Description
“The connossieur does not drink wine but tastes of its secrets”
Salvador Dali
6 great rare mature bottles from the RS wines back catalogue, regarde, sniff, cogitate, reflect, pick up a good book and listen to John Coltrane’s ‘My Favourite Things’ on vinyl…Of course .
Chinon Le Villy Domaine du Raifault
Grape variety: Cabernet Franc
Country of origin: France
Region: Loire
Vintage: 1989
ABV: 12.5%
There are thousands of members of the wine fraternity ‘Les Bons Entonneurs (literally good swiggers) of Chinon’ all over the world. There are and have been some very prominent personalities among its number, Elizabeth Taylor and Madame Giscard D’Estaing to name but two. I am proud to consider myself one of them, even though I am not an official member of the brotherhood, having taken oaths wearing of robes funny hats and all that, I can say I’ve got the t- shirt though, and this wine is the reason why, because… When one ‘Swigs Chinon’, one is inclined to sing, chant, intone and in my case dance as well. From 1989, one of the great years, this humble fellow unwittingly found himself served at the same table as the rather grand Bordeaux Vieux Chateau Certan 1990, Pomerol. I know which wine I preferred, but will let you guess.
Moulin Touchais
Grape variety: Chenin Blanc
Country of origin: France
Region: Loire
Vintage: 1992
ABV: 13.5%
From the incredible cellars of Moulin Touchais where miles of underground cellars contain surely the largest collection of bottles of any winery anywhere in the world. Up to as many as two million bottles slumber at any one time, including a rare collection of ancient wines dating back a 100 years or more. From the unheralded 1992 vintage this lovely quintessential Coteaux du Layon is now something of a rarity as its no longer commercially available from the cellar. With a perfectly proportioned 70 to 80 grams of residual sugar, a healthy 13.5% alcohol and requisite 3 decades of ageing…This is truly a ‘Chenin Nectar’.
Sandeman Very Old Amontillado
Grape variety: Palomino
Country of origin: Spain
Region: Xeres
Vintage: Shipped 1982
ABV: 17.8%
Who said ‘we will sell no wine before its time’? It was… None other than one of the all time great bon viveurs… Orson Welles. He could well have been referring to this great, old nutty mahogany sideboard, piece of vinous history. The solera from whence this sack came no doubt would have contained wines from the 19th century back then!
Savigny les Beaune Premier Cru Les Lavieres
Grape variety: Pinor Noir
Country of origin: France
Region: Burgundy
Vintage: 2007
ABV: 12.5%
One of the first significant Burgundy producers to convert to organic production in the late nineties and subsequently to biodynamic. The wines made by female winemaker proprietor Claude de Nicolay display a natural, unforced elegance. Classically styled and slow to evolve in the bottle and for that matter the glass after opening, this 2007 is perfumed and redolent with aromas of desiccated red fruit and notes of sous–bois, a real burg-lovers wine is this.
Chateau Fonroque Grand Cru Classe Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Merlot Cabernet Franc
Country of origin: France
Region: Bordeaux
Vintage: 1989
ABV: 13.5%
Back in 1989, Chateau Fonroque was part of the famous Moueix stable which includes the great growths Petrus, Trotanoy and Magdelaine. A fabulously cellared bottle of this 1989 at 30 years old drank recently (and coincidentally whilst the 2019 was being offered en primeur) proved the cinderella effect in wine to perfection. Somewhat to my surprise the wine was exhibiting characteristics with the imprint or pedigree one would expect to find in those great wines above. One wonders what the 2019 will be like in 2050?? Oh well better have another bottle of the 89.
Saint Joseph Grande Pompee Paul Jaboulet
Grape variety: Syrah
Country of origin: France
Region: Rhone
Vintage: 1982
ABV: 13%
Produced in the halcyon days of this historic old firm under the great Gerard Jaboulet, this mature and gamey 82 Pompee is in its pomp right now from a time and a year when Syrah was Syrah and the Human League were number one.
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