A few notes from Saturdays tasting !! Great day great food and great company.
Ox Inn Manchester.

Chateau de Villelongue, Cremant de Limoux, Brut; NV; 12.0%: Lovely floral nose but a bit bland and neutral on the palate. Would be nice in summer.

Le Rosé, Cotes de Rousillon, Vigneron de Roussillon; 2008; 12.5%: A nice fresh typically amyllic rose nose. Strawberry on the palate.

Domaine Sorin, Cotes de Provence, Cuvée Privée; 1995. I think this is the Luc Sorin who used to be based in Burgundy - wasn't he in the Maconnais somewhere? Anyway, this was good stuff. Nicely mature but by no means over the hill. Age had brought complexity and interest.

Domaine G Berlioz, Chignin-Bergeron, Vin de Savoie; 2005; 12.5%: This was our wine and I was disappointed by it. Initially it smelled oxidised but that blew off eventually - only after some time, mind. The palate was curious and not all that attractive. But we took the remains home and last night it was transformed and very enjoyable, with nice lemony notes coming to the fore. It seemed fresher.

La Pierrre Blanche, Domaine Bellegade, Juracon Sec, Pascal Labasse; 2005; 13.5%: I've had sweet wines from this estate in the past and found them of high quality. I liked this Sec version very much. It had lively, sherbetty flavours with good acidity.

Chateau Anglés, Terrior de la Clape, Eleve en fut de chene; 2006; 14.5%: A white Rhone blend that was clearly decent wine but I thought it needed more age.

Domaine de Estoublon, Vin de Pay des Alpilles, 2006, 13.6%: As with the Ch Angles.

Caprice de Colombelle, Vin de pays des Cotes de Gascogne; 2008;. 11.5%: I can't recall much about this so clearly it left no great impression but ISTR it was a pleasant enough drink.

Moulin de Ciffre, Faugeres, 1999, 13.0%: Some thought this corked, I didn't. I thought it was a rather nice mature wine.

Chateau la Rayre, Bergerac; 2002; 13.0%: The nose shouted Cab Franc to me - it was very much like a Loire CF to smell and very nice too, but in fact it was all Cab Sauv and Merlot. Unfortunately it was a bit lean on the palate.

Chateau d'Estoublon, Les Baux de Provence; 2006; 13.6%: Good stuff. Fabulous nose on first sniff. Good on the palate too. Developed well in the glass - although perfectly drinkable now it was young.

Chateau de Saurs, Reserve Eliezer, Gaillac; 2001; 13.5% Good wine. I've never had a Gaillac of this quality, nor of this age - and although it was very good to drink now it probably had the capacity to develop further. IIRC John said this was made at least partially from Bordeaux varieties, rather than Southern French funnies.

Domaine du Pech, Tissot et Bonnelle, Buzet; 2001; 13.0% Biodynamic according to John and made by passionate people. Whatever, it was good middle-ranking wine.

Domaine du Garinet, Fut de Chene, Cahor, 2001, 13.0%: A good, typical Cahors.

Domaine Tempier, Bandol, La Migoua; 1996; 13.5%: I've had a fair bit of Tourtine but this was the first time I've had Migoua. It did strike me as being much more "feminine" than Tourtine, which of course it's reputed to be. Fully mature. Good stuff.

Domaine Lafran-Veyrolles, Bandol; 1999; 13.0%: More backward than the Tempier, and more masculine. Again, good stuff. This was the Estate's special cuvee (name?), not its basic Bandol.

Chateau Pradeaux, Bandol; 1999; 13.0%: I think I recall this as being more advanced than the Lafran-Veyrolles of the same vintage, and also enjoying it.

Vin de Garage des Vignes de Bandol, Château d'Azur, Mourvedre; 2001; 15.0%: Fascinating to try, but not for me! A big wine, made in the international style and not identifiably Bandol. The alcohol showed.

Domain du Crampilh, Madiran; 2003; 14.0% I have no clear recollection of this but certainly thought it OK. John explained that it was made using microbullage to facilitate early drinking.

Chateau Montus; 1995; 12.5%: An old favourite. Fully developed, nice complex nose and palate.

Jurancon, Clos Guirouilh; 1999; 13.0% Good, tangy Jurancon, medium sweet. A touch simple but I liked it anyway.

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