The gossip is that Nuits-Saint-Georges is currently providing the bargain wines out of the serious villages of the Cote d’Or. With its lack of Grand Crus and slightly unpronounceable moniker the fashionable Burgundy set are not set aflame by wines from Nuits. It suits me for people to be sniffy about these wines, I welcome anything which makes Burgundy more in the reach of we hard of income…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
August 28th 2010
I scored a bunch of 2009 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling Kabinetts and I thought it would be interesting to compare and contrast them. Peter was in Town so he came along as did first-time visitor to casa Strange Guy Dennis. He said he likes this site, which clearly marks him out as a chap of style and taste…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
August 8th 2010
Jancis Robinson tells us, in her excellent book Vines, Grapes and Wines: The Wine Drinker’s Guide to Grape Varieties, that the grape from which this is made, Marsanne, smells not unpleasantly like glue. This wine certainly has that character and it is true I am not repelled by this odd set of aromas…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
July 18th 2010
The Roulot was fabulous, but I was a touch worried about the Cote-Rotie when first popped. Meursault les Tillets 2001, Domaine Roulot The nose has some buttery richness – shades of mature Chardonnay. There is an incredible mineral creaminess to it along with plenty of lemon fruit and a strong toasty character…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
June 17th 2010
The start of the week can be a difficult time, so the Woolwich team decided to ease its passing with a few glasses of wine.
Semillon 2007, Moss Wood
This has a very grassy nose, seems very like its oft-blended companion Sauvignon Blanc on a quick sniff. There is some waxy fatness to it as well, which is more Semillon in character…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
June 14th 2010
We dropped by our lovely friends, James and Katie, for dinner; the ham was brilliant. The wines were decidedly good too, apart from a totally knackered bottle I brought along. Thanks for hosting us, J&K!
Chablis Grand Cru Preuses 2004, William Fevre
This was a bit cold to start with and so not terribly eloquent (serving quality Chardonnay at fridge temperature is an improvident use of wine), but as it is…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
May 31st 2010
It seems Hawksmoor is our favourite restaurant in London at the moment; it is certainly London’s best meat restaurant. They indubitably delivered the goods when celebrating Non-Stinky Jeff’s birthday, providing wonderful bits of grilled animal. I recommend Tamworth belly ribs followed by a hilariously rare sirloin steak with two fried eggs, bone marrow and macaroni cheese…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
May 27th 2010
Last week a select few of the wine taster illuminati who were at Oxford contemporaneously with me travelled from far-flung corners of the world to meet at Hawksmoor for quality meat, fine wine and, it seemed, a rather large amount of discussion about being a father to a young child…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
May 11th 2010
One of my favourite Cotes-du-Rhone wines, Coudoulet can age quite gracefully for what is generally considered to be a minor appellation. Of course, they don’t charge minor prices for it…
Cotes-du-Rhone ‘Coudoulet de Beaucastel’ 2005, Chateau de Beaucastel
A dense, powerful nose of earth, meat and ripe fruit. The meatiness is very Mourvedre in character and the plummy fruit seems very Grenache-derived…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
March 16th 2010
We had some friends around earlier tonight and decided to open wines of general drinking standard. Some where very noticeably better than others.
Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg L31E 2002, Albert Boxler
Whilst this has some pure fruit and refined minerality on the nose there is also a slightly dirty, cardboardy character as well; it is not corked but this not in entirely good condition…
Read More →
By David Strange
Posted in
on
February 13th 2010