Wines of the Week - September 15th

Albert Bichot Meursault Domaine du Pavillon 2007

It's easy to pay a lot of money for wines from Burgundy, but the trick is in finding good value wines while you're waiting for your wealthier friends to open up their top bottles. A leading village wine from a renowned producer in a great vintage is a handy place to start, and so this wine proves. The winery provides an abundance of material on their wines, so you can see in-depth details here. Suffice to say, it is a very pleasant wine - take care not to serve too cold or you'll lose some of the delicate pear and floral nose - that can be enjoyed over the next three years or so.  


Vina Von Siebenthal Carmenere Gran Reserva 2007

Another excellent value offering from Von Siebenthal, this single vineyard Carmenere (along with 15% Cabernet) packs plenty of punch for around $15. Very rich and full-bodied, it has enough restraint to remain balanced and enjoyable with a range of foods, while providing plenty of pleasure for those just having a drink. The winery is based in Chile's Aconcagua Valley, with the Carmenere grown in the sandy, stony soils of the hills above the plain.

Prieuré de Montézargues Tavel 2010

 There was no shortage of Rosé floating around here over Summer, and this was one of the best. The winery is owned by the Richard family, who also own one of my favourite Chateauneuf-du-Pape wineries, Château La Nerthe. This is a complex blend, primarily of (red and white) Grenache and Cinsault. Combining strawberry, cherry and some dried-flower characters, this wine has plenty of attraction while finishing dry enough to prevent it from getting cloying.

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