At 3.28 a.m. on 1 January, I made myself a promise: I would never touch alcohol again. Having over-egged it horribly during the carnage that passed for the neighbours’ NYE party, I had finally come to agree with Dean Wormer’s fabled observation in Animal House, that ‘fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life’. So proud was I of my new-found resolve that I woke Mrs Ray to tell her, although her reaction – ‘Oh go to sleep, you idiot!’ – wasn’t quite the one I’d hoped for.
Juicy dark fruit, silky tannins, cedarwood, mocha, leather and heaven knows what else
And having tasted a dozen or so wines from Mr Wheeler for this offer, I realise total abstinence is a fool’s dream. The 2016 Ch. Poitevin alone made me see what I’d be missing. It’s dry Jan and then chocks away. There are other delights here too, all chosen with restocking your wine racks at a modest price in mind. Happy new year!
The 2023 Domaine Canet Sauvignon Blanc (1) from the sun-dappled Languedoc is quite the little charmer. Made by a Dutch couple, Floris and Victoria Lemstra, from fruit surrounding their gorgeous, 900-year-old Minervois estate, it’s crisp, fresh and dry with zingy, zesty fruit and a thirst-quenching finish. And, at just 12%, it’s easy on the liver and therefore ideal for those who aren’t exactly on the wagon but who have vowed to lower their intake. Only a few hundred cases were made and at less than a tenner a bottle, it makes a great house wine. £9.50 down from £10.95.
The 2022 Ch. du Charnay Mâcon Villages (2), new to Mr Wheeler’s list this year, is also brilliant value given its quality. From a small domaine in the Mâconnais in southern Burgundy, managed by the impeccably-run cooperative La Cave des Vignerons des Terres Secrètes, it’s lively, citrusy and ever so faintly honeyed. There’s no oak to speak of, just unadorned, fresh, clean Chardonnay fruit. £14.50 down from £15.95.
The 2023 Greenhough River Garden Sauvignon Blanc (3) from Nelson, NZ, is an old favourite of mine that I never tire of recommending. And don’t fret if rich, tropical, over-the-top Kiwi Savvy Blanc ain’t your thing, because this is anything but. Indeed, it’s much closer to the Loire in style, with commendably restrained citrus fruit, with hints of cut grass and nettles and just a touch of melon and peach lurking in the long, elegantly textured finish. £15 down from £16.95.
The 2020 Monte Araya Rioja Crianza (4) is brand new to Mr Wheeler and a great find, proving yet again what corking value Rioja can be. Made from 100 per cent Tempranillo by the highly regarded Bodegas del Medievo in La Rioja, it’s beautifully put together with rich bramble/plum/cherry fruit and perfectly judged tannins. A year in French and American oak has given a touch of elegance without taking away any of its innate freshness, nor its subtle, teasing savouriness. £11.50 down from £12.95.
The 2022 Domaine de Mourchon Séguret Tradition, Côtes du Rhône Villages (5) is the latest vintage – just landed – of a wine I love and follow closely, a fine successor to the 2019 we offered a couple of years ago to sighs of delight. A Grenache/Syrah blend, it’s rich, concentrated and spicy, crammed with warming hedgerow fruit and just a whisper of liquorice. The tannins will fade over time (and are barely noticeable when knocked back alongside the Sunday roast), and this little jewel could easily pass for a twice-the-price Châteauneuf-du-Pape. £14.50 down from £15.95.
Finally, the 2016 Ch. Poitevin (6), a Cru Bourgeois claret from the Médoc of immense style and extremely modest price tag. I’d never heard of this estate before and more fool me, because since this vintage, it has won the Cru Bourgeois cup and been promoted to Cru Bourgeois Supérieur. A blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Petit Verdot, it’s fully mature and in wonderful condition with juicy dark fruit, silky tannins, cedarwood, mocha, leather and heaven knows what else. It’s a superb claret that just cries to be drunk. The ever-succinct Mrs Ray’s tasting note simply reads: ‘Crikey, oooh, yes please!’ £16.50 down from £17.95.
The mixed case has two bottles of each wine and delivery, as ever, is free.
Order online today or download an order form.
To find out more about our Spectator Winemaker Lunches, Spectator Wine School Masterclasses and Spectator Wine Tours to Bordeaux, Budapest, Champagne and beyond, visit spectator.co.uk/tastings.
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