What wine are you drinking today ?

Richard Dane posted

Next came a Chapel Down Kit's Coty Chardonnay.  This was more in the Napa style with use of oak. I had heard great things about this wine - the 2013 having arrived to a lot of fanfare - so expectations were high. Straight away it was obviously a richer wine than the straight Chardonnay, however, the balance was frustratingly just short of ideal.  It just needed a touch more fruit and acidity for me, and I felt the oak, while not excessive, had just tipped over the balance.

It was, however, impressive, of a quality that was probably unthinkable a couple of decades ago for an English wine.  I still have to pinch myself to remind me that these are wines being made practically on my doorstep.

That's interesting Richard. I used to live in Kit's Coty, an area just off Bluebell Hill in Kent. Kit's Coty itself is an ancient burial mound on the side of the hill. The local fields of rape and serial corps I used to run through were supplanted by grape vines several years ago, so I assume their grapes are more than likely the source of this wine. Shame I'm teetotal, or I'd give it a try!

Last week was quite a week.

Full report coming soon!

rodwsmith posted:

Last week was quite a week.

Full report coming soon!

One week, 28 labels. I make it 4 bottles a day.

Yes, one hell of a week!

Tony2011 posted:

rodwsmith posted:

Last week was quite a week.

Full report coming soon

One week, 28 labels. I make it 4 bottles a day.

Yes, one hell of a week!

Everyone has to cut down sometimes. 

It ended up being 195 red wines, 21 white wines, and 15 Sauternes.

But I course I spat everything...

Castello poggiorello colleroso- 2009. Cabernet franc from Siena. Delicious. Rich cassis and blueberry and fully mature.

Graillot - Crozes-Hermitage 2015

Soft, gentle and lovely Northern Rhone. Everyone should drink Graillot’s wine at least once in their life. I could happily drink nothing but Rhone wine till the end of days.

nickpeacock posted:

 

Graillot - Crozes-Hermitage 2015

Soft, gentle and lovely Northern Rhone. Everyone should drink Graillot’s wine at least once in their life. I could happily drink nothing but Rhone wine till the end of days.

Ooh, nice, Crozes is such a lovely wine, a good chunk of Hermitage style without the price or the need to wait 10-20 years for a great vintage.

1996 Vosne Romaneé Les Chaumes from Jean Tardy. Last of a case bought en primeur 20 years ago. Swinging acidity from the vintage, but I love acidic wines, and the fruit and tannin still balance it well. Lovely dark red fruits, complex lovely wine, good mid-rank Burgundy. The bottle is empty because I tend to decant acidic Burgundy vintages (1993,1996) as time in carafe seems to me to tame the acidity (sorry Rod).  Last of my ‘96es apart from 6 “name” Chambolles that I’m scared to drink. 

No need to apologise! Aerating the wine makes a huge difference (does not technically alter the acidity in pH terms, but it starts oxidising and softening the tannins and other polyphenols, making the wine - to almost everyone's palate - taste superior)

Meanwhile, I have finished my Bordeaux En Primeur 2017 report. 

If I recollect correctly it is not appropriate to post a link here (although is in no way commercial, - I write for a Chinese client, which then gets translated into Mandarin and distributed to around 12,000 people), the English version is mine to do with as I please.

My website is Riviera Wine Academy (dot com), and it is on the blog page. Easy to find if interested!

Santé

Rod

Tony2011 posted:

I’m sure most people are guilty of at least one of these “sins”  listed below and I must confess, living in the UK where temperatures are very rarely over 10C, I never found the need to refrigerate a bottle of the red stuff.

The UK's top 20 wine-drinking faux pas:

1-Putting red wine in the fridge
2-Using a corkscrew on a screw-cap
3-Drinking from the bottle
4-Asking for ice in your wine
5-Serving in a wine glass with old lipstick stains
6-Chipped glasses
7-Trying to unscrew a cork
8-Taking a cheap bottle to a party
9-Gulping wine rather than sipping it
10-Not bringing a bottle but drinking everyone else's
11-Drinking it out of a tumbler
12-Pouring yourself a glass before pouring others on the table
13-Asking for a slice of lemon
14-Shaking the bottle before serving
15-Asking the waiter to pour you more when they were intending      you to taste it
16-Putting lemonade with red wine
17-Complaining the red wine isn't cold
18-Pronouncing the 't' in Pinot Noir
19-Taking a bottle home with you after it wasn't opened at the host's party
20-Pronouncing the 't' in Merlot.

Bottoms Up!

 

As for 1 it depends very much on the red wine of course. The other one is over chilling whites to permafrost levels

I gave up any alcohol since almost 6 months – not out of AA-like issues, but simply to cure my stomach on oder to start quitting all prazoles, which I was taking since years. I miss a good red or a plain sparkling, trattoria white sometimes, but I feel much better.

A lot off-topic, but a hallo to all who are fortunate enough to be able to drink wine without having their stomach trying to digest itself, the esophagus and the rest of the body...

Cheers!

Max

2012 Langoa Barton, drinking surprisingly well for such a young wine. Decanted for about 3 hours before starting, with the first glass sitting for about an hour before the first sip. It’s got a lovely cassis nose, with some muddy tannin scents. On the palate nice sweet cassis with cherry hints, some hints of nutmeg and spice, good acidity and a level of soft chocolatey tannins that makes me think I’m likely to have to brush my teeth for a long time tonight to remove the red stains (just looked in the mirror, purple lips). It’s a nice claret, good for the vintage, probably got another 10-12 years, but apart from softening the tannins I wouldn’t expect fantastic development, I’ll probably drink the other bottle I picked up today fairly soon, if I have friends round who like youngish tannic wines. 

Until a couple of months ago Halifax (5 miles from me) had a very good wine merchant, but Andy and Karen decided to retire and we had no local access to fine wines. Meeting a friend in town today we spotted a new wine shop, open 2 weeks, and had a nosey. A good selection of sensibly priced wines, and a smallish fine wine section, from which I picked up a few bottles to try (or in the case of the 2 2014 Tignanellos stick in the cellar for 10years).  Got chatting to the owner who also owns a very good restaurant in town, he’s pleasantly surprised to find that most of his custom is in the “medium up” price range. I suspect that's because the big supermarkets do  a very good job of providing nice wines at the lower price ranges (as well as some stuff that really doesn’t work for me at all).

Can any one recommend me a Red Wine up to £10 which does not taste bitter or like a Merlot?  My wife and I find it increasingly difficult to find a red wine in average Supermarket which actually tastes like in its description in the label.

Which supermarket? Morrisons often have Wolf Blass at under a tenner, the yellow label Cabernet Sauvignon is more than acceptable and the red labels WB are also more than palatable.

Also have a look in Aldi & Lidl - both made a big point a couple of years ago of promoting decent wine at supermarket prices and have a useful colour coding guide on the shelves. I can't give you any specific names for them or Morrisons as I'm happy to try random selections and see what happens. Usually it's good, esp around the sweet spot of £7-10 a bottle.

Waitrose had a nice Sagrato Chianti Reserve over the weekend, on offer at about £8 iirc. It got me through the Sunday ironing pile & MoTD2 while OH was doing her marking & planning.

As a general approach I look for Merlots, Malbecs, Cab Suav and Pinot Noirs if the label suggests enough flavour. As often as not a random bottle in the £7-10 range rarely disappoints, certainly not after the third glass. Hic.

Romi posted:

Can any one recommend me a Red Wine up to £10 which does not taste bitter or like a Merlot?  My wife and I find it increasingly difficult to find a red wine in average Supermarket which actually tastes like in its description in the label.

Sainsbury's 'Taste The Difference' Languedoc.

Co-op Las Moras Barrel Select Malbec

Waitrose (and widely) Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages (I think it is under £10, the last one I had was a present).

I wouldn't let any description on the label spoil your enjoyment of the wine. Like letters to the editor in a newspaper, it's probably partly there to provoke you. Anyway, I've found the three above hugely enjoyable and I hope you will too.

Chris

Lidl have a St Emilion at about a tenner, it's a nice fruity easy drinker, I don't think it'll be the type of merlot that put you off.

I rarely buy wine from supermarkets, there is just too much dross on the shelves. I’m not saying it’s all bad, but I just don’t think it’s worth taking a chance. I also worry that a £10 bottle is actually a £5 bottle that has had it’s price hiked in preparation for the half price ‘deal’ when they then sell the stuff for what it’s actually worth. 

I now buy wine online, mainly from the Wine Society and Naked Wines. 

Have a look at The Sunday Times / Laithwaites Wine Club.

There's lots of very quaffable reds, e.g. Black Stump Reserve or The Waxed Bat Reserve, both usually available under a tenner.

Failing that, Majestic are pushing Portuguese Reds which do seem to be on the up and up at the moment.

Majestic also now own Naked Wines, who specialise in smaller, independent, producers, and who have given us some real gems in

recent years, again, largely, at under a tenner.

Enjoy!

dave marshall posted:

Have a look at The Sunday Times / Laithwaites Wine Club.

There's lots of very quaffable reds, e.g. Black Stump Reserve or The Waxed Bat Reserve, both usually available under a tenner.

Failing that, Majestic are pushing Portuguese Reds which do seem to be on the up and up at the moment.

Majestic also now own Naked Wines, who specialise in smaller, independent, producers, and who have given us some real gems in

recent years, again, at largely under a tenner.

Enjoy!

I think it’s the other way round, Naked bought Majestic, but as long as their wine is good, who cares! Might have to pay Majestic a visit, though, I do like a decent Portuguese red. 

Adoro.   Red blend 2007.

Fine but burly with a big hit.  An iron fist in a silk glove.  Opened early ready for roast Guinea fowl and all the trimmings.

Romi posted:

Can any one recommend me a Red Wine up to £10 which does not taste bitter or like a Merlot?  My wife and I find it increasingly difficult to find a red wine in average Supermarket which actually tastes like in its description in the label.

Look at Rhone reds. Try the Yapp website - Rhone is their specialist area - to get an idea.

TOBYJUG posted:

Adoro.   Red blend 2007.

Fine but burly with a big hit.  An iron fist in a silk glove.  Opened early ready for roast Guinea fowl and all the trimmings.

Ah, the Supernait.... in a glass  ;-)

Romi posted:

Can any one recommend me a Red Wine up to £10 which does not taste bitter or like a Merlot?  My wife and I find it increasingly difficult to find a red wine in average Supermarket which actually tastes like in its description in the label.

So what was the upshot of our replies?