Ch. Gruaurd Larose 2000 and Ch. Bellingard 2005
/Bollinger La Grande Année 1997 (again, as above)
Lunch at home: starters of Cajun prawns, soufflé of scallops and porcini. Main course of Braised Beef in Chianti with polenta, cavolo nero and pancetta, mushrooms stuffed with spinach and mozzarella. Puddings: Vanilla cheesecake, almond and apple cobbler and cheese board (family members made the puddings!)
Château Gruaurd Larose 2000, Saint Julien, Bordeaux
Saint-Juliens are so distinctive with their powerful, highly aromatic elegance, and this château never lets me down It is never staid or austere, which frankly, is often the case with even the greatest Bordeaux (as opposed to mature, red Burgundies, for example – which are anything but restrained. They ooze and spill out of their glasses with feral ferocity) but always flirtatious and charming – a stunning success from a stunning year. Left bank – so a majority of cabernet sauvignon. This terroir-driven wine is racy and full-bodied: leather, cedar wood, smoky, chocolate and the darkest, plumiest shade of purple.
Château Belingard 2005, Monbazillac, Bergerac
I love the appellation of Monbazillac, and I have been drinking this chateau’s half-bottles for over a decade. Perfect size for opening for a mid-week meal: no guilt. This sweet wine rivals the neighbouring Sauternes and its “satellite” regions such as Cadillac, Lopiac, and Barsac. Issued from the same grapes as Sauternes (Semillon and Sauvignon blanc – and ok, a bit of Muscadelle), but so much more affordable. A stunning wine that always performs: Burnt rubber tyres, petrol, acids, warm roasted nuts, beeswax, honey, salt, a synchronised swimmer, an ocean wave, parched tundra after the rain, ripe tropical fruit and rot.