Tasted 24th March 2011

Falanghina Guardiolo, Janare 2010 £6.75
From La Guardiense cooperative in Campania, which grows 95% of the world's falanghina. Ex-Feudi San Gregorio oenologist Cotarello joined them in 2006. 14%
Very appealing green, clean smell, but obviously with some weight and spice. A bit of fizz in the mouth and lemony acidity, but also with weight in the palate. The flavour tails off slightly quickly.

Greco Sannio, Janare 2010 £6.75
This Greco, also from La Guardiense, is made after cryoextraction and cold fermentation, with aging in stainless steel. 13.5%
Very inviting aroma of vanilla. Bone dry, but with a fruity finish. Quite savoury. Not bad at all.

Etna Bianco Fondo e Filara, Nicosia 2009 £10.95
Etna, first known for its elegant 'Burgundian' reds, makes equally fascinating whites smelling of apples and hedgerows with fresh balanced palate with a touch of aniseed. 13%
Very heavy bottle. Interesting, complex, spicy nose. Very inviting indeed. Full body and some texture. Savoury and delicious, with weight and interest.*

Spring Vouvray, Sec Tendre, Vincent & Tania Carème 2008 £10.25
Vincent and South African Tania have farmed organically since 2007 in the commune of Vernou. The high acidity, typical of the grape and region, is here tempered by 14 grams of residual sugar. 13%
Golden. Baked apple aroma, but also creamy. Off-dry and quite oxidative, like baked apple. My parents would like this wine.

Touraine Chenin Blanc, Jean-Christophe Mandard 2009 £7.95
Delicious, ripe chenin blended with 15% chardonnay which rounds out the palate, hand harvested in the abv hamlet of Le Haut Bagneux, just outside Mareuil-sur-Cher south of the Loire. 13%
Catty nose - quite green and vegetal. Not quite absolutely bone dry. Catty taste and fair length. If I were being picky, it lacks purity.

Chablis, Premier Cru Fourchaume, 2006 £29.00
Vignoble de Vaulorent, Domaine William Fèvre
Didier Seguier produced an excellent vintage in 2006, fresh and fine with no over-ripeness. Harvest started on 13th September, three days before the office start of the vintage which proved to be a key decision. 13%
Very, very attractive nose. A little smokey and very inviting. Extremely tasty. Leesy texture and some fruit ripeness on the finish. LONG.

Mâcon-Villages, Domaine Mallory et Benjamin Talmard 2009 £ 9.50
Up until 2006 this was known as Mâcon-Farges Paul Talmard. Daughter and son-in-law are now making the wine; the grapes are cool fermented in stainless steel tanks and kept on their fine lees until bottling in the spring following vintage. 13%
Light, but fresh, on the nose. Light, fresh and quite plain in the mouth. Medium length. There are better examples at £9.50.

Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc, Domaine Rollin 2008 £18.00
Pernands have the steely backbone to carry the ripe fruit of the beautifully balanced 2008 vintage.
Aged for a year in barrel. Very impressive. 13%
A lot of toasty, limey oak and honey on the nose - wonderfully inviting. Quite a salty taste. Savoury, but it really is quite salty. I like it and the price is fair. *

Sancerre, Le Chêne Marchand, Merlin Cherrier 2008 £16.50
The Chêne Marchand is a single vineyard and one of Sancerre's finest. Thierry Merlin-Cherrier, based in the village of Bué, makes a wine capable of fine development. The 2008 has wonderful vibrant acidity. 12.5%
Very creamy nose, almost promises sweetness. Textured with lees. Good, and long.

Château Mont Pérat Blanc, Premieres Côtes de Bdx 2008 £13.50
Thibault Despagne's property , wine made by Joel Elissalde and vines looked after by Jean-Pierre Cousinié.7 hectares of vines 70% sauvignon 30% semillon aged in 60% new wood for 8 months. 2000 dozen made. 13.5%
Quite a savoury nose with some oak. Inviting. Some weight and fruit. I like it. Might have put it in Pessac. Don't think much of the label.

_________________
mel