Special offer
Spectator Wine Club
Auberon Waugh
This week's offer comprises four cases, two mixed and two straight. The first is a luxury six-bottle pack of extremely expen- sive wines, and contains everything that the self-indulgent family or small houseparty might need to drink on Christmas Day. It is designed not only for people to buy for themselves, or to give as a Christmas pre- sent, but also for those swarms of Lon- doners who descend on country cousins at Christmas time to bring us what the
Americans call a hospitality present. These are thoroughly civilised innovations, but nobody ever thinks of the husband.
The sherry was specially chosen by John Avery from some mysterious recess of his warehouses. It is 17 years old, a beautiful amber colour, much dryer than you expect an Oloroso to be, with rich tangy flavour and long length. Corton Charlemagne needs no introduction. This one is huge and glorious and golden. Château l'Arrosee is a
grand cru St Emilion which you will not often see in England, although Hugh Johnson describes its wine in his new Com- panion as 'concentrated and serious'. The two bottles provide a mini-education in themselves. Both are superb, but it is essen- tial to drink the '66 first. Open the '66 an hour before drinking, the '61 half an hour. The Hospices de Beaune Nicolas Rolin is another revelation. Rolin was the founder of the Hospices in 1443 and this comes from the vineyards he bequeathed at that time. Hanson tells me they are to be found in Les Cent Vignes, Les Groves and En Genet, but the blend is something of its own and quite magnificent. I think this may be the best burgundy I have yet offered, although I have not tasted it against the '69 Roncieres. Avery's '63 port was blended by John Avery's father from one part Taylors, two parts Fonseca, two parts Sandeman in an attempt to improve on any of the single- brand ports being shipped in that wonder- ful year. Now that wine snobbery has taken a turn against the blender's art, people are reluctant to buy it except at a reduced price, but it is a magnificent port. If that expen- sive package does not provide a happy Christmas it will be time to go and join a monastery.
The New World case for more adven- turous wine drinkers is restricted to 59 orders so I had better not praise it up too much. This restriction is imposed by the Brown Bros Chardonnay 1980 from Australia which is almost unprocurable now, and by the Chateau Musar 1970 from the Lebanon, believed to be the best year that extraordinary enterprise has ever pro- duced. So I shall pass on from those two amazing bottles to the Australian Chardonnay/Semillon from Hunter Valley which is a very agreeable, lighter drink but full of taste, saved from pomposity or pretension by a slight prickle when first opened. The Semillon grape is used in Europe mostly for sweet wines — it is the basis of Sauternes — but these clever an- tipodeans make a very good dry white from it. Top wines from down under are very reasonably priced for their quality. Freight from Australia at £1 a case by the container is obscurely cheaper than freight from France at £1.50. The Californian Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is frankly not under-priced but it is an extraordinary block-buster of a wine, which should be opened at least three hours before drinking. It has no subtlety whatever but the strongest concentration I have ever tasted outside Hermitage, and is a memorable ex- perience. These two whites and two reds are probably the best the New World (or Lebanon) can offer.
I throw in the Avery's Special Cuvee champagne and the Investiture port — another clever and agreeable blend, this time of vintage and ruby — because
Avery's have agreed to reduce the price for us. Their champagne is certainly as good as most of the grandes marques and better than several, but considerably cheaper at £7.92 the bottle.
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