And now for something completely different. I picked a few bottles up at the Leeds branch of Majestic recently (before the fire), including this Montes Pinot Noir for £7.99. I wasn’t looking for the Spanish Inquisition, and fortunately I didn’t need my Hungarian phrase book.
Do you remember my epic conquest of the Bridgewater Canal in Manchester? My flag at the “summit”, otherwise known as the King’s Ransom in Sale, was a glass of 2006 Casillero del Diablo Carmenère (some say Carménère – in fact a Wikipedia “discussion” has broken out – ooooooh my!).
The map looked interesting. Leaving central Manchester on the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal, we would simply walk to Sale, a brief stroll of about 5 or 6 miles. Surely there would be friendly pubs at every bridge? No. Surely it would be an interesting walk through historic architecture and Manchester’s trading history? No. Well, perhaps a decent stroll along a pretty canal path? Thrice no.
Fortunately the walk ended at a quality pub in Sale. The tramstop is right opposite the pub. Can you guess how we got back to town?
Life is a box of chocolates according to Forrest Gump’s mama, which probably suits my moody temperament. My current mood in respect of grapes is, as ever, two faced. One old school tie, one new kid on the block (to me anyway). I am currently on a virtual world tour of Pinot Noirs which I described as the Brigitte Bardot of grapes. The other varietal that has piqued my interest recently is Carmenère, which is the James Dean of grapes. A rebel without a cause that lives on the edge, smokes a lot, and whilst externally attractive, lacks substance. Scratch under the surface, and often you will simply find more surface.
Packaging says a lot about a product. Marketing people really understand that differentiating (demanding a higher price for) a high quality product requires an associated buying and unwrapping experience. Nowhere is this more true than the world of wine.  The ceremony afforded to opening a bottle of wine is a marketing man’s dream. I feel short changed if a wine is not “wrapped” according to its value.
The foil on the cap of this wine was reassuringly thick, I’ve seen lead flashing with less substance. This is a good quality wine already…
When I say revisited, I am lying. I never actually visited Ch. Batailley in the first place and nor did I this time. I’ve drunk the wine a number of times though, and in my last tasting of 2004, I decided it was too early to drink. Venerable US critic, Robert Parker, agrees labelling 2004 Pauillac as “still tannic”. So why open another bottle now then? Good question. Erm, I panicked…
This could well be one of the most expensive bottles of wine I have drunk. I bought half a dozen Rousseaux from the Wine Society for nearly £300 which compared to my average bottle price of £5 to £10, was a breathtaking purchase decision.
Stumble It!