A hell-ish week in the life of an independent wine merchant, plus memories of an altar boy - Joseph Swan Vineyards Côtes du Rosa 2008

It has been a hell of a week (mostly in the worst sense). This is traditionally the most hectic week of the year for wine merchants, and this year has been no different for me. Not that I'm complaining on that score - the more wine I sell, the better. I just wish that I didn't leave it so late to get myself organised and geared-up for what I know is going to be a stressful time. But taking delivery of umpteen new wines in the first week of December (a bit late in the year, even by my standards) and dealing with all the work involved in getting them online and "out there" almost finished me off! Take Wednesday, for example - my "day off" from the day job. Having fallen asleep on the settee on Tuesday evening, I woke up at 3am, feeling distinctly flu-ey. But some things just need to be done, so I spent the next 4 hours on the computer putting the final touches to the website updates and preparing an email newsletter that simply couldnt' wait a day longer. I then managed 3 hours in bed, before getting up again and spending 2 hours trying to send the email to around 1,100 people, in batches of 50 at a time. Which frankly was a bloody nightmare, as the server kept bouncing them. I think it all turned out right in the end, but if anyone reading this got several identical emails from me, I apologise sincerely! Likewise, if you should have received it but didn't.

Once that was sorted, I then embarked on a 180-mile round-trip to a bonded warehouse in Rotherham, then another in Stamford, followed by a detour to a nearby wine agency, Richards Walford, to collect samples of Richard Kelley MW's "The Liberator" wines. Then it was back to my store in Nottingham to unload a car crammed full of wine. I eventually arrived home at 6.40 pm, feeling even worse than ever, aching all over and with a face you could fry an egg on.

The only good thing to happen on the way was finding a brace of freshly-killed pheasants on a country lane in deepest Rutland. In fact, I could have easily mown-down several more myself, as the they seemed intent on walking out in front of the car every 50 yards or so. But I didn't have the heart, and 2 is enough to be going on with anyway.

After another evening at the computer, dealing with orders and other "admin" stuff, I grabbed a few more hours sleep before going back to the day job on Thursday. If it weren't for the fact that I had wine business to deal with afterwards, I would almost certainly taken the day off sick. But today was different - I don't send wines out on a Friday - so, still feeling very much under the weather, I decided that enough was enough, and that my body needed rest, if I wanted to see Christmas. I was in bed by 11pm last night and stayed there until late this morning, which seems to have done me the world of good, because by this evening, I was ready to try a glass or two of this little beauty..........

Joseph Swan Vineyards Côtes du Rosa 2008 Russian River Valley £19.95

A pretty, medium-hued raspberry red core, fading to a cherry/pink rim. The nose is strikingly reminiscent of a very fine Côtes du Rhone (the name is no accident). In fact, it even has a touch of the Châteauneuf about it, with beguiling scents of strawberries, raspberries, plum skins, citrus/orange, a hint of savoury/leather and exotic spices. In fact, those spices, married to what I assume is some old(ish) oak barrel maturation, are strongly suggestive of incense and polished wood. So much so that it takes me right back to my days as an altar boy in the local Catholic church! Is it just that smell is perhaps the most evocative sense we possess, or is this just that this wine smells so darned beautiful? And the palate isn't too shabby, either, although that is where the similarity with Châteauneuf ends - a delicious mouthful of fresh red and black fruits, incense (yes, I swear I can actually taste it, too), supple, savoury tannins and a simply mouth-watering core of juicy, orangey/appley acidity. With a relatively modest 13.6% abv, this is no glass-staining Cali/Rhône monster - it is supremely balanced, elegant and thoroughly charming. And although it is eminently drinkable now, it also has the capacity to age beautifully for a decade or more - I can say this with confidence, because I have tasted one or two older vintages that were quite memorable. And, do you know what? As far as I am aware, this wine is made from 100% Carignan, a variety which is considered by at least one prominent wine writer I know of to be a thoroughly fifth-rate variety. Which only serves to strengthen my opinion that anyone who persists with the idea that Carignan can't make charming, elegant, age-worthy, world class wine needs their head examining.