Chateau Bernadotte
Cru Bourgeois 1999
Selfridges £16.99
Alright then, I admit it - I was browsing in the wine department of an upmarket designer store when I fell for a bottle of wine that sits outside the self imposed £10 limit of this wine blog.
However, when I found that I was face to face with a relatively bargain-priced wine from the highly revered Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande I felt I had to open my wallet and make the investment. As you know, this one man wine tasting team at Chateau Blogspot is on fairly restricted means, which is why a bottle that gives £3.01 change from a £20 note commands significant deliberation.
But with the added reassurance (?) of 86 points from Robert Parker, I'm just curious to see how fine this 11 year old wine can be. Hold on to your wine corks until March and I'll let you know.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Pierre Lurton - the man behind Yquem creates a fine M & S stunner
Lurton La Chapelle
Grand Vin de Bordeaux
2006
Marks & Spencer £9.99
First of all I must apologise to my minscule audience about the low level of wine blogging at the start of 2010. I do hope you will forgive me. Part of the reason why I haven't laid bashed away at the keyboard is largely due to the fact that most of the wines that I drank in January were repeat experiences of wines that I had been buying in the run up to Christmas. So, if there was a perfect example of a wine critic believing in his own recommendations, this must surely be it.
Two wines which continued to impress second time around were the 2006 Roc de Lussac from Sainsbury's (of which I bought several), which washed down an exceptional provencal chicken dish prepared by Mrs W, and the Cremant de Jura from ALDI, which made an outstanding partner to a pre New Year Chinese meal here at Chateau Blogspot.
Today's blog will actually be my only wine review for February for the simple reason that I am taking a month off all alcohol - arguably a bad move given that the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter occurs this month. However, as I am unable to attend this year it will be mo major sacrifice. I also want to give my palate a mid winter refurb and I think it's no bad thing to give my liver a mini holiday too.
So the bottle of Lurton La Chappelle (M & S) was actually drunk back in January and it still sticks in my mind as being a truly memorable wine. Created by the man behind the iconic Sauternes Chateau Yquem, Pierre Lurton (in partnership with winemaker Pascal Poussevin) this modern take on a Bordeaux wine is remarkable for the simple fact that it bombards your palate with a heady mix of flavours and delivers a really intriquing bouquet.
Harry thought I was being my usual pretentious self when I said I could detect chocolate and lavender, but soon agreed that this wasn't far off the mark. As for taste, we all sensed a heady mix of plums and blackcurrants and agreed that this was a wine with a distinctive personality. For a modern Bordeaux I think the main challenge is to create a wine that has the drinkability of some of the more accomplished New World offerings without losing the sense of 'terroir' that Bordeaux wines must continue to exhibit, if only for integrity's sake.
To my mind, this wine more than pulls it off - there is a very strong sense of modernity about what has been achieved here but I am confident that, in a blind tasting, this would easily be attributed to Bordeaux thanks to the supporting struture provided by the Cabernet Sauvignon.
We had this wine with a mix of cheeses that came our way from that eminent purveyor of fromages, none other than Paxton & Whitfield. We worked our way through some serious unpasteurised offerings from various parts of France and England and this wine really did make the whole experience all the more enjoyable. It didn't get in the way of some strong cheese personalities yet stood its ground as a young modern wine with something to say for itself.
An excellent present from H and R - and a hugely dependable, modern young wine to take to a dinner. A bit like turning up in a Ben Sherman suit with a Gieves & Hawkes shirt.
Very Decent Wine: 8.5/10
Probability of Buying Again: 8/10 (I do wonder if £9.99 is a wee bit steep - but otherwise yes)
Dinner Party Appeal: 10/10 (not quite steak au poivre territory but great with cheese and meaty caseroles)
Grand Vin de Bordeaux
2006
Marks & Spencer £9.99
First of all I must apologise to my minscule audience about the low level of wine blogging at the start of 2010. I do hope you will forgive me. Part of the reason why I haven't laid bashed away at the keyboard is largely due to the fact that most of the wines that I drank in January were repeat experiences of wines that I had been buying in the run up to Christmas. So, if there was a perfect example of a wine critic believing in his own recommendations, this must surely be it.
Two wines which continued to impress second time around were the 2006 Roc de Lussac from Sainsbury's (of which I bought several), which washed down an exceptional provencal chicken dish prepared by Mrs W, and the Cremant de Jura from ALDI, which made an outstanding partner to a pre New Year Chinese meal here at Chateau Blogspot.
Today's blog will actually be my only wine review for February for the simple reason that I am taking a month off all alcohol - arguably a bad move given that the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter occurs this month. However, as I am unable to attend this year it will be mo major sacrifice. I also want to give my palate a mid winter refurb and I think it's no bad thing to give my liver a mini holiday too.
So the bottle of Lurton La Chappelle (M & S) was actually drunk back in January and it still sticks in my mind as being a truly memorable wine. Created by the man behind the iconic Sauternes Chateau Yquem, Pierre Lurton (in partnership with winemaker Pascal Poussevin) this modern take on a Bordeaux wine is remarkable for the simple fact that it bombards your palate with a heady mix of flavours and delivers a really intriquing bouquet.
Harry thought I was being my usual pretentious self when I said I could detect chocolate and lavender, but soon agreed that this wasn't far off the mark. As for taste, we all sensed a heady mix of plums and blackcurrants and agreed that this was a wine with a distinctive personality. For a modern Bordeaux I think the main challenge is to create a wine that has the drinkability of some of the more accomplished New World offerings without losing the sense of 'terroir' that Bordeaux wines must continue to exhibit, if only for integrity's sake.
To my mind, this wine more than pulls it off - there is a very strong sense of modernity about what has been achieved here but I am confident that, in a blind tasting, this would easily be attributed to Bordeaux thanks to the supporting struture provided by the Cabernet Sauvignon.
We had this wine with a mix of cheeses that came our way from that eminent purveyor of fromages, none other than Paxton & Whitfield. We worked our way through some serious unpasteurised offerings from various parts of France and England and this wine really did make the whole experience all the more enjoyable. It didn't get in the way of some strong cheese personalities yet stood its ground as a young modern wine with something to say for itself.
An excellent present from H and R - and a hugely dependable, modern young wine to take to a dinner. A bit like turning up in a Ben Sherman suit with a Gieves & Hawkes shirt.
Very Decent Wine: 8.5/10
Probability of Buying Again: 8/10 (I do wonder if £9.99 is a wee bit steep - but otherwise yes)
Dinner Party Appeal: 10/10 (not quite steak au poivre territory but great with cheese and meaty caseroles)
Monday, January 11, 2010
Chateau Barryres 2006 - a taste of what a really fine wine might have to offer
Chateau Barrryres
Haut Medoc
Cru Bourgois 2006
In 1986 when I was earning just £6,200 a year in a very modest job in the City (just round the corner from St Paul's) I treated myself to the most expensive shoes I have ever bought - a pair of hand finished brogues from Church & Co. They cost me £108 (1/4 of my salary in those days) and I still have the receipt to prove it. Wearing them I felt that I was something much bigger than I really was in the City. I loved the squeak they made, the way they hugged my feet and they way they shone - and got better with every polish. However, in shoe making terms Church's shoes, while truly exquisite and an investment purchase in anyone's books, offer just a taste of what true craftsman-made shoes can offer. They are fine but not as fine as the ultimate English shoemaking experience offered by John Lobb which must surely be the pinnacle of shoemaking heaven, as adorned by Kings, Prime Ministers, Heads of State, Lords and so on.
And this is exactly what I felt about this wonderful entry level experience of a fine wine offered by this cheeky, elegant little number that I found hiding on the shelves in Sainsbury's in Barkingside of all places, one of several capitals of Chav Heaven in a county know more for its bling than it bon biveur.
In the hierarchy of Haut Medoc classifications, Cru Bourgeois wines, which have now been removed as a designation (pending the outcome of various legal wrangling) is essentially the bottom end of the fine wine ladder. However, to descibe this wine as 'bottom end' or an 'entry level fine wine' is to do it a severe injuustice, not least of all because I do think that this is a truly elegant and exquisite number that offers all the things that the boys and girls on the fine wine tasting panels are looking for. And at £9.99 what you get in this particular bottle is a supple, silky wine that clearly has enormous potential to develop greater complexity in coming years.
A well crafted balance between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter has clearly made its presence felt by offering some well rounded tannins and a tempered woodiness, while the overall mix of the two grapes fuses together to create a licorice and lavender bouquet which is simply magical. I drank this in nearly one sitting nibbling bits of French cheese left over from Christmas. Mrs W agreed that there was a strong hint of licorice but didn't quite get the lavender. However, she did agree that it was a finely made wine and wanted to know its retail provenance - for fear that I had sneaked into some horrendlously well heeled wine purveyor in the City. 'Well actually, I bought it in Essex in Sainsbury's', came my reply - 'and I shall be buying some more, if not to drink now to lay down for Christmas 2010, 11 and beyond', I hastily added.
To counterbalance my enthusiasm, I have to confess that elegant though it is, this is a lighter, dare I say feminine Claret which may lose its way alongside some overpowering steak or game dishes. However, it is none the less a fine bottle of wine for it and I shall be venturing back to Sainsbury's, if not to Essex, to grab a few more at this implausible cheap price of £9.99.
And referring back to my analogy over a pair of shoes, I do feel that this is the sort of wine that really could get you imagining just what it might be like to taste a Chateau Lafite, Chateau Haut Brion, Chateau Beychevelle - wearing a pair of John Lobb brogues.
Very Decent Wine: 8/10
Dinner Party Appeal: 9/10 (this one has legs
Probability of Buying Again: 10/10
Haut Medoc
Cru Bourgois 2006
In 1986 when I was earning just £6,200 a year in a very modest job in the City (just round the corner from St Paul's) I treated myself to the most expensive shoes I have ever bought - a pair of hand finished brogues from Church & Co. They cost me £108 (1/4 of my salary in those days) and I still have the receipt to prove it. Wearing them I felt that I was something much bigger than I really was in the City. I loved the squeak they made, the way they hugged my feet and they way they shone - and got better with every polish. However, in shoe making terms Church's shoes, while truly exquisite and an investment purchase in anyone's books, offer just a taste of what true craftsman-made shoes can offer. They are fine but not as fine as the ultimate English shoemaking experience offered by John Lobb which must surely be the pinnacle of shoemaking heaven, as adorned by Kings, Prime Ministers, Heads of State, Lords and so on.
And this is exactly what I felt about this wonderful entry level experience of a fine wine offered by this cheeky, elegant little number that I found hiding on the shelves in Sainsbury's in Barkingside of all places, one of several capitals of Chav Heaven in a county know more for its bling than it bon biveur.
In the hierarchy of Haut Medoc classifications, Cru Bourgeois wines, which have now been removed as a designation (pending the outcome of various legal wrangling) is essentially the bottom end of the fine wine ladder. However, to descibe this wine as 'bottom end' or an 'entry level fine wine' is to do it a severe injuustice, not least of all because I do think that this is a truly elegant and exquisite number that offers all the things that the boys and girls on the fine wine tasting panels are looking for. And at £9.99 what you get in this particular bottle is a supple, silky wine that clearly has enormous potential to develop greater complexity in coming years.
A well crafted balance between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter has clearly made its presence felt by offering some well rounded tannins and a tempered woodiness, while the overall mix of the two grapes fuses together to create a licorice and lavender bouquet which is simply magical. I drank this in nearly one sitting nibbling bits of French cheese left over from Christmas. Mrs W agreed that there was a strong hint of licorice but didn't quite get the lavender. However, she did agree that it was a finely made wine and wanted to know its retail provenance - for fear that I had sneaked into some horrendlously well heeled wine purveyor in the City. 'Well actually, I bought it in Essex in Sainsbury's', came my reply - 'and I shall be buying some more, if not to drink now to lay down for Christmas 2010, 11 and beyond', I hastily added.
To counterbalance my enthusiasm, I have to confess that elegant though it is, this is a lighter, dare I say feminine Claret which may lose its way alongside some overpowering steak or game dishes. However, it is none the less a fine bottle of wine for it and I shall be venturing back to Sainsbury's, if not to Essex, to grab a few more at this implausible cheap price of £9.99.
And referring back to my analogy over a pair of shoes, I do feel that this is the sort of wine that really could get you imagining just what it might be like to taste a Chateau Lafite, Chateau Haut Brion, Chateau Beychevelle - wearing a pair of John Lobb brogues.
Very Decent Wine: 8/10
Dinner Party Appeal: 9/10 (this one has legs
Probability of Buying Again: 10/10
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy New Year - pop goes the Cremant du Jura
Philippe Michel
Cremant du Jura
Aldi £6.99
If you could choose a brand new car for around £20k, what would you have in your post Christmas New Year stocking? A bottom of the range C Class Merc with no extra bits and pieces or a top of the range Skoda Superb, for exactly the same price, but with all the refinements and bits and pieces that make it truly special. Superb even.
This is a similar dilemma to one that many people face when it comes to buying bubbly for that special occasion such as New Year, or a wedding, or a major birthday etc. When it comes to buying bubbly, for some reason everyone seems to want to buy in to the 'Champagne' experience at whatever price, often falling for the very lowest entry point possible.
This is a shame because I am almost certain that if they were presented with a sparkling wine alternative, dressed up as Champagne, 9 people out of 10 wouldn't be able to tell the difference. And quite literally, 9 people out of every 10 are all the poorer for this.
All I can say is that, for £6.99, Aldi's Cremant de Jura is the most convincing Champagne alternative I have had the pleasure of quaffing in sufficient quantities for years. And I'm not alone in thinking this - the wine has won a mantelpiece of awards including:
* Which? Best Buy for Sparkling Wine, December 2009
* Best in Class, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2009
* Quality Drink Awards 2006, 2008, 2009
Made from 100% Chardonnay, this very classy sparkler more than proves that you can have the champagne experience for half the price of an entry level 'real champagne' and probably a quarter of the price of a big name luxury non vintage brand such as Veuve Cliquot or Moet et Chandon. And what's more, you're buying a sparkling wine that is made in a very similar way to Champagne, with the second fermentation taking place in the bottle - the process that gives it al those highly coveted bubbles.
Apart from the price, what really delights me about this wine is its balanced flavour - erring on the fashionable side of dry rather than heading in the direction of a sweet chestnutty presentation. Given the current vogue for sparkling wines, and champage in particular, to lean towards a drier, less sticky sweet demeanour, this classy little number is very much on trend - crisp, refreshing and citrussy. And just like that top of the range Skoda model I was talking about, truly Superb.
Dinner Party Appeal: 10/10 (classy for those in the know)
Value for Money: 11/10 (low entry Champagne looks a poor deal in comparison)
Probablility of Buying Again: 15/10 (Have already bought another half dozen)
Cremant du Jura
Aldi £6.99
If you could choose a brand new car for around £20k, what would you have in your post Christmas New Year stocking? A bottom of the range C Class Merc with no extra bits and pieces or a top of the range Skoda Superb, for exactly the same price, but with all the refinements and bits and pieces that make it truly special. Superb even.
This is a similar dilemma to one that many people face when it comes to buying bubbly for that special occasion such as New Year, or a wedding, or a major birthday etc. When it comes to buying bubbly, for some reason everyone seems to want to buy in to the 'Champagne' experience at whatever price, often falling for the very lowest entry point possible.
This is a shame because I am almost certain that if they were presented with a sparkling wine alternative, dressed up as Champagne, 9 people out of 10 wouldn't be able to tell the difference. And quite literally, 9 people out of every 10 are all the poorer for this.
All I can say is that, for £6.99, Aldi's Cremant de Jura is the most convincing Champagne alternative I have had the pleasure of quaffing in sufficient quantities for years. And I'm not alone in thinking this - the wine has won a mantelpiece of awards including:
* Which? Best Buy for Sparkling Wine, December 2009
* Best in Class, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2009
* Quality Drink Awards 2006, 2008, 2009
Made from 100% Chardonnay, this very classy sparkler more than proves that you can have the champagne experience for half the price of an entry level 'real champagne' and probably a quarter of the price of a big name luxury non vintage brand such as Veuve Cliquot or Moet et Chandon. And what's more, you're buying a sparkling wine that is made in a very similar way to Champagne, with the second fermentation taking place in the bottle - the process that gives it al those highly coveted bubbles.
Apart from the price, what really delights me about this wine is its balanced flavour - erring on the fashionable side of dry rather than heading in the direction of a sweet chestnutty presentation. Given the current vogue for sparkling wines, and champage in particular, to lean towards a drier, less sticky sweet demeanour, this classy little number is very much on trend - crisp, refreshing and citrussy. And just like that top of the range Skoda model I was talking about, truly Superb.
Dinner Party Appeal: 10/10 (classy for those in the know)
Value for Money: 11/10 (low entry Champagne looks a poor deal in comparison)
Probablility of Buying Again: 15/10 (Have already bought another half dozen)
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