Domaine de la Croix de Chaintres 2010 Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France
10.99
100% Cabernet Franc from a 50ha estate, created by siblings Fredrik and Christina Filliatreau, the 4th generation growers of the Filliatreau family. Vines are an average of 30 years old and planted on limestone hills. Grapes were hand-harvested at 45hl/ha in early Oct. Slowly pressed in a hydraulic press, then 20 days of maceration and fermentation took place in a mixture of stainless steel and concrete vats with temperature control and regular pumpovers. No oak influence and bottled Dec 2011. Winemaker Fredrik Filliatreau. Alc 13%, RS 0.5g/l. Special Offer: Save 20%, £10.99 - £8.79 from 07/06 to 26/06. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 255 branches.

Ripe forest fruits on the nose. Quite savoury, but with a forest fruits taste as well.

LaForêt 2011 Beaujolais, France
7.99
100% Gamay from the Cave du bois d’Oingt. The current château was built in the mid-19th century and is now occupied by the 5th generation of the Debilly family. The vines are planted on chalky-clay soils and are 35 years old. The grapes were harvested by hand with 40% undergoing carbonic maceration and the remaining 60% going through traditional fermentation with long skin contact. No oak ageing. Winemaker Michael Lachaud. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 12.5%, TA 3.38g/l, pH 3.5, RS 2.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 244 branches.

Textbook Beaujolais nose. Rounded and easy drinking.

Georges Duboeuf 2011 Chiroubles, Beaujolais, France
9.99
100% Gamay from selected vineyards in the Beaujolais Cru of Chiroubles. The vines face south-east and are planted at 450m altitude on thin granite soils. The grapes were harvested by hand and fermentation took place at 28 - 32°C with an extended period of semi-carbonic maceration in stainless steel tanks. No oak but the new wine was matured on lees in tank for 8 - 10 months. Winemaker Georges Duboeuf. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13%, TA 5.2g/l, pH 3.6, RS 1.5g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 245 branches.

Not a great deal of aroma. Very nice savoury palate. Great balance. Quite meaty.

Domaine Besson Le Haut Colombier 2010 Givry, Burgundy, France
15.99
100% Pinot Noir in a cuvée named ‘Le Haut Colombier’ because of the ancient dovecote dating back to the 17th Century which overhangs the estate entrance porch. Vines are 40 years old and planted at a density of 10,000vines/ha on clay/limestone soil. Grapes were hand-picked with a yield of 40 - 50hl/ha and hand-sorted in the vineyard. Fruit was cooled to 12°C for 3 - 5 days and fermentation took place at 32 - 33°C with natural yeast and regular cap-punching. The press wine and free-run were blended and stored in a vat for 8 days before being transferred to lightly-toasted 228l barrels (50% new) for a year long maturation. Bottled January 2012. Winemaker Xavier Besson. Alc 13.0%, TA 6.0g/l, RS 1.3g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 125 branches.

Gorgeous pinot/oak nose. Lovely taste.  Quite full for red Burg.  Juicy young fruit and lovely oak. Fair price.



Joseph Drouhin 2009 Chorey-Lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France
15.99
100% Pinot Noir from vines planted on clay and limestone soils, which have an average age of an impressive 53 years and are planted at a high density of 10,000 - 12,500vines/ha. The majority of the fruit hailed from Drouhin-owned vineyards. The grapes were hand harvested with a yield of just 43hl/ha. The maceration and controlled fermentation took 2 - 3 weeks, and the new wine was then matured for 12 - 15 months in French oak barrels, of which 10% were new. Winemakers Veronique Boss Drouhin and Jérôme Faure-Brac. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13.0%, TA 3.5g/l, pH 3.46, RS 2.2g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 224 branches.

Outstanding aroma. All sorts of things going on. Spicy, savoury and lovely taste.



Domaine Heresztyn Vieilles Vignes 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France
25.99
100% Pinot Noir from 30 - 50-year-old vines in a 5 hectare vineyard planted with a density of 10,000vines/ha on clay and limestone soils. The grapes were harvested by hand with very favourable weather conditions during the vintage. Pre-ferment maceration at low temperatures and a further week was spent on skins post-ferment. Malolactic took place in new and 1-year-old barrels. Aged for 18 months in oak barrels, 25% of which were new. Unfiltered. Winemakers Stanislas and Bernard Heresztyn. Alc 13.0%, TA 3.5g/l, pH 3.60, RS 0.1g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 255 branches.

Savoury nose. Less overtly oaky than two previous wines, from a flavour perspective. More dark-fruit led.

Domaine AF Gros 2007 Vosne-Romanée 'Aux Réas', Burgundy, France
39.99
100% Pinot Noir from a small Domaine created when Anne Francoise Parent (née Gros) inherited some small part of the family holdings. The 2007 vintage saw a cool and relatively wet summer but glorious, sunny weather in late-August and early-Sept saved the day. The grapes were picked on the 17th September 2007. The maceration was shorter than usual to protect the fruit tannin structures which were delicately balanced. Winemaker, Francois Parent used less new oak than normal with approx. ¼ new 225l French oak and the balance 2nd and 3rd year fill barrels. Alc 13.0%, TA 5.42g/l, pH 3.71, RS 2g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 1 branch.
Composty, warm and savoury nose – really expressive and inviting.

Fabulous taste. Bright and exciting with perfect fruit/oak balance. Savoury, composty and wonderful.



Waitrose Reserve Claret 2011 Bordeaux, France
5.99
100% Merlot. Grapes were harvested parcel by parcel at optimum maturity. A cold preferment maceration was carried out at just 5°C and then the must was fermented at 26 - 28°C in stainless steel vats with a regular programme of short pumpovers. Full malolactic and early bottled to preserve freshness. Alc 12.5 %, TA 5.1g/l, pH 3.6, RS 1.6g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 277 branches.

Not a great deal on the nose. Savoury, dry and definitely needs food.  It tastes £5.99.

Château Haut Branda 2011 Bordeaux, France
8.99
60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc from a 35 hectare estate located in Vayres. The vines have an average age of 22 years and are planted on clay and gravel soils. The grapes were harvested in Sept 2011 and underwent a traditional vinification in stainless steel tanks. Owners/winemakers Mr. and Mrs. Ballet. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 13.5%. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 270 branches.

Very stalky aroma. Young and dry.

Baron des Tours 2010 Médoc, Bordeaux, France
10.49
50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Cabernet Franc. The vines are planted on clay and limestone soils and tended with traditional viticulture. Grapes were machine-harvested in late September with a yield of 50hl/ha. Fermented in stainless steel tanks with no oak influence. Winemaker Carole Buchou. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 12.9%, TA 5.17g/l, RS 1.4g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 230 branches.

Quite aromatic and green. Think blackcurrant leaf. OK, this has no oak and works, the previous wine was unoaked and didn’t. This is ripe, tasty and a fair price.

Dourthe Réserve 2010 Montagne Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France
10.79
80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc grown on clay, limestone, sand and gravel. Leaf thinning and green harvest were employed to ensure perfectly ripe grapes. Traditional vinification with temperature-control and regular pumping over, then aged for 12 months in oak barrels. Winemaker Thomas Drouineau. Alc 13.0%, TA 4.26g/l, pH 3.58, RS < 2.0g/l. Special Offer: Save 25%, £10.79 - £7.99 from 07/06 to 26/06. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 255 branches.

Spicy and coffee-scented. Coffee on the palate as well. Very savoury and spicy. Good.

Château Cambon La Pelouse 2007 Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France
17.99
60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc from one of the oldest vineyards in the region. The vines are 30 years old and planted at a density of 5,000 - 7,000vines/ha. Grapes were harvested from late-Sept to mid-Oct with a yield of 47hl/ha and a combination of hand- and machine-picking. Strict manual sorting at the winery and then pre-ferment maceration. Fermentation took place in stainless steel vats and lasted 3 - 4 weeks in total. Aged on fine lees for 12 - 15 months in French oak barrels (40% new). Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 13.0%, TA 4.9g/l, RS 0.1g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 142 branches.

Wonderful aroma.  Eucaluptus, green pepper and loveliness. Same on the palate. Refreshing and herbal claret. My type.



Chat-en-Oeuf 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc, France
5.99
The 2011 vintage of the highly successful red in the Chat-en-Oeuf range comes from selected parcels of Syrah and Grenache. Expertly overseen and blended by Boutinot’s French winemaker, Eric Monnin and French Product Manager, Kim Tidy. Alc 14.0%, TA 3.1g/l, pH 3.8, RS 1.6g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 277 branches.

Spicy, warm aroma. Sweet, spicy and interesting.  Great taste.

Foncalieu Prieuré Saint-Jacques 2010 Corbières, France
43% Carignan, 40% Grenache and 17% Syrah from the south-east of Carcassonne. Vines are 20 - 60 years old and planted at a density of 4,000vines/ha in a south-facing vineyard at 110m altitude with chalky clay soil. Grapes were machine-harvested in Sept - Oct 2010 with a yield of 50hl/ha. Fruit was pressed with a pneumatic tank press. Cold pre-ferment maceration and a post-ferment maceration were carried out with fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. Matured in tanks for 6 months with no oak influence. Winemaker Delphine Glangetas. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 12.5%, TA 3.4g/l, pH 3.61g/l, RS 2.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 254 branches.

Dark fruits on the nose. The fruit’s over-ripe and baked.  Don’t like it.

Château Saint Nicolas 2010 Côtes du Roussillon, France
7.99
50% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 20% Carignan. Wine has been made at Château Saint Nicolas since the 10th Century and the estate is flanked by the calm, warm Mediterranean Sea and the imposing, snow-covered Pyrenees. Soil is limestone and sand and the 40-year old vines which yield just 25-30hl/ha are Guyot trained. Grapes harvested in mid-Sept and traditional winemaking techniques - the fruit was pressed into concrete and stainless steel tanks, then fermented for 2 - 4 weeks at 23 - 30°C with pigeage and daily pumpovers to extract concentration and add depth and flavour. Matured in tank. Winemaker Eric Monnin. Alc 14.0%, TA 4.23g/l, pH 3.34, RS 2.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 245 branches.

Little aroma. Perfectly fine, but not very exciting.

Château Bouissel 2009 Fronton, France
8.99
50% Negrette, 25% Syrah and 25% Malbec from a 22ha estate. Vines are 15 - 45 years old and planted at a density of 5,000vines/ha on gravel soils. Grapes were hand-harvested at 43hl/ha from the 6th Sept onwards. Fruit was rigorously sorted and then cold-soaked for 6 days pre-ferment. Fermentation lasted 14 days with natural yeast in stainless steel tanks and a gentle daily punch-down. No oak. Winemakers Pierre and Anne-Marie Selle. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13.1%, TA 3.25g/l, pH 3.75, RS < 2.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 148 branches.

Spicy and appealing nose. Ripely fruity and spicy. Good.

Cuvée Balthazar Syrah 2010 IGP Pays d'Oc, France
10.99
100% Syrah grown on the brown and clear schists of Neffies and La Livinière in the Languedoc. The vines are planted at an altitude of 300m and benefit from 320 days of sunshine per year. Grapes were hand-harvested and underwent a 5 week carbonic maceration at 28°C in temperature-controlled concrete tanks. No oak. Winemaker Pierrick Harang. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13.5%, TA 4.32g/l, pH 3.9, RS 0.5g/l. IWC 2011 Bronze Medal Winner. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 21 branches.

Spicy and very ripe brambles on the nose.  Great big taste.  Very spicy and savoury.

Domaine des Trois Pierres 2011 Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France
7.29
75% Grenache, 15% Syrah with 10% Mourvèdre. Domaine des Trois Pierres means ‘Estate of the three stones’ and is in the village of Jonquières Saint Vincent in the Gard. The grapes were harvested at optimum ripeness from old vines. Winemaker Eric Monnin. Alc 14.0%, TA 4.43g/l, pH 3.31, RS 2.3g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 214 branches.

Dark and spicy nose. Darkly fruity and quite warm.  Nice.

Waitrose Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Gabriel Meffre 2010 France
7.29
60% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre from 45-year-old vines in the Gard and Vaucluse areas of the Rhône appellation. The soil is a mix of clay and limestone. Grapes were machine-harvested at optimal ripeness in late-Sept/early-Oct during dry weather with some wind and cool nights. Different grape varieties were vinified separately under controlled temperatures not exceeding 30°C. Unoaked and unfined. Head winemaker Véronique Torcolacci. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 14%, TA 5.15g/l, pH 3.67, RS 2.3g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 244 branches.

Farmyardy nose. Spicy taste with slightly warm alcohol.

Massif d'Uchaux 2010 Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France
8.79
70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Carignan from Vaucluse, to the north of Orange, on a mix of chalk and clay. The grapes are from small individual parcels grown high on the wooded slopes at between 100 - 280 metres altitude. Sustainable management of the vineyard, with ploughing-in of the weed growth, the use of organic manures and as little use of chemical treatments as possible. Grapes were harvested with combination of hand-picking (40%) and mechanical harvesting (60%). Traditional vinification with a long slow ferment. Racked several times, then aged in concrete vats for 6 - 9 months prior to bottling. No fining, minimal filtration and Offer: Save 25%, £8.79 - £6.59 from 07/06 to 27/06. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 148 branches.

This has a warm and spicy nose. Rich and ripe taste with plenty of dark, savoury flavours.

Blason du Rhône 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France
20.99
80% Grenache with 20% Syrah and Mourvèdre, produced from grapes sourced from some of the very best growers in the region. The vines are planted on limestone soils covered with copious amounts of the smooth 'galets' stones. The grapes were harvested with a yield of 35hl/ha and had a traditional vinification with regular pigeage to extract colour and structure. 15% of the final blend was matured for 6 months in old oak foudres. Winemaker Brunot Matthieu. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 14.5%, TA 0.5g/l, pH 3.72, RS 1.8g/l. Special Offer: Save 1/3, £20.99 - £13.99 from 09/05 to 29/05. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 255 branches.

Not a great deal on the nose. Ripe and sweet.  Not textbook Chateauneuf. Nicely savoury. I think this used to be better.

Jean-Luc Colombo Les Gravières 2010 Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France
13.99
100% Syrah grown on terraces of granite and pebbles, with very hot and parched soil and strong Mistral, yielding 40hl/ha. Harvested by hand in mid-Sept. Bunches were completely de-stemmed, then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with the juice pumped over the skins twice a day followed by a maceration at 28°C. Then aged in small oak barrels for 6 months, no new oak, followed by a further year’s maturation in stainless steel. Full malo. Alc 12.65%, TA 3.33g/l, pH 3.8, RS <1.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 255 branches.

Fruity and inviting nose. Nice balance. Easy, smooth, gentle.

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