A hugely enjoyable Pauillac on Friday night, now sadly out of stock. Should have bought more.
https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=CM18591
Have been drinking most of my bordeaux reds with more age on than this but just fancied something with a little more oomph. Delivered perfectly and whilst fully open for business am sure will develop nicely as it moves out of its adolescence.
A very enjoyable companion to our planning for a bordeaux visit in September.
I was surprised how good it was. In a blind tasting test I would never had guessed it was a new world wine.
I’ve got some of the 2017 Mabalel PNs which I’m going to hold onto for a few more years before I broach them. I’ve heard good things about their wines.
Opened a Scholium Project Chardonnay today. This is drinking very nicely, only the slight haziness reminds of the low intervention methods used. On the palate an apple-y, citrusy delight. Pairs well with an improvised turkey and veg meatloaf roast lunch. Chassagnesque…
Mrs Jos and I decided on a birthday white tasting contest (to start off with, red may follow). I am undecided, both taste very nice, but Mrs Jos prefers the 2013 Pouilly Fuisse over the 2013 Meursault. Good way to get ready for the rugby match!
I hosted my first wine tasting on Friday night at my place of work for thirty-six colleagues. I think I’ll write about this on a separate thread, as I need some advice on wine choices for the next one.
I had some left over Saint Emilion, which we finished off, last night, paired with rack of lamb. 
Yes, that’s exactly how I felt about the Pinot (Cuvee Cinema and Peter Max), the Pinot is gorgeous young but really is something else with a bit of age on it. Amazing value for the money, and very Burgundian for a New World wine, totally changed my perception of New World Pinots. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the Chardonnay and maybe juggle a few priorities if I find some (trying to cut down on new purchases this year after totting up how much I spent last year…but I always knew that would be difficult…!).
Another Alsace Riesling today, this time a ‘Thann’ 2013 from Zind-Hmbrecht…
…lustrous golden colour. A beautiful bouquet, difficult to describe though, fresh, slightly floral, a hint of mandarin citrus and, something like, warm freshly baked scones will have to suffice.
Every bit as lovely on tasting, stone and orchard fruits, perfect balance and weight of flavour with a long fresh finish and a slightly chewy texture. It tastes like it’s been filtered through a bed of rocks. Singing like a nightingale !
Unfortunately, that’s the last of the four bottles I ordered back in 2015. Considering it’s produced from younger vines in the Rangen vineyard it was also very good value, IMO, for £19.
Hopefully TWS will stock it again at some point ( although It’s now labelled as Roche Volcanique )
https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=LE641
This with a lamb tagine today. Akin to an Amarone crossed with a Pauillac.
A Domaine Santa Duc produced Cotes du Rhone for me this weekend…
2017 vintage rather than 2014, and very good it is too. 60% Old Grenache vines, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre plus 10% of various others (Cinsault, Cournoise, Carignan).
Very much blackberry, damson and plum aromas and flavours to match. Softended by some time in wood, it’s an easy drinking red at about £10 equivalent price.
This was really good, a lot darker than the standard Marcillac. Nice ripe berry fruit and a touch of claret like oak. Would buy again and think that this wine will get better if held on to.
We started the evening with a glass of a Medium dry Amontillado: a stunning, flavoursome Sherry, which engages both heart and mind.
This evening’s meal is beef stroganoff, so I decided it was as good a time as any to open the 2006 Blaufränkisch by Hans Igler (thanks to @szaki1974 for the initial tip!):
I have drunk a fair bit of blaufränkisch, but never this old – so was really intrigued to see how it fared. The cork had crumbled, unfortunately – so had to decant via a fine sieve, but other than this minor mishap this doesn’t disappoint! The aroma is a mixture of bramble and cherries, but much more of the dried sort; it’s very earthy, like a nice walk in a forest after the rain, and there are hints of clove, pepper, tobacco and dried flowers (pot-pourri sort of thing).
On the palate the wine unfolds slowly, first with dried berries and prune notes, followed by mushrooms, undergrowth, baking spices and black pepper. It’s a harmonious, savoury and utterly satisfying wine, which still retains freshness despite its age. Me and the other half got together in 2006, so opening this wine prompted a bit of a misty-eyed moment. But only a moment 
This is interesting, and the Society’s description is spot on. Extremely pale in colour, highly floral, initial hit of sweet red berries then gentle tannins and a tiuch of acidity on the finish.
Was I amazed? Yep. Really interesting, enjoyable and worth a go at the asking price imo even if just out of curiosity.
This is currently in my basket, so thanks for the report 
Not much wine in my household this weekend due to illness, so am grateful for everyone else’s lack of moderation 
Whilst spending times in great accommodation in Camps Bay just outside Cape Town, we enjoyed these
cid:D79E07A8-566F-47D8-9EAD-6692C8192874Big 6 Nations weekend…Friday was little gem from the Cote de Duras
Saturday evening with a game stew this little gem from TWS
Just one bottle opened this weekend (still got the Fleurie from midweek in my eto) as a nasty cold kicked in on Saturday.
Think this was from Aldi. A very curious blend of grapes, half of which I’d never heard of. Was pretty tasty, quite fresh and zingy. Not tasted since a glass on Friday so can’t really say more than that. Think it was a tenner - decent value IMO.
Returned from holiday with my sense of smell properly restored, so opened something to give it a proper work-out, with roast chicken.
Pinot gris Clos St Landelin, René Muré, 2008. A fabulous golden colour. Quite a lot of botrytis mixed in with the honey and nuts, a good thwack of acidity to balance the sugar (it’s definitely off-dry, but then it’s not sweet either), and a really long, complex and smoky finish. My last bottle, sad to say. But oh, so good!
01438 741177
