Arlaud – Bourgogne – Roncevie – 2011

Officially only humble Bourgogne Rouge, yet this wine comes exclusively from the Roncevie vineyard which officially formed part of the Gevrey-Chambertin wine district until it was stripped of that status in a 1964 reclassification.

Rather classy for mere Bourgogne Rouge. All the cherry and red fruit one expects from the area, then plenty of chewy Gevrey structure, and a smooth finish. Still a bit young, but there is clearly a lot of perfume waiting around the corner.

89 points

Domaines Leflaive – Mâcon-Verzé – 2008

Domaines Leflaive – rather than Domaine Leflaive – is a label launched when the domaine moved outside its natural home in Puligny-Montrachet and went south, purchasing vineyards in the commune of Verzé in the Mâconnais. They immediately converted them to biodynamism in keeping with the philosophy of winemaking established at Domaine Leflaive since the 90s by Anne-Claude Leflaive.

Limey, austere, with the characteristic wet stoniness of Chablis, and a touch of white pepper on the finish. The oak has been handled very lightly and the texture is very much citric rather than creamy. Screams for oysters. After being open for a couple of hours, it is struggling towards a lemon meringue character.

88 points

Château Batailley – 1971

A Pauillac 5^th growth. (There is no second wine at this property; Château Haut-Batailley is rather the result of the previously larger Batailley being split into two properties in 1942 to avoid difficulties with inheritance laws. Château Haut-Batailley does have a second wine, Château La Tour L’Aspic.)

Wood and wood spice, a little liqourice – not a great deal of fruit left except that hint of overripe orange characteristic of late maturity. Delicate rather than dense, it doesn’t have intense tertiary flavour elements, but a classic mature Claret character. It remains a delicious drink.

89 points

Some minor 2010 Bordeaux

Or “affordeau” as it may be known in the wine trade…

Château Lalande

Cru Bourgeois from St.Julien, but not the better known Lalande-Borie. A bit on the rough side, but textbook pencil lead.

85 points

Château Laroque

Cru Bourgeois, Margaux, not the better known St.Émilion property of the same name. Bitter blackcurrant – the cassis comes through very heavily.

84 points

Château Louvie

St.Émilion Grand Cru, not that the grand-sounding designation “Grand Cru” means so much here. 80% Merlot, but with a slightly stony, smoky character that makes it seem a bit more left-bank – nevertheless, a right-bank sweetness to the fruit.

85 points

Château Rocher Bonregard

Pomerol. Rough, acidic, thin – doesn’t feel like Pomerol at all. What went wrong here?

81 points

Château De La Croix

Cru Bourgeois, Médoc. Hot fruit black and red fruit, not a lot else.

84 points

B de Biac

From Cadillac, way down in the south of Entre-Deux-Mers. Southern hot black fruit character, creamy texture.

86 points

Sénéjac

Lovely big fruit, structure and oak spice.

88 points

Château Margaux – 1963

1963 was a bad year for Bordeaux, in a time before the technical advances we now enjoy could mitigate the worst characteristics of a poor vintage; in ’63, cold, wet, rot and hail were all major problems for growers, and it was a vintage of light, acidic wines which by and large did not age well. So we approached this ’63 without great expectations, compounded by the bottle being full only to below the shoulder.

On opening, there is a fine, very attractive but short-lived perfume that is at least classic Margaux; it is replaced in fairly quick succession by similarly light but less elevated touches of leather and creosote and the more expected dry wood and pencil lead.

Fragile and faded, but still with the elegant structure of a once very fine wine.

88 points   

Marqués de Murrieta – Ygay – Etiqueta Blanca – 1978

The Etiqueta Blanca (white label) is a no-longer-made crianza from the great, historical bodega Marqués de Murrieta. Once emblematic of the most traditional, age-worthy wines, the whites made in very oxidative styles, in recent years the bodega has been making a lot of wines in more international, less Rioja-distinctive styles. This white label showcases the lasting power of a wine that is perhaps not very grand but which was properly made with quality fruit.

On opening, some slightly metallic, bretty (?) notes blow off to reveal a classic bouquet of mature, red fruit (cranberry, redcurrant) and mushrooms in the undergrowth, with the residual awareness this wine once had a fair lick of oak. On the palate, brightly acidic, a little too much so to make the wine very attractive without food.

Coming back to this the following day, it surprises us by having grown in weight; the oak is more prominent, and the wine seems more balanced. The bouquet is now slightly smoky blood oranges, and there is a touch of curry spice. Perhaps not quite the same depth as some other Riojas of a similar age, but a beautiful example of well-aged Rioja. 

92/100

Sake Diary - Ho-Ne – Houraisen – Junmai Ginjo

A bottling by the Houraisen brand for the Bone Daddies ramen bar in Soho, still the closest London equivalent to New York’s über-cool Fatty Crab restaurant.

We did wonder if the restaurant had muddled their tasting notes; they claimed “tropical notes with a long savoury finish”, but that is a very misleading description. Fresh, floral and melony. Not milky or creamy as sake often is, but mouth filling, with well-defined notes of fennel and star anise on the finish.