Thanks for flagging. Quality half bottles at only £1 premium relative to half the full bottle price is rare. Added a couple to try.
Quality, breadth of choice and VFM is so rare in this format. I use coravin but would prefer to just increase stocks of half bottles
A late glass of this tonight to reward myself after a busy day and completing a job application:
Domaine Arena Blanc Biancu Gentile 2016
A new wine and varietal for me from Corsica. Sadly now out of stock, this was very satisfying. TWS note is good: “fresh-flavoured, fragrant dry white with a touch of flint and wild herb.” More than a hint of flint I’d say and a lovely pineapple nose and taste. Extraordinarily long finish.
Also a late entrant from last weekend but I didn’t get round to posting it then:
Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Kabinett, 2020
Drunk with baked parcels of sea bass with coriander, spring onion, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and chilli and tempura vegetables and rice. Didn’t last long but at only 8% ABV why should it?
‘Old & rare whisky’ online - however I had their only bottle. I was actually looking for the 2022 ‘Campbeltown Loch’ for under £40, but stumbled upon the old bottle by chance. If you ever see one, buy it!
They say that whisky does not change or mature once bottled, however I disagree - there is a brown sugar / mustiness which developes which is very agreable. I think the cask influences also become more integrated.
The standard 2022 'Loch is certainly worth trying, not outstanding but pretty good for the price in my opinion.
It has other names…not suitable for this polite thread 
It’s not been that good a week tbh, amongst other things our pet rabbit died on Wednesday. My partner is away and the flat is feeling empty.
Last night I thought I might distract myself by broaching my case of 2014 Bordeaux (as prompted by another thread).
Ach I should have photographed the glass tilted, it was deep at the core but almost crimson at the rim. Very fragrant, filling the large glass with dark fruit. The fruit continued on the palate, I couldn’t quite place it, not quite damson, not quite blackberry. This was offset by some lovely graphite, really nicely in balance, with the barest hint of cinnamon at the end. Nicely textured in the mouth with fine tannins, a somewhat layered density, and just the right amount of polish. It started off a bit firm (I didn’t decant) but relaxed over the course of the evening. It didn’t change much except for maybe the spice note showing a bit more. For me, drinkable now both with and without food, even at the firm start. I’m not sure how the wine will develop; I’m looking forward to finding out but I also feel no need to wait for the second bottle.
I’m going to cook something nice and more appropriate for my partner’s return this evening, but this Saint-Julien was perfect with burger and chips taken out from a local independent!
Cracked a bottle of Jean-Pierre Moueix, Saint-Emilion 2015
Technically Friday so the weekend. But hey ho - it’s not like I’m DRINKING the wine, just a taste while decanting for later
Slightly narked the vintage is 2020, not 2018 as description. But given that this is more of a translucent scarlet rosé (same colour as the label) - young is a good thing. Same grape / different clone to Barolo, yet almost zero tannin (Beaujolais Village).
Quite aromatic - I might chill it slightly. Tonight with steak tartare & garden potatoes (the first of the pink fir apples).
Can Stella really be classed as a premium band anymore?
I will certainly keep an eye out for it - Campbletown whisky is something I’ve not delved into much at all.
Last night Oak Bistro hosted the third meeting of the Cambridge group - ably organised by @Andrew1990. An excellent time was had, and it was good to see @thewinelake and @Fenman again, and to have @Rafa join us for the first time, together with various spouses, partners and ringers. Here was the lineup:
A bit invidious to try to pick a favourite, as the quality was uniformly high. A few notes:
Thanks again to @Andrew1990 for his valiant cat-herding efforts in getting us together, and I’m very much looking forward to the next one, whenever it is.
Sounds (and looks!) like a fab evening…! I don’t know why, but I love it when forum members get together in the real world 
Thank you for your kind words @robertd et al. My main concern was being able to get the right train home. We managed that, but only just…
Ahh….happy days 
Watney’s ALSO made an excellent real ale (I think it was called… London Bitter?) - I used to grab a pint at Kings Cross station back in the day - WAY before the real ale revolution. Sadly that isn’t often remembered.
Their brewery also sat on prime real estate land (I think?) in the City. So Money did the talking.
Back in the UK after a week in Lake Garda (er… well, next to it at least). Intended to post a regular update but a quick cover off of some highlights:
Massolino Dolcetto d’Alba 2021 - about €10. Very, very young - tightly wound and intense, but at this price point I’d happily grab a case in the UK and cellar for a couple of years. Makes me think that his Barolo, of which I have two vintages in Stevenage, needs a good 10 years.
Dining at Osteria Rivelin - recommended. With a challenging four-year-old, less so. The Fulvio Beo an interesting sparkling wine for the price, and a very pleasant corvina from the list too. Very simple food and wine, and an ex-dairy steak bigger than someone’s head.
Vineyard tour at a tiny (3ha) local place. Again, recommended. An interesting guy who does natural wine because it feels right (and has gone for the full natural winemaker look). Started in 2019 having stopped selling the family grapes to a collective. Passionate about his craft, makes decent Chiaretto with insane vintage variation (2019 / 2020 were like wines from a different vineyard). Unconvinced by the only available vintage of his sparkling rose, and his Corvina white is more a curio wine. His reds have promise - again, huge vintage variation which he took as a compliment.
My previous report of torrential rain did not hold through the week, but impressive night thunderstorms did.
TWS used to stock the Massolino Dolchetto. I bought a couple of bottles of the '17 a while back and liked it so much I bought another half case. However, I assume it didn’t sell well as it was discounted when I bought it again and I haven’t see it since.
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