about the diurnal range being highly important (any excuse to say that). And every report seems to refer to “freshness”. Interesting.
One thing I have noticed with a few of the early releases (I’ve bought a couple of bits so far, not much) is that the reviewers seem to be scoring the wines well, but don’t seem as confident as usual to offer a drinking window. Perhaps that is due to the factors in the final paragraph of Tim’s report.
Anyway, thanks for sharing, appreciated.
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Thanks. It’s my report, not Tim’s! - I just write for his website.
Personally, I am not comfortable giving drinking windows, because I think it entirely depends on the drinker, and I would far rather drink a wine ‘too young’ than ‘too old’ myself.
I also think it is very hard to tell prior to the wines getting their (up to) a year in oak.
Gone are the days when even the greatest Bordeaux needs twenty years in bottle to show its best. 2009, anything earlier, most 2010, 11, 12, 13, much 14, some 15, and a few 16s and 17s are all drinking well currently…
For sure some of the great 2022 wines will be long-lived. But many (perhaps even most) of the lesser, and second, wines will be entirely approachable on release. And this is not really normal (although increasingly so these days). However, I like young wine, and tannins, and I am not a fan of wine so old that you can no longer tell where it came from.
My full report, with all the notes on 400+ wines I tasted, and more detail on the year, will be published once I have finished it - probably in all honesty two weeks as I have (better!) paying work in the interim…
Santé!
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My apologies Rod, I hadn’t appreciated that you actually wrote it. As I said, I found it very informative and useful. Thanks (and Bravo!). I look forward to your full thoughts, in due course.
Thank you for the comments on ageing. I don’t think I have the depth of experience to say whether I generally prefer younger or older wines. My current favourite Bordeaux in the cellar is a 2014, but I had a 1989 last year that was fantastic. Clearly I must put more time and effort into finding out! Challenge (gladly) accepted.
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Dry River Gewurztraminer 2020 Martinborough
My favourite producer in Nz made a 45 minute drive away.
White peach, spice, white rose petals, Turkish delight and honey. Very rich.
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I visited that vineyard on my honeymoon. That vineyard and Martinborough wines in general are fantastic imo. I’m sure that my view is influenced by the fond memories of the night we stayed at the Martinborough Hotel drinking a bottle outside sat in the sun. But sometimes that’s the joy of wine - memories, nostalgia, connection etc.
Enjoy.
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That sound wonderful and special Bobby. We are lucky having Martinborough so close. Salute.
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Now IDAK
That is a sensational wine 
There is another Guertz I think from Napier area that’s pretty special also but can remember name ??
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You lucky lot down under - though probably more expensive with your taxes. Tassie fizz is just superb IMO and Jansz are great value especially when 25% off for 6 in Waitrose.
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Matawhero from gisborne. It was served to the queen in the 1970s and she said it was “ pretty good”, 
The first taste of this vintage: bold blackberry fruit on the nose straight from the bottle, fading once decanted. It has an intense plummy colour, with forward tannins in the mouth with a shortish finish. Perhaps best to leave for another year.
18 hrs later and it’s more interesting; the fruit is back, tannins are not so dominant, and it has lengthened. May be it was the cheese (Appleby of course).
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Really interesting article Rod.
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Just bought this from the Wine Society. It’s a Portuguese red from Bairrada using the local Baga grape. This is the 2019. Unoaked and fairly light bodied with lovely tannins. It clocks in at 12.5% which makes it a winner. Absolutely delicious and a real find
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Tassies cold climate helps produce some wonderful bubbles and has done for a while. It’s nice to see that their getting some traction in other parts of the world. Jansz is Mrs Pete’s favourite drink.
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Thank you!
I enjoy reading articles that are rooted in expertise and yet are also accessible (sadly missing in a lot of academia these days, in my opinion).
I do like my wine, and I’m not too proud to admit I lack the knowledge on why I might like it. Or how to explain my preferences.
Thank you for the insights!
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Now decanted for later on. Have to try it at last, as it’s a first of six bottles delivered early this year.
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