SPECTATOR WINE CLUB
SIMON HOGGART
This is an exciting selection — eight wines from six countries offered by Corney & Barrow, though it could be too exciting for the company’s MD, Adam BrettSmith. A look of mild distress passed over his face when I reminded him of the fabled BrettSmith Indulgence, which brings each case down by £6 — if you buy, delivered to the same address, two or more within the M25, or three if you live outside. But Adam paused, swallowed bravely, and confirmed that the Indulgence stands — on top of the 5 per cent he has taken off the list prices.
We start with two new house wines, or rather one new house red, and a house white which has been relabelled as La Brouette Blanc1. This is the sprightly, lemony Vin de Pays du Gers from the Plaimont co-op, which has long been a favourite of Spectator readers. The other day I spotted it as the house wine in an upmarket restaurant, where it was priced at £12.95. With the Indulgence it will cost you just £4.25. (I am listing all bottles at the discounted rate; the full prices are on the order form.) The new house red, La Brouette Rouge5, is made from Grenache, one of the Rhône grapes, and is rich, velvety and full of flavour. Absolutely perfect for entertaining — perhaps too perfect, since it slides down so smoothly that your guests might drink more than they should. But at least it won’t hurt your wallet.
The wine C&B employees are taking home to drink these days is the Marquis de Lissac Chardonnay 2004, from the Côtes de Thongue2. At £4.58 it is amazing value, being packed with freshness and fruitiness and so little oak as to make a pleasant change if you are fed up with woody wines. Another perfect party bottle, though it would wash down almost any meal quite happily. Do remember to let white wines breathe as much as red; there’s no reason why you shouldn’t decant them in the same way.
The Old Vines Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch 20043 is a favourite of mine. The South Africans know what to do with Chenin, a grape that can be thin and feeble outside the Loire. This is close to a dry Vouvray, and if I say it has a taste of lemon drops, don’t let that put you off. It will also, unlike most white wines, especially those at £6.09, age well over the next year or so.
Now a return to an old favourite from New Zealand, the Eradus Sauvignon Blanc 20044 from Marlborough. We got through half a bottle of this the other night, then took it out of the fridge the next day. A merely excellent wine had become stunning. It’s just another reminder — at £8.08 you don’t need to pay Cloudy Bay prices for Cloudy Bay quality.
The reds are all exceptional. The Quinta de Chocapalha 2002 from Estremadura6 is another indicator of how Portuguese wines have advanced over the past few years. This is fairly light in texture but dense in flavour, bringing wonderful perfumed, even chocolate and liquorice, flavours. Great with almost any food and fine value at £6.79.
The Bodega Ruca Malen 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon7 may be from Argentina, but it is made by a Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Thibaud, who used to work for Moët. It resembles a claret, but has that distinctive South American depth — it’s a dark and powerful wine, one for sipping rather than hurling back. Again, far better value than most Bordeaux, at £7.85.
Finally, a great treat. Bierzo, from northwest Spain, is one of the finest of the up and coming denominacións, and a bottle of the single-vineyard wine made by the Palacios family will cost you over £20. But their starter wine, the Petalos de Bierzo 20038, made from the Mencia grape, is wonderful, packed with rich, complex flavours. As one website puts it: ‘sweet and fat, spicy, fruit-driven, with roasted currants, raspberries, dark chocolate, and peppery notes’. That may sound over the top, but it is pretty accurate. You’ll pay £9.02 a bottle. Do let it breathe.
Delivery, as always, is free, and there are two sample cases. __p
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