The Leon Stolarski Blog

A couple of delightful weekend reds

2012-01-29T23:52:00.000Z

Domaine La Combe Blanche Minervois 1989

Yes, you read the vintage correctly! This bottle is part of a case that I bought from winemaker Guy Vanlancker for the princely sum of 120 Euros (which works out at around £9 a bottle) and has provided pleasurable drinking over the last year or two. Granted, at over 22 years of age, it is hardly in it's first flush of youth, but for what is essentially Guy's "basic" Minervois, it has lasted remarkably well. As far as I can recall, it is an un-oaked blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. It offers some really quite complex aromas of forest fruits, damp earth and a subtle savouriness, with notes of garrigue herbs, soft spices and old leather. And it certainly isn't difficult to spot the Syrah in the blend, as there are definite hints of violets and lilies. The palate is initially quite reticent and earthy, with delicate flavours of cherry and redcurrant, subtle herby and spicy nuances and a hint of licorice. It even seems to fade quite quickly in the glass for a while, but once the bottle has been open for an hour or two, the aromas and flavours really begin to blossom - which, to be honest, is the opposite of what I expected. There's still a touch of sweet bramble lurking in there, allied to sour red fruits, with wonderful acidity and even a touch of tannic grip. As I type, it is almost 8 hours since I opened the bottle and the final glass is definitely the best. It really is quite delicious, with a sweet and sour finish that lingers for a good while. I sill have 2 or 3 bottles left, and on this showing, they should provide some lovely drinking over the next year or two. Who says Languedoc wines don't age? 12.5% abv.

Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Haut Cotes de Nuits 2005

This, on the other hand, is a relatively youthful wine, which has taken a full 24 hours to really show it's class. When I opened it last night, it was a touch closed and primary, but it has now opened-up into a fine example of it's kind. Wines from the Haut Cotes (being just one step up from basic Bourgogne Pinot Noir)are often considered to be relatively light and inconsequential, when compared to the Village and 1er cru wines, but when they are made by a good grower in a good (or in this case potentially great) vintage, they can provide wonderful drinking. And this one has all the attributes one could possibly expect from "lower end" Burgundy. The nose is essence of Pinot Noir - bright cherry and raspberry fruit aromas, forest floor, soft spice, leather, orange peel. There's a touch of oak influence too, but it seems totally in keeping with the fruit and adds complexity. The so-called experts will tell you that it is impossible to gauge acidity (or sweetness) from the nose, but when you stick your nose in the glass, you just know it is going to be there. And so it goes - a gloriously balanced wine, with ripe red fruit flavours, married to just the right amount of wood and grape tannin and truly mouth-watering acidity. Being from the higher slopes (somewhat relative, as there are no really big hills in Burgundy) it is essentially fairly light-bodied, yet with sufficient concentration and complexity to satisfy any Burgundy lover. Incidentally, I once read a comment on a wine forum, by a rather stuffy person fitting that description, along the lines that Burgundy has less to do with the grape than the terroir. The suggestion being that Burgundy would make great red wines, whatever grape variety was planted. Which, frankly, is just about as anally-retentive and pretentious a comment as I've ever heard about wine. Nevertheless, this is perhaps the sort of wine that could persuade lovers of new-world Pinot (or indeed Pinot from anywhere else) that Burgundy really is the best place in the world to grow Pinot Noir. It's just a shame about the prices - although this one was a relative bargain at £16 a bottle (and you can still buy it, in the Lay & Wheeler Sale). 13.0% abv.

Coincidentaly, my next post will feature my notes from a rather excellent recent tasting of white and red Burgundy wines from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages.

Is it me, or is it the wine?

2012-01-22T21:32:00.004Z

Whenever I open one of "my" wines - i.e. the ones I actually sell, I always want to love them. And, in the main, that is usually the case. Once in a while though, I open a bottle which for some or other reason struggles to hit the spot. It may be because I'm just having an off-day, perhaps the wrong wine/food pairing, or because it is a root day (or some such clash with the mysterious biodynamic calendar!) - or perhaps there is just something not quite right about the bottle. Here's one that's been vexing me and testing my olfactory and gustatory senses over the past few evenings.......

Domaine d'Estoublon Blanc 2008 Vin de Pays des Alpilles
A blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, aged in oak for 11 months. I still can't quite make up my mind about this bottle. On the first night, it seemed to lack the freshness and vitality I expect in what is still essentially a relatively young white wine. Those of you that are familiar with this wine (the third vintage in a row that I have listed) will know that it always has a rich, ripe, quince and apricot quality to it, along with a lightly oxidative style which can certainly split the jury. But this bottle initially seemed a little too oxidative, perhaps even a bit "warm", though certainly falling short of sherried or tired. But I'm not sure I was enjoying it, even though I opened it especially to go with a simple dish of pasta, herbs, garlic, olive oil, peppers, chilli and mushrooms. By Friday evening (day 2) it had opened-up considerably and was even beginning to show a little freshness and charm. By Saturday, it was even better, with the fruit still intact and the herby, spicy and floral/honeysuckle nuances that I expect from this wine adding complexity. By tonight (day 4) it is just about singing. Was it just me and my particular mood at the time, or do I simply need to admit that I will occasionally encounter a slightly iffy (rather than overtly faulty) bottle - even if it is one of "my" wines? And if a customer had bought this bottle, would they have given it as much of a chance as I did to clean its act up? Somehow, I doubt it - which would be a shame, but I could hardly blame them. But it was worth the wait, even if it wasn't quite what I had expected. Anyway, despite my experience with this particular bottle, I can still heartily recommend that you give this wine a go. So if you want to try one, you can buy it for £22.99 - which is less than half the price of a white Trévallon. ;-)

Domaine de Montcalmes 2004 Coteaux du Languedoc
60% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, aged for 2 years in a mix of 1 and 2 year-old barrels. This, on the other hand, came across as a really delicious wine from the moment I opened the bottle - an excellent example of right place, right time, right wine. If I had tasted this blind, I might well have suggested it was a rather excellent Northern Rhone Syrah, such is it's delightful perfume of red and black fruits, mineral/schiste and flowers/lilies. But then I am usually inclined to jump in with what my instincts first tell me, rather than thinking to myself "hang on a minute - what else could it be?" An initial whiff of what I thought might be brett soon subsided to reveal a hint of savoury meatiness - not just smoked bacon (a la Hermitage or Cornas) but also rare roast beef, a la Bandol, which would suggest a touch of Mourvedre. Then there is a whiff of crystallised raspberry, which manifests as a hint of sweetness and richness to the palate, courtesy of the Grenache. A herbiness, redolent of basil, oregano and spearmint, and even a hint of fresh tobacco, add further interest to what is an utterly compelling and complex wine. It also has that crucial ingredient that I crave in any wine (whether red, white or whatever) - it is refreshing, with a lovely touch of seville orange on the nose, which comes through in the delightfully citrussy acidity on the palate. There's a touch of tannin - not too much - but the balance is spot-on. So there you have it - a complete wine that I find hard to fault. And although it is wonderfully complex already, I can see it improving further for a good few years yet. Who knows, in another 10 years' time, it could be an absolute classic and the sort of wine that will one day make the world sit up and notice that the Languedoc deserves a place in the list of the world's great wine regions. I'm just glad I have another 4 or 5 bottles! (Price around £18-£20 - though currently not from me).

As a footnote, it is worth looking at a couple of previous posts on Domaine de Montcalmes (a 2004 and a 2005). And here are several posts on Chateau d'Estoublon wines - including a 2008 white. Which only goes to show (as the old adage says) that "there are no great wines, just great bottles".

A serious (and seriously age-worthy) Cahors

2012-01-18T13:21:00.000Z

Here's a wine I have had on my list for a month or two, but have only just got around to tasting - young Cahors can be challenging, so I wanted to ensure I was in the right frame of mind before confronting it (and had a nice lump of medium-rare steak to pair it with)!

Chateau Haut-Monplaisir Pur Plaisir 2007 Cahors

100% Malbec, aged for 20 months in oak barrels. This is not quite black, but it isn't far off - the colour is deep, dark, opaque purple with barely even a visible rim! On day one, it is pretty difficult to taste, such is the sheer taughtness of its structure, although there is clearly a very serious wine lurking beneath. On day 2, it begins to open-up and show real class, displaying intense aromas of bramble, blackcurrant, black cherry and plum, with background notes of damp earth, polished leather, cedar and charred oak. And whilst the tannins are still very grippy and tight, the fruit is much more expressive - ripe, extracted and spicy, though certainly not overtly rich or sweet, with plenty of balancing acidity. Previous vintages of this wine have come across as rather modern and - though possibly still built to last - made to be approachable at a relatively young age. This one, however, makes no attempt to please the moderinists and probably needs at least 5 more years (and possibly 10+) to even begin to show its true potential. But with that much structure - and that much fruit - this is a wine which will eventually blossom into something rather special - and blow many loftier (and far more expensive) so-called "classed growth" Clarets out of the water. 14.0% abv. £24.95.

Moulin à Vent - a distinctive terroir?

2012-01-17T23:30:00.000Z

These notes are from last week's themed tasting at the Nottingham Wine Circle, hosted by my good friend and Beaujolais aficionado Peter Bamford. The title is Peter's, not mine, and whilst a definitive answer to the question may be hard to pin down, the line-up included a fair few wines showing real finesse and complexity.

I've got a luverly bunch of Beaujolais - Peter Bamford (right)

1. Yvon Métras 2010

A pale-ish colour, like a light Pinot. The nose displays noticable volatile acidity, in almost Musar-like proportions. But it also offers plenty of sweet raspberry and redcurrant fruit aromas, along with a hint of tangy rhubarb, which almost puts me in mind of a Joseph Swan Pinot. The palate is quite earthy, but again really fruity, with flavours of cherries, redcurrants, some spicy/peppery notes and a welcome touch of stalky tannin, making for a wine of real charm and some complexity. I took the bottle home with me and the last half-glass, tasted 24 hours later, was still lovely - and that VA had almost disappeared. A lovely wine.

2. Domaine des Terres Dorées Jean-Paul Brun 2009

By contrast, this has a very deep colour and a quite tarry/extracted nose. There is plenty going on, though, with aromas of dark cherry, rhubarb and custard, cedar and forest floor - serious Beaujolais, with a good deal of complexity. The palate seems very young and perhaps a little disjointed at present, with stalky tannins and sharp acidity, but plenty of dark fruit flavours and real minerality and structure, suggesting a wine to keep for a few years. Excellent wine, with a very promising future. I believe this wine can be had for around £12, which makes it a fabulous bargain in my book.

3. Domaine Gay-Coperet Vieilles Vignes 2009

Another sweet red fruit nose - ripe strawberries and cherries. This is perhaps rounder and more together than the Terre Dorées, but lacks the structure and sheer vivacity of that wine. That's not to write it off completely, but this one is merely a decent quaffer in comparison.

4. Thibault Liger-Belair La Roche 2009

Another deep-coloured wine, with a gloriously complex nose of sous-bois, herbs, spices, dark fruits with red fruit nuances, beetroot, a touch of tar and well-judged oak. It is amost Italian in style, insofar as it has bags of beautifully ripe sweet and sour cherry fruit and excellent underlying acidity. For me, this has real potential - it is utterly delicious right now, but I can see it ageing and evolving for a good few years yet.

5. Chateau des Jacques Clos de Rochegres Louis Jadot 2009

Deeply coloured again, with a tarry nose hiding what is obviously some big, dark, extracted fruit. The palate is rather un-Beaujolais-like in its richness, intensity and sheer extraction. Some suggested Rhone, though it puts me more in mind of a SuperTuscan blend. That said, it has bags of fruit and excellent structure, and could potentially be excellent in another 5 to 10 years. One to age.

6. Jean-Paul Dubost 2008

This is the third bottle I have tasted of this wine and each time it has been lovely. It is light in colour and actually slightly cloudy, with a quirky mix of aromas ranging from cranberry and redcurrant at the fruity end to Marmite and Cheddars at the savoury end. The palate is remarkably fresh, with delightful acidity, a mix of fresh and crystallised red fruit flavours and soft, unobtrusive tannins. It really is quite delicious. The problem is, I fear it needs drinking fairly quickly, because of an almost beer-like quality which - whilst making it thoroughly enjoyable to drink now - betrays its "natural" (i.e. non-interventionist and non-sulphur) origins. That said, I could be wrong (it has been known!), for the remainder of the bottle, finished the following evening, was still enjoyable - and the mere fact that it had not yet turned to vinegar indicated that it is perhaps stable enough to last another year or two. But if you have some, you could do worse than drink it now, for it is a lovely wine and I can't see it getting any better.

7. Domaine du Moulin d'Eole Selection par Union des Viticulteurs 2007
This reeks of fennel and Calvados - not a good sign in my book, at least for a Beaujolais. It tastes of alcohol, too, with harsh, stalky tannins and overextracted fruit. It is one-dimensional, with a harsh/hot finish. I'm not sure whether it is a faulty bottle or just the result of bad winemaking - either way, it isn't a pleasant drink.

8. Clos du Tremblay Paul Janin et Fils 2006
An unusual nose - yeast/bread, meat and Marmite, with a touch of coal fire thrown in for good measure. Earthy stuff, an really quite complex. The palate is big and with not a little structure, but perhaps seems a bit too rich and extracted (and perhaps even jammy) for my liking. It currently lacks elegance and acidity, which may (or may not) emerge in time.

9. Chateau de Beauregard Clos des Perelles 2005
Goodness me this is a class act! Classy oak, too, but don't let that put you off, for this is a wine of real complexity, with fabulous red fruit and exotic spice aromas and flavours, with savoury notes and earthy minerality. Admittedly, the oak needs a little time to integrate, but the almost Pinot-esque fruit is so bright and delicious, it is a joy to drink now. There are a good few Burgundy nuts in this tasting group and a few of them were gurning and gritting their teeth when I dared to suggest that this stood comparison to a top Village or even 1er Cru from the Cote de Nuits, but I would challenge anyone to pick it out, if placed as a ringer in a Burgundy tasting. An absolutely top-notch Moulin à Vent, which whilst wonderful now, also has a glorious future ahead of it.

10. Domaine Gay-Coperet Vieilles Vignes 2005
This is quite a decent drink, but is all a bit "after the Lord Mayor's Show". Decent structure, with good acidity and grip, but suffers in comparison to what went before it.

11. Chateau des Jacques, “La Roche”, Louis Jadot 2003
Aromas of raspberry compote, tar and smoke, with a hint of typical 2003 overripeness, which comes across as Pepsi. That said, it does have some charm and is actually rather good for a 2003 - rich, opulent, perhaps even a touch jammy, but with what I suspect is a rather good structure, which may well emerge properly after another 5 to 10 years in bottle. If you have some, I suggest you tuck it away for a few years. A promising wine.

12. Chateau des Jacques, “Clos de Rochegres”, Louis Jadot 2002
I was expecting good things from this wine, since 2002 was a pretty decent vintage in Burgundy and Beaujolais, but it was a real let-down. The aromas and flavours were dominated by mushroom, forest floor, damp earth, pickled cabbage and eau de vie - and not much in the way of freshness or fruit. For some reason, it put me in mind of a badly-made SuperTuscan wine from a hot year. Either it is simply past its best or (more likely) just a bad bottle.

13. Chateau des Jacques, “La Roche”, Louis Jadot 2000
Ah, now this is more like it! Really lovely, with almost Pinot-esque fruit and secondary aromas of sous-bois and polished wood. And there's plenty of life left in it too, with deliciously fresh raspberry, cherry and strawberry flavours and touch of spice and earthiness. Another utterly delicious wine, and I would again challenge anyone to pick this out as an interloper in a blind tasting of fine red Burgundies.

14. Union des Viticulteurs 1999
This smells a touch tarry and vegetal (in a red cabbage sort of way) but the palate is delightful - still juicy and mouth-watering, with some discernible strawberry fruit, cracking acidity and loads of tertiary aromas and flavours. It is amazing how a 12 year-old Beaujolais can be stylistically similar to a 20 year-old Burgundy. Lovely stuff........ Oh dear, that is the third time in one tasting that I have compared a Moulin à Vent to a Burgundy - I can almost hear the purists' teeth gnashing as I type!

15. L. Charvet 1972

This was an "extra", kindly brought by David Selby (whose fabulous cellar - and generosity in sharing some of its contents - I have mentioned many times before). I won't bore you with any more Burg comparisons (and let's face it, there's always a fair chance that some older wines from Beaujolais and Burgundy in general could contain a fair dollop of southern Rhone grapes!) but this was simply wonderful and so alive. Not so much fresh, of course, but delightfully complex, even quite rich, and full of fruit, albeit 40 year-old fruit. I was just so taken by its sheer lovliness - and at this rate, it would probably still be lovely in another 10 or 20 years. A remarkable bottle, sadly now empty, but proudly sitting amongst my other "hall of fame" bottles on the welsh dresser behind me.

So what of the title of this post - is Moulin à Vent a distinctive terroir? Well, to be honest, it is hard to say, although it certainly seems rather distinct from most (if not all) of the other Beaujolais crus. Of course, if you are enough of a wine geek to be reading this blog, you will be aware that all red Beaujolais is made from Gamay, not Pinot Noir. But there is no denying that the really good ones have a Pinot-like quality and character. In the younger ones, this may be accentuated by the oak regime, but in the older ones, where the influence of the oak is minimal and therefore the "winemaking" is less of an issue, the similarity can be even more marked. In some ways, it is quite unfair to compare Moulin à Vent to wines from a completely different grape variety, and from another (more highly-esteemed) region. But one thing I can say for sure is that - on this showing - Moulin à Vent is undoubtedly the best terroir in Beaujolais and the source of some mightily impressive wines. And I will certainly be seeking a few to tuck away for the future.

A busy time since Christmas, and saying goodbye to a couple of friends

2012-01-07T20:03:00.001Z

All of a sudden I find we are well into the New Year and it is a full 2 weeks since I last posted on this Blog. But perhaps I should resign myself to the fact that the combined responsibilities of being a wine merchant (thankfully a very busy one at this time of year) and family man/domestic god do not always allow much time for other stuff. And although I guess there may be potential "commercial" benefits in writing a wine blog (it helps me connect with customers, potential customers and like-minded all-round wine enthusiasts in a more human way than a purely retail website can ever hope to do) it has always felt more like a labour of love for me. And it is of course gratifying when so many people tell me I write well and provide the sort of content that they find interesting and/or thought-provoking. But there are times when something has to give, and around Christmas and New Year, it is blogging!

I'm heartened by the fact that, since I gave up the day job at the end of October, my sales stats are around 15% up on the same period in the previous year - hence the extra workload. So whatever I have done differently (and I'm really not sure what) it has worked. Indeed, if I could keep up that sort of growth for the rest of this year, in what is still a very difficult economic climate, I would be a very happy bunny! So my thanks go to all of those that have supported me and bought my wines over the past few months and indeed over the past year - I am truly grateful. :-)

I haven't been spending all of my time working, of course, but neither has it been all play. Since Christmas, I have attended the funerals of two friends, both of whom I got to know as a direct result of my interest in wine.

Firstly, Ian Ball, a wine-pages.com "forumite" and regular attendee at various Nottingham wine events over the past few years. Ian was diagnosed with leukaemia a couple of years ago and fought it long and hard, even managing to attend the occasional wine evening when he felt well enough, in-between various forms of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. And despite what he was going through, he always had a ready smile and a kind word - and most importantly of all, a positive outlook. Sadly, Ian died on 12 December, after almost 6 weeks in intensive care, as a result of pneumonia and immunosuppression following a bone marrow transplant. Ian clearly touched a lot of people's lives, judging by the attendance at his memorial service on 28 December. I knew he loved walking and cycling (and of course wine) but I had been unaware of his charity work and the fact that he once rode around the world on a motorcycle! To be taken at the age of 47 is far too early, but Ian clearly lived life to the full whilst he could. I should also mention his wife Ruth, who we also know well from our wine get-togethers, and has my utmost admiration for the strength and determination she showed, during what must have been a very trying and emotional couple of years. Hopefully, we will continue to enjoy the pleasure of Ruth's company for many years to come.

And then on Christmas Eve, long-standing Nottingham Wine Circle member John Houghton died at the age of 78. John was diagnosed with cancer just 2 or 3 months ago, since when I hadn't seen him, although I did speak with him on the phone just a few days before he died, when he called me with a view to helping him sell some of his wines. He knew he didn't have long to live, so was busy cataloging his wines, with a view to raising some extra money and easing the burden for Sylvia, his wife of 54 years. I would have been honoured to do such a favour for him, but sadly I never did get the follow-up email or call. John was a very popular member of the Wine Circle, with a tremendous palate and an encyclopedic knowledge of all things wine, but especially Italian wine. Many years ago, he even planted a small vineyard in his home village in south Nottinghamshire, purely for the pleasure of growing his own grapes and making a little wine for home consumption - again, something I never knew until after he died. But I did know he was very partial to good Jurancon, and he knew exactly who to come to for it! ;-) Since I became a member of Nottingham Wine Circle around 6 years ago, I have had the privilege of sharing good wines on an almost weekly basis with John Houghton. I liked him a lot, and I shall miss him dearly.

Having not posted for a couple of weeks, I have a bit of a backlog of notes from various tastings, plus a few other thoughts that may be worth sharing. I hope to have the time to publish these over the next few days and weeks. Meanwhile, I wish you all a rather belated Happy New Year and the best of everything for 2012.

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-24T23:49:00.000Z

It's been a busy few days and I'm whacked, after preparing lots of wine orders, shopping for TLD's pressies (completed only yesterday afternoon!) plus a round of golf this afternoon. It is now 11pm on Christmas Eve, and TLD and I have just finished the preparation for tomorrow's Christmas dinner for 11 people. The chicken liver parfait was a bit of a labour of love (and I have the chutney and bread to make in the morning) but it should be worth the effort. The table is set, the turkey is ready for the oven (as well as a duck, for a little added interest and flavour), the pigs are in their blankets, the spuds are peeled and the sprouts are ready for..... well, whatever it is you do with sprouts (I hate 'em). All I need to do in the morning is make my bread and prepare the carrots (I par-boil, then glaze with butter and brown sugar), red cabbage (baked, with apple, onion and Port), mushrooms and stuffing. Oh, and bung the Christmas Pudding in (I wanted to try my hand at making one myself, but TLD vetoed that idea).

If everything goes to plan, it should be a relatively relaxing day, with just a little time spent in the kitchen and a lot of time enjoying being with my family and playing with the toys that Santa brings - if I have been good enough, that is!

Now all I have to do is wrap the pressies and get a much-need bite to eat, since I've suddenly realised I haven't eaten a thing for 12 hours. :-( Mind you, I do seem to have polished-off two-thirds of a bottle of Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris 2008, which is truly scrummy and almost a meal in itself. I can't be bothered to prepare a link, but if you want some, you know where you can buy it! ;-)) I'm not sure what I will choose to pair with the Christmas dinner, but I have some nice old white Burgundy, red Rhone, fizz and of course some nice reds and whites from Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence, so nobody will go short of a decent drink or two. What about you?

Anyway, what I really want to say is a big thank you to all of you that read or follow this blog and of course to all of the people that have both supported me and bought my wines over the past year - you make all the hard work worth it.

I wish you all peace, love, happiness, and a very happy Christmas.

A decent weekday quaffer from Gascony

2011-12-19T22:48:00.000Z

Earlier today, I had a visit from Liz and Tony Gledhill, a charming couple who became friends with Jonathan Treloar and Rachel Hesford, during their (ultimately successful) search for vineyards in Roussillon. The rest is history, of course, but I didn't realise until recently that the Gledhills (who at the time owned a house just a few kilometres from Trouillas, where Jon and Rachel finally found a home for Domaine Treloar) had actually set up a small business, aimed at helping them find a market for their wines in the UK. Liz and Tony have since sold the house and have also recently decided to wind down their business and retire. And so it was that they offered to sell me their remaining stock of Treloar wines, mainly from the 2006 vintage (plus a handful of 2007's). I will shortly be offering these wines to my customers, as part of my end-of-year bin-end sale.

At the same time, Liz and Tony brought me a couple of sample bottles of the following wine, of which they have a few cases to offer me. Considering the age of the wine (not to mention the vintage, which because of the intenses heat was challenging, even for growers in the South-West) I was of course reluctant to take a chance, even at a knock-down price. But it actually provided me with a pleasant surprise......

Domaine de Lauroux Cuvée Confiance 2003 Cotes de Gascogne

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. As I may have mentioned before (and never tire of telling it) I spent a week in Gascony in August 2003, and it was hot. So hot, in fact, that the leaves were falling from the trees, in temperatures of up to 43C - and the nights were even more unbearable than the days! The whole summer was an absolute scorcher, with virtually no rain for 3 or 4 months, and constantly high temperatures throughout the summer. Hardly "normal" conditions, and certainly not conducive to the long, slow growing grape growing season normally encountered in this region. Nevertheless, growers in the South-West fared better than those in the (even hotter) Languedoc and Roussillon. And this wine is surprisingly fresh. It is carefully extracted, with a bright, medium-hued ruby/blood red colour and attractive aromas of blackcurrant, plum and new leather, with delicate hints of elderflower, blackcurrant leaf, vanilla and tea. Of course, there is a fair dollop of grippy tannin, but this is countered by plenty of ripe, juicy black and red fruit flavours, a touch of earthiness and a very decent level of acidity, which makes for an enjoyable, balanced, tangy/fruity/earthy glass of wine. In fact, before I know it, I have drunk 2 glasses (always a good sign, when writing a tasting note!). I would be very happy to drink this again, and may well take a few cases, with a view to selling it at around £5.99 a bottle - which would be a bargain in anyone's book.

Time for a tidy-up - or how sweet wines taste several weeks or months after opening

2011-12-18T20:58:00.000Z

I have a weakness for sweet wines of just about every description. The problem is that, although TLD and I certainly don't drink to excess, we tend to have so many bottles of wine sitting around in the kitchen at any given time (some brought back from various tasting events, others that we have opened and not quite finished) that some of them tend to get hidden or forgotten. So I decided recently that it was time to have a bit of a clear-out and make some much-needed extra space in the kitchen. Which provided an opportunity to prove (or disprove) my theory that many sweet wines actually improve for a good while after opening - in some cases, for a very long while. So here are my notes on around 15 wines, the remains of which I have tasted over the last couple of days, beginning with a trio of delicious German Rieslings......

Deinhard Winkeler Hasensprung Riesling Auslese 1976 Rheingau

4 weeks open. My oh my, that colour - a perfectly brilliant, limpid amber/gold - not bad for a 35 year-old sweet white wine! I've been privileged to taste a fair few German wines from the fabled 1976 vintage and none of them have ever disappointed. And this one is no different. The nose offers a wonderfully complex array of aromas, notably orange marmalade, roses, allspice, fenugreek and toffee, with just a hint of trademark kerosene, whilst the palate is alive with flavours of soft citrus, butterscotch, spices and herbs and a simply mouth-watering backbone of tangy acidity and minerality. The label doesn't say what the alcohol is, but I guess it must be no more than 9 or 10% abv. Whatever, this really is an exquisite wine, which hasn't suffered one bit from being open for around 5 or 6 weeks. Oh how I wish there was more than half a glass for me to enjoy!

Dr. Burkin-Wolf Wachenheimer Bohlig Riesling Beerenauslese 1989 Rheinpfalz

4 weeks open. This is a similar colour, though perhaps just a bit cloudy, though this in no way detracts from the enjoyment. The intensity level is certainly a notch higher, as can be expected from this "Pradikat" level (and from another great year, of course), with super-concentrated aromas and flavours of orange and lime, again something distinctly floral, and again with stoney minerality and a simply wonderful, almost Madeira-like tang, combining a touch of salinity and stunning citric acidity. 10.0% abv. It isn't necessarily a better wine than the 1976 Auslese - just different, and just as good. It has been a joy to revisit both of them. Amazing wines!

Kurt Hain Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2009 Mosel

2 months open. By comparison, this is pure infanticide - a 2 year-old wine that probably needs a good 10 or 15 years to really get into its stride. It is highly-perfumed, evoking spring flowers, freshly-crushed grapes, mandarin and apricot, whilst the palate is packed with intense, ripe, youthful, minerally Riesling flavours (typical of this, another great vintage). It is a lovely wine, with a great future ahead of it, but doesn't (yet) match the greatness of the above 2 wines. But give it a few years......... 7.5% abv.

Then to some full-on dessert wines.........

Domaine de Montesquiou Grappe d'Or 2009 Jurancon

2 months open. My goodness, this is a real turn-up for the books. When I first opened this bottle, I had marked it down as a wine possessed of a fabulous level of concentration and intensity, though possibly at the expense of a little of the eye-watering acidity and minerality of previous vintages. But I was wrong, for after a full 2 months of air, the concentration is still there - along with a definite whiff and flavour of honeyed botrytis - but that trademark acidity and intense minerality has come to the fore. So much so that we are very definitely back in mouth-watering territory again (I think there is a theme developing here)! If you want the complete low-down on this wine, then read the note on my website, but be sure to add a couple of extra marks onto what you read, courtesy of the development afforded by those 2 months of air. Simply stunning wine - and if you want some, it will set you back a mere £17.50. And that is for a 75cl bottle! 13.0% abv.

Andrew Quady Essensia Orange Blossom Muscat 2008 Madera, California

I honestly have no idea how long this has been open, but it may have been sitting on the kitchen worktop for as much as a year. OK, so it is no longer youthful or overtly fruit or "Muscatty", but it is still an enjoyable drop. A definite and quite cloudy amber colour, with lots of sediment, but with oodles of Seville orange marmalade aromas and flavours, notes of dried apricot, fig, root ginger and toffee, with a slightly madeirised tang and still plenty of acidity. Sort of Tokaji-meets-Muscat de Rivesaltes. Very enjoyable, with some decent complexity. 15% abv (but not fortified, as far as I know).

Mullineux Straw Wine 2009 Swartland, South Africa

On the other hand, I can say exactly how long this one has been open, because I reviewed it 10 months ago in February 2011. Back then, I wrote "I was expecting sweet and sour and tangy, but all I get is sweet." Well now I get the "tangy", for the acidity has finally managed to cut through some of that gargantuan sweetness. Don't get me wrong, it is still uber-sweet - and still almost too sweet for my palate - but the flavours have begun to meld together into something altogether more interesting, with those intense, marmalade and treacle flavours augmented by flavours of bonfire toffee, dates, figs, apricots (in fact, all manner of preserved fruits). And of course, 10 months-worth of oxygen, which has worked wonders for the (previously non-existent) level of complexity, not to mention the colour, which was treacle then, but is molasses now. And it is still possibly the sweetest wine I have ever tasted, which definitely needs more time - and lots of it. If I had another bottle, then I would tuck it away to enjoy on New Year's Eve - 2061. 8.0% abv.

Chateau Rives-Blanques Lagremas d'Aur Vendange d'Hiver 2006 Vin de France
5 months open. A blend of Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, harvested in winter. Although it still has some winey notes, it also has some tertiary, slightly cheesy notes (not unusual in Chenin-based wines) and a touch of candied white fruit. To be honest, the palate has lost some of its zest and fruit, though it still has decent length and a nice warm, slightly tangy finish.

Domaine d'Archimbaud Vendange d'Automne 2006 Vin de France
One month open. 100% Bourboulenc, a variety peculiar to the Languedoc, harvested in late autumn. I've written enthusiastically about a previous bottle of this wine, which had actually been open for much longer than a month, so this one only serves to confirm what I previously said, which is basically that it is a sublime wine, which benefits greatly from weeks (or even months) of air. Cracking stuff, and I can sell you some at the extremely reasonable price of £14.95. 14.0% abv.

And finally, a selection of fortified wines.........

Morris Liquer Muscat NV South Eastern Australia
6 months(?) I've always had a soft spot for this sort of wine, which is a speciality of quite a few growers in the region of Rutherglen, Victoria. This one, though, is labelled as South-Eastern Australia - always a bad sign, in my book, as it indicates a pretty generic wine, with grapes sourced from all over the place. It was a bit boring when I opened it and it is a bit boring now, with barely-adequate acidity, some figgy, pruney notes and toffee - but zero interest. It's a shame I have another bottle to get through. 17.5% abv.

De Bortoli Show Liquer Muscat NV South Eastern Australia
Possibly a year? This is a bit more like it - deep amber/brown and amazingly viscous, with intense flavours of marmalade, coffee, a hint of bitter dark chocolate, lots of Oloroso-like intensity and tanginess and a decent shot of orangey acidity. It isn't hugely complex, but it isn't cloying either. It hits the spot with a generous, spicy warmth and lingering, rich, marmalade and christmas cake flavours. A very decent drop, which shows no sign of deterioration. 18.0% abv.

Cave de Paziols Villa Passant Rivesaltes Hors d'Age 1989
3 months(?) I could be wrong (though I can't be bothered to look it up) but I thought "Hors d'Age" was a term for a blend of wines from different vintages, aged for a good number of years before release. But this one says 1989, so I can only assume it is from that vintage. It has held up well - even more so, considering the bottle was opened 2 or 3 months ago. As Rivesaltes go, this is a decent one, perhaps just turning a touch cheesy, but still with lots of nutty/tangy/rancio aromas and flavours, fruitcake, citrus and maybe even a hint of coffee. Oh, and excellent acidity - a pre-requisite in any good sweet wine. Not a great wine, but a very decent one. 15% abv.

Domaine Sol-Payré Terre de Pierres Rivesaltes Hors d'Age
Open for 6 months. No vintage shown on this one, which I bought whilst on a visit to the grower (whose red wines have of course been a mainstay of my list for a good few years). I can't honestly say that Rivesaltes is my favourite style of fortified wine - with it's extreme "rancio" aromas and flavours and distinct lack of grapiness, it feels like a bit of a halfway house between a dry Oloroso Sherry and a sweet Port and (despite the relatively low alcohol level) always seems a touch on the hot side. This is clearly a fine example of its kind, but possibly lacks the mellowness only found in the very best examples. There's plenty of body and burnt marmalade richness, together with a nice core of tangy acidity, and it is very long, but it lacks the real charm I am looking for. I suspect that some people would really love it (and I suppose I really ought to sell it) but I can't bring myself to give it a glowing write-up. Though having said that, it is better now than when I first opened it, so I suspect it will be rather good in another 10 or 20 years(!) 15.5% abv.

Mas de Lavail Expression 2008 Maury
6 months open. This wine, on the other hand, never fails to excite me. Like the pair of Rivesaltes above, it is made from 100% Grenache, and is actually slightly higher in alcohol at 16.0% abv, but it is so deliciously fruity and alive. The reason being that it is made by a process known as "mutage sur grains". Basically, the fully-ripe grape must is fermented just short of a normal dry wine, before the addition of a dollop of grape brandy, which stops the fermentation in its tracks. This results in a classic vintage Maury with some residual sweetness, but plenty of acidity and a warming hint of alcohol. Getting it just right can be a bit of a balancing act, but when done well, it makes for a style that is wonderfully hedonistic, yet not without subtlety - a wine just like this, in fact. It is pretty rich, with amazingly concentrated bramble and black cherry fruit and Christmas cake aromas and flavours, together with firm but ripe tannins and a warming coat of spicy alcohol, but it also possesses a backbone of deliciously juicy acidity, in a sweet/sour/tangy wine of real interest, depth and complexity. Several months on, some of the overt fruitiness has given way to an attractive savouriness, which makes it possibly - nay, definitely - even more enjoyable and complex than when first opened. Even after all that time, it is a gorgeous drink, and very long too. It also just happens to be just about the perfect Christmas wine. To my mind, this is a very special wine and is one of the top 5 bargains on my list at just £15.25.

Bacalhôa Moscatel de Setúbal Colheita 2005
2 months. Again, I sell this one, so I won't bore you with an identical tasting note, as it hasn't changed one bit in 2 months - and it is still completely yummy! I sell it for the rather ridiculous price of £12.95 (again, for a full 75cl bottle).

Quinta do Vesuvio 1992 Vintage Port
6 months(?) Somebody brought this to the Nottingham Wine Circle a good few months ago and - though I have never been a huge fan of Port - it was rather special. Perhaps even amongst the best 2 or 3 Ports I have ever tasted. Several months down the line, it is managing to hang on rather well - still a touch alcoholic (one of the things that I least like about Port is that it always seems a bit to spiritous) but still with plenty of juicy, complex black and red fruits, vanilla, spice, fruitcake and toffee, with a hint of savouriness/meatiness and a very long, warming finish. I once read a comment by someone who said that vintage Port should be consumed within a few hours of opening, to which I say "Poppycock"! This is not quite as fresh as the day it was opened, but is still just as complex and enjoyable.

So there you have it. As long as a sweet wine has something to preserve it - be that residual sugar, tannin, acidity, or all of these things - as well as a modicum of structure and complexity, it can provide enjoyable drinking for weeks, or even months, after opening. You heard it here first!

Classy young Cahors - not for the faint-hearted!

2011-12-13T11:51:00.005Z

These are my tasting notes on a couple of top-notch young Cahors reds that I have been enjoying over the past couple of evenings - and I have just added them to the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines online shop. Some of you may remember that I have featured the wines of this grower on my list before. They were pretty decent then, but these new vintages are absolute crackers.

Chateau Haut-Monplaisir Tradition 2008 Cahors

The colour of this wine is something to behold - an opaque, yet vivid purple, with a barely 2mm rim. The nose is packed with aromas of bramble, stewed plum, citrus, cedar and leather, with a hint of meaty/herby savouriness. The palate is full-bodied, young and vibrant, yet beautifully poised and fresh, with plenty of acidity to match the ripe fruit and grippy tannins. I guess the faint of heart might want to give this 2 or 3 years in the cellar to let the tannins soften a little, but I was quite happy to drink it now - with food, of course. I just happened to pair it with a grilled pork chop, but it would be ideal with a medium-rare steak, Toulouse sausages, or a hearty winter stew. £10.75.

Chateau Haut-Monplaisir Prestige 2007 Cahors

It isn't quite black, but it is almost blue! As dark as the Tradition, if not a little more so. It has pungent aromas of bramble, black cherry and plum, with all sorts of spice, tobacco and kirsch notes and a strong whiff of freshly-baked bread. And despite the colour (which is a bit daunting!) this is certainly no highly-extracted brute - rather, it is beautifully balanced, supple and not without elegance, even at this early stage. Yes, there are tannins in abundance, but they are wonderfully ripe and velvety, and once again the acidity is ample. The fruit is very ripe, but nicely extracted, whilst the judicious oak-ageing keeps it all together. It really is a lovely wine, which doesn't bore you after a single glass. Another wine which can be drunk now, with pleasure (and of course with food) or aged for a further 5 to 8 years. Superb stuff. £13.99.

Campogate - some fine investigative journalism by Jim Budd

2011-12-08T23:19:00.000Z

As a follower of various other (mostly wine-related) blogs, I've been watching with great interest the ongoing saga on Jim Budd's blog that has become known as "Campogate". As a wine journalist who has done much sterling work in investigating the more disreputable wine merchants and wine investment dealers via his investdrinks website, Jim has latterly been devoting more of his time to blogging - mostly about his favourite wine region, the Loire Valley. But that hasn't stopped him getting his teeth into this rather intriguing and possibly far-reaching wine "scandal" that has been the subject of much discussion on various wine blogs and forums. It centres on the rather shady dealings of a character by the name of Pancho Campo MW, born and raised in Chile, but now resident in Spain. Briefly, one of Señor Campo's recent activities (amongst many - see his rather grandiose CV on the Institute of Masters of Wine website) has been to facilite/coordinate visits to various Spanish wine regions by Jay Miller, who just happens to be the official taster of Spanish wines for The Wine Advocate. In other words, Miller's boss is none other than Robert Parker.

The "Campogate" scandal centres on a series of emails between Campo and the representatives of certain Spanish D.O's, in which he attempts to solicit some rather hefty fees for a proposed series of extra-curricular tastings/lectures/masterclasses by Jay Miller on his recent visit. I use the term "extra-curricular", because the code of practice applied by Robert Parker to all of his employees at The Wine Advocate stipulates that visits should be made entirely at the expense of The Wine Advocate and should not be financed in any way by the growers or the regional wine bodies. The reason behind this (so-called voluntary) code is Parker's - and therefore The Wine Advocate's - wish to remain completely independent and free from any suggestion of favouritism or hospitality. Indeed, during a long and (depending on your personal palate) distinguished career in wine, Parker's own reputation for independence has remained squeaky clean.

That money was paid out by at least two different D.O's in order to guarantee Jay Miller's recent visits now seems certain. The big question of course is exactly whose pockets were lined? I guess it will all come out in the wash. For his part, Miller insists he has "never accepted (or requested) fees for visiting wine regions or wineries", although his subsequent departure from The Wine Advocate (did he jump, or was he pushed?) hardly serves to dispel any doubts about his possible involvement in this episode. Pancho Campo, on the other hand, seems to be left holding a smoking gun, although he denies all accusations levelled at him and has indeed made threats (yet to be carried out) of legal action against Jim Budd. To his great credit, Jim has refused to be intimidated by such threats.

I'm not sure that any laws were broken during the making of this drama (though I am no legal expert), but it certainly calls into question the morality of the main player(s), whilst also not doing an awful lot to enhance the reputation of the wine journalist fraterity as a whole. Furthermore, it has more than likely caused a great deal of damage to the Parker "brand", especially since Robert Parker himself reportedly issued veiled threats of legal action against "these bloggers", from the sanctuary of his (subscription-only) discussion forum. Again, nothing has yet come of these threats, presumably because Parker now realises that he has nothing to gain, and an awful lot to lose.

Were it not for the efforts of Jim Budd and his associate Harold Heckle (a Madrid-based wine writer who first uncovered the emails in question), this scandal may never have been successfully investigated. And whilst it does have potentially serious implications (at least for Campo, and possibly for Miller) there is something almost comical about Campo's bungling attempts to stifle this investigation and deny the existence of the offending emails, despite the seemingly overwhelming evidence. One has to assume that Jay Miller now rues the day he ever met Pancho Campo. As Oliver Hardy used to say to Stan Laurel, "Well, Stanley...... here's another fine mess you've gotten me into!"

Edit: Jim has asked me to point out that credit must also go to Vincent Pousson, who originally broke the story on Facebook on 26th October, with the email sent out by Asevin (the Murcia winemakers Association) on 4th October detailing the now famous tarif for samples and visits.

Delicious Southern Rhône warmth in a glass

2011-12-02T23:30:00.000Z

Well, technically, Costières de Nîmes isn't actually in the Southern Rhône, it is in the Languedoc. But geographically, it is pretty close and the wines are stylistically even closer - for my money, at least. The Costières de Nîmes are situated on a large, low-lying plateau, between the city of Nîmes and the west bank of the Rhône. Just to the south lies the Carmargue and the Mediterranean, and the climate is therefore extremely pleasant. The large stones or "galets roulés", which are a feature of the soil in this region, were washed down the Rhône valley from the Alps in prehistoric times, and the terroir is therefore very similar to Chateauneuf du Pape (a little further up the valley). And the resulting wines can often bear a more than favourable resemblance to decent Chateauneuf (despite often being more Syrah than Grenache-dominated), though without the hefty price tag - and this is a fine example......

Domaine de Calet Long Terme 2008 Costières de Nîmes

85% Syrah and 15% Grenache. A complex array of aromas, with bramble and casssis, raisins steeped in eau de vie, polished old wood and forest floor. It manages to be at the same time spicy (cinnamon and clove), citrussy (some lovely orange peel notes) and savoury, with some enticing tobacco and cedar notes lurking in the background. It really is a nose that many more fancy Southern Rhône wines would kill for. The palate is still relatively primary, but all the components are beginning to knit together nicely, with an abundance of rich, brambly fruit, a touch of bitter cherry kernel and spice, fine, grippy tannins and a streak of citrussy acidity. All of which makes for a beautifully balanced wine, with a gently warming touch of eau de vie and spice on the finish. It really is a joy to drink now (even more so than I was expecting) but also has the structure to age and evolve into something quite special over the next 5 to 8 years. A glorious wine for the money (£11.30).

Home alone on a Saturday night with a delicious Northern Rhône red

2011-11-26T19:55:00.001Z

TLD is out tonight with her work mates on what is officially their "Christmas Meal" - in late November, for goodness' sake! Nevertheless, it gave her a chance to put the glad rags on and get out of the house without me in tow. And I have to say, she looked a pretty picture - and I am a very lucky man!

Isn't she wonderful? TLD, ready to go and set the world on fire.

Meanwhile, I'm left all alone on a Saturday night, with only a medium-rare rump steak and a delicious bottle of red wine for company. I suppose life could be worse..........

J. Vidal-Fleurie Côte-Rôtie 1994

This is another bargain buy, which I bought via the online wine auction site BidForWine a year or two back - and if I remember correctly, it worked out at no more than about £15 a bottle, which is a bargain in any Cote-Rôtie lover's book. The colour is relatively evolved, with a deep-ish blood red core fading to a mahogany-tinged rim. The nose is beautifully evolved too, with delicious aromas of bright red fruits and perhaps a touch of bramble, togther with some really enticing savoury, slightly meaty (though just short of bretty) notes, forest floor, exceedingly subtle oak and a wonderfully high-toned suggestion of citrus. And the palate is certainly high-toned, in a way that tickles the taste buds and heightens the senses, whilst at the same time keeping all of those luscious red/black fruits and softening tannins in check. And the effect is just so alluring and captivating, in a wine of exceptional balance and supreme elegance, still grippy and taught, but with a deliciously sweet and sour red fruit finish. It is one of those wines which just happens to be in the right place at the right time - and as the old saying goes, "there are no great wines - just great bottles". And, for a relatively "humble" negociant-bottled Cote-Rôtie, this is one of them - and a wonderful surprise.

Right - I'm off to enjoy my dinner, followed by Match Of The Day - if I can manage to stay awake for that long!

Whilst on the subject of the Iberian Peninsula..... A brilliant 20 year-old Portugese red wine

2011-11-22T23:39:00.001Z

After 2 or 3 recent posts all about Rioja, you'd think it was time for me to write about French wine for once(!) But here's a post about another wine from the Iberian Peninsula that really hit the spot recently.

As I have mentioned before on this blog, one of my "house wines" over the last few years has been Luis Pato Vinho de Mesa Tinto - several cases of the stuff, in fact, picked up for a song at a certain well-known auction house. Most of those were from the 1990 vintage, though I also found a couple of cases of 1991. And not a single bottle of either vintage has ever disappointed. The pleasure of drinking good wine with 20 or so years of age on it that doesn't cost the earth is not to be underestimated - such finds are rare in this day and age, especially as auction prices for mature wines seem to have held up remarkably well, even during this protracted economic crisis. So imagine my surprise when a local wine supplier to the trade offered a small-ish consignment of another mature Portugese red wine, again at a price that wouldn't break the bank. I just had to try it - and I was not disappointed.........

Quinta do Poco do Lobo Bairrada 1991

A blend of 3 indigenous Portugese grape varieties, predominantly Baga, with small amounts of Castelão and Moreto, aged in small old oak barrels. The colour is a lovely medium carmine at the core, fading gradually to a pale orange/mahogany rim. Even at 20 years old, there is still plenty of fruit on the nose, with delightful aromas of wild red berries and bramble, not to mention a veritable host of floral and secondary notes such as forest floor, tar and cedar. Subtle hints of violets, peppermint, herbs and spices add yet more complexity. The flavours are equally worthy of contemplation, with those complex aromas showing through on the palate, allied to peppery spice, grippy but softening tannins (Baga is famous for its tannic structure – hence its ageing potential) and mouth-watering acidity. The finish is long, dry and deliciously “sweet and sour”. In fact, I loved it so much that I opened a second bottle the following day, just to convince myself that it was indeed as good as I first thought! I have since gone back and snapped-up the remaining handful of cases - some to keep for our own consumption and some for my more adventurous customers. It isn't a simple quaffer, and that firm tannic structure means it is a wine that demands food, though you needn’t be too choosy about what to drink it with – I can imagine it pairing equally well with red meats, spicy sausages, all manner of Italian tomato-based sauces, pizzas and mushroom dishes. For a 20 year-old wine, from what is a relatively obscure but very highly-regarded denomination, this is a real cracker. And at £12.95 a bottle, it is a bargain - you can find it in the Portugal section of the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines online shop. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Rioja Part 2 - Bodegas Muga and Lopez de Heredia

2011-11-21T13:30:00.000Z

Continuing my reports on a trilogy of dedicated Rioja tastings at Nottingham Wine Circle, here are my notes on the second instalment. This particular tasting was presented by my friend and fellow Wine Circle member Andy Leslie, who purchased all of the wines during his Summer 2011 visits to both Bodegas. Yes - despite the age of some of these wines, they are all current releases!

Muga Blanco 2010

Ultra-pale, with a nose of toasty oak and banoffee pie, citrus lime and herbs. The palate is fresh, juicy and long. It isn't complex, but give it a year or two.......

Muga Blanco 2008

Slightly deeper in colour, with much more integrated oak. Perhaps a bit dumb, but with citrus and herb notes peeping through. The oak is more to the fore on the palate, but 2 years in bottle have added some complexity and there is a good deal of minerality and the finish is long and mouth-watering.

Muga Rosado 2010

A pale onion skin/salmon colour, with a fresh fruit and candy nose. The flavours are bright and zingy, with notes of cranberry, redcurrant and citrus. This is a classy rosé, with a lovely rhubarb tang to the finish.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Gravonia Blanco Crianza 2001

Now we are talking - 4 years in barrel and plenty of bottle age makes for what I call proper white Rioja. The nose is typically Lopez de Heredia (you need to have experienced them to know what I'm on about), and really fresh, with aromas of apples, herbs and spices, subtle cheesy notes and old wood. The palate is perhaps a tad less exciting than the nose, but still lovely and complex and very long. And of course it is still a baby, so give it time!

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Blanco Reserva 1993
This is darker and slightly caramelly and honeyed, perhaps even a touch sherried/madeirised, but with lovely citrus and herb notes and a high-toned quality. The palate is stunning - rich, yet fresh and full of life, with wonderful acidity, a little bit of tannic grip and amazing length. A warming, spicy, zingy wine of great complexity and breed. Wonderful.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva 2000
The nose doesn't give too much away, but it gradually opens-out into something really quite "winey", with subtle woody notes.The palate is again quite winey, but for my personal taste, it could do with a little more residual fruit flavour. To be fair, it does blossom in the glass and is actually quite long on the finish. A good, but not great wine, which some others liked a lot.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza 2005
Smells traditional, but could almost be a rather attractive Rhone or Burgundy wine. It is young and full of fruit, ultra-spicy, slightly woody and quite complex. It is long and lovely, with a good few years of development left in it.

Muga Rioja Crianza 2007
A striking nose, reminiscent of celeriac and caraway, quite beefy/savoury and almost soupy. The palate is rich and tannic and somewhat modern, with rich bramble and blackcurrant fruit flavours. That said - and as "modern" Rioja goes - it is a decent wine, but it just suffers in the company of more traditional wines. Not complex, but decent enough.

Muga Reserva Seleccion Especial 2005
Another modern nose, laced with vanilla and burly fruit, but also seems quite balanced. Almost Bordeaux-meets-Rhone in style, with a touch of red capsicum and perfume/florality. The palate is again rich and extracted and rather tannic, but with plenty of fruit. A bit of a Parker wine, but not bad.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva 2002
The nose is subtle and rather closed, but there is something inviting about it. Red and black fruit, pepper and red capsicum, with notes of polished old wood. The palate seems slightly disjointed and young, but it has tannin and acidity in equal measure and no doubt some hidden fruit that will emerge with time. Promising, rather than lovely.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva 2001
This puts the 2002 above into perspective - 2001 was a magnificent vintage, and this wines shows why. Perfumed and floral (violets), with notes of mushroom and farmyard - and simply oodles of fruit. The palate is concentrated, spicy and complex, with layers of rich fruit, oak, spices, herbs and just a touch of typical 2001 alcohol, tempered by grippy tannins and juicy acidity. Long too. This is superb now, but could be amazing in another 5 or 10 years.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva 2001
Initially, this smells tight, closed and almost dull in comparison to the Bosconia. But with air, the fruit begins to emerge, with black fruit aromas which almost remind me of the Languedoc, but with no discernible oak. The palate has plenty of sweet and sour red and black fruits, quite hefty tannins and medium-high acidity. It is rich and beautifully tangy, but is currently very tightly-wound and needs another 5 to 10 years to really come into its own. A real sleeper, which could also blossom into something very special. I hope so, becuase I now have 3 bottles of my own to tuck away!

Muga Reserva Seleccion Especial 1995
A lovely nose - perfumed and floral with notes of soft and crystallised fruits. The palate shows lots of sweet fruit (almost too sweet), though there is plenty of acidity. It just lacks a little something in the middle. It is a nice wine, but lacks the stucture and complexity which might justify a £28 price tag. Ultimately, it comes across as more like a new world Pinot than a middle-aged Rioja.

Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2004
A deep, dark, rich colour, but smells almost like a (deep, dark, rich) Burgundy, in an oaky, red/black fruit sort of way. However, unlike the Seleccion Especial 1995 above, it has a start, a middle and a finish - in other words it has structure. Yes it is rich, and not really in the mould of classic Rioja (for now, at least) but it is a very good wine, which has all the components necessary to age gracefully for many years.

Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2001
This again speaks loudly of the vintage. Tobacco and curry spices, polished wood and plenty of florality make for a rather glorious nose. The palate too has everything in equal measure - fruit, richness, tannin and good acidity. This is a lovely wine, worthy of much contemplation.

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva 1991
Talk about saving the best until last! This has an utterly glorious, ultra-traditional nose of preserved red fruits, citrus peel, forest floor, fresh coffee grounds, old wood and layers of soft spices, all of which come through on the palate in a wine that is nigh-on perfect right now. Indeed, I personally think it is at the absolute pinnacle of maturity, although others think it may last for many more years. If I had some (which unfortunately I don't) I would be in no great rush to drink it, but I wouldn't let it hang around for too long either. A real cracker.

It will probably come as no great surprise that, whilst some of the Muga wines were impressive in their own way (and a couple were really excellent), the Lopez de Heredia wines won hands-down. In a region where so many growers seem to pander to the tastes of a certain influential American wine critic with an aversion to subtlety, there are fortunately still a few that continue to produce good, old-fashioned, quirky, traditional Rioja - just like they always have done. And to paraphrase the great Brian Clough, I wouldn't say Lopez de Heredia is the best Rioja grower in the business. But they are in the top one.

Weekend drinking of a pretty high order - a fabulous Rhone red

2011-11-20T20:30:00.000Z

Paul Jaboulet Ainé Le Grand Pompée 1999 Saint-Joseph

This is the sort of Syrah that simply could not be from anywhere else in the world but the Northern Rhone. Richly fruity, earthy, meaty and floral all at the same time. The nose is a glorious cacophony of bramble and black/red currant fruits, violets, beef gravy and autumn forest floor, with hints of old wood, lapsang tea and mixed curry spices. It is just so damn complex - a true wine for contemplation. And the palate certainly doesn't disappoint, with such glorious red and black fruit flavours, again a touch of savoury beef/soy and myriad secondary flavours. What tannins remain are beautifully ripe and almost completely resolved, whilst the acidity is just so delicious - and at just 13.0% abv, there is nary a hint of alcohol. Modern winemakers take note - I know about global warming and all of that stuff, but still, if the grapes are picked at "optimum" ripeness (i.e. when ph/acidity and phenolics are all in sync) rather than "maximum" ripeness, then you will have balanced wines.

This wine actually comes from a period when Jaboulet wines in general were hit and miss to say the least (the glory years of the 70's, 80's and early 90's ended with the untimely death of winemaker Gerard Jaboulet in 1995). Indeed, the 1999 Hermitage La Chapelle was thoroughly slated by the critics (I have a single bottle, upon which I will one day make my own judgement). But this Saint-Joseph performs way above its relatively low denomination and is actually as good as quite a few Hermitage(s) I've had. As the old saying goes, there are no great wines - just great bottles. And this was definitely one of them.

Incidentally - and this may be of purely academic interest, to wine geeks such as myself - just look at that cork. A beautiful specimen if ever there was one, with hardly any visible faults/fissures, and with no more than a millimetre of staining at the end. The sort one finds with (un)surprising regularity in Portugese wines (Portugal being by far the biggest cork producer). If only all corks were so perfect, TCA (i.e. cork taint) may be far less of a problem.............

Faustino Crianza 2005 Rioja - a delightful surprise!

2011-11-18T21:39:00.001Z

I know I'm only supposed to bang on about Languedoc Rousillon and various other southern French wine regions (which are of course my speciality), but I'm not prejudiced and I do love good wine, wherever it comes from. And I especially love good, traditional Rioja, and this one's an absolute cracker. Normally, a bottle of wine will last a whole evening between TLD and I, often with a good deal left over for the next evening. But this one is so downright delicious, it has disappeared rather too quickly (though admittedly I've drank most of it myself, whilst both writing-up my notes for Part 2 of the "Rioja trilogy" and preparing dinner).......

Faustino Crianza 2005 Rioja

The colour is a vibrant medium-dark cherry red with a small ruby rim, whilst the nose offers delightful aromas of redcurrants and wild strawberries, flowers, sweet spices, cinnamon, damp earth and polished wood, with subtle notes of toasty oak. The oak-ageing is beautifully done, making for a delicately fragrant, rather than "woody" wine, with the floral and fruity elements being the dominant factors. And the palate more than lives up to the promise of the nose, with an earthiness and a delicious core of vibrant red fruit and spice flavours, married to very fine tannins and juicy redcurrant/cranberry-like acidity, which positively dances over the tongue and keeps tempting me back for more. So much so that I'd almost go as far as saying this is a Rioja for Burgundy lovers. And for a wine that is categorised on the Faustino website as "modern" (I needed to get my facts right for the tech-spec) for me it has the aromatic and gustatory profile of a reassuringly "traditional" Rioja Crianza. I have to admit that I wasn't particularly expecting this to excite me - after all, Faustino Riojas are normally considered to be decent, clean, but unremarkable wines. But this is light, airy, balanced and fruity, yet wonderfully elegant and possessed of all the secondary/tertiary attributes of classic a red Rioja. It really is considerably complex stuff, and I am very enamoured by it. In fact, all I can say is Yum!! An absolute little gem of a wine, and a very, very pleasant surprise. In fact, I love it so much I've decided to get some more, and you can buy it via my online shop, at just £8.99 a bottle.

Rioja Part 1 - a mixed bag of Gran Reservas

2011-11-16T13:00:00.000Z

These are my notes from the first in a trilogy of Rioja tastings at Nottingham Wine Circle. The wines for this tasting were all Gran Reservas and all came from the personal cellar of long-time Wine Circle member and good friend John Houghton, who unfortunately could not be there, as he is currently fighting a battle with cancer. Get well soon, John!

1. Vina Marro 2003 Bodegas Domeco de Jarauta

100% Tempranillo. Modern, meaty, thick and concentrated - a bit soupy, in fact. Also a touch hot and jammy and ultimately a bit simple. Not brilliant.

2. Vin Alarde 2003 Berberana

Smells a touch more authentic, even Bordeaux-like. More restrained and "winey", meaty, leathery, restrained fruit ,with slightly drying tannins and a hint of bitterness, though not overly so. Creamy, woody and really quite drinkable, without really singing.

3. Lan 2003 Bodegas Lan

This doesn't smell like Rioja. In fact, I'd be in Italy if I didn't know what it was. The nose is actually a bit dumb, whilst the palate is rich, concentrated and tannic, but with a core of sweet-edged fruit. Modern Rioja personified and frankly a bit boring.

4. Usoa Bagordi 2001 Bodegas Bagordi

Again, woody/oaky and a touch of brett and SO2. Savoury. The palate is rich, fruity and savoury, but with stalky/chalky tannins and too much extraction for my liking.

5. Marques de Murrietta Finca Ygay 2001

This is not necessarily what I expect (or at least used to expect) from Murrietta. Quite perfumed and floral, with some nice raspberry and cherry fruit and a touch of marzipan, whilst at the same time meaty/savoury. The palate is high-toned and super-fruity, but is also super-ripe and very concentrated. Admittedly more subtle than some of the wines above and it could turn into an attractive wine with age, but I'd say it needs another 10 years or more to really sing. A halfway house between traditional and modern.

6. Prado Enea 2001 Bodegas Muga

Eaily the best wine so far - perfumed, savoury and fruity. Subtle oak and simply gorgeous acidity and grippy but fine, spicy tannins. Still on the young side, but with lots of subtlety and elegance and enormous length. Delicious already, but should be magnificent in 10 years.

7. Coto de Imaz 2001 Union Viti Vinicola

Meaty, savoury, minty, earthy nose with notes of bramble. The palate is a bit sweet, confected and simple, lacking structure and acidity. It isn't a bad wine, but neither is it one I would choose to drink.

8. Marques de Caceres 2001 Union Viti Vinicola

Simple stuff. Smells a bit winey, but not in any way interesting. The palate has plenty of fruit, but is a bit soupy, with harsh tannins and sticky-out acidity.

9. Viña Real 1999 CVNE

This is much more like it. A herby, spicy, savoury nose, but attractively fruity and elegant. Subtley oaky, with bright red fruit aromas. Almost Burgundian in style, with delicate fresh and crystallised red fruit flavours and lovely acidity. Already multi-dimensional, complex and a delight to drink, but with plenty of room for further evolution. Cracking wine.

10. Imperial 1999 CVNE

If Viña Real is Burgundian in style, then this one is Bordeaux - and consequently (for me at least) the less enjoyable of the two. But it's a close call, for this too has plenty going on, with a tight but complex structure and lots of fruit, tobacco and spice. Long and elegant, with a great future.

11. Viña Albina 1998 Bodegas Riojanas

Aromas of toasted brioche, pepper, balsam, savoury and spice. The fruit is a little muted on the nose, with subtle hints of bramble, but the palate is rich and expansive, without being overpowering, with excellent fruit/tannin/acid structure. Slightly savoury, with a nice sweet and sour finish.Long and really very good.

12. 904 1995 La Rioja Alta

A smoky, red pepper, tobacco and sour fruit nose - instantly appealing. The palate is at the same time rich and delicately stuctured, with rich fruit, exotic spices, appealing oak nuances and a lovely prickle of mouth-watering acidity. It is quite a contrary wine - essentially light and airy, but with considerable concentration and massive length. Superb wine, which may still evolve further, but is just perfect right now.

13. Campillo 1995

Oh dear - back to modern. Smoky, savoury, rustic and dark, with plenty of bramble and blackcurrant fruit - and totally boring. Not faulty - just boring.

14. Conde de Valdemar 1994 Familia Martinez Bujanda

A raisiny, porty, almost oxidised style - almost as if the grapes were too ripe when harvested. Lacks freshness and acidity. Mushrooms and Marmite. Old, tired and over the hill.

15. Monte Real 1994 Bodegas Riojanas

A lovely evolved colour, with orange tinges. Complex aromas of incense, spices, soft red fruits, cedar and forest floor. A really compelling, earthy, elegant wine, with crystallised fruit and peppery flavours. It isn't particularly subtle and displays many of the "faults" inherent in classic, old-fashioned Rioja, but that is why I love it so much. Another gorgeous wine, with plenty of miles left on the clock.

16. Campo Viejo 1994 Bodegas Artisanas

This is decent, well-made wine, relatively soft and with a touch of elegance, but nothing about it that really excites.

As suggested in the title, this really was a mixed bag. It was a really good lesson in how many (though not all) of the bodegas seem these days to be aiming for a modern, super-ripe, super-concentrated style of wine, with huge fruit profiles which often teeter on the brink of soupiness - and sometimes fall over the brink. I remember many years ago that numerous journalists on this side of the pond were constantly banging on about the need for Rioja to "modernise" and make wines to suit the palates of the masses. Well shame on them, for many of these wines fit that profile all too well - and consequently are of little or no interest to lovers of the "traditional" style. I'm sure Robert Parker loves them too, but the less said about that the better.

Thankfully, a few of the wines were also elegant, delicate, complex and reassuringly traditional. Clearly, it is all about the grower, and the names that stood out for me here were CVNE, La Rioja Alta and Bodegas Riojanas, with an honourable mention for Muga (about which more in Part 2).

A couple of really wonderful wines

2011-11-13T23:30:00.000Z

Yes, I know, I know - it's been a while. Quite a long while, in fact, but I guess that is what "retirement" does to you. Not that I've been doing bugger all for the last 2 or 3 weeks.... I've been doing a few jobs around the house (I fitted some shiny new door handles to the upstairs rooms last week!), cooking meals and baking bread, attending wine tastings here and there, preparing updates and new tasting notes for my website, preparing a long overdue newsletter and - thankfully - preparing quite a few wine orders over the last few days. Incidentally, if you are one of the many customers/subscribers/friends who have sent me good wishes for my new "career" over the last few days and weeks, then thank you - they are all very much appreciated.

To tell the truth, although I've been getting on with plenty of the above, I have been taking it *relatively* easy since I gave up the day job. Then again, why shouldn't I - at least for a short while? After all, following 33 years of hard labour I deserved a rest! But now it is time to get a bit more serious about the future - and also to get blogging about wine once again. Here are 2 stunners to begin with.........

La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza 2001 Reserva Especial

The term "Especial" denotes a very special year in Rioja - so special, in fact, that La Rioja Alta have only ever used the term for this wine on 3 occasions, namely 1964, 1973 and 2001. And 2001 was indeed a very special year (not just in Rioja, of course, but over many of Europe's fine wine regions). I first tasted this wine in early October, when it blew me (and most others who tasted it) away with it's combination of concentrated, spicy fruit, restrained use of oak and sheer elegance. And since I have now secured a few bottles for myself, I couldn't resist opening one last night. The colour and overall hue is reassuringly light (as befits a wine that has been aged for the best part of 10 years before release (3 years in 4-year-old American oak barrels, the rest in tank and bottle) with a mahogany/blood red core leading to a pale-ish carmine rim. The nose exhibits more oak than I remembered from the previous bottle (different bottling/batch, perhaps?) but the kind of oak that is sure to hit the spot with lovers of traditional Rioja - polished old mahogany, vanilla, leather, cigar box and exotic spices abound. There's also an abundance of sweet, soft red and even white fruit aromas, which follow through on the palate in a rich, ripe, almost overlty sweet way to begin with. In fact, it is in some ways quite different to that previous bottle, which seemed at the time to be in the perfect place, whereas this one seemed a little too young - to begin with, at least. Not that it is too big or tannic, but simply that the fruit is so primary and so sweet. But peel away the layers and you find a wine full of complexity and promise for the future, with a wonderful layer of juicy, tangy acidity that balances things out beautifully. With time in the glass, the fruit really does blossom into something quite light, airy and lovely, whilst those spicy, leathery, meaty notes add yet more interest. And when I say "time in the glass", I really mean 24 hours of air, for this is a wine which really doesn't show it's true colours until the second night - a sure sign that it will evolve for a good number of years in bottle (and in this case, I'd say for at least another 10). It is a truly gorgeous - not to mention reassuringly traditional - Rioja, and I'm glad I have another 3 bottles to tuck away for my future enjoyment. Yum!

Mas Foulaquier Gran' Tonillieres 2007 Pic Saint-Loup

Talk about flowers, leather, old wood, forest floor and spice! I should say first and foremost that this is a fundamentally different wine from the Ardanza - for a start, it is made from a 50/50 blend of old vine Grenache and Carignan (the Ardanza is mostly Tempranillo, with just 20% Garnacha), and it is aged for 24 months, partly in barrel (though mostly olderFrench oak) and partly in vat. Furthermore, the fruit profile is more of the black variety (predominantly ripe brambles and blackcurrant) although there's a hint of red cherry and redcurrant in there for good measure. It is also a lot younger, at just 4 years of age, and although it isn't particularly dark in colour, is a relative tooth-stainer. But it lacks for nothing in terms of complexity, elegance, excitement and sheer drinkability - not to mention the ability to age, for it surely has a good few years left in the tank. But it is just so good to drink now, in the way that many young Languedoc wines can be when young. The fruit flavours are ripe and full, with a touch of eau de vie adding both lift and richness to a wine which is simply bursting with life. There's a touch of savouriness, too, though this is a wine which I would describe as essentially feminine, rather than big and masculine. Concentrated elegance is a phrase that springs to mind, with oh-so ripe tannins, allied to juicy, mouth-watering acidity - a beautifully integrated, seamless wine, with no rough edges. Even though I actually sell this wine, I must say that I wasn't expecting it to reach the heights of the Ardanza (at least not at such a young age) but it does, it really does - it really is wonderful! And at £18.89 (roughly the same price as the Ardanza) it is a bit of a bargain. Oh, and it also happens to be both biodynamic and a "natural" wine, with only 10mg/l of sulphur added at the bottling stage. A quite stunning and delightful wine for a quiet Sunday evening.

Free at last!

2011-10-27T16:48:00.001+01:00

Well that's it then - after 33 years, 3 months and 22 days, Tuesday signalled the end of my old career as a civil servant and the beginning of a new one as a "full-time" wine merchant. I use inverted commas as, apart from finding new and hitherto undiscovered ways of selling more wine, I also hope to be able to spend some time getting on with lots of jobs in and around the house that have been on my to-do list for far too long. Not to mention, of course, spending more time with TLD and riding my bikes (both the pedal-powered and motor-powered ones).

Although the opportunity to give-up the day job (and receive a lump sum and a small pension in the process) was too good to miss, the actual leaving was quite emotional for me. When you have worked for so long for the same organisation and met so many wonderful people and made so many good friends along the way, it is a bit of a wrench to say goodbye. Thankfully, the age of the Internet ensures that it is relatively easy to stay in touch with people, even if you don't see them very often. Having said that, I intend to do more than just communicate online with some of my old work colleagues, especially the team I have worked with for the past couple of years, who I can honestly say were collectively the nicest bunch of people I have ever worked with. And they gave me a mighty fine send-off on the day, with some very touching remarks on my leaving card and a cracking pressie............

Although I will miss my colleagues, I certainly won't miss the job or the organisation. Land registration is a worthwhile (in fact pretty essential) cause, and was once run by people with real concern for both the quality of the product and the welfare of the staff - people with real knowledge of land law and the registration process, who very often also happened to be born managers. These days, the ones who "manage" are pretty much detached from everything to do with the actual work (and the workers) and obtain their management "skills" from books, training packages, meetings and innumerable, totally pointless workshops. All they require these days is a room with a desk, a computer and a few spreadsheets - the ability to actually connect in a meaningful or personal way with their fellow human beings is purely optional. On the other hand, a once highly skilled and often specialist workforce are now - in the main - trained to do a bit of everything and be expert in nothing. It is (or was!) a depressing experience, although I am sure it is one which resonates with millions of other people who are caught up in their own particular version of the 21st Century rat race. Of course, I will be eternally grateful to the very people for whom I developed such a healthy contempt, for the fact that they are now - in a way - paying me to never darken their door again!

Anyway, now I've got that off my chest, I can get on with the rest of my life and be my own boss. Right............ Who wants to buy some wine? ;-))

A sad day for Moto GP fans

2011-10-23T16:50:00.003+01:00

My life is about to change drastically - and hopefully for the better - in a couple of days, when I finally leave the day job after 33 years. More time to attend to (and hopefully build) the wine business, more time to attend to things that need doing around the house, more time to do the things I enjoy and more time to spend with my family. I should be happy, but today I feel sad.

I turned the computer on this morning and logged onto the BBC website, intending to watch the Malaysia Moto GP on the iPlayer. Trying to avoid seeing the sports headlines, but having glimpsed the name Marco Simoncelli out of the corner of my eye, I assumed that I might inadvertently have seen the name of the winner. When the crash happened on the second lap, a terrible feeling of dread came over me. Simoncelli's front tyre slipped and then suddenly re-gripped, throwing him into the middle of the track, straight into the path of Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi, both of whom had absolutely no chance of taking avoiding action. It left Simoncelli lying face down on the track, his crash helmet having been ripped from his head by the impact with Rossi's bike. Rossi somehow managed to stay on his bike, whilst Edwards escaped with a dislocated shoulder. Understandably, Marco Simoncelli wasn't so lucky. I stuck with the TV coverage until the scheduled re-start time came and went, before reluctantly switching to the sports headlines. I knew what was coming, but it didn't make the sadness any easier to bear.

With his tall frame, huge mop of hair and a swashbuckling riding style, Marco Simoncelli was a hugely talented and exciting rider to watch. In what turned out to be a rather dull season for Moto GP, dominated by the amazing Casey Stoner, Simoncelli seemed certain to become one of the main challengers for the title in years to come. Though he raced a bit too hard sometimes and had his fair share of "offs", he seemed to be maturing as a rider, and a string of excellent finishes in recent races (culminating in 2nd place in Australia last week) promised so much for the future. But now that future has been cruelly curtailed and the world of Moto GP has lost one of its brightest stars. More importantly, Marco Simoncelli's family, friends and Team have to come to terms with the fact that their loved one has been taken so violently and so early. 24 years is far, far too short a life. Rest in peace Marco - you will be sadly missed. :-((

The late, great Marco Simoncelli - image courtesy of http://www.motogpnews.it

Back to wine very soon. Now I need to decide whether to go for a ride on my Honda..........

The story of another eventful week - various tastings, VAT, annual accounts and other stuff

2011-10-05T14:17:00.000+01:00

Things have calmed down a bit now (which is why I have actually found time to write this) but last week was just about as hectic a week I've had in a long time. Monday began with a full shift at the day job, followed by a quick dash down the A1 to deliver some wines, then across to the M1 to deliver yet more wines, then on to Stanmore tube station to park-up for a trip into central London. A few days prior, I'd received an invitation from Sud de France to attend a rather lavish dinner at The Connaught, to celebrate the Sud de France Wine Festival. It is not that often that I'm invited to partake of a free 5-course meal in a posh restaurant - with plenty of good wines to boot - and the opportunity to meet a few growers, wine business counterparts and esteemed journalists was too good an opportunity to miss. Luminaries from the media included Julia Harding MW, Tim Atkin MW and Oz Clarke. I'd never met Oz before, so I took the opportunity to introduce myself and, at the same time, extract an email address from him(!) He's a nice fellow, and I just may take the opportunity to ontact him, with a view to sending him some of my wines to taste. Overall, it turned out to be a most enjoyable evening, with some fine food and wines and excellent company.

Amongst some very good wines, there were a couple of real highlights; Domaine de Mingraut Passionément 2007 IGP Hauterive showed delightful aromas of crystallised fruits, blackcurrant leaf and elderflower and was velvety soft but with lovely structure - a gorgeous wine, which as far as I can ascertain is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, aged for a year in oak. I'm not sure why it isn't labelled as Corbieres (for that is where this estate is situated) but when the wine is this good, who cares? And then there was Domaine de Traginer Cuvée Foudre 2007 Collioure, which displayed all manner of herbs, exotic spices, citrus, incense and polished wood, not to mention some really lovely, concentrated fruit aromas. It is so complex and beguiling, yet so delicate and elegant, it is almost ethereal. Clearly the result of wonderful terroir and masterly winemaking. A quite brilliant wine.

The downside to all of this, of course, was that I got home at 3 o'clock on Tuesday morning and had to be back at the day-job a few hours later. Another full shift on Tuesday was followed by a quick dash home to get ready to go out again, for our monthly gathering at Le Mistral in Nottingham, to enjoy more wines and good, hearty bistro food. Amongst a very decent, if unspectacular array of wines there was one absolute gem of a wine, in the form of La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial 2001. I must admit that I didn't write a specific tasting note (I've come to realise that on such occasions, it can spoil the overall enjoyment of the evening) but I do remember that it managed to be at the same time both immensely concentrated and surprisingly elegant, with ripe red and black fruits, exotic spices, restrained use of oak and all manner of secondary aromas and flavours. In fact, a wine to please both modernist and traditionalist (and I am very much the latter, where Rioja is concerned). It really is a fabulous wine, and one which - being made in relatively large quantities - is currently quite widely available; for example, £19 at The Wine Society or £17.50 at Majestic Wine Warehouses. Frankly, even at the higher price, it is an absolute steal.

Wednesday is usually what I call my "day off", but I actually had not one but two wine tastings. The first was in the afternoon, when I presented a selection of my wines to a group of - shall we say - more "mature" wine enthusiasts in the nearby village of Keyworth. The wines were extremely well-received and I think everyone went home happy. Then it was a quick dash home to box-up and despatch a couple of orders, before going out yet again, for a Rioja Gran Reserva tasting at Nottingham Wine Circle. In many ways, this was a rather disappointing tasting, in that there were so many wines made in the modern style (even from one or two growers previously known for producing wines in a more traditional style). Admittedly, there were a few rather decent wines, but none that really came close to the Vina Ardanza I refer to above. I will publish my notes from this tasting within the next few days.

Anyway, no less than 4 full-blown tasting events in 3 days is at least one too many in my book, and is not something I'd care to do too often. Under normal circumstances, Thursday would have provided a little respite, but not this time, for I also had the small matter of the quarterly VAT return and the annual Company accounts to complete. The VAT return doesn't normally prove too much of a problem, but this one did, for reasons (none of which are of a "sensitive" nature) that I won't bore you with. The Company accounts, on the other hand, always prove to be stressful for TLD and I, mainly due to the inadequacies of our bookkeeping software and the fact that we are completely at the mercy of our Accountant - and he does love to put us through the mill. ;-) It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it and in the end, we (or he) got there and the accounts were signed and delivered to Companies House on the very last day of September. Given that we could have began dealing with them anytime from January onwards, we really must get out of this silly habit of leaving things until the last minute - it would save us an awful lot of stress!

During all of these hectic goings-on, I did manage to find time to go out for a few rides on my Honda CBR600rr - which I have decided I will call "The Beast" - and to listen to the new CD by my favourite band, Wilco, entitled "The Whole Love". To my mind, this band can do no wrong, and if you haven't heard of them before, I suggest you check them out as soon as possible! And if you'd like to see just how good they are on stage, you can watch a fantastic 60 minute set by them, as part of a special season of gigs for the David Letterman Show on CBS. Check it - you won't regret it!

There will be plenty more posts on the way, now things have settled down just a little.

3 new wines just arrived

2011-09-25T23:50:00.000+01:00

It's been a busy week (with yet another one ahead) during which I finally got my hands on some new wines from south-west France and Roussillon. I'll be adding them to the website over the next few days, as and when I have had the chance to write my tasing notes. It's a dirty job having to taste them all, but someone has to do it! Here's my notes on 3 of them, tasted over the last couple of evenings......

Domaine de Montesquiou l'Estela 2010 Jurançon Sec

A blend of 50% Gros Manseng, 10% Petit Manseng, 40% Courbu, aged on its lees for 6 months before bottling. This is the latest vintage of what used to be called (rather confusingly for us English) "La Rosée de Montesquiou" (rosée is actually French for "dew"). It is an ultra-pale straw/gold colour, with a lovely nose of citrus, honeysuckle and herbs and a whole load of Manseng varietal minerality - really tight, and focused - as is the palate, which is crammed full of lime and tree fruit flavours, mineral nuances and enough acidity to refresh the most jaded of palates. The flavours are intensely fresh and focused, zingy rather than pithy, with just a hint of richness and plenty of concentration. The finish is long, cool and utterly mouth-watering. This really is a complex, classy and truly delicious expression of its terroir. If you appreciate delicate, nervy whites – light and fresh on the palate, yet with tremendous depth and complexity - then you will you will appreciate this wine. Furthermore, whilst it is wonderful to drink on its own, it is also a superb match for all manner of foods. Steamed salmon or other fish dishes, seafood platter, lemon-infused chicken or a mixed salad with (say) chicken livers all spring to mind. We had it with a sweet and sour pork and vegetable stir-fry and it was a match made in heaven. It is wonderful to drink now, but there is certainly no rush. If we had to recommend just one dry white wine from our list which provides brilliant quality and value in equal measures, then this would be it. 13.5% abv. £10.50

Domaine Treloar Motus 2009 Côtes du Roussillon

Mainly Mourvedre, with a little Syrah and Grenache, aged in oak barrels for 18 months. A medium-dark purple core, semi-opaque, leading to a small deep red rim. The nose offers intense bramble, leather, iodine and tobacco aromas, with background notes of crystallised fruits and flowers - notably violets and elderflowers. The sheer weight of ripe fruit flavours in this wine makes it surprisingly approachable now, because the tannins are so beautifully ripe. As with previous vintages, there is a tremendous depth of fruit on the palate and the flavours are long, complex and rich, with excellent acidity. A wine of real stuctureand absolute class. Another beautiful Motus, which is every bit as good as it's predecessor vintages. 14.0% abv. £14.95

Domaine Treloar Tahi 2008 Côtes du Roussillon

50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, again aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Medium/dense bright purple colour with a narrow cherry-red rim. The nose exhibits complex aromas of black cherries and bramble, with beautifully integrated notes of curry spices, cloves, cedar/cigar box and citrus. The palate is concentrated, yet fresh and giving, with juicy red and black fruit, spice and garrigue herb flavours. The tannins are grippy but very fine and already nicely integrated, whilst the tangy acidity keeps it all nicely fresh. This is the third vintage of Tahi, and whilst the 2006 demands more time and the 2007 is a little softer and more forward, this one really seems to have hit its stride already. Then again, it almost seems a shame to drink it so young. The back label says "to enjoy from 2010 to 2020" and I wouldn't disagree, because it is a wine which is approachable enough to enjoy in its youth, whilst also having the structure to age and evolve for another 10 years. But you pays your money and you takes your choice - and either way, it is an absolute cracker. Yet another benchmark Roussillon wine, which leaves me running short of superlatives! 14.0% abv. £17.75

3 very different white wines

2011-09-22T03:17:00.000+01:00

Domaine Sol-Payré Albae Blanc 2009 Cotes du Roussillon

Despite the fact that the label says unfiltered, this is as limpid as any wine I've ever seen - ultra-clear, ultra-pale, almost shiny gold in colour. The nose isn't giving an awful lot away, with hints of lemon, peach and a slight herbiness peeping through a fairly strong whiff of sulphur. The palate is a little more open, and whilst not overly complex, it does offer plenty of citrus, peach and apple flavours, again with some herby nuances and a zesty texture that stops just short of the pithiness I occasionally find in young southern white blends. The problem is, it doesn't really get any better than this. I left it in the fridge for a day or two, hoping that it might blossom into something more interesting, but it stayed exactly as it was on opening - frankly, a bit dull. As the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines list is desperately short on white wines from Languedoc and Roussillon, I was hoping that this may be worthy of adding, but on this showing, I'll give it a miss. Domaine Sol-Payré make a cracking range of red wines (and a rather excellent Rivesaltes Hors d'Age) but they have yet (in my opinion) to excel with the whites.

Geoff Merrill Wickham Park Chardonnay 2006 McLaren Vale
This, as the saying goes, does exactly what it says on the tin, and is a classic barrel-fermented and matured Aussie Chardonnay, with just enough oak influence to make it interesting, without smothering the deliciously lime-scented, minerally fruit. Actually, that is damning it with faint praise, for it bears more than a passing resemblance to a decent Maconnaise or Chalonnaise white. I remember tasting one or two Geoff Merrill wines a good few years ago (perhaps 20 or more years, actually) when it occurred to me that they were somewhat atypical for Australia. Which meant - at that time - that I didn't necessarily enjoy them as much as other wines from that country. Of course, I know better now, for I am able to appreciate much more the subtleties of Australian wines made with a sympathetic hand - and this is a good example. It shows a slight butteriness, although perhaps "mealy" would be a better description - I'm not entirely sure what I mean by that, but it seems to fit the bill. Anyway, there's a degree of richness, without it being too mouth-filling, whilst the acidity is ample, and there's a good deal of Chardonnay fruit character (good Chardonnay rarely exhibits "other" fruit characteristics, though there's a touch of orange peel on the palate) and a healthy dose of minerality. I even sense a bit of tannin, which may be a combination of the oak aging and some decent skin contact/extract. All-in-all, it is a rather nice wine - mellow and satisfying, rather than racy and thrilling - and one which I feel will get better with age. I think I'll keep a few bottles by to watch it develop over the next 5 years.

Campillo Blanco "Fermentado en Barrica" 2009 Rioja
As far as I know, this wine is made from 100% Viura (known in France as Macabeu). 41 days of fermentation in oak barrels has imbued it with a quite complex array of floral, earthy, gently woody aromas, which combine beautifully with soft citrus, cider apple and hints of peach and honeysuckle. The palate is delightfully fresh, focused and zingy, offering zesty lemon and peach flavours, with medium weight, good concentration and plenty of earthy, almost stoney minerality. Again, the effect of the barrel fermentation is relatively subtle, with a touch of smokiness and the sort of oxidative, slightly nutty quality that makes good (i.e. traditional) Rioja such a joy to drink. And despite the barrel fermentation, the absence of the term "Crianza" on the back label leads me to believe this has seen little or no subsequent barrel ageing - in other words, a "sin crianza" (which translates as "without ageing"). That said, although it is a delight to drink now, it certainly has the structure to stand a few years in bottle, during which those oxidative (but not oxidised) notes will develop further. All-in-all, a delicious wine, which does great credit to Rioja. I like it a lot.

It's been a while - the story of my eventful September so far (including a new addition to the family)

2011-09-21T08:06:00.001+01:00

Right, I'm back! Actually, I haven't been away, I've just been so busy/preoccupied with myriad other things over the last couple of weeks that something(s) had to give - and in this case it was the "non-essential" things like blogging. Then again, I often feel as though I am letting myself (and who knows, perhaps others) down by not posting regular entries. Heaven forfend, I certainly don't want to lose the relatively small but very loyal following I have built up!

So, what have I been up to that has taken up so much of my time? Well, for starters, I had a rather brief but relatively successful promotion on some of my wines at the beginning of the month (if you aren't an existing customer, then you wouldn't have known about it) which had me burning a lot of midnight oil for a good few days. One should never underestimate the time and effort it takes to process and package orders for several hundred bottles of wine in such a short space of time - especially as I'm not just the brains of the operation, but also chief administrator, picker, packer and despatcher. I always think very carefully before deciding to offer (what really are genuine) discounts on my wines, because if one does it too often, there is a chance that customers will simply wait until the next offer before buying - and that is a dangerous road to go down. Frankly, I'd rather leave the deep (and totally disingenuous) discounting down to the supermarkets and remaining high street wine retailers. But in this instance, it was designed to make some quick sales, with a view to banking some money in order to finance some upcoming imports from growers in Roussillon and South-West France (of which more shortly).

And it had the desired effect of boosting the Company coffers......... until I got the email from one of those growers, reminding me that we had still to pay for last year's wines(!) My heart sank. We always, always pay our growers within the allotted time - but somehow, this one had slipped through the net. It's a long story and I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say that I felt compelled to get on the blower to my foreign currency provider and ask them to make an immediate transfer of almost 2,500 Euros to pay the invoice. It was a real setback, I can tell you, but at least we managed to save face with a grower that I consider to be one of (if not the) most important in our portfolio. Thankfully, September is shaping-up to be a really good (without being great) month, so despite this setback, the coffers are looking relatively healthy again - at least for the time being.

During this rather trying time, I was also in the process of organising a couple of pallets of wines from Domaine Treloar in Roussillon and a "groupage" pallet from South-West France, namely Domaine de Montesquiou in Jurancon, Chateau Peyros in Madiran, and a brand new grower in Cahors called Domaine du Garinet (whose wines I am very excited about adding to our list). One only needs to look at the map to see how scattered and geographically distant from each other these 3 growers are - which makes grouping the wines together onto a single pallet a very difficult job. The phrase "herding cats" springs to mind. nevertheless, it all went relatively smoothly, and I actually found out today that all of the above wines were delivered to my bonded warehouse today, so I can get my grubby hands on them tomorrow. Yippee - yet more work to fill my time over the next few days!

But although September has already proven to be a rather stressful month, work-wise, I've still managed to find time for a little play. And one of the highlights was a rather memorable gig at a small venue in Nottingham called The Rescue Rooms, courtesy of the brilliant Ron Sexsmith. Why this man is not a world-wide megastar is beyond me, although I have to admit that - having released around 10 albums - his music appeared on my radar only relatively recently. It was a brilliant set (and an initially reticent TLD enjoyed it as much as I did) and one that I will remember for a long time to come. Who knows, perhaps Mr Sexsmith will eventually get the recognition he deserves, but I'm not holding my breath. Meanwhile, here's a video of one of the songs from his latest album......

Finally, some of you may know that, after 33 years working for the Land Registry, I will be leaving at the end of October. The decision has been made so much easier by the fact that I am going on a "voluntary exit" scheme - in other words, my employer will be giving me a lump sum (and - because I am now 50 - a modest pension) to not work for them any more! Because the wine business does not yet provide me with a decent living salary, there's no way that I would have been able to leave of my own accord. And having watched some of the higher grades in the organisation (and a lot of the lower grades too) taking pay-offs over the last couple of years, I had assumed that there would be little left in the pot to get rid of middle-ranking people like me. So it came as a very pleasant surprise when the offer was made and - after a quick discussion with TLD - I grasped the opportunity with both hands. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a huge amount of money, but it will enable us to pay-off our (rather modest) mortgage, and the resulting reduction in our fixed monthly outgoings, combined with a modest pension income, will mean that we won't be much worse off than before. All of which will, of course, enable me to devote much more time to building the wine business - frankly, it's a win-win situation.

On 3 July 1978, I arrived at my first (and ultimately one and only) day job on my beautiful new Yamaha RD250 motorcycle. A couple of years later, it was written-off when some numpty cut through a line of stationary traffic and I went straight into the side of his car. Instead of buying a new bike with the insurance money, I blew most of it on on a 5-day trip to watch Nottingham Forest in the 1980 European Champions Cup Final in Madrid. It was a wonderful experience and provided me with many treasured memories - but it meant the end of my motorcycling days. Until now, that is, because part of my lump sum has been earmarked to buy me another bike. Well actually, thanks to Mr Mastercard, I've already gone out and bought it! So I'd like to introduce you to my 2005 Honda CBR600RR.......................

She (who is yet to be named) has a modest 15,000 miles on the clock and is to all intents and purposes in mint condition. She has a 599cc liquid cooled inline 4 cylinder 4-stroke engine, with a close ratio 6-speed gearbox and produces 105 bhp at 13,500 rpm. She is capable of 0-60 mph in 3 seconds and 0-100 in less than 7, with a top speed of just short of 170 mph. Which is of course all purely academic, because I'm far too old to be a boy racer and I doubt I'll ever use much more than half of that. But it's nice to know I have it in reserve, if necessary!

She looks great from all angles - especially her backside!

I think I'm in love!

I must admit that it was a bit of a nerve-racking experience riding the bike home from Derby on Saturday afternoon, given the slightly damp roads and the fact that I had hardly ridden a motorcycle in 31 years, but she handles beautifully and feels rock-solid. Nevertheless, this is a machine that demands respect, and I intend to go very carefully until I feel really comfortable. But I'm going to enjoy the ride........

Tomorrow, I will be mainly talking about wine. ;-)

A hearty Spanish red for the weekend

2011-09-03T22:24:00.001+01:00

Aranleon Solo 2005 Utiel-Requena, Spain

After a couple of high(er)-end wines in the middle of the week (ref; Domaine de Montcalmes and Domaine de La Marfée) I opened a bottle of this little Spanish number last night. Actually, it isn't really little - it is quite a big, strapping wine really. A blend of Bobal, Tempranillo and Syrah, aged for 14 months in Hungarian oak barrels, the label describes how it is "the result of 2 years work; patient and accurate, like the snail's walk" (hence, the snail-shaped text on the label). And I must say that at 6 years of age, it is ageing at a snail's pace, and may well take another 5 to 10 years to really come to maturity - perhaps even more.

That said, it is rather pleasurable to drink now, albeit in a super-ripe style, with big, brambly fruit aromas and flavours, big, but velvety tannins and a touch of eau de vie. Every now and then, there's a hint of raspberry and flowers (the Syrah coming through, perhaps?) which adds a promising touch of aromatic lift. The one possible downside is that it shows only a modicum of acidity, although there may be a little bit to spare, hidden behind that really rather massive fruit/tannin structure, but only time will tell. Stylistically, though, it isn't a million miles removed from some very decent Cotes du Rhone Villages, which benefit from a similar sort of hot climate and tend to be imbued with relatively low acidity, but often blossom with age. Meanwhile, this wine remains more in the way of a winter warmer (which is unfortunate, given that we have just experienced what presumably passes as the English "summer") fit to match a hearty stew or a Sunday roast. Then again, it should go reasonably well with our traditional Saturday night pizza - home-made, of course! 14.0% abv.

Two very different Languedoc reds

2011-09-01T19:56:00.000+01:00

Domaine de Montcalmès 2005 Coteaux du Languedoc

60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, aged for 2 years in new and one-year-old oak barrels. The oak is beautifully judged, insofar as it remains very much in the background, rather than competing with the fruit. Curiously though, the Grenache and Mourvedre content provides more than a match for the Syrah, in terms of aromatics, with some really quite smoky, savoury/meaty elements (and perhaps even a touch of brett?) plenty of ripe, brambly, slightly "confit" fruit, damp earth and an attractive whiff of eau de vie. In fact, it puts me more in mind of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, albeit a rather good one. Somewhat more recognisable Syrah-like notes of white fruits and flowers emerge after a while, adding a welcome touch of elegance. The tannins are ripe and there is adequate (rather than ample) acidity, which - for now at least - is not quite enough to match the rather obvious feel of alcohol (although the label says 13.5%, I suspect it is somewhat more). Having said that, there is plenty of time for it soften out a bit. I do hope so, since I have more bottles of this tucked away (plus a few 2004's) so I must give it the benefit of the doubt - and a few more years under the satairs. It is a good wine, but it is (for now, at least) no match for the sheer unadulterated beauty of................

Domaine de La Marfée Les Vignes qu'On Abat 1999 Coteaux du Languedoc

This one is 100% Carignan and the phrase "les vignes qu'on abat" translates roughly as "the vines they are pulling up". An alternative (provided by Google Translate, which does things more literally) is "the vines that shade". I much prefer the former, although the latter also has some merit, due to the fact that this much-maligned variety is figuratively "in the shade" - i.e. forgotten and forsaken by all but its most ardent fans. Or at least in 1999 it was.............. These days, many short-sighted growers who pulled up their old Carignan vines in return for an easier life (and some easy money) will be quietly crying in their soup, given its resurgence in popularity amongst the more enlightened Languedoc winemakers and wine aficionados.

This wine still has many of the hallmarks of a young wine - deep purple in colour, with an abundance of fresh, ripe red and black fruits, but with some tell-tale secondary notes of tobacco and polished wood, and the classic hallmark of all La Marfée wines - crystallised fruits, blackcurrant leaf and a wonderfully unusual (for a red wine) whiff of elderflower. There are also some subtle hints of herbs and leather, which only serves to add yet more complexity. And yet, even at 12 years of age, the emphasis of this wine is very much on a combination of wonderful fruit, juicy acidity and fine tannins. Actually, it hasn't moved an awful lot since the last bottle I enjoyed, a good 18 months ago, but that is no bad thing in my book, because although it has another 5 to 10 years before it reaches its peak of maturity, it is just so lovely to drink now. Another utterly glorious wine from Domaine de La Marfée. Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it before(!), you can buy the full range of current vintages from La Marfée - plus a couple of older wines - from my online shop.

Two new arrivals from Joseph Swan Vineyards

2011-08-27T19:24:00.000+01:00

Having posted recently on the rather stunning Joseph Swan Vineyards Syrah 2005, I make no apologies for writing about yet more lovely wines from this wonderful California grower. I'd love to visit the winery one day, as I believe they make quite a few other wines that are not available through their UK agent - and of the ones available over here, I have yet to taste a single one that doesn't hit the spot. And here are two more, just arrived at Leon Stolarski Fine Wines.....

Joseph Swan Vineyards Cotes du Rosa 2009 Russian River Valley, CA £20.95

100% Carignan. This one is quite a deep colour in comparison to the 2008 - almost opaque red/purple, with a narrow rim. It also shows a degree or so less in alcohol (12.3% as opposed to 13.5% in the 2008) and displays scents of roses and parma violets, raspberries, cassis and cream, mint, damp earth. On the palate, it appears younger, more primary and less developed, with abundant fresh red and black fruit flavours, fine but grippy tannins and vibrant, mouth-watering acidity. But the apparent youth of this wine is certainly no bar to drinking this now - one of the things I love about Joseph Swan wines is that they are always lovely to drink, whatever age they are - even when made from 100% Carignan!. But whereas the 2008 seems a little more developed and forward and absolutely ready now, this 2009 seems like more of a slow burner, with the balance and structure to develop beautifully over the next 8 to 10 years.

Joseph Swan Vineyards Cuvée de Trois Pinot Noir 2009 Russian River Valley, CA £23.99

The colour is transluscent, light-to-medium raspberry/blood red, leading to a watery rim. As with just about every vintage of this wine, the nose really is the essence of fine, sensuous Pinot Noir - ripe summer fruits, exotic mixed spices, roses, leather, sandalwood and damp earth. If you tasted it blind, you could hardly mistake it for anything other than Pinot. And although you might not suggest Burgundy, then again you just might. For I have tasted wines from the Cotes de Nuits that display similar qualities of sweet, succulent fruit and exotic spices (think 1er Cru Morey-Saint-Denis or Nuits-Saint-Georges from the same vintage) although I've tasted a good few lesser ones that would kill for this level of ripeness and complexity. And that generosity of fruit really shines though on the palate, with flavours of raspberries and cream and a gentle tanginess, courtesy of soft tannins and juicy acidity. Not that it is all about the fruit, of course, for those notes of exotic spice, flowers, undergrowth and old wood add real complexity. You really do get the sense that you are drinking something very fine, despite its relative youth. And as always with Joseph Swan wines, it is even better the next day. A supremely elegant and truly lovely wine.

2009 was obviously a good year - a stunner of a red wine from the Loire

2011-08-24T23:34:00.002+01:00

Wednesday is usually Nottingham Wine Circle night, but having worked for most of the day on my website, it occurred to me that it was far more out of date than I had feared. Therefore, I'm still working at it, late into the evening, instead of being out tasting lots of other people's wines. But I can't let a Wednesday evening pass without a decent glass of wine, so I took a break to make something for supper and taste a few of the bottles I brought home from that weekend Loire marathon I mentioned in yesterday's post. And here's my note on a real stunner of a Cabernet Franc (now that's a combination of words that I never thought I'd use)......

Domaine de La Butte "Mi-Pente" 2009 Bourgueil - Jacky Blot

A classy nose indeed - lots of new, toasty oak and a huge waft of dark, sensuous black fruits steeped in eau de vie. It's clearly youthful, but already gloriously complex, with enticing notes of cigar box, leather, damp earth and cloves. It smells big and lavish, but there's a high-toned, citrus fruit note that gives real lift. And that citrus certainly comes through on the palate, with a huge mouthful of prickly acidity, right at the front - it really is mouth-wateringly delicious. Of course, it has tannin in abundance (what self-respecting Cab Franc doesn't?) but it is rich, ripe and creamy and combines seamlessly with that lovely acidity, almost to the point where you cannot decipher between the two. And inside that structure lies a dense core of red and black fruit flavours, again earthy, gently spicy and savoury, even slightly medicinal. But great wine is all about the whole, not the individual components, and the package here is virtually faultless. When I first tasted this wine, I had a feeling that the acidity may have been "adjusted". Maybe so, maybe not, but the effect is ethereal, rather than unnatural - and this may just be the most balanced, fruity, complex, complete young red wine I have ever tasted from the Loire, with a tendency towards elegance that will surely emerge with some bottle age. It is utterly compelling and delicious - and it is still evolving, a full 4 days later. If I had some of this wine in my cellar (which I don't) I'd be tempted to drink it all far too quickly - but boy, would I love to taste it in another 10 years' time. I'm not quite a convert yet, but if this is what Loire Cabernet Franc is capable of, then give me more!

Oh, and I have to say it goes beautifully with my home-made pizza, topped with tomato, mushrooms, anchovies, green peppers, mozzarella, a little pepperoni and oregano. A match made in heaven!

Right - back to work on my website............

A lovely white wine from South Africa

2011-08-23T20:08:00.001+01:00

Having spent most of Saturday tasting more than 100 red wines from the Loire Valley (actually, there were almost 150, but I simply didn't have the staying power!) I have plenty of notes to write up over the next few days. Meanwhile, here's a note on a rather good South African Chenin-based wine that was enjoyed at the post-tasting dinner.

Mullineux White 2010 Swartland, SA

This is a blend of 80% Chenin Blanc, 10% Clairette and 10% Viognier, bottled unfined and unfiltered. Whether it is aged in oak, I can't say for sure, although if it is, the effect is subtle. The texture is lovely, with a slight oiliness and a really quite rich mouth-feel, but that richness is beautifully offset by a combination of intense, stoney minerality and ample acidity. It isn't overtly fruity, either on the nose or the palate - aside from a touch of orange/lime pithiness and perhaps a vague hint of spiced apple - but it is intensely "winey", which I guess is another way of saying it is complex. The fact that I find that complexity hard to describe is very much a positive, because it is a wine for contemplation, which keeps inviting you back for more. And there is definitely a start, a middle and a finish - it is weighty and intense to begin with, before a wave of minerality and zingy acidity hits you, followed by a long, warm and really quite spicy finish. This bottle was brought to dinner by the man who imports the Mullineux range of wines into the Netherlands, and he kindly gave it to me to take home at the end of the evening. And 3 days later, it continues to offer a lot of enjoyment - and, indeed, is still evolving and gaining weight, which is a sure sign that it should age nicely for a good few years. Having rather damned the 2009 vintage of this wine with faint praise a while ago, I found this bottle to be really excellent. I believe it retails for around about £16 in the UK.

Good wine and good bread - what more could one ask for?

2011-08-19T23:33:00.000+01:00

Domaine d'Estoublon 2007 Vin de Pays des Alpilles

I've been selling this wine (by which I mean this very vintage) for around a year now, and you can find it on my website, along with a completely unrelated tasting note. But I thought I'd open a bottle and see how it is developing - purely for research purposes, mind! It is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, grown on the southern slopes of the Alpilles in deepest Provence. The nose is honeyed, though not buttery, with notes of super-ripe apples, candied peel, marmalade and a complex mix of spices and herbs. The palate has a slightly waxy texture, but is otherwise beautifully poised and fresh as a daisy. It is awash with flavour - "winey" rather than overtly fruity, that's for sure, but it has definite hints of apples laced with cloves and cinnamon and a marmaladey richness, offset by a core of stoney minerality and nervy acidity. Although it is very definitely Provencal/Southern Rhone in origin, this wine is free of the overt pithiness - and therefore bitterness - that I often find in white Chateauneuf, and consequently bears more than a little similarity to (say) a white Hermitage in structure........ or even a white Trévallon. I actually opened this bottle 4 days ago, and we drank most of it with home-made chicken liver parfait and sourdough bread, with a mixed salad and cherry tomatoes from my greenhouse - and it really was a delicious combination. But the last glass (drank this evening) is perhaps even better than the first. Which tells me that this wine can only get better - perhaps another 5 years or more? £22.99.

Domaine Sol-Payré Vertigo 2009 Cotes du Roussillon

Continuing the vaguely Southern Rhone theme, this is a wine very firmly rooted in Roussillon - but with more than a nod towards the red Chateauneuf style. It is a new cuvée - a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, with perhaps just a touch of oak-ageing, but not too much - older oak, for definite, because in this wine, the fruit definitely wins the day. In fact, when I first opened the bottle (last night) it had just a bit too much Grenache intensity and rusticity for my personal taste - rich, full of grape skin and bramble fruit and a tarry quality which slightly overwhelmed. But what a difference a day makes, for it has blossomed into a wine of real elegance......... the nose offers aromas of mixed red/black fruits and garrigue herbs, polished wood, forest floor and subtle notes of eau de vie, whilst the palate is almost unrecognisable - expansive fruit flavours, silky mouthfeel, great balance and a fair amount of complexity. And (despite the 14.5% abv shown on the label) no sense of heat - just a lovely southern, spicy warmth. It provided a very decent match for tonight's Spaghetti alla Carbonara. I like it a lot and will no doubt grab a few cases when I next import form Sol-Payré, later in the year - projected price around £14.

A visit to Domaine de La Marfée - surely one of Languedoc's finest growers

2011-08-14T17:58:00.004+01:00

With a backgound in accountancy, Thierry Hasard came relatively late to winemaking, making his first wines in 1997. He farms around 9 hectares of vines, on a dozen or so different plots near the village of Murviel Les Montpellier, within the relatively unknown Saint Georges d'Orques sub-appellation of Languedoc. Although the village of Murviel is situated just a handful of kilometres west of Montpellier itself, it can best be described as a relative backwater - indeed, a real hidden gem - since it isn't actually on the route to anywhere in particular. You really have to be going there to even be aware of its existence, which probably explains why, in almost 2 decades of visiting the region, I'd never been there before. Murviel is located on a hill, with views of the Mediterranean about 15 kilometres away. Here, prehistoric men lived and the Romans built a temple and an oppidum, from which the name of the village originates: "mur viel", meaning "old wall". It is a pretty village, surrounded by undulating countryside, given over partly to vines and a few arable crops, but interspersed with numerous forests of holm oak. It almost feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, even though a big city lies so close by.

On our recent holiday, I felt like I'd been far too lazy and spent far too much time at our gite, lazing around. So I called Thierry Hasard on a whim, on one of the rare overcast (though still warm) afternoons, and managed to steal a few hours away. We arranged to meet an hour later and, although he gave me some vague directions, I found myself driving around the outskirts of the village, feeling rather lost. To be fair, he did say it was difficult to find! I pulled over to the side of the road and was about to call Thierry on his mobile when a car hooted from behind, and there he was. I guess it isn't hard to spot a lost English tourist around these parts! We exchanged greetings and then drove out of the village, to take a look at a handful of Thierry's vineyards.

His passion for the vines and the land is obvious - he practices biodynamic farming, although (unlike many growers who have jumped on the bandwagon) he feels no need for the certification to prove it. But one only needs to compare his vineyards, which are a picture of health and full of life, to those of others around here, which have been treated with chemicals. You can simply see the vigour in the vines and the soil. Aside from the occasional use of a little sulphur, nothing else goes onto his vines or into the soil - everything else is down to hard work, occasional (though not too much) ploughing and plenty of TLC for the vines. I asked whether the vine tips (which you can see reaching skywards in the photos) would be cut back. Thierry explained that the tips are the "heads" of the vines, and therefore (as with humans, I guess) provide a crucial role in their development through the growing season, so it would not do to cut them off too early(!) Being mid-June, the grapes were still green, but an absolute picture of health - and heathy grapes make healthy wine.

Syrah - note the bits of green dotted about between the rows -
no chemicals used in these biodynamic vineyards - only careful ploughing and hard work

Grenache - bush vines, but with wires to keep them orderly and provide support for the heads

Thierry Hasard in the Vermentino plot, planted just a few years ago

Precious 60 year-old Carignan vines - a picture of health

Following our walk through the vineyards, we drove to Thierry's newly-built chai, set amidst gently rolling hills, a couple of kilometres outside the town of Murviel-les-Montpellier. He's built a house next to the chai, which he and his family will move into later this summer. It's a tranquil spot, with lovely views over the surrounding countryside. There are probably few - if any - other buildings within a kilometre or more of here, although the suburbs of Montpellier now appear on the horizon, just a few kilometres to the east. Thierry believes that the inexorable sprawl of the city will eventually reach this far, and fears that within a generation, these beautiful vineyards may well have given way to houses. Even in southern France, prime agricultural and viticultural land is so much more valuable as building land. And if that happens (and I pray that the powers-that-be will eventually realise the true value of this region's wine industry, before it is too late) some wonderful terroir and yet more precious old vines will be consigned to the history books. But that's for the future to decide - for now, we can still enjoy the wonderful wines from this beautiful and peaceful backwater of Languedoc.

The road leading to the new chais at La Marfée - the suburbs of Montpellier appear on the horizon, now just a few kilometres away

The view from the new house and chai -

- looking south-east towards the Montagne de la Gardiole and the Mediterranean

And so to the wines. Firstly, we tasted through various components of the 2010 vintage, all from barrel.

Vermentino 2010

The colour has a faint orange hue. Apples, tree blossom and minerals on the nose. The palate is generous and expansive, but beautifully poised and elegant - rich, but not too rich, with flavours of honey, soft citrus and a little bit of spice. Supremenly elegant finish, with lovely acidity. Thierry told me his wife said he was mad to plant Vermentino (a.k.a Rolle) but she has now changed her mind. This is a wine he can be rightly proud of, and although it tasted wonderful on its own, it will be blended into the white Frisson d'Ombelles - which can only make an already brilliant wine even better.

Chardonnay 2010

A little bit reductive on the nose, but with some lovely "non-fruit" Chardonnay aromas. Reminds me of a Cote d'Or wine, actually. Thierry said the acidity was almost lemon juice in intensity when first vinified, but it has settled nicely into a medium-rich wine, with real depth and minerality, a touch of wood/grape tannin and wonderful length. Only 12.9% abv, too.

Roussanne 2010 (aged in a new 600 litre oak demi-muid - the only new barrel in the chai)

Aromas of citrus and orange blossom, with buttery, honeyed notes. Wonderfully tangy on the palate, with some richness and savouriness, but with a backbone of lively acidity. Delicious.

Grenache 2010 (only just put into barrel)

Very light in colour, almost like a Pinot (I can't divulge why). And the nose, whilst not really Pinot, does show some real elegance, with aromas of cherry, redcurrant and raspberry. The palate is richer, with a hint of licourice, but bags of fruit too.

Syrah 2010

Savoury, almost meaty nose, but with hints of minerality and white flowers. to complement the red fruits and a touch of citrus. Grippy, but very ripe tannins, with redcurrant fruit and loads of mouth-watering acidity.

Carignan 2010 (from 60 year-old vines)

Earthy, red and black fruit aromas, with notes of citrus and blackcurrant leaf. The palate is just lovely - a huge core of elegant red and black fruit flavours and wonderful lemon/orange acidity and a length that just goes on and on. A gorgeous wine, with immense potential.

Mourvedre 2010

Smoky! Meaty and savoury, too - it just screams Mourvedre. A touch of petillance/spritz, with lovely acidity (there's a theme to these wines), so fresh and full of life, yet with a richness and generosity. Still tannic, but fine-grained, even soft. Thierry describes it as being like a big, soft blanket, covering you with its multi-layered warmth. Delicious wine, with a serious side.

Part of the barrel room in the new chais - a bit foggy from the effects of the humidifier!

One of 5 new concrete "eggs" - these are becoming a popular alternative to oak and stainless steel

After tasting through the 2010's, Thierry showed me his private cellar. He was an accountant in his previous career (and indeed still practices a little, for a few chosen clients) and it is obvious that a good deal of his disposable income at the at time was spent on his love of good wine. He has a fair amount of classed growth Bordeaux, top-notch Burgundy and Rhone, and a rather impressive selection of vintages of Chateau d'Yquem. Clearly, though, he has a balanced perspective on what is worth keeping and what is simply too expensive for any normal person to drink, for he showed me a case of 1989 Chateau Haut Brion, which will soon be destined for the auction house. After all, life as a vigneron is much less lucrative than that of an accountant, and every little helps. I was much more interested in his collection of vintages of Domaine des Grange des Peres, which I assume must be in lieu of payment for professional services rendered - if you see what I mean. When I remarked that I had never - for my sins - tasted a Grange des Peres, he very generously gave me a bottle of 2008 red, which I shall do my best to avoid broaching for a few years.

Just part of Thierry Hasard's personal cellar -

- the fruits of a somewhat more lucrative previous career as an accountant

Finally, we tasted through the current release wines, from bottle - all 2008's, and all opened especially for my visit. After the tasting, Thierry kindly gave me the bottles to take away, so my initial notes are augmented by further impressions, written over the following couple of days;

Frissons d'Ombelles 2008 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
A blend of Roussanne and Chardonnay (from 2010, Vermentino will also become part of the blend). Spring flowers, blossom and citrus aromas, with definite nutty and honeyed notes and a real mineral streak. The palate is supremely fresh and full of life, again slightly nutty and medium-rich, but with a wonderful citrussy, zesty acidity and underlying flavours of apple, peach and spice. The oak is very much in the background, on both the nose and the palate. Lovely structure and complexity, which makes it lovely to drink now, but with the potential to evolve for up to 10 years. 13.0% abv.

Les Gamines 2008 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
Quite closed on the nose to begin with, but opens-up nicely to reveal some really quite complex aromas of leather, spice, bramble, vanilla, smoke, damp earth and soft citrus. There's a core of ripe (but not dense) red and black fruit on the palate, with perfect tannin/acidity balance, again with orange/citrus notes and a long, spicy finish. This is a classic "day 2" wine - on the first day, it seems in need of 2 or 3 years to soften, but by the second day it is really singing. A wine to drink now (preferably decanted well in advance) or to age for 5 to 8 years. 13.5% abv.

Les Vignes Qu'On Abat 2008 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
100% Carignan, from 60 year-old vines. Savoury, meaty, herby and sous-bois aromas, with masses of both red and black currant fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and almost understated, with a piquancy rarely found in a Carignan-based wine. The acidity is quite high, though nicely integrated with fine tannins and prominent cherry and redcurrant fruit - a beautifully poised, elegant wine, and the absolute antithesis of soupy. A real connoisseur's wine, with brilliant medium-to-long term potential. 13.0% abv.

Les Champs Murmurés 2008 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
50% each of Syrah and Mourvedre. A very complex nose of leather, coffee, beef, allspice and polished wood. Savoury and meaty, but with plenty of rich bramble fruit and even some floral notes. Quite rich and velvety, but with ample acidity and plenty of grip. On day 2, the savoury notes are complemented by a hint of forest floor and red and black fruits steeped in eau de vie. The palate shows a lovely combination of ripe fruits, citrussy acidity and fine tannic structure. As with all of Thierry Hasard's wines, it is complex and expansive, but at the same time understated and carefully extracted. It is surprisingly drinkable now, but will be magnificent in 5-10 years - and surely longer. 13.5% abv.

Rosé 2010 IGP Pays d'Hérault
Thierry also presented me with a bottle of this wine, which we drank at home last week. And although I included it in an earlier post, I've included it here, for completeness. To be honest, I have no idea of the grape mix - I really should have asked. It is a fabulous colour - ultra-pale onion skin pink, with orange glints, and with a lovely nose, too - lightly zesty, forest fruits and orange blossom, apples and flowers, with hints of sweetly aromatic herbs. The flavours are wonderfully delicate and understated, rather than showy, with myriad red fruits, herbs, minerals and beautifully integrated acidity of the juicy (rather than pithy) kind. The flavours are long, spicy and gently warming, though without even the merest hint of alcohol. Most rosés can perhaps be dismissed as lacking identity - a sort of confected halfway house between red and white wine. But for me, this lovely wine is the very definition of the style, and worthy of real appreciation and contemplation - a wine of real structure. It may well age for a few years, and if I had any more, I'd be tempted to tuck a few away for a year or two, but it is just so lovely now, and it would give the very best Provence rosés a real run for their money. A truly lovely rosé. 13.0% abv.

I've written quite extensively about the wines of Domaine de La Marfée on several previous occasions (see the alphabetical menu on the right-hand side) but have no qualms about doing so once more. For I genuinely believe that Thierry Hasard makes some of the greatest wines the Languedoc has to offer. As it is, they remain hidden gems on the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines list - perhaps a relatively expensive leap of faith for the majority of Languedoc fans who look to the £8 to £12 category for what is perceived as the starting point for real quality/price ratio. And, of course, those who choose to spend their money on much more expensive wines from the more fashionable regions of France and elsewhere may never make that leap, despite the fact that growers such as La Marfée are making wines to rival - and in my humble opinion surpass - their over-priced trophy wines. It is their loss - and the canny Languedoc aficionado's gain.

Leon Stolarski Fine Wines currently stocks the full range of 2007's from Domaine de La Marfée, priced from £13.79 to £24.50. We also offer a 6-bottle sampler case, at the special price of £110.44 (a saving of £10).

A profound Californian Syrah

2011-08-13T23:29:00.003+01:00

Alright, so I said I was going to publish a report on my visit to Domaine de La Marfée today, but that has been almost 2 months in the making (it's a bit of an epic!) so it can wait a day longer. But tonight, I just have to tell you about a rather wonderful wine, which is worthy of its own post - in fact, two posts, because I first wrote about this wine as recently as June. That was a wonderful bottle in it's own right, but tonight's bottle left me in complete rapture with it's sheer lovliness. Actually, I think it is an interesting exercise in comparing (my own) tasting notes, so without the benefit of actually reading what I wrote in June, here's what this latest bottle did for me.....

Joseph Swan Winery Trenton Estate Syrah 2005 Russian River Valley, California - £22.99

Goodness me, this is so incredibly prefumed. Heady aromas of leather, meat, flowers, woodsmoke, iodine, mixed spice, damp earth, truffles and polished mahogany. I guarantee, they're all in there. Oh, and masses of fruit, of course - blackberries, blackcurrant and dried citrus peel. It really does have the most complex nose you could ever imagine. There's a wildness about it, almost reminiscent of a young Trévallon, or - dare I say it - a touch of the Chateauneuf. The nose would lead you to think the palate would be all about the savoury, but not a bit of it - the flavours are intense and vibrant, with a core of ripe, concentrated red and black fruits, allied to the most lip-smacking acidity and ultra-ripe tannins. I'm almost minded to describe it as velvety, but that would be a disservice, because this wine has such beautiful grip, with a balance and structure that is nigh-on perfect. The flavours linger for an awful long time on the finish, whilst the not insubstantial 14.6% abv merely serves to add yet more definition.

I am not often moved to describe a wine as "great", but for me, this really is a great wine, in the real sense of the word. And although it is so good to drink now, it could well turn out to be absolutely profound, given another 5 to 10 years in bottle.

A handful of lovely wines enjoyed over the past week

2011-08-12T22:52:00.005+01:00

Prior to my publishing a big write-up on Domaine de La Marfée (hopefully tomorrow) here are my thoughts on some really nice wines tasted/drank over the last week or so.

Bodegas Castano Monastrell Ecologico 2008 Yecla, Spain

Made from 100% organically-cultivated Monastrell (better known in France as Mourvedre) not too far from the coast in south-eastern Spain. On opening, there is a strong whiff of funkiness - beefy, barnyardy and herby - allied to some really rich, almost sweet-smelling bramble and cherry fruit. That funkiness soon blows off with some air, to reveal a really quite complex wine, crammed full of red and black fruits steeped in eau de vie, but with an alluring savouriness and herbiness and background notes of damp earth, tobacco and allspice. In the mouth, it has all the concentration you could wish for, but still exhibits a degree of elegance, combining rich fruit flavours, soft, ripe tannins and mouth-watering acidity, all of which makes it a joy to drink on its own, whilst also being a brilliant food wine. We paired it with some herby sausages and mustard mash, although I suspect it would go equally well with spaghetti bolognese, pizza or barbecued red meats (lamb chops or a peppered rib steak spring to mind). This has got to be worth a tenner of anybody's money, but at £7.50 a bottle, it is a cracking bargain. Drink now, or keep for 5+ years. 14.5% abv.

Domaine de La Marfée Rosé 2010 IGP Pays d'Hérault

This was a gift from winemaker Thierry Hasard, following my recent visit. To be honest, I have no idea of the grape mix - I must find out. It is a fabulous colour - ultra-pale onion skin pink, with orange glints, and with a lovely nose, too - lightly zesty, forest fruits and orange blossom, apples and flowers, with hints of sweetly aromatic herbs. The flavours are wonderfully delicate and understated, rather than showy, with myriad red fruits, herbs, minerals and beautifully integrated acidity of the juicy (rather than pithy) kind. The flavours are long, spicy and gently warming, though without even the merest hint of alcohol. Most rosés can perhaps be dismissed as lacking identity - a sort of confected halfway house between red and white wine. But for me, this lovely wine is the very definition of the style, and worthy of real appreciation and contemplation - a wine of real structure. It may well age for a few years, and if I had any more, I'd be tempted to tuck a few away for a year or two, but it is just so lovely now, and it would give the very best Provence rosés a real run for their money. A truly lovely rosé.

Alain Graillot La Guiraude 1995 Crozes Hermitages

This wine still has an amazing core of rich, fresh bramble and blackcurrant fruit. In fact, for a northern Rhone wine of 16 years' age, it is remarkably fresh and vibrant and not yet imbued with those meaty, bacon fat notes that one would expect. It has a touch of rusticity about it, but that is one of the things I love about this appellation - it is a real un-polished diamond. The palate is more than equal to the nose, with wonderful flavours of bramble, blackcurrant, citrus and mineral, with a tannic structure that should see it age for at least another 5 to 10 years. Problem is, this was my last bottle - damn and blast! A fabulous Crozes, which is easily on a par with most vintages of the benchmark Domaine de Thalabert.

Luis Pato Casta Baga Vinho Tinto 2007 Beiras, Portugal

My friend Andy Leslie brought this round to an impromptu get-together at my house the other evening, and it was a sheer delight. Maybe it's because we'd just enjoyed a really decent red Burgundy, but I swear that I was back in the Cotes de Nuits again with this one. When told categorically that it wasn't Burgundy - or indeed Pinot Noir - we (that's David Bennett and I) were scratching about for other grape varieties that occasionally showed similar characteristics. But no, it wasn't Tempranillo, not Sangiovese, not Nebbiolo and not Syrah. But to be told that it was the indigenous Portugese grape variety known as Baga came as a big surprise. Don't get me wrong - my experiences (albeit limited) of Baga have all been good. Indeed, one of my "house wines" over the last few years has been 1990 Luis Pato Baga - several cases of the stuff, in fact, picked up for a song at a certain well-known auction house. But that is a 20 year-old wine, and the tannins are still somewhat evident, even though the fruit is still there too. But this is a 2007 wine, though to be fair, it is blended with the somewhat more forgiving, sweet-edged Touriga Nacional variety. But sniffing it now, as I type, this wine still smells like a rather masculine Burgundy, with strawberry/raspberry fruit, cream, exotic spices and damp earth. And it tastes like Burgundy - tart red fruits, maybe even citrus, spice, damp earth again, and essentially fairly light-bodied and really quite elegant. I guess the biggest giveaway is the slightly rustic tannin, although some lesser Burgundies can have rusticity too. I guess I'm just amazed that a wine made from Baga (don't you just love the name!) can be so utterly lovely and drinkable at such a young age. And for about £9 (apparently from D Byrnes of Clitheroe) I'd say it is a wine of real character and interest - and an absolutely cracking bargain. 12.5% abv.

Domaine du Garinet Futs de Chene 2001 Cahors

Bramble fruits, dried orange peel, smoke, damp earth, mushroom/truffle and some pretty attractive polished wood.... and what seems like an unmistakeable - though completely harmonious - touch of brett. The fruit is bright and still relatively fresh, although perhaps heading towards secondary. The tannins are present, even slightly grippy, but certainly not drying. Flavours of cherry kernel and red and black fruits, with lovely acidity. My first impression is that this is mature and needs drinking within the next 2 to 3 years, but tasting the rest of the bottle on day 2, it remains fresh and really quite delicious, so perhaps there's still life in it yet. Andy remarked how much he liked this (on day 2, that is) and that it was one of the most enjoyable Cahors he'd tasted - soft, but with real character, and well worth the £14 or so I would need to sell it for. Which really is not a bad price for such a lovely, mature wine. I might get some. 13.0% abv.

Chateau d'Estoublon Cuvée Mogador 2008 Les Baux de Provence

The colour is a fairly opaque deep blood red, with a narrow ruby rim. The nose exudes class - indeed, it is quite beguiling, with heady black fruit aromas, a touch of meat, polished wood, garrigue herbs and incense. As you might expect with such a young wine, it is quite big on the palate, but it certainly isn't foursqare. The tannins are present, though undoubtedly very fine - in a slightly dusty, chocolatey fashion - whilst the core of rich, ripe, almost sweet bramble and blackcurrant fruit really is impressive, though there is a bitter cherry quality to it that keeps it fresh, in a sweet and sour sort of way. There is a certain amont of oak influence, not charred or toasty, but rather more in the way of old polished mahogany - integrated, subtle and beautifully aromatic. Again, it is ever-so-slightly savoury, herby, even meaty, whilst the mouth-watering acidity provides a perfect foil for the sweet fruit and the tannins - so much so that it is almost drinkable now. Then again, this is a wine built for the long haul and I would say it has at least a decade of evolution ahead of it. Not cheap, at £42.95, but a magnificent wine.

Domaine de la Semellerie 2010 Chinon

This is from a new grower to the list of importer Richards Walford, from whom I buy a few bits and bobs (notably those wonderful Joseph Swan wines from California and the Rolly Gassmann Alsace wines). Loire wine buyer (and all-round Loire aficianado and expert) Richard Kelley MW describes this wine as "a complete joy and everything I want my Chinon to be; pure, red-black fruit with excellent Cabernet Franc definition and bottled straight from the tank." And I tend to agree with him. I've never been a huge fan of Cab Franc, but this is a beautifully light, sappy, fruit-filled wine, with reatively soft tannins, but just enough stalkiness to give it a touch of grip. Add to that a little peppery spice, some delightful cherry and redcurrant/blackcurrant fruit and a delicious backbone of lemon-tinged acidity and you have a perfect summer red wine. It is is a joy to drink on its own, although I fully expect it to be a great match for the spaghetti carbonara and fresh home-made bread I am cooking up. Edit; Later...... it did! I think I may take some of this for my list, and it should retail for around £10.50. 12.5% abv.

Supper!

Domaine de la Semellerie Rosé 2010 Chinon
This is the rosé version of the above wine, again made from Cabernet Franc, with two-thirds "saignée" (i.e. free run juice) and one-third direct pressing of the grapes. It is high-toned, again full of bright red fruits and a touch of citrus and herb, with a nice streak of earthy minerality. The palate is fresh, zingy and beautifully clean - perhaps the merest hint of pear drops, but otherwise majoring on red fruits, juicy apple and lively acidity. The palate is long and slightly peppery. A really nice rosé, but I fear that I can't make much of a margin, unless I sell it for a tenner or so - and that isn't cheap for a rosé. Nice wine, though. 12.5% abv.

More, very soon. Meanwhile, I need sleep!

A visit to Domaine Gayda

2011-08-07T21:31:00.005+01:00

On the same day as our visit to Chateau Rives-Blanques in Limoux, which I reported on in June, we also visited Domaine Gayda in nearby Brougairolles. Gayda is a truly international effort, and whilst both the winery and the winemaking (and indeed viticultural) techniques employed have something of the New World about them, the resulting wines speak very much of their Languedoc and Roussillon roots.

South African Anthony Record and Englishman Tim Ford joined forces with French winemaker Vincent Chansault to form Domaine Gayda in 2003. At just 30 years of age, Vincent has packed a lot of experience into his career, working in the Loire Valley, Rhone and Languedoc, as well as having worked for a number of years in South Africa, notably under the tutelage of Marc Kent, winemaker at the famous Boekenhoutskloof winery, and now a non-executive Director at Gayda. After building a brand new (and, I must say, very impressive) new winery, the estate produced its first vintage in 2004. At the same time, they set about planting vineyards on the surrounding land which had, until then, been used for the raising of various other crops. The winery is actually situated within the Cotes de Malepere region, although they do not use this (or any other) AOC for their wines. At 7 years of age, those vines (Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc) are now in full production, but a large proportion of the grapes are still sourced from various different parts of Languedoc and Roussillon.

Bringing in grapes from far and wide is an interesting concept, and one which many new world wine growers have practiced for a long time. But it is a relatively new concept to southern France, although some of the larger, more mass-market-oriented concerns such as Skalli and Gerard Bertrand have been doing it for a number of years. But Gayda's approach is very focused, and they source grapes from some of the top growers in Roussillon, with whom they have built firm - though strictly non-contracted - relationships. In addition, Gayda own some parcels of vines on the Petit Causse, in the hills above La Liviniere in Languedoc.

Of course, the blending of grapes from these different areas ensures that Gayda's wines cannot qualify for any particular AOC, and are thus labelled under the catch-all Pays d'Oc denomination. But if the wines are this good, who cares if they lack a perceived single regional identity? I say "perceived", because the wines are far from international, showing a strong Languedoc/Roussillon character - and if I tasted them completely blind, I would most likely be there in a flash, especially with the ones made from indigenous grape varieties.

Before we began, we were treated to a 3-course lunch with Vincent, in the delightful restuarant at Gayda, overlooking the vines and the plot that will soon be planted with Olive trees (another Gayda project). The day was warm but overcast, so the view of the nearby Pyrenées was pretty much obscured, but the views from the restaurant were still a delight, as was the food and the Gayda wines which accompanied it.

The restaurant at Domaine Gayda offers good food and (normally) fine views of the Pyrenées

After lunch, Vincent took us on a tour of the vineyards and the winery..........

Winemaker Vincent Chansault in the vineyard

Inspecting the grapes - in mid-June, still small and green, but very healthy

The winery is modern and hi-tech, with plenty of stainless steel.........

......... and approximately 400 top-quality oak barrels, each one on rollers,

which enables two people to turn every single one in around an hour

Then it was to the tasting room, to taste through (most of) the range of wines

Viognier 2010

Very floral and aromatic, with notes of honeysuckle and citrus. Fresh on the palate, with ripe tree fruits. Nicely balanced.

Sauvignon 2010

At veraison (the beginning of the fruit ripening process) the vines are largely de-leafed on the north-facing side, to aid development of the fruit, but without the burning effect of the sun. The wine spends a month on its lees after fermentation. It is herbaceous and fruity, with a nose of elderflower, freshly-cut grass, lemon and quince. The flavours are delicate - definitely more Sancerre than Marlborough. I'm not a huge fan of Sauvignon, but I like this.

Chardonnay 2010

25% of this wine spends some time in barrel, but the effect is very subtle. Again quite herbaceous and even herby, but very fresh in the mouth, with notes of lemon and mineral. Quite Chablis-like in structure.

Figure Libre Freestyle 2009

A blend of 60% Grenache Blanc, plus 15% Macabeu, 15% Roussanne and 10% Marsanne. A yeasty/leesy, smoky, savoury nose, with hints of tropical fruit and a lick of oak. The leesy element shows on the palate too, with flavours of citrus and peach and a delicate herbiness. A hint of butter gives richness, whilst crisp acidity and a mineral streak add balance and structure. There's a touch of oak influence, but it is really well-judged and there's a nice hit of orange peel on the long finish. A lovely wine for now or for medium term ageing.

Figure Libre Macabeu 2009

Not much of a note here - I guess I must have been talking too much! Aromas of minerals, smoke and a certain nuttiness. Some oak on the palate, quite rich, with a touch of salinity and zesty flavours. Promising, but I think I marginally prefer the Freestyle.

Syrah 2009

A creamy nose reminiscent of vanilla ice cream melted over strawberries and raspberries. Hints of blueberries and tar. Juicy redcurrant, plum and bramble fruits in the mouth, with firm but fine tannins and lots of acidity. Nice wine.

Grenache 2009

Again, my note for this is barely non-existent...... Very ripe, with plums, cream and tar.

Figure Libre Freestyle 2009

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon. Serious oak, smoky and complex, with big fruit aromas. Amazingly soft and rounded on the palate, with rich, chocolatey tannins, sweet blackcurrant and plum fruit and medium acidity. It is a big wine, built to last, and probably needs 5 years to really come into its own. Very promising.

Cabernet Franc 2009

From a 1.9 hectare plot, planted on the Gayda estate in 2004. A nose of tobacco, cedar and spice, with black fruits and a hint of white peach. Hints of savoury, and even a touch of greenness, which adds a refreshing streak. There's real depth in this wine. The tannins are quite firm at the moment, but very ripe, peppery and spicy. A very promising wine, which needs 3 to 5 years to really sing.

Selection Chenin Vin de Table de France

From a 1.2 hectare parcel of vines planted on the Gayda estate in 2004. For the technically-minded, here are some details from the Gayda website; "Individual berries or bunches affected by Noble Rot are harvested on four separate pickings – Harvested at 430g/L of sugar (or 23% potential alcohol) – Gentle pressing for 10 hours to slowly release the juice – Cold settling – Barrel fermented in one year old oak – Slow fermentation for 6 months due to the high sugar levels and stops naturally at 12.5% alcohol – Racked and matured in barrel on the lees for 6 months – Tangential filtration prior to bottling." Those four separates pickings or "tries" were conducted over a 5-week period between early October and mid-November 2008. Delightful aromas of honey, nuts and orange marmalade. The palate displays a lovely combination of ripe apricot, tangerine, peach and quince, with a nice level of oak and excellent acidity. It manages to be at the same time honeyed, savoury and fruity. A really yummy wine, and although not cheap, I bought a bottle to bring back to the UK for my own future enjoyment.

As well as the wines I tasted during my visit, I have previously written about a trio of wines, tasted during the early part of this year. For completeness, here are my (slightly truncated!) notes on those wines;

Cuvée Occitane Blanc 2008

A blend of 48% Grenache Blanc, 28% Marsanne, 16% Roussanne and 8% Viognier. As I write, the bottle has actually been open for 2 days, and the wine seems all the better for it. When first opened, it had a delightful floral aroma, with notes of spring blossom and honeysuckle, but those aromas carried through to the palate in a way that was a bit too intense for my personal liking (although TLD loved it). However, 2 days later and it is really singing. There's still a hint of flowers, but also some nicely-integrated (and quite subtle, quite smoky) oak, and hints of peach and lemon zest, but with plenty of secondary/non fruity, though beautifully "winey" notes. The palate has also really settled into its stride, with gentle peach and lemon fruit flavours, a hint of earthiness and again, beautifully integrated oak. It also offers a delightfully tangy streak of stoney minerality, making for a wine which actually possesses a good deal of complexity - it just takes a day or two in the fridge (or a year or two more in bottle, perhaps) to really show its class. As with many of Languedoc's (or in this case Roussillon's) classier oak-matured whites, this isn't too far removed from the old-style Riojas I enjoy so much. All-in-all, this is a really promising wine, which is lovely to drink now, but which may well turn into something even more interesting with 3 to 5 years more in bottle. It really is very yummy indeed.

Viognier 2009

Aged on its lees for 6 months before bottling. There's a faint whiff of garrigue herbs on the nose, which also manifests on the palate, but just enough to add a little complexity and interest to a wine that definitely majors on fruit, with a rather attractive combination of peaches and apricot, orange blossom and other floral notes. It's a really smooth, rather attractive expression of Viognier, with soft apricot and peach flavours countered by just the right amount of zesty citrus fruit and even a hint of stony minerality. The 6 months this wine has spent sitting on its fine, yeasty lees seems to have polished away any rough edges. In fact, this is another wine from Domaine Gayda which calls on new world practices and techniques, whilst very definitely speaking loud and proud of it's Languedoc (and Roussillon) origins.

Chemin de Moscou 2006

68% Syrah, 24% Grenache and 8% Cinsault, with the various constituents being aged in oak barrels ranging from new to 3 vintages old, for a total of 21 months. The nose on this wine offers a veritable array of heady - not to mention, considerably complex - aromas, with dark bramble fruit and something vaguely citrus leading the way, accompanied by notes of meat, leather, sandalwood and allspice. There's also an undeniable touch of brett, but at a level which shouldn't offend the purists, and which is nicely offset by a perceptible whiff of lifted acidity and just the right level of oak. The palate is squeaky-clean and again dominated by brambly fruit, though it certainly doesn't come across as too "sweet" - in fact, there's a sour cherry element which gives the palate plenty of lift, and everything is held together beautifully by a combination of grippy but fine tannin and simply mouth-watering acidity. The finish is gently warming, but very fine and very, very long. Whilst it is already fiendishly drinkable, all of my instincts tell me that this wine will evolve beautifully for at least another 5 years, and should still be holding on nicely by 2020. It certainly isn't cheap, but as the estate's flagship wine, it really does tick all of the boxes - in fact, a Languedoc classic in the making.

Having now had the pleasure of visiting Domaine Gayda and seeing how the grapes are grown and how the wines are made, I have no doubt that this is an estate with a great future. Of course, some of the wines moved me more than others, although none of them were anything less than beautifully-made examples of their kind. And the premium cuvées such as Figure Libre and Chemin de Moscou clearly have the potential to be up there with some of the region's finest wines. I like them a lot, and hope to import a selection of them in the not too distant future.

Cheap white Rhone and Aussie fizz

2011-08-02T21:35:00.002+01:00

Chateau Saint Nabor Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2010

This is another bargain from our raid on the wine shelves of a couple of Intermarché supermarkets on our recent holiday in France. It is actually made by a "vigneron independent", Gérard Castor - i.e. not your average co-operative stuff - and does a more than passable impression of a rather good white Cotes du Rhone, offering delightfully fresh, vibrant aromas of apple, peach, lime and honeysuckle, with some distinctly minerally/flinty/smoky notes adding plenty more interest. It is quite herby, too - oregano and basil spring to mind. The palate isn't too shabby either - extremely fresh and immediately appealing, full of fruit and herb flavours, with a touch of richness countered by intensely zesty, limey acidity and a hint of warming spice on the (really quite persistent) finish. This is about the fifth different bottle I have opened from our little collection of bargain basement wines from Intermarché, and yet another that acquits itself very admirably indeed. They obviously have a very astute buying team. I don't remember the exact price, but it was around the 3.5 Euro mark - and another real success in terms of quality/price ratio. If only supermarket wines were so reliable in the UK.

Orlando Trilogy Sparkling Rosé - South-East Australia

What am I doing drinking Aussie fizz, you may ask. Well, since it cost me the princely sum of £4.95 per bottle from a local bin-end supplier, it was worth a punt on half a dozen bottles. And what is more, wines like this, from suppliers like this, will almost certainly have a year or two of bottle age, which in my book is always a good thing with Champagne - oops, sorry "tradional" - method sparklers. This one has a nice, slightly evolved onion-skin colour, but still possesses a healthy mousse. It is a bit reticent to begin with, perhaps needing to warm up a little after being refrigerated, but soon develops some nice aromas of fruits of the forest, citrus and a slight herbiness. The palate shows a touch of underlying richness, but is essentially quite dry and crisp, with really good acidity and contrasting flavours of bitter cherry and sweet redcurrant and a really decent, grippy/fruity finish. It isn't complex, but it is far from superficial. And it goes nice with a piece of soft, salty cheese and some home-made bread. Very nice, on a balmy, slightly sticky English summer's evening.

A couple of impressive Cahors reds

2011-07-31T23:18:00.002+01:00

Not long before we went on holiday to France (which, although only in mid-June, seems almost a lifetime ago now) I received an email from a customer, who was on holiday in the Cahors region, alerting me to a grower whose wines had impressed him. He suggested that I might want to visit the domaine, but unfortunately our route south took us some considerable way east of there. Nevertheless, he had mentioned me to the owners, and following a little email correspondence with them, I asked if they would be willing to send some samples to where we were staying in Languedoc. Things worked out perfectly and samples of 3 different cuvées arrived in good time for me to transport back to the UK. I opened the first one last evening and was sufficiently impressed to open the second one this evening. It is worth mentioning that the owners Mike and Sue Spring are British - which just goes to show that there are yet more "outsiders" making wine in the south of France than even I was aware of. And I have to say that they are doing a very good job. All of the red wines are made from 100% Malbec, and whilst they are made in a fairly traditional style, there are clearly sympathetic hands at work, for these wines have plenty of fruit and considerable charm.

Domaine du Garinet Classique Malbec 2004 Cahors

Whilst this is spicy, herby, savoury and ever-so-slightly meaty, it certainly isn't short on fruit aromas, with an abundance of red and black fruits steeped in eau de vie. On the other hand, it is mature enough to have also developed plenty of secondary citrus peel, blackcurrant leaf, cedar and forest floor aromas. And what the palate might lack in real complexity is more than made up for in its sheer drinkability. It still has the slightly tannic grip of a traditional Cahors, but the fruit remains deliciously vibrant, with flavours of bramble, blackcurrant and tart red cherry and a lip-smacking streak of acidity. A beautiful combination of sweet and sour, just perfect balanced and seemingly approaching the peak of its powers, although it certainly seems to have the structure to stay there for a few years yet. A delicious wine.

Domaine du Garinet Reserve Malbec 2004 Cahors

My first impression is that this one is a bit darker, a bit more extracted and a bit more "worked", due to having spent 14 months in old(ish) oak barrels. Again, we have plenty of fruit, but this time more at the black end of the spectrum, and again a real savouriness. But the secondary aromas of forest floor, eau de vie and polished old wood are much more to the fore, resulting in a nose that - whilst possibly a bit more complex - is less immediately appealing and overtly fruity than the un-oaked Classique. The palate is quite different, too, with this one clearly being built to age a little more, with a touch more extraction and the 14 months ageing in wood imbuing the wine with more in the way of tannin and grip. That said, it has plenty of juicy acidity and a core of ripe fruit that should have no trouble outlasting the tannins. Add to that a very decent length of flavour and a warm, spicy finish, and you still have a wine that is a fine example of traditional Cahors.

To be honest, there isn't a lot to choose between these two wines, although if pressed, I would probably go for the Classique. Based on my experience with the above two wines, I'm looking forward very much to tasting the 2001 Futs de Chene. Watch this space.........

Some cracking wines from a recent blind tasting at the Nottingham Wine Circle

2011-07-27T23:41:00.004+01:00

After more than 3 weeks of feeling distinctly under the weather, I've been steadily working my way back to good health (although a brief bout of gastric flu at the weekend was a setback) and actually managed my first visit to the Nottingham Wine Circle in 6 weeks, last week. And I'm certainly glad I went, because there were some brilliant wines on offer, at what was supposed to be a "standard" bottle blind tasting. Here's just a few of them...........

Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut NV Champagne

Although this is non-vintage, it clearly has plenty of bottle age - so much so that David Selby (who brought it) could not remember when - or where - he bought it. The nose is minerally, slightly oxidative, with notes of apple pie and fresh bread. The palate is beautifully rich, with what feels like a touch of residual sugar, but is probably just down to gaining weight with bottle age. A lovely, rich, generous wine - if only more Champagnes were so good!

Afros Vinho Verde 2009

This has a lovely combination of peach, mineral and smoke on the nose, with plenty of richness on the palate, with bags of fruit and lovely acidity. The red Vinho Verde from this estate is a real stunner, but this white ain't bad, either.

Chateau Tahbilk Marsanne 2006 Nagambie Lakes, Victoria

Smoky, minerally, lemony, hints of honeysuckle, very rich and with a touch of sulphur/reduction. Some thought it over-oaked, but not me. And in fact, a quick look at the back label confirms it sees no oak-ageing at all - so what do they know! Not the most popular wine around the table, but I thought it was really good, with lots of promise for the future.

Domaine des Baumard Clos de Sainte Catherine 1996 Coteaux du Layon

My goodness, this is so lovely. It smells like toffee apples and clotted cream, with hints of aromatic herbs, brioche, orange and butterscotch. The palate is heaving with flavour, concentration and extreme complexity - apple, root ginger, toffee, fig, honey, cinnamon and cloves........ and amazing lime and lemon acidity. It is powerful, rather than delicate, rich, but supremely balanced, and with gargantuan length. A great sweet wine.

Clos Roche Blanche Cot Rouge 1999 Touraine

Peppery on the nose, with cherry and raspberry fruit and sous-bois. The palate is very much alive - fruity, peppery and really quite floral and elegant, even soft, though the tannins are ever-so-slightly rustic. Lovely acidity, too, which I guess is what keeps it all together. A lovely wine - long, too.

Murua Rioja Reserva 2001

There's plenty of coconut and banana on the nose, courtesy of some rather lavish oak, together with plenty of bramble fruit, which almost puts me in mind of a Barossa Shiraz. The palate is rich and again quite oaky, but with some really rather attractive red and black fruit flavours, allied to fine tannins and ample acidity. The finish is long and spicy. Although this has a quite modern feel to it, there's enough quality and development to suggest that it won't always be that way - in fact, it could turn out to be rather special in another 10 years' time.

Ninth Island Pinot Noir 2004 Tasmania
This is spicy and quite rich, but is elegant and restrained enough to fool some into thinking it might be Burgundy. Aside from a slight alcoholic warmth, it seems essentially cool-climate, and is far from being confected, displaying plenty of cherry and strawberry fruit, along with a touch of spice and forest floor. A very nice wine.

Paul Jaboulet Ainé La Chapelle 1983 Hermitage
A gorgeous nose of sous-bois, flowers, fruits of the forest and incense, with just a hint of savoury, smoky bacon. The palate is wonderfully generous, both fruity and warmly spicy, with savoury elements and wonderfully piercing acidity. The tannins are there, but are perfectly ripe. This is one of those wines which effortlessly combines power and elegance, and - at the grand old age of 28 - is just about reaching the peak of its powers. Then again, it isn't likely to fall down the other side too quickly either. Although a J L Chave Hermitage from the very same vintage remains perhaps the best northern Rhone wine (and therefore one of the best wines, full stop) that I have ever tasted, this one really isn't too far behind. A wonderful wine, and a real privilege to taste.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...............

Domaine Treloar Motus 2007 Cotes du Roussillon

I opened this through necessity, rather than choice, because I noticed it had a leaky cork, so was not fit for sale. But I'm happy to say that the wine is in fine fettle. Mourvedre-dominated, with just a splash of Grenache and Syrah, it has a magnificent nose of bramble and dark cherries in eau de vie, exotic spices, leather, tobacco, sous-bois and charred oak. The palate manages to combine a good deal of concentration with remarkable elegance and balance. It is rich and brambly, with a touch of meaty savouriness and spice, whilst the tannins are fine and relatively soft, and there is a wonderful backbone of acidity to keep it lovely and fresh. It really is very complex stuff, which has come on leaps and bounds over the last year or so (I initially thought it too oaky, but not anymore). It is already a joy to drink now, but certainly has the capacity to age for another 10 years or so. I think this cuvée (the 2006 and 2008 are also superb) is Jonathan Hesford's best. (£14.80 via my website).

Two very different Vins de Pays - and a heart-warming Open Championship victory for one of golf's good guys

2011-07-18T23:56:00.002+01:00

Yes, I'm still here! As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been feeling pretty lousy recently, and the after-effects of my flu virus have lingered for far too long. Thankfully, after 2 long weeks of feeling pretty sorry for myself, I almost feel human again, thanks to a decent night out on Saturday, a bit of positive thinking and a few Sudafed tablets. I've even enjoyed a few glasses of wine over the last 2 or 3 days - which is a relief, after having consumed what amounts to a total of no more than 2 glasses in the previous 10 days. Here's a couple of really nice ones for starters, both of which are available via my website;

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Cinsault 2007 VdP des Cotes du Brian

I thought I'd give this a road test, since I haven't had a bottle for a year or more and I wanted to see how it is evolving. At getting on for 4 years old, it is still heady with the scent of bramble fruits steeped in eau de vie, but is now beginning to develop some genuine complexity. There's a real savoury quality to it, with beef, game, polished leather, forest floor and bready notes mingled in with the fruit, with garrigue herbs and even a touch of mint lurking in the background. And that preserved fruit and savoury theme certainly continues through to the palate, which - combined with juicy acidity, fine but grippy tannins and a touch of bitter-sweet dark cherry - makes for a wine with a deliciously sweet and sour quality. Add to that a touch of warming alcohol and more than a hint of spiciness and it all adds up to a wine of real southern character - not big, not soupy, not hot, but rich, characterful and warming, with a delightful freshness. A bit of a bargain at £9.20.

Domaine de Trévallon 2003 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhone

Despite the very hot vintage - and what turned out to be by far the earliest harvest in the history of the estate - this has many of the attributes of classic Trévallon. The nose offers remarkably fresh aromas of blackcurrant, raspberry and damp undergrowth, along with a distinct note of violets and a very slight herbiness and savouriness at the end. The palate is equally fruit-laden, displaying plenty of ripeness, without being too rich or soupy. And whilst the tannins are a little more dusty and grippy than in a "normal" vintage, they are fairly ripe, leaving an impression of dark, bitter chocolate, rather than any feeling of greenness. There is also a core of delightfully fresh, almost lemony acidity - I don't know if there was any re-acidification in this vintage (and if there was, who could blame them) but if so, it has been very skilfully done. The finish is grippy and quite dry, but there is more than enough fruit and acidity to keep the tannins at bay. Whilst this may not go down as a classic Trévallon vintage, it is nevertheless an extremely interesting and enjoyable wine, which every Trévallon aficionado should have in their cellar, which is beginning to drink well now and should soften-out and evolve nicely for another 5 to 10 years. £39.95.

I can't sign off without a few words in praise of one of the genuine good guys in sport - the 2011 Open Golf champion, Darren Clarke. As a keen golfer myself, I have followed Darren's career since he came onto the scene in the early 1990's. Blessed with an elegant swing and a cheery demeanour, he was always a fans' favourite. But whilst he won the odd big tournament and was for some years one of the European Tour's highest ranked players - not to mention a stalwart of the European Ryder Cup squad - he never managed to win an elusive "Major" title. When Darren's wife Heather died in 2006, after a long battle with breast cancer, golf must have been just about the least important thing in life. But a few weeks later, swept along by a huge tide of emotion and affection from the Irish fans, he contributed 3 vital points towards another Ryder Cup win for Europe, whilst his courage and dignity cemented his position as one of (if not the) best-loved golfers of his generation. From there, it would have been easy for Darren Clarke to fade into the background, thinking his best days as a golfer were behind him - and for a while, he probably did.

Darren Clarke holes the winning putt to become 2011 Open Champion

And then, 5 years later and as if from nowhere, he suddenly found himself at the top of the leaderboard, going into the final round of The Open. He'd been in such a position on a couple of occasions before, but could never quite convert the lead into a victory. Until this weekend, when it all came together in the most glorious way. It is easy for me to say now, but for some reason, I just knew he was going to win this one. I don't think I have ever seen a golfer look so happy, so comfortable, so serene in "leading from the front" - a combination of great shot-making, pure ball-stiking, solid putting and a hitherto unseen self-confidence ensured that he never put himself under any pressure. To be fair, neither did his nearest challengers, perhaps because they - like me and no doubt countless others - realised that their efforts would be futile and that this was destined to be Darren Clarke's Open. Perhaps the golfing gods - and maybe even his very own angel - were smiling down on him this time - or perhaps it was simply written in the stars. And when that final putt went in, it was all I could do not to burst into tears (TLD was in the room, and I do have some pride!) but boy was I shaking inside. After the sad death of Seve Ballesteros earlier in the year, this was an occasion to warm the heart of every true golf fan. And it was lovely to see Darren's parents and his new fiancée there to enjoy it - and also to see his fellow competitors offering their heartfelt congratulations to one of the sporting world's genuine good guys. It was a truly memorable and utterly deserved win for a lovely man. Well done Darren Clarke.

A thoroughly miserable few days - plus French supermarket bargains - Episode 1

2011-07-09T23:55:00.002+01:00

It has been a thoroughly miserable week for me. Ever since I returned from holiday a couple of weeks ago, I've prayed that whatever illness had been ailing my youngest son Daniel wasn't going to get me too. But by Tuesday afternoon, I knew I'd succumbed. Flu. Not "man flu", but the real thing. Burning-up, delerious, aching joints, sensitive skin, headache, nausea, you name it, I've had it. I wish I could say it is all now a hazy memory, but I can't - almost every hour of the past 5 days has been a waking (or at best semi-conscious) hour. Brief moments of meaningless, dream-filled sleep grabbed wherever and whenever possible, interspersed by hour after hour of tossing and turning, coughing and spluttering. Hot lemon, paracetamol and ibuprofen have all featured heavily on the menu, whilst any food I've managed to force down has been out of necessity, rather than enjoyment. I hesitate to say it, but I think I might just be over the worst of it now, although the constant bouts of coughing and sneezing are beginning to drive me to distraction - another sleepless night beckons, I fear.

Needless to say, wine has hardly been high on my list of priorities during this time, although I did manage a glass or two on Thursday evening - but mainly for some perceived "medicinal" purpose, and because TLD had opened a couple of bottles during the week. I can't say that the wine helped make me feel any better (indeed, it probably put paid completely to any chance I had of achieving quality sleep) but it made me feel a bit more normal for a while. It wasn't the good stuff, of course - but it was pretty decent for what it was................

Every other Wednesday, just as I'm off to the Wine Circle, TLD always asks me the same question - "Have you got a bottle of wine I can open?" That is because every other Wednesday, her parents visit for dinner. And it always pains me to think that - because I only tend to keep "good" wine in the house - one of those good bottles is being opened, when an "everyday" one would do. I know it may sound awfully snobby, but to some people, wine is simply another beverage, and my In-Laws neither appreciate (nor care) whether a wine they are drinking cost £50 or £3.

So whilst were were in France recently, I scoured the shelves of a couple of branches of Intermarche (one in Pézenas and one somewhere near Rouen) for some "bargain basement" wines, to be used for just such occasions. That's not to say I was interested in any old crap - I see little point in shelling out 2 or 3 Euros per bottle on wine that I know will give no pleasure at all. At least, that was the theory. Let's just say that I expect less from the wines at the 2 Euro level than I do of the 3-4 Euro level. We bought a couple of dozen bottles - mostly reds, but with a few whites and a couple of rosés thrown-in for good measure. And for purely research purposes, I intend to at least grab a half-glass of a some of those wines and report back over the coming months. Who knows, if any of you are planning a holiday in France this year, it may give you a few pointers for "emergency" wines, for when you can't get to visit a grower or two. So here are a couple to be going on with;

Saint-Chinian (1.95 Euros!)

A mass-produced negociant wine (I can't be bothered to do the detective work from the minimal information on the label) which does not even show a vintage - possibly a blend of 2009 and 2010? At under 2 Euros a bottle, one has no right to expect any regional or varietal character, but if somebody gave me a glass of this and told me it was Saint-Chinian, I would not disbelieve them. OK, so it has a certain "generic" Languedoc quality about it (carbonic maceration has the effect of masking any perception of terroir) but it has enough fruit, spice and herb quality about it to make it a rather drinkable everyday wine, with enough guts to stand-up to a pizza or some toulouse sausages and pasta with a tomato sauce. A bit of a drink-me-now bargain.

Expert Club "Les Petites Baies" 2009 Minervois

Again, this could certainly pass as Minervois, and indeed does show a little more "terroir", insofar as it has an earthiness, married to some quite rich, brambly fruit, a touch of the garrigue, a bit of concentration and a touch of warming eau de vie. Yes, it is a bit rustic, but in a Minervois sort of way, and really rather enjoyable. It is another wine to drink young, but another relative bargain at (if my memory serves) a shade under 3 Euros.

Right, now for another attempt at sleep................

Some new wines from Provence

2011-06-30T23:51:00.004+01:00

Well, it's been a few days since we returned from our holiday in Languedoc and I've been so busy catching-up on things that time for blogging has been short. I did sort of indicate an ntention to make plenty of posts whilst we were in France, but the best intentions sometimes fall by the wayside, especially when relaxation takes hold - after all, it was our annual holiday. I guess I could have adopted a "little and often" approach, but I am not one of these people who feel it is necessary to make daily blog posts, even if one has little to say of substance. That's what Facebook and Twitter are for.

That's not to say that I haven't been busy meeting some great people and tasting some great wines (and in some great places)! But it takes a lot of time to transform hastily scribbled notes into cohesive reading material - and rest assured, I have plenty of that to go at, and shall publish several posts over the next week or two, covering those visits. Meanwhile, whilst I was away, my Provence wines were delivered to the bond, with new vintages from 3 of the region's finest growers, and I have been busy tasting and compiling notes on some of them, over the past couple of days. They should be loaded onto the website in a few days, but here are a few notes to be going on with;

Chateau Pradeaux Rosé 2010 Bandol

55% Mourvedre and 45% Cinsault. As always with Pradeaux Rosé, this has the most exquisite, ultra-pale onion skin/blood orange colour – really beautiful to look at. It is a vin de pressurage, meaning that it is made from a direct pressing of the grapes, rather than the usual saignée (free-run juice) method. The nose has aromas of wild strawberry, redcurrant and pale peach, along with some delightful notes of rose petals, forest floor, hedgerow and garrigue - it really is an elegant, subtle, yet considerably complex wine. There's just a hint of creaminess, which also manifests itself on the palate, with a combination of delicate red fruits and citrus and a light herbiness. There's ample acidity and a mineral streak which, combined with just the right amount of grape tannin, makes for a pretty serious, yet beautifully rounded wine, which develops beautifully over a period of several hours in the decanter. This is a vintage that tends towards elegance, rather than power, yet it has a very impressive finish, with tangy, zesty, herby, lightly spicy flavours lingering long on the finish. One of the world's great rosés. 12.5% abv. Will be £17.50.

Domaine d'Estoublon 2008 Vin de Pays des Alpilles

A blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, aged for 11 months in barrel. The nose on this wine exhibits notes of quince, apricot, peach and pink grapefruit, along with something almost evocative of red fruits, which is most unusual in a white wine. Further notes of citrus blossom and honeysuckle, soft spices, nuts and clarified butter make for a wine of quite stunning complexity. As with previous vintages, the oak-ageing is beautifully done and really quite subtle, allowing all of those wonderful "winey" aromas to sing. The palate is crammed full of flavour, with a high level of concentration and a rich, mouth-coating oiliness and nuttiness, which is balanced by wonderful orangey acidity and perhaps even a little grape/wood tannin. Once again, restrained power is the order of the day, in a wine which combines richness of flavour with supreme elegance and a gentle, spicy warmth. It is perhaps a tad richer than the 2007, but no less complex or elegant for it. The finish is as long and complex as the start and the middle, with all of those glorious, hedonistic flavours lingering for an age. Another utterly glorious white wine from this rising star of Provence. 13.4% abv. Will be £22.99.

Le Lys de Chateau Pradeaux 2006

90% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache. Although this wine is made from vines aged between 20 and 30 years old and is effectively the "second wine" of Pradeaux (the vines used for Chateau Pradeaux are 35-plus years old) it is very similar to the grand vin in both aromatic profile and structure. Iodine, polished old leather, meat and garrigue herbs are prevalent on the nose, whilst the palate is very definitely old-school Bandol - plenty of black fruit flavours, laden with herbs and spices, but with a firm tannic backbone and a tight, earthy, minerally structure. Of course, it also possesses typical southern warmth and generosity, making it really rather nice to drink already, especially with food - we paired it with some Toulouse sausages and a herby, garlicy tomato sauce, and it was a wonderful match. It is a lovely wine, and an excellent introduction to top-notch estate Bandol, at a price that won't break the bank. Will be £16.50.

Chateau d'Estoublon 2006 Les Baux de Provence

A blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvedre, aged for 18 months in oak barrels. A delicious combination of smoke, meat, garrigue herbs, soft spices, polished leather, red capsicum and rotting, high-toned red and black fruits fairly leap out of the glass. It really is a tremendously complex and alluring nose, which strikes a perfect balance between fruit and savoury, with a touch of florality thrown in for good measure. The palate is full of fresh red and black fruit flavours, combining all of those qualities of fruit, herbs, spices, peppery and savoury/meaty notes with tremendous concentration, fine, grippy tannins and admirable acidity - and a tremendous length of flavour. That said, this is no Parkerised monster - despite the concentration, it has plenty of subtlety, with that heightened acidity giving real lift and vitality. This is another multi-dimensional wine, from one of the great Provence vintages in recent memory, which again possesses all of the ingredients necessary for it to age gracefully for at least 5 to 10 years. 13.4% abv. Will be £19.99 - and worth every penny.

Domaine de Trévallon 2007 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhone

A 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, grown on the north-facing slopes of the Alpilles in deepest Provence. Aged for 20 months in large oak foudres. A deepish purple, semi-transluscent core with a tiny ruby rim, this has an intensely fruity, pastilley, perfumed nose, with classic Trévallon mulberry, bramble and blackcurrant fruits comined with notes of flowers, meat, leather and citrus. As with most Trévallons from great vintages, it has immense concentration and depth of fruit, but the balance is nigh-on perfect, with juicy, citrussy acidity combining with super-ripe tannins in a wine which I find almost impossible to fault. Tasting the last dregs a few days later (this is a 3 July edit) I am struck by the sheer weight and concentration of fruit in this wine, but also the fact that it manages to remain elegant and balanced, with some lovely smoky, cedary notes lingering. But - more importantly - the fact that it smells and tastes like a classic Trévallon, even at this stage. Trévallon is never velvety or soft - it is wild, herby, ever-so-slightly spicy and full of the flavours of Provence. But this particular vintage is generous, whilst remaining tremendously focused, complex and possessed of real finesse. It is a wine with the generosity, depth of flavour and structure that marks it out as one the great Trévallons - if not the greatest - produced in the last 20 years. And whilst I have rarely - if ever - encountered a Trévallon which is so deliciously drinkable at such a young age, I have no doubt that it will also be very long-lived. Quite simply, it is a masterpiece. 14.0% abv. I only have very a small quantity of this wine, so it will be limited to 2 bottles per customer, at £43.99 - and for one of the world's great red wines, that is still a bargain.

Next up will be a feature on my recent visit to one of my very favourite Languedoc growers, Thierry Hasard of Domaine de La Marfée.

A visit to Chateau Rives-Blanques

2011-06-21T23:56:00.002+01:00

It has been rather warm over the last few days, here in Languedoc, culminating in a real scorcher today, with the temperature rising towards 35C. Actually, the weather has been rather splendid for the duration of our holiday, although it did cool down for a day or two last week, which coincided with our trip south to Roussillon, taking in a couple of grower visits on the way.

First was Chateau Rives-Blanques, up in the hills above Cépie, near Limoux. Although we eventually turned up more than half an hour late (traffic jam near Béziers, then not one but two separate "route barrée" incidents which the Sat Nav found difficult to cope with) we were greeted warmly by owners Caryl and Jan Panman, and dog Bruno.

Jan and Caryl had lived and worked in a dozen countries on four continents before Limoux's wines and its beautiful countryside stopped them in their tracks. They bought the Rives-Blanques estate in 2001 and have since been involved in every stage of the vineyard management and wine-making process at Rives-Blanques, complementing the talents of long-time Rives-Blanques winemaker Eric Vialade and vineyard manager Mack Van Tong. I had met Caryl at the Outsiders tasting in London, last November, but this was the first time I'd had the pleasure of meeting Jan. Caryl is relatively tall for a lady, but Jan is a veritable gentle giant of a man - at least to a relative midget of 5' 7" like me!

To begin, we were treated to a tour of the vineyards, which are the highest in the Limoux region, on a rolling plateau 350 metres above sea level, with magnificent views stretching (when the weather is clear) as far as the Pyrenées. Even on a rather cloudy (though still pleasantly warm) day, the views were mightily impressive, and the air beautifully fresh. In fact, it really is a beautiful place to grow grapes!

Wherever you look, there are magnificent view from the Rives-Blanques vineyards

Rives-Blanques employs farming methods designated as Agriculture Raisonnée, which basically means the absolute minimum use of pesticides and no synthetic fertilisers. All vine cuttings, and even the pips and grapes from the winemaking process, are ploughed back into the soil, whilst pests and weeds are kept at bay by the sewing of wild flowers and cereals between the rows of vines. The soil itself is typically clay/limestone, with significant deposits of galets roulée (large pebbles) washed down over millions of years from the Pyrenées. The vineyard area comprises just over 20 hectares, with 9 ha of Chardonnay, 7 ha of Mauzac, 2.4 ha of Chenin Blanc and 2 ha of Sauvignon. Most of the vineyards were re-planted between 1972 and 1987, with the Sauvignon being planted as recently as 2006. Total production is around 100,000 bottles, with yields of around 37 hectolites per hectare.

I could be wrong, but I think these are Chenin Blanc vines

Then it was back to the winery, for a brief tour of the chais, followed by a tasting of the complete range if Rives-Blanques range in the tasting room;

Blanc de Blancs 2008 Crémant de Limoux

Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Lemon and apple flavours. Lovely acidity, yet very rounded and mouth-filling, with a persistent mousse. Pure and moreish, with good length. Only really beginning to get into its stride.

Vintage Rose 2008 Crémant de Limoux

This is basically the same as above, but with the addition of 5% Pinot Noir. And that 5% makes all the difference, with some lovely redcurrant and floral/honeysuckle aromas and flavours. Again, rich and rounded, with real mineral depth. Another one which will be even better with further bottle age.

Vin de Pays d'Oc 2010

Chardonnay, with 10% Chenin Blanc. A touch of peardrop on the nose to begin with, but this fades into the background to reveal some nice apple and floral notes. Medium-rich, slightly zesty, ripe and with a touch of leesy richness. This is lovely.

Occitania 2010 Limoux

100% Mauzac, aged in older oak barrels. There is actually some creamy, quite coconutty oak showing at the moment, but with bags of exotic fruit salad aromas. The palate has real depth and complexity - lime, apple, peach and apricot flavours, with soft spices and a touch of herbiness thrown in for good measure. Rich and delicate at the same time, and with really excellent length. A pure Mauzac table wine is a rare beast, even in Limoux, but this one doesn't need bubbles to show its class.

Dedicace 2009 Limoux

100% Chenin Blanc, aged in barrels of up to 5 years old, but with 8% new. Apple and stoney mineral aromas. A lemony palate, with some tropical fruit notes, but more in the way of non-fruit/mineral flavours.

Dedicace 2010 Limoux

Lots of prickly acidity here, balanced by some creamy oak and tropical fruits and lemon oil. Beautifully fresh and zesty in the mouth, but with some complexity too. Good length. Of the 2 vintages, I definitely prefer this one. As a footnote, we have enjoyed a whole bottle of this wine, over the last couple of days and it really is a classy wine - swathes of classic Chenin fruit on the nose and palate, with notes of wet wool, lemon curd, tangy apple and serious minerality, which puts me in mind of a bone dry Vouvray.

Trilogie 2010 Limoux

A blend of Mauzac, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Complex and very winey on the nose, with notes of Calvados, apple pie, cloves and herbs, and with oak very much in the background. Apple and peach flavours on the palate. Really quite refined and complex - and very persistent. Lovely.

Odyssée 2010 Limoux

100% Chardonnay, aged in oak barrels, 25% new. Apple pie and a touch of coconutty oak. Hints of tropical fruits, but with a layer of zesty lemon/citrus and spiciness. Very long.

Sauvageon 2010 Vin de Pays d'Oc

100% young-vine Sauvignon Blanc, aged in barrels, 30% new. Hints of elderflower and pea pod on the nose. The fruit flavours are zesty and delicate, whilst the oak adds complexity without dominating. Although neither Sancerre nor Marlborough in style, I guess you could say it combines aspects of both - and the result is a really lovely wine.

Lagremas d'Aur 2006 Vin de Table de France

Made from late-harvested Chenin Blanc (60%) harvested in November and Mauzac (40%) harvested in November, fermented and aged in oak barrels for 3 years, followed by a further year in bottle before release. As with most (if not all) non-fortified sweet wines made in southern France, there is no AOC, so this qualifies only as a humble Vin de Table. But don't let that fool you, because it is delicious. It is at the same time floral, herby, minerally and crammed full with flavours of tropical fruits, soft citrus, apples, ginger and spice. Although - as with most late-harvested wines - there is a fair degree of natural sweetness, it also possesses a backbone of truly mouth-watering acidity, making for a tremendously sprightly wine, full of freshness and verve. In fact, I would hesitate to call it a full-on sweet wine, because it isn't thick or gloopy or syrupy - or even overtly sweet. Although I am loath to make comparisons, I'd compare it more with a sort of vendange tardive in the Alsace mode, or perhaps even a rich, off-dry botrytis-affected Semillon from the Hunter Valley. There is perhaps a touch of botrytis, as evidenced by a palpable whiff of honey, but any richness is down to paserillé - the drying of the grapes on the vine, prior to harvesting. Whatever the method, it is very more-ish!

Some of the above wines are already available on the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines website, but on this showing, I will certainly be adding to the range in the near future. And it was a delight to meet Caryl and Jan and to spend some time in their beautiful vineyards - and of course to taste those lovely wines!

Bruno the Springer Spaniel - I wish we could have taken him with us!

Next, I'll tell you about our visit to Domaine Gayda.

A sad day - another hero bites the dust

2011-06-19T12:20:00.001+01:00

Well, that's another of my heroes gone. Bruce Springsteen's long-time saxophone player and right-hand man Clarence Clemons - affectionately known to the E Street Band and his millions of fans as the Big Man - passed away last night, aged 69, following complications arising from a stroke the previous week. It is fair to say that Bruce Springsteen's music has played a very significant part in the soundtrack to my life. And the Big Man's wonderful sax solos figure prominently in my line-up of favourite Springsteen songs - and in many cases actually made the songs what they are. If you are one of those rare people who are unfamiliar with Springsteen's (and hence the Big Man's) music, then check out this live (audio) version of Jungleland, which features a sax solo lasting over two minutes - and probably one of the Big Man's finest..............

For those that are familiar, then check-out your Springsteen record collection and remind yourself how good the Big Man was, on other classic tracks such as "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)", "Thunder Road", "Badlands" or - my very favourite - "Drive All Night".

I was privileged to see Bruce and The E Street Band 5 times - twice in 1981, twice in 1985 and once in 1988 - and the Big Man's solos were always a highlight. This guy was far more than a mere "sideman" - when he stepped into the spotlight, the crowd would go mad, even before he played a note. And when he did play, it was enough to send a real shiver down the spine - he was that good.

The death of long-time keyboard player Danny Federici a couple of years ago was a real body blow to Springsteen and The E Street Band, but the passing of Clarence Clemons may just be the knock-out blow. For sure, Bruce and the band may go on for a good few years yet. But it will never be the same again - not without the Big Man. :-)

RIP, Clarence - and thank you for the music.

Lazy days in Laurens

2011-06-15T12:08:00.002+01:00

Well, I said I'd be posting quite a lot whilst in France, but I obviously lied - the best laid plans can sometimes be scuppered by a desire to do nothing more than just chill-out (a bit of a misnomer, given the scorching weather we are experiencing here in Languedoc)!

We left Nottingham at around 2am last Friday morning and managed to catch an earlier ferry than we had booked, which made my planned detour to a couple of growers in Jasnieres (north of Tours, in the Loire) much more do-able. I'd wanted to do this ever since a fabulous tasting of Jasnieres whites and Coteaux du Loir reds a few weeks ago at the Nottingham Wine Circle. We visited 2 growers - Raynald & Francine Lelais at Domaine des Gauletteries and Domaine Philippe Sevault. I'll tell you more about these growers - and that brilliant tasting in Nottingham - in another post.

Having failed to make it in time for a visit to third grower (by this time it was 7pm on a Friday evening and most sensible natives of the region probably had better things to do) we decided to head cross-country towards Clermont Ferrand and the A75 autoroute across the Massif Central, where we planned to grab a few hours kip in the car, before arriving in Languedoc on Saturday morning. At one point, just before the sun went down, we were hit by an almighty thunderstorm, so had to stop for a few minutes. My camera skills aren't really up to scratch, but here's a picture of the sun going down over the Auvergne, surrounded by a very dark sky.........

A spectacular sunset following a cloudburst over the Auvergne

All went otherwise to plan, although I did get flashed by a speed camera on a particularly steep (downhill) and very winding section of the autoroute, just south of Clermont. However, considering the speed limit on that stretch was 90kph and I was doing exactly that, I would be more than a little miffed if I got a ticket. Actually, I have been flashed on the autoroute at least a couple of times in previous years (again, not going particularly fast) and I've never had a ticket yet. French speed cameras do seem to go off a bit indiscriminately, it seems. We shall see......

After a few hours sleep, we had just a couple of hours' drive to Laurens (our base in Languedoc) so we decided to avoid the 6.50 Euro toll for the Viaduc de Millau and take the "old" route down into Millau and up the other side of the Causse. A drive of around 15 kilometres, which might once have taken several hours (before the viaduct was built, this was a single carriagway bottleneck between two stretches of 3-lane autoroute) took no more than half an hour, which included a stop to take in some bracing early-morning air and a photo or two...............

The magnificent Viaduc de Millau

We arrived at our destination much earlier than we have ever done before (indeed, too early to be able to get in) so we nipped to Pézenas to do a quick shop for supplies, then back to our lovely little hideaway in Laurens..........

Frankly, we have been very lazy since we arrived - sunbathing, the occasional dip in the pool, a glass or two of wine, a bike ride or two in the surrounding countryside and some lovely meals on the patio have been the order of the day so far. We did meet up with the delightful Brigitte Chevalier yesterday evening, to taste through her range of wines (including barrel samples of her brilliant 2010's) and I'll tell you more about that in another post.

A typical Faugeres scene, whilst out on a gentle evening bike ride

Scrumping for cherries!

Of course, we've enjoyed plenty of lovely wines, including this delightful little number.......

Domaine de Gauletteries 2010 Coteaux du Loir

80% Pinot d'Aunis, the remaining 20% being a mix of Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Cot a.k.a. Malbec). Light ruby red in colour - not much darker than a full rosé. In my relatively limited experience, I have come to understand that Pinot d'Aunis displays quite a distinct aromatic profile, and this one has bags of character - redcurrant, cherry and wild strawberry, damp earth, ground pepper, tobacco and a distinct florality are just some of the aromas in what is really quite a complex and beguiling nose. It certainly wouldn't be to everybody's taste, because it is essentially light-bodied - Chateauneuf or Priorat it is not. In fact, it even makes your average Burgundy or Beaujolais seem like big, strapping wines. If I'm honest, I probably would have hated this wine a few years ago, because I would have dismissed it as weedy and thin. But I know better these days. For there is much to reward the contemplative drinker, with a slightly creamy texture and beautifully delicate red fruit flavours of both the fresh and crystallised varieties and even a hint of apple. It has really good (but not excessive) acidity, bags of earthy minerality, light-ish tannins and a warm, spicy/peppery/tangy/sweet and sour finish, which really does linger for quite a while. Red wines rarely get much lighter than this - but rarely do they possess such delightfully rustic charm, either.

Today, we are contemplating a trip to the beach at Marseillan (decisions, decisions!) whilst tomorrow we are off to Limoux, for a couple of grower visits, followed by a night at Domaine Treloar.

More anon!

Chateau Musar 2004 and Swan Syrah 2005

2011-06-08T18:10:00.003+01:00

Chateau Musar 2004 Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

I shared a case of this wine with a friend recently and couldn't resist trying a bottle, before laying the other 5 down to age for a few years. The colour and hue is typical Musar - bright, transluscent blood/cherry red, with orange/brick tinges - and a nose more typical of Musar than just about any vintage I have ever experienced...... Boy, this has volatile acidity by the bucketload - and I do like my VA, but this is almost off the scale! That's not to say that it mars the wine, because volatile acidity is, as seasoned campaigners will testify, almost part of the genetic make-up of Chateau Musar. Even at this relatively early stage (Musar tends to be released for sale 7 years after the vintage) there is some decent complexity, with notes of raspberries, brambles, strawberries and cherries steeped in eau de vie, hints of roast beef, leather and a curious - though rather attractive - hint of Play-Doh(!) There's a bit of tannic grip to the palate, but it isn't harsh, and I'm sure that the fruit (of which there is plenty) will eventually win the day over that incredible streak of volatile acidity. And anyway, I like raspberry vinegar! I'm not sure this will be one of the longest-lived vintages of Musar (a really good one will age gracefully for 20 to 30 years) but it should eveolve nicely over the next 10 years. Not a great Musar, but a decent one - and still reasonably good value at around £18 a bottle.

Joseph Swan Trenton Estate Syrah 2005 Russian River Valley, California

I picked a case of this up yesterday from the importer, because they have sold out of the 2004. And whilst the 2004 was very good, this 2005 represents a quantum leap in quality. The colour is a fairly dense purple at the core, with a narrow ruby rim - youthful, but not opaque or soupy. The nose isn't giving an awful lot away, to begin with - on opening, there's a touch of tar and beetroot (a bit reductive, perhaps) but it blows away very quickly, to reveal notes of raspberry, bramble and a hint of blackcurrant leaf. There are hints of spices and herbs, too - I can't quite nail it, but there's a definite whiff of fresh basil and perhaps even a touch of clove. In fact, there's real complexity here - it just needs time to develop - not to mention a degree of elegance which is more than a little reminiscent of a young Pinot.

The palate is more expressive, again possessed of a certain "Pinosity" (in all honesty, of the Cotes de Nuits sort, rather than new world) but with plenty of Syrah characteristics as well, beginning with delightfully fresh flavours of raspberry and redcurrant, and followed by a plummy/brambly richness in the middle and a bit of savouriness thrown in for good measure. The tannins are present, but very fine and almost inobtrusive, whilst the acidity is, well....... utterly mouth-watering, like when you bite into a just-ripe nectarine. The spice/herb thing is also there on the palate, but it all remains very subtle and in the background, allowing all of that wonderful fruit to shine through. The length is impressive, but the feel-good factor is even greater(!) I'm tempted to say that this is a bit of a schizophrenic wine - is it Syrah, or is it Pinot? Then again, if it shows some of the best characteristics of (arguably) the two finest red grape varieties on the Planet, why worry? The bottle says 14.6% abv, but it tastes more like 13% or less, such is its elegance and cool-climate character. In fact, the more I taste this wine, the more I am falling in love with it - it is truly multi-faceted and very hard to resist. I'd love to see how it ages for (say) another 5 to 8 years, but I fear that I won't be able to keep my hands off it for that long. I'll be adding it to the online shop soon (probably the end of June, when I can hopefully get my hands on some more) at around £23, but I think I will keep the remainder of this particular case for myself. Love it, love it, love it!

We're off to France for a couple of weeks at the weekend, whilst my boys "look after" the house - no doubt every night will be party night! I hope to post quite a few entries from our Languedoc hideaway, so keep 'em peeled.

Some brilliant wines from southern France (plus a Chilean interloper)

2011-06-05T09:37:00.002+01:00

Last Tuesday was the latest edition of our monthly tasting at Le Mistral in Nottingham and, although I find it too much of a chore (not to mention a bit too geeky) to make notes on the wines, a couple of them really stood out for me;

Domaine de Trévallon 1996 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhone was everything that a semi-mature Trévallon should be - elements of fruit, savoury and minerality in perfect harmony, with velvety tannins and utterly mouth-watering acidity. There's no reason to doubt that this will keep going for at least a few more years but, as a relatively forward vintage, it seems to be at its peak right now. A lovely, life-affirming wine. Whilst Trévallon rarely fails to hit the spot, Mas de Daumas Gassac is a wine that has - for me, at least - provided too many disappointments. Having tasted a good few vintages of this wine, going back as far as the early 1980's, the only vintage that really set my pulse racing was the 1990, which was an absolute stunner. Most of the rest tended towards the austere, with a few of them remaining tannic monsters, even at 20 years-plus. So the sheer loveliness of Mas de Daumas Gassac 2000 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault came as a complete surprise. Those tannins were present and correct, but velvety and soft, with a tremendous depth of Cabernet fruit (it is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, plus a mix of 8 other varieties), spice, tobacco, garrigue herbs and flowers. Aimé Guibert set out with the intention of teaching the Bordelais a thing or two about making great Cabernet and - if this one is anything to go by - he has done exactly that. The fruit is rich, savoury and ripe, but elegant too - and without a hint of green (or even red) capsicum in sight. It is luscious and long, with a core of juicy acidity, and whilst it certainly has another 5 to 10 years to go to its peak, it really is lovely to drink now. It appears that Daumas Gassac have finally managed to temper those fierce tannins, and I think the wine is all the better for it. And on this showing, I will certainly be seeking a few vintages out for myself.

And here's a trio of wines which have hit the spot for me, over the last week or so..........

Domaine d'Estoublon Blanc 2006 Vin de Pays des Alpilles

This is so lovely - beautiful aromas of orange blossom, honeysuckle, nuts, citrus, tree fruits, Provencal herbs and woodsmoke. I'd swear there is even a touch of savouriness/meatiness in there, which is most unusual in a white wine, but most welcome in this particular one, for it really does add to the overall complexity. If I didn't know better, I might even call it "brettiness", but for a wine that sees no oak-aging at all (it is actually aged in those new-fangled "traditional" egg-shaped ceramic things) it is otherwise clean as a whistle. The flavours are equally lovely, with oodles of appley, lemony fruit, laced with herbs, spices (a touch of cinnamon and clove) and a creamy, almost oily texture which fills the mouth, but is countered by beautifully tangy acidity. That was a few days ago....... and drinking the last glass this evening, it is still quite fresh, whilst also having taken on more weight. Those who have been lucky enough to taste this and other vintages young will be well aware how delicious it is. But this one is getting on for 5 years old now and I think it still has lots of evolution left in it - and, rather like white Trévallon, I have a feeling it will be even more lovely at 10 years old. Shame it is my last bottle. :-( That said, I will be taking delivery of the 2008 vintage (and some more of the 2007) within the next couple of weeks - both priced at £21.99. I can't wait!

Terrunyo El Triangulo Vineyard Block 28 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Chile

It only says so in very small text on the back label, but this is from the large (very large) producer Concha Y Toro, albeit one of their more up-market bottlings. And it really is rather good. The vineyard is apparently just a few miles from the sea, on soil with abundant flint content - and there is certainly a flinty, smoky quality to both the nose and the palate, along with some nice notes of lemon oil and freshly cut hay. There's a touch of pea pod, a zingy lemon pithiness and a very gentle lick of oak. It is quite full-bodied and rich, with just a hint of warming alcohol, but plenty of acidity and mineral depth to keep it nicely balanced, in the style of a super-ripe Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé. I like it!

Chateau Peyros Greenwich 43N 2003 Madiran

This is the latest release of this excellent Madiran estate's top cuvée (a sample bottle, sent with my last shipment from Peyros). Although 2003 was a super-hot vintage in Languedoc and Roussillon, the effect in regions such as Madiran was to produce wines with super-ripe fruit, but also super-ripe tannins. Which is no bad thing with the Tannat grape, known for its unforgiving and sometimes rather agressive tannic structure. This estate was one of the pioneers of micro-oxygenation, which basically injects tiny bubbles of oxygen during the winemaking process, in order to soften the tannins. I don't know how much (if any) of this process was necessary in 2003, but it is a remarkably drinkable wine. The colour is not as dark as I might have expected - a transluscent deep ruby/blood red, rather than the usual opaque purple, whilst the nose offers wonderful aromas of bramble, blackcurrant leaf, orange peel, tobacco and undergrowth. There's a touch of smoky/toasty oak, but it is beautifully done and allows the fruit to shine through. And the palate, whilst showing plenty of tannic structure, is remarkably balanced, with some really succulent, tangy red and black fruit flavours and excellent acidity. In fact, if ever I were to use the word "elegant" for a Madiran from a hot vintage, then this would be it. Coming back to the nose, for a moment, there are some delightful crystsallised fruit and floral aromas peeping through, in a sort of Hermitage or Brunello sort of way - sounds a bit far fetched, but its a fact. I might even be tempted to compare and contrast it with a top-ranking classed growth Bordeaux, but that would be damning it with faint praise. Last night, it had the unenviable task of being paired with a chilli con carne (and did so remarkably well). The remainder will be paired with goose this evening - and it should be a perfect match.

Shortlisted for an award..... and who needs Springwatch?

2011-06-03T07:39:00.001+01:00

It has been a while. In fact, don't think I've gone so long between posts, since I began blogging in earnest a couple of years ago. As always, I have a perfectly good excuse..... A few weeks ago, I received notification from Decanter magazine that Leon Stolarski Fine Wines had been shortlisted for the "Specialist Wine Merchant of the Year" category of their World Wine Awards. As a follow-up to this, each nominated merchant is asked to submit answers to a questionnaire - 6 questions about various aspects of their business, allowing a maximum of 200 words for each answer, the objective being to say how fabulous we are and why. It goes without saying that I wasn't short of things to say - I wouldn't still be ploughing a furrow in the wine business (at the same time as holding down a day job) if I didn't think we were doing good things. But 1,200 words turned out to be a really tough challenge. So much so that it took me a couple of weeks of note-writing and fine tuning to be able to say all that I wanted to say. Frankly, I could have written pages, so the biggest challenge was keeping each bit down to 200 words - which, if you are still reading, is less than it has taken for me to get this far.

Anyway, it's done now - I submitted my entry by email on Wednesday, with a hard copy (together with hard copy wine list, T&C's, example customer newsletters and a few of my blog posts from the previous 12 months) sent just in time for today's deadline. All I can do now is sit back and wait to see what the judges think of my entry. To be honest, I probably don't stand a cat in hell's chance - my "opposition" are Les Caves de Pyrene, Howard Ripley, South Africa Wines Online and SWIG. But at least I know that, whatever happens, I put my heart and soul (not to mention a lot of time) into my submission. I'm not sure what person (or persons) actually nominated me (it wasn't me!), but whoever you are - thank you.

In-between fretting over my submission, and all the other things that seem to take up all of my time, I've been observing the local wildlife going about their business in my garden. Most notably, for the past week or two, I've been watching a pair of blackbirds building a nest amongst the tangled branches and foliage of my wisteria. And over the last few days, no less than 5 eggs have appeared, at an average of 1 each day. I know, it's nothing special - this sort of thing is going on in a million other gardens at this time of year. But it is nice to be able to watch all the comings and goings and to be able to capture a few photographs of the proud parents-to-be and their little hoard................

Hopefully, I'll get to see some of the little critters after they have hatched. They'd better hurry-up, though, as I'm going on holiday soon! I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and I might even write about a few wines tomorrow!

Some lovely wines enjoyed over the last few days

2011-05-24T20:39:00.003+01:00

Last week was the first "bottle blind" tasting of the summer season at Nottingham Wine Circle. As usual, there were almost too many good wines for me to comment on in any detail, but two wines turned out to be rather special - and both courtesy of the ever-generous David Selby;

Albert Boxler Gewurztraminer 2000 Alsace Grand Cru Brand

This had some of us (me included) fooled into thinking it was a Pinot Gris - it really was that good(!) The nose screamed toffee, orange pith, violets and rich, earthy minerality. I guess the giveaway should have been the notes of lychee and rosewater, which I often find in Pinot Gris, but are always there in good (or in this case, great) Gewurztraminer. For what it's worth, there were even shades of a rich Riesling, courtesy of some appley notes and a touch of herbiness. In other words, complexity by the bucketload. With a nose like that, one would almost expect the palate to be a bit of a let-down, but it was nothing of the sort. It was rich but not cloying, floral without smothering the fruit, sweet-ish but with the most delicious streak of citrus-like acidity and a long, minerally, tangy finish. And once again, oh-so complex - in fact, one of the finest (if not the finest) Gewurztraminers I have ever tasted.

Charles Joguet Clos de La Dioterie 1997 Chinon

Now here's a real rarity - a Cabernet Franc that had me (not to mention most of the other Cab Franc naysayers in the Wine Circle) completely bowled-over. Almost Pinot Noir-like on the nose - perfumed, ripe, floral, earthy, with notes of raspberries and violets and a touch of cedar - and no stalkiness or green pepper! The brilliant nose was matched all the way by the brilliant, beguiling palate, which was deceptively light and elegant, with oodles of secondary red and black fruit flavours mingled with some really quite fresh notes of raspberry and strawberry, a touch of cream (presumably courtesy of beautifully integrated oak) and gorgeous, mouth-watering acidity. Very long and very lovely. In fact, its sheer elegance, lightness and complexity really would give many a fine Burgundy a run for their money. Fabulous wine.

And here's a couple of nice ones TLD and I enjoyed at home over the weekend..................

Les Vignes de l'Arque Vin de Pays Duché d'Uzès 2002

I remember seeing the articles on the news and in the press about the floods in Languedoc and Rhone in September 2002. Images of trees and furniture (and even a grand piano) floating down the swollen River Gard, following no less than 26 inches of rain in 24 hours, linger long in the memory. Aside from the damage to so many people's property and possessions, it was a disastrous end to what had been a pretty dismal vintage in both of these regions, with rain and cold (or at least not very warm) weather prevailing for most of what passed as summer.

But what of this 2002 red, from a relatively unknown backwater of the Languedoc, around 15 km west of Uzes? Well, as with quite a few wines from this much-maligned vintage that I have consumed (and of course sold) in the past, it really does disprove the theory that all 2002's were thin, green and unripe. It is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Grenache, aged for just 4 months in oak barrels. The colour is fairly evolved - light and bloody, with a hint of bricking at the edge. But the aromas and flavours are perferctly preserved and really quite fresh, which is a real confidence-booster, considering that this is the oldest wine sealed under a DIAM cork that I've ever drank (I have long been an advocate of DIAM as an alternative to one-piece corks, with only the potential longevity to be proven - until now). On the nose, we have refreshing aromas of raspberry, cherry and bramble, with hints of meat and savoury, polished leather, forest floor and eau de vie, whilst the palate delivers equally refreshing fruit and secondary flavours, with tannins which are reasonably grippy, perhaps even a touch stalky, yet essentially light - and certainly not unripe. But there is plenty of fruit left in a wine from a vintage which - perhaps by common consent amongst Languedoc and Rhone lovers - probably should have been drunk years ago. It isn't a great wine - few, if any 2002's ever were, or ever would be - but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one. I'm not entirely sure why I kept it this long, but the wait has done it no harm. I do actually still have a handful of 2002's from other growers tucked away here and there, and on this showing, I see no reason to drink them quickly. Who knows........ some may even turn out to be as good as this one.

Incidentally, if you fancy trying a bottle of the Duché d'Uzès Rouge 2009 (a totally different animal, and from a superb vintage), it will cost you the princely sum of £9.95. And the other wines from Les Vignes de l'Arque ain't half bad either.

Alain Graillot La Guiraude 1995 Crozes-Hermitage

This is the second or third of a handful of bottles I picked up at auction a couple of years back for a real song (around a tenner a bottle, if memory serves) and it is really is in fine fettle. 100% Syrah (I assume) with classic aged Crozes aromas of bramble, violet and lily of the valley. Actually, there are none of the smoky bacon/fat aromas one normally expects, with the savoury elements being more in the way of Provencal herbs, Asian spices and damp earth. But it really is a squeaky-clean example of its kind, and a beautifully balanced one at that, with deliciously ripe, but acidity-laden fruit - brambly, but with a lovely citrus edge and no impression of sweetness or extraction. There's still some tannin there, which adds a tangy, tea-like quality, but of the fragrant, flavoursome kind, rather than the bottom-of-the-pot kind, leading to a dry but mouth-watering finish. It really is a cracking wine, from a very fine Northern Rhone grower at the height of his powers. Yum!

Weekend wines - a nine year-old Mosel Riesling, a 22 year-old Minervois(!) and a rather lovely 2005 Banyuls

2011-05-16T06:11:00.000+01:00

Domaine La Combe Blanche Minervois 1989

Never let it be said that Languedoc reds don't age. I may even have blogged about another bottle of this wine, sometime in the past, since I have (or had) more than a dozen bottles, which I picked up for around 10 Euros a bottle from winemaker Guy Vanlancker's private "library" collection. To be honest, it is probably now a few years past its absolute peak, but it still provides enjoyable drinking. The colour is blood red, with a definite amber hue, whilst the nose offers secondary red and black fruit aromas with hints of polished old wood, incense, soft spices and forest floor. The palate is a gentle mix of aged raspberry, bramble and cherry, with subtle herby/spicy/savoury notes and a hint of eau de vie, with a slight bitter cherry kernel finish. For a humble Minervois at the grand old age of 22 years, which undoubtedly was not designed to age for decades - and which, incidentally, received very little in the way of oak-ageing - it is quite remarkable. Even more so, considering we drank this over 2 evenings, and it was still going strong by the time we finished the bottle. 12.0% abv.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese 2002 Mosel Saar Ruwer
I sold a few cases of this in the none too distant past, but kept just a few bottles back for myself. It has a lovely, complex nose of lime zest, orange, apricot, nettle and wet slate, with a hint of fresh root ginger and just a suggestion of petrol. There's even an enticing note of fresh emulsion paint - which I find rather alluring. Swathes of lime and lemon fruit caress the palate, with a core of intense, tingling acidity and slatey minerality that is simply mouth-watering. Yet there is also an underlying richness, courtesy of some beautifully ripe fruit, with suggestions of apricot, clementine, sweet apples and subtle spicy notes. There is purity and focus, with lovely acidity combining beautifully with ripe, only fleetingly sweet fruit. This will undoubtedly evolve for a good few years yet, taking on more of those classic Mosel Riesling mineral and petrol nuances, but I love where it is at right now, whilst it still retains some of that lovely fruit. 8.0% abv.

Domaine Pietri-Geraud Cuvée Méditerranée 2005 Banyuls

It is difficult to compare and contrast this particular vintage with the 2003, because they are quite similar in so many ways. Then again, 2003 was such an unusual vintage, due to the (in)famous heatwave, that the full-on richness inherent in such a vintage would be hard to replicate. Having said that, the fact that this wine is matured for no less than 4 years in old barrels, outside and exposed to the elements of all four seasons, means that there really isn't that much difference. And make no mistake, this is another delicious Banyuls. Bonfire toffee, Christmas cake, roasted mocha, prunes in eau de vie, Seville oranges, marmalade and polished old wood are just a few of the aromas which greet the senses on the first sniff, along with a definite hint of damp earth/forest floor. And whilst the flavours are a shade less dense than the 2003, there's a degree of subtlety and elegance in their place, with the aforementioned toffee and fruitcake qualities accompanied on the palate by flavours of crystallised red and black fruits and almost fresh orange acidity, whilst whatever tannin remains is tempered by a level of sweetness that is comforting, rather than cloying. There's a warming touch of eau de vie on the finish, but you almost don't notice it, because it gets buried beneath those fruit flavours, which go on and on for an age - and at just 16% abv, this is a fortified wine which majors on fruit, not alcohol. In fact, as I write this note, I'm tempted to say that I actually prefer this vintage to the 2003 (I have a bottle open, by way of comparison). It really is a quite wonderful wine, and a relative bargain at £18.79.

Burgundy Part 5 - Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine

2011-05-15T10:51:00.002+01:00

Pernand-Vergelesses is a pretty village, nestled at the foot of the famous hill of Corton. We had a 10am appointment at Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine, a grower that I personally hadn't previously heard of (though, with my general ignorance of Burgundy as a whole, that is not unusual). Dubreuil-Fontaine has quite a large vineyard holding for a Burgundy grower - 20 hectares in total, covering 20 different appellations. Two thirds of the production is red wine, and a third white. They practice "lutte raisonnée", which translates literally as the "reasoned struggle", but loosely (and more appropriately) as reasoned viticulture - basically, not quite fully organic, but they only use non-organic treatments in the vineyards when absolutely necessary. The current proprietor of the estate is Christine Gruere-Dubreuil, and although she did not conduct the tasting, she did pop in later to say hello. We were treated to a most interesting tasting, from a range of no less than 16 wines.

Whites:

1. Bourgogne Aligote 2009

Simple, fresh, with aromas of apples and pears. Fresh palate, robust and quite long. Nice.

2. Bourgogne Blanc 2008

Steely, with high acidity. A simple quaffer.

3. Pernand-Vergelesses 2008

Aged partly in barrel and partly in vat. Steely again, but qite oaky and mealy, with flavours of sour apples. Not for me.

4. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Sous Fretille 2007

Fennel, anise, cloves and apple pie. Richer, but still with an underlying steely structure.

5. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Clos Berthet 2007

Richer still, nicely oaked, with vanilla and spice. Very mineral, and very nice.

6. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Clos Berthet 2008

Spiced apple pie again, generous, herby, mineral. Lovely oak nuances. Lemon and mineral palate. Complex and rather lovely.

7. Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2008

A lovely nose - restrained oak, peach, apricot and tree blossom. A real contemplation wine. Sugared apples on the palate, voluptuous, toasty, buttery, but with great mineral backbone. Complex and softly spicy, with wonderful length. I bought a bottle at 46 Euros.

Reds:

8. Pernand-Vergelesses Clos Berthet 2008

Very light. Strawberries and jam. Quite simple.

9. Volnay 2008

This is instantly more appealing. An almost new-world nose (not always a bad thing!) of cherry, redcurrant and wild strawberries. Grippy, meaty even, but with bags of fruit. Elegant.

10. Pommard 2008

Bigger than the Volnay, more masculine, more Burgundy-like. Cherries, apples and spice. Rich, long and tight, but with some elegance.

11. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots 2007

Fresh, almost yeasty. Cherries. Quite tannic, and more simple than the Pommard.

12. Beaune 1er Cru Montrevenots 2008

Cherries in eau de vie. Rich, generous, tight, but nicely balanced. Mouth coating and quite tannic, but a nice wine. Needs time.

13. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Isle de Vergelesses 2008

Beefy, almost yeasty, with cherries and berries. Cherry fruit and a touch of tar on the palate. Grippy, but with oodles of elegance. This has much more to give, in time. I bought a bottle at 22 Euros.

14. Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots 2008

Polished wood, redcurrant and soft spice - a lovely, generous nose. The palate is very grippy, but has generous fruit, with notes of cloves and other spices. Needs time, but a very promising wine. Sexy!

15. Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2008

Closed in every respect. Clearly quite serious, but seems quite tough. A very difficult wine to assess.

16. Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru 2008

This, on the other hand, is showing real class. Beefy, almost Bovrilly nose, with exotic spices and good fruit. The palate is rich and expansive, but with really quite delicate (and very complex) flavours. Beautifully balanced. Still very tightly-knit and rather grippy - as you would expect at less than 3 years of age - but already a delicious wine nonetheless. This will be fabulous one day. A lovely wine to finish, and I bought a bottle at 35 Euros.

In the cellar at Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine - from left to right,

Leon Stolarski, Andy Leslie, Bernard Caille, Peter Bamford, David Bennett, Bill Nanson

(photo by Jane Nanson)

My overall impression of the wines of Dubreuil-Fontaine is that the lower-end wines (Bourgogne and some of the Village wines) are a bit lacking in both fruit and structure and hence, for me at least, don't provide particularly good value. On the other hand, the majority of the 1er and Grand Cru wines are really quite impressive and do in fact provide rather good value for money - at least in the world of Burgundy!

Seve - a sad day for all golfers and sports fans

2011-05-07T22:05:00.003+01:00

Despite the fact that it is Saturday, and therefore my early start means golf instead of work, my happiness has been tempered by a fair degree of sadness on hearing of the death of one of the true greats of the game, and a real hero of mine. Severiano Ballesteros was one of those rare people whose fame transcends a particular sport and finds its way into the psyche of a much wider audience. To millions of people around the world, whether they were ardent golf fans or just casual observers of many different kinds of sport, he was known simply as "Seve". Following a two-year battle against a malignant brain tumour, Seve finally succumbed to the inevitable and passed away last night, at the tender age of just 54. And if the reactions of the various people I spoke to in the clubhouse today is anything to go by, it isn't just me that feels such a keen (and almost personal) sense of loss. And even though Seve's time in the spotlight finished a good few years ago, he was still viewed with affection by a great many people, to whom he gave so many great memories.

Seve was blessed with a swing which - whilst not quite textbook - was powerful, fluid and ultimately a joy to behold. He could certainly be wayward, especially with the driver in his hand, but his ability to extricate himself from difficult (and often seemingly impossible) situations on the golf course was unmatched by any other player in the history of the game. And, of course, he was a wizard around the greens. In fact, his 5 Major Championship wins (3 at The Open and 2 at The Masters) almost seem like scant reward for a man who may just have been the most naturally gifted golfer of them all. Nevertheless, a total of 91 professional tournament victories, including no less than 50 on the European Tour, amounts to a glittering career in anyone's book. And then, of course, there was the small matter of the biennial Europe v USA Ryder Cup Matches, in which Seve played 8 times between 1979 and 1995, and was the winning Captain in 1997. Until Seve came along, the Ryder Cup Matches were consistently a pretty one-sided affair, USA having lost just 3 times between 1927 and 1985.

In what was undoubtedly a golden era for golf, Seve was a true giant of the game, whose swashbuckling style and charismatic presence captured the imagination of a whole generation of sports fans, whilst his success had an almost immeasurable effect on those who followed in his wake. In fact, it isn't too fanciful to suggest that he almost single-handedly dragged the standard of the professional game in Europe - and therefore the success of European Tour itself - to the level it is at now. And in doing so, he also brought about a rise in the popularity of the game amongst amateur and club players that has endured to this day. Although I first picked up a golf club before Seve came on the scene, my interest was certainly galvanised by watching him - and his book "Seve Ballesteros - Natural Golf" has always been my golfing bible.

Of course, it takes more than talent and success to endure someone to the masses. Many sportsmen and sportswomen have the talent and the motivation to reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport, but only a select few have the sheer personality and charisma necessary to really work their way into the affections of millions of fans the world over. And make no mistake, Seve was one of those people. Tiger Woods might just be the most famous person on the planet, right now - though not necessarily for all the right reasons. His talent as a golfer and his influence on both the game of golf and on millions of impressionable young people around the world is without question. But his qualities as a role model leave much to be desired, as does his demeanour and general behaviour on the golf course. The same could never be said of Seve Ballesteros.

Of course, Seve was always feisty, often controversial, occasionally angry (sometimes with himself, sometimes with others). He certainly had a "game face", which could at times be menacing and intimidating to his opponents....... and sometimes to his fans, which I experienced at first hand during the World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth in 1987. We were following his match against (I think) Sandy Lyle, and as the players putted-out on one green, we headed to the next hole, to grab a spot behind the tee. As Seve walked onto the tee, I pointed my camera at him and focused-in as he walked towards me. He and I both knew that cameras were not allowed - unless of course you were an official photographer - and he fixed me with a steely glare that I can still see clearly in my mind's eye to this day. Needless to say, I didn't get the photo. Not that he said anything to me, because he didn't need to. I knew my place - and it was an absolute privilege to be put in it by someone who I was (and still am) in absolute awe of. And it was also a privilege to see him at such close quarters as he spanked the ball down the middle of the fairway......... or perhaps even into the trees - that bit I can't remember!

But despite the "game face" and the aura, Seve could never quite hide the thrill he obviously felt at simply being out on the golf course and playing the game that he loved. And if he was in the mix - or better still, winning - then he had a smile which could light up the world. And even when his powers on the golf course began to wane, his aura never did - and that is the mark of a true legend.

Seve also had a great sense of humour, which enabled him to connect with his fans in a way that so many of today's so-called superstars would do well to emulate. My favourite such moment was when he was about to play a long iron shot from the fairway. With hundreds of spectators gathered behind him, somebody moved, just as he was about to hit the ball. He calmly stepped away from the ball, turned to the fidgety culprit and in that wonderful Spanish accent uttered the memorable line..... "Stay still, if you don't mind, please - I know you're nervous, but I am too." Just one of many wonderful memories of a wonderful golfer and a true sporting legend.

If you need a reminder about the genius of Seve (and that comedy moment mentioned above), then have a look at this little retrospective on the BBC website.

In a world which seems increasingly bereft of public figures one can really look up to - and to aspire to be like - Seve was my hero. So adios, Señor Seve, y gracias por todos los maravillosos recuerdos - Voy a levantar una copa esta noche.

Three more new wines from Domaine Treloar

2011-05-01T15:38:00.005+01:00

I have at least one more post (maybe two) to publish about the Burgundy trip, which I shall get around to within the next few days. But I am currently distracted by the process of tasting and writing notes for my new batch of Domaine Treloar wines - and what an enjoyable distraction they have been, thus far! Here are three more..........

Domaine Treloar Three Peaks 2008 Cotes du Roussillon

Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignan, aged in French oak barriques (mostly used, I would guess). A lovely bright, medium-deep purple core, with a small ruby rim. Beautiful aromas of cherries, brambles, plums and apples steeped in eau de vie, with background notes of garam masala, polished leather and a savoury, almost Marmite note. The palate is immediately appealing, even at this relatively early stage, for though there's plenty of concentration, there's also enough elegance and fleet of foot to make it deliciously drinkable. The tannins are present, but beautifully ripe, making for a wine that finishes dry, but with enough acidity and juicy red fruit flavours to make you keep going back for more. There seems to be a bit of a theme developing here, in my notes for these new Trelaor wines. The Tahi 2007 that I wrote about yesterday was an absolute cracker, and so is this one. In fact, in my opinion, it is by some way the best - and most elegant - 3 Peaks yet. Makes me look forward to trying the other new wines even more! This will be available to purchase via my website very shortly - price £11.75. 13.5% abv.

Domaine Treloar Le Secret 2008 Cotes du Roussillon

This one is Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and again aged in French oak barriques. The colour is very similar to the Three Peaks, though a little darker and more opaque. And despite the fact that Syrah is the dominant variety, the Mourvedre really shows through, with some really smoky, meaty, leathery, almost farmyardy notes mingled with the bramble fruit, but countered by notes of orange peel and fried spices. There's a touch of oak influence, but it is totally harmonious and serves only to add complexity. And again - as with the Three Peaks - the palate has a delightful freshness, with juicy fruit flavours and fine tannins countered (or rather complemented) by excellent acidity. Moreover - and this is something I've noticed in the other new Treloar wines - there's absolutely no impression of heat or over-ripeness, with the alcohol level at a very respectable 13.5%. Slightly earlier picked grapes, perhaps? Whatever the reason, the result is more freshness, more finesse and wines which are much easier to drink young. Having said that, this is yet another wine with excellent keeping potential - I'd say another 5 to 8 years. Again, look out for this one appearing on the website very soon - price £13.95.

Domaine Treloar MO2 Vin de France
100% Muscat Petit Grains, from yields of just 20 hl/ha. Described by winemaker Jonathan Hesford as "fermented in the presence of oxygen until dry, fortified with grape spirit and aged in a 2 year-old oak barrel with headspace, out in the sun". I'm sure Jon won't mind me revealing that this was actually a batch of Muscat that "went wrong" (i.e. oxidised). Instead of pouring it down the drain, Jon decided to experiment. The result is a wine that to all intents and purposes looks and smells like a slightly nutty (in both senses of the word) Muscat de Rivesaltes, a deep-ish orange/gold colour with orange marmalade and solera/flor-like notes, classic Muscat grapiness, a touch of honey, perhaps even a hint of digestive biscuit and a subtle herbiness. And whilst your nose prepares you for a sweet wine, the palate is very definitely almost dry, with only the fortifying grape spirit contributing a perception of "off-dryness". Conversely, the texture is quite rich and unctious, coating the mouth with delicious grapey, marmaladey, buttery/biscuity and nutty flavours, yet remaining steadfastly refreshing and distinctly tangy. In fact, there is even a touch of salty flor-like character to it, which would no doubt appeal to Amontillado lovers. I should say here and now that I am no Sherry lover (apart from rich, sweet Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez wines, which appeal to my sweet tooth) but this really is a wine for contemplation. The length, by the way, is immense - unlike Parker, I'm not one to put the stopwatch on, but we're talking minutes, rather than seconds. The more I contemplate this wine, the more I am growing to love it. I could try and categorise it, but that would be unfair to a wine that is - albeit by accident, rather than design - pretty unique. In short, it is completely and utterly lovely. And whilst it isn't going to be cheap, at around £15 for a 50cl bottle, I think it is worth every penny. 15% abv.

Some wines enjoyed over an extended Easter holiday

2011-04-29T12:00:00.000+01:00

Just thought I'd take time out from writing-up my Burgundy trip notes to tell you about a few interesting wines we've enjoyed at home over the last week or so..........

Bodegas Campillo Reserva Especial 1995 Rioja

As befits a wine with 22 months' oak ageing and a further 14 years in bottle, this has a definite mahogany tinge. There's also a touch of mahogany to the nose as well (of the polished variety) which is rather attractive, in a relatively non-fruit sort of way. That said, there are some nice cherries-in-eau-de-vie aromas and a faint whiff of strawberries and cream. I'm not sure this was made in an entirely "old-school Rioja" way, and it may well have been quite chunky and rich in its youth, but it has certainly evolved into something quite evocative, with some really enticing woody/old oak, exotic spice and autumnal forest floor aromas. The palate is initially quite rich and powerful, but there's an underlying elegance to it - sort of a halfway house between Bordeaux and Burgundy. Again, the fruit flavours are verging on the secondary - red cherry and wild strawberries and again a touch of eau de vie - but the marriage of fruit, wood, tannin and healthy acidity really does work very nicely indeed, with the "wininess" lingering for quite a while on the finish. In fact, if a Martian asked you "what does wine smell and taste like?", then this would be a perfect example. Whilst it isn't quite a profound wine, it is certainly a very good one, which seems to me to be in a perfect place rght now. Drink now or keep for perhaps another 3 to 5 years. 13.0% abv.

Domain Org de Rac Family Reserve Shiraz 2005, Swartland, South Africa

Quite a deep blood red colour, with a narrow carmine rim. The nose offers enticing aromas of bramble and raspberries, with a touch of eau de vie, some interesting bready and savoury/meaty notes and just a hint of tar. If there's any oak, it is very much in the background, because this is all about fruit - and some pretty good fruit, at that. The palate is initially quite rich and chewy, but not overly dense, with lovely bright bramble flavours, firm (but also quite fine) tannins and a lovely backbone of acidity. In fact there's a lightness (in a good way) that you don't often encounter in new world Shiraz, and whilst I would hesitate to compare it to a northern Rhone Syrah, neither does it fit the template of a new world blockbuster. The finish is warm and spicy, with a lovely sweet and sour note lingering on the palate, and the 14.5% abv really doesn't show, in what is really quite a balanced wine. It isn't complex, but neither is it a simple quaffer, and although lovely to drink now, I'd be interested to see what it does over the next few years. A nice wine. 14.5% abv.

Mas de Morties 1995 Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup

This is a remarkably youthful colour, given that this is almost 16 years old - deepish blood red at the core with a raspberry rim. The nose is fragrant with scents of garrigue herbs and spices, leather, meat/savoury and plenty of fruity nuances - raspberry and bramble, wild strawbs and a touch of citrus. The palate is initially quite reticent, almost as if the fruit has faded. But lo and behold - after half an hour in the decanter, it really begins to blossom, albeit in a fairly secondary way. All of those fruits begin to emerge, along with myriad savoury and earthy elements, soft spices and again garrigue herbs, complemented by almost-resolved tannins and juicy citrus-tinged acidity. It really is delicious. I've tasted a bottle or two of this wine before - indeed, this bottle was given to me by my friend and local restaurateur, CY Choong, as thanks for a favour - and it has never failed to impress. It is yet another example of a Languedoc wine with plenty of bottle age that more than holds its own against wines from much loftier appellations and regions. And yet it screams Languedoc - it simply could not be from anywhere else. And therein lies the moral of the story....... fine Languedoc wines such as this may be deliciously drinkable when young, but also have the capacity to age very gracefully indeed! A really lovely wine.

Domaine Treloar Tahi 2007 Cotes du Roussillon

I've waited a long time to taste this wine, since its predecessor the 2006 was released a good 3 years ago (and is still a baby, in terms of evolution). And I have to say, it has certainly been worth the wait. It is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, with a dense but bright purple core leading to a tiny cherry red rim. The nose exudes class, with considerably complex aromas including (but by no means limited to) black cherries, bramble, citrus fruits, garrigue herbs, incense and licorice, and a cloak of gently toasty, beautifully integrated oak. As the colour would suggest, the palate is dense, concentrated and tightly-knit, but not so much as to hide a certain degree of subtlety, with a huge core of juicy black fruits and exotic spiciness, complemented by firm but very fine tannins and tangy acidity. Although I wouldn't dare to suggest it is ready to drink yet, those curious enough to try a bottle at this early stage - preferably with food, of course - would certainly not be disappointed, because all of the components necessary for a very fine wine are there. Indeed, although the 2006 was a hard act to follow, I think this 2007 just about shades it, because of its sheer complexity and potential for elegance. And whilst the 2006 is probably another 8 to 12 years away from its peak, this one may get there a little quicker - but I suspect it will also stay there for longer. This will be available for purchase via my website in a few days, priced at £17.95 (and if you are on my mailing list, you'll be amongst the first to hear about it). A benchmark Roussillon wine - and for me the finest Treloar red yet. 14.0% abv.

Kurt Hain Piesporter Domherr Riesling Auslese 2009 Mosel

This is not one of the wines I feature on my list (i.e. sell) but, although I didn't get to taste it when I visited the Kurt Hain winery last year, I was interested enough to buy a bottle. At 17 Euros from the cellar door, it isn't particularly cheap (and if I were to sell it, the price would be around £22) but then again it isn't overly expensive, in comparison to other top Mosel growers' Auslesen wines. And, although at this early stage it is yet to fully display the sheer vivacity and "zinginess" of the Kabinett and Spatlese wines from the same grower, it certainly has the structure to evolve beautifully towards its peak (which I would say will be at least another 10 years). At just 7.0% abv, it is currently all about the fruit - and lots of it. Aromas of apricot, mandarin orange, lemon zest and lime oil fairly leap from the glass, accompanied by subtle hints of apple pie, basil and wet slate. Come to think of it, there's even a touch of florality as well. The flavours are super-intense, with all of those lovely aromas manifesting themselves on the palate, in a way that fills the senses and lingers for an age. In fact, as it opens up over the course of half a day, this wine really begins to blossom, to the extent that the acidity really comes to the fore - both on the nose and in the mouth - thus revealing some of the promise that lies ahead. Of course, I would happily sit and drink a whole bottle of this myself, such is its sheer deliciousness and up-front fruitiness, but it really does deserve to be kept for a few more years, in order to fulfil its enormous potential. A real cracker, which can only get better. 7.0% abv.

Burgundy Part 4 - Domaines Francois Lamarche and Michel Gros

2011-04-25T17:06:00.006+01:00

Friday saw another early start, leaving Saint-Gengoux at 8.30, for a 10 o'clock appointment at Domaine Francois Lamarche in Vosne-Romanée. They had no wines to sell, here (and every wine we tasted was a tank sample) so presumably everything is snapped-up very quickly on release. As a result, I have no idea of prices - though I suspect they are pretty pricey. That said, there was a very clear distinction between the "lower end" wines and the top wines, with quality rising steadily through the tasting - definitely the mark of excellent terroir and a very good winemaker.

The Lamarche residence

Bourgogne 2009

Simple cherry aromas and flavours, with high acidity. Fresh, firm, cherry kernel flavours. Decent, but not loveable. Long, though.

Vosne-Romanée Villages 2009

A lick of oak and a touch of spice. Pepper and licorice, cherries and a touch of oak tannin. Soft fruit flavours, but with a firm underlying structure.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cras 2009

More woody, with polished/older oak aromas. Leafy, almost stalky, with high acidity, hefty tannins and somewhat sour fruit. Not an easy wine to taste.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes 2009

Elegant nose of Asian spices, subtle oak and a hint of chocolate. Softer, more balanced and very enjoyable. A winner.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 2009

Quite muted on the nose - not a lot going on. The palate is a different matter - lovely and soft and full of spicy fruit flavours. Supple tannins, gentle acidity, quite rich, but elegant too. Not a lot of oak influence, but none the worse for it. Long and lovely.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Malconsorts 2009

Again, the nose is muted (too cold?) but showing notes of spices, chocolate and older oak. The palate is generous and expansive, with dark cherry flavours, good acidity and some hefty tannins. There's plenty of sweet fruit lurking underneath, but this really needs a good few years to evolve.

Échezaux Grand Cru 2009

Generously oaked (85% new oak) but well done - plenty of fruit and spice showing through on the nose. The palate has soft, sweet, almost pastilley fruit flavours, well balanced, although the tannins linger on the finish. Needs 10 years, after which I think it will be supremely elegant.

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2009

Bitter cherry kernel nose. This is a big wine in every way - rich and fruity, but again very tannic. Needs 10 years or more.

Grands Échezaux Grand Cru 2009

A wonderfully elegant nose - very "winey", integrated and not oaky at all. Perfumed, with notes of flowers and cloves. The palate is expansive, dense, tannic, perhaps even a bit stalky, but very ripe and opulent. Should turn out to be rather special.

La Grand Rue Grand Cru 2009

Cloves and mixed spices on the nose. Enormously complex, with older wood notes and a touch of cocoa. The tannins are present, but very fine, silky even. This sees 90% new oak, but you wouldn't know it, because it's all about the fruit. Very long and very elegant - in fact, a very fine wine indeed.

High-tech temperature control and stainless steel in the cellar at Domaine Lamarche

The 1.65 hectare monopole vineyard La Grand Rue

Then it was off to the café in Morey-Saint-Denisfor a luch of bières pression and a delicious omelette aux champignons. The service was painfully slow, but it was a scorcher of a day, so were were happy to sit outside and watch the world go by.

This is what happens when you sit too close to the road - but Peter Bamford sees the funny side

(lunch in Morey-Saint-Denis)

Just another Vosne-Romanée winemaker's residence!

After lunch, we headed for our next appointment at Domaine Michel Gros in Vosne. It was nice to be able to actually buy a few bottles of wine for once, instead of just tasting them. Then again, if this had been the case at every domaine we visited, my wallet would have taken a real battering! Conversely, there were no barrel or tank samples here - everything we tasted was from bottle.

The immaculate cellars at Domaine Michel Gros

Bourgogne Haut Cotes de Nuits 2008 - 9.80 Euros

A lovely bright colour, with aromas of pepper, tar and bramble fruits. Fairly light-bodied, but with excellent structure. Nice to drink now, but will evolve for a few years yet. Great value at 9.80 Euros. I bought 4 bottles.

Vosne-Romanée 2007 - 23.20 Euros

Tar and bramble on the nose again. Richer, but less elegant than the HCdN. A bit rustic.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 2007 - 22 Euros

Lighter-bodied, and all the better for it. Aromas and flavours of cherry and raspberry, with high acidity and soft but present tannins. A lovely, pure-fruited wine, with excellent potential. At 22 Euros, this wasn't cheap for a mere village wine, but I was impressed enough to buy a couple.

Nuits-Saint-George Les Chaliots 2007 - 22 Euros

Tar, bramble and cherry kernel. Bitter cherry kernel on the palate, with some earthiness and minerality, but very short on real fruit. I can't see where this one is going.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Clos de Réas 2004 - 41.50 Euros

My goodness this is strong and rich and very masculine. Animal/bretty notes on the nose. The palate is massive, with dark fruits and fierce tannins - real bottom of the teapot stuff! Feral, mouth-filling, meaty, but with a good core of sweet red and black fruits, and a touch of cranberry sourness. Not for drinking now, but I feel this could be very interesting in another 10 years.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru 2001 - 41.70 Euros

This seemed a bit oxidised, but that was probably because the bottle had been open for a day or more. Then again, I wonder why they are still selling this wine (plus all the other vintages between 2003 and 2008, except the 2005 - with the '03 being most expensive at 44.30 Euros!). It displays sweet fruit, tar, liqueur and mulberry. Generous and rich, with some sous-bois and other secondary aromas and flavours. Give it another 5 years.

In the office at Michel Gros - IWC Pinot Noir and Red Winemaker of the Year trophies

Although we didn't get to taste it, Andy Leslie spotted a Bourgogne Haut Cotes de Nuits Blanc 2008 on the list and took a punt on a few bottles. When he opened one for us to enjoy back at the ranch, I was kicking myself for not having done the same, because it was absolutely delicious - and proof that basic whites from top Burgundy growers can provide great enjoyment for not a lot of money. At 10.30 Euros, it was an absolute bargain.

Next up, Domaine Dubreil-Fontaine in Pernand-Vergelesses.