Have you ever wondered why when you are on holiday in France, you seem to be able to find great local wine but when you return to the UK, you can never lay your hands on the same bottles ? It’s hardly surprising since only a very small percentage of wines produced in France (or Italy or Spain for that matter) are actually bought by UK wine merchants. Yet we are told continuously that the continent no longer offers great wines at an agreeable price.
Some traditionalist merchants would point out the fact that there are some great vineyards in places like Bordeaux and Burgundy where the greatest wines in the world are still produced. Of course the New World school would say that these are overpriced and that in the past these have not performed as well as their price would suggest, when it comes to blind tastings against their Californian or Australian counterparts. Both sides have some validity to their arguments.
At Appellation Wines, we would point out that although the well-trodden routes de vin of Pomerol, St Emilion and the Medoc without doubt produce the biggest concentration of quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends in the world, this is not where the story ends and some of their lesser famed satellite appellations are producing a similar quality at much better value if you are prepared to take the time to look. An example of this is the Chateau Langoiran Prestige 2001. Surely, if this had St Emilion on the label rather than Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux we would be talking nearly double the £8 odd that we turn it out for.
Additionally, although many of the New World producers have captured the essence of fruit and easy accessibility, very few have produced wines with the layers of flavour and length that are found in many areas of the Old World. Furthermore, the prices of these wines have crept up at a good pace and so now you are talking about New Zealand Sauvignons being in the same price bracket as for example our very fine Paul Buisse Pouilly Fume and much more than our keenly priced top selling Paul Buisse Cristal Sauvignon.
At Appellation Wines, we believe in selecting wines which hit above their weight in terms of value. We select wines which don’t just express primary flavours such as fruit and spice but also provide secondary and tertiary flavours such as earthiness and minerality. If possible, these different flavours should come and go as the length of the wine is experienced. A wine like this is truly multi-dimensional. A wine which sums up all of these qualities and which is now drinking at its peak is the Firmament Minervois 2001.
Ashton McCobb
Director
Appellation Wines Ltd
