I've wanted to try this wine for years, the Ramonets claim it is the best red wine of the Cote de Beaune. I've just never seen it for sale by the bottle anywhere until I went to a sushi restaurant in Helsinki: it had to be purchased.

Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Premier Cru Clos Saint Jean 2004, Domaine Ramonet
The nose has a great purity of fruit and real elegance, this smells beautiful. There is fresh strawberry fruit there, and a real complex minerality which is similar to the minerality one would expect to find in in white Chassange. For a 2004 this smells reasonably, if not incredibly ripe. The palate is extremely refined and silky. Acidity is definitely an intregral part of this wine, but it is not overwhleming. It is quite light bodied, but there is no shortage of concentration. The tannin levels are surprisingly low, but this is not a problem. It is extremely complex with lovely flavours that really excite and thrill. Very long, too. This is an extremely good bottle of wine that emphasises elegance, purity and refinement. I don't think it is the best wine of the Cote de Beaune, but it is ranking. Whilst this will age well, it provides one hell of a lot of pleasure now. If I had another bottle I'd drink it now with someone who likes Volnay; it is very Cote de Beaune-y and I think it'd fool them. I loved it, and I would love to try it in a slightly riper vintage. If anyone knows where I can get 2005 by the bottle do spill the beans so I can snap a couple up.

Since I last had this in November, I've come to the opinion that this is my favourite affordable Cabernet based wine. It has rigour and structure yet it is actually nice to drink. I admit some may find it a bit heroic, but we all need a bit of wildness in our lives from time to time.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Moss Wood
This wine is black. A lovely, expressive nose of perfectly ripe blackcurrants; I wish Ribena smelled as good as this. There is some cedar wood and I think the expensive oak treatment this gets shows its pedigree on the nose. I'd be amiss if I didn't say, "Hell's bells this is quite alcoholic!" The nose is bold and authoritatively announces it will give you a good time when you taste it. So I'll taste it. Lovely fruit is there framed in a fine tannic structure. It has reasonable acidity too; this is not one of those soupy horrors. Mmmm... yeah, lovely structure. There is a reasonable degree of complexity about the interplay of fruit, tannin and wood which makes this worth a premium price. Good finish too, although I wonder if the wood stands out a bit on the finish. OK, maybe it does, but this is one svelte sexy charmer of a Cabernet which packs a high-calibre handgun inside its silk smoking jacket.

These two wines have sat in my cellar for two years after purchase. I thought I would compare them on some significant event but then, isn't every night with one's friends a significant event?

Z.D. 2001, Green Point
There is some good fruit on the nose, but also something damp and fungal; hints of Chenin Blanc? It smells aged rather than matured. The palate has some dirty fruit as well, and an aggressive acidic character. This has lost the fresh fruit and charm of its youth and now seems rather old and tired.

Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, R & L Legras
A lovely, developed, buttery, honeyed nose. This smells like Chablis with extra lemon zest. Mousse is a bit rough, but there is some lovely fruit and minerality there. This seems at a perfect stage of development. It is a bit fizzy, I cannot deny, but for a fifteen quid botte of fizz this has deemed itself worthy of a couple of years in the cellar.

I've reported on this before, it is a real treat to have it again.

Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 'Vignoble de Vaulorent' 2004, Domaine William Fevre
A lovely honeyed, nutty nose, this is really complex and quite beautiful. Lots of minerality, lots of fruit here. The nose is as clean as a whistle. This is really lovely. The palate has great acidity, but really lovely fruit and a great mineral complexity. It is very long. And stylish. This really is the cat's arse. Excellent stuff, only the 2005 is better.

I purchased this bottle attempted to test my normal buying rule that decent wine starts at roughly ten pounds a bottle. This cost an Ayrton and it is very good for that price.

Bourgogne Rouge 2002, Ghislaine Barthod
Nice cherry fruit on the nose, it seems reasonably ripe. Beyond the fruit there is not that much else there, though; it is quite simple. The palate has reasonable body with pretty fruit and reasonable acidity. It is a lively little number, that is for sure. Tannins seem ripe enough, it is not hard or tough. OK, this is a very simple glass of Burgundy, but the fruit is nice and it has a degree of charm. Not to be sniffed at for ten quid.