Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine de Cristia 2006

A wine I absolutely loved the other day was Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine de Cristia 2006.........grabbed from my wine room at the 11th hour just before dinner was prepped, this bottle was just popped and poured and it turned out to be a real beauty!  

"Bottle Shock"

Being the importers of the famous Californian estate, Château Montelena, last night I decided to watch the film ‘Bottle Shock’. This film tells the story of early Californian winemaking and the blind “Judgement of Paris” tasting in 1976 in which the Château Montelena 1973 Alexander Valley Chardonnay trumped all the other contenders revealing that French wines are not unbeatable.

Viña Pedrosa Reserva 2005

It’s not often I drink such a nice bottle of red on a Monday night at home. My husband had cooked the most delicious meal and we had already polished off the remainder of a Môreson Magia 2004 (delicious by the way and at its peak) left over from Sunday night. So off to the cellar/under-stairs cupboard I went…I settled on a bottle of Viña Pedrosa Reserva 2005.

This is a serious wine – complex with lots of character. A beautiful nose of spices, cherry fruit and cinnamon that continued onto the palate. Juicy red fruits and although still robust in style it had pure class and elegance. Here's to next Monday night!

Written by Claire Scott-Gall

Wine Wednesday: Thursday 18th August 2011

In attendance:  Amy, Claire, Stephen, Alex and Martin

So I was late.  Excusably so, because the Chairman of Bancroft called me – he wanted a chat about some things, but I had my priorities straight so I made an excuse, rushed off the phone (sorry Peter), dashed to the courtyard and found some Bancroft Boys waiting for me.  But this time it was special, this time Claire was there. 

Monday Morning Blues??

What a way to start a Monday morning – glorious sunshine, a big breakfast roll, and a glass of golden Sauternes-Barsac : Château Coutet 1997 nonetheless.

Lovely bright yellow/golden in colour, like sunshine in a glass, and although it is only 9.30am in the morning, the aromas draw you in like a lamb to the slaughter. It has a beautifully complex nose of orange zest, honey and pineapple, which leap from the glass. On the palate it is medium bodied alongside a glorious freshness and an apparent lightness, but with wonderful complexity. There is certain tartness to this wine which tantalizes the taster. It offers up loads of orange rind and orange zest character, hints of honey and finishes with a hazelnut, citrus twist.

Who said Mondays mornings were bad, not this Monday!

By Sean Burbridge

Wine Wednesday 10th August 2011

In attendance: Amy, Alex R, Martin and Stephen 

Another Wednesday. Another bottle of wine. Or two. Alex is off for a week to Orkney tomorrow and already we have had to reschedule next week's Wine Wednesday for a Thursday to coincide with his return. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, he was in a holiday frame of mind and as we headed to our normal lunchtime venue, that infectious spirit spread to us all.  By the time we reached Maltings Café there was some steam to let off – we (and London) have been through a lot over the past few days and the tension needed to give. 

The Australian Wine Experience 9th August: The Harrow at Little Bedwyn

Trade and Consumer Tasting in association with Wine Australia and Decanter magazine

Following an anxious night watching the riots worsen on TV and twitter (and just one mile from my flat!), I was extremely glad to be on a train surrounded by fields and canals on my way to The Harrow. This peaceful setting seemed a world away from the madness taking hold over the streets of London. A beautiful sunny afternoon and quick walk along the canal helped me to put the past 48 hours out of my mind.

Wine Wednesday: Thursday 4th August 2011

In attendance: Alex R, Martin, Amy

Wine Wednesday Three took place on a Thursday.  A little incongruous, I agree, but it turned out to be one of the best yet.  Probably.

Early August, traditionally the height of summer, but (perhaps predictably) it was pouring with rain.  Pouring with rain, after a spell of 30-degree heat, pouring with rain in a humid oppressive, crazy making kind of a way. And we were made a little crazy today too. As we dodged the raindrops and hurried to the Maltings Café we happened to pass a number of our Bancroft colleagues, me and the boys, a bottle of rosé and the nearest left turn to the park. What did they think we were up to?  We started giggling at the very idea. 

Tom Cannavan reviews Pitchfork Shiraz

Tom Cannavan has recently reviewed Michael Kerrigan's Pitchfork Shiraz 2008:

A visit to Mas Amiel

On a recent trip to the Languedoc for my honeymoon I decided to visit Mas Amiel in the Agly Valley near Maury. 

A Day in the Trade with Roland Norman

As ever, when a winemaker comes-a-visiting it’s a game of dragging the hapless man through a myriad of meetings and tastings, a hefty lunch (just to prove how good the food is in the restaurants who might take their wine) and finished off by a lengthy winemakers dinner entertaining 40 people.  For many, far happier tending their vines than struggling with their often rudimentary English and trying to figure out the vagaries of English humour this can be a rather onerous and overwhelming day.