Sparkling 125ml
Prosecco £ 7.00
Jules Feraud Champagne, NV £ 9.00
White Wines 175ml
Ponte Pietre Trebbiano Garganega, Italy, 2010 £ 4.00
Calbuco Sémillon Chardonnay, Chile, 2009 £ 4.75
Borgo dei Vassalli Pinot Grigio, Italy, 2009 £ 7.00
Rose Wines
‘R’ Rosato, Alpha Zeta, Veneto, Italy, 2010 £ 4.50
Red Wines
Ponte Pietre Merlot Corvina, Italy, 2010 £ 4.00
Alpha Zeta ‘V’ Valpolicella, Italy, 2009 £ 5.00
Altos Las Hormigas Mendoza Malbec, Argentina, 2009 £ 7.00
Wines of the Month
In order to tempt our clients to discover some of our more unusual wines, Age & Sons offers one white and one red wine each month at a reduced price.
This month we are offering:
16. Vina Izadi Rioja Blanco, Spain, 2008 £23.00
This is great stuff. 80% Viura and 20% Malvasia fermented in new American oak. Whereas old style white Rioja was often dull and faulty wine, this is crisp and lively. It has a fascinating nose and real regional character. 13%
19. Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne, France, 2009 £26.00
Well-made stylish red Burgundy from an accomplished viniculteur, Grégory Patriat. 13%
The Wine List
Introduction 3
The Fast List 4
Champagne and Sparkling wines 6
Crisp white blends 7
Sauvignons & Chenin Blancs 8
Riesling & other aromatics 9
Chardonnays 10
Rosés 11
Dessert wines 11
Reds
The Rhone the Loire and the South 12
Spain 13
The Italians 13
The New World 14
Claret 15
Burgundy 16
Soft drinks, beer, cocktails & spirits 17
Introduction
The wines on our list have all been chosen to reflect our belief in modern wine making. We believe that the best wine makers all seek to achieve three things – Express the terroir of the places where they work, deliver the flavours of the fermented fruit cleanly, without faults or excessive manipulation, and show vibrancy.
We are proud of all the wines on our list and there is not one that we do not enjoy drinking ourselves. We have added notes on each of our wines to assist in your choice – these are intended to be descriptive and to add to your enjoyment.
We will be delighted to decant any wine if you wish. In a couple of places we have pointed out that some wines seem to us to be at a stage where they will benefit from this, either from the extra aeration or to take the wine off the sediment, but this is entirely a question of taste.
The Fast List See later pages for full tasting notes
Champagne & Sparkling Wine Half Bottle Page
Ca’ Morlin Prosecco, NV £25.00 6
Jules Feraud Champagne, NV £21.00 £40.00 6
Jules Feraud Champagne Rose, NV £49.00 6
Heidsieck & Co, Monopole Brut £60.00 6
Veuve Cliquot Brut, NV £65.00 6
Bollinger N.V. Brut £70.00 6
Dom Peringon vintage 2002 £160.00 6
White Wine Bottle Page
1. Ponte Pietre Trebbiano Garganega, Italy, 2010 £15.00 7
2. l’Église Vermentino, France, 2010 £17.00 9
3. Calbuco Sémillon Chardonnay, Chile, 2009 £18.50 7
7. Sangoma Chenin Blanc, SA, 2011 £19.00 8
4. Domaine De Saint-Lannes, France, 2010 £19.50 7
31. Mainart Sauvignon Blanc, France, 2009 £21.50 8
32. Mainart Chardonnay, France, 2009 £21.50 10
6. Borgodei Vassalli Pinot Grigio, Italy, 2009 £26.50 9
11.Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc, NZ, 2010 £27.00 8
15. Omrah Chardonnay, Western Australia, 2009 £27.00 10
14. Plantagenet Great Southern Riesling, Western Australia, 2009 £28.00 9
6. Triennes, Les Aureliens, France, 2009 £29.00 9
10. Martin Codax Albariňo, Galicia, Spain, 2010 £31.00 9
16. Vina Izadi Rioja Blanco, Spain, 2008 £31.00 7
13. Cave de Hunawihr Gewurztraminer Reserve, Alsace, 2008 £31.00 9
19. La Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi, Italy, 2009 £34.00 9
17. Domaine Bernard Moreau Bourgogne Blanc, France, 2008 £37.00 10
21. Riesling Domaine Kientzler, Alsace, 2009 £37.00 9
20. Domaine Corinne Perchaud Chablis, France, 2008 £38.00 10
18. Domaine Sautereau Sancerre, France, 2009 £39.00 8
8. Anjou Clos des Rouliers, France, 2006 £45.00 8
27. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, NZ, 2009 £56.00 8
22. Geoffrey Grosset Picadilly Chardonnay, Australia, 2006 £56.00 10
23. Bernard Moreau St Aubin 1er Cru sur Gamay, France, 2007 £58.00 10
26. Riesling Domaine Geisberg Grand Cru AC, Alsace, 2004 £59.00 9
27. Montlouis Singulier, France, 2007 £60.00 8
24. Chassagne Montrachet, Bernard Moreau, 2009 £60.00 10
25. Jean-Claude Boisset Meursault Le Limozin, France, 2006 £69.00 10
The Fast List See later pages for full tasting notes
Rose Wine Bottle Page
‘R’ Rosato, Alpha Zeta, Veneto, Italy, 2010 £16.50 11
Cuvée Isidora Vin de Pays, France, 2009 £21.50 11
Sancerre Rosé, Domaine Sautereau, Loire Valley, France, 2009 £39.00 11
Red Wine Bottle Page
1. Ponte Pietre Merlot Corvina, Italy, 2010 £15.00 13
14. l’Église Grenache Merlot, France, 2010 £17.00 12
2. Sequiot La Font de la Figuera DO, Spain, 2009 £19.00 13
3. Alpha Zeta ‘V’ Valpolicella, Italy, 2010 £19.50 13
6. Château La Tour de Beraud, Costières de Nîmes, France, 2009 £23.00 12
7. A Mano Primitivo di Puglia, Amano, Italy, 2008 £23.50 13
4. Domaine Les Tours de Montmelas, Beaujolais, France, 2008 £25.00 16
40. Cuvée Ferdinand, VDP Coteaux de l’Ardèche, France, 2007 £25.00 12
13. La Roubine Sablet, Cotes du Rhone, France, 2008 £25.50 12
5. Altos Las Hormigas Mendoza Malbec, Argentina, 2009 £26.00 14
8. Les Terrasses Château Pesquié, Cotes du Rhone, France, 2008 £26.50 12
9. Willunga 100 Cabernet Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2009 £27.00 14
12. Pinotage, Fairview, Paarl, SA, 2009 £28.00 14
11. Chateau Mahon-Laville Jean-Christophe Barbe, France, 2008 £31.00 15
16. Omrah Pinot Noir, Australia, 2009 £31.50 14
15. Izadi Crianza Rioja, Spain, 2006 £32.00 13
18. Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rufina, Italy, 2008 £33.50 13
19. Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne, France, 2009 £37.00 16
24. Beaune 1er Cru Sizies Domaine Jean Guiton, France, 2007 £39.00 16
36. Chateau Senejac Cru Bourgeois Haut Medoc, France 2002 £45.00 15
21. Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Cotes du Rhone, France, 2006 £45.00 12
22. Saint Joseph Le Grand Pompée, Aine, Rhone, France, 2007 £46.00 12
20. Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel, USA, 2007 £50.00 14
27. Nuits St Georges Aurelien Verdet, France, 2004 £52.00 16
28. Volnay ‘Les Petits Poisots’ Domaine Guiton, France, 2004 £55.00 16
32. Nuits St Georges Domaine Gouges, France, 2004 £63.00 16
31. Chambolle Musigny Jean-Claude Boisset, France, 2006 £65.00 16
37. Chateau Cantemerle 5rd Cru Haut Medoc, France, 1998 £65.00 15
30. Barolo Massolino, Italy, 2005 £65.00 13
33. Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Allegrini , Italy, 2007 £85.00 13
34. Vosne-Romanée Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg, France, 2002 £80.00 16
38. Chateau D’ Issan, 3rd Cru Margaux 1999 £80.00 15
35. Domaine de Chevalier Grand Cru de Graves, France, 1989 £130.00 15
39. Chateau Gruaud Larose 2nd Cru St Julien, France, 1982 £300.00 15 42. Penfold’s Grange, Australia, 1982 £400.00 14
Sparkling Wine and Champagne 175ml 375ml 750ml
Ca’ Morlin Prosecco £7.00 £25.00
Prosecco is the sparkling wine of choice in Venice. This is a high quality version, fresh, fruity but with the characteristic hints of almonds. 11%
Jules Feraud Champagne £9.00 £21.00 £40.00
Our house Champagne is powerful but elegant; strong bodied and dry yet well-balanced. 12%
Jules Feraud Champagne Rosé £49.00
Made in a robust fruity style, our house pink Champagne is very drinkable with soft acidity and attractive floral tones. 12%
Heidsieck& Co, Monopole Brut £60.00
An American tasting note on what was the official Champagne on the Titanic:
“Elegant and expressive, this delivers floral, pear and toffee flavors matched to a creamy texture. Beautifully integrated, this lingers nicely on the mineral finish. Drink now through 2011.” —
Bruce Sanderson, October 15, 2007, Wine Spectator 91 points. We think it drinks quite well too. 12%
Veuve Cliquot N.V Brut £65.00
Philippe Cliquot started this Grand Marque in 1772 and regularly exported to America, but La Veuve, who is responsible for all Champagne being referred to as The Widow, was his daughter-in-law Nicole Ponsardin. She built an enormous trade with Russia, where they liked it full-bodied and sweet. Today it is long and creamy with a delicious crisp acidity. Excellent on its own or with fish. 12%
Bollinger N.V. Brut £70.00
This is Champagne for the English palate: dominated by Pinot Noir. Long before Ab Fab made “Bolly” the cliché tipple of high fashion, the owner Madame Lily Bollinger was asked when she drank it. If none of these suits your mood you’d better order something else. 12%
“I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it, unless I’m thirsty.”
Dom Perignon vintage 2002 £160.00 Antonio Galloni – colleague to Robert Parker awarded it a 96 point rating. “…intensely floral, with perfumed jasmine that dominates the bouquet. With time in the glass the wine gains richness as the flavours turn decidedly riper and almost tropical. Ripe apricots, passion fruit and peaches merge from this flashy, opulent Dom Perignon…” March 2010. 12.5%
White Wine
Crisp White Blends
1. Ponte Pietre Trebbiano Garganega, Italy, 2010 £15.00 The house white is the most important wine on any list, and ours is delicious, made by New Zealand winemaker Matt Thompson, this wine from the Veneto in north-east Italy provides a little bit more weight. Crisp, fresh fruit and a zesty finish 12%
3. Calbuco Sémillon Chardonnay, Chile, 2009 £18.50 This is a blend of grapes grown classically in Bordeaux and Burgundy, which have both adapted to New World conditions. This version from Chile’s Central Valley shows a light lemon yellow colour with hints of ripe melon on the nose and a citrus tang to lift it on the finish. Excellent with fish or chicken. 13%
4. Domaine De Saint-Lannes, France 2010 £19.50
At Lagraulet, a small town in the Gers Departement, Michel Duffour makes this modern style Cote de Gascogne out of 80% Colombard with a bit of Ugni Blanc and Gros Manseng. A lovely herby nose with notes of melon, clean, pure flavours of citrus fruit on the palate and a pleasingly dry finish. 12%
16. Vina Izadi Rioja Blanco, Spain, 2008 £31.00
This is great stuff. 80% Viura and 20% Malvasia fermented in new American oak. Whereas old style white Rioja was often dull and faulty wine, this is crisp and lively. It has a fascinating nose and real regional character. 13%
Sauvignons and Dry White Bordeaux
31. Mainart Sauvignon Blanc, France, 2009 £21.50 This delicious 100% Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and lively on the nose with citrus and apple aromas on the nose and is crisp, fruity and well balanced on the palate. 13%
11. Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc, NZ, 2010 £27.00
This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is light lemon in colour, with youthful green lights and has lovely depth and intensity on the nose with hints of passion fruit and citrus. It has a characteristic Sauvignon pungency that is leavened by an attractive mineral character on both the nose and palate.13%
18. Domaine Sautereau Sancerre, France, 2009 £39.00
Classy Sauvignon Blanc from a 19 hectare estate at Crézancy-en-Sancerre that has been run by the same family for nine generations. David Sautereau is a modern winemaker and it shows in this crisp wine full of the gooseberries and complex long flavours that characterise the best versions of this wine – miles away from the modish mass-produced clichés that sometimes masquerade under the area name. 12.5%
27. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, NZ, 2009 £56.00
Its aromatics encapsulate a broad spectrum of varietal flavours; tropical fragrances of guava and mango to ripe lime/ citrus and sweet herbs. The palate also is juicy and voluminous, combining concentrated flavours with a mineral acidity that leaves a long, fresh, intense finish. This is the perfect match for all seafood, especially shellfish.
Chenin Blanc
7. Sangoma Chenin Blanc, SA, 2011 £19.00 Just as the Sémillon grape of Bordeaux seems a natural in most of Australia, the Chenin Blanc that dominates the middle Loire such as Vouvray has become the instinctive first choice for many South African growers and their customers. The cool fermentation catches the lively apple characters in this version from Durbanville just east of Cape Town where it catches the cool air from the Atlantic side of the Cape. 12.5%
8. Anjou Clos des Rouliers, France, 2006 £45.00
Richard Leroy exemplifies the new generation of Loire winemakers who have transformed the quality of their production. This is a pocket handkerchief production – 0.7 hectares of very low yielding vines produce a wine of extraordinary intensity and minerality. 13%
27. Montlouis Singulier, France, 2007 £60.00
Even more extraordinary. This is made from vines that are 60-80 years old, on a 1.1 hectare plot known as Les Clos Renards. It is the top cuvee made by Bertrand and Lise Jousset and one of the most interesting white wines we have encountered this year. 13.5%
Aromatics
1. l’Église Vermentino, France, 2010 £17.00 Made with ultra-modern techniques this wine produced from Vermentino grapes has good body and acidity and is a light, crisp and delicious aromatic wine.13.5%
6. Borgodei Vassalli Pinot Grigio, Italy, 2009 £26.50
At the moment every wine list ought to have a Pinot Grigio from north-east Italy. Here the aromatic grape known as Pinot Gris in Alsace makes a wine of enormous charm and often a lot of interest as well. This version is made by the Lorenzon family with some help from New Zealander Matt Thompson in the Friuli, just north of Venice. 13%
10. Martin Codax Albariňo, Spain 2010 £31.00
Named after a 13th century troubadour, this is a very modern style of wine from Rias Baixas in Galicia, the coastal area in far north-west of Spain, where the thick-skinned Albarino grape resists the damp air. It is a light, crisp and delicious aromatic wine. 12.5%
13. Cave de Hunawihr Gewurztraminer Reserve, Alsace, 2008 £31.00
The marvelous spicy floral nose and slightly sour grapefruit and Lychee flavours of good Alsatian Gewurtztraminers are consistently fascinating. This is an excellent village wine from a fine recent vintage and go with almost any food. 13%
14. Plantagenet Great Southern Riesling, Australia, 2009 £28.00
The cool climate Riesling’s of Mount Barker in the far south of Western Australia have been acknowledged since the 80’s when Michelton used to ship the fruit 2,000 miles across the Nulabor Plain in refrigerated trains to make wine in Victoria. This one is harvested at night and then cold fermented to preserve the spicy floral character of the fruit. Winemaker John Durham’s third vintage shows the hints of racy fruitiness you associate with the grape held together with a crisp citrus acidity. 12%
6. Triennes, Les Aureliens, Chardonnay Viognier, Var France 2009 £29.00
Fresh citrus fruits, apples and peaches with a creamy texture.Aged for 10 months in used oak barrels. This Chardonnay blended with a touch of Viognier is Fresh and fruity with low acidity. 13.5%
21. Riesling Domaine Kientzler, Alsace, 2009 £37.00
Andre Kientzler is the fifth generation of winemakers in the picture-book village of Ribeauvillé. He has taken the reputation of the firm to new heights with the crisp minerality and lovely structure of his wines. This village Riesling from an exceptional vintage is now starting to reveal the complex petrol-like aromas that make mature Alsatian Riesling so fascinating. 12.5%
19. La Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi, Italy, 2009 £34.00
This is a really stylish unoaked aromatic wine from Piedmont in north-west Italy. It is exceptionally well-made by Enrico Tomalino and shows what an interesting wine Gavi can be in the right hands. 12.5%
26. Riesling Domaine Kientzler Geisberg Grand Cru AC, Alsace, 2004 £59.00
This extraordinary wine is just beginning to reveal its potential. Geisberg is one of the steepest Grand Crus in the Ribeauville area – it is so steeply terraced that machines cannot be used to tend the vines that are now 40-50 years old. The result is a wine of enormous intensity and length. We would decant it. 13%
Chardonnays
32. Mainart Chardonnay, France, 2009 £21.50 This 100% Chardonnay has fabulous aromas of exotic fruit and green apples with a long creamy finish. 13.5%
15. Omrah Chardonnay, Australia, 2009 £27.00 The Omrah Chardonnay is made by John Durham at Plantagenet from fruit sourced from vineyards throughout Western Australia, the wine has aromas of fragrant lime and lemon peel, a hint of ripe honey melon and a chalky, stony note on the nose. The palate is succulent, supple and juicy with citrus flavours driving through the core and finishing fresh with a touch of savoury minerality.
17. Domaine Bernard Moreau Bourgogne Blanc, France, 2008 £37.00
Proper white burgundy made by a small grower in Chassagne. We think this is excellent value. 13.5%
20. Domaine Corinne Perchaud Chablis, France, 2008 £38.00
Corinne Perchaud and her husband Jean-Pierre Grossot are the third generation of winemakers at this family estate in the village of Fleys. Well-made unoaked clean village Chablis with intense varietal character and some length. 13%
22. Geoffrey Grosset Picadilly Chardonnay, Australia, 2006 £56.00
Top quality young Chardonnay from a world famous South Australian winemaker made in the coolness of the Adelaide Hills. Clean beautiful fruit. Immense length. Outstanding wine. 14%
23. Domaine Bernard Moreau St Aubin Premier Cru sur Gamay, France, 2007 £58.00
Delicious young white Burgundy with a rich bouquet of hazelnuts and butter. Lovely fruit on the palate with good acidity, giving real structure and nice length. To find wine of this quality at this sort of price is unusual – and unlikely to be repeated when we re-buy with deflated pounds. Enjoy whilst you can the complex flavours of high quality fruit made by an excellent winemaker. 13.5%
24. Domaine Bernard Moreau Chassagne Montrachet, France, 2009 £58.00
Very subtle aroma which hints at complexity, excellent pear and apple fruit, delicate oak, some buttery richness, all seamlessly combined. Good balance in the mouth between fruit and acidity, and good length of flavour. 13.5%
25. Jean-Claude Boisset Meursault Le Limozin 2006 £69.00
Boisset’s wines are now made by Grégory Patriat who aims at a mineral style. The nose is open, clean and interesting. On the palate it is long – there is good acidity and structure to go with intense fruit. It is well worth decanting. 13%
Rosé wines
‘R’ Rosato, Alpha Zeta, Veneto, Italy, 2010 £16.50
Another instance of Allegrini working with New World modern influence from Matt Thompson, this is a lovely bright rosato, with a cherry nose and clean lively acidity. A really cheerful wine.12%
Cuvée Isidora Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l’Ardèche, France, 2009 £21.50
This Rosé is a blend of Syrah, Grenach, Merlot and Cinsault, nicely balanced but sweetest of the three Rosés 13%
Sancerre Rosé, DomaineSautereau, Loire Valley, France, 2009 £39.00
Altogether more serious this is a pure Pinot Noir – the grape of red Burgundy but here on the upper Loire David Sautereau leaves it less time on the skins to avoid extracting the colour. The result is a wine with all the character of light young Red Burgundy – soft fruit – cherry and roses on the nose and a lovely crisp finish. We serve it cool but it warms delightfully in the glass. 12.5%
Dessert wines 85ml 375ml 750ml
Concha y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Chile, 2006
£4.50 £21.50
This is Concha y Toro’s first dessert wine, and it is a wonderful effort. Golden yellow with amber tones, this sumptuous wine displays ripe papaya, peach and honey aromas. The palate is light, fresh and fruity with a long, subtle, honeyed finish. 12%
Ch Laville Sauternes, France, 2006 £7.50 £31.00 £59.00
Jean-Christophe Barbe’s delightful Sauternes, fresh and clean with a good intensity on the nose, rich, balanced and long on the palette. 13.5%
Chateau Suduiraut, France, 1999 £40.00
The vines of the Suduiraut vineyards are 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, with an average vine age of 25 years. This particular vintage has a lovely, quite evocative nose, plenty of rôti botrytis in evidence, with aromas of honey, honeysuckle and a fruit curd richness. A lovely weight, fat and creamy, textured and very stylish, being balanced out by a strong vein of acidity. An under-rated vintage for Sauternes, this stuff is really impressive. 14%
Chateau Rieussec, France, 1999 £50.00
On the nose it first shows a little unpredictability, but what this wine really displays is a huge depth. There is a pile of nascent flavour here, on the palate it has richness and fat, carried in a well composed fashion. There is good fresh acidity, laced with a little volatility although this does all blow off with just a little time. It has a lifted, bright style, but is full of grip and is very firmly put together. 14%
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, France, 1998 £70.00
This is one of the greatest Sauternes: the estate was already centuries old when it was recognized as a Premier Cru in 1855. Today the cépage is 90% Sémillon, Sauvignon 8% and Muscatelle 2%. After cool fermentation it gets about 30% new oak. The result is a glorious way to end a meal – the intense sweetness is balanced by a crisp acidity and the characteristic marmalade tones of the region. 14%
Red Wines
Southern France, the Loire and the Rhone
14. l’Église Grenache Merlot, France, 2010 £17.00
Made by New Zealander Alana McGettigan in the Languedoc, it combines Grenache, which is found across southern France, with Merlot – an important component of claret, especially on the Right Bank in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. 13%
6. Château La Tour de Beraud, Costières de Nîmes, France, 2009 £23.00
30 years ago, Nîmes was better known for its aqueduct than the quality of its wine. Francois Collard is one of those who has altered opinions with this blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan: it has vibrant fruit, a spicy, peppery nose, supple fruit on the palate with decent structure. We think it is exceptional value and good with any meat dishes. 14%
40. Cuvée Ferdinand, Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l’Ardèche, France, 2007 £25.00
A typical blend of Grenache and Syrah grapes with an addition of 20% Carignan to give this surprisingly complex wine some extra finesse. Matured in oak barrels for 12 months, it shows enough fruitiness and tannic character to compliment a variety of dishes. 14%
8. Les Terrasses Château Pesquié, France, 2008 £26.50
This well made modern wine from the Côtes du Ventoux just east of Avignon has made friends all over the place. It offers a nose full of the perfumes of Provence followed by a rich quite structured taste. The fruit is well supported. 14%
13. La Roubine Sablet, France, 2008 £25.50
This is the slightly more structured and intense partner of La Terrasse. We think it is marvellous, but if you like your Côtes du Rhône Villages a bit softer and less tannic, stick to La Terrasse for a year or so. Try decanting. 14.5%
21. Coudoulet de Beaucastel, France, 2006 £45.00
This is the Côtes du Rhône made by the Perrin family who have consistently made one of the most highly regarded Chateauneuf du Pape of the last 30 years. This wine shows the lovely thyme and oregano bouquet characteristic of the area, with rich fruit supported by a crisp structure of acids and tannin. 14%
22. Saint Joseph Le Grand Pompée, Paul JabouletAine, France, 2007 £46.00
Well-made Syrah from one of the most famous names in the Northern Rhone in a fine vintage here as it was in most of France. Look for the characteristic smell of bacon fat, the fine crisp tannins on the attack and the long smooth finish. 13%. Decant
Spain
2. Sequiot La Font de la Figuera DO, Spain, 2009 £19.00
This Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon blend is made near Valencia by Alberto Antonini from low trained vines, 400-700 metres above sea level. This altitude takes the edge off the heat and produces intensely coloured wine with attractive perfumes, fleshy fruit and considerably more depth than is usually found at this price from Spain. Unoaked, the 2008 vintage is chunky and ripe – the Cabernet adding an opulence and structure to the spicy red fruit character of the Tempranillo. 14.5%
15. Izadi Crianza, Spain, 2006 £32.00
This is classy young Rioja made from a new winery built at Villabuena in 1987. Look for the characteristic vanilla oak flavours and the Tempranillo varietal characters. 13.5%
The Italians
1. Ponte Pietre Merlot Corvina, Italy, 2010 £15.00 We are also very pleased with our house red: a clean fresh modern wine. It has good depth of colour and a lively, fresh perfume with notes of cherry,plum and a touch of spice. Rounded ripe summer berry fruit on the
palate with a clean, plummy finish. 12%
3. Alpha Zeta ‘V’ Valpolicella, Italy, 2010 £19.50
Another triumph from Matt Thompson’s work in the Veneto in northern Italy. This has nothing but the name in common with the valpolistrippa you may have learned to avoid. It has a lovely fruity nose, lively damsony flavours and shows all the influence of modern clean fruit-driven winemaking supported by a good crisp structure. 12.5%
7. A Mano Primitivo di Puglia, Amano, Italy, 2008 £23.50
The far south of Italy is another area whose wine used to be noted for strength more than style. Mark Shannon and Elvezia Sbalchiero have succeeded in making Primitivo one of Italy’s most talked about grape varieties. 13.5%
18. Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rufina, Italy, 2008 £33.50
Classy Chianti from one of the most famous houses in Tuscany. The Giuntini family have owned this estate since 1827. Look for the cherry and strawberry flavours securely held together by the structured crispness of the acids and tannins. 13.5%
30. Barolo Massolino, Italy, 2005 £65.00
The Massolino family have owned this estate since 1894 and like many of their neighbours they excelled themselves in 2005. Look for the cherry soft fruit character of the Nebbiolo variety; note the structure and length on the palate. This is serious stuff. 14% Decant.
33. Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Allegrini, Italy, 2007 £85.00
Extraordinary wine. These grapes are dried for 100 days after picking, during which they lose 45% of their weight. After fermenting it spent 18 months in new oak. The resulting wine is enormously concentrated, but it is also well balanced and shows the clean modern wine making we look for in all our wines. 15% Decant.
The New World Reds
5. Altos Las Hormigas Mendoza Malbec, Argentina, 2009 £26.00
The combination of modern winemaking and high quality fruit produces a wine with an interesting chocolate and soft fruity nose, a full rich taste with prunes on the finish. 14.6%
9. Willunga 100 Cabernet Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2009 £27.00
100 refers to the age of the winery; fortunately the wine-making is bang up to date. 2009 was an even more arid vintage than usual, producing wine of enormous intensity and length. The blackcurrant and eucalypts are the hallmark of young Australian Cabernet, the blackberry and liquorice come from the Shiraz. 14.%.
12. Pinotage, Fairview, Paarl, SA, 2009 £28.00
Those who think South African wines are arriviste should note this vineyard was founded in 1699. Fairview is a modern sophisticated undertaking where Charles Back makes a broad range of wines. Expect a ripe spicy aromatic nose, an intense rich palate with good structure and a long finish. 14.5%
16. Omrah Pinot Noir, Australia, 2009 £31.50
Omrah comes from the cool climate Mount Barker in the far south of West Australia. It is light, ruby colour, with a complex soft fruit nose, ripe fruit on the palate, soft tannins and rich fruit characteristics. It is a clean lively well-made wine with pleasant vanilla tones from the 20% new oak. 14%
20. Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel 2007 £50.00
The cooler temperatures of this vintage emphasise the varietal character; the brambly nose is followed by juicy acids with crisp grape tannins. The emphatic hints of blueberry and cherry with the long finish emphasise that this is high quality wine making. However it is heady stuff – 16%
42.Penfold’s Grange, Australia, 1982 £400.00
A meal in itself. Grange always has all the opulence of Australian Shiraz at its best, with the massive intensity and length that marks out the true First Growths. 1982 is an excellent year, one of the six to be given 5 stars by Michael Broadbent in his vertical tasting notes in his Vintage Wine Book. Decant it at the beginning of the evening – it will still be going strong in the morning. But the alcohol is far from overpowering. 13%
Claret
11.Chateau Mahon-Laville Jean-Christophe Barbe, France, 2008 £31.00
70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a lovely young Bordeaux from the Graves. Ripe fruit in wine with good colour, a classic plummy nose and the region’s characteristic tanic grip on the finish. 13%
36. Chateau Senejac Cru Bourgeois Haut Medoc, France, 2002 £45.00
It is often a vin de garde with prominent tannins and acids when young. This one is just opening up nicely, with hints of tobacco box and chocolate coming to the fore. 13%
37. Chateau Cantemerle 5rd Cru Haut Medoc, France,1998 £65.00 Since the turn of the century Cantemerle has pulled its socks up and this wine is just what you would hope for – proper claret just opening its wings at 8 years. 12.5%
38. Chateau D’ Issan, 3rd Cru Margaux 1999 Regum mensis aris que deorum £80.00
Issan has a fascinating history: the last house held by the English after their defeat at Castillon in 1460, it is said that when the army escaped by boat they took the wine of the house as well. Certainly Issan was well documented in the 17th century and the beautiful castle dates from that era. The Latin slogan on every bottle is taken from the doorway and means “For the table of kings and the abode of the gods.” The wine itself is a classic Margaux, beautifully made. The cepage is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. Decant
12.5%
35. Domaine de Chevalier Grand Cru de Graves, France, 1989 £130.00
1989 was a hot year which opened at high prices: today admiration for some has moderated, but the best balanced, of which this is clearly one, are drinking beautifully at 20 years. 12%
39.Chateau Gruaud Larose 2ndCru St Julien, France,1982 £300.00
A bargain at this price as Robert Parker’s note shows:
“A massive wine that is clearly of first-growth quality in this vintage, the 1982 Gruaud Larose remains a youngster. A broodingly dense, thick, unctuously textured, inky/plum/garnet/purple color offers up scents of beef blood, steak tartare, cassis, herbs, tobacco, and underbrush. One of the most concentrated wines of the vintage (as well as one of the most concentrated Bordeaux’s I have ever tasted), it is a huge, full-bodied, weighty, rich wine whose tannins are getting silkier and silkier. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life. This behemoth is a singularly profound example of Gruaud Larose that continues to justify its legendary status. Anticipated maturity: now-2050” 98 points Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (183), June 2009
Red Burgundy
4. Domaine Les Tours de Montmelas, France, 2008 £25.00
This estate claims one of the oldest castles in the area – it was already centuries old when the present family started making wine 400 years ago. As usual in Beaujolais, the Gamay grape makes a lovely fragrant fruit-driven wine. This one has a touch more structure than usual. 12%
19. Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne, France, 2009 £37.00
Well-made stylish red Burgundy from an accomplished viniculteur, Grégory Patriat. 13%
24. Beaune 1er Cru Sizies Domaine Jean Guiton, France, 2007 £39.00
Long floral red fruit flavours and complex palate makes this a bargain premier cru from a fine family estate in the heart of the Cote de Beaune. 13%
27. Nuits St Georges Aurelien Verdet, France, 2004 £52.00
Delicious high quality village Burgundy from a young biodynamique grower. Note the soft fruit nose, the structured flavours and the length of the finish. Drinking beautifully at the moment.13%
28. Volnay ‘Les Petits Poisots’ Domaine Jean Guiton, France, 2004 £55.00
Intense plummy fruit and excellent balance, in a more powerful frame than the first two wines from this excellent domaine. Decant 13%
31. Chambolle Musigny Jean-Claude Boisset, France, 2006 £65.00
Another wine made by Grégory Patriat which has attracted lot of attention. A good dark colour for a young Burgundy, look for the opulent soft fruit and farmyard nose, the rich fruity wine supported by a good structure and finishing with the hallmark peacock’s tail. This is village Burgundy of high quality. This wine won Gold and Trophy Medals at the International Wine Challenge 2008. 13.5% Decant.
32. Nuits St Georges Domaine Gouges, France, 2006 £63.00 Generally regarded as the best producers of Nuits, the Gouges family produce a traditional, long-lived wine. Winemaker Christian is particularly proud of his ‘04s, which he regards as more classic than the legendary ‘05s. This example is now just beginning its long drinking career – we will be pleased to decant it for you so that the tannins can soften in the glass. This concentrated wine was extremely fruity en primeur and is now showing the characteristic meaty flavour of this village. Decant. 12%
34. Vosne-Romanée Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg, France, 2002 £80.00
This village produces what most commentators regard as the finest Pinot Noir in the world. Madame Jacqueline Mugneret and her daughters Marie-Andrée and Marie-Christine make some of the best wines in the village. Their wines are elegant and feminine, and this example shows the characteristic rose-petal bouquet for which the village is famous. We would decant. 13%