Just another week at the Nottingham Wine Circle - another spectacular Domaine Tempier tasting

I've been typing up the notes for this entry, on and off, for the past 2 or 3 weeks, having been preoccupied with lots of other stuff. However, how could I not post a full report on the second major tasting of Domaine Tempier's wines at the Nottingham Wine Circle in the last 30 months? Let's be honest, most wine lovers would kill for just one such tasting! On this occasion, the wines were presented by two of the group's founding members, Roger Halfpenny and David Selby - and once again for the almost criminally low cost of £15 per person. Amazingly, whether by design or by accident, only two of the wines from that previous tasting were included in this one. So I make that 37 different combinations of cuvée and vintage in just 2 sittings And for reasons I will touch on at the end, it is worth reading both this and my previous report together, by way of a compare and contrast. I've said it before and I will say it again - I feel so privileged to be part of what must be the finest (and collectively most generous) wine tasting group in the country.

Roger Halfpenny and David Selby - and 19 bottles of Domaine Tempier!

Here's a quick reminder of the make-up of the various Tempier cuvées;

• La Migoua is grown on 6 hectares of clay/limestone, at altitudes of between 180 and 270 metres, in the village of Le Beausset-Vieux. 50% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 26 to 28% Cinsault and 2 to 4% Syrah. The vines are, on average, about 40 years old. Yields are between 30 and 35 hl/ha.
• La Tourtine is grown on 6.5 hectares of clay/limestone, on a south-facing hillside in the village of Le Castellet. 80% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache and 10% Cinsault. Vines average around 40 years old. Yields are between 30 and 35 hl/ha.
• Cabassaou is a small parcel on the hillside below La Tourtine, with similar soil. 95% Mourvedre, 1% Cinsault and 4% Syrah. The vines average 50 years old. Yields are kept to 25 hl/ha.
• All of the above are field blends (from within each named vineyard). All of the grapes are de-stemmed, followed by a 2 to 3 week maceration and fermentation. After pressing, the wines are transferred to large oak casks (of between 25 and 75 hectolitres) and aged for around 20 months, before being bottled, un-fined and un-filtered.
• Cuvée Classique is a blend of grapes from Migoua, Tourtine and Cabassaou and goes through an identical vinification process. The blend may differ very slightly, with each vintage - generally, 70-75% Mourvedre, 14-16% Grenache, 8-9% Cinsault and 2-3% Carignan, with yields of between 35 and 38 hl/ha.
• The Rosé comprises 50% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and 2% Carignan, with the grapes sourced from all of the named vineyards, from vines averaging 20 year-old

Rosé 2003

Pale onion skin - almost orange. Evolved, winey nose. Rich - as to be expected with the vintage - but not cloying. Orange peel flavours, perhaps slightly pruney, but a surprisingly decent structure, with restrained power. *

Rosé 2001
Although 2 years older, this is much closer to pink, with shades of peach skin. Reeks of raspberries, cream and peaches. Amazingly fruity and alive, herby, soft, but beautifully structured. Long, and with years left in it. Lovely wine. **

La Tourtine 2001
From a classic warm vintage. The nose exhibits orange, raspberry, bramble and damp earth, with just a hint of savoury/meat and curry spices. Soft but nicely structured, with a massive core of red and black fruit. Medium acidity and tannin to match, making for a nicely balanced, approachable wine. That said, it has plenty of life left in it. **

Cuvée Classique 2000
Quite earthy, smoky and meaty, with notes of iodine and mineral notes behind the red and black fruit aromas and flavours. Perhaps a touch stalky, but not lean, although it is (as one would expect from a more "normal" vintage) less generous than the preceding wine. Plenty of acidity. A nice wine, which may improve further. *

Cuvée Classique 1998
Another warm vintage. A generous, expressive nose of leather, exotic spices, raspberries and cream, with an intriguing note of diesel and some classy oak. Generous on the palate as well, with rich black fruits and nice cherry acidity. This has aged so much better than most 1998 southern Rhones I can think of (and still has further potential, though it is good to drink now). Nice wine. **

La Tourtine 1994
Polished old wood and spice, with red and black fruits veering towards the secondary. Delightfully balanced, with utterly mouth-watering acidity and velvety, almost-resolved tannins. Huge complexity, combining red and black fruits, soft citrus, garrigue herbs and curry spices. Glorious stuff, to enjoy now or over the next 5 or more years. **+

La Migoua 1993
This is dense and spicy, yet beautifully soft, winey and totally sexy! There's even a hint of florality to it. Spicy and soft, yet with real complexity, combining fruit, savoury, spice and earth. Another gorgeous wine. **+

La Tourtine 1990
Oh dear - all I get (to begin with, at least) is alcohol, almost like a watered-down spirit concoction. There's a touch of cassis (not exactly a classic Bandol trait), but not really a lot else on the nose. The label states 13% abv, but the flavours are quite hot and frankly lacking interest. Is it faulty, past it or (heaven forfend) badly made? Whatever, it is drinkable, but that's about the best I can say.

La Migoua 1990
The aromas and flavours are somewhat different to La Tourtine - softer, with somewhat more in the way of fruit, but still quite alcoholic. Definitely a better wine (or bottle) but it seems quite a way past its peak and definitely needas drinking quickly. I have a theory that Bandol is a better bet in the "cooler" (relatively - there are few "bad" years in Bandol) years, whereas the hot year wines are rich and unctious when young, but don't age well. And these two wines do nothing to dispel that theory.

La Migoua 1989
This is much more like it. Much brighter and complex, with a lovely structure - gentle tannins and soft, juicy acidity, with a core of sweet fruit and spice. Still warming, but in a balanced, spicy, sensual way, with masses of fruit. A really lovely wine - great now and for a good few years yet. **+

La Migoua 1988
Waves of sweet, rich, seductive spiced fruitcake and winey aromas. Rich, warming and spicy in the mouth, but beutifully balanced and showing considerable elegance, not to mention a good deal of further ageing potential. For a 25 year-old wine, this really is only just coming into its own. A cracking wine. **++


Two of my favourites, the remains of which I enjoyed at home, later that evening

La Louffe 1987

This cuvée is mostly Mourvedre from La Migoua vineyard and is no longer made, since all the fruit now goes into the Migoua cuvée. Winey, with nice, light citrus and raspberry aromas and flavours, with soft spicy nuances...... and unfortuntaely perhaps just a tiny hint of TCA. Not enough to completely spoil the wine. Indeed, several people (myself included) opined that they would still drink it. I suspect that a "clean" bottle would have been completely delicious. *

La Cabassaou 2002
Brett (just a touch), emulsion paint and raspberry compote. Still fairly primary, but a nice wine to drink now, with a good balance of fruit, tannin and acidity. Quite a lot of  new oak, quite minty and high-toned. Quite new-world in style. A nice enough wine, but not typical of Bandol. *+ 

La Cabassaou 2001
Unlike La Tourtine, this displays too many of the less attractive traits of hot years like 2001. Quite hot, on both nose and palate, and whilst it shows reasonable acidity and some decent raisin and cassis fruit, I feel the tannin and alcohol will eventually outlive the fruit. That said, it has some complexity and is very good to drink now (if you like wines with hot characteristics) but if I had some, I'd be drinking it fairly soon. *

La Cabassaou 1999
This is lovely. A complex array of fresh and preserved red and black fruit aromas. A touch of rich "portiness" is offset beautifully by the rich, vibrant fruit flavours and citrus-tinged acidity. Herby, gently spicy, with some cool, almost minty nuances. Juicy, but winey, and just lovely. The best wine so far. **++

La Cabassaou 1996
What's not to like about this? In terms of style and evolution, it is very similar to the 1999 - perhaps a touch drier and more tannic, but showing all of the meaty, earthy qualities one looks for in great Bandol, with plenty of iodine and mineral character and bags of succulent fruit. This is a bit of a sleeper and has many years of life left in it. Superb wine. **+++

La Cabassaou 1995
A soft, seductive and amazingly complex nose of spiced forest fruits, raspberry, bramble, old leather and some intriguing hints of emulsion paint, sherbert and iodine. Wonderfully balanced, almost soft and velvety, gently bloody/meatyy, with almost resolved tannins, cracking acidity and loads of fruit. It's a close call between this and the previous couple of wines, but this one just edges it, if only because it is absolutely at its peak. Yum!  ***

La Cabassaou 1991
Funky and vegetal - this is plumbing the depths. Frankly, it is a bit past it. Certainly not undrinkable, although I probably wouldn't drink it by choice!

La Cabassaou 1989

Once again, this appears to show far too many hot year traits. Smells and tastes hot and alcoholic, with the fruit fading. A wine for brandy lovers.

A couple of slightly duff wines at the end couldn't spoil what was an extremely pleasurable and educational tasting. So what did I/we learn? Well, the main conclusions I drew from it were;

• When made well, Bandol is up there with the world's great wine styles
• When grown in locations such as this, within sight of (or at least within a few kilomtres of) the sea, Mourvedre is one of the world's great grapes
• Domaine Tempier is (historically at least) up there with the very best estates in the appellation - possibly even in the top 1
• As mentioned in my write-up of that previous tasting, it remains to be seen whether or not the change of winemaker can sustain Tempier's position at the very top.
• Wines from normal or cooler vintages are much better prospects for medium/lng-term evolution and represent the true Bandol style and grace. Wines from hotter vintages are better drunk in the short/medium term, before the alcohol overwhelms the fruit.

For more about Domaine Tempier - http://www.domainetempier.com/en/index.php
                          

More new stuff - Roussillon (Part 1) - Classy white, chunky reds and an exceptional vintage Maury

Following on from yesterday's post on some new wines from Domaine Gayda and Chateau Rives-Blanques, here are my notes on more new wines, this time from Domaine Mas de Lavail in Roussillon. I discovered this wonderful estate, just outside the village of Maury, in the summer of 2004 and have been importing from them ever since - though not as often as I would like. Winemaker Nicolas Batlle and his father Jean make a brilliant range of wines, from dry-farmed old (in many cases, very old) Grenache (Noir, Gris and Blanc), Syrah and Carignan. For some reason that I can't put my finger on, they have always been relatively difficult to shift, which is a shame, because they represent some of the best wines (in terms of both quality and value for money) that Roussillon has to offer. In fact, were it not for an article by Jancis Robinson MW in March 2005, in which she recommended the Mas de Lavail 2003 Tradition (resulting in a fair number of sales of that wine) I might still be struggling to find any kind of market for them at all.

In many ways, Mas de Lavail epitomises the struggle for a small merchant like me, who chooses to import wines from quality, artisan growers who have little or no track record in the UK. Other than the occasional review by some or other wine writer, tutored tastings, or word-of-mouth from intrepid customers who are willing to chance their arm on something other than the usual suspects, it can be nigh on impossible to get them noticed. Unless of course a bigger or better-known importer suddenly finds out about them - as has happened to me on a number of occasions. One of the perils of trying to innovate, I guess - there's little to be gained by keeping it a secret.

Anyway, here are my notes on the latest vintages of my favourite Mas de Lavail wines. And because I  import them in such tiny quantities (just a handful of cases of each), there is little point in me firing off a few samples in the hope of gaining favourable reviews. So you'll just have to take my word for how good they are!

Domaine Mas de Lavail Le Sud 2011 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes

A blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris. Intensely aromatic and floral, with notes of honeysuckle, pine and orange blossom, with subtle notes of lemon zest/oil and wet stone. A mix of both soft and tart citrus on the palate, with apple pie, mixed spice and hints of white pepper and star anise. Essentially rich, honeyed and nutty, it is very pure and focused, with plenty of acidity and a perception of stoney minerality, which kicks in at the end and lingers for a good while on the finish. That said, this is a robust, quite muscular wine, which would not appeal to those who like their white wines light, airy and delicate. But if you like your white wines rich, powerful and nutty/spicy, then you will love this. It will age nicely, too. £13.99

Domaine Mas de Lavail Ballade Carignan 2011 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes

All I can say is damn and blast - I wish I had bought (a lot) more! Frankly, even though I have never stocked this in large (or even medium) quantities, I have still had trouble selling it, even despite the relative bargain price. Perhaps even because of it - perhaps people think that it would be a cheap imitation of the real thing, despite the fact that this is a top-notch grower, with yields averaging just 25-30 hl/ha across their range. My goodness, this really is such a cracking wine, with a tremendously evocative nose of raspberries, blackberries, plums and cherries and a whiff of mothballed old clothes kept in an old mahogany wardrobe. Background notes of molasses, mixed spices and fine cigar leaf make for a considerably complex nose. Fanciful, perhaps, but there is only one way for you to find out! The palate is rich, but perfectly balanced and fruity - and elegant. Yes, this is the oft-maligned Carignan we are talking about, but I defy any lover of good red wine not to love this. It has an amazing depth of ripe, concentrated cherry and bramble fruit, complemented by a lick of fennel and liquorice. A wine of restrained power - and yet another wonderful Carignan. £9.50

Domaine Mas de Lavail Cuvée Tradition 2010 Côtes du Roussillon Villages

40% Carignan, 40% Syrah, 20% Grenache, all from vines in excess of 50 years of age. A pungent nose of red and bramble fruits, garrigue herbs, spice and leather, with a gently smoky, meaty character and subtle notes of orange peel, polished mahogany and incense. The palate displays ripe, succulent flavours of summer and autumn fruits, combined with velvety soft tannins and bracing acidity. The classic blend of dry-farmed Carignan, Syrah and Grenache grapes harvested at full maturity makes for a full bodied, complex and concentrated wine that is extremely enjoyable to drink now, but with enough stuffing to age and evolve for a few years yet. This is benchmark Roussillon, made without recourse to oak-ageing (this is aged in vats). And who needs oak, when the fruit is this good? Enjoy it now, or age it for another 3 to 5 years - possibly more. Either way, you are onto a winner. £10.25

Domaine Mas de Lavail Expression 2011 Maury

Made from 100% old vine Grenache, harvested at the peak of maturity. The grapes are given a long maceration, followed by "mutage" (the addition of a small amount of grape brandy) which halts fermentation and retains some of the grape sugars. The colour is densely purple and opaque, with a tiny, vivid pink rim. The nose is all about dark fruits of both the fresh and dried varieties. Bramble and blackcurrants, cherries and prunes steeped in eau de vie mingle with dark chocolate, forest floor and cedar wood. The palate is a riot of intensely sweet, concentrated fruit, combining tangy black cherries, stewed brambles, cassis and prunes, with a hint of Seville orange marmalade. Notes of molasses and dark chocolate add an intense richness, like liquid Christmas cake. And through it all runs an enticing, refreshing streak of acidity. I guess there are some healthy tannins in there somewhere, but the balance and the richness render them almost unnoticeable. This wine is so delicious and so more-ish that it is hard to fault. And although it is so lovely now, it will surely age and evolve beautifully for at least a decade, perhaps a lot longer. Vintage Maury is one of the world's best and most underrated sweet red wine styles - and this is a truly exceptional example. £15.25 

More wines from Roussillon tomorrow.........

         

Some new wines - including the best Cabernet Franc I've ever tasted

Once again, I've been so busy with other stuff over the last couple of weeks that blogging has taken a back seat. Nevertheless, I've been tasting and writing-up my notes on more than 20 new wines, from 4 different growers in Languedoc and Roussillon. These will be followed closely by yet more new wines, from Jurancon and Madiran within the next week or two, so I've still got plenty to go at. I also have to prepare for presentations to 5 different wine groups in as many weeks, plus a few other non-wine things going on at the moment, so it really is all go. That said, I now have all of these new wines to tell you about, especially since I have spent so much time over the last few days transcribing hand-written scribbles into cohesive tasting notes. It goes without saying that I love tasting/drinking the wines, but the rest is a right royal pain in the bum! Anyway, here's the first batch, including an utterly brilliant Cabernet Franc. All are now available to purchase online, should you like the sound of them...........

Chateau Rives-Blanques Chardonnay-Chenin Blanc 2012 IGP Haute Vallée de l'Aude

A blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Chenin Blanc, showing a delightfully pale, watery gold colour. The nose is almost reminiscent of Sauvignon, perhaps even hinting at Riesling, with notes of elderflower, apples, grapes and a rasp of chalky minerality, with tiny hints of basil, orange peel and liquorice. The palate is fresh, tight and zingy, combining zesty lemon, tart apple and soft peach flavours, with herby nuances and bracing, mineral-laden acidity. This is a wonderful example of what Chardonnay (with a touch of Chenin Blanc) is capable of in the higher, cooler reaches of south-west Languedoc. Wonderfully fresh, with genuine elegance. £8.95.

Chateau Rives-Blanques Le Limoux 2010 Limoux

A blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Mauzac. Delightful aromas of honeysuckle, orchard fruits, orange blossom and lime oil, with a strong sense of minerality, along with subtle hints of flowers, herbs and freshly-cut hay. Quite rich and intensely fruity on entry, with a touch of earthiness and gentle orangey acidity, countered by strong minerality and a delightful pithiness at the end. Barrel fermentation (as is the rule for all AOC Limoux wines) has imparted a gentle florality and elegance, rather than any overt oakiness. As a blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, this is the perfect expression of what the still white wines of Limoux are all about - and is absolutely delicious. £11.95.

Domaine Gayda Figure Libre Freestyle Blanc 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

50% Grenache Blanc, 21% Marsanne, 21% Roussanne, 8% Maccabeu. The majority of the grapes are sourced from different vineyards around St. Martin de Fenouillèdes in Roussillon's Agly Valley. Each variety is fermented and aged in 1 and 2 year-old barrels for 9 months, before being blended and aged for a further 3 months in vat. The colour is a limpid pale gold, with orange glints. The nose offers notes of honeysuckle, quince, pink grapefruit and mandarin, whilst the palate is beautifully rounded, with floral and fruity notes on the entry, followed by a gentle hit of white pepper and spice and a mouthwatering rasp of lemony, green apple acidity. There is even a suggestion of grape and wood tannin, which helps to fill out the wine and give a real sense of seriousness. Subtle background notes of spice and ripe peach add to the complexity and carry on to a lingering, tangy, spicy yet cool finish. It is wonderfully balanced and an absolute pleasure to drink now, or to cellar for 3 to 5 years. A really fabulous wine - and brilliant value for money at £12.50.

Domaine Gayda Syrah 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

From limestone in La Liviniere and sandstone on the Gayda estate. 10% is aged in 1, 2 and 3 year-old barrels, the remainder in stainless steel. A nose of bramble, blackcurrant, raspberry, violets and fresh bread, with hints of tobacco, allspice, citrus-infused pot-pourri and iodine adding more complexity. This is a lot of wine for the money. Spicy, tangy redcurrant and cranberry flavours, with supple tannins and citrussy acidity. There are some very subtle savoury notes, but more in the way of lapsang tea, herbs and tar, with a nice hit of sweet damson giving a touch of richness to an otherwise tangy, sprightly wine, very much in the northern Rhône style. A really lovely wine, to drink now or keep for a year or three. £9.25.

Domaine Gayda Figure Libre Freestyle Rouge 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

62% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 9% Carignan, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cinsault. The grapes are sourced from a variety of vineyards in Roussillon, Minervois/La Livinière and Gayda's own estate in Malepère. Fermented in stainless steel, then aged for 9 months in a variety of oak barrels. Deep but translucent purple with a narrow rim. This is so fragrant and reeks of rich, dark, bramble and raspberry Syrah fruit, with subtle fruitcake aromas, courtesy of the Grenache and some high-toned red fruit and citrus nuances. Further notes of fresh bread, herbs and spices and polished wood make for a complex and compelling nose. The palate is beautifully balanced and gloriously fruity, shot through with flavours of bramble, damson and spiced oranges, with firm but ripe tannins and cracking acidity, all beautifully extracted in a medium-rich wine, with a spicy, sweet-sour finish. Like its white counterpart, this has generosity and charm in equal measure. Really top-notch winemaking, and once again brilliant value for money at £12.50.

Domaine Gayda Figure Libre Cabernet Franc 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

From Gayda's own Cabernet Franc vines surrounding the property, planted in 2004 and now with full organic certification. Goodness me - Cabernet Franc never smelled or tasted so good! This has quite the most intoxicating aromas, including (though by no means limited to) blackcurrant, plum, bramble, raspberry, spiced orange and even a hint of strawberry. And those are just the fruity bits, for it also manages to cram in exotic spices, tobacco, iodine, freshly-baked brioche and beautifully integrated (and really quite subtle) oak. For someone like me, who has struggled to love Cabernet Franc, this really is a bit of a revelation. Apart from the complete absence of any sort of vegetal or green/red capsicum notes, it has plenty of genuine Cab Franc character, with fabulous acidity and plenty of tannic grip. It manages to be at the same time generous and rich, yet beautifully balanced, with sweet black and red fruits and savoury/herby elements combining seamlessly with the tannins and acidity, in a wine which is pretty much impossible to fault. At just 18 months of age (at the time of writing) it is already the most delicious Cabernet Franc I have ever drank. And yet, my instincts tell me that it also has the structure to age and evolve gracefully for a good few years to come. It is worth pointing out that the vines were planted on the Gayda estate as recently as 2004, so it may be many years before they really get into their stride. Heresy, I know, but just as I believe that Cabernet Sauvignon does better things in warmer climes than Bordeaux, so the best Cabernet Franc wines will eventually come from the cooler slopes in warm areas such as Languedoc (in this case, the Côtes de Malepère, near Limoux). Vincent Chansault, you are a winemaking genius! A stunning wine. £14.95.

There's plenty more where these came from. More tomorrow.........

                   

A glorious dry Jurançon

Well, I was supposed to be publishing my notes on a rather wonderful tasting of no less than 19 wines from Domaine Tempier this evening, but that will have to wait until tomorrow, for events have been rather overtaken by a hastily compiled note on the dregs of a rather wonderful white wine........

Domaine de Montesquiou Cuvede Préciouse 2007 Jurançon

I opened and decanted this on Tuesday evening, just before taking it to our monthly wine and food gathering at a local restaurant. And it showed very nicely..... but not as nicely as it is doing now, a full 2 days after the event. It really has come to life in a most glorious way, showing all of that wonderful Jurançon terrroir that I know and love. At the time (i.e. 2 days ago) someone opined that perhaps it has lost some of its youthful exhuberance and may already be past its peak. But I suggested that, with a stucture like this, it may be a wine that would benefit from more ageing and evolve in a rather nice way. And the fact that it is showing so beautifully, a full 2 days after opening, would seem to back up my theory.

It is almost like a steely dry version of the sweet Grappe d'Or from the same grower - a serious wine, with intense lime oil, toffee apple, raisin and slate aromas, mingled with hints of vanilla, clove, root ginger, star anise and freshly-baked bread. The palate offers the hallmark rich, almost painfully intense Jurançon flavours of lemon, lime and apple, with considerable depth and minerality. There's even a touch of peachy/apricotty richness to it, which gives it a roundness and texture that is rare in such an essentially dry wine, making for a flavour profile that is simply crammed with complexity. And oh, that wonderful, searing lime and mineral acidity - it really does take you by the scruff of the neck and shakes some life into you! It is such a fabulous, thrilling wine, full of restrained power, breeding and sheer joie de vivre! In fact, I am prepared to be bold and suggest that it will evolve nicely for several more years........ if you have any, which unfortunately I don't, because this was my last bottle. In fact, neither do I have any 2008, 2009 or 2010 left, which is a shame, because all have been of a similar quality (and similarly ageworthy). The good news is that I have the 2011 arriving within the next 2 or 3 weeks (projected price around £12.95). So I'd better make sure I tuck some away for a few years!

          

A tasty little number from Austria

Here's a delightfully fresh, zingy little wine I picked up from a local bin-end supplier just recently, but have only just got round to adding it to the website......

Markus Huber Grüner Veltliner Trocken 2010 Niederösterreich

Labelled as simply Niederösterreich (literally "lower Austria"), this is grown in the vineyards of Markus Huber, one of the top growers in the quality Traisenthal region, west of Vienna. Aromas of lemon/lime oil and orange blossom, with hints of white pepper, basil and wet slate. Beautifully poised and focused, light to medium-rich in texture and packed full of citrus and tree fruit flavours and again just a hint of pepper and spice. There's a delightful pithy quality, which stops well short of bitterness and there is perhaps just a gram or two of residual sugar and even a touch of grapiness - definitely dry, but not steely-dry, with loads of minerality and lovely acid/fruit balance. Really mouth-watering stuff, perfect for enjoying on the patio this coming spring/summer - if we get one, that is! 12.0% abv. Available now via the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines website for the giveaway price of £7.50, but only a handful of cases available.

    

             

In search of Burgundy value

It goes without saying that a good proportion of the wines we drink Chez Stolarski are from southern France. But life would be rather boring if that was all we ever drank. It amazes me how some people stick doggedly to their chosen favourite region, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there is so much variety to be had out there in the wonderful world of wine. OK, so in my humble opinion, southern France remains one of the best sources of fine wines that don't cost the earth. Which is not something you can say about Burgundy - so many fabulous wines, most of which are made in tiny quantities, from a total area a fraction of the size (in both geographical and viticultural terms) of Languedoc-Roussillon. And with the supply/demand gap ever widening, Burgundy prices continue to rise on an almost mind-boggling scale. Never mind the Grand and 1er Cru wines - when one has to pay more for a decent (and in some cases average) Village Burgundy than, say, Domaine de Trévallon (in my opinion, one of the world's great wines), one has to draw the line.

Not that it is yet impossible to find the occasional bargain. With the right sources (auctions, for instance) and friends with the right knowledge, there are still a few gems to be had at the lower end. It isn't necessarily about the absolute "perceived" quality (i.e. cost), but simply about seeking out and enjoying bloody good wines. By which I mean one doesn't necessarily need to scale the pyramid in order to appreciate the finer points of Burgundy. And being able to appreciate them at both ends (and all points in-between) of their development is such a treat, especially when they are as good as this pair of beauties.

Domaine Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Beaumont 1996

This cost me all of £7 per bottle, from an auction. And for all its cheapness, perceived (over)-maturity and lowly denomination, this is a wine which - with each successive bottle - has given TLD and I a great deal of drinking pleasure over the last few years. My only worry is that it may be our last bottle...... unless I have a few odd bottles still buried at the bottom of a pile of inaccessible boxes at my wine store. I hope I do, for this little artefact is still clinging on to life nicely, and certainly isn't going to fall off its perch too quickly. Much as a good Moulin-a-Vent or Morgon can do, a Gamay from the nearby Macon is more than capable of relatively long ageing and, as it does so, taking on more than a hint of "Pinosity" in its efforts to mimic the aromatic and flavour profile of the more esteemed red wines of the Côte d'Or. And this is an excellent example, possessed of an earthy, forest floor and wild strawberry bouquet, with hints of tobacco and spice, whilst the palate is all about tertiary red fruit and citrus flavours, with the merest hint of fruity sweetness offset by tremendously mouth-watering acidity and a touch of rustic tannin. OK, so it isn't really Burgundy (some Burgundy snobs wouldn't touch this sort of stuff with a bargepole) but I have had many a young, acidic, fruit-frugal wine from the Côte d'Or that will never be a match for this. And perhaps it is a sign of my age that I get all dewy-eyed about a wine that was made when I was in my mid-30's and still (much like me!) has much pleasure to offer. ;-) Oh, and it went very nicely with a pork shoulder joint, slowly roasted on a bed of onions and blackberries (which I then used to make a rich sauce, with the addition of some home-made turkey and chicken stock) and some red cabbage and haricot beans.

Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Haute Côtes de Nuits 2005

This wine, on the other hand, is a mere youngster at less than 8 years of age and shows all of the vibrant fruit and relative chunkiness of an immature (or at best semi-mature) red Burgundy. Having said that, it has evolved nicely since my previous bottle, which we drank this time last year. At £16, it is a relative bargain (indeed, I also have some of the 2008, which was even more of a bargain at 10 Euros from the cellar door). And although from a relatively lowly denomination, it is from an undoubtedly excellent grower and vintage - a combination which almost always pays rich dividends. It is certainly a delicious wine, which hints at its Nuits Saint Georges origins, whilst actually avoiding the toughness and rusticity I occasionally find in some of that appellation's more elevated wines. The nose is evocative of mixed curry spices, fine tobacco and polished old wood, mingled beautifully with ripe red cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry and even a hint of dried orange peel - everything that is so sexy about good red Burgundy. The palate perhaps lacks the structure and complexity of the wines from the lower (and much more expensive) slopes of the Village and 1er Cru wines, but certainly doesn't lack for charm. A rasp of cherry and raspberry fruit and once again a hint of dried orange makes for a delightfully tangy, ever-so-slightly spicy and peppery wine, with relatively fine tannins and plenty of juicy acidity. All-in-all, it is high-toned and tangy, but with plenty of depth and enjoyment. And whilst it still feels quite primary and will undoubtedly benefit from another 5 or more years in bottle, it is eminently drinkable now. And it went very nicely with a medium rare rump steak with mushrooms and french fries. Yum!
          

A trio of delicious Italian wines - must try more!

The first two were (in my opinion and many of those present) the stars of the show, in a line-up of Langhe Nebbilo presented to the Nottingham Wine Circle by Andy Leslie, whilst the latter was fished out from under my stairs last night. And all three provided much pleasure - so much so that I am determined to add to my pathetically small collection of Italian wines.

G D Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo 2010

Lots of citric lemon/orange acidity and red fruits on the nose. To begin with, it comes across as loveable but quite simple. But wait...... with a little air, it actually reveals a good deal of structure and complexity, with redcurrant, cherry and cranberry fruits mingled with notes of damp earth, tobacco and spice. I took this bottle home and finished the last glass on Thursday evening, and it was holding up beautifully. Lovely texture, with plenty of tannic grip, but oodles of juicy acidity and an abundance of sweet and sour fruit - totally vibrant and full of interest. All-in-all, and absolute delight, which is so lovely to drink now, but promises to evolve nicely for a decade or so. Cracking stuff, which I believe is currently available from The Wine Society for around £15. And considering that it offers as much pleasure as a very decent Village Burgundy,  a bit of a bargain.

Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo 2007

To begin with, the nose is all about savoury, with meat/gravy and soy aromas dominating the fruit, with subtle notes of Christmas cake and apples steeped in brandy.. The palate is not only very savoury, but also sweet-fruited (almost overtly so), rich and concentrated, with a nice rasp of sour cherry giving real lift. Again, I took the remains of this bottle home to enjoy on Thursday, by which time it had opened out considerably and developed much more in the way of tertiary/secondary non-fruit and forset floor aromas and flavours, with hints of truffle, flowers and polished old wood. Moreover, the overt savouriness has dissipated and the flavours are more sprightly and expressive, less sweet and much more tangy. All of which suggests that this wine also has another 10 years or more to go to maturity. A fabulous wine.

Guiseppe Campagnola Amarone Classico 2005

As one would expect, this one is a totally different animal, but I just fancied something Italian again, and (to my great shame) I only have a handful of different Italian wines in my possession. Having said that, another 5 inches of snow last night had me craving something rich, warming and spicy. And it fit the bill perfectly, with a liveliness and (dare I say it) lightness of touch that many Amarones don't have, with deep bramble aromas mingled with raspberry, red cherry and an almost orange/citrus tang to both the nose and palate. Furthermore, there is little sign of the 15% abv to offend the senses - rather, it caresses with a gentle warmth, showing hints of exotic spices, damp earth, subtle woody notes and masses of juicy red and black fruit flavours. It isn't a glugger, of course, but a couple of glasses went very nicely with last night's pizza, topped with lashings of tomato and herb sauce, caramelised onions, peppers, mozzarella and oregano. A delicious combination. And I have 4 more bottles of this, which I shall enjoy over the next few years.



Pizza, just before going into the oven - delicious with Amarone!



A couple of "hot year" wines of very different persuasions

It has been a while - around 5 weeks, actually, so happy Christmas and a happy New Year all in one go to all of my readers (if you haven't deserted me)! I guess my New Year resolution ought to be "must be more organised". For although I have been busy on the wine front (Christmas orders, end-of-year sale, etc) and other stuff (Christmas with the family, mother in hospital with pneumonia - thankfully now recovering well), problems with Internet connection and so on, I can't honestly say that I haven't had any opportunities to post on my blog. I've simply been either otherwise engaged or too damn disorganised/lazy to bother. Sometimes, I just think "sod it - life is too short to worry about it too much". Anyway, I'm back, and will hopefully find time to post more regularly in 2013.

For starters, here are my thoughts on a couple of rather interesting wines - both from very hot years - enjoyed over the past week........

Domaine Sainte Rose Barrel Selection Alicante Blend 2003 Vin de Pays d'Oc

Those of you with long memories may remember that I used to import a range of wines from this estate a few years ago. Unfortunately, once the larger retailers discovered them (Majestic and Waitrose, for example) I realised that it would be impossible for me to compete, so I gave up - another grower that I had championed (or at least tried to) only for the big boys to move in. I happened to see the owners, Charles and Ruth Simpson, at the Outsiders tasting in London in November last year. And Charles paid me the great compliment of saying he thought I had a great palate and that I wrote such excellent notes on his (and presumably othr) wines. So when I spotted this lurking under the satairs, having been there for a good few years, since Charles gave it to me, I thought what the hell, let's give it a whirl. And I am so glad I did, because it provided a lovely surprise.

To the eye, it is almost frighteningly dark - opaque purple/blue, almost black, with barely even a perceptible rim. And yet, and yet...... the nose is almost perfumed, crammed full of aromas of raspberry, plum, blackcurrant leaf, wild garrigue herbs and a touch of polished wood. To be honest, if I were smelling/tasting this blind, Iwould swear it was Carignan. There is just the merest hint of meaty/bretty savouriness, countered by notes of elderflower, crystallised fruits and orange and spice-infused pot-pourri. It really is a lovely nose. OK, we are talking 2003 here, so this wine is no shrinking violet (though come to think of it, there is a whiff of violets) and it is still quite tannic - indeed, it could probably do with another 5 to 10 years to really soften. And the sheer depth of fruit, with plenty of underlying acidity to back it up, will ensure that it will certainly last that long - and perhaps much longer. It has wonderful flavour and depth, with an immense core of bitter-sweet black fruit, cherry, garrigue herbs and lapsang tea. It really is a lovely wine, and will no doubt get better and better. I'm somewhat disappointed that I didn't buy a few cases when it was available, because although it would probably have been one of those wines that nobody bought, I would have been happy to keep some for myself. And I don't see any reference to this cuvée on the Sainte Rose website, so I suspect that the vines may even have been ripped out and replaced by more commercially popular vines. Which would be a shame, as Alicante is clearly capable of being made into something rather special.

Maison Louis Latour Aloxe Corton 1976
Mid tawny/brick colour, quite hazy (though I poured it straight from laying down) but still with a vibrant hue. Aromas of wild strawberries, forest floor, orange and leather confirm that this is still very much alive, with some beef gravy and herby notes adding further interest. OK, so it isn't exactly youthful, but there is still more than a semblance of fruit on the palate - cherry and strawberry, veering towards cranberry and citrus - making for a distinctly aged but still vinous wine. And though from another hot year, there is no sign of baked fruit or rustic tannin - indeed, it is nicely soft, with mouth-watering acidity and a gentle spiciness. I doubt that it would have been elegant, even in its prime, but I have had many worse Burgundy experiences, for a lot more money. So at around £7 per bottle (at auction) this provides remarkable value for money. After all, it isn't every day that one gets to enjoy decent 37 year-old Burgundy for the price of an everyday wine.

That's it for now - more soon (I promise)!
      

A glorious fortified red wine from one of Languedoc's most enigmatic winemakers

This is a wine I've been meaning to write about for a while. I opened my first bottle a couple of weeks ago and wrote the majority of the my tasting note at the time. Problem is, most of my notes are compiled with a good old-fashioned pen and notebook, so typing them out for online use is always a bit of a pain, especially when I leave it for too long. I like to think I write with a certain amount of feeling, but that feeling can somehow be lost if I don't get it to the keyboard fairly sharpish, no matter how memorable the wine. So what more excuse do I need for opening another bottle, in the early hours of a cold December morning, when I should be in bed (or at least making better use of my time by completing some urgent pre-Christmas updates to my website)? Don't get me wrong, my sustenance of choice at such a late (or should I say early) hour is usually either tea or coffee. But what the hell - it is December, so why not enjoy a little Christmas spirit.................

Domaine de La Garance Bruixas Vin de Liqueur Solera Hors d'Age

What to call this? Vin de Table? Vin de France? Or what? The label states the name, volume, abv, but nothing else. To be honest, it probably offends many a UK/EU labelling regulation, but I'm not too concerned, especially as I bought it from the grower's (ex) UK importer, rather than importing it myself. But what of the contents? Well, when I first tasted this wine at a dinner in the cellar of winemaker Pierre Quinonero in June 2012, I was completely blown away - and now I am blown away once more, for it is a real stunner.

100% old-vine Grenache, blended from the fruit of no less than 5 different vintages (from 2001 onwards) and lightly fortified. The label says 15% abv, but I'd say possibly 16-17. Like many of Pierre's wines, it can harly be termed "limpid", although to be fair the slight haze is more to do with a fine sediment, courtesy of having spent several years in barrel (or at least some of it) followed by a good couple of years in bottle, without fining or filtering. It is a lovely colour - sort of pale tawny/mahogany, fading gently to an even paler rim. The nose is quite beguiling - on opening, you get a lovely whiff of coffee grounds, chocolate and a touch of toasty oak. We also have molasses, fig, burnt orange, polished wood and a wonderfully evocative hint of autumn forest floor. Not to mention an array of fresh and preserved red fruit aromas, notably raspberry, redcurrant and wild strawberry. There's a hint of fine eau de vie, but this is such a gently and skilfully fortified wine that neither the nose nor the palate shows too much in the way of alcoholic heat. The palate is a glorious symphony of flavours, combining rich fruitcake, orange peel, fig, molasses, lapsang tea and mocha, with a long, tangy, earthy finish. Beautifully resolved tannins and a refreshing streak of tangy sour cherry acidity complete the package, in an utterly more-ish wine of great depth and complexity. Think of a mature Port (but with less alcohol) with a hint of fine old Banyuls and a touch of Madeira thrown in for good measure and you have some idea of the pleasure that this wine brings.

Simply wonderful stuff, which I have also discovered to be the perfect bedfellow for a thick slice of fruity stollen cake - and is thus a vital component of a healthy diet. After all, it is only 2 o'clock in the morning, and I have already had two of my "five a day"!

Oh, did I mention that you can buy this wine, via the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines website, at the perfectly reasonable price of £23.95? Be quick, though, as I don't have very much (and I may drink it all)!
          

The Outsiders - still rocking the wine world

The Outsiders are a group of "non-native" wine growers based in various corners of Languedoc and Roussillon,  with origins as diverse as the UK, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, the USA and other regions of France. Ten of these "Outsiders" gathered at La Maison de Languedoc-Roussillon in London a few weks ago, to showcase their latest wines to the trade and media, and what follows are my thoughts and tasting notes on some of my favourites.

Chateau Rives-Blanques - Limoux

It is always nice to meet the delightful Caryl Panman, and she was once again on hand to offer the latest releases from Rives-Blanques. And in my opinion, these are amongst some of the best wines I have tasted from the estate. 

Blanquette de Limoux 2010

Mostly Mauzac, with a small amount of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. A fruity, grapey nose, with hints of sweet apples and oranges. The palate is clean and super-fresh, very slightly off-dry, with bags of fruit. Love it.

Vintage Rose 2009 Crémant de Limoux

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir. A riot of red cherry, raspberry and strawberry aromas. Rich, ripe and opulent, again with just the merest hint of residual sugar. Long, mellow and lovely.

Le Limoux 2010 AOP Limoux

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Mauzac. A lovely nose, scented with orange and lime oil. The palate shows soft citrus, subtle oak, hay and sweet herbs, with a streak of minerality. Generous and really rather lovely.

Occitania 2011 AOP Limoux

Mauzac. Quite oaky on the nose, but with plenty of orange blossom, fruit and herby notes too. Rich and again oaky on the palate, but nicely integrated.

Odyssée 2011 AOP Limoux

100% Chardonnay. An abundance of peach, orange blossom and lime oil on both the nose and palate. Quite rich and opulent, but beautifully balanced. Long and lovely.

Dédicace 2010 AOP Limoux

100% Chenin Blanc. A subtle nose of spring flowers, peach, orange and herbs. Steely dry, with plenty of Chenin character and minerality, with cracking lemony acidity.

We shall be importing some of these in the near future, although we do of course already offer a selection of Chateau Rives-Blanques wines.

Clos du Gravillas - Minervois

I have met John Bojanowski on several occasions and have always been impressed with his wines, and his current selection is as good as ever. Given that we tend to import most of our wines directly from our growers, we don't carry any of John's wines, but I would never discount stocking some of them in the future, via his UK agent.

L'Inattendu Blanc 2011 AOP Minervois

80% Grenache Gris and Blanc, 20% Maccabeu. A wonderful nose of bread, spice, apple and clove, all of which come through on the palate, which exhibits a lovely spiced orange quality, with beautifully integrated and subtle oak, courtesy of 11 months in Austrian oak barrels. Very long and very lovely.

Emmenez-Moi au Bout du Terret Blanc IGP Cotes du Brian

Delicate, floral and mineral. Winey, though not so much in a fruity way, with subtle flavours of citrus, apple, licorice and herbs.

Lo Vielh Carignan IGP Cotes du Brian

Lovely aromas of cherry and bramble. Fresh, almost floral, with a hint of licorice. Beautifully balanced and fruity, with ripe tannins, refreshing acidity and a streak of minerality.

Chateu d'Anglès - La Clape

I first tasted the wines of Chateau Anglès at the Outsiders tasting in 2010 and was pretty impressed, so it was nice to taste the latest vintages. They also have a UK agent importer, but once again, I am certainly tempted to add some of their wines to our list, sometime in the future.

Classique Blanc 2010 La Clape
A blend of Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne. Strong citrus/orange aromas and flavours, winey more than fruity, with subtle oak. Nice wine.

Grand Vin Blanc 2009 La Clape
40% Bourboulenc, plus Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne, fermented and aged for 6 months in 1 and 2 year-old barrels. Soft citrus, spiced apple, garrigue and tobacco aromas - and a definite hint of the sea (the hill of La Clape borders the Mediterranean to the east of Narbonne, and was actually once a small island). The flavours are rich and ripe, but surprisingly elegant, with notes of apricot and peach. A delightful and age-worthy wine.

Classique Rouge 2009 La Clape
40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre. Aromas of cherry, redcurrant and roses, with subtle hints of tobacco, spices, mint and (again) the sea. The palate is soft and ripe, with gentle tannins and just the right amount of acidity. Warming and long.

Grand Vin Blanc 2008 La Clape
55% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah and 15% Grenache, aged for 10 months in oak barrels (25% of which are new). A lovely dark but transluscent colour, with a gorgeous nose of crystallised red and black fruits and classy, well-judged oak. Rich, dense and concentrated flavours of red fruits and fig, with a lovely savoury quality. Very long. Superb stuff.

Domaine Turner Pageot - Gabian

Australian Karen Turner and her French husband Emmanuel Pageot have between them a wealth of winemaking and viticultural experience in places such as Australia, South Africa, Italy and France. Indeed, Karen also makes the wine at the famous Prieuré de Saint Jean de Bébian, near Pézenas. Their new estate is in Gabian (where the now defunct co-operative named Les Vignerons de La Carignano used to make some brilliant wines) where they farm 4 different plots around the village, on a variety of soil types. They employ biodynamic farming principles and are generally as non-interventionist as possible. With 2 estates to oversee, I assume Karen was minding the fort back in Gabian, but Emmanuel was there to serve and talk (very passionately, I might add) about their wines. Having heard good things about the wines of Turner Pageot from several different sources, it was great to finally be able to taste them for myself. And very impressive they were, too.

La Rupture 2011 IGP Pays de l'Hérault
Very fresh and perfumed, with aromas and flavours of peach, citrus and rhubarb, and an intriguing hint of asparagus. There is a "naturalness" to this wine (and indeed there is little or no sulphur added during the winemaking process) but it is beautifully clean and full of life. Long and absolutely gorgeous - a star wine.
 
Blanc 2011 IGP Languedoc
80% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne. Prickly, fresh and very natural. Lovely sour fruit and saline aromas and flavours. Quite rich, but beautifully balanced.

Le Rouge 2010 IGP Languedoc
80% Grenache (grown on schiste) and 20% Syrah (grown on volcanic soil). Lots of high-toned cherry, bramble and orange aromas, with hints of saline and tar and subtle oak (the majority of the blend is aged in vat). Smoky, slightly meaty, but fruity too.

Carmina Major 2010 IGP Languedoc
70% Syrah (grown on limestone) and 30% Mourvedre (grown on sandstone), aged in oak barrels for 1 year (15% new) and then for a further year in vat. Aromas of crystallised fruits, spices, white pepper and sweet tobacco. Rich, concentrated, warm and spicy, with grippy tannins and good acidity. Like the other wines (both red and white) there is a savoury, even saline quality to this wine, along with plenty of fruit. Long and lovely.

Domaine de Cébène - Faugères

Brigitte Chevalier and her wines need no introduction to most readers of this blog (or of course our customers). Indeed, we were the first merchant to import Brigitte's fabulous wines into the UK and we hope to continue to do so for a long time to come. This latest batch of wines are definitely the best yet, especially with the recent addition of a Carignan-based wine, made from the fruits of an ancient and very beautiful vineyard high in the hills above the small village of Caussiniojouls - deep in the heart of the Faugères region - which Brigitte acquired only last year.

Ex Arena 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

From a vineyard planted on sandy soil, just north of Béziers. For some reason, I didn't get much of a note on this (I think I was probably too busy chatting with Brigitte) but whilst perhaps a touch more rustic and less complex than the Faugères cuvées, it is a lovely wine.

Belle Lurette 2011 Faugères

Being such a fan of Carignan, and having been mightily impressed with a tank sample of this wine back in June, I was really looking forward to tasting this from bottle. And it did not disappoint. 70% Carignan, with Grenache and Mourvedre making up the remainder, it offers smoky, dense cherry and bramble aromas. The palate too is dense and deliciously sweet-fruited, with ripe, velvety tannins and cracking acidity. All-in-all, it is a complex, yet soft and supremely elegant expression of Carignan, and a wonderful addition to the Cébène stable. Brilliant wine.

Les Bancels 2011 Faugères

Syrah, Grenache, plus a little Mourvedre. Smoky, meaty and savoury, with bags of schiste-grown Syrah fruit and minerality. Rich, but elegant.

Felgaria 2011 Faugères

Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache. This is so dense and rich, but once again so elegant. Yes, I know that the words "rich" and "elegant" don't often go together in wine terms, but there is an element of (for want of a better expression) femininity in Brigitte's wines that puts them firmly in the elegant category, whilst exhibiting richness and restrained power. This one is herby and floral, with a gentle meatiness and is crammed full of black cherry, bramble and soft citrus flavours, with stoney minerality and a warming touch of eau de vie. Long and complex - and absolutely benchmark Faugères.

                        
It won't be too long until until we import the 2010's and 2011's (possibly before Christmas, but if not, then definitely very early in 2013). Meanwhile, of course, you can still buy a selection of Domaine de Cébène wines from our online shop.
                                        

Some recent wines - South Africa and California

Despite my travails in recent weeks, I haven't been totally abstemious on the wine front. After all, under any circumstances, life is too short to avoid the finer things for too long! Here's a trio of noteworthy wines we have enjoyed over the past couple of weeks (I'll add a few more in the next couple of days).........

The Liberator Episode 4 - The Pie Chart 2011, Stellenbosch

Richard's labels are never less than quirky and amusing - not to mention eye-catching - but this one is the best yet. The teacher pig, the rather unequal pie chart and the confused rabbit would suggest that the proportions of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon may or may not be 50/50. I guess I'd better ask Richard for clarification. But whatever the proportions, this is a lovely wine - really fresh on the nose, with lots of zingy lemon, elderflower, cut grass and wet stone/mineral aromas, with subtle notes of herbs and creamy orange. The palate too is wonderfully fresh and citrus-tinged, with plenty of concentration and amazingly mouth-watering acidity. It is rare for a Cape wine to be quite so similar in profile to its northern hemisphere counterpart - in this case, a bit of a ringer for a rather good white Bordeaux. And although I have never been a fan of the red Bordeaux style, this one is right up my street. Indeed, it gets better and better with more air, and by the second day, it is really singing. Intense, grassy, pea pod and elderflower aromas, with a real "prickle", even on the nose, with hints of orange and tart apple. The palate too seems even more intense, focused and grippy than on day 1, with all sorts of white fruit, gooseberry and rhubarb things going on. It really is delicious stuff! 14.0% abv.

Note/disclaimer: This was a sample bottle, which Richard asked me to share amongst his old buddies at the Nottingham Wine Circle. Suffice to say it was very well received, and I hope to add some to my list in the near future (priced somewhere between £11 and £12).

The Liberator Episode 2 - The Unsung Hero 2008, Swartland

A blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Carignan. This is another bottle given to me by Richard, primarily because the previous review I wrote was less than enthusiastic - and he suspected that the bottle I had may have been faulty in some way. And how right he was, because this one was quite lovely. Still quite a deep blood red colour, with an aromatic profile not too far removed from a northern Rhone Syrah, with some intense but elegant bramble and blackcurrant aromas and a suggestion of minerality. Or perhaps even one of the more refined southern Rhone blends, with a rich fruitcake element, courtesy of the Grenache and Mourvedre, and a welcome touch of earthy rusticity from the Carignan. The palate is rich, but finely balanced, with concentrated dark fruit flavours, damp earth, pepper and exotic spice, combining seamlessly with slightly grainy tannins (which for me adds texture) and mouthwatering acidity. The finish is long, grippy and gently warming. It is such a shame that my first bottle was faulty, because on this showing, I definitely would have snapped a few cases up. Unfortunately, it is no longer available. :-(

Joseph Swan Vineyards Cotes du Rosa 2009, Russian River Valley

100% Carignan. A hint of brett/meatiness on the nose, which blows off quickly to reveal aromas of roses and parma violets, damsons, damp earth, mint, spice and a delicious hint of raspberry vinegar (a la Chateau Musar). At 12.3% abv, this was probably harvested earlier than usual and some may find the heightened lemon and rhubarb-tinged acidity too much, but not me! It is full of fruit, like raspberries and redcurrants, with hints of black fruits too, with plenty of fine tannin, all of which combine in a deliciously tangy sweet and sour whole. The acidity should soften in time and ensure a long (10-15 year) life for this wine. At present, it is best paired with food (in our case, a rich spaghetti bolognaise). A lovely, old-style wine, combining elements of Rhone, Burgundy and Piedmont. I love it. £20.50 via my website.

More anon..........

    

There are times when 51 begins to feel quite old (warning - not in the least bit wine-related!)

For one reason or another (and sometimes several reasons at the same time) I've posted so infrequently in the last few weeks/months that I'm in danger of forgetting my Blogger password. After supposedly getting over my illness a week or two back, things took a turn for the worse again a few days later. Without going into too much detail, the infection had obviously not been completely eradicated, despite 2 separate (and different) lots of antibiotics, and I was back to feeling rather sorry for myself, though admittedly nowhere near as ill as I had done the first time. So I decided to go down the organic/natural route. No, not wines, but copious amounts of cranberry juice, yoghurt, probiotic drinks and as much tap water as I could physically drink without exploding. 5 days later, things hadn't got any worse, but neither had they really got any better.

So off to the doctor's I toddled once more, knowing full well what was in store for me this time. Again, I won't go into too much detail, but the words "digital" and "arse" may give you a clue. And the fact that said digit belonged to a young, pretty, female doctor really was of no great comfort to me, I can assure you. Anyway, to cut a long story short (thank goodness for that, I hear you say) my "examination" revealed nothing particularly sinister going on in the "gentleman's innards" department, save for what I assume is a bit of age/infection-related enlargement. 2 days later and a third (and different again) course of antibiotics seem already to be working their magic. And so they should, because they look like bloody horse pills! Always assuming that my latest water sample comes back to reveal only an infection, I'm hoping and praying that I can finally put all of this behind me and get on with life again. But it has made me realise that I really should take up the offer of my free "over 50's health check", sooner rather than later. I'm not sure why I have been afflicted by this problem in recent weeks. Whether it is simple bad luck, or some underlying problem that might need further investigation, I don't know. Hopefully, being relatively young and healthy, it will turn out to be the former. But if it were to be the latter, I think I'd rather address it, rather than ignore it.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, for a start, I have always tended to wear my heart on my sleeve - or perhaps I simply know no shame! But if my being candid happens to resonate with anyone reading this who may be harbouring some or other similar worry, you never know - it might inspire them to get checked out. More importantly, my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was in his early 70's. He was already in pretty poor health by then, meaning that an operation was more than likely to kill him. Under the circumstances, he was told he probably had a year or two left to live. Mercifully, he died a few months later from a heart attack, before the cancer had a chance to subject him to a long, slow decline. I last saw him a just a couple of days before he died, and although he was by then tired and world-weary, he was still sharp as a knife.

Of course, just because my Dad had it, it doesn't necessarily mean that I will get it too. But I doubt it reduces my chances of getting it sometime in the future either. The received wisdom used to be that things like prostate cancer were old men's diseases, but that simply isn't the case. I know at least two or three men who have had (or currently live with) the disease as young as their 50's.

Up to now, I've been pretty lucky - in my whole life, I have never had to spend so much as a single night in hospital. And I intend, if possible, to keep it that way. But as I get older - in body, if not in mind - I'm beginning to appreciate the concept of prevention, rather than cure. But beware - not all doctors are equal. I've known some pretty good ones in my time, but I've also known a couple of pretty useless ones.............

A good few years ago (when I was in my late 30's actually) I visited the doctor with a somewhat similar problem to what I have experienced recently. He was pretty dismissive, to say the least, suggesting that I was worrying about nothing and stating quite categorically that prostate problems only affected men in their 70's (or older). When I told him that one of my golfing buddies who lived just across the road had just died from prostate cancer at the age of 51, he asked me his name. When I told him, he said, quite matter of factly, "Oh yes - he was one of my patients".

Right - back to wine!

          

A wonderful red wine to get me back into my stride

A few days after my last blog post, I went down with a kidney and bladder infection, which laid me low for a good few days, during which I felt quite possibly the most ill I have ever felt in my life. It was very similar to a bad case of the flu, with the added bonus of p*ssing razor blades (on one day, at least 30 times!). I spent pretty much all of the next few days and nights in bed, apart from my frequent "visits" and going to the kitchen to make cups of lemon tea (my comforting drink of choice, at times such as this). One of the most disconcerting things was the way I was constantly going from freezing cold shivers to waking up in pools of sweat and back again. Of course, when she was not at work, TLD was there to cater to my every whim, which really amounted to nothing more than the odd word of sympathy and a constant supply of hot drinks. I eventually went a full 5 days without eating and, despite the need to take on water as often as possible, I was pretty dehydrated. So much so that, even when I felt I was on the mend, I suffered constant headaches for several more days. I guess once the body has dehydrated so badly, it takes a few days to find its equilibrium. Having said that, I have yet to regain much of the half a stone I lost in the process, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a convenient weight loss regime!

Anyway, that is now thankfully all behind me and I am back to rude health - and even becoming vaguely interested in drinking wine again! So much so, that I opened a bottle of 2004 Chateau Musar, which happened to neatly bookend my illness, since the previous wine of any note that I drank was a bottle of 2001, which I referred to in my previous post. And where the 2001 didn't exactly have me purring with delight, the 2004 certainly did..........

Chateau Musar 2004 Lebanon

This is the current release (though I have heard of a couple of sightings of the 2005) so definitely still youthful - at least in terms of Musar. The nose is classic (and this time I mean classic) Musar. A riot of complex red and black fruits, polished wood, toasty oak, beetroot, exotic herbs and spices and a level of volatile acidity I have rarely before encountered - even in Musar. And in all honesty, it merely serves to enhance what is already such a gorgeous wine. Even on the palate, the level of prickly, almost acetic acidity would have Bordeaux nuts and wine purists of all persuasions screwing their faces in horror. But the sheer concentration of sweet (really sweet) red and black fruit flavours is enough to convince me that we have a really wonderful wine here, with all of the components necessary for a classic "ageing" vintage, be that in 5, 10 or even 20 years' time. There's an almost lactic creaminess to the rich tannins, which again might put some people off, but to me just adds weight to what is already an impressively weighty wine. The depth of flavour really is remarkable. And of course there is that gloriously acetic acidity, which really does make the eyes narrow and the cheeks sing, and carries the fruit all the way to a long and deliciously sweet and sour finish. Going back to the nose after an hour or so in the decanter, some of the excess VA blows off to reveal black cherry, plum, bramble and blackcurrant, steeped in fine eau de vie. A delightful sous-bois quality and some savoury/meaty notes add yet more complexity. It really is a wonderful and gloriously quirky wine, made for contemplation, and which takes me back to some of the glorious vintages of the late 70's and early 80's and which got me hooked on wine (and Musar in particular) in the first place. If you don't have any, then I strongly suggest you go out and buy some before it runs out (it is widely available at under £20). And if you do have some, then I suggest you can take great pleasure in drinking it now, or let it age and evolve for another decade or more.

Incidentally, as part of my rehabilitation into the world of wine, I attended the "Outsiders" tasting in London yesterday, and will be reporting on some of the highlights in my next couple of posts.