Clearly, it was a mistake to taste the wines Corney & Barrow sent for this offer on the same night as Mrs Ray’s book club. We squabbled for space and then squabbled for wine, and while every one of the dozen or so bottles was drained dry, the books weren’t even opened. My wife says I’m an infuriating idiot but her friends seemed to like me. It was indeed a chaotic evening, but happily everyone agreed on the top six wines, with 1 and 4 getting the loudest cheers from my impromptu tasting panel.
The 2022 Eradus ‘Ana’ Sauvignon Blanc (1) is classic Kiwi Savvy Blanc from the delightful Michiel Eradus, who hosted a memorable Spectator Winemaker Lunch a while back. Named after his daughter, it’s made with fruit from the Awatere Valley, Marlborough, where warm days and cool nights lead to an exhilarating freshness and keen acidity. With plenty of lively tropical fruit and a dry finish it’s spot on, especially at this price. £12.60 down from £14.
It was indeed a chaotic evening, but happily everyone agreed on the top six wines
The 2020 Château La Fleur des Graves (2) is a low-yield, small-volume, oak-aged blend of 75 per cent Sauvignon Blanc and 25 per cent Sémillon from the tiny appellation of Graves de Vayres in the Entre Deux Mers. I’m not usually a fan of dry white Bordeaux – not sure why, I just rarely seek it out – but this completely disarmed me with its fresh, lively fruit, grassy notes and citrus finish. £13.55 down from £15.05.
Made from 100 per cent Sauvignon grown on the banks of the Cher, a tributary of the Loire, the 2020 Domaine de l’Epine ‘Une Promesse’ Quincy (3) is produced by Magali le Roh, who gave ‘une promesse’ to her father that she would continue working the estate after his death. Cool fermentation gives freshness and zip to the exotic fruit, and four months on fine lees gives an appealingly creamy texture. The result: a canny alternative to Sancerre. £16.65 down from £18.50.
The 2021 Cecilia Beretta ‘Soraie’ (4) from the hills of Valpantena, Valpolicella, is a blend of semi-dried Merlot, Corvina, Cabernet Sauvignon and Croatina (nope, nor me) matured in both French oak and Italian cherry-wood. Soft, silky, juicy, it’s full of ripe/sour cherry notes and touches of vanilla and chocolate. In effect a mini Amarone, I love it. £12.42 down from £13.80.
Margaret River, some three hours south of Perth, Western Australia, is one of my favourite regions, and the 2020 Fraser Gallop Cabernet Merlot (5) is a great example of its wines. Made largely from Cabernet Sauvignon with dashes of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it’s full of blackcurrants, plums, herbs and spice with a hint of minty eucalyptus on the finish. £16.47 down from £18.30.
Somehow the book group got to the 2022 Domaine des Hauts Châssis Crozes-Hermitage (6) before I did, so I only got a mouthful, but goodness, I’m glad I did, for it’s a peach. Made entirely from handpicked, destemmed, cool-fermented, tank-matured Syrah, it’s vibrantly fresh with crushed blueberries/blackcurrants and spice. It’s fresh, it’s soft, it’s wonderfully approachable. £19.85 down from £22.05.
As an added treat, we’ve two wines in unmixed sixes, ideal for Christmas. With decent Burgundy in such short supply, hurrah for the 2021 Justin Girardin Bourgogne Chardonnay (7), a pitch-perfect wine from the 13th-generation vigneron. With its delicately honeyed fresh fruit and a long dry finish, you’ll love it. £121.50 down from £135.
The 2014 Domaine de Saint-Guirons (8) is a similarly great value claret, third wine of Château Grand Puy-Lacoste, the fabled fifth growth of Pauillac. 2014 was an excellent year, the wines of which are drinking beautifully, and this more than hints at its impeccable pedigree. £180.90 down from £201.
The mixed case has two bottles each of wine 1-6 while wines 7 and 8 are available in unmixed boxes of six. Delivery is free for orders of £120 upwards, £12.50 for under.
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