L’Orbois, Vin de France, Mandard 2010
£7.95 12.5% The Wine Society
Hand harvested fruit from the hamlet of Le Haut Bagneux, just outside Mareuil-sur-Cher south of the Loire. We first bought the 2004 vintage Touraine Sauvignon here and been consistently impressed by the range, now produced according  to Terra Vitis sustainable viticultural methods. An old, almost lost, grape variety.

Just a hint of jasmine on the nose. L’Orbois is the grape variety. Beautiful, jasmine flavour, with honeyed aftertaste. A new variety, that’s good, fabulous news!



Chablis, Domaine de la Boissonneuse, 2008
£13.95 12.5% The Wine Society
Julien Brocard This has a lovely firm, mineral palate: classic Chablis. The Boissonneuse vineyard is tended organically by Julien Brocard who is now in charge of viticulture at the Brocard estate.

Very milky, leesy nose. Full-flavoured and delicious.  Ripe, weighty, without being at all southern. Very good and a cracking price. Am thinking aperitif.



Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru 2006
£37.00 13.5% The Wine Society
Chaumées, Domaine Jean Noel Gagnard
From one of our favourite domaines in all of Burgundy, this refined and elegant Chaumées has an attractive appley freshness to it.

Golden. Heavy, ripe and oaky aroma. Very oaky taste and something else. Something not so lovely – a volatile, burning feeling.

Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Pucelles,  2006
£60.00 13.5% The Wine Society
Domaine Henri Boillot From one of the cellars of the vintage, Henri Boillot picked early and was rewarded with ripe, yet fine and elegant wines of top class. Pucelles is superbly situated and bordering grand cru quality.

Toasty, oaky nose. Oaky, and typical – a bit nutty. Needs food – would be delicious with roast potatoes and roast parsnips. Bread sauce, bacon-wrapped-sausages.  You get my drift.

La Clape Blanc, Château Roquette Sur Mer,  2010
£9.95 13.5% The Wine Society
Arpège Bourboulenc is favoured on the presqu'île of La Clape, accounting for 60% of the blend with the balance as roussanne. No oak is used allowing for the fruit to express itself to the full. Bone dry, fruity with a touch of wild herbs and structure to last.

Spicy and fruity nose. Ditto the taste.  Definitely needs food. Not my thing.

Cassis, Clos Val Bruyère, Château Barbanau 2010
£11.50 12.5% The Wine Society
Full-flavoured and characterful Provençal white that is the ideal partner for bouillabaisse.

You’ve got to hand it to the Wine Society. Stocking La Clape Blanc and Cassis is pretty impressive and certainly interesting for us wine nuts. This is marsanne, clairette, ugni blanc and sauvignon. Inviting nose. Very floral and light in the mouth.  Perhaps if it were served freezing cold, in Provence.  This one’s a little warm, in SW1.  

Saint Péray, La Sauvagère, Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2009
£12.75 13.5% The Wine Society
A tradition going back to the 19th century made Saint-Péray into a sparkling wine. More recently growers have tended to produce still white wine, and it is here that the true value of Saint-Péray lies. Many top producers have vines here. 2007 is Jaboulet’s best vintage to date.

Made from marsanne and roussanne. Perfumed nose. Full-flavoured.  This is interesting.  Very flavourful and savoury.
Worth trying.

Vacqueyras Clef d'Or Clos des Cazaux 2009
£11.95 13.5% The Wine Society
A rarity this but Clos des Cazaux has always had a patch of white grapes and has always been able to stun people by the freshness of their whites. The secret is the clairette grape which doesn't yield much sugar and maintains plenty of grip.

Ripe and spicy nose. Intensely savoury taste. Intense everything.  Don’t give this to beginners.  It is fascinating. Also, don’t serve it with grilled lemon sole.  It needs something massive and tasty.

Jasnieres, Prémices, Domaine de Bellivière 2009
£16.00 12.5% The Wine Society
A little-seen appellation from superstar and champion of forgotten vineyards, Eric Nicolas, who has revitalised this northern region. Finely wrought chenin with wonderful acidity and the healthy ripe fruit of the vintage.

Dark colour. Warm smell. Just off dry.  Appears to have some age.  Nutty and interesting.

Riesling, Grand Cru Osterberg, Louis Sipp 2004
£18.50 13% The Wine Society
Facing more to the east, the Osterberg enjoys a slightly cooler microclimate and longer ripening time. This is now perfect to drink, very elegant and long with great purity of fruit.

Beautifully riesling on the nose, with a hint of honey.  It’s showing some age with an appealing nuttiness.
Long and ageing.

Riesling, Vendange Tardive, Hugel 1988                                                                      
£30.00 12.5% The Wine Society (This sold out in seconds – I was after some)
This has only just been shipped from Hugel's cellars so it has barely moved in all these years, and has also been given new corks. Barely sweet and remarkably fresh with a lovely gentle balance. No dessert wine this but rather something to go with shellfish, fish in a creamy sauce or a fine old Cheddar.

Oh my goodness! If you love Riesling, get straight online and order this.  Possibly the best riesling nose I’ve ever smelled. Beautifully aged with structured nuttiness, and lightness of acidity, and sweetness, which is dry and savoury. “Fine old cheddar” – absolutely!

Two stars, a very rare thing.

Gewurztraminer, Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre 2005
£23.00 13.5% The Wine Society
Maison Trimbach Wonderfully creamy and fragrant, dry and full-flavoured, the perfect gewurzto go with food. The origin of the grapes, all from Trimbach vines, includes
grand cru Osterberg in Ribeauvillé.

Ripely lychees and roses – very attractive. Sweet, with red roses flavour and a touch of bitterness.

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mel