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November 2004
Previous months' recommendations: October 2003 | November
2003 | December 2003 | January
2004 | February 2004 | March
2004 | April 2004 | May
2004 | June 2004 | July
2004 | August 2004 | September
2004 | October 2004
My rating
system explained. Use www.wine-searcher.com
to locate a stockist in your area and my directory
of UK wine merchants for details of those listed here. See also: the wineanorak's
shopping list - recommended wines from each of the main UK retail
outlets. These recommendations are truly independent: I don't accept
payment or other favours for inclusions, nor do I sell wine.
La Chapelle Notre Dame d’Aubune Baumes de Venise
2003 Côtes du Rhône Villages, France
A brilliant cheapie, this is a red wine from a subregion more often
associated with sweet whites. Sweet, ripe open nose of liqueur-like
blackberry and raspberry fruit leads to a smooth, ripe, supple palate with
lots of red and black fruit character. Fine-grained tannic structure.
Impressive: lovely Grenache fruit with a beguiling minerally edge. Very
good+ 89/100 (Majestic £4.99)
Jean Lionnet Côtes du Rhône Cepage Syrah 2000 Rhône,
France
This is a Northern Rhône Syrah from a Cornas producer. It’s a
delightfully honest wine. Savoury, slightly dusty nose with a hint of
meatiness to the peppery red fruits. The palate is midweight and savoury
with good acidity and a distinctive white pepper character. Very drinkable
and savoury: there’s a juicy vibrancy to the dry tannic fruit. Delicious
if a little uncomplicated. Very good+ 88 (£6.95 Jeroboams)
Goats du Roam in Villages 2003 Coastal Region, South Africa
This is a real bruiser. Unsubtle and great fun. Ripe, meaty, roasted
toasty edge to the nose: dark and spicy. The palate is intense and
concentrated with dark, sweet fruit backed up with a slightly rustic,
meaty, spicy savouriness. Just a hint of bitter plumminess to the fruit. A
very satisfying winter warmer with some medicinal hints, a touch of
roasted toasty new oak, and lots of very ripe, dense fruit. Very good+
89/100 (Majestic £6.99)
Château
Cazal Viel Cuvée des Fées 2003 Saint Chinian
, Languedoc
,
France
Fantastic stuff. A perfumed, open ripe nose shows beguiling notes of
earth, herbs, spice and meat with real savoury warmth. The palate is ripe
and rounded with minerally, spicy fruit. A brilliantly expressive wine for
current drinking and just begging for a steak, roast lamb or even meaty
sausages to accompany it. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£6.79 Waitrose)
Domaine Jo Pithon Les Bergères 2001 Anjou Blanc Sec, Loire
Jo Pithon (a bloke btw) has 14 hectares of vines south of Angers. He
takes a natural approach, using indigenous yeasts and old oak vats. This
wine is unusual and brilliant. A deep yellow colour, it has a distinctive
nose that is deep, herby and full; rounded with a hint of sweetness. If
you were a purist, you might say it was verging on faulty. The palate is
concentrated, dense and complex with notes of straw and cheese, hints of
vanilla and high acidity on the finish. Fantastic. Very good/excellent
93/100 (£12.55 Berry Bros & Rudd)
Cossart Gordon Single Harvest Malmsey 1990 Madeira
The big change in Madeira in recent years has been to release vintage
dated wines in 50 cl bottles. The official single vintage Madeiras have to
spend 20 years in cask, and are inevitably expensive, but this single
harvest or colheita style is more affordable, while still being of top
quality. There's a lovely contrast on the nose between the sweet, raisiny,
grapey fruit and the spicy, lemony notes. The palate is sweet, dense and
rich with a lovely lemony tang. Quite brilliant. Very good/excellent
93/100 (£14.35 Berry Bros & Rudd)
E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions
at jamie@wineanorak.co.uk
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