Weekly Winedown #40 The Bolney Estate Dark Harvest.

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review.
Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro.

The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy.

Well, here we are – the 40th Winedown.
No one is more surprised than me that it’s lasted this long! .

I mentioned last week that this week is English Wine Week, and so I decided to embrace English wine this week, maybe a bit risky for the big four-oh but the deed is done.

I have been looking for English wine all week but it’s thin on the ground here. I did manage to find a British wine (made with imported grape juice) in Asda for £3.98.

There’s no polite way of saying this, it was RANK.
The most vile thing I’ve ever tasted and I’ve tasted a lot of things.

As a result of this I am so terribly worried about tonight’s wine and, I must confess, Rory is buying me emergency wine to actually drink in case this one is as bad.

Yes, I’m aware I’m not going into this in the most positive of manners but I have actual fear.

This week we are saying Greetings! to The Bolney Estate Dark Harvest – £8.99 a bottle.
I know this is over budget but as I said, bloody difficult to get hold of.

An award winning wine made from Rondo grapes on the Bolney wine estate in Sussex.

The Label & The blurb

Yes, together!
Plain, simple and nice to look at.
A smooth white label with black font announcing the brand and the wine.
It also advises
“Blackcurrant and dark berry fruit flavours with herbaceous character.”

No airs and graces, just a label telling you the very basic information you require.
How terribly British!

I don’t know what to expect. I’m nervous.

Well.

There you go.

The nose wasn’t terrible, a little spicy and warm. Maybe a touch sweet. Nothing too offensive.
The taste, well, bitter doesn’t even come close.
It’s blackcurrant heavy, anything else going on in there is completely hidden by the tartness.

When giving my friends a quick debrief, the only thing I could liken it too was pretty graphic and most unpleasant so I’m going to leave it at VERY acidic.
I dont know if this is a bad bottle or this is what it’s meant to be like but I’m afraid I’m not a fan.

I did genuinely hope this would be a great wine (especially considering the price) and I could champion English wine, but not in this instance.

You KNOW I can drink pretty much anything but I have finally met my match!

Name – The Bolney Estate Dark Harvest
Price – £8.99
Colour – Impressive red
Smell – warm and spicy
Taste – Jammy and acidic
Goes well with – I couldn’t possibly say
Overall score – 1/5