01438 741177
Happy Friday !
This a stunning Langhe, it has all of the Nebbiolo magic and pleasure in a very approachable package
23 Likes
Dāarryās original Grenache Shiraz McLaren Vale 2017. A Cotes du Down Under. Good depth of flavour, fruit forward but not jammy. Raspberry, white pepper, licquorice, nice acidity, herbal thyme-y finish.
Lovely, just lovely. Might be even better if I give it a chance to breathe
14 Likes
And a wonderful Friday to one and all, especially the wine drinkers amongst us.
I shall contine this post on another compter 'cos this one is missing letters!
So here we are on my laptop now, the main PC was struggling with internet connection - prob needs a wireless connection card thing that actually works. Technology eh?
This laptop is fine though. So lets get back to the wine: My favourite Beaujolais cru; Morgon, which can have a characteristic ābiteā - thatās my word, other writers are more lyrical.
https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/domaine-jean-marc-burgaud-morgon-les-charmes-2020
Iād give this a 8/10 . In fact very excellent as a negotiant BJL and much better than Jadot et al, however it lacks that very particular āMorgonā character which Iām looking for.
12 Likes
GĆ³mez Cruzado - Predilecto 2021. A blend of Garnacha from Najerilla and Tempranillo from Montes Obarenes. More dense, darker and extracted than I expected. Iāll update here once it opens a bit.
Update: quite dark and fruity. Blackcurrant jam with spices - think allspice and pickling spice. Quite long and fruity, with lots of sweet tannin and moderate acidity.
17 Likes
Chianti Classico, Castellare, 2021
This is a recent gift, and very welcome this Friday evening, to accompany some pasta with a kind of ratatouille sauce. Has all the necessary acidity, spicy fruit and dry finish, looking forward to tucking in a bit later.
19 Likes
2015 Camensac, bought 3-4 years ago.
Still deep coloured, slightly mature garnet.
Quite tannic on opening, more so than the last couple of bottles. However it went pretty well with this.
21 Likes
Enjoying this slightly off dry PrĆ¼m Riesling. The fruit is richly ripe. Drinking it with pork chop, and veg casserole and 100gms of McCains gourmet oven chips. As you will see from the photo the food went down very well
19 Likes
Ooh, interesting to hear. I bought a bottle from TWS at about the same time (Aug 2020), but only the one so have been sitting on it. Was probably going to go for the 10 year rule (as I like the tertiary flavours), and it sounds like that might be about right for this one?
2 Likes
Paul,
The steak looks the dogsā¦
I have a (some might say irrational) fondness for Camensac.
Rummaging through the garage came across some (very probably knackered) wine. Used to belong to my Le Mans mate. Probably bought in the late 1980āsā¦
Very likely DNPIM territoryā¦
Cheersā¦
16 Likes
Right now I would let it sleep, 2 years wonāt hurt it. I have a few more and you may see updates on how it is doing.
3 Likes
I think Iāll be cracking my bottle before the 47 year mark, but could be fascinating!
3 Likes
Never had a 70s Camensac, I started with the 1985 which was around Ā£8 from Tesco. I went to the property and picked up some 1988s, but havenāt had many post 2000 vintage.
Pull the cork and give us a blow by blow description of how it goes.
3 Likes
A little buttery, green apple, citrus and a hint of smoke. Initial bit of petrol funk had me worried but all good now.
15 Likes
Sometimes a bottle of wine can have a back story.
From 1983 to 1993 I used to go to Le Mans for the 24 hour sports car race (essentially a British party organised by the French) with my mate Pete. Weād stock up on wine. As you did thenā¦
Our first child was born on Le Mans weekend in 1994 so the trips stopped.
Pete passed 10+ years ago and I āinheritedā his wine collection.
For a time it didnāt seem ārightā to drink them.
13 Likes
Paul,
Somewhere (Iād like think I know where) thereās a magnum of de Camensac 1970.
Bought for pennies in the last century.
This too could be DNPIM territory too
Cheersā¦
4 Likes
Big Burgundy vs the World in ours tomorrow, so we were seriously considering skipping wine this evening.
The thought lasted about 30 secondsā¦
So, hereās Full Stop Rock. A Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre from the stunningly beautiful vineyard of the Newton Johnson family in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde, Walker Bay, South Africa.
Delicious red fruit, wild herbs, supple tannins and glowing spicy finish.
This valley might just be Heaven on Earth.
Happy and blessed friday / weekend to all 
21 Likes
After an energy sapping day, this is proving to be an excellent muscle relaxant.
A Vina Morande āTerrarumā Semillon 2022 ( made from the fruit of 100 year old vines ).
Green herbs, fresh flowers and citrus fruit on the nose with tangy citrus flavours and an oily texture on the fresh but deeply flavoured palate. A beautifully harmonious, satisfying and food friendly wine that over delivers in every department for the meagre price paid ( Ā£7.50 on a 25% off six offer at Waitrose).
As theyāve got a similar offer on now, and Iām in need of an all purpose white, hopefully theyāll have six on the shelf tomorrow. 
All the best for the weekend everyone.
22 Likes
Mark
Agreed. Overdelivers.
Took a couple at the last Waitrose 25% off six.
Quite like semillons. Especially with wine friendly food
Have a good weekend.
Cheersā¦
3 Likes
Bottle from recent mixed case - Haut Batailley 2015. First time I have tried this - still have a lot of āvalueā Bordeaux from my first over exuberant EP foray back in 2005 - happily have ātraded upā (in lower volumes) more recently.
This is truely fabulous - for me reminiscent of an aged Rioja but with more power and an offal / iron edge to it. Super smooth.
Just returned from a week near Bergerac - stuck to the local wines (as recommended/ sold to me by LāArt et le Vin Bergerac (highly recommended). This is clearly a significant cut above, but āla Gloire de mon Pereā was a clear highlightā¦
18 Likes
Especially with wine friendly food - er, not sure if deep fried, panko breaded, chicken falls into that category !
Have a good weekend yourself. By the way, Iām looking forward to reading more about the fascinating archaeological artefacts your garage holds too. 
3 Likes