Chateau Gruard Larose 1983: Supreme elegance

Perfect claret

 In a small wine shop hidden away in the UK countryside, I found a few bottles of Chateau Gruard Larose 1983 in their cellar.

For some reason the purchase price was less than £50 a bottle.

Having opened, decanted and drunk a bottle on Saturday with the good lady, I can tell you it's a genuine gem.

I wasn't sure if I should decant it, and found tasting it upon opening left me none the wiser.

In the end I did, using an aerator (overkill I think).

It must have changed four or five times in the glass over a few hours.

Upon first taste, I picked up a little acid, and some cedar notes, perhaps some tobacco, within this wonderfully balanced wine.

It tasted to me like a first or second growth mature aged claret should, with those classic St Julien notes. The finish was about ninety seconds.

After just a few minutes, it turned much much sharper and acid.

At that point I began to feel I had screwed up quite badly, and had ruined the wine.

Luckily, after another fifteen minutes or so it changed again, softening and began opening up with floral aromas, becoming almost quite a light and elegant wine.

Then it changed again, the aged nuances came back and all the best elements combined and the balance came through.

I've not experienced anything quite like all that before. But perhaps I was not paying sufficient attention.

After three hours in the decanter it was in its prime, and didn't then last long.

The nose came back out, the age was present but with plenty of fruit and the finish was shorter but sublime.

I don't normally write this many notes but given the experience, why not.

The wine scores about 92/100 from many critics. More on it and where to get some is here.

I will be treasuring my last two bottles of this, and likely buying more when I can.

A visit to Château d'Yquem, king of wines

You can just stand and admire...

 According to my learned friends who know wine, unlike me, Château d'Yquem is the world's best wine.

I'm not sure who decided that, and I am sure there are some who would disagree. 

I wouldn't know, as I haven't tasted its best. 

On a recent trip to Bordeaux I was lucky enough to pay the place a visit.

Despite the somewhat gloomy October weather, which ruined the harvest to the point that for the first time in 20 years, Château d'Yquem will make no wine from the 2012 harvest, the place still takes your breath away. Like Chateau Margaux and Pichon Baron, it simply does not look real.

A fairytale setting. We arrived during part of the harvest, which you can see below being brought in.

Stunning, even in October's gloom

 We tasted a few grapes from the fields, without realising we might be some of the few that did in 2012.

We tasted the 2006, and I can't recall much about what it was like I'm afraid, and I hang my head in shame.

In my defence, a visit just before to Haut-Bailly had probably overwhelmed my humble palate.

I remember it was of course very very good, but I am told 2006 was not the best year for Sauternes, which is probably why freeloading visitors like us were given it. I'd have done the same.

This is not of course to cast aspersions on the excellent hospitality we were shown, merely to indicate that like Wayne in Wayne's world, we were unworthy (of the good stuff)

Here's a bit about it from Wikipedia, and a few more pictures are below:

"Fresh" from the fields

"The vineyard has 126 hectares (310 acres) in the Sauternes appellation, though only 100 hectares (250 acres) are in production at any time. Each year, vines from two to three hectares are grubbed up and left fallow for a year. Since grapes from newly planted vines are not worthy of the chateau name for five to seven years, about 20 hectares are held in reserve each year. The vines consist of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon blanc, though the latter's vigour implies the proportions are more nearly equal in the final wine.

Harvesting is carefully timed, and on average six tries through the vineyard are undertaken each year to ensure that only the botrytized grapes are selected. The yield averages nine hectolitres per hectare (2.5 acres), compared to the usual twelve to twenty hectolitres per hectare in Sauternes. The grapes are pressed three times and transferred to oak barrels for maturation over a period of about three years.

On average, 65,000 bottles are produced each year. In a poor vintage, the entire crop is deemed unworthy of bearing the Château's name; this happened nine times in the 20th century: 1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1952, 1964, 1972, 1974, and 1992 and in the 21st century one time: 2012."

Bringing in the harvest

Good, I think

It keeps for centuries, apparently

No fatuous caption needed

2001 Rieussec, Sauternes: "Monumental"

Holding a not very good degree in English Literature, I thought I knew something about flowery, verbose descriptions.

That was until I discovered wine critics, retailers and decent plonk.

Wordsworth at his worst has nothing on the wine industry.

But sometimes that's justified, almost.

So it may prove with Rieussec 2001 from Sauternes. I'm not a huge fan of sweet wines.

Give me a Negroni anytime, or a Marsala, so I used to think. Even a decent port.

Yes I know they are aperativos, (Port excepted) but generally I'd rather drink them than most sweet wines.

Many are just, well, too sweet for me. I tried the Climens 2006 at New Year, and was largely disappointed.

But I've been lucky enough to try a few of the top Sauternes in the last year or so.

Climens 2001, which I attempted to write about here, is one of the greatest wines of all time.

Rieussec 2001, which scores between 95 and 100 points (see here) is also amazing.

Parker's Wine Advocate apparently says "A monumental effort, the 2001 Rieussec boasts a light to medium gold color in addition to a fabulous perfume of honeysuckle, smoky oak, caramelized tropical fruits, creme brulee, and Grand Marnier. The wine is massive and full-bodied yet neither over the top nor heavy because of good acidity. With intense botrytis as well as a 70-75-second finish, this amazing Sauternes will be its apogee between 2010-2035."

It's a truly wonderful drop. On balance I preferred the more subtle Climens. But that is perhaps splitting hairs.

It may also have been that my palate was somewhat affected by the all the Calon Segur we had tasted just before it, reviewed here in a recent vertical tasting. 

Lalande D'Auvion Medoc 2001: Mature claret at a bargain price

Aged claret at under £15, you can't argue...

Working today in deepest Suffolk, UK, I found a wonderful little wine shop, with the help of a friend.

The owner has some absolute gems on his shelves.

His shop is called Wattisfield Wines in a lovely village called Walsham Le Willows. 

One these gems is this Lalande D'Auvion Medoc 2001.

At £13 this is a steal.

Mature, aged claret that opened up beautifully after an hour.

Critics seem to score it in the late 80's. For value and taste, it's fabulous.

The reviews, as always, seem to pick up things that I could never taste. But I can tell you it's delicious. I can't swear that: "This tawny-hued wine is beginning to reveal secondary aromatics of smoky bacon, caramel, leather and earth"  but for under £15, it is superb.

The grapes are harvested mechanically, according to the research I've done. But for the price you can't expect them individually caressed by an experienced picker.

This is what I love about learning about wine. You can find hidden gems in the least expected places, such as Walsham Le Willows. Here's where you can buy it. For value, it's hard to beat.

Joseph Perrier 1990 (champagne)

What a champagne this is.

It's a real vintage find.

And at around £60-70 a bottle it's a steal for what it is.

Not your everyday quaffing champers for sure but as a special treat, Fine and Rare can secure a bottle easily, I am told.

I had it prior to the recent Calon Segur vertical 'tasting' I took part in during December.

Aged champagne is not an area I know much about but boy has Joseph Perrier 1990 aged well.

It's dry, I want to say nutty, not musty like a well ageing red but you can taste the age and see it in the darker colour.

Attempted descriptions aside, it's well worth sampling. Yum.

Wine Society Vacqueyras 2010: A bargain of 2012 under £10

This Wine Society Vacqueyras 2010 is definitely one of the buys of 2012.

It's not surprising that the society has sold out of the 2010.

At £9.99 a bottle it's one of the bargains of the last twelve months.

Their description of it's "power, boldness and rustic red-berry charm" is right on the money.

2010 was of course an outstanding year for most Rhone wines. I've not had a bad one yet, and have reviewed a few others. 

Given it now seems to be hard to get at the price, this wine is probably a decent alternative. I had a case of it last year and it's wonderfully balanced. Not for the faint-hearted though.

Wine Society Pauillac 2005: Bargain claret

This is excellent drinking claret from the non-profit UK Wine Society.

I tried it alongside Phelan Segur 2005 over Christmas dinner and it stood up very well.

It was big, smooth, and powerful. Very typical of the commune.

It's hard to find now on their website but the 2006 is likely also very good.

At around £20 per bottle it's excellent value.

I preferred the Phelan, but from a value perspective the Wine Society is hard to beat.

Chateau Phelan Segur 2005: Tasty but far too young

This wine is highly rated by some critics.

Depending on whom you read it's the best year for Phelan Segur since 1982 or 1990.

I decanted it for 15 hours before dinner and it did open up very nicely.

Apparently it's: "The finest Phelan-Segur since the 1990, the 2005 offers up scents of charcoal, creme de cassis, blueberries, and white flowers. With lovely fruit, abundant fat and richness, medium to full body, and moderately high but sweet tannin, it should drink well for 15 or more years. Score: 89-91 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (170), April 2007"

It didn't quite meet my expectations based on the above.

Don't get me wrong, it's a very very decent drop but too young to drink now.

This of course is true for most 2005's.

I couldn't quite pick up all of the above but one gets the sense that this wine could score 90+ in the next 5-10 years.

Worth buying for sure but best for laying down for some time to come.

Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Cote Du Py 2011: Lovely Claret alternative

This a lovely Beaujolais wine, made from Gamay grapes. It reminds me of the Tracot I reviewed on here a while ago.

As a lighter alternative to claret yet with some similar characteristics (complexity, minerality) it's a good after dinner drink, when one might nibble on some Stilton whilst watching Boxing Day television.

Berry Brother's review says: "It has a tight, dense nose, with a waft of rich fruit coming through behind. The texture is silky but strong, supported by good acidity. An excellent cuvée."

That seems fair. It's also got a decent 30 second slightly acid finish.

Berry's has it for under £19, whilst the Wine Society has it at £12.50 a bottle.

A good claret alternative.

Cantelys 1999: Bargain vintage Pessac

I'd seen mixed reviews of this wine and was undecided about buying it.

In the end I picked up a Magnum from FromVineYardsDirect.com for pre-Christmas drinking with the family.

Not a huge risk at around £45 for a magnum.

On opening I was distinctively unimpressed. But increasingly I'm learning not to judge a wine until its been open for several hours, preferably 24.

Upon opening this Pessac was closed, flat and unremarkable. There was no sign that its been 13 years in vat, barrel and bottle.

A day later however, and those classic Graves notes come out.

It's age begins to show itself, it opens up and the finish lengthens.

Good fruit, great peppery characteristics, it's got some personality about it, after 24 hours in a wide bottomed decanter.

By no means an extraordinary wine, for just over £20 a bottle equivalent, it's a decent entry level aged Pessac.

For a dinner party where you don't want to spend over £50, it's a decent bet.

Cantelys has been said to have hugely improved over the last decade, so it may well be worth checking out later vintages.