26 November 2011: Continuing with the theme of looking for good value items on the wine list - quite challenging at top tables in the UK with very high mark-ups, and if you're used to the BYO or corkage-friendly restaurant scene in HK. Richard let me have a go at the wine list at our second dinner at Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons. I made a beeline for the regions of Languedoc-Roussillon, Italy, Spain, Rhone and even Austria. I would be quite keen to try the Blaufrankisch on the list but that might be taking too much risk (with Richard, I mean)....I also spotted a well-priced 2002 La Muntada, Domaine Gauby, an interesting wine from Terra Alta, Turriga from Sardinia, and finally I decided to go for the least risky option! 2006 Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine Charvin. And it did a very fine job pairing with Richard's partridge.
Roughly 85% Grenache and the balance made up of equal portions of Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Vaccarèse. Tank-fermented. The estate Charvin was established in 1851 but sold its wine to negociants until 1990 when the estate took up domaine bottling. The domaine, now looked after by the 6th generation Laurent, has been producing great wines in recent vintages, albeit in limited quantity of 2,500 cases annually. This 2006 is a very fine example!
A deep ruby core. Intense nose of red cherry and crushed red berries, cloves, liquorice, freshly ground white pepper and a savoury note. Full-bodied, packed with concentrated sweet ripe fruit, balancing acidity and velvety tannin. Voluptuous and rich, but there is a very admirable freshness and elegance about it. A seriously great effort from a new generation winemaker who has been going from strength to strength and whose wine has been much compared to that of Rayas. As a vintage, 2006 is less intense and dense and probably reaches its peak much earlier than 2007. Drinking well now and for next 12+ years. Still relatively well-valued. I highly recommend! 17.5/20
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