SPECTATOR WINE CLUB

Fair and interesting

Auberon Waugh

Amost untypical Longford offer with Only one wine from the Burgundy region and nothing from the Rhone, but many of the wines are spectacularly cheap by the standard of what is being asked for the same bottles elsewhere. The sample case, working out at £5.76 the bottle, represents an 11 per cent cut on Longford's extremely modest price list for undelivered wine.

The only white wine in this offer, a Chilean sauvignon blanc from the Maule Valley(l), inspired a visiting French oenolo- gist on the panel to compare it to a good, soft, female of 45 with nice-tasting lipstick. This may not be what everyone is looking for -- he is about 57. I think — but every- one loved it on the panel, which included two youngsters, a novelist of 50 and a famous literary agent. It is less austere than much of the sauvignon arriving on these shores since the grape became so fashion- able. with a round. fruity taste making it ideal for drinking at all hours of the day. incomparably cheaper and easier at £5.45 than any French equivalent. This is the sort of wine which everybody should have in the fridge for drinking at any time.

The Beaujolais Villages Domaine de la Treille 1995(2) was first tasted at £6.25 the bottle, where enthusiasm for its excellent garnay nose, its agreeably bright colour and many pleasing characteristics was muted by what was thought to be such a stiff price for an essentially light Beaujolais. Having bul- lied the price down to £5.50. I now sec it as a serious bargain for what must be seen as a classic tight Beaujolais from an excellent year. Drink up. The Chateau Malrorne 1993(3) Bordeaux Superieur, which comes with a pretty pic- ture of Toulouse-Lautrec's Jane Avril kick- ing her legs -- Malrome was the artist's favourite holiday haunt — was first offered me by another wine merchant (who shall be nameless) at £7. At £5.50 for an oak-aged claret of middle-to-rich taste and distinctly festive appearance. 1 think it is a good buy. although you obviously can't expect to find Heaven in Bordeaux for £5.50. I bet that when people have seen the pretty bottle it will be among the most re-ordered from the sample case. The Chateau de la Mculiere 19930) is a slightly more serious wine which has been offered before and proved a great success. It comes at the same price of £5.95. which is a major achievement on the part of Mr Peter Harris, the importer. who managed to find further stocks, but this batch will be the last we will ever see. After the 1993 vin- tage, the property was broken up and its excellent vineyards distributed among neighbouring chateaux. This is a solid. proper claret which tastes a lot better than its price. If it came from the Medoc and had been classified in 1855, it would cost at least £7.50. probably much more. Our last offer of Gilbert Alquier's Faugeres(5), from the Midi, proved a run- away success. Nobody could have known that Alquier was famously the best produc- er in Faugeres. Most, like me. had never heard of Faugeres, which was lifted from the COteaux du Languedoc and given its own appellation in 1982. It is a good, strong. even slightly obstreperous red, to be taken with a pâté at ten o'clock in the morning. suggested the. French oenologist. I should judge. it excellent for shooting lunches, or

for those who live in cold houses. Good with goat's cheese. You know the sort of thing. Not a rough wine, but robust.

Finally, the surprise of the offer. A pre- tentious-looking bottle from McLaren Vale in South Australia at what seemed a some- what uppity price (for a colonial) of £6.25 had the whole panel on its feet, cheering. novelists, literary agents, French oenolo- gists, idealistic young people and all. The. 1992 Maricnberg(6) cabernet sauvignon should be drunk fairly soon, but it is lovely: dark colour, good, strong, beautiful smell (otherwise known as a hot New World nose.), no hint of any colonial-style shiraL but a faint touch of liquorice, full, rich, plummy . . . almost a meal in itself. 'There has been a certain reaction against these colonial wines. People claim to find them overpowering. This is true when they have faults, but this one is faultless, of its kind.

The mixed case works out at £5.67: lout French. two New World. The wines arc interesting and the prices exceptionally fah.

ORDER FORM SPECTATOR WINE CLUB

c/o Longford Wines Longford Farmhouse, Spithurst, Barcombe, Lewes, Sussex BN8 5ED Telephone and Fax: Barcombe (01273) 401497

Price i'alue

12 Bots £65.40 12 Boo £66.00 12 Bots £66.00 12 Boo E71.40 12 Bens £71.40 12 Boo £:5.00 12 Bats £69.20

TOTAL (Cheque enclosed)

'Orders may be faxed or telephoned. ping hankers' card details.

Please send vine to. Own name & address. if dillareni:

NAME. NAME ADDRESS ................ ADDRESS

...

POSTCODE . POSTCODE TELEPHONE . . TELEPHONE ACCESS VISA NO EXPIRY DATE SIGNATURE

Prices include VAT and delivery on the British mainland. Cheques should be made payable to the Spec.. taint- Wine Club and sent with the order, but Visa or Access card details may be telephoned or taxed. This offer, which is subject to availability. closes on 3t1 November 1996. While 1. Red 2.

3 4 .5 Mixed 7 Carmen Sauvignon Blanc 1995 Maule Valley, Chile Beaujolau Villages 1995 Domaine de la Treilk (Pierre Andre) Chateau Mairome 1993 Bordeaux Supeneur Chateau de la Meuhere 1993 Premieres Crites de Bordeaux Faugeres 1994 Gilbert Alquier & fits Cabernet Sauvignon M anrnberg 1992

Mc Laren 1.ak, South Australia Sample case. two of each