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Seriously 7.30pm and no thread! What’s going on.
Happy Friday everyone. I’m not a big white wine drinker but this is yummy!
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https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/lirac-blanc-comtesse-madeleine-chateau-de-montfaucon-2017
I’m having this with a chicken and ham hock pie. Lovely nutty richness.
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A drop of this here. No. 2 of 6. Splendid wine for the price. Perfect match of the autumn that seems to be racing in…
https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/costieres-de-nimes-la-ciboise-chapoutier-2020
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On the subject of Chapoutier and Rhône… this St Péray las a lovely clean and fresh nose, peaches, apricots, some honey - lovely richness; Good balance of acidity and the roundness of the fruit, slight zesty bitterness on the finish, which lasts well; I think this is a good example of what you’d expect of a northern white Rhone, not heavy like some can be.
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To keep the Chapoutier theme, my choice for tonight was…
https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/crozes-hermitage-meysonniers-chapoutier-2013
This is very approachable. The body a bit lighter than what I expected but overall a pleasure to drink. Me and my other half finished the whole bottle over a platter of cheeses, charcuterie and cornichons. Recommended.
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With tapas, after a hard day…
It took some persuading from me, a small potted history of LdH and a couple of trial sips, that all rosé isn’t the same, but we’re there now. 
Plenty of concentration - so far it is growing in stature the more air it receives. Also texturally very impressive. About 5 minutes after opening, I felt at around £30 (am I remembering correctly?) It was a little overpriced. I’m not sure after 45 minutes I hold the same view. Certia ly not your run of the mill rosé!
And later, we’ll be having this…
Which I’m sure need no introduction to many members on here
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To kick things off here this weekend…
…a Hochheimer ‘Mainterrassen’ Riesling Trocken 2020 from Weingut Kunstler.
A fair bit of dissolved CO2 spritz on opening which slowly dissipated with air. Lemon and lime citrus, ripe orchard fruits, and a distinctively earthy, stony minerality on the nose and palate. Invigoratingly fresh but with rounded and balanced flavours and some length on the finish. It was a good companion to my simple, but tasty, griddled mackerel and asparagus dinner too 
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I had a tooth out earlier today, so I’m off alcohol for 24 hours, and cooked something that requires little chewing - scallops, with shrimp and samphire risotto. We tried out a couple of kombuchas to accompany it - one apple, one passion fruit.
They do a pretty good job when you’re not drinking - I certainly preferred them to any low alcohol wine or even beer that I’ve tried. Dry and fruity, and an edge of something not quite orchardy.
I’m looking forward to some wine tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good weekend!
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@tom I do really like Clairette. If you’ve had the Clos Des Cazaux Vacqueyras how does this compare? It’s about the same price.
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Niepoort ‘drink me’ Baga. Only 11%, which is just as well as it’s a big chunky 1l bottle. Self-consciously ‘cool & funky’ (sic), it is rather delicious. Picked up at R&H Fine Wines whilst in Liverpool.
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Some of one of these for me this evening - bottle 4 of a 12-case of 2020 Château Juvenal Les Ribes du Vallat.
Majority clairette with a splash of viognier, this really is so good for the price IMO - light & easy, but tasty, detailed & long. Some citrus, light honey, a tiny whiff of aniseed, and lip-smacking delish :~}
I need to keep it careful this evening though, cos tomorrow is another football game for our boy and he’s captain tomorrow, with new football boots, a fancy captain’s armband and excitement at fever-pitch; so I fear he’s going to be hard work to get off to sleep tonight and may need me to accompany him. Either way, it’s an early start tomorrow our side. As a bit of a camel-style sleeper, I miss my Saturday morning sleep-ins, I must say. A price definitely worth paying though :~}
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They are different. This is richer and toastier. The Cazaux more zingy citrus but both have a nutty edge. I like them each!
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Even straight out of the fridge and too cold this has a wonderful complex nose. Citrus, green fruit, white fruit… there’s lots going on. After letting it warm up a bit this showed more minerality than fruit on the palate. Sometimes that makes it taste ‘classy’ at the expense of being enjoyable but this was dangerously quaffable. Drunk with duck cassoulet. Happy weekend all!
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Did you watch Mondovino? The late Hubert is a highlight of this documentary.
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A pleasing wine. Starting to drink well. Not at the start of it’s drinking window and far from the end. Good nose, leathery and rich. A good spine of acidity for future ageing but not austere. Some sweetness coming in. Bricking at the rim.
Off to Barcelona next week. Fingers crossed for some Spanish discoveries
Have a great weekend all!
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Really glad to hear this is holding up well. I got a duff bottle last time I had some and it was very much falling apart already.
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It happens and a worry if it’s one of a large case. Great to have the TWS promise
No! And I thought I’d seen all the wine documentaries. I’ll look out for it.
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