The Wine Club- Reserve Red Case

Reserve Red Case - July 2009

2 bottles of each of the following wines: 

2004 Ch. Haut-Bages-Libéral, 5ème Cru Classé. Pauillac, Bordeaux (Red)
Cab.Sauvignon Blend, 12.5% alc.
A small 5th Classified Growth in Pauillac, running alongside Pichon Lalande and close to Latour, Haut Bages Liberal is one of the unsung stars of the appellation. Run by the exuberant and talented Claire Villars, the 2004 is a fine effort from this classic, well-priced and under-rated vintage. Finesse and elegance are to the fore with delicious crunchy cassis fruit on the palate. Ready now but certainly has the structure to last until 2015

2006 Casa Lapostolle Classic Cabernet Sauvignon, Rapel Valley, Chile (Red)
Cab.Sauvignon , Merlot, 13% alc.
Made from 85% Cabernet and 15% Malbec from the Rapel Valley, Casa Lapostolle's wine has notes of cherry, cassis and plum, all discreetly balanced with oak.

2006 Chambolle-Musigny Patrice Rion, Burgundy, France (Red)
Pinot Noir, 13% alc.
Chambolle village grapes from Patrice’s own Les Cras vineyard mixed with grapes from the Premier Crus of Gruenchers, and Noiraux have been blended to make this lively, persistent cuvée.

2005 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Mountain View Vintners, Napa Valley (Red)
Cab.Sauvignon, 14% alc.
Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon shows a tight fisted cassis fruit, that is immersed in a sea of minerality. With generous decanting, warmth & a (sub) prime T-bone steak the wine's fullsome red & black berried, chewy fruit can be coaxed out to reveal a sweet soul & a delicious St.Estephe-like stoniness. How refreshing to come across a Napa Cabernet which shows real minerally terroir & a singular personality & not the gloopy sweet fruit, big alcohol & overbearing vanillin oak more commonly associated with California. A breath of fresh air!
(David Berry Green, BBR Buyer)

2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Bernadine Michel Chapoutier, France (Red)
Syrah, Grenache 15% alc.
A deep colour with an immediately attractive nose of blackcurrant and plum followed by an encyclopaedic array of flavours which include coffee, cinnamon, licorice and morello cherry. En bouche the wine is rich and suitably complex, with classic Provencal herbs, black fruits and hints of mint all vying for attention. The tannins are beautifully integrated already and the wine will drink nicely with most red meat and game."
(Simon Field, MW, BBR Buyer)

2007 Petalos, Descendientes de J Palacios, Bierzo, Spain (Red)
Mencia, 14% alc.
From 60 year-old vines, and farmed biodynamically, the latest triumph from Alvaro Palacios, completing his triptych of Spanish vineyards ( the others, of course, are in Rioja and Priorat). The intriguing Mencia grape is an early ripener, but, with old vine pedigree, holds a wonderful depth of colour and is far from reminiscent to Cabernet Franc, as was once alleged. A fascinating nose of herbs and spice gives way to fruits dominated by damson and dark cherries; the fascination is held on the palate with notes of tea, bitter chocolate, macerated fruit and even something a little chalky evidenced.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)