Wednesday Wines – Episode 32
Episode 32 – 4th November 2020
After an abundant harvest of six wines last week, I have the requisite two wines this week and they conform perfectly to my rules – one under and tenner and one over.
2019 Running with Bulls, Tempranillo, South Australia (£9.00, Coop).
OK – listen in. This is an ‘Aussie Rioja’ but without the medicinal oak, gritty finish and sunburnt fruit found in legions of Spanish versions of this style of wine. It is, by contrast, epically bright, stunningly juicy, pinpoint accurate and drinking now. It is also under a tenner and that makes it one of the most professional and rewarding wines made from this grape on the High Street. It has only one flaw – the label is a little bland! Not to worry, because you can smash this wine into a decanter and carry on like a hero. You will love Running with Bulls because it tastes great, it is extremely versatile with a wide range of dishes and it will never let you down.
2017 Bourgogne Aligoté, Domaine Boyer-Martenot, Burgundy, France (£18.50, James Price at Professional Wine Services tel. 07966 791810 & www.prowineservices.com).
This might sound a little narrow-minded, but I haven’t drunk an Aligoté that I have enjoyed for aeons and when this grape was present on every wine shop shelf (back in the Eighties) I didn’t much like the wines either. Ok, if you have £24.65, you can pick up the acknowledged model of this grape – https://www.corneyandbarrow.com/bouzeron-bourgogne-aligote-domaine-de-villaine-2017-10007582017bt12-1.html, but this wine is pointy, angular, raspy and firm. It is agood wine, but I don’t have it in my cellar. It is Aligoté after all, so these combative tasting notes are badges of honour for this terse white grape. But I tasted a wine the other day which blew my mind. In fact, I bought a case on the spot (so, apologies, there are only 14 left, not 15). This exceptional wine is the finest Ali G I have ever tasted and I understand that 20 months elevage in concrete eggs and fruit sourced from Boyer-Martenot’s home village of Meursault is the reason why this wine is so stellar. If you want to drink white Burgundy for eighteen quid that will rev you like no other give Pricey a call! This is a niche wine from an expert palate which is made in tiny quantities – in other words, it is a perfect Wednesday Wine.
