Wine Club
June Spectator Mini-Bar Offer
Simon Hoggart's latest selection for the month of June
The Loire produces wonderful wines for summer. Perhaps it’s holidays in July and August, driving from château to château, past the slow reaches of the river and green meadows almost yellow from the sun. Baguettes and pâté under the willow trees.... Actually that may be a figment of my unreliable memory. But the wines really are crisp, refreshing and lively, as well as having plenty of body. Lay in supplies so that your al fresco meals will be even more delightful.
And less expensive too. The Loire had the same crummy summer we did last year, but, like us, they did get sun in spring and autumn. Most — though not all — wines were better than rescued, though prices went up. But since Simon Taylor of the terrific independent merchant Stone, Vine & Sun has knocked 15 per cent off every bottle, you need not suffer. My choice was very difficult, but all four wines come from different grapes, so there is variety here as well as quality.
Chenin Blanc is one of the archetypal Loire grapes. It’s got fullness and fatness and fruitiness, yet this 2006 Domaine de l’Aumonier, Cuvée Henri, from Touraine (1) is bone dry. It will continue to improve in bottle, which is something you can’t say about all white wines. Down to £6.99 and great value.
There are many fine Sauvignon Blancs in the region, all intriguing and all subtly different. In the end I opted for the 2007 Pouilly-Fumé Les Pernets (2) which has the dry, slatey character of this appellation, but with a nice rounded flavour as well. Keep it cold, but open an hour or so before serving to get the full flavour. Down to £9.30 — super value.
Sancerre is now one of the world’s great centres for Pinot Noir rosés. This 2007 (3), from Daniel Crochet, is understated (not a euphemism for tasteless) but is fleshy and subtle with overtones of strawberries and altogether delicious. Perfect for sipping with cold meats, cheeses and salad and fruit. Reduced to £10.15.
Finally a Cabernet Franc, the grape that is just allowed into claret, but which comes into its own in the Loire. This 2005 Chinon Les Puys (4) is from Wilfred Rousse. It’s spicy and earthy and herby and dense and altogether lovely. The New York Times recently picked it as one of the three best Chinons of all, and who am I to argue? I like it very slightly chilled — say after half an hour in the fridge. Reduced to £8.70.
Delivery is free, as ever, and there is a sample case containing three each of these terrific wines.
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July Spectator Mini-Bar Offer
Simon Hoggart's latest selection for the month of July
April Spectator Wine Club Offer
I’m just back from the United States where the local wine is ridiculously expensive, apart from the ridiculously cheap, and you wouldn’t want to drink an awful lot of that, since Diet Coke may be more subtle.
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Wine Club archive
August Spectator Wine Club
Simon Hoggart's latest selection for the month of August
July Spectator Wine Club
Simon Hoggart's latest selection for the month of July
June Wine Club
A visit to the London International Wine Fair is, paradoxically, a sobering experience.
May Wine Club
I’ve been reading an intriguing article by Miles Thomas in the Psychologist magazine. It’s called ‘On Vines and Minds’, and it discusses many of the ways in which our brains determine the experience of drinking wine.
April Wine Club
The budget has hit wine merchants and drinkers quite hard.
February Wine Club
Time for our annual offer of Château Musar from the excellent folk at Wheeler Cellars, sister company to Lay & Wheeler.
January Wine Club
I love Stone, Vine & Sun of Winchester. They keep winning awards for best independent wine merchant; they have a knack for finding delicious wines at excellent prices from places you haven’t heard about yet but very soon will.
December Wine Club
This is our positively final offer for Christmas, and it’s terrific. Thanks to Lay & Wheeler we have half a dozen French classics, all of which would be very welcome on the Yuletide dinner table, or at a memorable party. What’s more, every one is generously discounted. They are not cheap wines, but they are tremendous value.
