01438 741177
Available in UK £15.50
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Or drops, according to Hugh Johnson. There is an amusing note in “Wine” where he claims to have approached his insurers for a discount on his life insurance by possessing a couple of bottles of Eszencia; a few drops of which had supposedly revived many a dying old Central European nobleman on their death bed.
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Another wine currently available in Aldi for £10.
Medium ruby, with the rim still a pure red and little sign of aging.
Relatively simple, pleasant red fruit flavours. Not in any way bad, but no real excitement or complexity. **1/2.
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I’ve bought Ch Puygueraud a few times over the years, seems very reliable. I think I still have a bottle of 2005, kept this long as something of an experiment.
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I tried a bottle and was rather underwhelmed, shrill and missing a middle and an end, I’m not sure I’d repeat the experience even with the discount
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Last minute decision to BBQ some chicken thighs for lunch today, souvlaki anda mild hint of a chilli finish so being a hint of spring tried a new wine for us.
We are not Beaujolais / Gamay regulars or connoisseurs, but with a Caesar salad this really worked. It’s light enough to do stuff after lunch, has structure to support the meal, an all round winner. Great vfm I recall, I think.
Later this evening a taste of this….
Delicious…sweet black cherries.
At 16% its alcohol is masked in the fruit.
New to Banyuls and this is not as heavy or sweet as Port a plus for us this evening.
Apologies for the picture quality.
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Nervous energy before the premier league match this evening ( We’re blue! ) made me think of this wine. At 10 years old, the acidity is maturing nicely ,a winning combination of fruit ( apricot, peach, cantelope) , zesty energy and caramelised lemon zest finish. Beautiful.
Cheers everyone and may the best team win
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Ha ha! My 10 year old nephew in Israel is also a huge Man City fan… When I visited few weeks back I came bearing all sorts of Man City paraphernalia… 
Good luck! 
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Clever boy, your nephew 
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Chateau Gloria Saint Julien 2003
Another of the aged mystery case bottles.
The wine has probably past its peak but unfurls quite slowly and lovely on the palate. Graphite, and gentle fruit. I’m really enjoying it
Hoping the recent mystery cases are anywhere near the same quality/unique offering
Cheers all!
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As I’m all out of the usual suspects to go with my midweek favourite of griddled mackerel I plumped for this lovely Gemischter Satz to pair with it ( and very good it was too )…
… a ‘Tres Companeros’ 2021 from Weingut Wess.
As I’ve posted previously as to its merits I’ll try to be brief.
Yeasty lees, a floral note, and spicy fruit on the fresh and inviting nose. Fresh but rounded spicy flavours with lovely harmony and balance between its three cofermented grapes on the creamily textured palate. All in all, a versatile food wine and very easy to drink (it isn’t going to see tomorrow that’s for sure !)
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in no particular order these have been subject to gleeful consumption this week now we’re back on home turf.
I picked this up from Barcelona market on The Rambles after landing from the Menorca ferry. can’t resist the idea of a Getarian Txakoli with fresh oysters and grilled scallops
Pares Balta’s biodynamic Cavas are unassuming and under the radar but are crisp and dry and my favourite and only a minor detour to collect a resupply en route from Barcelona.
This Schioppettino from Collio we got last year during the Italian road trip. And was matched with tuna and piperade. A nice wine , yes, but i was expecting something slightly lighter-bodied, turns out very reminiscent of a Braucol or Cahors. Half has been stowed away to finish off tomorrow
And for cheese - a classic matured Madrian from the Godfather. I bought this at Montus about 10 years ago and the time seemed right… Full-on rich leathery and opulent, tannins well reined in by now but holding up the edifice nicely.
A return to Uk tomorrow evening beckons, unprecedentedly Mr O’Leary has scheduled his conveyance to take off at the ungodly hour of 21.50 pm…
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https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/juanico-teru-teru-albarino-2022
I made up a mixed case of whites a few weeks back for the sunny days that should be here right now but aren’t.
Seriously good - what you expect from an Albarino but I see what they mean about the hint of Riesling and also detected some honeydew melon too. Would be even better on a baking hot day in the sun.
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Had this TWS champion over a couple of days. It was richer and fuller than anticipated. I had not read the description and was expecting something a little lighter and juicier.
Very enjoyable all the same and very good value. Still demonstrably a gamay but at the riper end of the spectrum, nothing tart here. I’ll do a bit more due diligence next time.
https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/fleurie-clos-de-la-roilette-2020
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It ages well, too. Worth setting aside for a couple more years.
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Your note of a wine i very much love @wine.arbitrageur reminded me that in my research for an interview with Jane Anson, I compared various 2003’s from right and left bank. (A real mixed bag, as some evolved to keep some freshness and youth) .
Looking just now at the latest note from her site (Nov 22), she also mentions evolution, spice reminiscent of that drought year, turmeric and saffron, sooty campfire, brambled fig and wild strawberry, with earthy (a touch of brett) notes.
The story of Gloria and Henry Martin always touched me and i have a real soft spot for it. Cheers !
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@Lewis a fantastic one for the cellar this one . Some decanting is needed almost at any age. Yes, it’s a serious Gamay, a different beast to the fruity ,banana style
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An evocative tasting note! Thanks for sharing. Will check out the interview.
The SW London Wine Appreciation Group got together for another dinner in Putney at Artisans of Sardinia yesterday. Another wonderful menu put together by Massimo.
The prawn carpaccio was exquisite and matched perfectly with the Valentin Leflaive Le Mesnil Sur Ogier 15 50 GC. A Burgundian family venturing into Champagne with great success. A perfect blanc de blancs, so moreish.
Burrata was had with very nice things around it matched with Massimo’s Maia Vermentino di Gallura DOCG 2021. An aromatic attack on the nose with a hint of reduction. More restrained and more Vermentioney on the palate, a solid white, unmistakably Italian.
When it comes to risotto and pasta, Massimo can hardly put a foot wrong. Same yesterday. The fish chilled on the boat in Italian waters for Artisans of Sardinia was perfectly cooked and sat pretty on top of the wonderful risotto. Two white CndPs were matched with this dish. The Chateau Beaucastel Blanc 1996 from one of those past due mistery cases was holding up. Kept changing in the glass, was very smooth, slight oxidation apparent. Overall a good experience and a privilege to try the wine at this age. The Chateau Beaucastel Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2019, is in its infancy, a beautiful wine. Concentration and complexity in the glass. Both are 100% Roussanne (edit: not true, the 1996 is 80% Roussanne and 20% Bourboulenc), which surprised me (for the 1996), but just shows the great potential of this grape.
The onto pasta, my favourite dish of the night, juniper berries really come alive with venison. Two bottles of the Antoine Petiprez Bourgogne Le Chapitre 2017 were opened, as the first bottle was suspect on opening, more vinegary than refreshing acidity. The second bottle was more the latter and was very good with the dish. The first bottle also recovered with time and so no leftovers. On the eyes cloudy (with no chance of meatballs…), probably due to minimal intervention. Very small production, great bottle variation.
Another 2017 Burgundy with our main, the Le Grappin Beaune PC Les Boucherottes 2017. Drinking very nicely with refreshing acidity. Great with food or without.
Surprisingly the pairing of aged PX and ricotta cheesecake worked. The Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion 1946 was a bit of religious exprience for some. At 77 years, it showed no sign of getting tired, the sweetness makes this wine indestructible. It was intensely sweet, but not cloying, layers and layers of complexity. Chocolate, black treacle, liquorice and what have you.
Cheers.
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