Winemaker and winery: Catherine Devaud-Pequignot, Château Puy Mouton.
Grape Varieties: 65% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc.
Region: Saint-Émilion.
Viticulture/Vinification: Traditional harvesting methods and treatments used for both the soil and the vines. Limestone-clay top soil, magnesium subsoil. Harvested by hand. Long malolactic fermentation in tanks. 75% is matured in oak barriques, using a progressive approach with the use of 30% Mendocino American oak barriques.
Availability: Now – 160 stores.
12.5% vol.

Almost no smell. Dry and unappealing. Perhaps with food.
23/03/10

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mel

This wine in M&S on the vintage 2007 is now £16 ! .....Must be drinking better ? 2005 started off at £18 pb !

Almost no smell. Dry and unappealing. Perhaps with food.

Yeah, in March 2010, you'd feel very sorry for anyone who paid £14 for this wine on the 2006 vintage.

I bought some for the right side of a tenner a bottle. I took back 4 bottles, drank one and kept another. Cheaper St Emilion on an indifferent vintage can go in-and-out of a drinking window, and then fall over. The cheaper ones with riper fruit, are satisfactory during the in-between times, but can then go lacy over 7 years or so.

Well, the fruit on this '06 was still pretty vacant 26/10/2011, and the oak treatment was far to heavy for this '06 right bank mix which was pretty green actually. Perhaps a hard, and therefore unappealing green Cab Franc was the main culprit

Now, 18 months later, the wine has more harmony, and is not so austere. OK, for what I paid, and now would be acceptable with hearty red meat main course (steak & Kidney pudding) There is a mature'ish texture and vague cassis + good cigar box element now, that is desirable. Finish....... the cigar box and amex oak lingers.

Not for beginners.

26/10/2011

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Duncan

Another bland, vapid, over-priced claret?

Tis why I avoid them.

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Yep, Im still here.

And so you should, you're a busy guy. TBF to Marks, they did credit for 5 (if my memory serves me well) a quarter was left in the one I drunk.
You know this.....I am always prepared to waste more time on these, because I love St. Emilion, and you never quite know how they will turn-out.

GK, the wine wasn't bland though, just very wrong in March 2010, and short on the right bank fruit that I really want.

One lives in hope. Not all ugly ducklings remain vapid

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Duncan

I'm sure there's some nice stuff around, just not willing to waste money experimenting.

The last red Bordeaux I really enjoyed was the Senejac '04, I went back and bought a dozen, have been drinking one or two a year since. It appears to be holding up nicely.

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Yep, Im still here.

GK,
Ive spotted some 04 & 08 senejac at co-op this weekend
More tempted by the 2004 i think (only 2 bottles)
dread to ask but what px have you paid for this in the past?
Have you tried the chateau Fonreaud from co-op?

The '04 is still drinking well although I plan to drink my last three bottles soon as I don’t think it will go any further. I paid £5 a bottle for a dozen which was a steal. My local store had several cases that had not sold at all, I think the bottle price was reduced to £9 at the time. I simply called the store manager and offered to buy a case for £5 a bottle. He accepted.

Its a nice, smoky claret, plenty of depth, as soon as you sample the nose you know its a step up from the usual s/market Bordeaux. I would just be a little cautious regarding how and where the '04s have been stored until now. Try one first.

Im not familiar with the Fonreaud.

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Yep, Im still here.

Cheers GK
Mighty impressive acquisition for £5 a bottle!
Shelf px £16.99 now with a £5 discount currently being applied

Dont ask GK, you'll be green with envy - Fiver a bottle ! That CoOp store must in the wilds of Derbyshire.

That Listrac Shez, the Fonreaud - Which vintage and How much ? I have drunk this wine, but years and years ago. Listrac and Moulis are generaly very long lived wines.

2001 is good, based on Chat Moulin 'a Vent - yeah ok, there are windmills in Moulis.
2003 is probably lush and ripe. I have 3 Chat Fourcas Hosten '03s waiting patiently
2005 Fonreaud is probably pretty firm stuff.

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Duncan

Hi Duncan
The fonreaud is on a (reasonable) 2006 vintage
£15.99 down to £10.99

Like yourself, I'm on the quest for a good value claret
Tempted by these 2 but are they better than say the Rustenberg at ~9.99 when on offer other than the time spent in bottle?
Tried 2008 Liversan yday... I have 3 but won't buy any more: sadly, it's not really anything special

Fonreaud '05 gets slaughtered on Cellartracker, but the '03 gets the same votes that I have given to loads of cru bourgeois Medocs. I didn't buy any '05 Moulis/Listrac - too expensive ! Glad I wasn't hyped by the critics, '03s at CB level have been marvelous value for Drinking and are still keeping - only just now, going a tad soft for me.

Sorry about the Liversan - dare I say that the two bargain clarets at Maj that I tipped on email, at the time of the Waitrose offer were superior in every respect. Liversan '06 was dull as well, there is more hope for your '08s so don't fret. Probably ok with beef in the next 3 years.

The quest continues.

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Duncan

Tesco Simply Claret. What could go wrong?

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Yep, Im still here.

Ha, saw that on the shelf the other day GK

Dunc,
How I wish I'd followed your advice on some of the previous majestic claret heads ups...
The current Chateau Griviere 2002 offer keeps catching my eye for a cheap house claret
Apparently merlot dominant Medoc - bit out of the ordinary no?

That looks a good price, Shez. I have a couple of Griviere 2001 but I have yet to try it. I think Dunc has though.

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tribs

Which were those Duncan?

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tribs