#MédocMondays

Regular readers of my blog (a big thanks to both of you!) will know of my affection for the wines of Bordeaux, from the splendour and gloriousness of the Classed Growths to the humble joys and drinkability of basic AC wine. Although the UK's recent decision to pull out of the European Union and subsequent currency fluctuations has effectively put an end to my dabbling in the en primeur market for this year, it hasn't quelled my enjoyment of the region's finished wines currently on sale. As well as good Claret, I'm also a sucker for good offers, so when Sainsbury's ran one of their perennial 25% off 6 wines a few weeks ago, I couldn't bring myself to turn it down. As well as some intriguing little wines that I'd had my eye on for some time (including Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Priorat 2013, which I can't wait to taste) the star buy was one of the supermarket's premium offerings, namely the Château Cambon La Pelouse 2012. Ordinarily retailing at around the £20 mark, I jumped at the chance to try a highly-regarded, young Cru Bourgeois wine for the £15 which I paid.

One of the oldest estates in the Haut-Médoc, the recent history of Château Cambon La Pelouse begins in 1996 when the property was renovated and updated to modern vineyard and winery standards by its current owners. The estate is situated very close to the prized Margaux sub-region of Bordeaux, and its vineyards share the same deep, gravelly soils of its more distinguished neighbours. The 35 hectares of vineyards are planted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, with an average vine age of 30 years. As with the rest of Bordeaux, 2012 wasn't the best ever vintage in the Haut-Médoc, with a cold spring preceding a hot August and September followed by rain during harvest time. Having sampled numerous 2012s, I confirm that this is not a Claret vintage to lay down for decades to come; yet most of the wines I've tried are charming, medium-bodied and easy to approach in their youth. Therefore, with its provenance and premium price tag, I expected good things from the 2012 Pelouse.

In general, the critics were collectively positive about the Estate's 2012 wine. In his ever-reliable book 'The Best Wines in the Supermarkets', writer Ned Halley was glowing in his praise of the Cambon La Pelouse 2011, scoring it 8/10 and commenting: "[...] this is an aspiring claret. You get deep ruby colour already showing a tinge of browning and a rich, coffee-cedar-leather luxury aroma en route to a silky and well-developed plummy-black fruit. [...] it delivers a lot for the premium price". Of the stronger 2012 vintage, Robert Parker gave the wine a score of 87-89, praising the wine's "excellent texture" and commenting on its notes of "cranberries, red and black cherries, forest floor and hints of white chocolate as well as background earth". Decanter magazine also rated the wine highly, calling it "suave and velvety, a modern-style claret with abundant fruit and spice. Powerful and long (17.5/20)". With glowing comments and high scores from a middling vintage, I was eager to sample the wine for myself.

A medium ruby colour in glass, the wine is initially slightly reticent on the nose, with the plum and strawberry notes which creep from the glass being joined by more typical blackcurrant and pencil lead notes with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and taut, with typical youthful acidity and drying tannins providing a comforting 'Left-Bank' structure. Although the composition of the 2012 Pelouse is slightly Merlot-leaning (52% versus 44% Cabernet Sauvignon), it is the presence of the Cabernet which shouts louder in the wine, with the wine's structure and blackcurrant palate very much following the grape's blueprint. As I drank the wine, the benefits of allowing it time in glass became apparent: the initially linear palate gradually became a medley of black fruit flavours wrapped round a core of graphite, and the finish became longer and more satisfying. As well as enjoying the Pelouse, it was also very pleasing to experience the sensation of drinking a traditional style Claret, where both patience and decanting is richly rewarded.

Is there any other companion for good Bordeaux?

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed drinking the Cambon La Pelouse 2012, which managed to both allay my Brexit worries and reaffirm my faith in good Claret in one fell swoop. In fact, if I had to pick one slight criticism, it would be the slightly optimistic retail price: lots of well-regarded, mid-aged Cru Bourgeois Claret can be found at around the £10-£15 mark, and I think the top end of that category should be where the Pelouse pitches itself. That said, those wine lovers who enjoy the charms and complexities of well-made, youthful Left Bank reds would do a lot worse than to discover the Pelouse, and let its Clarety loveliness wash over you. Life ain't so bad after all.


P.S. We're really sorry Europe, please take us back!

Beautiful Barolo

Having recently been rather snowed under with work (note to self - blogging must take a higher priority!) I haven't had the opportunity to taste my way through quite as many wines as I'd usually like. Wine Wednesdays and Fine Wine Fridays have sadly given way to microwave meals, early nights and falling asleep in front of dubious catch up TV. So earlier in the week, I decided to stop the rot and to crack open one of the wines in my stash that I'd had my eye on for some time. Alongside the meatball ragu I'd cooked, the wine I chose was the Reverdito Barolo Castagni 2010, which was kindly purchased for me a couple of years previously from Steep Hill Wines (www.steephillwines.com) in my adopted hometown of Lincoln.

Truthfully, I was slightly hesitant before opening the Barolo - partly because I'd been holding onto it for so long that I wasn't really sure what occasion I was waiting for - but also because 2010 was such an incredible vintage in Piedmont that it was sorely tempting to leave the wine resting in bottle for further years before uncorking its magic. Additionally, on previous occasions when I've drunk relatively young Nebbiolo, I've nearly always regretted broaching it in its youth: it truly is a grape which stands the test of time and becomes increasingly ethereal and complex as the years tick by. Furthermore, from chatting with wine people in the know, there is a strong school of thought that says one shouldn't even consider drinking Barolo in the first decade of its life; doing so being tantamount to wine infanticide. Nevertheless, so much in the wine world is based on instinct, and my gut was telling me to take the plunge and crack the Reverdito open.

Fortunately, I made the right call, and was not disappointed. In the glass, the wine's identity is instantly recognisable, with the classic Barolo pale garnet hue just fading to brick at the rim. The nose is aromatic and fruit-driven, dominated by blackcurrant, violet and crunchy redcurrant, with background notes of old oak, iodine and tar. On the palate, the fruits present on the nose are joined by not unpleasant stalky tones, which take on a medicinal edge with aeration. Perhaps the most impressive aspect though is the wine's structure: full-bodied, with intensely powerful acidity and grippy, mouth-drying tannins, yet with a beautiful delicacy of flavour which persists long in the mouth and on the finish. For me, the wine represents an excellent example of the Barolo style, and one which - like all good Italian wines - really did sing alongside a richly flavoured tomato ragu.

On the evidence presented by Reverdito's 2010, it's not hard to see why the vintage has long been heralded in Barolo and why there are confident predictions for incredible development as the best wines age. Certainly in my opinion, the Reverdito would evolve comfortably in bottle for at least a decade more, and probably long after that too. Having decided to drink the wine only six years after vintage and subsequently enjoying it so much, I am now avidly searching for a duplicate bottle to bury away for a considerable amount of time. Do I regret opening it so soon? Not a chance! Brilliant wines like the Reverdito Barolo serve as a reminder to all wine lovers of the joys of our passion, and the incredible experience that wines can offer at every stage of their life cycle. Saluti!