December 2011
Tagus Creek Cabernet Sauvignon/Arogonez 2009 £5.99 Waitrose
An interesting mix of the well known Cabernet Sauvignon grape with a local grape variety called Arogonez (Tempranillo). This wine went down a storm with the group with its juiciness of the cabernet and the ripe forest fruits of the Arogonez.
Rating: Average 
Vida Nova Tinto 2008 Algarve £8.99 Waitrose
This wine hails from Sir Cliff Richard's winery and is made with local grape varieties and shiraz. Quite an unusual wine exhibiting dark berry and savoury aromas which has been aged in a mix of stainless steel vats and French and American oak. The wine tasted bitter at first but soon opened up and improved but still tasted a bit 'marmity' for my taste. If Sir Cliff had stuck with the shiraz only, then this could have been an impressive wine.
Rating: Average
Cortes de Cima Syrah 2008 Alentejo £11.49 Waitrose
This is full on syrah from the Alentejo region which is made in the modern style.
Lots of rich, spicy black fruit with an offering of smooth chocolate, spice and toffee. A classic and sexy full bodied wine.
Rating: Good 
Vinya Carles Priorat Crianza 2007 £5.99 Lidl
What can I say, popped into Lidl's to buy some fruit and veg and came out with this pretty decent wine from Spain.
From vines more than 50 years old this is a full bodied and dark wine displaying rich black fruit, well integrated oak and an all round smoothness which shows quality wine-making. At 14.5% pretty potent too.
Rating: Good
October 2011
Henry Fessy 2009, Brouilly Beaujolais £10.99
Hailing from one of the Beaujolais cru villages, this is a medium bodied wine made from the gamay grape offering ripe berry fruits flavours with mellow spice. Some interesting notes of wild strawberries interlaced with delicate blackcurrant and chocolate aromas.
Rating: Average
Bouchard Pere et Fils 2009, Fleurie Beaujolais £9.99
This was my favourite, which was more richer and denser that the Henry Fessy. Lots of vibrant, summer-pudding fruit flavours and soft tannins with fruity and juicy summer berry flavours.
Rating: Average
Louis Latour Pinot Noir 2009 £10.99
This is a well-balanced wine with fresh redcurrant and wild strawberry-fruit flavours, and a smooth texture.
The family run Maison Louis Latour is one of the most highly respected merchant / growers in Burgundy and has been growing vines since the 17th century.
Rating: Average
August 2011
Tooma River Shiraz 2010 £7.70
A simple and ripe fruit driven wine offering gentle red and blackberry fruit, rather smooth with some spice influence.
Rating: Average
Yering Station Pinot Noir 2008 £15.38
From Victoria's first vineyard which is still a family owned winery comes this elegant wine offering cherry fruit, spice and a sensual feel in the mouth. Warm and syrupy.
Rating: Average
Hartland Stickleback red 2009 £10.28
Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Dolcetto and Lagrein comes this full throttle wine. Plenty of blackcurrant, cherry, plum with nuances of chocolate, well integrated tannin and chocalate spice.
Rating: Average
Alvarez Alfaro Crianza 2007 [Wine of the Month]
The next wine was not tasted as part of the group and is my wine
of the month - from www.bodegasalvarezalfaro.com
From the Aldeanueua de Ebro region of Rioja comes this impressive wine
from the bodegas Alvarez Alfaro. Made from a blend of 80% tempranillo,
10% grenache, 8% mazuelo and 2% graciano from vines averaging 25 years
of age.
It displays red cherry, vanilla, black pepper and strawberry all wrapped
up with 12 months ageing in new American oak casks. This is a rich,
full and smooth quality wine. A vibrant and well polished Rioja.
Could not find a price for this on its website. If anyone can find it then please let me know.
Rating: Good
May-July 2011
Gerard Bertrand 2009 £6.99
From the Minervois region, this moreish blend of syrah and carignan oozes smooth and spicy black cherry fruit with full body and plenty of warm, almost syrupy tinned black fruit. A very appealing wine made by the ex-French rugby captain.
Rating: Good
Chateau de Caraguilhes 2009 £7.99
From the Corbieres region, this organic wine displays a deep inky colour made from carignan, syrah,grenache and mourvedre grapes. Bags of rich and sweet black fruit with smooth liquorice and spice lends itself to another successful glugger (this was my personal favourite) which went down a storm with the wine group.
Rating: Good
Chateau L'Hospitalet, La Reserve La Clape 2008 £11.99
This is the top level wine produced by Gerard Bertrand but this time from the Coteaux du Languedoc region. Made from 40% syrah, 30% mourvedre and 30% grenache this is a full bodied wine displaying rich red fruit, spice, liquorice, leather and some vanilla from the oak ageing.
Rating: Good
Chateau Lillian Ladouys 2007 £17
This wine was not tasted with the wine group but would like to share this review, as this wine now has a place in my collection of every day glugging wines.
From the Saint Estephe region of France, this Cru Bourgeois made from 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% cabernet franc displays reasonable cherry fruit, spice, vanilla with some earthy minerally flavours with well integrated tannins. Medium bodied and has been aged in oak for 16 months. A decent, supple and straightforward Bordeaux.
Rating: Average
April 2011
Valencia, Bodegas Los Frailes 2007 £8.80
This wine comes from a family run estate in Valencia who produce organic wines. This wine is made from 60% Monastrell and the remainder being Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine possesses a deep brilliant ruby/purple colour with plenty of blackberry, strawberry and cherry fruit with some balsamic nuances with gentle vanilla and spice from the oak ageing.
Rating: Average
Rioja Medievo Reserva 2006 £13.80
This is a good example of what a classic rioja should be. Made from Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano, the wine displays nice strawberry/cherry fruit with leather and vanilla from being aged in French oak for 2 years. All of this wrapped up nicely with well integrated and smooth tannins.
Rating: Good
Ribera Del Duero Conde de San Cristobal 2007 £18.99
Made from 80% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from 30-50 year old vines. This is a classy wine exhibiting dark cherry, spices and minerally fruit with well integrated and soft tannins. The wine is rich and full in the mouth and even though it is drinking well now, a few years laying down won't hurt.
Rating: Good
Priorat Mas d'En Compte 2007 £26.50
Made from 50% Carinena, 40% Garnacha and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon all from vines averaging 20 to 60 years of age to produce a wine that is rich and dense with an almost inky garnet colour with intense aromas of blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, leather with pronounced cinnamon spice. A blockbuster of a wine that could be put away for 3-5 years if you can afford to wait.
Rating: Good
February/March 2011
Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2009 £7.49
From the Central Valley, this vibrant medium bodied wine from the famous company Cono Sur delivers the goods. Oodles of soft strawberry fruit with a mix of jamminess and a gentle acidty and smokiness all make this a decent and smooth wine.
Rating: Average
MontGras Reserva Carmenere 2009 £8.49
From the Colchagua Valley hails this impressive medium bodied juicy red wine. The wine club was particularly impressed by the oodles of juicy plums with gobs of caramel/toffee balanced by a rich and smooth finish. A cracker of a wine for less than £9 and will be buying more of this.
Rating: Good
Waitrose Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 £9.99
Waitrose in partnership with Vina Valdivieso has produced a classic juicy blackcurranty cabernet. This is a refined and impressive full bodied red offering rich smoke and vanilla.
Rating: Good
Good Ordinary Claret 2009 £4.29 Waitrose
This wine was not tasted at the club night but thought that I should add this to the reviews as my bargain basement wine of the month.
What can I say? A simple medium bodied soft and juicy Bordeaux offering gentle blackcurrant fruits and spice. Does exactly what it says on the bottle.
Rating: Average