Weekly Wine...Burgundy and beyond...

Last week I primed you for a White Burgundy from Jean-Marie Fourrier. I have had this for the last couple of years (2006 & 2007) and been super impressed by it for quality and value. Late last week we tried the recently shipped 2008 and perhaps I was a tad premature. When you get a particularly young wine and recently shipped it can suffer from what is called “bottle shock”. This tends to last for anything up to three months before the wine settles down and its true characteristics begin to shine. For drinking right now I think the Fourrier Blanc is a tad lively and disjointed but the constituents and flavours are very engaging so I do see a good future ahead. Either wait until Spring or at this price, bung into your cellar and leave for 3-6 months.

Bourgogne Blanc 2008 Domaine Jean-Marie Fourrier at £ 14.50 per Bottle

Hopefully before Christmas for delivery but we have just confirmed that we will be the Exclusive U.K. Importer for Jean Daneel’s “Signature” Chenin Blanc.

Very excited about that as in my view this is about as good as white wine gets in the Cape. We have 50 Cases due in and have advance sold about 15 cases.

It will be about 50 pence a bottle cheaper before year-end as of course Little Osborne will be hiking v.a.t. to 20% come the 1^st of January.

Castello di Bolgheri – Super Tuscan

Last night we tried the 2005, 2006, & 2007 Vintages of Castello di Bolgheri. The 2005 is incredibly easy-drinking and enjoyable but the 2007 last night really showed the terroir and quality of this Estate and that it will, in time, be a potential challenge to its neighbours, Ornellaia and Sassicaia. I now think the 2007 Castello di Bolgheri is a match for Tignanello 2007, the main difference, it will be £ 20-30 cheaper! Later today I will wing a detailed e-mail offer on the 2005-2007 Castello di Bolgheri to those who have bought the 2005 and those who buy Italian. If you are interested but fear you might not be on that exalted list, please advise.

Silly-season:

Well the date is set for the Mills & Boon event of the year, Friday, 29^th April. Cameroon and Little Osborne have kindly declared a Public Bank Holiday. Alas the Public Sector breaks have to be paid for somehow. After all our local rates etc don’t take a day’s breather, so Huntsworth will remain resolutely open! We might have a wireless on in the background but Tuggy “Ronnie “Open All Hours” Barker” Meyer will be here. No doubt offering a special deal on Champagne. Coincidentally Henry’s Birthday is that day so he’ll be A.W.O.L. or go walkabout.

X-Factor: A Wagnerian Tragedy, more like Puccini if you ask me. Or I hope it soon will be. In days past I.T.V. truly was the bastion of lowest common denominator T.V. but times, they are a changing. I have lost count of the number of intelligent, very intelligent, sane, respectable people, literally glued to the Saturday night and Sunday night that this pap continues to spew. Beyond that, me thinks they are the reason that Wagner is still hanging on by his straggly hair. A School master at one of England’s best known Public Schools has started a Facebook campaign to keep Wagner in. I am told it numbers some 30,000 or so already. Let’s vote for the joke! My tip for the last four – Matt Cardle; One Direction; Rebecca Ferguson; ; and, oh dear, Wagner. I of course had no clue of the actual names but Henry was up to running speed! Simon Cowell was having a real go at Cheryl for perching her mentor on some steps. How was that any worse than putting you five schoolboys on five coffee tables? Pot…black…calling…

What’s the saying, “90% of all statistics are made up on the spot”?  I like that. Say it with confidence and who will counter? Like, I heard the other day “90% of Pork Pies are eaten by men.” Not hugely surprising but presuming the remaining 10% are hoovered by the pet dog. Has a woman ever eaten a pork pie, more than once?!

Best Touring side for a  generation, maybe but the home advantage for Oz, especially splitting either side of Christmas, is worth a Warne & a McGrath. The Guardian writes: “Australian cricket is in a dark place right now. Whereas England's preparations so far have been excellent,…” Don’t believe a word of it. The green baggies would rather die than concede ground to the Poms. Predictions - Man to watch: Shane Watson bowling in the afternoon session. The Gabba crowd to barrack more than ever. Ponting will not want to be the first Aussie skipper in almost 100 years to lose three Ashes contests, expect him to post three good scores (80 to 150). Mitchell Johnson to cause Ian Bell problems. Will K.P. come to the party? If Strauss sets uber attacking fields then Swan could be crucial. Only one way to play Oz, attack, attack, and attack. Dare one dream.

Saturday half-time my step brother e-mailed a picture of Arsenal’s Nasri laughing like a Hyena. Perhaps he should have waited until the final whistle. Likewise I’d be foolish to indulge in a bit of, bragging, as Spurs might well be humbled tonight by Werder Bremen. Either way I’ll be waiting until the final whistle, chicken that I am! Harry thinking that they are now genuine title contenders, what’s your last name, Potter?! Do you think Arsene Wenger as a baby threw his rattle out of the pram once, or alot?

Tuggy Meyer

Henry Palmer

South African White & White Burgundy ahead.

Good news and good news basically. Having lost our best-selling Jean Daneel “Signature” Chenin Blanc 2006 we are now delighted that we will be the exclusive U.K. Importer for his 2009 Vintage though this will take a few weeks to ship. It somewhat puts into perspective the insanity of this Lafite-Rothschild high that a pallet of 50 cases of Jean Daneel, South-Africa’s finest Chenin Blanc, costs less than half-a-case of the Lafite-Rothschild (not yet in bottle) that I sold this morning! Mad. Totally utterly breathtakingly stupid. At least some people will still aim to sell world class wines under £ 20.00 a bottle.

            Whilst I await the arrival of the Jean Daneel I can highly recommend in the interim the more reserved and more modestly priced Mullineux Family White:

Chris Mullineux White 2009 Swartland, South Africa at £ 15.50 per Bottle

Classically dry and minerally and at 14% held admirably in check by Mullineux as the Swartland can get pretty hot.

Eminently presentable on its own but with rich or spicier foods, a terrific foil. Seriously good value at this price.

61% Chenin-Blanc; 23% Clairette Blanche; 16% Viognier

Next week we will have a cracking Bourgogne Blanc from one of Burgundy’s best producers and at under £ 15.00 a bottle.

This is a huge step above in quality against the more typical £ 10-12 level of Bourgogne Blanc but from a lesser producer.

A perennial Burgundy tip – top producer; great vintage; basic wine.

Thursday, 25^th November – Thanksgiving Day

What a match for your Thanksgiving Turkey –

Olivia Brion Pinot Noir 2005

Wild Horse Valley, Sonoma County at £ 25.00 per Bottle

This tiny production (less than 400 cases) Sonoma Estate Pinot Noir (which is actually bottled and cased by the legendary and cult Kistler Vineyards) is usually on the shelf at £ 27.00 but we are making a special Thanksgiving offer and trimming it to £ 25.00 a Bottle. Worth a consideration whether you are “flying the flag” or not.

An indulgence - Château Palmer 1947

Yesterday in Geneva an Imperial of Château Cheval-Blanc 1947 made a staggering $ 304,375. We are right out of stock of that one at present but if you do feel like indulging yourself at a far more modest price we do have a single bottle, in impeccable condition, of Château Palmer 1947 available at comparative bargain of £ 444.00. If not to indulge yourself, it would of course make a very special 63^rd Birthday present! From the same cellar we have had Lynch-Bages and Latour 1985 and they were in perfect and healthy condition too. The few examples listed around the world are all into the shoulder level wise, this is comfortably into the neck and the label is near mint. As with this vintage, don’t think you are being short changed but the bottle is of course 73cl and not the standard 75cl of today.

1 Bottle of:

Château Palmer 1947

Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé

At £ 444.00

Silly-season:

The Mills & Boon of Wills & Middleton will have to wait ‘til next week. First time in memory that The Mail has been ahead of the pack! That aside, I am staggered that Wagner is still gracing our screens. Questions should be being asked in the House. Much to muse, 5^th of November; Remembrance Day; Harriet Harman… just too much drink and tasting and testing, so not enough hours in the day. Today alone I am due to tackle five Italians; a Swiss; a South African; and a Frenchie and no, not the start of a joke, just a day in the life of a Wine Merchant, sorry Vintner.

Tuggy Meyer

Henry Palmer

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon & Sunday Opening...

No “trick-or-treat” but this coming Sunday I am intending to open, probably from noon until 5.00 p.m. At least no congestion charge; free parking outside the Shop and it might give an opportunity for some of you busy people to drop by and ask those awkward questions that you never have time for – about wine fridges…building a cellar…cellar lay-out…what you might need thinking ahead for Christmas…

            As it is that funny Scottish tradition, now re-packaged gaudily and a half as Halloween I might lay on some hot mince pies or similar and a shot of delicious 1988 Guyana & 1990 Jamaican Rum.

Open from noon until 5.00 p.m.

This coming, Sunday, 31^st October.

I don’t believe it, 2010, are you sure – yup, that time of year so we are now looking at Cloudy Bay 2010. It is not one of our top picks but there seem to be die-hard Cloudy Bay buyers amongst you and we have just 8 cases, arriving hopefully tomorrow, or Friday.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon-Blanc 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand at £ 16.95 per Bottle

Silly-season:

Well arriving at the departure point on Sunday night’s X-Factor I was somewhat struck by the coincidence that the three remaining contestants were all black. It doesn’t matter from which of the three hundred and sixty degrees it comes but the mere word racism, or racially prejudice, will bring out anything from feigned indignation to outright ire in almost all. So how did we get here? A numbers game perhaps, coincidence maybe but two of these last three were actually really, really good singers. Usually X-Factor throws up a couple of class acts and the remaining truly sub class (Storm Lee take note) but this year is a high water mark. We should count ourselves lucky: I had lunch on Sunday with the South African winemaker, Adi Badenhorst, and he said South Africa’s equivalent is a horror show from beginning to end. Anyway, so how does Wagner, not the original Dicky Wagner, get through to the next round and these two have to degrade themselves with a sing-off? There has to be a reason but maybe not overtly and it might simply be more as I judge the Eurovision Song Contest – not simply anti British, or rather anti English and anti somebody else sentiment, but merely the same bad taste. If you are from a Balkan Country, chances are you’ll like the same naff twangs of a ukulele etc from your neighbouring Balkan or if you live anywhere near Greece your music would be best blended with plate smashing…? Or was it just a case of what we know better? Whatever, the bottom line is that you have to question Joe Public’s taste. Small beer when it comes to a television programme but positively disturbing when one think of a Referendum or Election. Scary.

Half-term is invariably when us battered parents have to provide the overpriced popcorn and sit in and watch Children’s’ Films. In the case of “Legends of the Guardians” it was beautifully made but pretty turgid stuff story-wise. Okay for 7 or under, not above that. “Despicable Me” however was a real treat. Great for kids, even better for grown-ups. “Africa United” is also worth seeing. A simple tale and pretty easy to guess where it’ll all end but in a word it was charming. Amazing, in amongst all that child soldiers; violence; drugs; AIDS; bribery etc., standard African stereotypes, yet the deft touch of the Director, Debs Gardner-Paterson maintains this as a feel good movie for sure. Long wanted to see “The Boy in Striped Pyjamas” and finally got to it on DVD. Fine sentiment but I just cannot get my head round a range of English character actors, all with different regional accents, especially a lisping David Thewlis, and it just makes for such unconvincing Germans, with or without a conscience.

Well not exactly a pay rise but perhaps a promotion of sorts. When I said last week that the current Public Sector Cull should afflict job descriptions of anything over one or maximum two words, I came in under the bar as a Wine Merchant. Bobby of Guernsey e-mailed back to say I should be promoted to Vintner. So there we have it, safe for now, your new Vintner. If you remain unconvinced, pick-up a copy of Private Eye and almost all of their stinging criticisms are reserved for officials with excessively long job titles.

46% per cent of Oxford’s workforce is employed in the Public Sector. You can only ever have a two-tier system with an equation like that.

Tonight I’ll be having a look at The Sampler; then Harvey Knickers; and then 28-50 just off Fleet Street. Anything as memorable as Bar Boulud’s hamburgers or the Fox & Anchor’s chips, I’ll let you know.