[Houdini]

Had a bunch of wines this Xmas - I'm almost wined-out - but I persist, regardless.

I'd meant to photograph the empties as pics rule, but drunkenly overlooked that ... thing ...


Top of the pile in pure pleasure was a 100% carignan, an organic wine if memory serves, the only one I could find (in Mövenpick) & had a taste in excess of the €13 I paid, big surprise.  Will buy again.

Bottom of the pile was a Barolo (not had the best of luck so far), a gift, pretty rubbish, dull and lifeless.  Should've cooked w/ it.  I meant to note the wine so as to ward you off, but ... um ...

Currently drinking: 

http://www.domainedepiaugier.com/en_index.htm



Gobsmacked to get such a big wine for fuck all (€8.50), redolent of big Douro reds (in terms of weight) syrah/grenache.  Keen to explore more.  Check the website out, nicely homemade, which I always take as a sign of quality.  Recommended.



Picked up some of this Rousillion, €30 something



Yet to sample, but my kind of wine ie: no merlot or C/Sauv  but grenache, mouvedre, carignan.  Hmmm, hoping the frau will forget we have this and it will still be here in a few months ... I will make an attempt to squirrel it away later.

And I've an odd wine that I don't really know why I bought (in an airport) I meant to drink this on a train home, but failed



Not my thing at all really.  Don't have much luck w/ claret ...  it's too dry.



There's been the odd Douro and Rhone too, but mostly that's what I've been drinking this Xmas.






 

[Houdini]

http://www.domainedepiaugier.com/fiches_tech/tenebi.htm

The Tenebi sounds badass:  100% Counoise.  Never heard of such a grape.  Has anyone sampled such a wine as this?

[Houdini]

RE:   Counoise

http://manageyourcellar.blogspot.com/2006/03/wbw-19-true-taste-of-counoise.html

[soapy]

happy new year houd x

some interesting comments ref your pedesclaux

[Sloper]

BraideAlte Livon '03 (not tried this before but it comes highly recommended at at £30 ish it should be nice)

Rocche dei manzoni Barolo '96 and / or a Corton 03.

Suiddurat 04

Well we went with the Barolo and mighty fine it was too, the Livon was however quite simply the finest white wine I've ever tasted.  An expression of excellence and if you're feeling like a bottle for a very special occasion, f--k the overpriced pop you get fleeced for in the £30 range and get down to Non Solo Vino in Chesterfield for some of this.

Note, declaration of interest they do keep chucking me the odd gift voucher, but honestly this wine really was something else.

[Houdini]

http://www.domainedepiaugier.com/fiches_tech/tenebi.htm

This wine is no longer in production having stopped in 06.  The German importer had a case or so knocking around some dusty corner some years ago, but alas it's now gone 


Recommendations for interesting or unusual single grape wines, please.

Found a (mostly) tannat wine today,



I was taken in by the colourful label (sorry slopes, no gold leaf ...)

[Sloper]

There are some wonderful Madirans, Domaine du Tempeir Bandol is also well worth seeking out, although I would suggest it needs 5 years to start to open up

[Houdini]

That Madiran above is dire and deep down - I knew it would be - I wanted to persuade myself I was wrong about merlot (it's 1/3 merlot*) and I'm not wrong!  It's rounds-out most of what it touches.



It's apparently sold as in "introduction to Tannat" - hence the blend.  Unconvinced.

I'm thinking this is the kind of red wine normally drunk by women who favour sparkling wines; needy;  damaged goods;  US soap-loving women who think Jennifer Aniston is fit. 

I need Yoss to throw some light on the kind of women who drink merlot.

[Yossarian]

I can't think of any exclusive Merlot drinkers, but I did once meet a nymphomanic Australian management consultant who considered a decent bottle of Graves as a pretty fair exchange for a night of reckless abandon and a pretty mean breakfast thrown in too.

but as i recall graves tends towards a majority of cab sauv, with somewhat less merlot and cab franc, so that's actually not particularly helpful...

I'm having a dry month, but I was going mad for Alsace in December.  Bruno Sorg is the man.  The grand cru rieslings are worth trying. His gewurztraminer has the most amazing nose, but it promises a bit more than the finish can deliver...

[k2ted]

Don't often post but thought Sainsbury's taste the difference 'Amarone', deserved a mention. No expert on wines but definately nice tipple for £14.99.

Also tried the Tesco 'Barolo'. One to avoid, for me anyway...

[Houdini]

Loving this at the moment, the first Greek wine I've tried.    http://www.tsantali.gr/



Bloody lovely, syrah and something called mavroudi.  Try it if you can find it.

[Sloper]

Have you tried any Lebanese wine? Musar is, in my recent experience over priced and sub standard Clos De Cana is however a rare beauty at a reasonable price.  I think the last I had was the 2002 which at about £12 a bottle was very reasonable.

http://www.closdecana.com/

[Houdini]

I made a mental note to try some N African while working Summer 08 in Brum ... Alas the job ended before I got round to that part of the shop.  Not seen any since.  I recall the price being around 18 or 20 sterling.

I was asking about Croatian today, no joy.  Hungarian is on for next week though.

The clos de cana sounds nice, I like this phrase best from that wonderful eyesore of a site:  It is ready for immediate tasty consumption.

[Houdini]

Speaking of Greek, has anyone drunk Cypriot wines?    I'd like to holiday there soon, preferably in a gite on a vinyard.  I think w/ a child in tow this may be difficult (flights etc..). 

Wouldn't be so bad to settle for France, Domaine de Piaugier (see previous post ^) advertises gite on their site, dare say they're common features of most small estates?  Has anyone toured wine areas, w/ wine and not climbing in mind? 

(Soaps:  I gifted the Paulliac to the father-in-law, his cellar is colder & it didn't seem for me)

[soapy]

needy;  damaged goods;  US soap loving women who think Jennifer Aniston is fit.

...just what are you implying?!?!?

..anyway..remember a few years ago when tesco's larger stores had their stab at fine wine? then withdrew it due to poor sales (they didn't read their core market of £3 south east australian volume drinkers)

well, they must be having a bit of a stock take and clear out, picked up:

chapoutier gigondas 05 (reasonable vintage)

philippe le hardi saint aubin 06 (summer quaffing)

ormond chardonnay 04 (ditto)

cote de lechet chablis 01 (bit past it, but as above)

all pleasantly marked down, amongst the dented tins and damaged christmas goods..

[Sloper]

Which tesco as I found that the only one with the suduirat at £11 per half was the one in glossop and if I'm going to rummage in the discount bins with the proles I want something worth my effort.

How much was the Rhone & Burgundy?

Ps try the livon, it really is very special

[soapy]

banbury

you'd need to search out an extra store, chesterfield, barnsley, stockport?

..*rummages for receipt..

chapoutier gigondas 05 (reasonable vintage) - £10.38

philippe le hardi saint aubin 06 (summer quaffing) - £8.47

ormond chardonnay 04 (ditto) - £6.06

cote de lechet chablis 01 (bit past it, but as above) - £11.82


ref. livon; yes i must contact non solo vino

[Sloper]

Shame I no longer live near banbury, I really mean it, no I really do. 

[Sloper]

Got a delivery in today including some 2003 Montus Madiran which is a whopping 15.5%  One for next winter probably with slow cooked venison.

[Houdini]

Persisting w/ the 100% Tannat myself, this time from Uruguay.  Pretty sure I was undercharged by a half-cut shopling; but around €12.


Pisano Rio de Los Pajaros reserve 08.   Not sure what to make of it, or the grape.  Described as yet another "introduction to tannat".  Well, I'm through w/ introductions and would prefer to progress swiftly to something more intimate 


Oh, and what's the deal w/ Barbaresco?  Is it worth trying the "introductions" around the €10-13 or does anyone have anything specific to recommend? 

And one more thing:  old whites.  What's the general on timeframe of drinkage?  I've a 10 year old Portugese white lined up for lunch tomorrow.  The F-in-Law hoardes wines regardless of type and I thought a decade fairly pointless.

[GraemeA]

And one more thing:  old whites.  What's the general on timeframe of drinkage?  I've a 10 year old Portugese white lined up for lunch tomorrow.  The F-in-Law hoardes wines regardless of type and I thought a decade fairly pointless.

Look at the vintage charts
http://www.thewinesociety.com/Shop/VintageGuides.aspx
or
http://www.bbr.com/vintage-chart

The general rule is that dessert wines and specific things like white Hermitage or expensive white Burgundy lasts for ages but most whites don't

[shark]

Anybody else bought the half-price Marlborough 'Crux' at Morrisons on etymological grounds - you know because of the name -. 'Crux'. Thought not.

[Yossarian]

Oh, and what's the deal w/ Barbaresco?  Is it worth trying the "introductions" around the €10-13 or does anyone have anything specific to recommend? 

Angelo Gaja...

[Houdini]

This is what I think of the Gaja recommendation



I want something to drink, not invest in ... 

[hairich]

that has to be a mapplethorpe.i am getting into port at the mo any advice