Charles Lea's Wine List
Wines I Like - Winter
Deeper, rounder whites like good white Burgundy, Rhone and some Spanish wines are more what one is looking for in the cooler weather. The 'Domaine Emilian Gillet' Viré-Clessé from Gautier Thévenet, and both are sensational in their ways - the Thévenet wine is full, unoaked, very ripe, with hints of floral honey, and a magnificent supple juicy length. Whites from hotter climes can also really hit the spot with slightly richer textures and lower acidity, think white Spanish or white Rhône. Wines with a little residual sweetness can have a similar comforting feel, so the complex balance of Alsace is also worth considering.In much the same way, the lighter Blanc de Blancs Champagnes which are so brilliantly elegant in the summer can, depending on your mood a bit too, seem a bit brittle in the winter. If you feel like this, do try Champagnes in different styles, like new discovery Gonet-Médeville, especially their 'Tradition' and 'Blanc de Noirs', as well as Barnaut Blanc de Noirs and other big, Pinot Noir-dominated blends like Bollinger and Krug. The secret is partly the grape content - Pinot Noir gives fuller flavour, but also fact that many of these are made from wines made in barrel.
For Reds too, juiciness needs to give way to denser, perhaps earthier and spicier flavours. Winter food takes a slug of tannin better too. What about a Crozes Hermitage or even a Côte Rôtie, or some of the great Sicilian reds which have made their way onto our list in the last year - not to mention Chateauneuf... and I haven't even mentioned Claret yet, but if you haven't got a stash in storage with us, there is always a great selection in the shops of mature wines at all levels.
Just recently I've been absolutely loving the new Riojas from Roberto Olivan of Tentenublo, as well as the other new wave Riojas we have stocked for a year of two (Sierra de Toloño and Artuke). Try Roberto's 'Xérico' for an introduction, and, although it is still young, his amazing Escondite del Ardacho 'Veriquete' to really show what he can do. NB these are not yellow-edged brown old over-oaked wines in the style of some Riojas or yore, but the cutting edge of the new terroir-driven growers. Read about Roberto here.
Weekend treat: Hidalgo's 'Wellington' Palo Cortado


2018 SYRAH 'Terres de Mandrin' IGP Domaine Jeanne Gaillard
IGP Collines Rhodaniennes Rhône France 14% Red
Syrah.
A lightish, juicy Syrah in the aromatic Northern Rhone style which captures the peppery precision of Syrah of the great wines from this part of the world. A light and easy Crozes-Cornas style red.
L&S
2018 ACÚSTIC BLANC Acústic Celler
Catalunya Spain 14.5% White
Macabeo, Garnacha.
Albert's Acustic blanc is always a textural masterpiece, with it's quince, pear and honey notes, it has quite a rich textural feel in the mouth, but is always balanced with a delicious ripe acidity.
L&S
2019 TENTENUBLO Rioja Blanco
Alavesa Rioja Spain 13% White
Viura, Jaén Blanca, Malvasía Riojana (Alarije).
Every bottle of this delicious white is numbered. With just over 6000 bottles made, this is certainly small scale, but it packs an impressively neat punch. Not heavyweight at all, but beautifully intense and bright. Ther...(read more)
L&S
2018 ZELLENBERG Domaine Marcel Deiss
Alsace France White
Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris. Practicing Organic

2019 LIRAC Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Blanc Domaine de la Mordorée
Southern Rhône Rhône France 14% White
Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Viognier, Clairette, Roussanne. Certified Organic
A mix of most of the permitted white varieties (mostly Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne), the 2019 Lirac La Reine Des Bois Blanc is thrilling stuff, and I’d certainly put it up with any of the top Châteauneu...(read more)
Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com
2015 TERRAZZE CHIANTI CLASSICO Riserva Castagnoli
Chianti Tuscany Italy 14.5% Red
Sangiovese. Certified Organic
Grown in very hard-to-manage narrow terraces on a precipitous slope, with each vine on a pole, so everything has to be done by hand. Undoubtedly hideously hard work but the result is one of the most complete and refined...(read more)
L&S
2017 ENGELGARTEN Domaine Marcel Deiss
Alsace France White
Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Muscat. Practicing Organic

2017 SAINT JOSEPH Bois Prieur Domaine Rémi Niero
Northern Rhône Rhône France 13.5% Red
Viognier, Syrah.
Bright fruits on the nose, violet, raspberry and a slight touch on mint, elegant and pure with balanced acidity running through the core, a touch of soft grip on the finish, really enjoyable and pure.
L&S
2015 VIRÉ-CLESSÉ Sélection EJ Thévenet Domaine de la Bon Gran
Mâconnais Burgundy France 14.5% White
Chardonnay. Practicing Organic
Tropical fruits on the nose, banana and marzipan, burnt butter, condensed milk. Concentrated and bold style, creamy yet back by bright acid on the palate. Yellow plum, quince, ripe citrus, with hints of butter, toffee, f...(read more)
L&S
2017 CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE Prestige Domaine Jean Royer
Southern Rhône Rhône France 15.5% Red
Grenache.
Lastly, lots of black cherries, earth, peppery herbs, and graphite notes emerge from the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Prestige. It has more density than the Les Sables de La Crau, is medium to full-bodied, has ripe tan...(read more)
Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com
2016 CÔTE RÔTIE La Chana Domaine Benjamin et David Duclaux
Northern Rhône Rhône France 13% Red
Viognier, Syrah.
Lifted fruits on the nose, redcurrant, blackcurrant, touch of violet too, very supple tannin in the mouth, cherry and plum also present really super impressive and elegant, a lovely refined style here, long elegant finis...(read more)
L&S
2015 CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Domaine de la Mordorée
Southern Rhône Rhône France 15% Red
Grenache. Certified Organic, Vegetarian
Richly concentrated and velvety in texture, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois is a full-bodied blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 5% split between Vaccarese and Counoise. While it's no...(read more)
Joe Czerwinski, www.robertparker.comORDER
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