695. Château Laville, Sauternes, 2001 
694. Château Sociando-Mallet, Cru Bourgeois Haut-Médoc, 2001 
693. Mas Amiel, Prestige 15 Ans d’Age Maury, NV (2006) 
692. Rey Fernando de Castilla, Antique Palo Cortado Sherry, NV (2012) 
691. Equipo Navazos, I Think Saca de Abril de 2012 En Rama Manzanilla Sherry, NV (2012) 
690. Château Lascombes, Chevalier de Lascombes Margaux, 2004 S
668. Cuvée du Vatican, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Sixtine, 2003
Served a little cold at Boxing Day lunch with Andy, Sarah, Janet and Steve. But once it warmed up, it hit its stride pretty …
664. Château de Beaucastel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 1998
Really annoyingly, lost almost half a bottle, messing up decanting this from its heavy sediment. Anyway, perhaps not the greatest bottle of this wine, …
650. Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, 2007
So, the real opening was with this – chosen to compliment a main course of game (rabbit, pheasant, venison and squirrel) and beef-shin stew. …
636. El Porvenir de los Andes, Porvenir Cafayate Valley Salta, 2005
The most ridiculously heavy bottle I’ve ever come across – 1,198g empty, compared with 1,320g for a full bottle of d’Armailhac – heralded this …
617. Mitolo, G.A.M. McLaren Vale Shiraz, 2005
Little room to describe this! Good, very easy to drink, but not a 95+ point wine! Deep garnet. Narrow rim. Medium+ lightly vanilla and …
615. Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, 2006
One of 3 reds I brought for Whippet’s leaving BBQ, as I figured it’d be at maturity, and good for meat – both of …
586. Macià Batle, P. de Maria Binissalem Mallorca, 2007
Picked up whilst ‘exploring’ The VineYard in Dorking. My first Mallorcan wine, from more-or-less the only DO (Binissalem), and the only major producer. Modern, …
Sonoma: old-vine Zinfandel, fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Sonoma is, in fact, a large region. Most people, including myself, would probably think of Sonoma as Napa’s quieter, more rural, more familial, ‘little …
Paso Robles to Santa Cruz Mountains: Central Coast diversity
Paso Robles to the Santa Cruz Mountains – or ‘the rest of the Central Coast’, between Santa Barbara County and the city of San …
California wine: the Golden State shines brightly
California wine is synonymous with US wine. For many it is US wine. Fortunately, the fine Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of Oregon, the Bordeaux …