Russell Wallace, General Manager - ...Mercedes Eguren Sauvignon Blanc 2012. When the weekend calls for a pleasant light drinking wine to
accompany chat, this is often one of my first ports of call for a huge number of
reasons. Firstly, the Mercedes Eguren range covers every desire
with a totally unique Shiraz/Tempranillo that is soft and fruity, but bursts
with power right at the end. If not, then try the hearty
Cabernet Rosado, a rose that has both the flavour and the finesse to convert any
pink-sceptic! Next reason is the common sense approach employed with these
wines, the quality is there in the flavour without a doubt, but the bottles are
also useful in giving you a brief overview of the lifeline of the wine. Next up is the presentation (yes I
understand this barely matters when it is ultimately a drink to be drunk, but
am I the only one that enjoys a pretty bottle, something to catch my eye on the
wine rack and something to draw my attention while drinking? Hmm, okay maybe
it is just me). Anyway the styling is understated, quite glamorous but more than
anything eye-catching without resorting to gaudy or tacky tactics. Most importantly is quality - the Mercedes Eguren range is one that
comes in for under £8.50 per bottle yet consistently achieves top ratings
around 90 points (something usually reserved for a wine double this price) and
accolades. The style itself is quite different to that of a New Zealand
Sauvignon Blanc. It is balanced in acidity with tropical fruits that really
linger on your tongue. Personally, I think there is a world more character to
this wine than a big name NZ Sauvignon, and every now and then a new little
flavour jumps onto a taste bud and gives you a real surprise. Think of it
a little closer to a Chablis or a French Sauvignon Blanc in style.
Susan Ross, Logistics Manager - ...Eguren Ugarte Viura 2012. This is probably more commonly known in the UK as White
Rioja and is very much one of my favourites for all-year round drinking. European white wines, in my humble opinion, offer more variety than the usual
suspects from the New World and a chance to try something totally
different. So here we have it, it's floral on the nose (lovely fresh
flowers) and wild fruit. It's light in weight, but has great balance with
good acidity married with fresh fruity flavours. A good plateful of
scallops with a light creamy sauce would go down a treat with this one.
This is the winery’s second vintage of Viura, so a new
venture for them in to white wine production, and they have got it bang
on. With a glass in hand, I can picture myself sitting on the terrace of
their hotel in the Rioja Alavesa built upon their underground cellars, basking in
the northern Spain sunshine and admiring the very beautiful scenery and
surroundings this area has to offer.
Kieran German, Shop Manager - ...Glenfarclas, that rich, toffeed, malty, sherryish,
slightly spicy, smooth and lip-smackingly luscious Speyside whisky. Of the many
fabulous Speyside distilleries (and there are so, so many), few have the
consistency across the range that Glenfarclas has. In this age of instant
fixes, Glenfarclas’ family owners are benefiting from the far-sighted
maturation policies adopted by their fore-fathers, meaning they can sell
vintage whiskies dating back to the 1950s and they also have as part of their
core-range a 40 Year Old. If you’re looking for old whisky, Glenfarclas shouldalways be your first port of call. However, I digress. This week I have mostly
been drinking Glenfarclas 105 because it is a cask-strength bombshell which exudes
the Glenfarclas character with great intensity and sophistication. And. I.
Loved. It.
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