Simon Hoggart

Simon Hoggart presents a special wine offer...  

It was the late Auberon Waugh who discovered Château de Sours rosé, and helped bring about the present craze for luscious pink wines. He loved Château de Sours, recommended it without reserve, and sold thousands of cases through The Spectator.

And no wonder. When you think of what rosé used to be like — thin, pallid stuff often without any discernible effect on the taste buds — it’s a wonder that anyone bought any at all. Serious drinkers didn’t even regard it as wine; it was liquid sherbet dabs with a little alcohol thrown in. What the people at Château de Sours produced was basically a refreshing claret, with all the weight and flavour of a Bordeaux red plus the crisp qualities of the perfect summer wine. The brew is made from red grapes, and the skins are left on just long enough to add colour and savour before being pulled out. In its way, it’s a historic wine too; we call red Bordeaux ‘claret’ from the French ‘clairet’, which meant you could see through it.

Lots and lots of winemakers have imitated Château de Sours since, and some of them produce reasonable stuff. But this is still the original and the best, and at this price, which Private Cellar have managed to negotiate with the owner, Martin Krajewski, you would be well-advised to buy plenty. Château de Sours Rosé 2008 (1) at £106.80 or £8.90 per bottle.

But Château de Sours doesn’t only produce pink wines. Their white is unusual for Bordeaux, in that it is now made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It has a zip and a freshness which I like a lot, actually rather closer to a New Zealand style than the more austere and flinty Sancerre to the north. Again, a terrific summer wine. Château de Sours Blanc 2008 (2) at £108.00 or £9.00 per bottle.

The property is close to Pomerol and facing St Emilion, so it’s not surprising that their red is 100 per cent Merlot. I don’t know why some people are snobby about this grape — the fabulously expensive Château Pétrus is made exclusively from Merlot — and this has a soft, rounded velvety flavour. It is a quintessentially gentle yet fruity claret, and I think you’ll enjoy it a great deal. Château de Sours Rouge 2006 (3) at £109.20 or £9.10 per bottle. The wines are all available by the case and Private Cellar are also offering a mixed case — four bottles of each wine: Château de Sours Mixed Case (4) £108.00. Delivery, as ever, is free.

Prices include VAT and delivery in England and Wales. Payment should be made either by cheque with the order, payable to Private Cellar Ltd, or by debit or credit card, details of which may be telephoned or faxed. This offer, which is subject to availability and Private Cellar’s terms and conditions, closes on 30 June 2009. www.privatecellar.co.uk