Grape to Glass – The Majestic Wine Blog

This season sees an abundance of new additions to our range and these are just a few of our favourites.

Great-value Italian whites

Casa dei Gretti Pinot Grigio 2009, Sartori
￡5.99 or ￡4.49 when you buy 2 bottles until 27 September, £4.99 thereafter *

Fact: In 1898 Pietro Sartori bought Villa Maria, a vineyard with a small cellar in the heart of Valpolicella. Four generations later, Sartori is one of Italy’s largest wineries.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with light golden hues, this has a fruity bouquet and a subtle citrus-fresh flavour.
Food Match: Ideal for light appetisers, fish and seafood.

Frascati Superiore 2009, Cantina San Marco
￡6.49 or ￡4.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: The vineyards of this family-run estate are set in the hills overlooking Rome, on mineral-rich volcanic soils.
Tasting Note: Delicate floral notes and white peach aromas precede a dry (Secco) palate with clean lemon acidity and underlying minerality.
Food Match: Simple pasta dishes or pizza.

New World new arrivals

Barista Pinotage 2009, Western Cape, South Africa
￡7.49 or ￡5.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: The unique and popular new ‘coffee-style’ Pinotage was invented by Bertus ‘Starbucks’ Fourie.
Tasting Note: Rich coffee and chocolate characters with ripe mulberry, plum, maraschino cherry and butterscotch nuances.
Food Match: Meat dishes; rich casseroles; desserts such as Bertus’ favourite blue cheese-filled brandy snap with Belgian chocolate and roasted coffee beans. (Seriously).

Michel Torino Torrontés 2009, Calchaqui Valley, Salta, Argentina
￡7.99 or ￡5.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: This estate, in the northwest province of Salta, is sited in the world’s highest vine growing region, Cafayate.
Tasting Note: Intensely aromatic, with a burst of tropical fruits and jasmine on the nose. The exotic palate shows lively citrus fruit flavours, with hints of orange peel and anise.
Food Match: Mild Thai curries or chilli prawns.

DB Reserve Pinot Noir 2008, De Bortoli, Australia
￡8.99 or ￡6.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: Temperatures in the vineyards of Victoria, are typically slightly warmer than Burgundy but cooler than Bordeaux, resulting in soft and fleshy Pinot Noirs.
Tasting Note: Open and generously textured with warm, jammy red fruit flavours, soft tannins and medium body.
Food Match: Best with duck or rabbit dishes

Brand new Burgundies

Mâcon-Lugny 2009, Domaine des Terres Gentilles
￡9.99 or ￡7.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: A real gem from a 50-hectare, family-owned domaine that shows there are still producers in Burgundy offering superb value, even with small-volume production. This was awarded a Silver medal at this years International Wine Challenge Awards.
Tasting Note: Crisp citrus fruit provides the backbone while softer green apple and white flower notes add a welcoming delicacy and complexity.
Food Match: Poultry or grilled white fish.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes2009, Nicolas Potel
￡11.99 or ￡9.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: Maison Nicolas Potel is a respected name in Burgundy, the Potel family having previously owned the prestigious Domaine de la Pousse d’Or in Volnay.
Tasting Note: A restrained nose of berry fruit, principally strawberry and blackcurrant, is followed by a soft-edged palate with supple tannins.
Food Match: Charcuterie and cold cuts, pasta dishes and tangy cheeses.

Pernand-Vergelesses ‘Les Pins’ 2008, Jean-Jacques Girard
￡14.99*

Fact: Jean-Jacques Girard’s domain is spread over 12 hectares and divided among the villages of Savigny, Pernand-Vergelesses and Volnay.
Tasting Note: A delicate nose of citrus, blossom and a hint of minerality. The palate balances stone fruits and  honeysuckle beautifully with refreshing acidity and subtle toasty oak.
Food Match: Shellfish or poultry dishes.

Fresh in from France

Côtes-du-Rhône Villages 2009, Cuvée Cécile Desvignes
￡7.49 or ￡5.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: A Grenache-Syrah blend from producers spread across the southern Rhône Valley.
Tasting Note: The cherry and blackcurrant fruit nose leads to attractive cherry and juniper characters on the concentrated but nicely balanced palate.
Food Match: Great with well-seasoned red and white meats alike, either grilled or in stews.

Régnié 2009, Les Côtes de Saint Cyr, Beaujolais
￡9.99 or ￡7.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: From the brilliant 2009 vintage, this wine is made with grapes from vineyards managed by a small group of growers for five generations.
Tasting Note: Blackcurrant aromas with floral overtones. The round, well-structured palate has ‘summer-pudding’ flavours and a perfumed edge.
Food Match: Serve very slightly chilled with grilled meats or duck confit.

Château Potensac 2006, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois
￡19.99*

Fact: Château Potensac is one of the leading estates in the northern Médoc, it shares its wine-making team with the great St-Julien Second Growth Léoville-Las-Cases.
Tasting Note: The nose is attractive and almost opulent, laden with crushed blackberry, barbecued herbs and violets. In the mouth it’s rich, taut and concentrated, with a ripeness and depth of structure that will keep it drinking well for a decade.
Food Match: Steak au poivre.

An Austrian addition

Jurtschitsch Stein Grüner Veltliner 2009, Kamtal
￡11.99*

Fact: This area’s stony soils store the sun’s warmth overnight, allowing excellent maturation of the grapes.
Tasting Note: A touch of spice hints at the Stein vineyards’ volcanic, granite-rich soil, shaping the typical peppery note of Grüner Veltliner.
Food Match: Ideal for poultry, salads and pasta dishes.

New from New Zealand

The Parcel Series Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough
￡9.99 or ￡7.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: From a highly esteemed source, this parcel is a rare, top-quality wine sourced from the renowned Marlborough region.
Tasting Note: Fresh herbs and ripe guava aromas lead to a succulent palate of gooseberry and passion fruit, with a long, crisp, flavoursome finish.
Food Match: Poached fish or stuffed peppers.

The Parcel Series Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough
￡12.99 or ￡9.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where this grape variety achieves elusive perfection – as demonstrated here.
Tasting Note: Delicate and seductive: dark cherries and strawberries are complemented by hints of spice, silky tannins and a complex, textured finish.
Food Match: Slow-cooked pork belly

One from Hungary

Dry Furmint 2007, Royal Tokaji
￡9.99 or ￡7.99 when you buy 2 bottles*

Fact: More commonly seen in Hungary’s super-sweet dessert wines, the Furmint grape is used here in a dry white, to stunning effect.
Tasting Note: Well-defined stone fruit and rich honey aromatics, then a bite of crisp acidity on the palate. The mineral tinges accent the fruit-laden, exotic feel.
Food Match: Partner with strong creamy cheeses or rich poultry dishes.

See all our new wines

* All prices valid until 1st November 2010 unless otherwise stated.