SPECTATOR WINE CLUB

From the land of pure delight

Auberon Waugh

May is the month I traditionally intro- duce the new vintage from Chateau Musar, miraculous product of the Bekaa valley, in Lebanon, once known as Canaan, the land of pure delight of which Isaac Watts sang:

Oh could we make our doubts remove, Those gloomy doubts that rise, And see the Canaan that we love With unbeclouded eyes.

Those teetering on the edge can be reas- sured that the 1986 Musano is utterly won- derful, the most immediately and spectacu- larly enjoyable of any vintage yet. But first let us go through the other wines, all of which have been seen before, in different vintages.

First, the Chateau Pierrail 1992w at £5.13. We offered the 1990 last year at £4.64, which shows what happens when you leave your European Monetary Snake or whatever it was we left. I think it is better for being slightly younger — fresh, basic semillon taste. Fine as an aperitif, fine with soda. For those who are fed up with over- fruity varietals with too much acid and too much bounce, this is what good, straight- forward, dry white bordeaux always used to taste like before we all became so interest- ed in wine.

Delaunay's Macon Villages") 1991 is up by only 30p to £5.75 from the 1990 last year, which, considering the difference in reputations, is not odd. However, on first tasting I decided the 1991 was, mysterious- ly, much better than the 1990, which smelled very fine but was a bit disappoint- ing in the mouth. This wine reminded one member of the panel of acacia honey. A very pleasant, well-mannered white bur- gundy for the month of May, in the garden, full of pleasant flowers and fruits, not too assertive, and reasonably priced.

Garrigues' Cotes du Rhone) varies tremendously from year to year. Last year there was a great row about whether we should put it in at all, and I ended up by suggesting it was too raw for present drink- ing and not good enough to lay down. I don't know if any bottles were sold. This year's is much better. Strong, deeply coloured as ever, with great concentrations of fruit, it actually tastes nice, too. Ever- body loved it at £4.56 the bottle, some remarking on a smell of syrupy plums and liquorice. Very full and thick and grapy. Paupers will adore it.

Next, two beaujolais before we hit the Musar. The Julienas 'Les Envaux'0) 1991 at £5.73 will be the more popular — nice, sweet smell, quite a bit of fruit, good, strong, robust, reasonably clean example with a bit of oomph to it. The Fleurie Domaine de Montgenas 19910) is the better wine, with an unexpectedly blackcurrant smell, pretty bright red colour, fresh and young and nice, nothing thin about it, but the price of £6.88 knocks some of the gilt off.

Finally, the Chateau Musar 1986. I opened it gingerly, fearing the Red Cross lorry smells: there might have been a bit of iodine in the air to begin with, but it disap- pears in a second and the rest is tri- umphant. This is a truly great wine. I put in my order immediately, and it joins my exist- ing collection of 1985, '83, '81, '80, '78 and '77, but I find I am drinking my way through the '86s. I imagine it will keep for ever — M. Hochar now uses expensive, long corks — but I don't see how it can possibly improve. It is overwhelming in its elegance, as well as in the strength of its attack. Closest, I suppose, still to claret, it is in fact a new taste and deserves to be recognised as a major wine in its own right.

I don't like the way the price is creeping up.

I fear the Americans are discovering it. All the more reason for putting in a big order while the price is still only £7.53. If any widow finds herself left with cases and cases of the stuff, I promise to buy them off her at this price.

The sample case, two of each, works out at £5.93.

ORDER FORM SPECTATOR WINE CLUB

c/o Chateaux Wines, The Green, Olveston, Bristol BS12 3DN. Tel and Fax: (0454) 613959

Price No. Value

White 1. Cha''teau Pierrail 1992 12 Bots. £61.56 2. Macon Villages (Delaunay) 1991 12 Bots. £69.00 Red 3. Cotes du Rhone (Garrigues) 1992 12 Bots. £54.72

Julienas Les Envaux 1991 12 Bots. £68.76

Fleurie Domaine de

Montgenas 1991 12 Bots. £82.56

Chateau Musar 1986 12 Bois. £90.36 Mixed 7. Sample case (2 bottles of each) 12 Bois. £71.16

TOTAL (remittance enclosed)

Please send wine to: NAME ADDRESS POSTCODE DAYTIME TELEPHONE Access/Visa No: Signature Own name & address, if different: NAME ADDRESS POSTCODE DAYTIME TELEPHONE Expiry Date Prices include VAT and delivery anywhere on the British mainland. Cheques should be made payable to Spectator Wine Club. Payment with order please. Orders quoting Visa or Access may be faxed or telephoned. This offer, which is subject to availability, closes on 30 June 1993.