Villa Annaberta, Amarone Della Valpolicella 2010. This is a delight of a wine. Dark cherry sundried Corvina 70%, Rondinella 20% and Molinara 10% that has been hung for a while to dry, (ripasso method) and to concentrate the raisin and figgy flavours.

A lovely balanced wine, the oak is perfect for the fruit, there is an underlying smoke and the fruit is marvelous with a touch of leather. A lovely texture, fine grained tannins, not too soft, nor too dry either and enough acidity to wake-up the palate. Decant for an hour before serving. This wine would keep for quite a few years, if you could keep your hands off it. About 14.5% ALC but you don't notice any spirity nose or burny feel in the mouth at all.

The Co-op had this on offer in March this year for about £14, a mega bargain for a fine wine. A friend of mine found some in a Co-Op in rural mid-Norfolk.

Very lovely stuff . . . . if I had some, I'd drink this at this level of evolution.

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Duncan

Thanks Dunc, rarely get into any Co-op stores now.
Sounds wonderful.

Richard

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

Cheers Rich, thanks for that.

Rich, do you remember the 2009 Chateau de Courneau that we bought from M & S last year or so, the merlot dominated Medoc that you didn't favour that much, because it was a bit soft and one dimensional. I think the wine is at the top of its game now, it isn't going to improve.

Just in case you'd forgotten about it, I'd say drink now till just after Christmas. I think you will find it marginally better than last time. Leaving on the rack would be a mistake.

Cheers for now

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Duncan

Dunc,

Good morning, just check CT and i stil have the 5 bottles left.
I will bring 2 up at the weekend and starting drinking them mid week.

From a foggy Sheffield.
Richard

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

Rich,
Wise move.
From there you can form your conclusions (remembering the 1st bottle is always tricky, unless you made notes)
if drinking over a couple of nights be sure to vacuvin / whop the cork back in, and keep on a cool floor. Its the 2nd and subsequent nights when some of the merlot primary shrinks back and slopes towards dryness, some of the rich feel & texture is knocked out. Those observations lead me to, "the non-keeper" assessment.

The same deterioration was noted with the Meerlust merlot gold label Stellenbosch 2008, not enough cab franc me thinks.

Thankfully, No fog here, at last the sun can be seen behind a thick grey blanket, even south facing surfaces are grey green and dank.

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Duncan

Dunc,

Hi, opened a bottle last night. much better than I remember. Certainly moved forward more age related showing like a 2004 LB. Not a long journey but good enough for a mid week drink.

Cheers Dunc for the heads up !!

Richard

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

I've got 6 of the courneau myself. Will now look to try one this coming weekend if I can. Still have a dozen of the Bellegrave 09 to get through too

.

I have been drinking them regularly every other week since the end of the summer. At our buying price , they are beating all other full red wines in the stores, and that includes the recent Lidl Graves.

2009 Bellegrave is holding better, there is a higher proportion of Cab S. My Bellegrave (bottles do vary a little) is currently going through a minor change in primary profile. I haven't decided yet what the life expectancy would be. Perhaps 7 years from release . . . . the bottles with a little sediment are the best.

I think the 2009 Ch. de Courneau is more akin to an '03 merlot dominated right bank, say a good one from C. de Blaye. There is a lot of richness and a deep opaque colour to the wine from very (slightly over) ripe Merlot (Stelenbosch merlot style), but the structure is waining, and the fruit dies and dries if left open for a few days. It is good now, and best taken over the next 12 months.
Ch. de Courneau is very suitable and rather good with roast chicken.

cheers

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Duncan