2018 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"One of my favourites .."
Mr Robin McBride (05-Jan-2020)
"This is our go to white wine in our house. Fruity and tangy is a good party wine, great value."
Mr Mark Van Der Spiegel (28-Dec-2019)
"Not good,I'm afraid - a rare disappointment. It's a blend that just doesn't gel."
Mr Dominick Henry (01-Dec-2019)
"Fantastic value. Slightly high acidity but great length for such a cheap wine. Pear drops, lemon sherbet and a bit of melon. Low alcohol makes it a great summer quaffer."
Mr Arthur Butler (22-Sep-2019)
"Great value, fruity, tangy, refreshing glassful of summer."
Mr Andrew Pallant (16-Sep-2019)
"Fresh, a touch sharp, but with fruity undertones and a bit of character, especially for the price and low alcohol content Very drinkable "
Ms Caroline Reay (02-Sep-2019)
"A breath of frsh air in terms of white wines, wonderful flavours, even better at room temperature!"
Mr John Scholefield (26-Aug-2019)
"A lovely refreshing summer white. I particularly enjoy it as an aperitif and it's one of the best whites with which to make a Kir. Just a half teaspoon of cassis is enough; any more and it overpowers it all."
Mr Douglas Reid (31-Jul-2019)
"Poor. Weak and watery. Little flavour. I can get much better [elsewhere] for the same price. Not recommended."
Mr Richard Gandy (30-Jul-2019)
"Not keen on this. Extremely tangy and too fruity if that is possible. Good that it is low alcohol but I wouldn’t buy it again. Overpowering if drunk with food, maybe OK for a curry."
Mr Michael Cooke (04-Jul-2019)
2017 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"This is a crisp white wine for everyday drinking - only 10% alcohol and most enjoyable"
Mr Ian Wallace (10-May-2020)
"My standard house party wine as it is both fresh and fruity and good value but most importantly at 10.5% allows guest to guzzle without suffering too much!"
Lt Col P J Harvey MBE R IRISH (31-Mar-2019)
"Great introduction to my first case
Good, old fashioned French table wine
This would not embarrass any party"
Mr Steven Foster (09-Dec-2018)
"Citrus, kiwi fruit, light. Low alcohol a plus. Good for a midweek glass. Bit sharp. Earlier vintage, 2015, was better quality."
Mr Chris Groom (02-Nov-2018)
"Pleasantly surprised by this wine. Fresh clean white - given the low alcohol I was expecting it to be lacking in flavour - but its got a citrus taste and some flavour. Ideal for a glass of white during the week when you want to limit the alcohol content. Good enough to drink on its own - can come across as astringent but I personally liked the dry taste. Will buy more - £6.50 is not bad.
"
Mr Matt Wilks (03-Aug-2018)
"Great value for money!
Tangy green apple with a hint of spritz and lemon zest"
Mr Alex Downham (18-Jul-2018)
"This has been a great lower alcohol wine but the 2017 batch is really disappointing. Unfortunately I can no longer recommend it. "
Mrs Patricia Heyes (12-Jul-2018)
2016 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"If you like acidic grapefruit, this is for you. However, I'm afraid it is definitely not for me. I woudn't want to drink it on its own, and I'm afraid that I can't think of any food that it would match. I also think that there is a slight hint of sulphate, so I'm wondering if the producer has rather over done it?"
Dr Paul Stockbridge (12-Mar-2018)
"Did not persuade me"
Mr Michal Slavik (07-Mar-2018)
"Light and fresh with a decent finish. Good value."
Mr Steve Jones (05-Mar-2018)
"A bright and breezy blend. fruity and lightly perfumed nose. Citric and candied fruits on the palate. Would be a good outdoor party wine for summer."
Mr Alan Kingsbury (26-Feb-2018)
"We took a case of this for a new year weekend away with friends and were disappointed. Neither sweet not dry and in our opinion, not good enough to drink on its own. Probably would be more appropriate later in the evening after people have had a few glasses of something decent! Have been very pleased with other wine society purchases, but unfortunately were disappointed with this one. Cooking wine."
Mr Bradley Martin (02-Jan-2018)
"Colour: Lustrous, very pale straw yellow with highlights of silver.
Aroma: Citrusy, tangy gooseberry, passion-fruit, green apple, ginger, something tropical and a slight minerality.
Taste: Dry, light in body with just enough acidity to hold it together. Apple and citrus on the palate with a slightly bitter drying finish.
Overall: Just ok in my opinion, a midweek wine. Aromatic and fruity but the flavour and aftertaste is a little bitter and may benefit from a touch more acidity. For the price I cannot complain as it is crisp, fresh and very drinkable but no show stopper."
Mr Gabriel Higgins (23-Dec-2017)
"Easy drinking light white wine. Good acidity and very fresh"
Mr Tom Rodger (22-Oct-2017)
"We discovered this wine a number of years ago & drink a lot of it. We find it accompanies most food well & it is a total delight on its own. I think it is probably the Society's best value wine. It has a subtle citrus fruit aroma & taste with some depth that really belies its price. A real delight!"
Mr Richard K Ryan (16-Jun-2017)
"Fresh, bright, zingy white. It packs a flavour punch despite the low alcohol. Best with food, as relatively high acid means it can be a touch astringent by itself, but this allows it to cut through creamy sauces wonderfully. Not bad value, I always order 2-3 bottles."
Mr Kevin Barry (02-Jun-2017)
2015 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Delicious good value everyday white"
Mr Pierre Hyde (08-Apr-2017)
"A lovely surprise with this bottle, bursting with flavour. Still not fully convincedure it would be great for outdoor drinking on a warm summer day so may well come back to get some more when it warms up!
"
Mr Addam Merali-Hosiene (30-Dec-2016)
"I ordered a couple of bottles of this wine earlier this year to see if it had improved from the rather thin, acidic and disappointing wine I tried about 4 years ago. It was much better - and belied its modest alcohol content. The most recent reviews are accurate - refreshing, crisp, fruity and a bargain at this price. 4 stars overall, probably 5 for value."
Mr Mark Colman (30-Sep-2016)
"Had only intended to have a solitary glass during dinner, in the interests of keeping within the recommended weekly allowance of alcohol units ( for what it is worth) but ended up quaffing the whole bottle, ably abetted in the latter stages by my partner. Lovely,balanced, crisp and fatally moreish, this cries out summer! Echo previous comments - excellent value."
Dr Martin Maida (25-Aug-2016)
"Really nice crisp dry white for a great price. I have bought this many times and each vintage seems to be as good as the last one.
Can be drunk on its own or with food."
Mr Michael Colquhoun (11-Aug-2016)
"A straightforward, crisp wine without any foibles!
Excellent value....I'll be buying more"
Mr Robert Summers (20-Jun-2016)
"We had this wine in a mixed case and enjoyed it so much we decided to order another case for our wedding later this year. Perfect for a summer evening party, and fantastic value for money."
Mr Keith Watson (27-May-2016)
"James Brown is so right, this wine is fab for summer and used to be a top 10 favourite - should still be so!!"
Mr Ian Handley (19-May-2016)
"The 2015 is fantastic value, fresh fruity, zingy and dry, and inviting enough to drink on its own or with a light supper. Its a perfect BBQ summer party wine, and good enough for everyday drinking. Its almost perfect!"
Mr James Brown (10-May-2016)
2015 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Carlisle Living (28th Jul 2016)
"
Impressive
crowd-pleaser with bright, almost tropical, fruit flavours and a zesty, clean
dry finish.
- Pippa Sedgwick
"
2014 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"A wine to blow the winter cobwebs away. Refreshing, clean, and light. The balance in this vintage is less acidic than previous years. A perfect wine for lunch. Cuts through creamy and fatty dishes beautifully. It's a real steal at this price."
Mr Kevin Barry (10-Dec-2015)
2013 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"The other reviews here make for interesting reading; one describes the "teeth whitening acidity levels" while another complains of a lack of "balancing acidity". Perhaps this wine is indeed highly variable but I found the majority of reviewers have this about right: it is a very good value wine, delivering well rounded, fresh and light drinking that would suit many occasions; I will be reordering. While not a disappointment to me, the addition of Sauvignon Blanc to the usual combination of Colombard and Ugni Blanc should, as another reviewer commented, be better trailed in the catalogue descriptions. I am a long-standing fan of NZ SB so welcome its presence in this wine but it has undoubtedly changed its character and buyers might benefit from knowing this upfront."
Mr Emerson Roberts (22-Dec-2014)
"We received 2 bottles of this wine as part of a mixed case. Perhaps it varies in quality as we found The Society's Cote de Gascogne an example of the mediocre, characterless white wines that we joined The Wine Society to avoid. Almost medium dry and with little hint of balancing acidity, the only way to enjoy was as a spritzer."
Mr Martin Arrowsmith (08-Dec-2014)
"A great wine for a summer's day. Crisp, dry with good fruit and refreshing acidity. Main problem is that is always the first wine to run out at parties."
Dr Laurence Measey (20-Aug-2014)
"Yes this is a standout wine - especially at this price. It's delicious."
Mrs Rosalind Gray (02-Jul-2014)
"Dry and delicious with a bit of zing. Utterly drinkable - can't wait for a warm summer afternoon when it will be perfect."
Mr Nigel H D Green (10-Mar-2014)
"Found this wine far too astringent with teeth whitening acidity levels. May make a decent Kir."
Mr Jonathan Rippon (26-Feb-2014)
"My first ever Wine Society bottle. And a pretty good introduction. Not extraordinary, but great value and very balanced with delicate food. Nice to have a flavoursome wine at relatively low alcohol content."
Mr Chris Walters (31-Oct-2013)
"This is fantastic value, classy, well rounded, fresh and light enough that you can drink it gallons of it! Perfect for parties or every day drinking, this has become a regular order for me. Highly recommended and leagues ahead of many wines twice the price. Great summer drinking."
Mr Tom Scrivens (25-Aug-2013)
"For me, this wasn't a bad wine at all, but I did find it a little uninspiring. Compared with wines you can buy in your supermarket at this price, it's still head and shoulders above, but the Wine Society has a few others in this bracket that I've preferred.
Fresh and citrusy straight out of the fridge, but the body behind it gave way to a slightly thick aftertaste that didn't sit too well with me. I probably won't pick this one up again - though my brother (who doesn't usually buy the wine!) did really enjoy it."
Mr Asa Joseph (15-Aug-2013)
"I have always liked Cotes de Gascogne wine but I was disappointed by this example because of the addition of Sauvignon Blanc to the usual combination of Colombard and Ugni Blanc. In my view the SB detracted from the usual grassy freshness of the wine. It is a pity that the Wine Society does not always mention the combination of grapes used in the catalog descriptions."
Mr Jack Gentle (13-Jul-2013)
"It is the first time I have tried this wine and I have to say I am really impressed, fantastic zingy fruit flavours with reasonable weight and depth at a good price."
Mr Gregory Williams (03-Jul-2013)
"I can see from the reviews below that I'm in a minority of 1, but I found this so light and boring that I nearly abandoned it and opened a bottle of something else (like apple juice for instance). Not for me, sorry."
Mr Martin Turner (09-Jun-2012)
"This is a very pleasant fresh and zingy quaff. At the price, I think is is very good value. I imagine I will get some more in time for the summer."
Mr Richard Morton (26-Feb-2012)
"Despite having been a member for many years I've only just started drinking this wine. Really excellent value and delightful after a hard day in the office. The girls all like it too so a family favourite, fruity but light. I have added it to my list of excellent wines from The Wine Society."
Peter J Cathcart Esq (24-Aug-2011)
"I chose 3 bottles of this in a recent mixed case. I opened a bottle last night and had a cheeky glass while my girlfriend and I were cooking. We were most disappointed when we came to eat the meal as we'd managed to quaff the bottle before eating. A great, versatile, light summer wine. Will be ordering some more."
Mr Martin Wingate (03-Jul-2011)
"Like other members, I have been buying this wine for years, and, for the most part, I'd go along with the very favourable comments which people have made.
But ... the last case I bought has been a disappointment. There's nothing positively wrong with the wine, and I think it's pretty fair value for money as a cheap quaffable white. However, something seems to be different. Sadly, I don't have a bottle of the previous batch for comparison purposes, but, according to my memory, this new batch tastes flatter and, somehow, duller.
I also notice that, unlike the Society's Dry French White and The Society's Chilean Sauvignon Blanc (both delicious wines), it doesn't feature in the Society's 2010 Champions leaflet - so perhaps my opinion is shared by others more expert than me..."
W G R Stevens Esq (12-Jul-2010)
"My wife has drunk this wine almost exclusively for at least 12 years, dating back to the days when it was Domaine du Tariquet Ugni Blanc and Colombard Vin de Pays from Threshers and Bottoms Up, When it disappeared from their shelves she was distraught, and I had to source cases from France and Germany, Chancing to study the Society's list one day, I was struck that the Society's VdP des Cotes de Gascogne must be the same wine, which indeed it is. We now make regular jaunts to Montreuil to replenish stocks, which since we are both now retired makes a pleasant day out, though by the time we have bought some crabs at the Boulogne Fish market and had lunch, we don't save much!"
Mr Richard A L Young (22-Jun-2010)
"This is a great favourite of mine. I love the clean dry taste, but especially I love the fact that it has low alcohol. Why oh why doesn't the Society include more lower alcohol white and red wines in the list? Perhaps they could even include some reds and whites from those wine makers where part of the alcohol is centrifuged out - leaving the full taste of wine but half the alcohol. Those wines would be a great addition to the Wine Society list."
Miss Joanna Frith (10-Mar-2010)
"Having tried many Society wines with great pleasure this is the only one that after several trials with or without food the verdict of family & friends is- undrinkable unless you are someone who loves drinking fresh lemon juice. From the numerous glowing reviews it shows everyone has a different palette.I think the wine description could include - "will suit lovers of fresh lemons""
Mr Chris Booth (05-Nov-2009)
"Our favourite Society white wine. Consistently fresh, crisp and delicious, it's dry with a sweet "edge" - a perfect accompaniment to many dishes or simply enjoyed on its own. My wife is reluctant to drink anything else."
Mr Charles N Lewis (08-Oct-2009)
"A pleasant wine for everyday drinking. My wife likes it particularly as the alcohol content is lower than almost all the other wines on your list."
Mr C M Clough (17-Sep-2009)
"This is a delightful, relatively light and fresh wine which we find ideal for drinking before a meal or during. On balance my wife and I both prefer it as a pre-dinner drink, my wife adding some ice as well. A most quaffable wine and always of a consistent quality."
Mr Martin Andrew (16-Aug-2009)
"I am a new member of the Wine Society and just learning my way step by step. This purchase was a huge success, really excellent value, the whole family loved it, in fact I had to give my sister-in-law one of the bottles to take home! I'm about to place my next order, and it will include a repeat of this wine."
Mr John Passmore (12-Aug-2009)
"Perfect summer drinking & great value."
Mr Michael Dobney (11-Aug-2009)
"A pleasant summer wine, which is exactly what it claims to be, but bland and rather light to our taste. We are unlikely to order it again."
George L Edwards Esq (10-Aug-2009)
"I have ordered this wine before, but not for some time. Recently I ordered 2 cases of 12 and have been regretting it ever since. This is the first time since I became a member many decades ago that both I and my wife have really disliked a Society wine. We found it very dry with a most unattractive taste but I could not say it was "off".Am I all alone in making such comments about this wine?
Note from The Wine Society:
We want all wine purchased from The Society to be enjoyable. If it is not, then we would like to hear about it, and would encourage members to contact Member Services on 01438 741177."
Mr Brian Prevost (10-Aug-2009)
"A very dry wine with a fruity flavour reminiscent of gooseberries. Good value for money."
Mr Keith Slater (10-Aug-2009)
"I buy this wine principally for a frequent guest who finds it really enjoyable - dry but not too dry. It has proved acceptable to most palates as both an aperitif and luncheon wine. I have also served it at many parties - in and out of doors - and can confirm that it always goes down very well."
Miss Kinn H McIntosh MBE MA (10-Aug-2009)
"A crisp dry white with light fruit and good acidity and balance. A lovely summer wine - sitting on the patio in sunshine (when it appears!)"
Peter H Jacobsen Esq (08-Aug-2009)
"This is our favourite everyday white by a long margin. It is also our favourite Cotes de Gascogne by the Wine Society or other provider. We have I think now tried all the different wine soc. ones. It unfortunately has gone up in price in the last year but that is life. It is clear, fresh, light and reasonably dry. Smell and taste has Grapefruit and Lemon undertones, without the sickly aftertaste or hint that sometimes accompanies whites of this price bracket. Very easy to drink with food or without. Very adaptable to fish or pasta dishes. A great everyman of wines."
Dr Christopher Wood (08-Aug-2009)
"This wine is fruity and ideal for a summer spritzer. At 10% it is one that can be quaffed without too much of a hang over."
Mr Christopher Samuel (07-Aug-2009)
"This wine is excellent - very drinkable. The more the merrier!"
Samuel M Legerton Esq (07-Aug-2009)
"Very quaffable little number. Excellent for summer lunchtimes. The bottom of the bottle is reached all too swiftly!"
Mr Roger Greenfield (06-Aug-2009)
"This wine is first class value for money. Given its relatively humble appellation it delivers a smooth, full and delightful flavour and my wife enjoys it immensely."
Mr W J McLaughlin (06-Aug-2009)
"Lovely fresh fruity Vin de Pays, perfect for summer evenings if we get any!"
Dr Robert K T Williams (05-Aug-2009)
"The Society's Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne has long been a favourite tipple. The clean freshness makes it ideal for all occasions."
John D Hewitt Esq (05-Aug-2009)
"The Wine Society offers many great wines, most of which cost more than this, but for simple every day drinking this must rank as one of the best on offer anywhere. Dry but fruity and certainly not acidic it can be enjoyed by itself or with a range of foods - fish, chicken, chinese, light curries. It is a great bbq wine. Furthermore it is not without importance that unlike many New World equivalents it has a relatively low alcohol content. I thoroughly recommend this wine - and am about to open a bottle!"
Mr Arthur Gibson (05-Aug-2009)
"We find it smooth with a pleasant hint of dryness in the after taste."
Mr Barrington Jarrold (05-Aug-2009)
"Crisp, light and a steal at the price. A perfect summer's afternoon quaff."
Mr Allan E Rogerson (05-Aug-2009)
"This was the very first bottle of wine we tried from our first order from The Wine Society. We were very pleasantly surprised by this delightful little wine - very light, crisp and slightly sherberty. A superb aperatif!"
Mrs Jennifer Oldis (10-Apr-2009)