The Wine Club - Reserve French Case

Reserve French Case - July 2009

2 bottles of each of the following  6 wines:

2004 Ch. Haut-Bages-Libéral, 5ème Cru Classé. Pauillac, Bordeaux (Red)
Cab.Sauvignon, Merlot, 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

2005 Ch. Campillot, Médoc, Bordeaux, France (Red)
Cab.Sauvignon Blend, 12.5% alc.
Clear and bright with an intense ruby to purple core and noticeable legs. The nose is clean, intense and developing with brambly black hedgerow fruits and some cedar spice. This wine has a combination of depth of flavour and fragrant, fruity characters that make it very attractive on the nose. Dry on the palate, with medium acidity and slightly grippy tannins. The medium body belies the serious fruit here. Blackcurrant and mocha notes come to the fore with black cherry too. Complex, developing and well balanced this is drinking well now but equally could be cellared for another 3 years.
(Katie Cooper, Wine Club Manager)

2007 St Romain Blanc, Sous le Chateau Domaine Potel, Burgundy (White)
Chardonnay, 13% alc.
This wine has a very pretty nose, quite full yet with the lovely fresh steeliness of St Romain. It comes from the prime Sous Le Château vineyard, which may soon be promoted to Premier Cru, and will offer lovely drinking reasonably soon.

2003 Vosne-Romanée Domaine Jean Grivot, Burgundy (Red)
Pinot Noir, 13% alc.
The expression of fruit on the nose and palate is really classy for a village wine, and the finish is governed by ripe silky tannins.

2007 Menetou-Salon, Collection A Gaston, Louis de Valière, Joseph Mellot, Loire (White)
Sauvignon Blanc, 12.5% alc.
As you might expect from this sunny region just to the west of Sancerre, the nose is delightfully lemon fresh with gentle, creamy aromatics. The overriding sensation on the palate is one of citron presse, of pure freshly squeezed lemon with fruity acidity and understated elegance. Delicious anytime, notably with sea fish.
(David Berry Green, BBR Buyer)

2006 Côtes du Rhône, Les Cranilles, Domaine Vins De Vienne, France (Red)
Southern Rhône Blend, 14.5% alc.
Grenache-based, this distinctly up-market Côtes du Rhône has plenty of raspberry fruit with a delicious lick of spicy pepper on the finish.
(Simon Field MW, Rhône Buyer)