The Wine & Whisky Thread

Thanks Marco, for your considered and full comments. :)

I'll reply more fully later, after I have recovered from a rather nice 2010 Grande Réserve de Gassac.

http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/DWBase/...2961b.jpg?d=1b

It is however reasuring to hear that you have, at times, experienced similar problems. I don't think it is a problem with my corkscrews, rather I agee with you: it more likely a case of a bad batch of corks.

I hadn't heard of "enzymic reaction" in corks; so I have learnt something new.

Thanks,

Cheers

Well i had some real nice clober tonight (that i wont mention in fear of ridicule) cos its all about that innit ;) Stupid people! :)

2009 Chateau Puisseguin La Rigodrie, Puisseguin-Saint Émilion

https://s3.amazonaws.com/winelibrary...021/square.png

70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% cabernet Sauvignon.

14% ABV, Approx £8 a bottle

What should have been a delightful 'slurp' from this vintage year for Bordeaux, was anything but! The wine had a ‘musty’ aroma, most likely due to being stored in a bad barrel. The taste was OK, though it was difficult to get ‘past’ the aroma to enjoy the wine.

Probably a bad bottle – these things happen, but perhaps best avoided. :(

Just shared a lovely bottle of Chateau Capbern Gasqueton 2007 with Marco, Del and family. A nice long - ish flavour with nice tannins and a lovely nose.

Went very well with the food Del prepared, organic local chicken and some belly of pork from a small farm in Rhosllanerchrugog , both barbequed to perfection.

Followed by some jambon de pays from an organic farm in L'Aigles, assiette de crudite, a nice selection of soft cheese from Normandy, plus another lovely soft cheese from Lidl, whose name escapes me, but is very similar to Port Salut, only much cheaper.

So thanks to Barry for gifting the wine to Marco.


:cool:

Guys,

If you're looking for a lovely light and fruity red wine to quaff with some supper, then look no further than Lidl's superb 2010 La Cytelle Pays d'Oc, at £4.00 for a 1 litre bottle! :eek:

13%vol, so not 'watery' in the slightest, but neither is it in any way 'heavy going', in the way of some wines, from the likes of Bordeaux. This slips down very nicely, silky smooth, with no 'edge' or overtly acidic finish on the palate - perfect with some pasta, salads or light meats.

Make no mistake, this is high-quality genuine French table wine at its best, so run along now and empty the shelves of your local Lidl, or be a daftee forever!! :D

Marco.

2008 Château Minvielle, Bordeaux


http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/DWBase/...1577b.jpg?d=1b


Gold Medal Winner, Paris 2009

58% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc.

Château bottled 12.5% ABV.

A good mid-week slurp, and a delight after my last posting (above).




But - not as good as this fabulous Rhône:

2007 Cuvée du Vatican, Châteauneuf–du-Pape

http://s3.amazonaws.com/winealign-pr...2007-Label.jpg

This is what Robert Parker said about it:

“The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape spent over a year in neutral wood foudres. A blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and other authorized varietals, it exhibits sweet black cherry, licorice, pepper, garrigue, and earth notes. Fullbodied with moderate tannins, the sweetness of the fruit, the levels of glycerin, and the wine’s expansive, savory texture support the tannin. It will benefit from another 1-2 years of bottle age, and will drink nicely for 15+ years. Score: 90. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2009)”

15% ABV

Sadly down to my last few bottles. :(

They say the devil has the best songs..........

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Barry

15% ABV

---

..........but the Pope gets the strongest wines!

and not just the strength either, Châteauneuf–du-Pape is usually superb. Looks good Barry. :cocktail:

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/im...QOxZu76qlXd2LQ
This is lovely, ruined by water or anything else. Keep it in the fridge. If I can't get it -


https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/im...4KGOoZXWl5vTpQ

Or beer, this- St. Sixtus Abbey, Westvleteren, Belgium. Almost impossible to get unless you go there. And they don't sell on Fridays or Sundays. And you have to buy a crate, and pay the deposit on that. I like Belgian beers generally, but this is special.
https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/im...aRCLkaZOuIl6Ni
I know they're not wine and "real" ale, but hey, I've been drinking. Sue me!

Ok then. Also called Santa Maddalena in Italy. I was given this with soup in a restaurant on Lake Como, and it wasn't sweet at all. I mean, it was a savoury wine! It was chosen to complement the soup, and wow, did it ever!
https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/im...AOR_qLyysU4qlK
Or in the real world- Tesco, normally £6.99 but they sometimes drop it to £5.
http://www.ollysmith.com/wp-content/...32-564x348.png