Available in 160 Waitrose stores, fifty pence from each bottle sold is put into a Piggy Bank, and when it reaches £10,000, they will give the money to a group of charities. Utilising social media, the customers can pick one of three charities, and the pot of cash is divvied up proportionally amongst the trio. This is a concept that Waitrose have been doing for a long time with their in-store 'token bins', and this is why I believe this sort of concept, ideally targeted at the typical Waitrose customer, could be a success. The only question remaining is 'are the wines any good?'. I was sent two bottles to try.
2011 Piggy Bank Sauvignon Blanc (Elqui Valley, Chile)
Winemaker: Giorgio Flessati
Bright, crisp apple with some lovely light lemon and elderflower coming off. There is a slight burnt note emerging though that I'm not entirely pleased about - it is almost like burning plastic. The palate is ok, shows some brighter fruit, but again there is this burnt note coming out. There is also a bit too high alcohol, and the acid is a bit punchy on the finish, which has some nice grassy, vegetal flavours. It is ok, but I can show you dozens of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc that are just as nice for a pound less. 76pts
2011 Piggy Bank Tempranillo (Estremadura, Spain)
Winemaker: Norrel Robertson MW
Some meaty, sweeter fruit aromas balanced out with a bit of herbs and lamb sweetness. The palate leads off with a bit of firm tannin, some cherry and then more berries being coated in cocoa and charred wood. There is still a load of tannin, but it softens towards the end with a dusty, leathery note. The finish is a bit unbalanced, but it is a nice enough bottle of wine and good value. I just wish that the end was as good as the beginning. 81pts
Comments