The Wine & Whisky Thread

[Coundonroad]

Nice one, Steve. Let me know if you enjoy it. If you like Leffe, and strong-ish Belgian beers of that ilk, it should hit the spot nicely

Marco.

Bullseye.
Luuurvely.

[Marco]

Nice one, dude. Nice and creamy, innit?

Marco.

[Coundonroad]

Certainly is, but with plenty of body & flavour. My worry is that the tab at Lidl said 'While Stocks Last'.

I also tried a bottle of Batemans' Vintage Ale last night. Now, I'm not an afficionado of the darker ales, and certainly not of anything that smacks of being a 'Barley Wine', but...... This one is so complex - plummy, toffee-y, Porty, almost Christmas Cake-in-a-bottle-y, and quite strong (7.5% ABV) yet not 'feeling' overpoweringly so. Don't know if I'd drink very many, but an occasional one may go down a treat.
The story behind it goes something like: Old Mr Bateman brewed a run of a special Barley Wine way back when, and put the last few cases away to be brought out for son Stuart's 21st in 1981. It was subsequently overlooked and eventually was dragged out and sampled many years later. It was found to be so good that Stuart decided to try to copy it, and this is the result.
I got it from Batemans' shop down the road, but I believe there are a few bottles around in some supermarkets. Worth keeping an eye out for!
Oh, by the way, it really is a 'keeper' too. The Best Before' is 2037!!

[Rare Bird]

Jesus i'm enjoying some Spanish red tonight! The wife bought it & was adamant it was good,regardless of what i say, but blimey it's so smoothe 13.5% more tororrow hopefully

[Barry]

2008 Antica Vigna Amarone della Valpolicella

14.5% ABV

Available from Aldi (thanks to Marco for pointing this out), this Amarone lived up to expectation: big bold and beautiful - rich, smooth and rounded with a long finish. Personally I prefer the 2006 Masi Costasera Amarone, but given the good price of the Aldi sourced Amarone (£14.99), this is a minor quibble.

Enjoyed with venison steak, roast potatoes, baby carrots, Savoy cabbage, and green beans.



2008 Château Minvielle, Bordeaux


Merlot 70%, Cabernet Franc 30%. Winner of Concours Général Agricol gold medal. 12.5% ABV.



2010 Château Fleur la Mothe, Médoc


Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 50%. One of my favourite Médocs! 14% ABV

Enjoyed with beef ravioli, sweetcorn, sugar-snap peas, asparagus, and green beans.



2001 Château du Clos Perrault, Bordeau Supérier


Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon. 13% ABV

Enjoyed with boeuf bourguignon, mashed potato, baby carrots and green beans.



2010 Château la Croix des Ducs, Montagne Saint-Emilion


Merlot 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, 13% ABV

Looks like 2010 could be as good a year for Bordeaux as 2009. Time to start laying down some of the 2010 vintage.



2005 Château L’Insoumise, Cuvée Caresse du Terroir, Bordeaux

13% ABV

Enjoyed with chicken breast stuffed with Manchego cheese, topped with chorizo and cheese with a tomato and red wine sauce, boiled potatoes, green beans and broccoli.



2010 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Collection, Réserve Bordeaux Special


65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5% ABV

About as close as I’m going to get to drinking Château Lafite! Another 2010 vintage that will be worth laying down for a couple of years.



2008 Un Vent de Folie, Côtes du Roussillon Village (Bottle number 007091)


This “Flight of Fancy” was bought on a whim – and boy I’m glad I did! An absolute stonker. Inky black in colour with a complex nose. Full bodied with a long and smooth finish. Must be decanted; I have never come across a bottle with so much silt and sediment. Bloody marvellous.



2009 Château Le Coin, Bordeaux Supérieur


Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% ABV.

Another example of the excellent 2009 vintage. Good job I bought a case to lay down.

Enjoyed with a beef casserole, mashed potato, baby carrots, savoy cabbage, broccoli and green beans.



2011 Château de Fouzilhon, Coteaux du Langedoc


40% Syrah, 30% Carigan and 30% Grenach. 14% ABV


2006 Héritage de Mayne Lalande, Listrac-Medoc

13% ABV



2011 Vieux Remparts Châteauneuf-du-Pape


13.5%

This is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape available from Aldi that Marco alerted us to. Not as good as some others I have drunk; the 2007 Cuvée du Vatican in particular, but at the price (£9.99) I have no real complaints.

Enjoyed with lamb shank with roasted carrots and parsnips with a redcurrant, rosemary and thyme gravy, mash potatoes, carrots, Savoy cabbage, broccoli, sugar snap peas and green beans.



And now a rather tasty Austrian white:

2011 Grüner Veltliner Weinland, Landwein aus Österrich Trocken


100% Grüner Veltiner, 12.5% ABV

This is a fashionably crisp dry wine having peach and apple flavours. A delightfully ’fresh’ tasting white wine, which has become the latest fashion amongst lovers of white wine. It now joins the Oggio pinot grigot as my favourite ‘Tesco’ white: Tesco have it on offer at £6.99 a bottle.

One bottle enjoyed with baked salmon steaks, boiled potatoes, asparagus, broccoli and green beans.

A second, enjoyed with Japanese prawn tashimi, followed by chicken teriyaki with stir-fry vegetables and rice.

[Marco]

Superb stuff, Barry! Most of the wines we've been drinking were bought in France, last summer, so I doubt I'd be able to find pics of the labels...

Hey that 2008 Un Vent de Folie is a stonker though, innit? Glad you very kindly let me try that! Nice one

Marco.

[Barry]

Superb stuff, Barry! Most of the wines we've been drinking were bought in France, last summer, so I doubt I'd be able to find pics of the labels...

Hey that 2008 Un Vent de Folie is a stonker though, innit? Glad you very kindly let me try that! Nice one

Marco.

No worries Marco! Do you remember any of the names? How about giving us an impression of the wine you drank?

I've put on half a stone thanks to all the eating over the festive period! I blame it on having guests over Christmas. Think I'll have to rein back on the vino!

Cheers

[Barry]

2009 Château Dasvin-Bel-Air, Haut-Médoc



Given Cru Bourgeois status, this wine, from one of Bordeaux's best ever vintages, has a dense colour, fresh dark berry nose and great concentration of fruit complete with some savoury gravel notes. Perhaps the most famous wine growing region in the world, Bordeaux is divided by the Gironde. On the left bank of this estuary lies the Haut-Médoc home to Chateau Dasvin-Bel-Air's vineyard. On the opposite bank is the beautiful town of St. Émilion.

14% ABV £9.99 a bottle

This was bought as a ‘consolation’ for missing out on the Margaux that Aldi had on offer over Christmas. And what an acceptable substitute it was! Another 2009 gem – enjoyed with Lancashire hot-pot, baby carrots, Savoy cabbage and petit pois.

[Barry]

2011 Réserve du Dolmen, Minervois



Blend of Syrah and Grenache Noir grape. 13.5% ABV


Minervois is a rugged, mountainous region between Béziers and Carcassonne. It was the first place in southern France where the Romans planted vines. Exceptional terroir and low yields enable Minervois' growers to get real depth and concentration in their wines. (The fact that they do so at such highly competitive prices is a tribute to their dedication and perseverance.)This intense red comes from the multi award winning Lauran Cabaret cellars. Most of the grapes were vinified traditionally, although the portion of Carignan was fermented in whole bunches to accentuate fruitiness and minimise tannins. Enjoy its ripe, red berry flavours and herbal complexity with grilled or roasted red meats, light game, rich pasta dishes or mature cheeses.

I enjoyed half a bottle with a spaghetti carbonara, brocolli, green beans and sweetcorn and the second half with grilled wild boar sausages, ratatouille and mashed potato.

[John]

I got a few nice drinks from Waitrose Belgium Beer and Vintage Perry