Being an old chum, I suggested to Jamie ‘Jimmy’ Graham, co-proprietor of Brunswick Fine Wines (2023 Decanter Best Regional Wine Shop, South-East), that we tasted the wines for this offer over a supper of Mrs Ray’s fabled chicken risotto. Mrs Graham was to join us too.
And why not? Wine is made to be drunk with grub. The French, Spanish, Italians &c reckon we Brits are crazy for drinking wine on its own and think it little wonder that we spend most of our time blotto. Cocktails, of course, don’t need food so we had a quick, bracing Velvet Solera (my new favourite) to get our eye in and cracked on.
The 2025 Herència Altés, La Musaranya (1) is made from organically grown Grenache Blanc by Rafael De Haan and Núriá Altés (brother and sister-in-law of Brunswick’s co-owner, Carlos De Haan), in Terra Alta, north-eastern Spain, near the site of the Battle of the Ebro, the bloodiest of all the Spanish Civil War. It’s a wonderful wine, hand-picked and blended from three superior plots. Delicately perfumed, it’s slightly herbal with a touch of spice and plenty of creamy, peachy fruit. It’s like a fine white Rhône and I love it. Only 750 cases made. £17.38 down from £18.95.
It’s a claret of real flamboyance, deep, dark in colour, richly scented and seasoned
The 2024 Domaine Giroud, Mâcon-Chardonnay, ‘Les Crêts’ (2) is brand new to Brunswick’s list, having been discovered by ‘Canny’ Kenny Stewart, Brunswick’s man in the vineyards, a genius when it comes to rootling out hidden vinous treasures, especially here in Burgundy. It’s light and fresh with a hint of pears and of nuts, maybe, with an invigorating citrusy finish. ‘Hmmm, quite Chablis-like in its fresh steeliness,’ mused Mrs Ray, eyeing a second glass, delighted with her wine geek’s argot. £18.34 down from £19.50.
Goodness, the 2022 Famille Lieubeau Clisson Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (3) is tasty. Once a wine bar staple, Muscadet all but disappeared thanks to the buckets of acidic, teeth-stripping dross churned out, its place in our hearts and glasses taken by Picpoul de Pinet. But there’s been a revolution and some stunning, age-worthy Muscadets – of which this is one – are appearing. Made from the fruit of 50-year-old Melon de Bourgogne vines, rooted deep in granite soil, it spent two years on the lees and is creamy, weighty and rounded, with candied lemon and a touch of honey. Already four years old, it’s a beauty, with years ahead of it. £21.30 down from £21.95.
The 2024 Ch. de La Chaize, Fleurie (4) comes from the largest château in all Beaujolais, where they’ve made wine for 250 years. This might be their generic Fleurie, but it shows how fine such wines are and what cracking value. It spent ten days in stainless steel before pressing and fermentation and then nine months in old oak foudres, the result being vividly fresh, fruity, juicy and jammy. ‘I’m damned if I’m spitting this out!’ said Mrs R, who hadn’t yet managed to spit anything out. £17.24 down from £18.95.
2024 Herència Altés, La Pilosa (5) from the aforementioned de Haan/Altés estate, is 100 per cent, single vineyard Grenache Noir. It’s soft and mellow with typical sweet fruit, a touch of tannin, a hint of spice and a long, warming finish. Mrs Graham called it rustic, but rustic as in a glorious, flavour-packed, homemade, slow-cooked oxtail stew is rustic. Maybe artisanal is better. Either way, we all knocked it back very happily. £20.85 down from £22.95.
Finally, the 2020 Ch. Branas Grand Poujeaux (6) from Moulis-en-Médoc, co-owned by Hubert de Boüard, also co-owner of Ch. Angélus. It’s a claret of real flamboyance, deep, dark in colour, richly scented and seasoned. Jamie had decanted it five hours previously and we revelled in its dense, concentrated aromas and flavours of mint, liquorice, blackcurrants, violets and cedarwood. It’s certainly profound and complex with a seemingly endless finish. ‘Crikey, Johnny, it’s as long as one of your wretched stories,’ said Jamie, giving me a look. A bit harsh. Either way, it’s fabulous, as fine as any cru classé claret and a snip at under thirty quid. £27.98 down from £33.50.
The mixed case (7) contains two bottles of each wine and delivery, as ever, is free.
To find out more about our Winemaker Lunches, Masterclasses and Wine Tours, visit spectator.com/tastings.
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