Trincadeira Bright Brothers	Estremadura Portugal
One of the many garpe varieties in Portugal, sometime component of Port and here rescued by go-ahead winemakers Bright Brothers to produce this modern fruity spicy red wine. Very enjoyable.

Negrette Chateau Joliet

Cotes du Frontonnais France

When Francois Daubert took over this vineyard planted with old Negrette vines he called in a consultant from nearby Bordeaux who advised him to pull up the vines and replant cabernet sauvignon. Thankfully M. Daubert demurred. Reasoning that Negrette had been grown in the area for 800 years he persevered and made a success of the vineyard. The variety is prone to rot and is not seen outside the area, although the California variety Pinot St George appears to be identical. Having invested much effort in the Negrette M. Daubert wanted to publicise the grape, however French wine law wouldn't allow him to label it as a varietal. But pictures are allowed, so he has a picture of a Negrette leaf and bunches of grapes titled La Negrette! I enjoyed this example which had a warm dusty powdery flavour, like eating red-currants straight from the bush. I'd have liked a little more body to the wine and noted a burnt aftertaste and a hint of iron.

Pardina	Extremadura Spain
	Super fresh fruity dry white wine made from the rare Pardina grape by Australian winemaker Peter Bright.

Macabeo Lozano Estate	La Mancha Spain
Macabeo is the main grape in modern white Rioja. Here, made in La Mancha, it makes a good medium bodied fruity and refreshing wine.

Parellada	Penedes Spain
	Enjoyable clean fruity wine made from Parellada (with a little Xarello). One of the best white grapes grown in Catalonia.

Trollinger Weingartnergenossenschaft

Monchberg Germany

The major red variety in Wurtenburg where it has been grown since at least the 14th century. This wine was a pale red veering towards rose. It had a very distinctive nose and - unusually - the wine tasted the same as the bouquet. I found it had to describe the taste. A perfumed violet flavour that just encouraged me to take another mouthful. Very enjoyable. Trollinger appears to be a corruption of Tirolinger indicating the grapes origin in the Italian Tyrol region where it is widely grown under the name Schiava Grossa. Also grown in England as Black Hamburg.

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