Well! It’s December already – bloody hell, did November fly by. Seems strange to think that we have already been out here one full month, but then again, looking back, there has been a lot going on, including finding and buying a new car, discovering where all our local services are, entertaining 2 sets of visitors – and of course, spending a number of lovely evenings getting to know our newest friends, Sharon and Oscar. Phew!
Right, here is a much-needed update on our quest for the perfect red which, as Sharon’s first blog entry below mentions, has been aided no-end by our recent weekend trip to 2 excellent vinyards in the Bergerac area.
18/11/2009:
Alexis Carrel (box wine) (Côtes du Rhone). Score: 7/10
(12.5% ABV, €5.80)
Comments: We had been avoiding the box wines at first, for fear of ending up with several litres of something undrinkable – but thanks to Sharon, we are now converts. This is such a treasure: a perfectly palatable wine, and you get 3 whole litres’ worth for under €6. Love it! It has become our new house red.
19/11/2009:
Domaine de Moulin-Pouzy 2004 (Bergerac). Score: 8/10
(12.5% ABV, €5.90)
Comments: A random supermarket purchase, and at about €6, it’s about as much as we would ever spend on a single bottle – but it was soooo worth it. An absolute star of a red! Smooth, full-bodied and delicious. Fab, fab wine.
21/11/2009:
Lacour-Peyrade 2007 (Bergerac). Score: 6/10
(12.5% ABV, €2.80)
Comments: Another of our experiments looking for bargains under €3. Not bad, by any means. A smooth and inoffensive wine – cant fault it for anything apart from not being that exciting – but for this price, bloody marvellous. I love France.
26/11/2009:
Julien & Martin Baptiste 2008 (box wine) (Bordeaux). Score: 6/10
(12.5% ABV, €5.00)
Comments: Another box wine, and another find of Sharon’s. This one is even cheaper than our house Côtes du Rhone too… but, while I usually prefer Bordeaux to Côtes du Rhone, the wine is not quite as nice – a little too young maybe – but still highly drinkable. Very pleasing.
29/11/2009:
Chateau Berticot Rouge Sélection 2005 (Côtes de Duras). Score: 9/10
(12.5% ABV, €4.60)
Comments: This was from the second of the 2 vinyards we visited at the weekend. It was a larger, more commercial vinyard than the first, which seemed much more of a family business. We knew we had to try this one as soon as we saw it listed: aged in oak, 5 years old (and 2005 was a great year for wine – remember the heatwave? Not such a good year to be an old person in Europe, but great for wine) – and a great price. We sampled it and both fell in love. We immediately purchased an entire case. We have a new winner!
30/11/2009:
Baron Paul 2006 (Bordeaux). Score: 6/10
(12.5% ABV, €?)
Comments: A gift from Babette from when she came over for Thanksgiving dinner. According to the postcode shown on the bottle, this is a really, really local wine – v exciting! Like many of the cheaper wines, I am coming to learn, it should not be judged before it has had a chance to breathe for at least 30 mins. It was sharp and tangy at first, but this melted away to leave a perfectly acceptable, if not wildly exciting wine. Merci pour le cadeau, Babette!
For our first few weeks here, Matt was suffering quite badly from acid reflux (something for which he takes daily medicine anyway) so we weren’t managing to get through much wine (more’s the pity) – but his symptoms seem to finally be abating, so it is now open season – as you can see!
Wow all soudns amazing and fantastico…roll on 11 /12…