47. Château Chapelle Maracan, Bordeaux Blanc, 1998
I bought this as a cooking wine, but actually drank bottles 11 and 12. For the price, quite nice, in fact! Definite aromas of …
46. De Venoge, Champagne Cordon Bleu Brut Select, NV (2001)
Pale straw colour with green glints suggests lower oak ageing if any and lower % Chardonnay. Light crisp bubbles and a good balance of …
45. Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff, Oberhaüser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett Nahe, 2000
Random Riesling given to me as a freebie. Sadly a classic example that filled my prejudices about German wine. Faintly bubbly, light (8%) and …
44. Maison François Martenot, Gevrey-Chambertin, 1996
For a regular AOC Gevrey-Chambertin selected at midnight in a cash ‘n’ carry in Calais, the result was unexpected and pleasant. Deep Burgundy with …
43. Cantine Rocca Ripalta, Barolo, 1995
I thought I’d see if my Italian prejudices were wrong with a Barolo at a reasonably high price. Sadly I was right. Italian wine …
42. Domaine Bertagna, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits “Les Dames Huguettes” Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes Unfiltered, 1998
The ultimately most bastard hard label to remove! A not expensive Burgundy with a nice balance of oak to smooth fruit. Hautes Côtes seems …
41. Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix, Celliers du Vieux Château, Chablis Premier Cru Côte de Lechet, 1995
One of the most bastard difficult labels I’ve ever chosen to remove… but a nice premier cru. Straw-yellow colour betrays the depth of the …
40. Montana Wines, Marlborough Riesling, 2000
Marlborough proves itself as a region for reliable Riesling as well as Sauvignon Blanc. This was a fresh, limey wine with depth, but not …
39. Bodegas Domecq, Marqués de Arienzo Rioja Reserva, 1994
Well blended dark fruit and oak. Garnet red colour tinged with brown. Blackcurrant fruit blends with chocolatey aromas. Still plenty of tannin, suggesting would …
38. M. Chapoutier, Côtes-du-Rhône Belleruche, 1999
Black pepper – a lot. Quite gum-dry, suggesting relatively high tannin levels. Should age OK for a year-or-two. Another fine Belleruche from Chapoutier. Black …