A selection of half bottles

Wanting to control your alcohol consumption, get some half bottles!

Daniel-Eitenne Defaix Chablis 2000 Vielles Vignes


I've always liked my Chablis green, austere and mineral. This didn't quite do it for me, it seemed more in the modern style with a bit too much oak for my liking. It retained the drier quality of chardonnay, not one for the Aussie chardonnay crowd, the flinty flavour I found to be slightly masked.

Decent

J Moreau & Fils Chablis La Croix de Saint Joseph 2009


Probably a bit young but still more to my liking, green, mineral with some background fruit. Could do with a bit more time, worth keeping for a couple of years to see how it will evolve.

Pieropan Soave 2008


Soave isn't often seen as a fine wine but Pieropan make excellent wines and this is no exception. This is medium bodied, quite elegant with a hint of lemon and almond on the finish. Good with fish.

Domaine Berthoumieu, Cuvee Charles De Batz, Madiran 2006

One of my favourite makers from my favourite appellation. Didier Barre, considered one of the best vignerons of the area treated us to a wonderful tasting in June 2010. This wine, a premium cuvee named after the real life D'Artagnan is a good example of the Tannat grape. The wine includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and is deep red with a spicy nose of black and red fruits. This delivers in the mouth with a deep, smooth texture with black fruit and briar flavours and a hint of pepper. May improve for a couple of years yet, the bonus being the price £7-8.

Louis Latour, Fleurie, La Garans 2007, Beaujolais.

Beaujolais, much like Soave, is not seen a serious wine by many, however a good example will be fruity, light and very enjoyable. This is one of those, the Gamay grape giving good fresh red fruit on the nose which is reflected in a surprisingly rich, yet floral and smooth. Good summer drinking or accompaniment to white meats.