A wee visit to the local whisky shop.
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A wee visit to the local whisky shop.
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Château de la Grande Tour, Cuvée Phoebe, Bordeaux AOC, 2022
Located in the village of Saint-Martial in Bordeaux's Entre Deux-Mers. Château de la Grande Tour has been in the Dumas family since the end of the 19th century. The old stone farmhouse once boasted a large watchtower, hence the property's name. Xavier Dumas is today the fourth generation of his family to run the estate, combining tradition and modernity in the wine making.
Château de la Grande Tour is a medium-bodied red with aromas of ripe damson, blackberry, black currant and hints of earthy spice. Look for similar flavors on the palate. Round tannins frame the long, complex finish. Very dark colour with purplish reflections. Bouquet of black fruit with a discreet woody mineral undertone. Pleasant concentration and expressive flavours. An elaborate, complex cuvée that is definitely worth cellaring for a while.
Gold medal winner: Médaille d'Or, Paris 2023
80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% ABV. Drink by end February 2033. About £13 a bottle.
Decent price at £13Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
It's been a difficult day today, so good slug of
16 year Lagavulin
According to Ian Buxton:
Colour: Deep gold.
Nose: Intense peat rush, followed by sweet oranges and toffee.
Taste: A huge, mouth-filling whisky. Dry, then some sherries sweetness with toffee and salty hint.
Finish: Massive peat smoke and salty climax.
Lovely dramQuote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Château Haut Pougnan, Château Les Moutins Bordeaux Rouge, 2019
"Château Les Moutins has been a family-owned estate since 1852. Located on the right bank slopes of the Garonne River, the 60 hectare vineyard benefits from clay, limestone and chalk soils thet contribute to the fresh, expressive bouquet of its wines. A bold radiant red robe, the nose unveils light and fruity aromas. Suave and smooth opening on the palate, with great roundness and balance."
Château Les Moutins, 2019 was a great vintage – well balanced with deliciously ripe fruit. Nearly-all Merlot, this velvety claret makes delightful drinking now and over the next 4 years.
Tasting notes:
Silky red fruits, creamy plum, sapid and leafy
Aroma:
Juicy plum, redcurrant, floral hints, green leaf
Winner of eight gold medals in 2020 and 2021.
13% ABV. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. About £20 a bottle. Drink by end of 2026.
2019 B by Fonbadet, Bordeaux
From a fourth-generation-owned Pauillac cellar, B de Fonbadet may fall under the humble Bordeaux label, but it’s intensity and complexity leave no doubt about its high-end quality. This 2019 has won the Decanter’s esteemed Platinum medal.
"B by Fonbadet is a ripe, supple expression of Bordeaux's finest fruit and the excellence of the 2019 vintage. Combining Sauvignon and Merlot grape, it is aged six months in barrel. The wine is smooth and elegant with ripe blackcurrant, plum and cherry notes. It will continue to give pleasure over the next few years."
Tasting notes:
Mellow tannins, rich black fruits and cedar spice
Aroma:
Cassis, black plum, cherry, cedar, chocolate, tobacco
13.5% ABV About £16 a bottle. Drink by end of 2030.
I'm really enjoying this wine - good job I ordered half a case. The only snag is the shape of the bottle means it is difficult to lay it down.
Baron Augustin, Grande Réserve, Bordeaux 2019
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"Baron Augustin evokes delicate notes of red fruit such as raspberries and redcurrants."
"An attractive and elegant palate of strawberriy and mocha leads on to beautifully balanced and soft tannins."
Tasting Notes: A savoury mix of red and black fruits, quite full-bodies with some pepper
60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
13.5% ABV. About £7 a bottle.
Found this at the back of my wine store. Given its very cheap price it is a quite palatable wine; though obviously not as good as more expensive Bordeaux wines. Later vintages may well be better and still offer good value.
Château Gigault Cuvée Viva, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, 2014
Across the river from famous Margaux lies the Premières Côtes de Blaye. With Stéphane Derenoncourt as winemaker, this terrific estate is ensuring the region’s wines get the recognition they deserve. Cuvée Viva is a rich, world-class, modern claret.
"Voici quelques roses, d'un bouquet de silence
Invitées au milléseme de ta tendre jeunesse
Vendange Joyeuse de tes rires d'adolescence
Amitié du vin gai en sa nobel promesse."
(Here are some roses, from a bouquet of silence
Invited to the vintage of your tender youth
Joyful harvest of your adolescent laughter
Friendship of the wine gay in its noble promise.)
Sensational deep shade of expectant red. Redcurrants and paprika nose. Blackcurrant and dark chocolate mocha with a hint of tannin.
Tasting notes: Deep, black cherry fruit with hints of paprika spice and tobacco.
Aroma: Exotic, ripe red and black fruits with vanilla oak and spice.
Merlot grape based. 13.5% ABV. Drink up by end of 2025. About £20 a bottle.
Not the golden elixir, but a couple of books about it:
The Classic Whisky Guide by Jim Murray
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ISBN 978-1-85375-741-9 (1977)
Jim Murray is the world's only full-time whiskey writer, and, despite his outspoken views, is much in demand as a consultant to the industry on both sides of the Atlantic.
Unlike anyone else in the field he has visited just about every working whisky distillery in the world and sampled its product in the true locale - a labour of love which has given him insight into the spirit in all its varied forms.
The Legend of LAPHROIAG by Marcel van Gils & Hans Offringa
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ISBN 978-90-89100-276 (2007)
This 'coffee table' book of one of my favourite Islay whiskies is a delight to read and is a labour of love by the authors. Not only does it chart the development and history of the distillery, but includes photographs of all the bottles and packaging used over the years.
As an added bonus, both books were picked up at a recent boot-sale for 50p each, and both are in mint condition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
a couple of great book buys there Barry
A recent purchase, although my bottle is still in its very nice packaging.
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Latest purchase , another Billy Walker
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Château Capbern, Saint-Estéphe, 2021
From the same team as renowned Third Growth Calon-Ségur, this is a firm, sleek fruit claret from the Haut-Médoc’s revered Saint-Estèphe. Silky blackberry, currant intensity and a graphite edge, a fine Left Bank claret the classic 2021 vintage.
Tasting notes:
Chewy tannins still, creamy edge to black fruit and graphite notes
Aroma:
Black berry fruit, currant intensity, stony, earthy
13% ABV, Drink by end of 2036. £28.00 per bottle.
You do seem drink some very nice wines Barry, wish I had your knowledgeQuote:
Originally Posted by Barry
That is very kind of you to say that Robin, but the truth of the matter is my knowledge of wines is largely defined by the wines I buy from my wine club (The Sunday Times Wine Club, which is an outlet for Laithwaites wine).Quote:
Originally Posted by rmcin626
I may be an oenophile, but to put it simply: "I know what I like". It's true I do have a few books on wine, as well as having once attendied evening classes in wine appreciation, but what I write in the posts here is often taken off the bottle itself, or from the web. So it may look impressive but it's almost all "cut and paste".
like you , for me fairly straightforward wither its wine or whisky , I know what I like, will maybe have a look at the Sunday Times wine, I did order stuff from Naked wines before some of which were fairly decent and nothing was terrible.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Château de la Grande Tour, Cuvée Phoebe, Bordeaux AOC, 2022
Located in the village of Saint-Martial in Bordeaux's Entre Deux-Mers, has been in the Dumas family since the end of the 19th century. The old stone farmhouse once boasted a large watchtower, hence the name. Xavier Dumas is today the fourth generation of his family to run the estste, combining tradition and modernity in the winemaking.
Crafted mainly from plummy-smooth Merlot (plus a healthy dash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc), Château de la Grande Tour is a medium-bodied red with aromas of ripe damson, blackberry, black currant and hints of earthy spice; and is a classic example of how Bordeaux’s many petites châteaux can over-deliver on value for money. For instance, the 2020 vintage won a Gilbert & Gaillard gold medal. Judges raved:
“Perky nose of ripe garden berry fruits. The palate is crisp, well-balanced and savoury and shows more of the same, extremely delightful aromas...already very enjoyable.”
Bordeaux blends like this are all about a balance between ripe fruit flavor, structured tannins and fresh acidity. In short: it’s a wine that will really come into its own with a meal. Serve alongside a Sunday roast beef with mushroom sauce (to really play up the earthy notes in the wine).Some of the world’s finest red wines are from Bordeaux. Château La Grande Tour is an elegant example from the highly respected Christian Dumas.
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Wine Flavor Profile:
Château de la Grande Tour is a medium-bodied red with aromas of ripe damson, blackberry, black currant and hints of earthy spice. Look for similar flavors on the palate. Round tannins frame the long, complex finish.
Wine Food Pairings:
Aged cheese, duck, game birds, venison, pork, vegetarian
14.5% ABV. Drink by February 2033. Gold Medal winner, Paris 2023. About £15 a bottle'
This is a fabulous wine - I'm ordering a case for Christmas.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Barry, any suggestions of a mixed case for Xmas?
A couple of new additions
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A couple of very nice Christmas presents.
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Anybody tried Wolfburn Morven?
Not me KevinQuote:
Originally Posted by CageyH
My concern is that it may be a bit young.
The wife bought it for me as a Christmas present.
Some reviews say it is very good, but I am not keen on the younger spirit, this being 3 to 4 years old.
There is quite a lot of young malt whisky around just now, and although some is excellent while some is very “spirit forward” and not to my taste.Quote:
Originally Posted by CageyH
It is the spirit forward that I also dislike.
There is only one way to find out if it is to my taste, and then it is too late to change it.
If you really don’t fancy it and it would be easy to change then change it for something you would prefer.Quote:
Originally Posted by CageyH
Apparently, the vendor only has 4 bottles of single malt to choose from.
That’s not great although depends on what the other bottles areQuote:
Originally Posted by CageyH
I decided to do some research on the Wolfburn, and most reviews I saw were favourable, and some specifically talked about the lack of “spirit burn” so I cracked it open.
A pleasant surprise, with it being better than I thought. Quite a fresh drop, with the peat coming late in the finish.
I am looking forward to some older expressions from Wolfburn.
Good to know you are enjoying it KevinQuote:
Originally Posted by CageyH
A new one for me, purchased using a Xmas voucher for the local whisky shop.
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Château Le Coin Bordeaux, Bordeaux AOC, 2022
Red Bordeaux is prized by wine lovers and collectors the world over. And while the big, expensive names like Château Lafite command the lion’s share of the spotlight, Bordeaux’s petits châteaux (literally ‘small castles’) are where fantastic values can be found. Especially when you know the right people. Our man on the ground, Jean-Marc Sauboua, has an unrivaled set of contacts in the region, including the renowned Ludovic Roussillon, whose small estate produces this perennial bestseller.
Château Le Coin is also loved on the wine competition circuit, and has won at least one gold medal every vintage since its U.S. debut nine years ago. Just as delicious as the ones that came before, we expect this new 2022 release to continue that streak.>
Ludovic’s 45-year-old vines yielded superior-quality fruit. This is a classic Bordeaux blend of soft, plummy Merlot, firm Cabernet Sauvignon and spicy Cabernet Franc. It’s made for enjoying with food, and boasts a freshness that’ll have you coming back for a second glass. Look forward to bright aromas of bramble fruit, dark plum and baking spices. On the palate, ripe black fruit and touches of vanilla and clove continue to please through the smooth, elegant finish.
Already drinking deliciously, this delightful red will also cellar well for a few years. Whenever you choose to serve it, we recommend decanting it at least an hour beforehand to help draw out its full aromas and flavors. Then sip with roasted red meats, hearty stews, mature cheeses or tasty French vegetarian dishes like courge et duxelles de casserole (butternut squash and chopped mushroom casserole).
Tasting notes:
Smooth and silky with ripe damson, cassis fruit; hints of spicy oak,
Aroma:
Ripe plum with notes of tobacco and spice.
Merlot grape, 14.5% ABV, Drink by end of 2027. About £18 a bottle.
Château Moulin du Prieur 2022
From the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux, this mostly Merlot red wine blend with a little Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon – all vinified to bring out the fruit richness, supported by sleek tannins. Rethink Bordeaux with this supple, generously fruity, rounded wine. It’s already drinking really well, with or without food.
Wine Flavor Profile
Château Moulin du Prieur is a medium- to full-bodied red wine with expressive plum, cassis and earthy spice aromas. On the palate, rich black-fruit flavors introduce velvety tannins and a lengthy, complex finish.
Wine Food Pairings
Aged cheese, duck, game birds, venison, pork, vegetarian.
14% ABV, Drink by end of 2027, About £11 a bottle.
Château la Grande Tour, Cuvée Phoebe 2022
Château de la Grande Tour is from the highly respected Christian Dumas and already a Gold-medal winner.
Very dark colour with purplish reflections. Bouquet of black fruit with a discreet woody mineral undertone. Pleasant concentration and expressive flavours. An elaborate, complex cuvée that is definitely worth cellaring for a while.
Tasting notes:
Dark fruits, plum, velvety tannins, freshness
Aroma:
Ripe damson, blackberry, cassis and earthy spice
Merlot (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Malbec (5%) 14.5% ABV, Drink by end of Januaru 2033, about £15 a bottle.
Le Vieux Château, Puisseguin Saint-Emilion AOC, 2020
Vieux Château Guibeau hails from Bordeaux’s fantastic 2020 vintage and was lovingly crafted at a small, family-owned estate in the Saint-Émilion satellite village of Puisseguin. It’s silky and deeply concentrated, with ripe plum and toasty oak notes. A Merlot-rich claret from an award-winning estate, it offers class and value with its ample rich plum and cassis intensity. Cellar or enjoy now.
Tasting notes:
Smooth, ample ripe plum and cassis, with firm tannins, tight oak spice
Aroma:
Ripe plum, blackberry, herby leafy edge, cloves
14% ABV, Drink by end of 2037 About £20 a bottle.
Château Dalem 2021 Fronsac AOC
The Vinyard of the Château DALEM was founded in 1610. It is located on a high hill close to St Emilion and Pomerol and well orientated to the South. The wine is elegant with silky tannins and a full aromatic complexity. It can be enjoyed now or many years later from the beginning to the end of the meal.
Tasting notes:
Silky, precise and elegant red fruit, sleek tannins, freshness
Aroma:
Red fruits, with hints of cloves, violets, liquorice
Merlot and Cabernet Franc, 14% ABV, Drink by 31 December 2036. £21 a bottle.