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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