I’ve been reading a new wine forum, Wine Berserkers, it is quite a fun place. People there seem generally enthusiastic and knowledgeable about wine, and they are a friendly lot too. One of threads I followed was a request for recommendations for sub-$50 Burgundy that is very Burgundian. The fellow posting had little experience of Burgundy and wanted to compare them with the wines he normally drank. Several people said that Burgundy can be quite expensive and that there are lots of different styles made, but we ended up recommending an excellent and well-priced example. You can read the thread if you want to know more.

This discussion reminded me of one of the polls I posted on here: which French wine region produces the best value wines? There were a couple of votes for Burgundy, which I thought was a bit enthusiastic. However, recently I’ve tried some really good Burgundies which have been bargain-tastic. Many people may disagree with this, but I feel that if you can get serious quality for less than £30 (which is about the $50 limit requested on the Wine Berserker thread), then that is a bargain in my book. So here are my suggestions for red Burgundies that provide a lot of of pleasure for not so much money.

Wine of the moment is certainly the Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru Ile des Vergelesses 2005 from Domaine Chandon de Briailles. I loved its beauty, refinement and poise. You can buy this attractive wine for £24.95 (or £23.50 if you order 12 bottles, which can be mixed) from Lea and Sandeman. Note: five days after posting this recommendation (and two days before I could afford more) this wine has sold out. Bums.

If you like your Burgundies to be slightly more heroic then you cannot go far wrong with Comte Armand’s Auxey Duresses Premier Cru 2005. A bold wine with lots of ripe fruit and a serious tannic structure. I feel it will age well for such a minor appellation. Also from Lea and Sandeman this costs £23.50 (case discounted to £21.50).

Some of you might be thinking that these villages are unheard of and so you might desire a more well-known village of origin; Nuits-Saint-Georges is a good place to go. The Premier Cru Richemone 2005 from Alain Michelot is very good, very Nuits-y expression of Nuits and a steal at £28.93 from Lay and Wheeler. Too expensive? Then how about Alain Michelot’s Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2005, an affordable taste of quality Nuits for £18.93 also from Lay and Wheeler. Just five pence under my price limit is the 2006 Nuits St Georges Aux St. Juliens from de Montille, a named vineyard at the village quality level. Like all de Montille wines this is elegant and refined, but this one is quite accessible and with very attractive fruit. £29.95 (or less if you buy a case) from Berry Bros.

 

If you know where to look you can find wines from highly regarded producers at a good price. I love Domaine Dujac wines and their ‘Fils et Pere’ range gives you a good taste of their style without breaking the bank. I think the Morey-Saint-Denis Fils et Pere 2006 is a damned-good wine, proper Morey of class and refinement for £28.50 (with a discount for unmixed cases) from Berry Bros.

Comte Armand are another flash producer, and they produce this well-priced wine from a more famous appellations than Auxey Duresses. The 2006 Volnay is a structured example of this village and again I feel it will age well. £25 (minus an unmixed case discount) from Berry Bros is a good price for a characterful Volnay.

Owning Dominique Lafon wines is normally a very pricey business. However, you can get his charming and fruity, if not stunningly profound, 2006 Monthelie Premier Cru Les Duresses Rouge for a surprisingly affordable £29 a bottle. This is a Burgundy that you can happily drink and enjoy on any occasion.

Berry Bros also sell the excellent wines from David Clark; he has minor appellations but he is focussed on producing the best wines he can from these vineyards, so treats them with more love and attention than most Burgundians treat their very finest Grand Crus. His 2007 Bourgogne Rouge is £18.35 (with a discount for unmixed cases), you’d be hard pressed to find a more compelling Bourgogne for less money than this.

Another beautiful Bourgogne Rouge is the 2007 from de Montille. It really is a baby de Montille wine, with all the elegance and harmony one would hope for from that producer. Berry’s sell it for a quite reasonable £20.40 per bottle (again there is a discount for cases).

Whilst we are on the subject of Bourgogne Rouge, Alain Burguet’s 2005 ‘Pince-Vin’ is a good performer at this quality level, and 2005 is a top vintage which should be quite mature and ready to drink by now. £20 a bottle from the Wine Society. The wine you really want from M. Burguet is his Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes ‘Mes Favorites’, this is one of the best village wines you can buy. When I popped a bottle of 2003 just after Christmas our lunch guests were compelled and charmed. It wasn’t in the slightest bit over-blown which can be a problem with some 2003s. At £29 a bottle from the Wine Society this falls a mere pound under my price limit, but it is worth every penny.

There we have it: an array of twelve different red Burgundies all of which are very reasonably priced for the quality they deliver. I suppose some might think my £30 upper limit is too high for these to be real bargains, but I’m afraid if you do you are wrong. Sadly wines of real quality are expensive these days, not only because of the limited production and high demand, but also the British peso weak pound has made all of our purchases from France at least 30% more expensive. These wines are as good as they get for as little as they get.

If either of my readers can suggest anymore bargain Burgundies then please leave a comment.

I was at the Howard Ripley 2008 Burgundy tasting last night. It was most interesting, many thanks to Sebastian Thomas for squeezing me in at the last minute.

Generally, the vintage seems quite successful. The best wines have a pronounced sense of place, with nice fruit, pleasing acidity and good structure. These are perhaps not wines for forgetting in your cellar for decades, but in the medium term they will develop well. The very best wines will age well.

Shock of the tasting was a Jean Grivot wine that actually had charm as well as tannin. I was surprised, and even more surprised that it was a Clos de Vougeot which are normally on the tough side. It had real Grand Cru presence and lots of class. If you ever want to buy a flash Grivot that won’t leave you thinking “Why oh why did I buy that?” now might be your chance.

The other Clos de Vougeot on show was from Hudelot-Noellat. This was was even more charming with a real nervous energy to match its power. Good value for the quality. I thought. There was a Vosne-Romanee 1er cru les Suchots from them on show as well and this impressed me no end. It is also keenly priced for a Vosne 1er, snap this and his Beaumonts up.

I enjoyed the Fourrier wines I tried. The basic Gevrey-Chambertin seemed like it has some future ahead of it and it was quite serious for a village wine. Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru les Gruenchers was a tiny bit on the tannic side for a Chambolle but I liked its acid/fruit/tannin interplay enough to order three magnums. I think it’ll charm more after a bit of age. Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru Clos Saint Jacques was quite delicious; structured and fruity with great length.

The final two wines from the tasting which really stood out came from Comte Armand. The Auxey-Duresses 1er cru was impressively complex and engaging considering its lowly status and bargain price. I’m buying some. More expensive, but clearly one of the best wines of the tasting, was Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux. This was really expressive with a great Pommard character. The fruit was perfectly integrated with its impressive, but not harsh, tannic structure.

Of course, I would also recommend the 2008s from the producers I visited last summer. These were: Domaine Dujac, Domaine Arlaud, Mugnier and Roumier. Eagle-eyed readers will note I tasted at Domaine des Lambrays when I was in Burgundy. The cask sample of 2008 I had there was a bit difficult to judge, as were the samples at the Howard Ripley tasting, so I find it hard to recommend outright. Moreover, much as I’ve loved many of their wines I’ve had in the past (I own a reasonable amount), I feel they are getting a bit pricy.

There are some impressive and lovely red Burgundies from 2008 which are well-worth buying. Don’t let the promise of flasher 2009s put you off from buying some 08s; you will enjoy them.

Sorry to my international reader, but these Champagnes seemed such bargains I had to alert my UK reader.

Cedric Bouchard has made some of the best Champagnes I’ve had. Inflorescence was amazing, I was stunned by its complexity and purity of expression. It cheered me up no end when I was ludicrously insane. I had Les Ursules for the second time last weekend and it was mind-expandingly good (especially after a shit meal). I can think of few Champagnes that are better than those two, but they are all much more expensive. Both of these wines can be purchased from Vine Trail at prices that redefine the word ‘bargain’. You want to hit their site and buy these wines as soon as possible*.

There are flasher things from M. Bouchard, and it turns out you can pick them up at The Sampler in Islington here in London. If you go here and scroll down to ‘Roses de Jeanne’ you will see some really quality kit.

La Boloree is a single vineyard Pinot Blanc from the great 2005 vintage. It must be the most expensive Pinot Blanc ever made and sold. All who try it say it needs time but is an amazing wine. I’d love to try it.

La Haute Lemblee is a tad more of a conventional blanc des blancs Champagne being made from pure Chardonnay, again from the 2005 vintage. Once again, this gets rave reviews. I will buy two bottles, one to try and one to age. The top geezer Jeremy wants me to score him a bottle as well so save three for us will you?

The Inflorescence ‘La Parcelle’ 2002 vintage can also be purchased from Berry Bros for a few quid less. I’d love to have a bottle of this, I am sure 2002 will be a great vintage and I want to age a wine which I think will deliver incredible pleasure in the future.

The only Cedric Bouchard/Roses de Jeanne wines I have had have been blanc des noirs, which is an incredibly rare wine style. This strikes me as a bit of a shame as those few I’ve been lucky enough to try (largely Bollinger Vieilles-Vignes Francais, which I admit is a rather flash) have been great; a style I have really enjoyed. Pinot Noir is just such a great grape even when it is white and fizzy.

*I should say I report on the wines from this merchant only after I have secured some, the partner having purchased three bottles of each for me as a chrimbo present. He loves me so much. They also sell the wonderful Mourvedre-tastic Collioure Clos du Moulin from Domaine du Mas Blanc which is a must buy whenever one sees it.

Fascinating to try, and good to have something in such rude good health after nine years.

Meursault Premier Cru Perrieres 2000, Pierre Matrot
A very linear, direct and focussed nose of lemon fruit and tightly wound-up minerality. No oxidation here at all: it is fresh, lively and backward for a wine from the tits out 2000 vintage. There is a hint of truffled honey to the nose which is very attractive. The palate has a lot of lemony fruit and the acidity to match. There is a degree of density to the palate, but this wine is still so backward that it hasn’t put on so much weight. Livid and lively are two words I’d use to describe this wine. Complex and harmonious are two words that I should also use. It is a stylish, in a style I rarely drink, Burgundy of class and excitement, I wish I had more.

Sorry. It is nearly half-one in the morning.

Right, hot tips from the bargain village of the Cote de Nuits (the whole area is named after this village, surely it cannot be so bad?): what should you be getting?

The producer every lover of truly excellent wine needs to buy is Robert Chevillon. Buy any vintage you can find, they are consistent performers. Consistently excellent performers. The 1999 Les Saint Georges and Vaucrains I put in a little tasting were totally lovely, wonderful wines of charm, personality and class. I have vivid memories of 2002s from many Premier Crus burning with life, power and elan. You need to own some Chevillon Nuits Premier Crus.

I mentioned an Alain Michelot Premier Cru Richemone and it was good enough to recommend. If you go here then look at he embarrassment of riches on offer for not too much cash you should be able to find something to suit your budget. Clearly the 2006 Nuits VV is a bargain but that 2005 Richemone will be a superb example of a Nuits Premier Cru. Please save some for me to buy.

The current wine joke is that the best Nuits-Saint-Georges producer is in Chambolle, or Vosne, or Volnay… There is some truth to this. Mugnier make excellent Nuits Premier Cru Clos de la Marachale, with its charming beauty and brilliant harmony, in Chambolle. This is a very individual take on a Nuits Premier Cru, it is priced quite reasonably and is another reliable performer.

In Vosne there is Premier Cru Murgers from Sylvain Cathiard which is clearly a fine wine. It was the first wine I reported on on Elitist Review. Two of my favourite Nuits Premier Crus come from Primeaux, in the form of Clos des Forets and Clos de l’Arlot from Domaine l’Arlot. M. de Smet’s at l’Arlot wines have been constant drinking buddies with me since I first understood that Burgundy is best. Never let him give you a lift, though, his driving style is terrifying.

Volnay may sound strange source of Nuits but de Montille have acquired some Premier Cru aux Thorey, and by all accounts it is good stuff. The partner picked some up whilst in France. There is also the one vintage only best Nuits Premier Cru made out of Nuits, again aux Thorey but this time from Dujac. Made only in 2005 it is a compelling interpretation of Nuits and a bold and characterful wine for an only attempt.

Finally, of course, there is Gouges. Some of the truly memorable wines of my life have been Gouges. When talking of the consistency of a producer like Gouges you talk over decades rather than a few vintages. They are great wines which, in many vintages, will live forever in your cellar. But then, if you want what is best (and that’s what we care about on Elitist Review), you should be buying more Robert Chevillon.

If I’ve missed anyone out (and obviously no one should be thinking of Grivot here) please add a comment.

The question is, which ones? As my long-term readers know I have almost no cash; I cannot afford much. I am torn between getting 6 bottles of good quality kabinett/spatlese type wines or 3 flashier bottles of top Auslesen. I need guidance. This calls for another fantastic Elitist Review poll!

Free Web Poll

As usual, followers of the RSS feed will have to come to the site to vote.

I’ll take a brief hiatus from the tasting notes to report on a brilliant little shop that has opened in Morey. Some of the producers have banded together and are selling their wines at the Caveau des Vignerons on the church square in Morey. They have most of the producers you’d hope for (but no Dujac as yet but we are told they are keen to support the shop) and the wines are sold at cellar-door prices. If you just want to pick up the odd bottle of Lambrays or Arlaud this is the place to stop. It is probably one of the very few places where Ponsot wines are affordable.

I picked up some Morey from producers I don’t know so well: Jean-Louis et Didier Amiot, Magnien and Lignier-Michelot (whose labels I love, see the one below).

I keep thinking I should write a ‘hilarious bargains of the wine world’ post for here. Two wines that would feature near the top of that list are Manzanilla sherries from Hidalgo: La Gitana and Pasada Pastrana. Earlier we drank some of the Pasada Pastrana with dinner at Salt Yard and I was, once again, stunned by its savoury, characterful and thrilling charms. Top stuff.

Of course, Hidalgo make other sherries as well. His dry Amontillado from the same vineyard as the Manzanilla Pastrana is is a similarly classy, stylish drink. The vintage-dated Oloroso I tried at the London Wine Trade Fair a few weeks ago blew my socks off; quite delicious. Then there are the very old, dry Oloroso and Palo Cortado sherries which cost serious money but are such exciting, burning entities of intensity that you cannot help but love them.

I admit, I have a bit of a soft spot for Hidalgo sherry. The generous and charming Javier Hidalgo gave a tasting in Oxford about fifteen years ago which will forever be burnt on my memory. All those wise enough to turn up were stunned by the expressiveness of his wines and ratted after getting through the vast quantities he insisted we all drink. Lovely fellow, lovely wines.

But the fun you can have with sherry extends beyond even the mighty Javier’s offerings. Lustau have an excellent range, which includes the novel, and delicious, East India sherry. This sweet sherry is said to be the only type that will improve with age in the bottle. I have one in the cellar to test this. Pick any bottle from their range of Almacenista sherries (wines sourced from small producers) and it will be an exciting pleasure.

Valdespino also have good stuff; it was the sherry which fortified me whilst working for one particular employer. Fino Innocente is a top bunny-grade sharpener. Their Pedro Ximenez sweet sherry is one of the few wines my mother has got through a case of (OK, I helped a bit). It may have been sweet action-a-go-go, but it certainly exceeded the quality of most sugary wines in its price bracket.

The final producer I’ll mention is Gonzalez Byass. Tio Pepe is a passable drink, but some of their other stuff is properly good. The thirty year old Amontillado del Duque is a good example of the style, nice and dry. Clocking in at the same age is the Matusalem sweet Oloroso: a really stylish, complex drink. My chum Dan really loves the super-sweet Noe Pedro Ximenez, which I think is a bit too crazy to sit down and drink for any extended period of time, but you’ve got to be impressed by its wacked-out bonkers-ness.

All of these wonderful things to buy and drink, and sadly most people in this country think that sherry is either Harvey’s Bristol Cream or something from Cyprus (which it most certainly isn’t, it isn’t ‘British fortified wine’ either, am I clear? I mean this very seriously). Get out there, spend a few quid on a bottle of La Gitana, stick it in the fridge then when it is cool pop it and be perked up. If, on a warm summer’s day, you cannot enjoy something as delightful and refreshing as a good bottle of Manzanilla or Fino then there is probably something wrong with you.

I’m just engaged in a little exchange of text messages with a chum. He asks if he should buy 2005 Jamet Cote-Rotie for £20 a bottle. Brilliant wine at an extremely keen price; I told him to snap them up. He then asked about 2004 and I said that was a bit less interesting but worth a few bottles.

Then it occurred to me that there is absolutely no interesting Claret for £20 a bottle, certainly nothing as thrillingly, mind-bendingly delicious as Jamet 05 or even 04. Yet, those money-grabbing Bordelais who sell their tedious shite for £20 will be producing epic quantities of wine from their large estates, far more than Jamet will make from his tiny patches of Cote-Rotie, and have vastly lower production costs as well. Bordeaux is over-priced and dull; buying it only serves to further line the pockets of people who have too much money to start with.

Sometimes I worry my tastes in wine are becoming so rarified and abstracted that no one else would like the stuff I like. It doesn't often seem to happen, but I still worry. In view of this, I want to ask you, my knowledgeable audience, what wine I should buy to charm a wine neophyte.

I am being filmed in a couple of weeks for a documentary about schizophrenia. I met the producer today and she seemed to think it would be good to film me tasting a wine; clearly I immediately insisted she also have a glass. She doesn't drink much wine and only likes white wine, so what white wine should I get?

The criteria are that the wine has to be white and good. If it is not good I won't get excited and the film will be less funny. I thought about a German 2007 Riesling, but we worry (see below) that these are closing up now. 2008s are not out yet. Mature Riesling is a great pleasure, but not so much for the beginner, I feel. The other thing that occurred to me was the bottle of Moelleux Vouvray I had a couple of weeks ago. It is hilariously good, and was liked back then, but is it a bit weird? Anyway, your recommendations, please!

Its true. I've purchased a couple of Jean Grivot wines. Now I know that is awful and I deserve mocking, but let me explain. I've got a bottle of Chambolle-Musigny Combe D'Orveau 2003 which I am going to open at an up-coming dinner party and I think that is a vintage that would suit his style. I've also got a bottle of Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru Pruliers 2005. Now this was when he was totally post Accad-method. Obviously I'll have to age it forever, but I still think his wines will have quite a lot of Accad-emic (This joke is copyright Jeremy Seysess 2009) interest. We tasted his 05s in his cellar just after Rovani had been so he'd got the lot open and we lapped them up. Whilst we all agreed that they were not our taste, we were all irritated to admit they were good wines. A few were truly impressive. But, I prefer to be charmed than impressed.

If you'd like to try some Grivot like some the Wine Society have a few on their lists at the moment. The Vosne Suchots 2003 might be a candidate for interesting old bones.

As Jeremy pointed out in his article on Champagne, it is very irritating when you have your prejudices dis-proved. It happened to me with an Egly-Ouriet Blanc de Noirs I'd given some age. I was so livid that I liked it.

Here is a handy post (from someone else's blog), a map of fine wine shops in London. I was pleased I knew them all.

Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens 2002, de Montille: One of my favourite recent acquisitions. Top Pommard. £50 from The Wine Society.

Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Moss Wood: One of my favourite Cabernet Sauvignons (a short list, I admit). Properly structured, ripe and fun. £36.00 from The Wine Society.

Pouilly Fuisse 'Vieilles Vignes La Verchere' 2005, Domaine Daniel Barraud: Proper white Burgundy at a keen price. £17.75 from Lea and Sandeman.

Central Coast Pinot Noir 2005, Calera: A lovely US Pinot, read the note here. £16.14 from Waitrose Wine Direct.

Cabernet Merlot 'Ribbon Vale Vineyard' 2005, Moss Wood: A bargain offering that has flashes of the quality of their top Cabernet. Good stuff for the price. £14.95 from The Wine Society.

I've just scored a bottle of Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens 2002 from de Montille. I also have Pommard Premier Cru Clos des Epeneaux 2002 from Comte Armand, and both Premier Cru Rugiens and Premier Cru Grand Clos des Epenots both de Courcel from 2002.

Now, I find myself feeling pretty smug about having such quality Pommard that promises to provide a lot of pleasure at some future event. I do wonder, however, if there is any other 2002 Premier Cru Pommard I am missing out on*. I think not, but I'd be willing to entertain any suggestions that other people might have. And Pommard can be lovely, Jeremy, so a bottle of Cotes de Nuits red would not be an appropriate suggestion**.

*I also have Pommard Premier Cru Jarollieres 2002 from Pousse d'Or, but I doubt this will deliver the olfactory fireworks as the wines mentioned above.

**I already have a more than suitable ringer for the mass Pommard-tasting: Sancerre Rouge.

Pouilly-Fuisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2005, Chateau-Fuisse: Pouilly-Fuisse that ages well. Definitely worth snapping up. The note is here. £25.80 from Tanners.

Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos "Betsek" 1999, Royal Tokaji Wine Company: Top Tokaji at a bargain price, read the note here. £24.37 from Waitrose Wine Direct.

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru les Clavoillons 2005, Domaine Alain Chavy: Quality Premier Cru Puligny doesn't get any cheaper than this. £22.50 from Waitrose Wine Direct.

Crozes-Hermitage "Cuvee Gaby" 2004, Domaine Colombier: Lovely Crozes, read the note here. £13.95 from the Wine Society.

East India Solera Rich Oloroso Sherry, Lustau: A lovely, sweet, stylish Sherry, made in a Madeira-ish style. We are told this is one of the few Sherries that will improve with bottle age. Hmm... £5.99 from Waitrose Wine Direct.

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2001, Domaine Rene Engel: Snap up these deeply affordable and high quality wines from the late, lamented M. Engel whilst you still can. This is a great wine for the price. £59 from Hand-Picked Burgundy.

Morey Saint Denis Premier Cru Les Loups 1999, Domaine des Lambrays: A long-time favourite of mine, up for drinking with a lot of pleasure. £34 from Hand-Picked Burgundy.

Champagne Cuvee 731, Jacquesson: A top NV Champagne. Jacquesson make some damned good fizz. £28.69 from Noel Young Wines.

Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg L31E 2004, Domaine Albert Boxler: It has been a couple of years since I last had this, but it is undoubtedly a top wine that anyone would be pleased to own. £25.14 from Noel Young Wines.

Pinot Blanc 'B' 2005, Domaine Albert Boxler: I admit this is reasonably expensive for a Pinot Blanc, but this hails from the Brand Grand Cru so is quite a lot more serious than your general Pinot Blanc. £14.95 from Lay and Wheeler.

I was looking through my cellar list and was pleased to see that I've got quite a few bottles of Hermitage. I love Hermitage. I recently got a bottle of 2005 Jean-Louis Chave for the partner; I was very pleased to have snaffled it given its 'hen's teeth' status and generally obscene pricing. Given that I have about a case of mid- and late-nineties Chave I thought I'd see by what obscene amounts these cost now. I was surprised that old Chave is generally cheaper than the most recent vintage. For example, the 1997 is now £97 a bottle. The 1996 is £76, the 1995 is £152 and the 1994 is £87. Only the 1995 is more expensive (by a mere nose) and not only is a vintage at least as good as the 2005 but also it has had ten extra years to mature and reach its peak. You can see by my notes these are serious wines, and with the extra maturity it does raise the question of why one should be buying young Chave.

I should add that even at these prices Hermitage, especially Chave, is a special treat for your humble reporter. I have mentioned before that Domaine Du Colombier 2005 is the cost-aware choice for Hermitage from this top vintage. Not quite the fireworks of Chave, I admit, but a serious performer.

Madeira Boal Reserva 1968, D'Oliveiras: Excellent Madeira that is quite a lovely drink now. Read the note here. £58 from Waitrose Wine Direct.

Hermitage 2005, Domaine du Colombier: Affordable Hermitage and it is good, too. You just have to age it for it to show its best. £38.70 from Tanners.

Riesling Smaragd "Achleiten" 2005, Weingut Prager: One of the best dry Rieslings I've had in, oh, a period of time. The note is here. £28.50 from Waitrose Wine Direct.

Riesling Spatlese Rudensheimer Berg Roseneck "Old Vines" 2007, Leitz: I tried this at wine London Wine Trade Fair; it was an excellent, characterful, delicious wine. Well worth the money. £16.20 from Marks and Spencer.

Riesling Spatlese Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg 1999: A lovely wine from the Ruwer, bursting with life and, let us be honest, acidity. This a a great, refreshing drink that would be perfect to drink over the summer. £12.50 from the Wine Society.

Riesling Auslese GoldKap Wehlener Sonnenuhr 1997, J. J. Prum: The 1996 was marvellous, why not step up a quality level and go for a better vintage too. £48 from Fine and Rare Wines.

Cornas Domaine de Rochepertuis 1999, Jean Lionnet: Proper Cornas that is silky and beautiful, tomorrow I'll be having the 1998. £23.45 from Jeroboams.

Shiraz by Farr 2004, Gary Farr: He made one of my favourite Australian Shirazes at Bannockburn, this is his personal effort. He's made wine with Alain Graillot, what more could one ask? £18.95 from Tannners.

Pinot Noir by Farr 2004, Gary Farr: He has made some great vintages in Burgundy so his Pinot credentials are spotless. I'm just about to order some of this. £18.95 from Tanners.

Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2005, Louis Michel: A more minor 2005 was lovely recently, trade up to a serious Premier Cru. £16.17 from Howard Ripley.

Recommendations are a day early this month as tomorrow I am off to l'Arnsbourg. This will be my third trip and the previous two have both been freaking amazing. It is a great restaurant.

Pommard Premier Cru Grand Clos des Epenots 2005, Domaine de Courcel: Wonderful Pommard that is a bit less heroic than the 2003 I tried recently. Excellent balance and real refinement. £41.50 from Lea and Sandeman.

2003 by Bollinger: Champagne for heros! Well, I like it. £38.30 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Riesling Spatlese Brauneberger-Juffer Sonnenuhr 1999, Fritz Haag: A bottle of this was popped last night, but too close to bedtime for me to have the energy to write it up. Lovely fruit, great minerality and screaming acidity all inter-twined in a beautiful whole. £13.07 from Justerini and Brooks.

The Fergus 2005, Tim Adams: I had a bottle of this a few nights ago. I admit it is reasonably heroic, but it has a lovely balance between fruit and tannin. For a Grenache dominated wine it ages very well; I've had ten year old Fergus which has been most enjoyable. £9.49 from Tesco.

Semillon 2006, Tim Adams: Yes, I have a bit of a thing for Tim Adams' wines, one of my favourite Australian producers; he sold me wine when I was under-age which marks him out as a top chap. This is a lively, reasonably oaky Semillon with a degree of complexity that makes it most pleasing. It'll hang around for a few years, too. £8.54 from Tesco.

Five more wines from around the web.

Volnay Premier Cru Champans 1996, Marquis d'Angerville: I've drank all of my 1996 d'Angerville's, alas, they were very good for what has developed into a most disappointing vintage. Beautiful, elegant and refined. Will certainly keep a lot longer. £46.50 from Hand Picked Burgundy.

Aberfeldy Shiraz 2004, Tim Adams: A marvellous Shiraz that is extremely pleasing despite being very Australian. A sort of note is here. £23.74 from Tesco.

Pinot Noir Stermer Vineyard 2003, Lemelson: Excellent Pinot Noir from Oregon. We popped a bottle of this for general drinking a few weeks ago (I was too tired and emotional, tired and emotional as a newt, to post a note, sorry), it had a great purity of fruit that was very charming. Up for drinking now, too. £22.50 from The Wine Society.

Pouilly Fuisse Vieilles Vignes La Verchere 2005, Domaine Daniel Barraud: Proper white Burgundy from off the magic slope. His wines have great minerality and bags of charm. This is a bargain for the quality. £17.75 from Lea and Sandeman.

Savennieres "La Jalousie" 2005, Domaine du Closel: Characterful wine doesn't come much cheaper than this. The note is here. £9.95 from The Wine Society.

I've been given some wine; lucky I was given it as I am broke from ringing up winemakers in France on my mobile, fool that I am, I've got Skype. The wine is de Courcel Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens 2003. As you can tell by the note, I think this is a really top wine. Indeed, I'd go as far as saying it is the second best Burgundy 2003 I've had.

Yves Confuron who makes the wines at de Courcel turned up late when we visited to try the 03s. He was miserable as sin for the first fifteen minutes of the tasting before our incredible enthusiasm for his wines got the better of him and he became almost charming. As you may recall, 2003 was a really hot year, and most of the Burgundy I've tried from this vintage suffers from this heat. Yves harvested late (!) and didn't acidify his wines (!!) and yet they are completely brilliant. They may be big, almost monstrous, but they have a wonderful harmony and balance which is simply superb. The depth of fruit and tannic structure of them are utterly beguiling, and the complexity and style are without fault. Great wines, by any definition of the word.

Now, I have three bottles of this Rugiens and I am really tempted to open another, so much do I love them. However, this wine will be even better in another ten years, so I must wait. My friends will have a lot of fun when I am old and knackered in 2018 (I'll be forty-five that year, hell's bells) and have three bottles of this nectar to pop. I cannot recommend highly enough that if you see any de Courcel 2003s you snap them up. Ideally then give them to me, but I'll understand if you keep them as they are freaking tits. The Rugiens is undoubtedly the best, but the Grand Clos des Epenots is not far behind. Even the more minor wines are brilliant and worth paying for; we were surprised by the downright decadence of even the village Pommard. Buy them, if you can, and if you cannot make friends with someone who has them.

So what was the best 2003 I've tried? Clos des Lambrays 2003 (sorry Jeremy). In this difficult vintage they landed not only on their feet but were also passed a glass of something good to drink as they hit the ground. This wine really is the cat's arse. The good thing about Clos des Lambrays is it is quite a big Grand Cru which is (largely) in one estate's hands, so they always have plenty to sell and it is not too difficult to find on the market. They also charge very reasonable prices for what is usually very good wine, and what was buttock-spankingly good in 2003. So this goes down as a top recommendation as to how to blow your pennies as well.

Apart from these two (and a few Dujac's that I will write up when I get around to trying them again; the Clos St. Denis was damned good, but Clos St. Denis for heroes. Beautiful heroes, though) you can largely skip 2003 Burgundy.

This month I have buying recommendations for you, a few of which I've opened in the last few days.

Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Vendange Tardive Trie Speciale 2004, Domaine Weinbach: Utterly brilliant late harvest Riesling. Read the note here. £60 from the Wine Society.

Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru les Saint Georges 1995, Gouges: Serious Nuits that is approaching drinkability. A very keen price for something of this age. £46.50 from Hand Picked Burgundy.

Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard 1996, Calera: Proper Pinot from California, well up for drinking now. Read the note here. £42 from Hand Picked Burgundy.

Riesling "Polish Hill" 2006, Grosset: Bargain dry Riesling from Australia. Read the note here. £14.50 from the Wine Society.

Tandem Syrah 2005, Alain Graillot: Very reasonably priced Syrah, but perhaps not the most complex wine in the world. Read the note here. Well worth the £7.95 from the Wine Society.

Here are five wines that have caught my eye over the past month.

Champagne Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 1996, Jacquesson: A 1996 Champagne that is still available, and it is a good one too. This is a tightly wound ball of intensity to drink now, and will age really well. £42.50 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Morey-Saint-Denis "Clos Solon" 2001, Domaine Fourrier: A refined and elegant Burgundy to drink with a lot of pleasure. £19.00 from The Wine Society.

Quarts de Chaume 2004, Chateau Pierre-Bise: This is a touch less insanely sweet than most Pierre-Bise vintages; this gives it good balance and actually makes it possible to drink and enjoy. It is a damned-good, intense Quarts. £17.50 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Tim Adams: Bargain wine for an Ayrton, it displays a degree of balance and refinement that most Australian Cabernets' lack. £9.95 from The Wine Society.

Savennières "Clos de Coulaine" 2005, Chateau Pierre-Bise: Top vintage for this good Loire producer, They do make some great Chenin. £9.95 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Wine recommendations have been a bit thin on the ground in recent months, I've just been feeling rotten and even wondrous wine has not been perking me up. However, I am feeling slightly better today and so here are some good wines you might want to pick up.

Grande Année 1999, Bollinger: Streets ahead of the dreadful 1997, if not quite up to the 1996 in terms of quality. £49.50 from Magnum Fine Wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Moss Wood: My favourite affordable Cabernet based wine. It is really quite fun and not in the slightest bit hard work. I had it last in November. £36 from the Wine Society.

Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru les Folatieres 2005, Alain Chavy: A gentle, refined, elegant white Burgundy that is very keenly priced. £23.50 from Magnum Fine Wines.

Chardonnay 2005, Moss Wood: If you are getting some of the excellent Cabernet why not have some of the Chardy as well? It is a reasonably complex and stylish wine, considering its scale and oakiness. Well worth the £19 from Jeroboams.

Riesling Kabinett Oberhauser Leistenberg 2005, Donnhoff: Something light and refreshing to drink over what is left of summer. Helmut Donnhoff is a wine god. £13.15 from Berry Bros. and Rudd.

My apologies for not having recommendations for the last couple of months. I can only plead illness as an excuse.

Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva 2001, Fulgni: One for those who like tannin, but the ripeness of the fruit keeps this in balance. It is a bit pricey, though, but so are all Brunello Riservas. £48.95 from Lea and Sandeman.

Vosne Romanée Premier Cru Suchots 2003, Domaine Confuron Coteditot: Yves Confuron is one of the few people who made good Burgundy in 2003. This is big, but charming. One to stick in the cellar. £35.95 from Lea and Sandeman.

Chassange Montrachet Premier Cru Grandes Ruchottes 2004, Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot: These wines used to be quite oaky, but in recent years they seem to have toned down that side and this is quite pure and refined. £31.75 from Lea and Sandeman.

Semillon 2003, Moss Wood: Despite its high-ish alcohol this is a refreshing drink that will be good for summer drinking. One of my favourite Australian Semillons. £12.05 from Jeroboams.

Sancerre "La Reine Blanche" 2005, Domaine Vacheron: OK, I only had this yesterday, but it was such a good wine for the price I cannot help but recommend it. £11.95 from the Wine Society.

Last night as I dozed in bed I started thinking about one of my favourite producers: Jean Boxler. As well as being a charming fellow, he has made some of the best wines I've had from Alsace. Right through his range there are wines that both intellectually stimulate and titillate with visceral pleasure. They are not that pricey, either.

I first visited M. Boxler with a group of friends, he was an addition to our list of old favourites in the spirit of trying someone new. This was a terribly good move. We tried the 2000s and a few older wines. Experiencing the vivid, striking nature of those wines for the first time is a memory that will remain with me forever. We tried his basic wines with increasing excitement and then he explained about the different plots of Riesling on the Sommerberg Grand Cru he owned, each of which he vinified separately. The different wines from these plots were noticeably different, and a couple were mind-bendingly good. When these are bottled the only distinction on the label is a cryptic code number on top left-hand corner of the label. If memory serves the codes are: L31JV, L31, L31E, L31D and L31D2. The L31JV is a younger-vines cuvée and is a good buy. I seem to recall L31D2 was only made in the 2002 vintage. The L31E and L31D(2) wines are both made from old vines from different soil types and these are easily among the best wines made in Alsace at the moment. He also makes a Riesling from the Brand Grand Cru.

Even though he is clearly a master of Riesling, his other varietal wines are also delicious. They all have marvellous varietal character, but show a high degree of minerality and complexity. The Pinot Blanc 'B' (from the Brand Grand Cru) is probably the best Pinot Blanc I've ever tried. His Brand Pinot Gris has delicious fruit and a real creamy Alsace character. Normally heady Gewürztraminer is balanced and refined from him, but not short on style and class.

I've reported on a few Boxler wines here, jolly good they were too. Apart from that corked one (curses). If you'd like to try some of these wines I'd suggest visiting and then buying all he will sell you. Alternatively, UK readers can try here for drinking wines, and here for slightly more serious stuff. The 04 L31E will age really well. Overseas readers can search for Boxler on Wine Searcher.

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PS. I must apologise for the lack on entries recently. I am violently ill and wine makes me blow bits. Quite depressing, really.

I feel this month's recommendations are terribly reasonably priced for the quality they represent.

Champagne Blanc des Blancs Cuvée du Centenaire, Alfred Gratien: One of the best NV Blanc des Blancs I've had. Read the note here. I've just purchased three more bottles, at least one of which I'll keep for a few years. £29 from the Wine Society.

Chambolle-Musigny 1999, Domaine Fourrier: Pretty, charming and down-right enjoyable Chambolle that is ready to drink now. £19.95 from Four Walls Wine.

Chardonnay 2005, Moss Wood: A lovely Western-Australian Chardonnay that might be quite big, but it is neither short on charm nor hard-work to drink. Certainly amongst the best Australian Chardonnays. £19 from Jeroboams.

Bandol Château la Rouvière 2002, Domaines Bunan: OK, 2002 isn't quite as good of a vintage as the 1998 I had the other day, but this is a good drink that'll improve for five years. It is one of the most affordable 'serious' Bandols these days. £15.95 from Yapp.

Pinot Gris 2006, Tim Adams: A light, refreshing but characterful Pinot Gris made by the Clare Valley Master. Much better than that Italian Pinot Grigio filth. £10.49 from Noel Young Wines.

Bearing in mind decent wine starts from around a tenner a bottle, this month I have tried to find some wines that are in that price bracket. Even I don't drink Grand Cru Burgundy all of the time...

Pinot Blanc 'Brand' 2004, Domaine Albert Boxler: He is not really allowed to put the name of the Brand Grand Cru on the label, but this utterly delicious white wine comes from fruit grown entirely on that great vineyard. It has a real depth of flavour and great complexity. Don't bother ageing it, drink with great pleasure as soon as you get your hands on some; this is a serious bargain. £14.75 from Lay and Wheeler.

Pinot Noir 2004, Diamond Valley: I met the winemaker of this estate when he was doing the vintage at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, a charming fellow. This is a good Pinot Noir with plenty of fruit and a reasonable degree of refinement. £13.99 from Oz Wines.

Sancerre 2005, Domaine Vincent Delaporte: A good, mineral and reasonably complex Sancerre. I always used to be happy when I worked in a shop selling this and I could recommend it to people after some Sauvignon Blanc. £10.95 from Lea and Sandeman.

The Fergus 2002, Tim Adams: Now here is some serious quality for a tenner. A Grenache-based wine that gets a bit more rigour by fermenting with with Cabernet  and Shiraz skins, it is a heroic but tasty drink when young and it ages into something really quite delicious. Drink when you buy or keep until it is ten years old. £9.99 from Oz Wines.

Shiraz 2003, Tim Adams: OK, I like the wines of Tim Adams a lot. They are very high quality and he doesn't feel the need to over-charge for them. This is a good Shiraz that is very fruity and not over-blown in the slightest. Drink with pleasure now. £9.99 from Oz Wines.

The buying recommendations are a bit early this month. This is partly because I am bored and stuck in front of the computer whilst the cleaner is working her magic, but also because I feel there is a degree of urgency about getting these wines. 1996 was an exceptional vintage for Champagne; both riper and more acidic than 1990 (which was the previous 'best vintage ever'). The wines burst with luxuriant fruit and fine acidity and will generally age very well. I've rarely enjoyed Champagnes as much as the 1996s I've had, although most of what I have purchased went immediately to my various cellars. The problem is that demand for these wines was so high most of them have now disappeared from wine merchant's shelves and have been replaced by the (much-lesser) following vintages. The five wines I recommend here are ones I have particularly enjoyed that happen to still be available, albeit in limited quantities. I suggest you snap them up and lock them away safely in your cellars; they'll provide a lot of pleasure in years to come.

Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1996, Pol Roger: Quite the best 1996 fizz I've had. A big, bold Pinot dominated wine that is utterly beguiling and really requires at least another five years in the cellar. This is a completely fantastic wine. If you are a member of the Wine Society you can get it there for £90 a bottle (incl. delivery), if you are not a member then Nickolls and Perks have it for £89 a bottle (excl. delivery).

Champagne Clos des Goisses 1996, Philipponnat: This single-vineyard Champagne is really another one for the cellar, they are beautiful when mature. This is quite a big-styled Champagne that is unusually high in alcohol at 13%. Top stuff, though. £75 from Fortnum and Mason.

Champagne Brut Chardonnay 1996, Pol Roger: This is far prettier than the two wines above, and more approachable to drink now. It has very good ripe fruit and a rich, creamy character. It'll also age very well. £48.95 (less if you buy a case) from Berry Brothers and Rudd. It is not 14% as they claim on their website.

Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 1996, Billecart-Salmon: Until I had the Churchill, this was the best 1996 Champagne I had tried. I preferred it to Bollinger. It is light-bodied which may make one think it'll drink well young, but really this will improve greatly with age. A note is here. The Wine Society have it for £40 a bottle or you can get it here for £48.72 a bottle.

Champagne vintage 1996, Gratien: A reasonably full-bodied, oaky Champagne that has quite a lot of style and class for the price. A brief note is here. £35 from the Wine Society.

The first offers for 2005 Burgundy are coming out around now. All I can say is, "Fill your boots, this is a great vintage". For those who missed them I reported on a few domaines that I visited last summer. They were (in no particular order): Comte Armand/Domaine des Epeneaux, Domaine Roulot, Domaine Vincent Dancer, Bernard Moreau et Fils, Frédéric Mugnier, Domaine Arlaud, Domaine Christophe Roumier and Domaine Dujac. All of these are top addresses and you'll be safe buying from them.

Here are some wines that should keep you happy in the new year, one of which I am drinking as I write.

Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2000, J et F Mugnier. Lovely Grand Cru Burgundy that can be drunk now with a lot of pleasure. This is a bargain. £80.31 from Four Walls Wine. Four Walls are good for people like me who cannot afford a whole case of stuff as they have no minimum order limit.

Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru les Fuées 1995, J et F Mugnier: Yummy, yummy, I am just finishing off my glass now. The note is here. £46.88 from Four Walls Wine.

Nuits Saint-Georges Premier Cru Clos de la Maréchale 2004, J et F Mugnier: One of the best Nuits I have tasted. This was the first vintage that Freddy Mugnier got this vineyard back from its rental to Faiveley. It has good Nuits character, but is incredibly elegant and refined. £40.19 from Four Walls Wine.

Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2001, Frédéric Esmonin: Bargain Grand Cru Burgundy that will age very well. £31.26 from Howard Ripley.

Chablis les Clos Grand Cru 2004, Jean-Paul Droin: After all of those wonderful red Burgundies a bottle of white almost-Burgundy. This is a linear, taught wine that will age well over the next 5 years or so. £27.91 from Howard Ripley.

More posts coming later today as the new year drinking continues.

Christmas is a break from work so is an ideal time to eat and drink. If one is cooking a baroque feast it only seems reasonable to have something nice to drink. Here are some suggestions.

Of course, turkey is a dreadful bird that is almost invariably dry and tasteless. If you are mis-guided enough to cook turkey you'll something refreshing and thirst-quenching to drink. German Riesling at Kabinett or Spätlese ripeness works quite well. 2004s and 2005s are sitting on a lot of shelves at the moment and they have plenty of fruit and good acidity so make for crowd-pleasing drinks. The last time I was unfortunate enough to eat turkey I enjoyed some rather nice Chablis with it. Look out for 2002s and 2004s. Macon or Pouilly-Fuissé are also good matches, again 2004s and 2002s are good to drink well.

If you want something with a bit more character than boring turkey then a decent chicken can provide pleasure. I've ordered a 4.5kg chicken for general eating purposes from this place. If you are eating chicken you really want to make sure it is free-range and has been generally well treated. Poulet de Bresse are damned good birds (if a bit small) and are getting more generally available these days. If you have a good enough bird then it will be worthy of some serious wine. I suggest damned good white Burgundy from one of the three big villages, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet or Puligny-Montrachet. Try and get a decent Premier Cru and serve it slightly chilled, not at fridge temperature. Savennières is also a good match.

For a properly baroque Christmas feast you'll be cooking goose. I have ordered one from the same place I got the chicken from. Goose meat is very rich and fatty and also quite gamey. Again, serious white Burgundy is a good match. I've got a bottle of Lafon Meursault Premier Cru Charmes to have with it. Because of the richness of goose they also go quite well with richer wines. Alsace Pinot Gris is a good match, and German Auslesen with a bit of age works very well. The darker meat of goose can also stand up to red wine. I would suggest a lighter-style red Burgundy that has a bit of age on it. If you have access to any Chambolle-Musigny or Volnay this would be an ideal match.

Whatever you cook and drink I hope Christmas for you will be as excessive and hedonistic as it will be at casa Strange. Hooray for good food and drink!

I've got some 2003 Port, and so should anybody with a cellar. Buying magnums might be a bit crazy, though....

Vintage Port 2003, Fonseca: Even in this beast of a vintage Fonseca Port has good elegance and refinement. Excellent vintage Port from a top producer. £50.23 from Four Walls Wine. They've got magnums too.

Vintage Port 2003, Taylor's: More fiery than the Fonseca this is still excellent stuff. It'll last forever. £48.23 from Four Walls Wine. They also have magnums of this. Readers in London who only want the odd bottle can also get both of these Ports from Fortnum and Mason for roughly the same price.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru la Romanée 2002, Domaine Vincent Dancer: A very good vintage from this excellent producer. Finely detailed, intellectual wines that are also not short on hedonism. £46.41 from Four Walls Wine.

Morey-Saint-Denis 2001, Domaine Arlaud: Just starting to be ready to drink. A good 2001 Morey that really shows some good character. £21.50 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Collioure Coume Pascole 2003, Domaine de La Rectorie: A Syrah/Grenache blend from the almost unheard of Collioure region in the South-West of France. This is a bit of a beast, but a fun drink. It'll age, too. £15.50 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

A few older vintages of stuff this month.

Volnay Premier Cru les Santenots 1990, Lafon: A brilliant, blazing star of intensity. My last bottle of this is still in the cellar, but it will provide a lot of pleasure if you drink it now. £72.50 from Fine Wine List.

Pommard Premier Cru Clos des Epeneaux 1995, Comte Armand: This is quite a heroic Burgundy that still needs a few more years. Again, mine is still in the cellar. £56 from Fine Wine List.

Bandol la Tourtine 1988, Domaine Tempier: Bandol that is old enough to drink! A lovely, complex, soft old wine that will provide a lot of pleasure. £48.60 from Fine Wine List.

Bourgogne Rouge 'Roncevie' 2004, Domaine Arlaud: A pretty little Bourgogne rouge that is a very enjoyable drink now. Read the note here. £14.95 from Philglas and Swiggot.

Riesling Rudesheimer Rosengarten Kabinett 2005, J. Leitz: Bargain drinking from a supermarket. The note is here. £7.95 from Waitrose.

As ever, Burgundy is high on my list of priorities.

Meursault Les Perrières 2000, Domaine Joseph Matrot: Refined white Burgundy for ageing. Matrot wines often require over ten years to become fully mature. £40 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Clos-des-Forêts-St.-Georges 2002, Domaine de l'Arlot: Arlot wines are quite silky and smooth, they age well but are very enjoyable with only a few years on them. £30.70 from Howard Ripley.

Coleraine Cabernet Merlot 2002, Te Mata: I am not the biggest fan of Cabernet, but this is a good, elegantly structured wine from New Zealand. £24.95 from Ten Acre.

Pommard Vaumuriens 2003, Domaine de Courcel: A really good village wine from de Courcel. As I have mentioned in the past de Courcel made some of the best 2003s; they have lots of ripe fruit, but are perfectly balanced. £23 from Howard Ripley.

Mission Vale Chardonnay 2003, Bouchard Finlayson: One cannot drink Grand Cru white Burgundy every day, this is a pleasing little wine that provides ample pleasure for the price. £11.95 from Ten Acre.

This month's buying recommendations include some bargains from Howard Ripley.

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2001, Rene Engel: Sadly no longer with us, Philippe Engel used to be one of the best sources of Clos Vougeot. Concentrated, stylish and complex. This is a top wine for the price. £39 from Howard Ripley.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru les Vergers 2002, Domaine Ramonet: Ramonet make great Chassagne. Beautiful, balanced and harmonious wines that age really well. £32.75 from Howard Ripley.

Shiraz 2002, Bannockburn: My favourite Australian Shiraz; it is cheap too. Read the note here. £17.95 from Lea and Sandeman (case discount available).

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru 2001, Comte Armand/Domaine des Epeneaux: Bargain Burgundy. This is structured like a decent Pommard and it is up for drinking now. £16 from Howard Ripley.

Riesling Kabinett Oberhauser Leistenberg 2004, Dönnhoff: My favourite producer in the Nahe, this wine is elegant and refined with nice fruit and fine acidity. £15.95 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Everybody needs some Pol Roger 1996 in their cellar.

Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2001, Château de Chambolle-Musigny/J et F Mugnier: One of the star performers in the 2001 vintage, this is a really refined and elegant Bonnes-Mares. £73 from Howard Ripley.

Champagne Pol Roger 1996: This is a brilliant, tightly-bound Champagne of great intensity. Quite lovely and will age very well indeed. £41.60 from Ten Acre Wines.

Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens 2003, Domaine de Courcel: One of the great successes of the vintage in Burgundy. This is a big tannic monster, but it is jam-packed with rich, ripe fruit. Huge cellaring potential. £32 from Howard Ripley.

Vosne-Romanée 1999, René Engel: Snap up this great village wine whilst it lasts, no more will be coming from chez Engel. £22.25 from Howard Ripley.

Riesling Rudesheimer Kirchenpfad Auslese 2004, J. Leitz: 2004 was a classic vintage for most German Riesling, good acidity with nice fruit. This is a good Auslese. £18.95 from Berry Bros. and Rudd.

Here are this month's buying recommendations.

Vintage Champagne 1983, Gratien: A properly mature Champagne. It is rather good. £47.95 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Chambertin 1999, Domaine Frédéric Esmonin: This is a real steal. Proper Chambertin as a decent price. Keep it, I am keeping mine. £47.51 from Howard Ripley.

Clos des Lambrays 2003, Domaine des Lambrays: I love Clos des Lambrays and in 2003 they really landed on their feet. An excellent wine that will age terribly well. £44.01 from Howard Ripley.

Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2000, Trimbach: This is the best CFE for some years. Ripe but with a good back bone of acidity running through it. I purchased some on my last visit to Trimbach. £29.95 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2002, Domaine Louis Michel. 2002 was a great vintage for Chablis and Louis Michel make excellent, linear, direct Chablis that is great to drink in the summer. £15.08 from Howard Ripley.

 

Burgundy plus a couple of wines for summer.

Morey Saint Denis Premier Cru les Ruchots 1999, Domaine Arlaud: Lovely Morey. Read the note here. £26.95 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese 2004, Dönnhoff: A brilliant 2004 German Riesling. Great acidity, lovely fruit and nice richness. It will age really well, but is quite lovely to drink now. £24.95 from Uncorked.

Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2001, Domaine Fourrier: A concentrated and stylish village wine. It is a good 2001 that is pretty much up for drinking, but keeping it a few years won't do it any harm at all. £20.50 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Morey Saint Denis Clos Solon 2002, Domaine Fourrier: This is quite a bargain for a beautiful little village wine. £18.95 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Moscato d'Asti 2005, Vignaioli di San Stefano: There is a lot of Moscato about, but as this is Elitist Review I import the best from Italy each year for summer drinking. It is fruity, slightly sweet, fizzy and very refreshing. The 2005 has real depth of flavour. €10.80 from Spacewine.

Other sources can be found on Wine Searcher.

A mixed bag of wines this month, some decent Burgundy and top-flight Cornas. You'll note it is not only European wines that get a nod this month.

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2000, Domaine Arlaud: A vintage that is up for drinking soon. Arlaud's Clos de la Roche might not be as good as Dujac's, but it is a seriously lovely drink. £35.00 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Chambolle-Musigny 1999, Domaine Ghislaine Barthod: A great village wine for drinking now or ageing a few years. Read the note here. £21.95 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Cornas Domaine Saint Pierre 1995, Jaboulet: An excellent, sophisticated, stylish Cornas. The price is very good. £19.50 from the Wine Society.

Bourgogne Rouge 2002, Domaine Arlaud: One of the best Bourgogne Rouges I've had, at this price it is a steal. £10.25 from Stone, Vine and Sun.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, Tim Adams: A personal favourite, this is as cheap as good wine gets. Whilst this is nice and ripe it also has a good degree of rigour and balance. It is not over ripe or over-blown. It is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Cabernet Franc. £9.95 from the Wine Society.

More prices and availability from Wine Searcher.

Yesterday I went on a day trip to France with a friend and my partner; the idea was to buy cheap Champagne. It was a successful trip.

The Champagne monger of choice in Calais is Perardel on rue Marcel Doret, a few minutes drive away from the ferry terminal. The prices were generally a third lower than in the UK. If you should visit I heartily recommend Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve at €24 a bottle, their Blanc de Blanc non-vintage at €32.70 a bottle and Gosset Grande Reserve for €26.60. They also had some Pol Roger Brut Chardonnay 1996 for a bargain €40 and I do have a bit of a soft-spot for Gratien non-vintage at €22.50.

They also had a few Champagnes from smaller growers. I picked up a couple of bottles from Pierre Gimonnet and, perhaps foolishly, a bottle of Egly-Ouriet's basic Pinot Meunier. I've hated every other bottle of Egly-Ouriet I've tried, they are ridiculous beasts with no harmony or refinement, but this basic wine was recommended to me by a reliable person.

When priced so keenly Champagne does not seem quite such a luxury item so it can be opened and enjoyed more freely.

I'm around at the neighbours place and a bottle of Grosset Polish Hill 2004 has been cracked. This is really excellent Riesling: fresh, lively, balanced, complex, really lovely stuff. At fifteen quid a bottle from the Wine Soc it is a bargain. It'll age for ten or so years as well, if you have the facilities.

Here are this month's recommendations. Some real bargains; good wine does start at around a tenner a bottle (this is Elitist Review after all).

Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 2001, Domaine des Lambrays: Brilliant Burgundy, read the note here. £47 (there is a case discount) from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Barolo Ceretta 1999, Ettore Germano: Really top class, modern-style Barolo. It'll age really well (I've got two bottles in the cellar), but there is more than a degree of intellectual, but explosive, pleasure about it. £35 from Ten Acre Wines.

Pinot Auxerrois 'H' Vieilles Vignes, Josmeyer: Old vines Auxerrois from the Hengst Grand Cru vineyard, but they are not allowed to call it that. It is quite mineral, and a lovely drink. £16.50 from Ten Acre Wines.

Mesh Riesling 2004, Grosset/Hill-Smith: The baby brother of the Polish Hill Riesling. I suggested the neighbours get some and it is a real bargain. It is proper, grown-up Riesling. £12.95 from the Wine Society.

Savennières L'Enclos 2001, Eric Morgat: More restrained and balanced than the 2002. It is drinking most enjoyably now. £11.95 from the Wine Society.

For more sources try Wine Searcher.

Someone asked in a comment, this seems an ideal thing to turn into a cheap blog entry.

Good internet/mail-order companies include: Stone, Vine and Sun (Mmmm... they've got Cathiard), Lea and Sandeman (they've got shops in London), Howard Ripley (a great list with good German stuff too, good for en primeurs, sadly not much depth of stock), Ten Acre Wines (mixed stuff) and the Wine Society (but you have to pay for membership).

For en primeur offers try Howard Ripley or O. W. Loeb.

Retail outlets that are good include Fortnum and Mason, Lea and Sandeman and Handford.

Of course, you can always visit Burgundy.

February's recommendations are a day late.

Champagne Avize Grand Cru 1996, Jacquesson: A great, lively, zesty pure Chardonnay Champagne. An excellent bottle. £41.60 from Ten Acre Wines.

Champagne Cuvée 730, Jacquesson: One of my favourite non-vintage Champagnes. Powerful and complex. £26.95 from Ten Acre Wines.

Sancerre Rouge la Belle Dame 2002, Domaine Vacheron: Pinot Noir from Sancerre, tastes like decent Burgundy. £23.00 from the Wine Society.

Polish Hill Riesling 2004, Grosset: Excellent dry Riesling. Read the note here. £14.95 from the Wine Society.

Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Brampton: A bargain Sauvignon Blanc that is a perfectly acceptable drink. £6.95 from Ten Acre Wines.

You can find additional sources on Wine Searcher.

Since more and more people seem to be dropping by repeatedly I thought it reasonable to provide more content; I aim to please! Consequently, I will attempt to provide some buying suggestions on a monthly basis. These are wines that I have tried or will be buying myself. So, here we go with five wines from around the web.

Clos des Lambrays 2001, Domaine des Lambrays: A lovely, beautiful Grand Cru Burgundy that will age extremely well. £47.00 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Pommard Premier Cru Grand Clos des Epenots 2003, Domaine de Courcel: I am not much of a fan of 2003 Burgundy but Yves Confuron, that charming curmudgeon, made great wines in this vintage. I tried them out of cask and was mightily impressed, even he warmed up after a few glasses. £35.95 (there is a case discount) from Lea and Sandeman.

Volnay Premier Cru Chevrets 2002, Domaine Jean Boillot: A ripe, fleshy, but elegant Volnay. This has really nice fruit and is very mineral. £35.95 (there is a case discount) from Lea and Sandeman.

Sancerre Le Reine Blanche 2004, Domaine Vacheron: Really good Sancerre, not overblown but a good, refreshing drink to enjoy on any occasion. Not only is it a good wine it is also made by a lovely chap, and it is good to buy wines made by lovely people. £11.95 from the Wine Society.

Bandol 2001, Château Pibarnon: When I tried this at the Château the owner was highly amused by my excitement and was flattered that I called this a 'sexy wine'. It'll age extremely well and in a decade will be wonderful with liver sausage. Fine and Rare Wines sell it by the case, but I know Fortnum and Mason have individual bottles for about £20.

If you are not buying in the UK or wish to search for additional suppliers then Wine Searcher is worth visiting.

I hope, dear reader, you find these suggestions helpful.