Weekend Drinking Thread (21 to 23rd April 2023)

[Inbar]

I’ve been under the weather with costochondritis (no, me neither! ). Still, managed to enjoy a few nice bottles - I’m nothing if not stoic…!

Anyway, yesterday - a smashing little number, nothing complicated, but a solid and enjoyable example of a white Bojo and for just over a tenner good value too:

Domaine des Côteaux de Font Curé, Beaujolais-Villages Blanc 2021

Quite a muted nose, but with a little bit of warmth and energetic swirling delicate notes of peaches, satsuma and honey came through. Lovely on the palate - honeyed and rounded with a nice chewy texture, the fruit was a mix of peaches and pears. Balanced acidity and a decent finish which had a citrus pith feel to it made sure this wasn’t flabby. I’ve got one more - and it probably wants drinking soon.

The Palo Cortado, new on Waitrose’s list, was a charming little number too, if not particularly complex to my palate:

Pedro’s Almacenista Selection Palo Cortado

A mix of silan, walnuts and burnt sugar on both nose and palate, it was savoury and tangy, but with a hint of sweetness on the finish that I wasn’t too enamoured with. Nevertheless, it will definitely be a repeat purchase - for just over a tenner it’s a no brainer as an everyday Palo Cortado (is there such a category? ).

This evening, to accompany prawn and crab tartlets and some salad:

Viognier La Rosine Collines Rhodaniennes Blanc, Domaine Ogier 2020

Bought EP, this is the sort of Viognier the other half eulogises about. Full flavoured, as per WS notes, but nothing blowsy about it whatsoever. Fab nose of honeysuckle, citrus blossom, peach and spice.

The palate is rich but well measured, with lovely notes of fresh apricots, ripe peaches and maybe even a hint of mango. There’s fantastic minerality and fragrant blossom in the background, and a hint of ginger. Lots going on! Can’t wait to see how it works with the food.

But first, an aperitif - and this, based on first glass, is excellent!

Villiera Tradition Cap Classique Brut NV

MCC often seems to tick the value-for-money box with aplomb! This is rich, leesy and delicious, with a sort of apple strudel note - orchard fruit mixed with spice and buttery pastry. Value for money off the scale for us!

Looking forward to reading other people’s wines and food this weekend!

[CCouzens]

@Inbar

costochondritis (no, me

I read that at first as something you might catch in a discount warehouse.

Get well soon!

[racing_snake]

Classic California Chardonnay- Sandhi 2020. A very tasty glass, thoroughly suitable aperitif material - certainly well oaked but not excessively so

[Paul1]

I thought the beaujolais was being touted as a cure.

[Inbar]

@CCouzens

I read that at first as something you might catch in a discount warehouse.

Ha ha…!!

@Paul1

the beaujolais was being touted as a cure

Well, it worked… sort of!

[GWills]

One “bonus” from the dreaded shortfall in your order email is the unexpected credit on one’s account (not sure why this is not credited to the payment card the TWS were quick to charge in the first case but that’s for another day).

So, how to use this credit? Thinking that I love Riesling but drink so little from the Alsace, I settled on a bottle of Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg JV, Domaine Albert Boxler 2016. Well this proved to be an expensive “free” swing. The wine is stunning from the first sniff. Absolutely love it. So good that I reordered after the one sip!

Just as well only 4 bottles remaining in stock. Would have bought more if they had it. Fingers crossed that the dreaded shortfall in your order does not follow in a couple of days.

In the meantime, a bottle of Le Fiefs de Lagarange 2012 from the recent Mystery cases has been decanted for the remainder of the evening’s pleasures. Smells good so fingers crossed.

Happy weekend all.

[Brocklehurstj]

@GWills

the unexpected credit on one’s account (not sure why this is not credited to the payment card the TWS were quick to charge in the first case

I think this is the automatic default. They will credit your card if you ask.

If I’m wrong and the refund to your card is the default, it happens overnight - if you spend the account credit before overnight (all too easy after just a moment of browsing) then they can’t refund you.

[m4rk]

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Kaseler Nies’chen Riesling Kabinett 2019; lovely stuff - lovely floral nose, with some citrus and apricot, and a hint of that petrol. The acidity and sweetness go really well together. A touch of oiliness whilst being relatively light. Not the longest of finishes but it does linger a little; delicious and moreish.

[CCouzens]

I had a credit refund the other day, for a tasting ticket. It was given as a credit on my account, but only because the card I had originally used had expired. I received a message that if I wanted a card refund I could call Member Services with details of another card.

I decided to leave it - it won’t be there for very long.

[GWills]

I amazed myself that the credit stayed on my account for a whole week before I used it!

[crocos]

I found myself with a yearning for some decent Rosé this evening, following the fleeting appearance of that fabled orange thing in the sky here this afternoon.

So … a root around in the wine fridge to find one of these new favourites of mine that I knew was definitely hiding in there somewhere - a 2021 Château Bellini Coteaux Varois en Provence.

This, to borrow from a certain Ozzie rock band, is a whole lot of Rosé in my book - more guts & oomph than your standard Provence Rosé [much though I enjoy those too], with singing fruit, late summer herbs & some lovely orange peel / onion skin bitterness to deliver a real depth of taste and enjoyment while remaining very fresh & cool with it - absolutely delicious stuff :~}

Enjoyed with some simple sausages & jerseys, but I can’t help but think its robustness & depth means this would rock the house alongside a decent BBQ. Not long to go now …

[Antony-FB0B5]

Jean-Marc Burgaud Régnié 2020

Classy stuff from Jean-Marc as usual. Nose is sweet fruited but complex, violets and a hint of that carbonic-y strawberry you find in Beaujolais. On the palate it’s texturally lightweight but with full crunchy fruit and a slightly spicy finish. It has a moreish sweetness of fruit on the finish (which I also noticed in his Morgon Charmes) that just keeps you coming back for more.

Benefited from an hour in the decanter. As I’ve found with his wines before this really brings out the purity of the fruit and softens the palate slightly.

[Luke_275]

This here for us tonight. A lovely Spätburgunder from Fürst. Very pure bright nose, starting with over ripe strawberries and developing some spice notes and raspberries with air. High acidty, very minimal tannins and a long finish. Excellent.

[robertd]

@crocos

alongside a decent BBQ. Not long to go now …

I admire your optimism! I cycled to work yesterday morning thinking that as it was such a lovely spring day, there was no need to pack waterproof trousers. Big mistake…

Hope you get well soon, @Inbar.

Making the most of the wild garlic season, this evening I cooked scallops, prawns and crispy chilli tofu, with kai lan and a wild garlic and ginger sauce. We drank Moritz Prado, Nous Sommes Libres, Schiste, 2021.

It doesn’t actually say 2021 on the bottle, as it’s made as Vin de France. Nor does it say the grape varieties, which are riesling and sylvaner, from what Angela Prado told us were somewhat neglected rows of vines at the edge of the vineyard near the forest, which the previous owner had found hard to work. It’s on the “natural” end of the spectrum, with quite a hit of bruised apple orchardiness, and quite cloudy, especially by the end of the bottle. But it’s got a lovely tannic grip from 8 months on the skins in sandstone amphorae, and the balance of acid and fruit is really poised. Just right with the food.

Have a good weekend!

[m4rk]

Chateau Monrepos Monbazillac 1990 . 33 year old Monbazillac… wine or vinegar? Drinking window in the distant past, unknown provenance and a saturated cork (which actually came out cleanly). But, well into the neck. Wonderful deep gold, pic doesn’t quite capture it. Nose is a touch muted, with toffee, only a touch of oxidation, and a slightly herbal note. The sweetness is just about clinging on to balance the acid - it bites slightly. Finish fades quite quickly. Quite good, I think this has held up extremely well considering it was never a great wine in the first place, never mind get to this age. But, a fun time capsule.

Edit- unfortunately it did descend into being undrinkable and gave me an instant headache. Good while it lived.

[crocos]

@robertd

I admire your optimism! I cycled to work yesterday morning thinking that as it was such a lovely spring day, there was no need to pack waterproof trousers. Big mistake…

Optimism, and limitless quantities of it, is a core requirement of life in this country

[Paul1]

2009 Haut Batailley.

Decanted an hour in advance.

Fairly deep ruby, showing some maturity on the rim, but still a lot further to go.
Rich blackcurrant on opening, but then calmed down to classic earth cedar and dark fruit nose.
In the mouth clearly the product of a warm vintage. Sweet fruit, tannin still present, acidity juicy though. Pleasingly no sign of over ripeness or dried fruit notes.
For those who like a voluptuous style of bordeaux, but very enjoyable in that style. **** and probably a good decade ahead of it.

[adbdorset]

Friday fish night with some big plaice fillets….very tasty and complemented by an excellent Chablis….still fresh and quite sharp.

[wine.arbitrageur]

A more ripe and fruit forward version of barbera than I’m used to. It’s very good, although minimal secondary/tertiary effects present that I think will elevate this.

The nose is singing though a great example of a non native grape doing well.

A reflective glass after chatting with the neighbours and dealing with their big C.

Good health/Iechyd Da!

[PHarvey]

Yesterday; Friday, we visited Torralbenc winery with attached hotel - restaurant in southern Menorca near Cala en Porter, a km from the coast. after a tour and tasting posted on this thread https://community.thewinesociety.com/t/what-are-you-going-to-do-today/9398/6116 we stayed for lunch, our one up-market treat during our stay here.

We had Mahon clams, and shared a lobster dish done three-ways, the fish was locally caught at Mahon, it being an iconic (and expensive ) product.

The dish comprised a lobster raviolo in bisque, a half lobster in local-inspired sauce, and a brioche, fried egg, white tail flesh and caviar. All quite delicious of course, and to go with, the winery’s white label.