Wine

[William the White]

Nice one, Will - rage against the machine.

The People's wine is deepest red...

[LeverEnd]

I'm liking Naked Wines too. Sounded a bit gimmicky when I first looked at it but works well and there's some good stuff to be had.
On the Arabella South African Cabernet right now, decent stuff. Not the best I've had from there but very nice.

[Montreal Wanderer]

On Saturday I will be making my annual order for Loire and Cote d'Or wines (two of my favourite areas). However, there are a couple in the Cote d'Or I am not familiar with and wondered if any TW oenophiles know more. I don't altogether trust the Wine Society write ups.

1. Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, AOC, Vignes Moingeon, 2012

The village of Saint-Aubin is tucked away behind
Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault and some of the
best wines from here have a certain Puligny-Montrachet
characteristic. Jérôme has 0.75ha in the Premier Cru
Vignes Moingeon. With good elevation and south eastern
exposure, the very chalky soil is known as “marne
blanche”. Intense aromas of vanilla, pineapple and toast
follow onto the palate with fine texture and great balance.
The wine was fermented in French Allier oak barrels
with a third new, and matured for 15 months on lees.
Appealing now, the oak and fruit will integrate further and
it will become rich and complex over the coming years.

2. Saint-Romain, AOC, La Combe Bazin, 2012

Saint-Romain is a small appellation, nestled in a side
valley behind Monthélie and Meursault, at 300 to 400
metres. The soils are marly limestone with intermittent
benches of clay. Jérôme farms 1.35ha of Chardonnay
at the lieu-dit La Combe Bazin and is planting a further
0.8ha this spring. The 2012 was fermented in barrel with
25% new Allier oak and has an intense vanilla custard
and tropical fruit nose. Matured on lees in barrel for 10
months, the palate has fresh fruits and great length.

I am fond of Meursault and Puligny-Monrachet, but being close by does not mean a lot.

Thanks.

[William the White]

I'm liking Naked Wines too. Sounded a bit gimmicky when I first looked at it but works well and there's some good stuff to be had.
On the Arabella South African Cabernet right now, decent stuff. Not the best I've had from there but very nice.

Yeah - I think 'decent' is a good description of the Arabella range... I don't think I'll order again, rather see if they dug out some good stuff I haven't tried...

[Bruce Rioja]

I'm liking Naked Wines too. Sounded a bit gimmicky when I first looked at it but works well and there's some good stuff to be had.
On the Arabella South African Cabernet right now, decent stuff. Not the best I've had from there but very nice.

Yeah - I think 'decent' is a good description of the Arabella range... I don't think I'll order again, rather see if they dug out some good stuff I haven't tried...

My thoughts exactly, chaps.

[William the White]

On Saturday I will be making my annual order for Loire and Cote d'Or wines (two of my favourite areas). However, there are a couple in the Cote d'Or I am not familiar with and wondered if any TW oenophiles know more. I don't altogether trust the Wine Society write ups.

1. Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, AOC, Vignes Moingeon, 2012

The village of Saint-Aubin is tucked away behind
Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault and some of the
best wines from here have a certain Puligny-Montrachet
characteristic. Jérôme has 0.75ha in the Premier Cru
Vignes Moingeon. With good elevation and south eastern
exposure, the very chalky soil is known as “marne
blanche”. Intense aromas of vanilla, pineapple and toast
follow onto the palate with fine texture and great balance.
The wine was fermented in French Allier oak barrels
with a third new, and matured for 15 months on lees.
Appealing now, the oak and fruit will integrate further and
it will become rich and complex over the coming years.

2. Saint-Romain, AOC, La Combe Bazin, 2012

Saint-Romain is a small appellation, nestled in a side
valley behind Monthélie and Meursault, at 300 to 400
metres. The soils are marly limestone with intermittent
benches of clay. Jérôme farms 1.35ha of Chardonnay
at the lieu-dit La Combe Bazin and is planting a further
0.8ha this spring. The 2012 was fermented in barrel with
25% new Allier oak and has an intense vanilla custard
and tropical fruit nose. Matured on lees in barrel for 10
months, the palate has fresh fruits and great length.

I am fond of Meursault and Puligny-Monrachet, but being close by does not mean a lot.

Thanks.

I've got a great idea, send me a bottle of each and I'll give you detailed feedback...

I'm that kind of guy, do anything for a fellow Trot...

Actually, the words 'vanilla' and 'new oak' ring little 'maybe not' bells in my head...

This is obviously a job for the Lord - I'd send him a pm if I were you...

[Montreal Wanderer]

Thanks, Will.

Come to Montreal and I'll share a bottle but I daren't risk a bottle in Canada Post (they have a special package smashing department). Actually if I order Saturday it takes 6-9 months to come.

[Lord Kangana]

2012 is supposedly a shite year in France. Be wary. As always, good producers can usually turn a silk purse from a sow's ear, but buy with extreme caution. And I can tell you now that 2013 will be worse, so far. The weather has been as atrocious in France as it has been over here.

2011 might bring a few surprises, and bargains. When I was there in October of that year, just after harvest, several producers said it would be a very good year, particularly in the south of the country. It seems that this isn't being trumpeted so much now, my opinion being that there is general embarrassment at declaring three exceptional vintages in a row (09, 10, 11). Expect to pick it up in a few years at prices well above what they are now as it is "discovered" that it is a great vintage.

[Lord Kangana]

Anyway, Monty, if you give us a few ticks, I'll repost your info on a forum that has a good knowledge of Burgundy, see what they come up with.

[Montreal Wanderer]

2012 is supposedly a shite year in France. Be wary. As always, good producers can usually turn a silk purse from a sow's ear, but buy with extreme caution. And I can tell you now that 2013 will be worse, so far. The weather has been as atrocious in France as it has been over here.

2011 might bring a few surprises, and bargains. When I was there in October of that year, just after harvest, several producers said it would be a very good year, particularly in the south of the country. It seems that this isn't being trumpeted so much now, my opinion being that there is general embarrassment at declaring three exceptional vintages in a row (09, 10, 11). Expect to pick it up in a few years at prices well above what they are now as it is "discovered" that it is a great vintage.

I've already drunk most of the 2011 ....

[LeverEnd]

I'm drinking some cheap shite my Mum won in a raffle (she doesn't like red).

[Lord Kangana]

Sorry Monty, it would appear so far we've drawn a blank. The nearest data for the first bottle is 2011, for the second its 2010. But there appears to be very little ownership of either where I asked. As I say, in general, 2012 is a buy with caution vintage in France.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Sorry Monty, it would appear so far we've drawn a blank. The nearest data for the first bottle is 2011, for the second its 2010. But there appears to be very little ownership of either where I asked. As I say, in general, 2012 is a buy with caution vintage in France.

Thanks anyway. I'm sure the Pouilly Fumé and Sancere will be okay, and what can go wrong with Cremant de Loire. I'll ponder those Burgundies further.

[bobo the clown]

I'm drinking some cheap shite my Mum won in a raffle (she doesn't like red).

Brilliant LL ... bringing a much needed extra class to the debate. Will .... don't forget your roots man.

More seriously, I took the plunge and became a Naked Wine angel' and took delivery of my first box this week. I will work my way through it, but a decent amount of Malbec is a good start.

We have a very good wine specialist in the village where I live and I do like to do my bit to help him keep going but I'm happy to diversify.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I'm not a wine drinker. I drink beer. If forced to I'll have the ocassional red when there is no beer, I mean I even prefer lager to wine. The one exception is Champagne. I like Champagne and will drink it freely. It was recently my pearl wedding anniversary and I asked a few friends what they thought a good treat would be as I had no good ideas (I think I even asked on here - and somebody said go pearl fishing in the Maldives). anyway I have a friend who lives in France and he suggested I get a special bottle of champagne to celebrate, which I thought was a good idea. I've got no idea what a 'special' champagne is so I left it up to him to find one, which he has. It arrived with him on the ferry today. I shall chill it this afternoon and prepare to polish it off later with the missus. I don't know half of what this means but it is a magnum of *deep breath* Brut Zero, Blanc de Noir, grand cru, 1995, RM, PC, Egly-Ouriet by Anselm Selosse. You wouldn't believe how much it cost. I'll let you know if it was worth it.

[bobo the clown]

I've never really 'got it' with champagne ... probably my loss, certainly no one else's. However ... just for info and because it amused me .... Sainsburys (I know) stock in their Premier stores (only a dozen or so at the moment) a Krug priced around £120 a go. Currently on a serious promo at £59 .... barely the price of an MOT certificate.

Still, little interest to me but for those who can't resist, one of the'premier' stores ... having been recently opened and it being fckg HUGE I guess .... is in Leigh !!!
!
Off you pop then.

(I suspect that it may be on the shelves there a little longer than in some of the other stores)

[Lord Kangana]

Thats reasonably priced for a Krug Bobo.

I remember once a lady (you'll know the sort) who felt fit to admonish me on "not really being that arsed about" champagne, as it was "all she drank". Indeed, Krug, no less, tastes, apparently, "like silk"*. When challenged on the obvious flaws in the taste of silk, and perhaps to ask her to expand a little further in the hope that such an expensive champagne couldn't be so mono-characteristic, she just harrumphed at me.

Little known fact, Champagne makers have more freedom to adulterate their product (legally) than just about any apellation in France (indeed, i believe, Europe). Which, despite me shelling out now and then on the stuff, leaves me a little cold when I imagine the harvest-time chat in the cellars..

"Benoit, zees tastes like crap, how can we sell it for a kings ransom?"

"Mais, Jean-Francois, just bung a bucketful of sucre in there and some shipped in grape juice, et voila! Fine Champagne!"

"Magnifique! Ker-ching!"

And by the way, '95 was supposedly a very good year in Champagne.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

a Krug priced around £120 a go. Currently on a serious promo at £59 .... barely the price of an MOT certificate.

That'll be the cheap end of the market then, mere tat. I told you you wouldn't believe how much it cost. Tell you the truth neither does my credit card - it's crying...

And by the way, '95 was supposedly a very good year in Champagne.

Aye, that's what my mate says. We'll find out. So long as it doesn't taste like denim or any other fabric for that matter, the effect it'll have on my missus (I think she's resigned herself to the fact I've forgotten about a treat for the anniversay) should be worth every penny!

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Go on - how much?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Go on - how much?

well put it this way: you wouldn't get change from a three hundred and seventy five pound note (and my mate got it discounted).