By Charlotte Grimmett, Bibendum Fine Wine Web Sales
I am a real fan of Condrieu so I have to say: the Northern Rhone wins for me.
Often understated and even little known amongst wine drinkers, no matter what the occasion, full on meal, or an aperitif, there is something on offer for all. One of my favourites is the Condrieu, Les Ravines from Domaine …
Last year I was lucky enough to attend a Chateau de Beaucastel dinner presented by Marc Perrin. We tasted verticals of both Chateau de Beaucastel and Coudoulet de Beaucastel, needless to say I was completely won over.
By Omar Raafat, Bibendum Fine Wine Trade Sales
Until a recent trip to the Rhone I would have said the South with very little hesitation – I’ve always loved the intensity of the fruit, the garrigue character and the complexity from the blend of heady Grenache with the darker and more structured Syrah and Mourvedre. As a region it has always offered great value from …
My top Rhone from the other neck of the woods is Clos des Papes from Chateauneuf-du-Pape – the wine is truly fab if a bit over-eulogised by the great Robert Parker. At a recent BYO dinner, with stellar bottles (Petrus and more), the wine was right up there with the best of them.
Look beyond the Beano-esque label and this is a very interesting wine: aVin de Table red from a top French grower made using the solera system more usually found in Jerez, the home of sherry…
My wife has recently been on a nine-month long diet that forbade wine, any cheese worth eating, shellfish and bloody meat amongst other things. Happily the diet is now over and red wine and rare steak is back on the menu. We celebrated with some thick-cut ribeye steaks and a bottle of Domaine du Colombier’s wonderful 2009 Crozes-Hermitage…
Like the 2004 there is a lots of bright red fruit on the nose and palate but it sits alongside the sort of wildness that comes from a laissez-faire approach to winemaking.The tannins are robust but fine, framing the peppery, floral berry notes but never intruding…
By Camilla Bowler
The weather forecast for the week was for one sunny day followed by three days of rain. The predicted 29 degrees did not quite happen on Monday but today the rain came in in torrents. After a dry August, the vines needed some rain we were told – but this was perhaps too much of a good thing and at our first stop (chez …
Once again Shakespeare is spot on. I’m off to God’s Own Country next week for a spot of fishing, walking, swimming, eating and quite probably rain watching: the weather forecast is awful. Instead of one last hurrah for a glorious summer, it may be time to dig out the woolies.
By James Martin
A healthy catch
Day one – Mistral Maze
Full of anticipation for the much talked about truffle hunting trip, courtesy of Cave Terraventoux, three Bibendumites and five of our guests arrived by plane into Nimes airport. Well, just about, as the infamous Mistral gave the plane a once over as we descended in, followed by the …
