SPECTATOR WINE CLUB

Fun for under a fiver

Auberon Waugh

ENRAGED by ever-increasing wine prices at a time when the pound is supposed to be so strong, I brutally ordered Simon Wright- son to produce some which would cost less than £4 the bottle, and, although the panel did not actually choose any of them, we ended up with our first offer of the year that averages out at under £5 the bottle deliv- ered, and all of them good, with two or three which would be stars at almost any price.

First our old friend the Honore de Berti- cot(1). Although it is a Sauvignon from the Cotes de Duras, between Bergerac and Entre-Deux-Mers, it comes in a Burgundy- shaped bottle. Whenever I have served the wine, it has won extravagant praise, and although it occurs to me that guests may be relieved to discover it is not 'cheap' white Burgundy — surely one of the nastiest and most overpriced beverages on the market

— I must aver that the Berticot is a particu- larly delicious, light Sauvignon. Everybody loves it, and at £4.20 it is given away.

Next, an altogether more serious white wine, Fox Wood(s), from the Languedoc (the property is managed by an Australian, which explains its curious name). Perhaps not many readers are familiar with the Marsanne grape, chiefly to be found in the northern Rhone, creeping its way into the white Hermitages and Crozes — wines I have usually found a bit heavy and over- priced. This wine, made by an eccentric Australian called Michael Goundrey who fell in love with a corner of France which used to make the most terrible rubbish when I lived there 35 years ago, is much better and more interesting than any north- ern Rhone white. It has a lovely smell and a wonderful melony taste. A seriously good and unusual wine at £5.20 the bottle.

Next a rosé from the Costieres de Nimes, Mas des Bressades(3), which had the rest of the panel applauding its pretty pink colour and its pleasant flowery taste at £4.70. I noted that it had a good taste and not too

'I'm losing the will to live beyond his means.' much of it, which makes it all the more suit- able as an aperitif, especially when drunk young.

Our first red, the Tierra Arena(4) 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, would be a star at twice its price of £4.56 and still a bar- gain at three times the price. It has a lovely expensive Cabernet smell, fresh, almost slightly green first taste of great excellence, very good length and a profusion of inter- esting ideas in the mouth. I warned Mr Wrightson to order a lot of it and I hope he has done so. It is a major discovery.

Hard luck on the Marius Reserva(5) to

come after such a rave, especially as it costs a few pence more than the Tierra Arena, but the Marius, at five years older, is a calmer and possibly more dignified wine. It is not as exciting, but not all of Us wish to spend our lives in a state of perpetual excitement, and the Spanish have produced a good, round wine with a soft, velvety feel to it which will particularly appeal to the more casual wine drinker.

Finally, a splendid, hefty Medoff) from the same eccentric Australian as gave us the Marsanne, except that now he calls his little corner of the Montague Noire Gravel Stone Vineyard rather than Vergers Retreat. It has an importantly rich Merlot taste, in which poets may find a touch of ripe blackberry, excellent for drinking now and certainly deserving of a short rave at £5.20 like the other Fox Wood, as a com- plenient to the Tierra Arena at its amazing price of £4.56. The sample case, as some may be able to discover if they have a calcu- lator handy, works out at £4.76 the bottle. Well done, Mr Wrightson.

ORDER FORM SPECTATOR WINE CLUB

c/o Wrightson & Company Manfield Grange, Manfield, near Darlington, North Yorkshire DL2 2RE Tel: (01325) 374134 Fax: (01325) 374135

White 1. Honore de Berticot 1998,

Price Strength No. Value

C6tes de Duras Sauvignon 12 hots £50.40 12%

2 Fox Wood Vergers Retreat 1998, Montague

Noire (Vin de Pays d'Oc) Marsanne

12 boss £62.40 125% Rose

Mas des Bressades 1998, Costieres de Nimes 12 hots £56.40 13% Red

nem? Arena 1998, Coquimbo, Chile,

Cabernet Sauvignon. 12 hots £54.72 13%

Marius Reserva 1993, Almansa, Spain 12 hots £57.00 12.5%

Fox Wood Gravel Slone Vineyard 1997,

Montagne Noire (I4n de Pays d'Oc) Maim 12 hots £6240 12,5% Mired

Sample case, two bottles of each 12 hots £57.22

TOTAL (Cheque enclosed)

Please send wine to: Own name & address, if different: NAME NAME ADDRESS ADDRESS POSTCODE POSTCODE TELEPHONE TELEPHONE Prices include VAT and delivery on the British mainland. Payment should be made either by cheque with the order, payable to Spectator Wine Club, or by Mastercard/Visa, details of which may be tele- phoned or faxed. This offer, which is subject to availability, closes on 17 November 1999.

MASTERCARD/VISA NO EXPIRY DATE SIGNATURE