Sancerre is renowned for its world-class whites but it also crafts a tiny amount of rosé that is every bit as impressive but much rarer - it accounts for only 1 in every 25 bottles made in Sancerre! This wine makes the most perfect apéritif - so elegant, seductive and refreshing.

Armand Salmon's sublime 2006 is such a wine. He makes it using 100% Pinot Noir, which thrives in Sancerre's cooler climate and chalky soils (similar to Burgundy, in fact). The fruit is handharvested and gently pressed, producing a lovely pink hue and deliciously pure strawberry and raspberry flavours. And 2006 was a fine vintage too … "Loire lovers can expect harmony, fruit and finesse from 2006" say Decanter, immediately evident when you get a glass in front of you. Stock up while you can!

"Gorgeous salmon pink with lots of ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours. Very elegant and pure … mouthwatering stuff!"

You heartless bastid, that amounts to taunting

Enjoyed a bottle last night - does exactly what it says on the tin! Thought of you while I sipped it...

Sancerre is renowned for its world-class whites but it also crafts a tiny amount of rosé that is every bit as impressive but much rarer - it accounts for only 1 in every 25 bottles made in Sancerre! This wine makes the most perfect apéritif - so elegant, seductive and refreshing.

Armand Salmon's sublime 2006 is such a wine. He makes it using 100% Pinot Noir, which thrives in Sancerre's cooler climate and chalky soils (similar to Burgundy, in fact). The fruit is handharvested and gently pressed, producing a lovely pink hue and deliciously pure strawberry and raspberry flavours. And 2006 was a fine vintage too … "Loire lovers can expect harmony, fruit and finesse from 2006" say Decanter, immediately evident when you get a glass in front of you. Stock up while you can!

"Gorgeous salmon pink with lots of ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours. Very elegant and pure … mouthwatering stuff!"

Does it come in draught or only in bottles

CB

Does it come in draught or only in bottles

CB

Bottles with screw-off caps ?

"Gorgeous salmon pink with lots of ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours.

Sounds great. I'll have to get some for the lady.

"Gorgeous salmon pink with lots of ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours.

Sounds great. I'll have to get some for the lady.

Oh I understand now it is a French version of Spy

wonder if they do classic and red as well as the (here in Thailand anyway) less popular white

CB

Does it come in draught or only in bottles

CB

Bottles with screw-off caps ?

There is absolutly no problem with screw-caps Kerry. 96% percent of wines produced don't need bottle conditioning. Of the 4% left very few benefit from bottle conditioning. There's maybe 1% of all the wine produced in the world that actually needs a cork. Sorry to get all anoraky!

"Gorgeous salmon pink with lots of ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours.

Sounds great. I'll have to get some for the lady.

Oh I understand now it is a French version of Spy

wonder if they do classic and red as well as the (here in Thailand anyway) less popular white

CB

It's not quite as good as Spy!

I agree with the screw tops - have had many good bottles of wine ruined by a cork.

Shall have a look for that little number around here next week some time!

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, whilst much rarer, can be just as intense, complex and compelling as this famous village's reds.

Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette and Bourboulenc are gently barrel-aged and expertly combined into an exotic and harmonious mouthful of honeysuckle, lavender, lychees and lemon.

I have just ordered a case of this - Nice...

"MUM ........ he's doing it again" ......... *sob*

Take a run up to Lao, Thad, there's some excellent plonk from all over the world to be had at a good price.

If you could bring it in by the case it may be worth the trip.

Could you bring in a case of this?

Or this?

Ahhhhhhhh.......... please, some one make him stop taunting me, it's Cru 'el.

I bought a large bottle of Italian Merlot in Big C today.

It's only a cooking wine of course but I usually sample a couple of glasses to make sure it hasn't gone off before using it.

I bought a large bottle of Italian Merlot in Big C today.

It's only a cooking wine of course but I usually sample a couple of glasses to make sure it hasn't gone off before using it.

Good man.

Ya can't beat an Italian Merlot! What vintage was it? '06 was the best of recent years, 07 still drinkable...

Yes, an 06.

The best Merlots are Australian though, I've had come superb Merlots in Adelaide, including some that were blended with other grape varieties.

Good choice in Lindemans

There's very few bad wines around in Australia Wiley, the industry is so enormously competitive that the plonk makers go under fairly quickly.

Unfortunately this has also lead to some extremely good small wineries being gobbled up by the larger companies.

It just baffles me that a country that makes so much beer has never been able to come up with a decent whiskey, the malt's there in abundance.

Do any of our older Aussie members recall "Smiths Imperial Vat"? Who ever made that should have been boiled alive in it.

There's very few bad wines around in Australia Wiley, the industry is so enormously competitive that the plonk makers go under fairly quickly.

Unfortunately this has also lead to some extremely good small wineries being gobbled up by the larger companies.

It just baffles me that a country that makes so much beer has never been able to come up with a decent whiskey, the malt's there in abundance.

Do any of our older Aussie members recall "Smiths Imperial Vat"? Who ever made that should have been boiled alive in it.

Or Brandavino

How about Inner Circle Rum and then

Brandavino!!! What a legendary drink that was!

No trip to the drive in with the lads was complete without a bottle or two of that fine old drop.

Later when we started going with girls it lost it's popularity though.

Not sure I recall Inner Circle Rum. Bunderberg OP killed off a few braincells in it's day but I think they still make it.

Check this great ozzy red...

The Equestrian Reserve Oak Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2004

Colour - Dense blackish red.

Aroma - Full of mint, cassis, oak and spice aromas.

Taste - A big mouthful of blackcurrant and eucalyptus with good grippy tannins and spicy oak on the finish.

Just checking with my supplier and found this, Clarendon Hills Astralis 2003. But at £165 a botttle I think I'll leave it to the stars.

Clarendon Hills is a McLaren Vale winery, not far from where I used to live.

I think your supplier is a bit cheeky putting that sort of price on it, but I suppose it depends on what the market will bear. Give them a ring and ask when their next tasting will be.

Why don't you do a side trip to South Australia some time? A couple of weeks... a day or two in the Barossa Valley, then a run to McLaren Vale, followed by the rest of the time spent in the Coonawarra wineries. One of the World's best wine regions!

My Dad spent most of his war in Italy where I suspect he spent a good deal of time being hand fed peeled grapes by dusky maidens. Along with Italian food he acquired a taste for red wine long before it was fashionable in Australia. Back in the 50's we lived near Coonawarra and he used to buy his wine there. It was that bad he used to put lemonade in it!!!!

They've learned a thing or two since those days.

You're right mate, it is what the market will bear. People clamber for it, so it sells big style. My wallet wouldn't bear that though! Yo could save yourself a tenner by buying the 2002.

Now this is special, I am always on the lookout for wine that goes with spicy food, this is a corker!

This old-vine superstar from the acclaimed Aresti family is made from rare but opulently aromatic Gewurztraminer, which thrives in Chile's Curico Valley. It's thanks to Chile that Alsace's most exotic grape variety is regaining the limelight - even though it's so scarce it only accounts for 0.2% of Chile's plantings.

Exceptionally aromatic and crisp, this textbook Gewurz is made along very organic lines as Aresti's vineyards are blessed with Eden-like conditions. The old-vine fruit is harvested at night and fermented at low temperature to keep all its enticing character.

Spicy, crisp and fragrant with aromas of lychees, limes and rose blossom. Refreshing and captivating flavours of ripe apricot, lychee, citrus and a hint of spice. A fantastic aperitif - delicious with Thai, Asian and Japanese cuisine too.

Gewurztraminer is a great grape for spicy food. Or try it's close cousin the 'Traminer' grape.

Just polished off two bottles of shiraz from this little Aussie number...........Fantastic