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 Viognier
666. François Villard, Condrieu DePoncins, 2010
This is superb – showing the finer side of 2010 Northern Rhône whites – especially Condrieu. More fruit-driven than the toastier Grand Vallon. But …
645. Neyret-Gachet, Château-Grillet, 2006
A great start to Christmas Eve dining that changed continually with aeration and warming, to reveal a rich, complex, but balanced white. This certainly …
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 …
440. François Villard, Condrieu Le Grand Vallon, 2006
This was a beauty. Mature, but with concentration to age gracefully for another 5 years, maybe? Quite dense garnet colour (medium, rather than light …
332. Heggies Vineyard, Viognier Eden Valley, 2005
Another different white from the Optimor case. I was particularly pleased because I guessed this as being barrel fermented, before looking at the label …
268. d’Arenberg, Shiraz Viognier The Laughing Magpie McLaren Vale, 2003
A pleasant drink but an advert for taking 0.5-1% off the ABV. Was browsing a wine shop in Kilkenny when I noticed a few …
Top 5 grape varieties of the moment
There are 1,368 commercially-grown grape varieties documented in the above great tome. I will never taste them all, but I have tasted a fair …
67. Georges Vernay, Condrieu Côteau de Vernon, 2000
The first time I have definitively smelled butterscotch on a wine. Other aromas of vanilla, butter and passion fruit as well. Flavours of apricot …