Oz Clarke reviews 3 Vintage Roots wines

Oz Clarke, Britains favourite wine writer, knows what wine drinkers want: flavour, individuality and excellent value for money. Oz has tasted thousands of wines and selected his 250 Best wines for 2009.

This new edition of Ozs annual wine buying guide is the must-have shopping guide to make wine buying hassle-free. Ozs independent, enthusiastic and reliable recommendations will help you find the wines you want at the prices you want to pay.

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In Ozs book he reviewed 3 wines from Vintage Roots details of which are below.

Ribera del Duero, Roble, Dominio Basconcillos 2005

“A lot of Ribera del Duero spends too long in barrel - which is bonkers, because the fruit and personality are so good, why flatten them with the creamy embrace of too much new oak? This wine had just four months in barrel and is all the better for it. The ripe blackberry fruit sings out, the outdoor scents of mint and eucalyptus and thyme reach into every recess of the wine's mellow soft black heart, and the dusting of chocolate powder, cinnamon and clove is delightful seasoning rather than broad brash brutality.”

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Carmenére, Adobe, Viñedos Emiliana, Colchagua Valley 2006

“On first smell I wasnt so sure: this comes from an organic vineyard - had they taken "The Good Life" practices too far? Just taste it. Any hint at over-natural methods is blown away by a typhoon of deep black fruit and the Carmenéres calling card: coal smoke, stewed celery and coffee beans, soy sauce and peppercorn. Rich black fruit, deep savoury scents. And the fruit's organic.”

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Coyam, Viñedos Emiliana, Colchagua Vally 2004

“Chile has a rapidly growing band of young winemakers with the talent and vision to turn its stupendous grapes into great wine. But Alvaro Espinoza has been a young Turk for as long as Chile has been demanding a place in the international market, and he shows no signs of complacent middle age setting in just yet. Coyam is the result of a prodigious organic programme - beautiful vineyards producing exceptional grapes. it's deep stuff: dark, black, rich. Ideally youd leave this 5-8 years to reach its peak. Well, do so if you can, but if not, youll find a powerhouse here of black plum and blackcurrant, coal dust and smoke, cream, chocolate and toffee; impressive now, more beautiful in a few years.”

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