We had six wines recommended by Blake Creedon in the Irish Examiner last month, all from our current Bordeaux and Spanish sale which runs until the end of August.
58 Guineas Everyday Claret 2009
€9.99 reduced to €7.99
Saying an under-€8 wine is ‘good at the price’ can be to damn it with faint praise. But this, the most unassuming Bordeaux in Curious Wines’ line-up, is really very good by any measure: Plenty of fruit against springy tannin and acid, and quite a creamy texture. Plus it turns out to be a welcome notch down the alcohol scale at a relatively moderate 12.5%.
Château Roc de Bignon Bordeaux 2009
€9.99 reduced to €7.99
A sappy, tangy green edge is rightly prized in Bordeaux so, by comparison with the 58 Guineas above, the extra dimension of tartness here makes it feel like you’re trading up a bit. Bright mouthwatering cherry and spice, you’d be forgiven for pricing it as well over a tenner.
Château Les Deux Cèdres Bordeaux 2010
€10.99 reduced to €8.79
While the foregoing have plenty to offer, this would be the wine I’d plump for if forced to pick only one of the Bordeaux. Big, generous, rich, intense and spicy. By a short nose, it’s my bargain of the week.
€14.99 reduced to €11.99
If wines were pets, this would be the puppy with big roundy eyes that you just can’t resist picking up and hugging. It’s a lovable yet there’s plenty going on here.
Sweet plummy and soft red apple.
It proves again that hot climates (this one’s Valencia, where the oranges come from) can produce lovely, polished, well-weighted, elegant wines.
€14.99 reduced to €11.99
While I’d defined the lush romantic Monastrell above, this bottle really is a step up into more engaging territory. A lovely, limpid, dark garnet colour, its dense, creamy texture is studded with plumpish fruit and pleasingly garlanded with a whiff of dramatic smoke.
Mesoneros de Castilla Ribera del Duero Roble 2009
€13.49 reduced to €10.79
This is a bit of a surprise. Robles (and there’s an explanation of Spanish terms on my blog) are not really designed for the long road but this has aged very well indeed. With an impressive scent from the beginning, you might enjoy delving into its depth of blackness. An eloquent, generous guest at the dinner table.
Source: Irish Examiner, Saturday, July 14, 2012
Comments are closed.