WanderCurtis Wine

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Author Archives: WanderCurtis


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Bulgarian beauty

Made in the Thracian Lowlands region around Elenovo village in Bulgaria by Italian winemaker Edoardo Miroglio, this 2007 pinot noir really is a find. Beautiful black cherry nose, smoke, oaky nuances, sweet tannins, a hint of Hungarian Tokay. Comparable with many a fine burgundy. In fact, it reminded me of Chambolle musigny from our recent Burgundy tour, that same complex smokiness.

This bottle slipped down well with truite a la fenouil. Suitably impressed wine aficionado (cousin Steve). Available from the brilliant Swig at less than £10 a bottle.


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Alpha Domus ‘The Navigator’ Hawkes Bay NZ 2004

We spent a delightful weekend at Hotel Terravina in the New Forest. This place is a wine lovers paradise. It is the baby of Gerard Bassett (cofounder of Hotel du Vin). There are some 430 wines on the wine list. Gerard is an MW and hosts tastings. His selection is a revelation. Head sommelier Laurent happily stopped during a busy evening to show me the beautiful red-bricked wine cellar. There are two – one under the hotel and a stunning open plan cellar off the restaurant.

Alpha Domus has a rich aroma of berry fruit with hints of spice and oak, rather elegant with a firm finish. Available at approximately £13 a bottle at everywine.co.uk.
Not a blockbuster but happily recommend it.


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Magic Muga

Muga 2005 is a beautiful rioja, oak-aged and full of chocolate, coffee and rich wooded interaction with mulberry and plum fruit. It went well with a rare fillet steak with my son Ben. Available from Majestic for £11.00 per bottle  – a real steal for this price.


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Chateau Rouget 2001 Pomerol

chateau-rouget-pomerol-2001Tasted this at the first WanderCurtis board meeting on Sunday 11 October 2009.
Complex and smokey nose with classic spice and fruity cassis. Delicious! Baked tarts, more spice and long tasty finish.

The 2008 is, or was, en primeur for about £240 in bond, and is therefore a fantastic value Pomerol. Sadly I didn’t taste this one at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGC) tastings in April, but in general the right bank wines were very good.
(Justerini & Brooks are still selling @ £220 a case in bond – anyone want to split one? Kiran)

The 2001 has plenty of life left and is now £35 per bottle at The Wine Society. Sadly, I only bought a few bottles a couple years ago at £26!


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Domaine Francois Chidaine Touraine ‘Pineau d’Aunis’ 2006

This 2006 Touraine Loire valley red was quite a treat. Very perfumed, fuller bodied than a pinot noir and with a hint of northern France farmyard. The grape is a relative of pinot noir (and also called locally chenin noir) and is local to the Loire.

Francois Chidane is a great talent. I will source some of this and have mailed Sinead Mallozzi, CEO of Sketch, to get the details of his supplier.


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McRea Wood shiraz

This is an absolute corker. Should have been on the single malt in Ballater, Royal Deeside, Scottish Highlands, but whisked away by this brilliant full bodied shiraz by Jim Barry, Clare Valley, Australia.

Tried at the Green Inn with Aberdeen Angus steak and panfried foie gras. Just fantastic with bags of fruit, mulberries, blackberries, liquorice, sweet vanillins, soft tannins.

Found it on www.drinksdirect.com on special for £18.98. If you get two, usually £25.00 per bottle. Highly commended!