Lee and Sandeman Bordeaux 2007/8

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/2012. 13% ABV, £8.95. I am not mad on ‘cheap’ claret and generally, below £10 (or perhaps £20 in the case of red Bordeaux) I would rather opt for Chile. However, the reputation of this Old World-focussed London merchant (four stores in west and central London) and its excellent claret range plus some good reviews tempted me to try this. What a revelation! Well done, L&S. The wine is from a small Fronsac producer, apparently. It has all the characteristics of good Bordeaux – lovely blackcurrants on the nose, lots of juicy black fruits on the palate with plums, quite silky and well balanced with soft tannins. I suspect there’s a lot of Merlot in the blend. Don’t worry about the ’10 Year Rule’ – drink now. 16/20

Lee and Sandeman Bordeaux 2008

As above really. Firmer tannins, slightly more austere but opened up after being opened for a day (sic). From 2013. 15.5 / 20

Zeyssolff Reserve Particuliere Gewurztraminer AOC 2007

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/2012. From my Blog from 2011, my views haven’t really changed much: ‘13% ABV, n/a UK (private import only). ca. €12. Medium golden colour, beautiful full, slightly honeyed nose with pear drops and apricots. Long and complex. Excellent balance medium sweet, with citrusy notes and melon with a dry finish. A stellar wine from a stellar vintage in Alsace. Improved from last tasting one year ago. From 2011, 17.5 / 20’

Mâcon Villages Blanc 'Les Roches Blanches' Louis Jadot 2010

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/2012. 13% ABV. Cork closure. About £8.99 UK retail, widely available. A respectable Macon from the large by very well regarded Jadot stable. Ready to drink now, good apricots and oak on the nose, zesty chardonnay hit in the mouth. Shortish finish but a good value, easy drinking wine, showing that France can compete with the New World for value accessible wines. From 2012, 15.5/20

Lea and Sandeman White Burgundy 2011

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/12. This wine was universally liked by those that tried it. From my Blog:’13% ABV, cork closure. £12.95 from L&S (discount for a case price). My favourite independent wine merchant has had a lovely house claret for some time and now they say they have found a house white Burgundy worthy to sit alongside it. They've started with the well-regarded 2011 vintage and have sourced this wine from a highly reputable St. Verain producer. Pale straw colour. Little oak apparent.

Nose still a little closed but has classic chardonnay character - pears and a hint of apricot and no overpowering buttery oak of some New World styles. The palate is quite rich with zesty apples but with a refreshing acidity and a firm minerality on the finish. This is a wine that will come into its own in the next year. A little closed at the moment but still very nice indeed. From 2013, 16//20’

Montes Alpha Chardonnay DO

Tasted 20/08/12. Cork closure. Last tasted 12/04/11. 14% ABV, ca. £13 UK retail (e.g. Majestic). This is the last of the half case I had of this. Four years old now and needs to be drunk up. Still toffee apple and toasty oak on the nose, deep golden colour. Rich and buttery on the palate. Great balance with acid finish now fading. Fantastic vfm. 16.5 / 20. From 2011. Drinking window 2 -3 years, so the '09's and 10's should be drunk soon. I lovely wine from my favourite Chilean winery. Drinking it now with sea bream roasted with garlic and rosemary!

Jean-Claude Mas Languedoc 2011 AoP

Tasted 15/08/12, 14%, cork closure. £8 UK retail (e.g. Sainsburys Taste the Difference). This is a classic southern French blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvedre under the new regional appellation of Appellation d'Origine Protegee. The winemaker has a good pedigree and it shows - this is a lovely wine. Deep purple colour, nose of pimento, coffee and toasted spice. The tannins still have a firm grip but this is an elegant, well structured wine. Lots of juicy black fruit on the palate with coffee on the finish. Very enjoyable now, from 2013. 16/20

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Chateau Laurencon AoC Bordeaux Superior 2010

Tasted 09/08/12, 13.5%, cork closure. A good jobbing minor chateau claret, well worth its £8 (e.g. Co-Operative Group) and shows that at its best 'regional' or lesser France can compete in terms of VFM with New World varietals.
Bordeaux Superior can be (theoretically) better than AC Bordeaux but encompasses a massive range of quality.
This wine has a good claret character and is an (unquantified) blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from the stable of Mme Rouzet et Fils. 2010 was a good year and even this minor wine probably needs another 18 months. But, it is acessible now. Mid purple colour, no sign of age. Good cassis and bell peppers on the nose, red fruits on the palate. The tannins are firm and need to soften yet and the finish is a little wanting. But this is a good value food wine that makes a change from cheap New World 'fruit bombs' at this price point. It certainly has classic Bordeaux style. From 2013, 15.5 / 20

Bodegas Pirineos Somontano DO 2010

Tasted 5/8/12, 13.5% ABV, cork closure. About £9 UK retail (various). A very interesting wine from one of the best producers in this somewhat obscure but resurgent northern Spanish region in the Pyrenean foothills. This is a blend of local Moristel grapes with Garnacha (Grenache) and Syrah. Mid ruby colour, great nose of berry fruits, coffee and a hint of pimento. The palate is very dry and a little tannic but good cherry fruit comes through on a long-ish finish. Coffee notes at the end. Good value, needs another year. Great food wine for a Mediterranean style lunch. From 2013, 15.5/20

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LEA & SANDEMAN White Burgundy 2011

Tasted 4/7/11, 13% ABV, cork closure. £12.95 from L&S (discount for a case price). My favourite independent wine merchant has had a lovely house claret (see tasting notes) for some time and now they say they have found a house white Burgundy worthy to sit alongside it. They've started with the well regarded 2011 vintage and have sourced this wine from a highly reputable producer.
Pale straw colour. Little oak apparent. Nose still a little closed but has classic chardonnay character - pears and a hint of apricot and no overpowering buttery oak of some New World styles. The palate is quite rich with zesty apples but with a refreshing acidity and a firm minerality on the finish. This is a wine that will come into its own in the next year. A little closed at the moment but still very nice indeed. From 2013, 16//20

Fiano DOC 2010 (Sannio)

Tasted 01/08/12, 13.5% ABV, cork closure. About £8 from Marks and Spencer. An interesting, extensively planted but lesser known Italian varietal, this one grown in Benevento in the Naples region.
Light golden colour. Unoaked. Pears and apples on the nose, and on the palate the a refreshing grip and minerality reminiscent of a petit Chablis. Zesty finish. Well made and a great food wine. From 2011, 16/20
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