The CWB Inexpensive Italian White-Off

Two enjoyable and widely-available Italian whites from Lidl and The Co-op - plus a superior indie

Italy's red wines and bubbles gain most of the headlines, but the country also makes a wide range of very food-friendly whites.

While Chardonnay may be your first thought for a "food-white", Burgundy often carries a price premium and you can find elegant, fresh savoury whites from Italy at lower price points.

Here are three sophisticated and enjoyable Italian whites that will match with many foods - two from just outside Rome and a Soave from Italy's north west.

Campogrande Orvieto Classico, (£9, The Co-op)

Orvieto in Umbria, just north of Rome, is situated inland at around 300m above sea level, meaning plentiful sunshine with cool nights to extend the growing season and maintain freshness.

The main white grapes in Orvieto are Grechetto and Trebbiano; the first is considered a blending grape, the latter something of a workhorse.

But, just as the boy-next-door can turn into a matinee idol with a scrub and brush-up, so under-appreciated varieties can become enjoyable, inexpensive quaffers in the right hands.

This wine is made by the Antinori family, purveyors of some of Italy's most famous (and expensive) wines.

delicate white flowers and orchard fruit; crisp and fresh with apples-and-pears, ripe white peach and a touch of honeysuckle richness; full, supple and saline.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with mixed starters, creamy mushroom pasta or risotto.

2018 Botte de Conti Pecorino Terre di Chieti, (£5.75, Lidl) 

Pecorino is the grape here (not to be confused with the cheese of the same name) and Terre di Chieti is the region; it is in Abruzzo, just outside Rome.

citrus, apple, stone fruits and tropical fruit with some green herbs, minerality and a touch of spice. Very adept and well-made. Improves with some aeration.

Very pleasant and Very Good Value.

Drink as an aperitif in the garden or match with with seafood, soft cheeses, white fish or plain roast pork.

It also gets a recommendation from Helen McGinn on Saturday Kitchen as a match for carbonara.

Soave Gregoris, Antonio Fattori, Italy 2018 (£10.75, Private Cellar)

Costing only a few pounds more, but selected by Private Cellar's MW buyer, this is just a little bit better in every way.

Melon, lime and white stone fruits with orchard fruits, honeysuckle and pebbly minerality. Textured, elegant and precise.

Good.

Improves with aeration and will repay some cellaring.

A versatile food wine, drink as an aperitif, with light starters, creamy risottos or lean white met such as chicken or fish. It is also available in magnums for those "we're gonna need a bigger bottle" occasions.

The CWB Soave-Off

A tasting of two Soaves - Tesco vs Private Cellar

Soave - pronounced SWAH-vey and meaning suave - is a region of north east Italy producing white wines. It is just north of Venice in the Veneto region, not far from Verona, where (mostly) Garganega is grown.

Sommelier and all-round charismatic bon viveur Donald Edwards informs me that Soave is grown on volcanic soils, which add to the elegance, precision and linear minerality of the wine.

Soave is Italy's answer to basic white Burgundy; a neutral, medium-bodied, orchard-fruited, lemony white wine with the versatility to accompany a wide range of foods.

Soave was once a best-seller of Italian wines; now eclipsed by the ubiquitous pub white Pinot Grigio, it is making something of a comeback.

Put another way, now is a good time to buy Soave, since quality is ahead of general recognition and therefore pricing.

Tesco Finest Soave Classico Superiore (£7.50, Tesco)

Garganega grown on the Soave Classico hills, partially aged in oak for 10 months.

Rich, ripe pear, white stone fruits and baked apple with citrus, almond blossom, minerality and sweet spices. Elegant and adept.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with spaghetti carbonara or meaty white fish in a creamy sauce.

Soave Gregoris, Antonio Fattori, Italy 2018 (£10.75, Private Cellar)

Costing only a few pounds more, but selected by Private Cellar's MW buyer, this is recognisably from the same region and grape, but just a little bit better in every way.

Melon, lime and white stone fruits with orchard fruits, honeysuckle and pebbly minerality. Textured, elegant and precise.

Good.

Improves with aeration and will repay some cellaring.

A versatile food wine, drink as an aperitif, with light starters, creamy risottos or lean white met such as chicken or fish.

It is also available in magnums for those "we're gonna need a bigger bottle" occasions.

The CWB Burgundian Chardonnay-Off

Two Chardonnays - Burgundy and Western Australia

Easy to grow, easy to vinify, easy to pronounce and easy to drink; Chardonnay is one of the world's most widely grown grapes and arguably the most versatile.

From cool-climate fizz, to oaky sunshine-in-a-glass, it is made into a range of styles; its spiritual home is Burgundy where it makes complex, elegant food-friendly wines with, at most, moderate oaking.

Western Australia has been called the new New World, but has something of an Old World restraint and balance, with sea breezes on two sides. Its Chardonnays are distinctly Burgundian.

Mâcon Uchizy, Mallory & Benjamin Talmard 2019 (£14.85)

At the south of Burgundy, Macon is the George Harrison of the region, often overshadowed by more northerly appellations and therefore proving excellent value compared to the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. 2019 was a great year for wines giving more concentration and intensity.

Floral with acacia and orchard fruits; ripe white stone fruit, ripe and supple yet fresh with sweet spices and savouriness and white pepper on the finish; saline-mineral; full, concentrated and supple;  Lively and adept.

Very Good.

Match with roast white meats, cheese or seafood.

2019 Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay (£14.99–17.99 Majestic, Specialist Cellars, Aus Wines Online)

The natural freshness of Margaret River stands out. Ample sunshine and strong daily sea breezes preserve the vibrant fruit notes and acidity. The fruit for Filius Chardonnay is selected from multiple clones and sites that produce elegant, lighter fruit flavours and it’s this style of fruit from these patches of the vineyard that makes the finesse of this wine harmonious. The result is a fine Chardonnay with a clean bright palate, gently softened texture and delicate balanced creaminess.

Orchard fruits, honeysuckle and and complex toasty-oaky spices; beeswax, pineapple, lemon sherbet and ginger with citrussy freshness and lime marmalade zest plus savoury-buttery-oatmealy leesiness. Ripe yet taut, full yet linear.

Very Good.

Enjoy with or without food. Pair with summer salads, white fish, seafood, creamy pasta and roast chicken. Perfect for summer grazing and al fresco dining.

---xxx---

Further notes from Vasse Felix:

All Vasse Felix wines, from vine to bottle, are controlled within the estate. The fruit is chosen from Vasse Felix’s four vineyards where each site is planted with the best suited grape variety and clone to correspond with the unique topography and micro-climates of each block. Virginia Willcock, one of the most awarded winemakers in Australia, adopts a 'hands-off' approach in order to capture the flavours and qualities found in the vineyards. The grapes are harvested, fermented and matured in small, separate parcels before each barrel is graded and blended for the final wine. The land is farmed using traditional and organic (NASAA Organic Certified) and by nurturing the soils, achieve better health and balance and ultimately higher quality fruit.

Further notes from Private Cellar:

With all 30 hectares planted out to Chardonnay, it would be easy to imagine that Mallory and Benjamin Talmard might become a touch habituated to one style of wine but, instead, they celebrate the differences between their crus, which perfectly illustrate the importance of soil. Their Mâcon Uchizy comes from limestone rich soils, giving it immense poise and elegance with a lovely lovely citrus thread running through it. Superb in magnum as well.

Pale gold with an intense, citrus-infused nose and creamily rich palate, this is racy and young and always impresses. A great wine for parties, weddings and events. "The Finest white I have tried this year." A glowing customer review in The Field, following our first Field Wine Club offer. 

Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne NV

A sparkling Blanc de Noirs from Chablis

Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne NV

Think Chablis and it's all about still white wines made from Chardonnay; so this sparkling Blanc de Noirs made from 100% Pinot Noir is intriguing for its bragging rights alone.

It is not, of course, a Chablis - or, at least, cannot be labelled as such - even though the grapes are grown in Chablis.

If we think of Chablis as more akin to a southerly district of Champagne than a northerly sub-region of Burgundy, then this fizz falls into place: a slightly warmer-climate, giving a slightly fuller wine with a little more fruit.

It is aged on the lees for 24 months, so is truly a Champagne-style wine without the price tag; it is my go-to "proper fizz" when it needs to be good and I don't want to pay for the label.

Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne (Private Cellar, £18.85) golden colour, fine mousse; grapefruit, orchard and citrus fruits with some creamy brioche; fine linear acidity and minerality; harmonious and elegant.

Good and Good Value (within its category).

Drinking nicely now and can also be aged.

Drink as an aperitif or match with light starters.

If this wine piques your interest, Frankie Cook reviews another Simonnet-Febvre here.

Support Your Local Indie - Use Them or Lose Them

You'll miss them when they're gone ...

Retail is a brutal business; sectors and businesses that seemed solid a few decades ago are now a bloodbath - high-street retail in areas like banking and fashion have been well and truly disrupted by technology.

The sectors that continue to do well on the high street today are the sorts of activities that you can only do them in person - nail bars, hair dressers and coffee shops.

There is a saying that with every purchase you make, you are making a choice about the kind of world you want to live in.

Do you want a vibrant, thriving local scene of independent businesses; or a cut-price clone town of standardised, race-to-the-bottom chains?

If the former, then don't forget that you need to keep visiting local traders to ensure they stay in business.

If you want your local independent wine merchant to be around in, say, February, then maybe consider spending some money with them in January. Less-but-better January might just ensure that your local independent can pay staff wages and put food on the table in the quiet season and still be there for you on Valentine's day, throughout the summer and in the run up to Christmas party season again.

Local indies in the Cambridge area include:

- Cambridge Wine Merchants, who have bars as well as shops
- Noel Young Wines, have a new wine shop and bar
- Bacchanalia, two sites in Cambridge including one in the hub of independent shopping, Mill Road
- Private Cellar, MW-sourced wines from a small internet retailer
- Thirsty and Thirsty and Hungry, small, quirky and iconoclastic - and that's just the owner
- Joseph Barnes Wines, handcrafted wines from small, independent chateaux

And it's not just independent wine merchants.

Be it your local pub, café, bakery or Spanish private chef, remember to use them or lose them.

Soave Gregoris, Antonio Fattori, Italy 2018

A very elegant and versatile Soave from Private Cellar

I don't drink Italian wines regularly and that's nothing to do with how much I do or don't like them; I've been to plenty of Italian tastings and encountered lots of Italian wines I enjoyed.

The problem (for me, at least) is more one of classification, ordering and reliability; I simply don't have the same go-to mental shortcuts with Italian wine that I do with other countries.

In France, I'll take a Chablis and a Bordeaux; in Germany, a Mosel Riesling and a Spaetburgunder; in Spain a Txakoli alongside a Rioja. And I'll know what they should taste like and what sort of quality to expect for the price.

In Italy, I don't really know where to start - or what's reliable.

Maybe I just need to get to know Italy better by visiting it more often; but in the absence of persuading the family to spend a couple of weeks there as part of an oenological experiment, I contacted Private Cellar.

Private Cellar have an MW buying their wines and a trainee MW advising, so expect elegance and plenty of varietal / regional typicity; I have known Private Cellar for many years and I'm always been impressed with the quality of their wines.

Soave Gregoris, Antonio Fattori, Italy 2018 (£10.75, Private Cellar) melon, lime and white stone fruits with honeysuckle and pebbly minerality. Textured, elegant and precise.

Good.

Improves with aeration and will repay some cellaring.

A versatile food wine, drink as an aperitif, with light starters, creamy risottos or lean white met such as chicken or fish.

It is also available in magnums for those "we're gonna need a bigger bottle" occasions.

The (Mostly) French Classics Road Trip with Private Cellar

A tasting of (mostly) French classics from Private Cellar

At the request of our CEO, I organised a tasting of six wines for colleague just before Christmas; with no specific requests, budget or theme, I decided to go for French classics - mostly.

The wines came from Private Cellar and made for a road trip through France, zig-zagging our way from the east to the Atlantic coast and back before crossing over the Alps into Italy. As you might expect with an MW buying, all the wines were absolutely textbook and flawless, so if you want to get familiar with a particular style, these are as good a place to start as any.

For a bit of fun, I asked people to estimate selling prices for the wines and, in the main, they guessed around £5 - £10 high. So either a) my colleagues spend too much on their wine for the quality or b) Private Cellar are sourcing wines that outperform for the price. Or both.

In a number of cases, the wines carry a relatively unassuming official classification but are of a much higher standard that you would expect from the label alone; this is an area where smaller, better independent wine merchants can punch above their weight. And everyone apart from label snobs benefits.

At the end of the tasting, I asked people to name their favourite wine; there were a range of answers which is always a good sign when the wines shown are all of a similar price.

The final indicator was to see which bottles, when we sat down to drink with some food, emptied the most quickly.On this basis, the Bordeaux was a clear winner, closely followed by the Barbera and the fizz.

The wines in detail:

Crémant de Bourgogne Brut P100 Blanc de Noir Simonnet Febvre NV, Burgundy (£18.85)

Les Rafelières Sauvignon Blanc, IGP Val de Loire 2018 (£9.96)

Mâcon Uchizy, Mallory & Benjamin Talmard 2018 (£14.50)

Château Tayet, Bordeaux Supérieur 2015 (£14.95)

Château Beauchêne Premier Terroir, Côtes du Rhône 2016 (£14.70)

Barbera d'Alba, Rocche Costamagna 2017(£15.30)

Private Cellar - The Very Goods+

Private Cellar Portfolio Tasting at RICS

Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes round the moon
...
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last

Save The Best For Last (Vanessa Williams, 1991)

All the wines on show at the Private Cellar portfolio tasting scored at least a Good - I have written these up earlier, as well as the new and exclusive wines on show.

Here are the very best wines that got a Very Good or Very Good Indeed - note that is generally reflected in the price (especially for the Phelps wines).

Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc, Domaine Chevrot 2015 (£19.50) creamy, nutty, oatmealy and full. Very Good

Pouilly Loche aux Barres, Domaine Laurent Cognard 2014 (£20.50) full, ripe and substantial with a zesty zip. Very Good.

Wild Yeast Chardonnay, Springfontein, Walker Bay, South Africa 2012 (£17.95) substantial with Jura-esque tangy flor. Very Good.

Senorio de Bocos Roble, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2014 (£10.25) concentrated and fresh with oaky spice and bramble fruit. Very Good.

Chablis Domaine Watson 2012 (£21.90) substantial and adept with gooseberry and greengage fruit; still youthful. Very Good.

Champagne Tradition, Legras & Haas (£27.95) orchard fruit, brioche, fine mousse. Very Good.

Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, Legras & Haas 2008 (£38) complex with brioche and bramley apple fruit. Very Good.

Petit Cantenac, Grand Cru St Emilion 2012 (£23) red and sour cherries with coffee grounds and spice. Fresh and precise. Very Good.

Clos Cantenac Grand Cru St Emilion 2012 (£38.95) animal, leather and oaky spice; adept, supple and complex. Very Good Indeed.

Chateaux Haut Breton Larigaudiere, Margaux 2010 (£29.50) complex and fleshy with earthy minerality, spice, bramble fruit and cool mint. Very Good.

Joseph Phelps Freestone Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California (£39.50) precise and deft with complex oaking. Impressive but in-yer-face. Very Good.

Jospeh Phelps Freestone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California (£39.50) earthy truffles, black cherries and lots going on. Very precise. Very Good.

Jospeh Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California (£52.50) minty-blackcurranty and complex with seamless underpinnings. Very Good.

Jospeh Phelps Insignia, Napa Valley, California (£152) ripe fruit, savouriness, very long and adept. Very Good Indeed.

Private Cellar - The News and Exclusives

The new and exclusive wines from Private Cellar's Annual Portfolio tasting at RICS

Hattingley Valley Blanc de Blancs 2011 (£39.95) zippy, fresh, elegant and leesy. Adept. Very Good.

Marmora Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, 2015, Italy (£9.90) floral, fresh, full. Good.

Cantosan Verdejo Vinas Viejas Yllera, DO Rueda Spain 2015 (£11.95) aromatic lemongrass, ripe-yet-fresh. Good

Summerhouse Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2015 (£12.75) pungent, aromatic and tropical. Good.

Marmora Cannonau di Sardegna DOC, Italy 2015 (£9.90) fresh, vibrant and berry-fruited. Good.

Barbera d'Alba, Rocche Costamagna, Italy, 2015 (£13.25) red plums and spice. Good.

Merotto Colbelo Prosecco Extra Dry Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2015 (£18.95) fresh, precise, elegant. Good.

Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru "Cuvee Les Sillons", Legras & Haas 2012 (£66) taut and precise, still young with green apple and pear fruit, brioche and oaky-buttery underpinnings. Good now to Very Good over time.

Ch Les Vieux Ormes, Lalande de Pomerol 2012 (£20.45) fresh, precise, mineral; cherries and coffee. Adept. Very Good.

Ch Chantalouette, Pomerol 2012 (£26.50) fresh, pure, focused, cherries-and-coffee, adept and complex. Very Good.

Othello, Dominus Estate, Napa Valley, California 2012 (£31.95) a David Hasselhoff of a wine; complex but jammy and crowd-pleasing. A grudging Very Good.

Vidda Tørr Gin, Norway, NV (£41.95) flavoured with 12 foraged botanicals (how artisan) and no citrus; deft, elegant and complex. Very Good.

Private Cellar - The Goods

Private Cellar Portfolio Tasting at RICS

Another year, another portfolio tasting from Private Cellar; with the wines chosen by MW Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler, quality is not in doubt. It is merely a case of style, preference and degree.

Here are the wines that scored a Good - New/Exclusive and Very Good+ will follow:

Arneis, DOC, 2015, Rocche Costamagna, Italy (£12.75) creamy-oatmealy, rounded and peachy

Chateau de Fesles Chenin Blanc La Chapelle, Vielles Vignes, Anjou 2013 (£13.35) curiously delicious old-school lanolin and beeswax; mineral and substantial

Terroir Selection Chenin Blanc, Springfontein, Walker Bay, South Africa 2013 (£14.95) pure, clean and mineral with herby cress

Maranges Vieilles Vignes Domaine Matrot 2012 (£22) raspberry fruited, delicate and elegant

Bourgogne Pressionnier (Gevrey Chambertin) Domaine Jospeh Roty 2012 (19.50) earthy, truffly savoury and mineral 

Ique Malbec, Mendoza, Bodega Enrique Foster 2013 (£10.25) red, black and sour cherries with freshness and spice

Terroir Selection Pinotage, Springfontein, Walker Bay, 2010 (£15.95) truffley-earthy, fruited-and-spiced, ripe-almost-jammy

Bourgogne Blanc, Sorin Coquard, Cote d'Auxerre 2014 (£12.50) adept, fresh and elegant with lime zest

Macon Bussieres, Domaine Gonon 2014 (£12.95) fresh, citrussy with brazil nut creaminess

Prosecco Ca' Bolani NV (£12.95) zippy, citrus and sherbet

Merotto Colbelo Prosecco Extra Dry Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2015 (£18.95) fresh, precise, elegant

Champagne Rose, Legras & Haas NV (£29.75) redcurrant fruit and brioche, fresh and elegant

Chateau Tayet, Bordeaux Superieur 2011 (£13.50) bramble and cool mint with minerality

Ch Tour Baladoz, Grand Cru Saint Emilion, 2008 (£20.95) adept and mellow; evolved nose, cherries and coffee

Joseph PhelpsVineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California (£27.50) full, substantial, creamy and complex

 

Other related articles
Private Cellar 10 years 

Private Cellar Burgundy Tasting
Private Cellar Annual Tasting, 2012
Two Red Burgundies from Private Cellar

EASCA Dinner With Private Cellar

EASCA Dinner at Trinity Hall with Private Cellar

A Friday evening saw me heading, in black tie, with Mrs CWB to Trinity Hall to host a dinner with wines from Private Cellar.

Set in a Cambridge college, there was something of an educational theme to the dinner, with the wines introduced by MW Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler, a collection for the Centre for Computing History and speakers who touched on the need to keep learning to stay ahead of the bots.

With a fizz on arrival, a Champagne-style BdN from Chablis, Private Cellar had expertly matched the wines our dinner: a toasty, peachy Albariño with fish rilettes, a spicy, expressive Chateauneuf-alike with quail-and-black-pudding wellington and a complex, barrel-aged Sauternes-alike from Sainte Croix du Mont to complement dessert.

Three of the wines were alternatives to classics that would be priced significantly higher if they were able to carry a more illustrious name; the Albariño, something of an outlier, is not a classic wine, but was simply delicious.

All the wines were excellent and well-judged; for me, the complex sticky was wine of the night with the approachable and characterful Rhône a close second (and also the popular favourite).

Nicola has written more-detailed tasting notes for each wine:

Crémant de Bourgogne P100 Blanc de Noirs, Simonnet Febvre NV Despite being made from the same grape varieties, on the same soils and with the same climate as their near neighbours in Champagne, Crémant producers in Chablis cannot ask the same price for their wines, which makes them the go-to fizz for the canny drinker. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, Simonnet Febvre’s is deliciously creamy and rich with a lovely biscuity finish, and mighty tricky to discern from the real thing.

Albariño Robalino, Señorio de Rubios, Orixe Rías Baixas 2015 Albariño is one and the same as Portugal’s Vinho Verde grape, but the wines it makes in each country couldn’t be more different. Señorio de Rubios is the product of a group of small growers looking for a way to minimise their costs whilst making the best wines they can – so like a co-operative except it is private rather than state-led. Gorgeously fresh peachy fruit on the nose, floral too, with a hint of sherbet and lime flowers on the palate, really refreshing and truly delicious.

Château Beauchêne Premier Terroir, Côtes du Rhône 2014 The 2012 vintage was served at dinner but we drank the last few bottles that night! This is the follow-on vintage. Château Beauchêne’s Premier Terroir sits on premium Châteauneuf vineyards but without the name (thanks to some moving of the AOC goal posts) and, as such, it can be relied on to produce premium wines year after year. 2014 was a cooler vintage than many a recent one, but a late harvest allowed the fruit to develop a fabulous spectrum of flavours. Deeply coloured with a nose of gorgeous blackberry fruit, spiced and rich, with lovely ripe tannins behind the fresh fruit on the palate, this is a real star of a wine which will evolve over several years.

Château des Mailles, Sainte Croix du Mont 2010 Clustered around the Garonne river south of Bordeaux you find a huddle of sweet wine appellations, the best known being Sauternes and Barsac. Directly across the river from Barsac is Sainte Croix du Mont, producing deliciously ripe, plump sweet dessert wines, perhaps without the gravitas of Sauternes but at hugely attractive prices. Château des Mailles is rich and sweet, floral on the nose with a hint of orange zest, lovely and leafy with the trademark touch of noble rot on the palate. Superb.

Other related articles
Dinner With Private Cellar
Private Cellar 10-Year Tasting

Dinner With Private Cellar

A dinner and tasting with Private Cellar's Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler

For a dinner at work, I gave Private Cellar a menu and a budget, then asked them to suggest some wines.

Not only were all the wines amazing, they even brought their buyer, Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler, along to provide a masterclass.

On arrival

Hattingley Valley Classic Cuvée 2010 a genuine Champagne alternative, rather than a wine for patriots. Nicola was impressed by one attendee spotting a high level of dosage (10 g/l) to counteract the high acidity.

With starter - scallops

Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese, JJ Prüm 2009 a stunning Mosel Riesling drinking beautifully now; racy, off-dry, rich and concentrated with some aged character. The popular favourite.

With main - Angus beef fillet, red wine jus

Gran Reserva 904, La Rioja Alta 2005 an incredibly long and concentrated Rioja, but amazingly still too young and grippy. Technically my top wine of the evening, but needs another decade in bottle

With dessert - Almond & orange polenta cake, Roasted plums, Crème fraiche

Château Rayne Vigneau Sauternes 2007 deft, rich, botrytised sticky with roasted peach and orange peel flavours

Other related articles
Private Cellar 10-Year Tasting

Château de Rayne Vigneau, Sauternes, 2007 - Private Cellar

A classy, substantial dessert wine with a bit of age from Private Cellar

The sweet wines of Sauternes have a balance between richness and freshness that few other wines can match. This Château de Rayne Vigneau is a wonderful example from a Premier Grand Cru Classé de Sauternes.

Dark straw yellow, almost mahogany - ripe roasted yellow stone fruit with zesty oranges and lemons; gentle oaking adds to the depth and body; honeyed sweetness, savouriness and freshness. Deft, assured, complex and balanced.

Drink by itself or match with a crème brûlée.

Very Good - and good value.

Other related articles
Les Remparts de Bastor Lamontagne 2009, Sauternes - Waitrose
Taste The Difference Sauternes, 2005 - Sainsbury's

Private Cellar 10-Year Tasting

Private Cellar's 10-year anniversary tasting at the Portland Gallery

My professional training would have me believe that the real work in running a wine merchant is in the rigorous selection of excellent wines, the technical stuff.

Increasingly, however, I'm inclined to believe the real skill is in the commercialising of a great idea, with buying as something of a commodity, albeit a specialist one.

Perhaps the true business genius lies in a combination of both - an attention to detail matched to a customer-focused approach.

In any event, there is clearly something special about Private Cellar who, despite their rather old school, elitist name were declared top independent wine merchant in the UK by Jancis Robinson and this year celebrate their 10th anniversary.

With an MW buyer, Private Cellar's wines are elegant, technically correct classics - that much comes as standard.

Perhaps their greatest asset is consistency, but not at the expense of excitement - just as I want my car both to start every time I put the key in and also be fun to drive, I've yet to try a disappointing wine from Private Cellar.

With eight wines to try, what struck me above the general quality, typicity and consistency was:

- all the wines were elegant and precise

- the Burgundies had a noble elegance and elusive, Dukedom superiority to fall quietly in love with

- by contrast, the New World wines, all equally good, seemed rather brash and look-at-me, as if they'd donned a flashy suit, Stetson and snakeskin boots

Whites
Pouilly Fume Domaine Thibault, Andre Dezat 2013 £15.75 elegant, aromatic, fullsome, creamy and flinty

Chateau Picque Caillou Blanc, Bordeaux 2012 £23.50 fresh and citrussy, lovely texture, subtle yet muscular oaking, deft

Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Laflaive 2009 £39.50 supple and fresh, creamy oatmeal and cashew, long - plenty of life ahead of it

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Freestone Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California 2011 £39.90 New World oak and fruit, more look-at-me

Reds
Givrey Chambertin la Brunelle Domaine Joseph Roty 2007, £34.95 soft, supple, deft and elegant; still youthful and assertive

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Freestone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast California 2011 £39.90 all present and correct, but there's a whiff of New World attention-grabbing brashness about it

La Belle Connivence, Pomerol 2010 £76 pure, fresh, precise, long, focused and mineral; incredibly poised and youthful. Not cheap, though.

Napanook, Dominus Estate, California 2009, £42 lots of everything here - fruit, oak, alcohol; makes its presence felt

Other related articles

Private Cellar Burgundy Tasting
Private Cellar Annual Tasting, 2012
Two Red Burgundies from Private Cellar

An Italian Wine Evening with Friends

A tasting of Italian wines with some oenophile friends - including two Rocche Costamagna wines from Private Cellar

All these wines were excellent - from the entry-level aperitif to the aged complexity of the Ornellaia; we matched them with some appropriate Italian food - wild boar stew with chestnuts, griddled aubergine bake with tomato and cheese sauce, peas with shallots and parma ham, baked vegetables with tomatoes and dill.

Ca' Bolani Frizzante Prosecco NV elegant entry-level semi-sparkler; crisp orchard fruits, pleasant mousse, easy-drinker

Cervaro Della Salla 2005, Umbria IGT, Antinori complex oaky Chardonnay / Grechetto blend with ripe tropical fruit, freshness and body. Long finish; the oak dominates a little, still feels young.

Dolcetto d’Alba Rubis, Rocche Costamagna, 2010, Piedmont poised juicy black cherry with some spiciness; a little closed up now but, like a shy party guest, should open out with time

Barbera d’Alba Superiore Rocche delle Rocche, 2010, Piedmont ripe red and black fruits with some toasty oak; lovely texture, drinking very nicely now.

Alpha Zeta A, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, 2005 a big, ripe but not blowsy wine with lots of everything - ripe dark cherries, fruit cake, vanilla and coffee; starting to gain some aged, mellow character, but feels still youthful

1999 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia 'Ornellaia' Bolgheri Superiore, Toscana wonderful aged, complex gamey Bordeaux-blend super Tuscan drinking beautifully now; dark fruits, spice, cigar box and chocolate-espresso with a lovely texture - very accomplished and only just mature.

Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve 2009, Sangiovese, Toscana red and black berry fruit with violets, wild herbs, liquorice and some earthy leather

Other related articles
On Mature Bordeaux‏ (And Others)
The Third Cambridge Tasting - Dinner at The Gonville
Italian Wines from Marks and Spencer

Links
Private Cellar - website
Rocche Costamagna - website

Private Cellar Burgundy Tasting

A tasting of Burgundies with Private Cellar

Tasting red and white Burgundies selected by a Master of Wine on a warm spring evening in the Middle Temple is just about a perfect way to spend an hour or so after work.

The walls were panelled and hung with grand oil paintings, the ceilings ornate, the room full of successful, wine-loving lawyers - it was a world away, culturally, from the mermaid and the rugby player of last week.

I found I learnt as much about my own preferences from this tasting as I did about the wines:

- that I like all white Burgundy, including Chablis and Maconnais, I already knew.

- I like Beaujolais, but decided I find Fleurie rather too, well floral.

- I liked all the reds, but found the younger ones closed up and harder to assess (not for the first time)

With only limited time to get round, I decided to try the more-ambitious wines.

Whites

Domain Lamblin Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2010 (£34.96) zesty, mineral, honeyed, precise and long. Very Good.

Chateau Fuisse Pouilly-Fuisse Veilles Vignes 2008 (£30.96) 80% new oak, toasty, ripe, creamy-oatmealy brazil nut, precise. Very Good.

Domaine Matrot Meursault Villages 2012 (£35.46) toasty, sweet spice, muskiness, ripe yet taut and complex; floral with honey and zestiness. Very Good.

Domaine Jean Chartron - new to Private Cellar this year, I tried all three wines on show.

Bourgogne Blanc Clos de la Combe 2012 (£13.96) in Puligny, but lower down the slope and out of appellation; ripe citrus, fresh and toasty, a solid performer.

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Pucelle 2012 (£60.46) ripe, toasty, complex and assured. Lots of stuffing. Very Good Indeed.

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de Cailleret 2008 (in magnum, N/A) from a nearby vineyard with more calcareous soils giving a more focused and precise result, more steely-mineral. Very Good Indeed.

Beaujolais

Domaine Laurent Savoye Beaujolais Villages Elegance 2011 (£8.96) black cherry and mulberry fruit, precise, fresh and pure. Good.

Domaine Laurent Fleurie la Cadole 2012 (£12.86) softer and more floral. Good.

Domaine Christophe Savoye Morgon (£14.96) floral with cherry and mulberry fruit, sweet spice; fresh pure and long. Good.

Reds

Domaine Bertrand Machard de Gramont Nuits St Georges Terrasses des Vallerots 2010 (£25.96) Burgundian nose, sweet ripe red fruits, like fruit pastilles. Fresh, pure, precise. Very Good.

Domaine Parent Pommard 1er Cru Les Chaponnieres 2005 (£43.46) merest brick-red hints, truffles and well-hung game; sweet, ripe cherry fruit. Harmonious, elegant, savoury, fresh and precise. A touch of peppery spice on the finish. Good.

Domaine Frederic Magnien Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2008 (£26.96) truffley-mushroomy with ripe red fruits, plenty of stuffing and harmonious. Very Good.

Domaine Poisot - I was recommended to try all of these by a friend who was there. I found the younger wines quite closed up and not easy to assess, so I have not scored these at all. As shown, they were all Good; with time, aeration and / or aging, they might well have shown as anywhere up to Very Good Indeed.

Cotton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2012 (£90.46) supple honeyed and ripe yet zesty with creamy-oatmealy brazil nut.

Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru en Caradeux 2012 (£29.96) fresh and ripe with lots of stuffing.

Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2012 (£66.46) sweet, ripe red fruits, vibrant with some grip.

Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru 2008 (£179.46) truffley-mushroomy-farmyardy, sweet ripe red fruits, like fruit pastilles. Long, assured and harmonious.

Recommended Wines

White - Domaine Jean Chartron Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Pucelle 2012

Red - Domaine Frederic Magnien Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2008

Other related articles

Private Cellar Tasting
Two Red Burgundies from Private Cellar
Private Cellar Annual Tasting

Links
Private Cellar - website, twitter, facebook

Two Red Burgundies from Private Cellar

A review of two red Burgundies from Private Cellar

I have historically struggled with Pinot Noir in general and red Burgundy in particular, for many years never quite seeing the point.

These two wines from Private Cellar, like divas in a flouncy strop, initially underwhelmed and refused to perform before finally, at the very last minute, stepping out to put on a proper show.

Private Cellar's wines are selected by MW Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler and both wines were instantly, recognisably classy, elegant and well-made - they just rather lacked something interesting and compelling which only emerged with time and aeration.

We first tried them straight from the bottle - older, more delicate wines do not generally benefit from extensive aeration - but in both cases here, however, they distinctly improved on the second day, even on the third.

Like flouncy divas the world over, they clearly just needed to be treated right to coax out a great performance.

Beaune 1er Cru Les Sceaux, Domaine Anne-Sophie Debavelaere 2009 (£21.96)

Pale red with aromas of soft ripe red fruits; elegant, pretty enough and delicate but somehow unconvincing straight from the bottle. It ticks all the boxes for fruit, balance and freshness - as well as for elegant sophistication - but seems to lack interest on the palate.

We decant it and find it improves, so decide to hold back to see whether it improves with time. The following day there is more going on, more of a compelling savouriness amongst the delicate soft fruit and gentle texture.

It seems to reach a peak and really make sense just as we are eking the last drops out on day three; it retains its earlier slight elegance, but now feels fuller and more savoury, more compelling.

Good to Very Good (by day 3).

Bourgogne Rouge Pressonnier, Domaine Joseph Roty 2008 (£16.00)

Darker in the glass, this has much more personality straight out of the bottle - farmyardy Burgundian nose and more assertive palate, with fresh, vibrant, ripe black cherry fruit and savoury underpinnings.

But, despite its age, it is still not yet fully knitted together; it feels youthful, excitable and unsettled, but at least I have more of a sense of where it's going, so once again we hold back.

The following day, it feels properly harmonious and integrated; the acidity has mellowed and blended in with the fruit and savouriness.

Good to Very Good (on day 2).

Match both wines with gamey foods - duck, game terrine, wild salmon. The Beaune is light enough to serve slightly chilled as a garden sipper on a hot summer's day.

Other related articles
Private Cellar Annual Tasting
Laboure-Roi Cote de Beaune-Villages, 2012 - Waitrose
Loeb Burgundy En Primeur 2011‏
Restaurant L'Alembic: Nuits St Georges

Links
Private Cellar - website, twitter

Private Cellar Annual Tasting

When you have MW Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler buying your wine and name your company Private Cellar, it is only appropriate that you hold your annual tasting in the grandly gilded-and-wood-panelled surrounds of the Queen's Room and Parliament Chamber of the Middle Temple in the legal quarter of the City.

And besides, I've never met a lawyer who did not appreciate good wine.

Arriving early at the tasting, there was room to move around freely, but before long it was a bit like being at a student house party. Except that everyone was rather more smartly dressed.

With 34 wines on show, I decided I could get round all of them if I was quick enough, so my notes are all the briefer as a result.

Overall impressions were that quality is both high and consistent - as one would hope - with a focus on the traditional and modern classics.

The few older wines showed much better than the generally younger ones and the revelation of the evening was some very interesting South African wines from Springfontein.

I was less convinced by the Californian wines (but that is generally the case) and there was even a very good Burgundy for under £30.

The Champagnes were well-made and elegant, but lacked the yeasty rasp of food-friendliness I look for.

A general feature of almost all the whites was excellent acidic structure - rounded, prominent and mouthfilling.

Regional / varietal typicity was high - again as one would expect with an MW buying, which makes note-taking easier.

However, as a WSET Diploma friend once told me, a good rule-of-thumb is the more notes you scribble down, the better the wine; that certainly applies here. Anything especially worthy of note gets an additional Good, Very Good or Very Good Indeed.

Prices generally start at £8 per bottle with most somewhere in the teens.

Muscadet FildeFer, Sauvignon 2011 (£7.95) not sur lie but lemony, pleasant and light

Ugni Blanc / Colombard, Domaine Laguille 2011 (£7.95) herbaceous, crisp and zesty

Les Rafelieres Sauvignon Blanc IGP Val de Loire 2011 (£7.95) nettles and blackcurrant leaves on the nose and palate, flinty and mineral. Good.

Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon, Domaine Laguille, Cotes de Gascon 2010 (£7.95) musky, earthy and juicy - not so convinced by this one.

Merlot Maison Mayol 2009 (£8.25) more interesting, coffee aromas, sweet vanilla spice, red and bramble fruit, grippy

Pavillon du Chateau Beauchene, Cotes du Rhone 2011 (£8.95) earthy, spicy, soft texture, elderberry fruit and mintiness

Chateau de Sours Blanc, Bordeaux 2011 (£11.25) herbaceous and pure, with good acidity; thoughtful and precise.

Chateau de Sours Rouge, Bordeaux 2010 (£11.95) coffee grounds and mintiness, ripe juicy fruit, grippy

Reserve de Sours Sparkling Rose, Bordeaux NV (£13.95) traditional method fizz - crisp, fresh and elegant with soft red fruits; feels young.

Bordeaux Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix 2008 (£9.75) cigar box and pencil shavings, meaty with cool mint and bramble fruit; youthful and grippy (unoaked). Will age / needs decanting.

Chateaux Cap de Haut, Haut Medoc, 2007 (£14.95) lovely tobaccoey nose, good bramble fruit, mintiness, fresh acidity and tannins well-integrated (oaked)

Chateau St Brice Grand Cru St Emilion 2002 (£23.50) complex nose and palate, drinking very nicely now, still lively on the palate but harmonious and balanced. Very Good Indeed.

Chateau Haut Roc Blanquant GC St Emilion 2005 (£23.95) complex and minty; youthful compared to St Brice. Good.

Bourgogne Blanc Sorin Coquard (Cote d'Auxerre) 2010 (£11.45) lemony and toasty with sweet, creamy leesiness. Good.

Chablis, Limblin & Fils 2011 (£13.95) precise, rounded, zesty / pithy, great acidity and persistence. Good.

Macon Villages, Domaine de Bel Air 2009 (£11.95) Soft creamy texture, good fruit, nicely balanced.

Villa Serra, Caunes-Minervois 2010 (£12.50) juicy and spicy with cool mint; grippy finish.

Beaune 1er Cru Les Sceaux, Anne-Sophie Debavelaere 2009 (£20.75) red fruits, soft texture, nicely balanced and savoury

Gevrey Chambertin, Domaine Lucien Boillot 2009 (£29.62) fuller, softer, more complex; mouthfilling and elegant with ripe fruit and pleasant grip on the finish. Good.

Champagne Chauvet Brut Blanc de Noir NV (£23.50) gently pressed, this has weightiness without varietal Pinot character - crisp, elegant and light.

Champagne Chauvet Brut Reserve NV (£24.95) with a year more in bottle, this has more on the nose and feels more balanced.

Champagne Chauvet Rose NV (£24.95) crisp, fresh and persistent, it feels elegant and light.

Soave Gregoris, Antonio Fattori 2011 (£8.95) lemony with grapefruit and zest; crisp, precise acidity and rounded mouthfeel

Chianti Classico, Il Molino di Grace 2006 (£15.75) meaty, cherry fruit and spice, sweet vanilla; juicy and grippy, feeling harmonious but still youthful. Good - and good value for a wine of this pedigree and age.

Dolcetto d'Alba Rubis, Rocche Costamagna 2010 (£13.95) Ripe plummy fruit, soft texture, lots of grip.

Barolo Rocche Annunziata, Rocche Costamagna 2007 (£23.88) complex nose, cherry and liquorice, mintiness, long on the palate with good acidity and grip

McNaught & Walker Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2010 (£15.95) 7% new oak, unusual lychee aromas on the nose and palate; tropical fruit, precise acidity and mintiness

Terroir Selection Sauvignon Blanc, Springfontein 2010 (£13.95) made by a German in South Africa, these are more European in style - good acidity, leesy, full and creamy, persistent; technically impressive. Good.

Terroir Selection Chenin Blanc, Springfontein 2010 (£13.95) barrel-fermented with batonage; full and creamy on the palate with herby cress notes and good acidity

Terroir Selection Pinotage, Springfontein 2007 (£13.95) coffee grounds and ripe dark berry fruit, sweet vanilla and mocha

Joseph Phelps Freestone Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2010 (£165 for 6 IB) creamy, toasty with tropical melon fruit and ripe, sweet vanilla - feels simple and underwhelming

Joseph Phelps Freestone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2009 (£165 for 6 IB) Burgundian nose, sweet red fruit on the palate; technically good, spoilt by too much sweet ripeness

Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (£170 for 6 IB) sweet ripe Big Red; it's perfectly OK.

Joseph Phelps Insignia, Napa Valley 2009 (£595 for 6 IB) sweet ripe fruit, complexity and spice, good muscular grip. Good. Just not good value.

Recommended Wines

My top wine of the night was the 2002 Saint Brice - a really lovely claret that is drinking beautifully now, but still has plenty of life left in it.

Chatting to Private Cellar director Laura Taylor at the end, she commented on how many people had also picked that as a favourite.

She also added that it will not be made any more as the domaine has been merged with another, so this is the last we shall see of it - sadly.

My ideal mixed case from Private Cellar, then, would also include:

- Les Rafelieres Sauvignon Blanc IGP Val de Loire 2011
- Chateau Haut Roc Blanquant GC St Emilion 2005
- Bourgogne Blanc Sorin Coquard (Cote d'Auxerre) 2010
- Chablis, Limblin & Fils 2011
- Gevrey Chambertin, Domaine Lucien Boillot 2009
- Chianti Classico, I'll Molino di Grace 2006
- Terroir Selection Sauvignon Blanc, Springfontein 2010

Links


Private Cellar - website, twitter, Facebook

Other related articles
Lawyers, Accounts and Wisdom

Troplong Mondot 1998