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)
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