What Was Your Most Recent Bottle of Wine?

[cloughie]

certainly a red for me.

Depending how grand or otherwise the meal was going to be I might go for a beaujolais (yes, a chenas wd be nice... ) - a Loire red - a modest burgundy.

Think pinot noir - gamay - cab franc...

I think you're right on the money there - I would also suggest a Chilean Pinot Noir as a possibility. If you went for a white Viognier would be
my suggestion.

[vinteuil]

I think you're right on the money there - I would also suggest a Chilean Pinot Noir as a possibility. If you went for a white Viognier would be
my suggestion.

... a Chilean pinot noir wd indeed go well - and, for a white, a viognier could be nice. I'm not against having a white wine with guinea-fowl. The only problem might be that to have a decent white you would perhaps be spending quite a lot more than for an acceptable red here. If I had lots of money, I might be thinking in terms of a serious white burgundy, or possibly an arbois...

[Petrushka]

Had a Montpierre Sauvignon Blanc as a Christmas present. Fantastic wine. £8.99 from Sainsbury's http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/grocerie...=1357497798823. This is a great bottle!

[clive heath]

Well I never thought I'd be in such exalted company but my good lady and I have also experienced the delights of Vieux-Telegraphe 1989 which was part of a 2x 20 y.o. gift as the giver, a wine buff who had worked in a large company that could run a high-quality wine club, couldn't locate a suitable 40 y.o. for our Ruby Anniversary. I recall the outstanding smoothness as containing minor elements of honey and almond which gave the flavour an out-of-this-world quality which I'd never experienced before and maybe never will again although part two of the gift is awaiting a suitable occasion ( it's a Bordeaux so all bets are off!!) We've occasionally tasted wines well outside our price range at "degustations" e.g. at Chateau Marsannay near Beaune and they just say well the bottle's open have a taste Grand Echezaux or whatever but none of them came anywhere near the Ch de Pape most likely because of the age and provenance but I think there's a steep rise in price for only a modest increase in quality above the £10-15 bracket.

[Barbirollians]

Was that the red or the white Vieux Telegraphe clive ? Honey and almond sound more like the white .

My tasting note says plums and cinnamon and dark chocolate albeit with a vanillary warmth in the background.

[clive heath]

It was the red, Barbirollians, and I suppose your "warmth in the background" equates to my more clumsily expressed "minor elements of honey and almond". It was a joyous experience however you describe it.

For chocolate and "leather" (if that is allowed as a taste indication) I go for a good Cotes de Roussillon (..Villages) and we're lucky enough to have a friend with a place in the Tet valley inland from Perpignan which makes tasting/buying very easy. Chateau de Caladroy is nearby as is Dom. Lafarge who do a dry muscat!

[Nick Armstrong]

Magnificent present, clive h... As mentioned earlier in this thread, a great favourite, that one.

The last bottle consumed at Caliban Towers was also delicious, and picks up a name you mentioned: the 2004 Echézeaux from Domaine Jayer-Gilles. I was persuaded to buy a case in 2004, and this was the second bottle we've tried. Really luscious, classic red Burgundy. Perfect way to see out 2012 as it accompanied late dinner on New Year's Eve

[kleines c]

c

[Barbirollians]

Had a Montpierre Sauvignon Blanc as a Christmas present. Fantastic wine. £8.99 from Sainsbury's http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/grocerie...=1357497798823. This is a great bottle!

At present half price at £4.49 !

[Barbirollians]

I am doing the Dryathlon for cancer research - surprisingly easy but I do find myself spending more time in supermarket wine sections than usual !

[vinteuil]

I am doing the Dryathlon for cancer research - surprisingly easy but I do find myself spending more time in supermarket wine sections than usual !

... congratulations - and bon courage!

I usually give up booze for Lent. As you say, surprisingly easy. The one thing that gets me down is that the food I eat seems much less interesting when not partnered with a nice glass or three...

But good for the waistline, the insides, and the wallet.

[clive heath]

Following the shared experience of the Vieux Télégraphe 1989, the two of us partook of the second bottle of the 2x 20 y.o. pair. This was an utterly delightful Chateau Batailley 1989, a Pauillac. Decanted a couple of hours ahead, we enjoyed a crimson wine with yellow edges when held up to the light, a slightly sharp bouquet (licorice?) and in the mouth what I can only describe as liquid "wine" fruit gum which sounds cloying but not so. Another unrepeatable experience!!

[Thropplenoggin]

Following the shared experience of the Vieux Télégraphe 1989, the two of us partook of the second bottle of the 2x 20 y.o. pair. This was an utterly delightful Chateau Batailley 1989, a Pauillac. Decanted a couple of hours ahead, we enjoyed a crimson wine with yellow edges when held up to the light, a slightly sharp bouquet (licorice?) and in the mouth what I can only describe as liquid "wine" fruit gum which sounds cloying but not so. Another unrepeatable experience!!

As an Englishman who has discovered the grape whilst living in France, my palate weeps at this description. Ah, Pauillac! C'est trop bon!

But did it have that heavenly tobacco-y nose that a good Bordeaux has?

[clive heath]

As a non-smoker, Thropplenoggin, I'm not in a position to judge, maybe my licorice is akin to your tobacco-y!!
On a more mundane note, do you know Maj....'s Chateau de Flaugergues? A Languedoc wine. Worth a glug!

[vinteuil]

This was an utterly delightful Chateau Batailley 1989

I thought you might like some of the reviews of this wine from the cellartracker site : -

"- Garnet color with fast forming legs and aromas of dusty, raspberry and eucalyptus. It's in total harmony and has flavours of mushroom, bacon, molasses and raspberry with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Extremely well balanced, however even after a couple of hours it did not seem to reveal itself like it should, a bit shy possibly, but was consistent enjoyment from start to finish... "

"Brick red with tawny rim. Lovely violet nose with liqpurice. My tasting room was as floral as the garden. Medium acidity. On the palate, there was blackcurrants, liqourice with smoky flavours. There was still traces of tannin but it soon fade away on mid-palate. Finish was medium with some bitterness at the end..."

"Ruby core - quite a significant fade at the rim; lots of cigar box and pencil lead on the nose alongside some strong vegetal notes. Old sideboard - quite austere; very evolved on the palate, lots of secondary spice, cedar, cigars. Liquorice root. Nice texture, lovely mouthfeel and silky tannins. Fruit very evolved but still a lovely wine... "

"Rich floral nose with eucalyptus, tar and current leaf making a wonderful perfume.
The palate is dry with very refined tannins. This comes off with a bit of garrigue mixed in with the ripe red fruits. Excellent depth to this as tar and violets continue to evolve in the mouth. Succulent ripe tannins and juicy acidity keep you coming back to this vintage over the night. The finish is graphite laden and long. Well balanced... "