A colleague and I were invited to the launch tasting of the latest vintage releases from iconic Ribera del Duero property, Vega Sicilia. For those not already in know, in very simple terms, Ribera del Duero is a region in the north of Spain known for its red wines, made usually from the Tempranillo grape. Vega Sicilia is its most famous wine producer, established in the 19th Century and making long-lived red wines from a blend of Tempranillo and international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

This morning we tasted the four great reds made by the property: Pintia, Alion, Valbuena and Unico.  I only tasted these wines for the first time a couple of weeks ago, so I was intrigued to be able to taste the newest vintages and had an open mind as to what to expect. They were all tremendously good, and all incredibly different from each other. The 2008 Pintia was an open and attractive charmer; the 2008 Alion was more closed and reserved, in need of lots of patience, but probably worth the wait; the 2007 Valbuena was absolutely beautiful, no two ways about it; the 2002 Unico was pure, fresh, tightly wound and supremely elegant. It was the Valbuena that truly won my heart today, but the Unico – I believe – will prove to be a winner.

Following this, we were very privileged to be invited to lunch at the newly opened HIX restaurant in the Belgraves hotel. Alongside a menu of Senorio ham, sirloin of Shorthorn beef, cheese and Yorkshire rhubarb jelly with bergamot icecream, we were served 2009 Mandolas (Furmint from Vega Sicilia’s property in Tokaji), 2004 Alion and Valbuena, 1995 Unico, 1987 Unico and 2002 Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos.

The food was very good and represented the first time that I have EVER enjoyed rhubarb, but it was the wine that took centre stage – and rightly so. Of the first pair of red wines, it was the Valbuena once again that I was drawn to – structured, yet fragrant with soft dark berry fruits, subtle spice and a beautifully layered texture. The two older vintages of Unico demonstrated the ageing potential these wines: the 1995 barely looked a day old and was packed full of ripe fruit characters; structural tannins framed a voluptuous fruit profile – it still had a long way to go. Javier Ausas from the estate said that he wouldn’t touch Unico for at least 20 years after its vintage and the 1987 vintage (now 25 years old) proved his point; it was still delightfully fresh and was only just beginning to show maturation qualities.

It’s hard to believe, but I could be a lot more geeky and enthusiastic about these wines. However, I shall call it a day for now. They are fantastic wines. That’s probably all I needed to say in the first place.

2009 Bordeaux has been pronounced as a great vintage by wine merchants and critics alike, but perhaps by no-one more so than by the renowned American critic, Robert Parker, who last week tweeted “after 33 years of doing this 2009 is the single greatest vintage I have ever tasted…”

While it is fair to say that his tastes and opinions are not always in line with my own, nor a large proportion of the UK wine trade, I do enjoy listening to his opinions and reading his tasting notes.  I read so many reviews of wines that focus solely on the negatives and none of the positives that it makes me wonder if some wine critics actually enjoy tasting wine.  However, whether one agrees with him or not, it is clear that Robert Parker unashamedly loves good wine, which can only be a good thing.

Although I don’t have 33 years of life under my belt,  never mind 33 Bordeaux vintages tasted,  I do happen to agree with Robert Parker. 2009 is unquestionably a great vintage and I, for one, cannot wait to hear what he says about the many great wines he is due to review at the end of this month.

Such is his enthusiasm for the vintage, it is widely predicted that many of the wines he has now tasted in bottle will reach the top end of the provisional scores he gave them when tasting en primeur.

For a full listing of all our available 2009 Bordeaux, please visit our website.

…tasting for HSBC merchant services yesterday evening, the stunning views were eclipsed by the wines.

Highlights included Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV Champagne with its wonderfully elegant citrus and floral driven palate balanced by a fine persistent mousse. Finishing on Clos Saint Jean’s 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a blockbuster of a wine with real power and presence on the palate, but with the hallmark freshness of this special vintage. 

Lay & Wheeler are always happy to hear from organisations interested in Corporate Wine Tastings – whether you are entertaining clients at your premises, hosting internal teams, external press events, networking guests or staging any other form of business function to create interaction between participants. We provide the wines, the consultants and the tasting know-how, and can tailor the format to ensure success and enhance your function. To obtain further details of our corporate wine tasting events, please call 01473 313 300.

This is a great opportunity to taste a range of wines from the 2010 vintage, a vintage which continues to impress us throughout the fine wine regions of France. We will be showing wines from Domaine de Pégau, Clos St. Jean, Domaine Giraud, Domaine de Cristia, Domaine René Rostaing, Domaine Ogier and Domaine Alain Voge, among others.

Many of the growers will be in attendance themselves and – with only 100 places available – we recommend you book now to avoid disappointment.

Reserve your tickets here .

Really exciting Burgundies that are languishing in the dark recesses of our bonded warehouse, often even surprise us…

A quick trawl through today’s listings, for instance, reveals a case of the sublime, but quite obviously hidden gem ’07 Volnay from Domaine des Comtes Lafon for £588.00 for a case of 12 bottles under bond…. here

Or how about ’02 Chambolle-Musigny from Domaine Comte de Vogüé for just £131 per bottle, here Although with such limited stock, it really is a case (sic) of first come, first served…

The various UK Merchants’ Burgundy Tastings across London last week have done much to bolster the notion that 2010 is another milestone in artisan wine production from the region. Allen Meadows’ Burghound has been as bold to suggest that “the wines are superior to their 2009 counterparts, particularly surprising given the challenging weather conditions that growers faced in 2010″.

The Burgundians are less business like than the Bordelais, Burgundy producers ultimately want their wines to be bought by private clients who store them carefully and genuinely appreciate them, but there is undoubtedly more pressure than ever on allocations and it appears this is on the increase this year.

The majority of growers overcame the challenging weather elements and produced excellent wines, and although yields were down between an estimated 30- 40% on 2009, the net result is stock is in limited supply and buyers may need deeper pockets this year. Prices of the revered DRC wines on world auction markets are reaching stratospheric levels – proving that fine wine is a truly global commodity with cases of exceptional vintages La Tache, for instance, selling at auction last month in London, New York & Hong Kong for £60,000 (Sterling) per case.

Live-Ex on their website quote “Trading members have reported modest price rises of five to ten per cent across all quality levels. Of course, where vineyards (and hence production) were severely affected by the adverse weather, increases can be as high as 40 per cent. All of the fine wine traders that we spoke to said that demand for the Premier Cru and Grand Cru reds was outstripping supply. According to one merchant, “Price is definitely not the problem. Because yields were so low, not enough stock is
available.” Buyers who have not been able to secure allocations will have to hunt for stock on the secondary market, where prices are likely to rise quickly.”

Our wines are now listed here with prices and while the majority are on allocation presently, there are some remarkable value wines to purchase.

Many of the wines are in strictly limited supply and we are certain to be oversubscribed, so it is always necessary for us to allocate rare and limited stocks. If you haven’t already placed an order, we would ask you to let us know which wines you are interested in, so that we can allocate as fairly as possible. To receive a full list of the prices, please click this link… Burgundy 2010 EOI Tasting Form, then please call us on 01473 313 300 to discuss which wines you would like to purchase.

Our ever-popular January Sale is now online, offering substantial discounts on great wines from sought-after vintages and producers. Starting at just £8.15 a bottle, this is great opportunity to secure some delicious fine wines to enjoy now or in the future.

All of the wines featured are priced duty paid for immediate delivery and available to buy online, or feel free to call our team of Fine Wine Consultants on 01473 313 300

As usual, we will be running an Expression of Interest system for this vintage, as we will almost certainly be over subscribed. We will work on allocations after the Burgundy Tasting on 12^th January and will endeavour to let our clients know the wines that have been allocated thereafter.

If you have any questions or would like any further information or recommendations, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our sales team, all of whom have visited the region to taste the wines. Please call +44 1473 313300 to talk to a member of the team or email fine.wine@laywheeler.com.

It is always difficult after one good vintage to find oneself singing the praises of the next and yet it is a position in which we have found ourselves for Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhône alike when comparing the 2009 and 2010 vintages.

The 2010 Burgundies were almost-universally a delight to taste. The one quality about which you will hear us wax lyrical in our tasting notes is the freshness. This was without doubt the hallmark of the vintage, giving the fruit nature of both whites and reds a lovely sense of vibrancy and drive.

Low yields caused by somewhat inclement spring weather, a warm (but not hot) summer and cool nights, created ideal conditions for the resulting wines to be complex, classic and incredibly well balanced: ripe, without being overblown, structured, without being austere.

Additionally, the subtlety and balance of this vintage have allowed the unique nature of the individual vineyards to be evident in the glass. This terroir-driven style seems to be one of the characteristics that has most pleased the winemakers, who strive to make wines that express their origins, in terms of vintage, climate, domaine and geography.

Our 2010 Burgundy En Primeur tasting is on 12^th January 2012. This is the perfect opportunity to taste the wines from this vintage, as well as to meet many of the producers to discuss the vintage and their domaines. The wines need to be tasted to be believed, so if you can attend, secure your tickets now.

Venue: Glaziers Hall, SE1 9DD
Time: 6pm-8pm
Tickets: £30 per person

Tickets can be purchased online here, by telephone on +44 1473 313300 or email at sales@laywheeler.com.

Christmas is only a few weeks away and, with that in mind, we have put together a temptingly festive list of fine wines. From mature Bordeaux to crisp white Burgundyand beautifully presented Champagne, there are plenty of treats to wrap for your loved ones or to grace your table.

Impeccably sourced and stored, all are available by the bottle (with the exception of the gift packs of Champagne), are perfect to drink this year, and are competitively priced, with free delivery on all orders of six bottles of more.

The full offer can be viewed here, but as a taster, here are some of the wines we have selected:

Red Bordeaux, including 2000 Potensac, 2002 Langoa-Barton, 1995 Pichon-Baron and 1995 Rauzan-Ségla.
White Burgundy, including 2009 Chablis, Comte Lafon Maconnais and great whites from Darviot-Perrin, Patrick Javillier and Etienne Sauzet.
Champagne, including gift packs from Cristal and Taittinger
Other whites from Austria, Loire Valley and Bordeaux
Other reds from Italy, the Rhône

***Last day for guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery is 16^th December***

As we release the 2009 wines from Albert Boxler, our Buying Assistant and envoy to the region back in July, Edwina,  shares her thoughts on this sometimes under-valued corner of the wine world and on this brilliant producer, an old favourite of Lay and Wheeler’s. For specific details on the range of wines offered, click here. 

Alsace is one of the great, unsung treasures of the wine world.  The old Alsatian wine villages have a timeless beauty; The predominant grape varieties are German and, unusually for France, it is these which take pride of place on the label.  Gewürztraminer and Riesling grow alongside Muscat, Pinot Gris and, less frequently, Pinot Noir, on a patchwork of different soil types and aspects, often just a stone’s throw apart.  There is a greater diversity of soils and subsoils here than in any other major wine region of France.  Furthermore, the unique, warm climate with its limited rainfall is ideal for a slow, extended ripening season, which contributes to wines with elegant, complex aromas.  The unmistakable influence of ‘terroir’ has never been more significant.
Across France, 2009 was a recognisably superb vintage and nowhere more so than in Alsace.  The previous three vintages in this region had all possessed significantly high levels of acidity but 2009, by contrast, is more moderate, with levels comparable with 2005.  Consequently, the resultant wines show real grace, sophistication and balance.

Domaine Albert Boxler is a 300-year-old estate situated in the small town of Niedermorschwihr. The domaine is today in the talented hands of Jean Boxler, who cites his father as being instrumental in his development as a winemaker. Domaine Boxler possesses vines in the Grands Crus of Brand (a very warm site producing richer wines) and Sommerberg (cooler, producing finer, nervier wines) – indeed 80% of their vineyards are classified Grand Cru. In a true reflection of Jean’s philosophy on wine, the domaine’s wines are pure in nature and classic in style, he comments that they are neither traditional nor modern, just natural and expressive.

Like the Bordeaux and Rhône from the same vintages, it appears thatBurgundyhas excelled in 2010 – albeit producing a smaller volume of wine than in previous years. Reports from the teams currently tasting are almost universally positive, with perhaps unsurprising love for luminaries like Ghislaine Barthod and Sylvain Cathiard. However, great praise has also been forthcoming for Domaine Jean Grivot’s encapsulation of the vintage’s hallmark freshness and ripeness, Domaine Humbert Frère’s precise and beautifully textured style and the wines from Patrick Javillier, described by one of our consultants as “always very good, but as fine a set of wines as I can remember”.

Our tasting notes and vintage report will be published in early December, but we will be writing a couple of reports of our tastings in the meantime, so keep an eye on this blog for more information.

Although we have been offering the 2010 vintage Châteauneuf-du Pape for a couple of weeks now, it is always interesting to see Robert Parker’s scores when they come out. We knew from our own tastings that the 2010 vintage was extraordinary and our opinions are supported in his report in The Wine Advocate this week:

“This is a great vintage that comes close in quality to 2007 in the southern Rhône. Some producers think 2010 eclipses 2007 because of the wines’ vivid freshness and focus. Throughout the southern Rhône, the hallmarks of the vintage are very dense purple, sometimes even blue/black colors as well as higher acid levels that have not been seen since 2004 and 2001. In fact, 2010′s paradox is that I can’t remember a vintage so concentrated, powerful and rich that also has such zesty acidity….

 The 2010s will have significant aging potential, which is obvious in the level of tannins, but the tannins are sweet with exceptional elegance and finesse. The ratio of high extractive and phenolic skins to the juice has produced wines of extraordinary intensity, freshness, aromatic potential and obvious longevity. This is another great vintage that offers an embarrassment of riches for this region that has enjoyed a succession of extraordinary years… Add the possibility of a trifecta in 2011, and readers can see why more and more importers and consumers are beating a path to these outstanding wines that offer a terrific ratio in terms of value and pleasure, as well as the potential for moderate evolution in a wine collection.”

Our full Rhône 2010 offer will be in Spring 2012, but we still have some volumes of the early-released Châteauneufs from Beaucastel, Clos des Papes and Vieux Télégraphe available, with prices and the relevant scores below:

The stunning décor of the Paul Hamlyn Hall at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden was the setting for one of our most exciting days in recent weeks, an opportunity for the UK Wine Trade to check up on the superlative 2009 Bordeaux, courtesy of the Union des Grands Crus Classés. Nearly a year and a half after the Primeurs tasting, it is always fascinating to see how the wines have evolved.
As our 5-strong contingent took to the tasting floor and knuckled down, it soon became obvious that these wines very much deserve their reputation for ripe, seductive, juicy fruit with fantastic intensity and length. We tried every cru classé present on the day, and below are our personal favourites. You can see our current list of 2009 reds here, and whites here.

Ludo’s favourite: Château Figeac, St Emilion
I have always loved the style of Château Figeac, and the 2009 is no exception. For me, it really exudes class and breed and proves that St Emilion does not have to be exceedingly extracted to impress. The restrained yet intriguing nose is dominated by a slightly floral character, with spicy and herbal notes in the background. On the palate it is juicy, rich and very impressively long, but the most outstanding aspect is the layers of complexity that are already developing: the plummy fruit backbone is peppered with a multitude of flavours, scorched earth, tobacco, camphor and winter spice that succeed to one another. Given the perfectly integrated, fine tannic structure that keeps everything firmly but silkily in check, this is a very fine St Emilion indeed!  

 Will’s favourite: Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
For a wine that will age better than many a Grand Cru Côte d’Or, there is a delightful precociousness to the nose, showing an aromatic intensity of great balance between herbaceous, citrus and a lick of toasty oak. This follows on to a tight, zippy palate dominated by lime fruit and a subtle creaminess. Superb length too, this can only get better with time.

Al’s favourite: Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac (Sold Out)
2009 Pichon Baron displays a plethora of rich dark fruit notes, with a touch of Asian spice and classic Pauillac cedar. Incredible deep in color, this brooding beauty has the most amazing texture and wonderfully pure fruit. Loaded with cassis and blackberry flavors, wrapped in sumptuously smooth tannins, there is a fine backbone of acidity, which retains freshness and provides real lift. Only hinting at its potential; but what potential.

Kat’s favourite: Château La Conseillante, Pomerol (Sold Out)
Immediately violet-scented on the nose; fragrant and appealing. Supremely well balanced on the palate, with finely expressed tannins, beautifully pure dark berry fruit and layers of floral tones. A vein of minerality runs throughout and there is a dart of acidity that gives this a lovely sense of poise and freshness. A wine to bring a smile to your face. 

Paula’s favourite: Château Branaire-Ducru, St Julien
A vibrant nose, very fruit forward and attractive. Lovely Velvety rich palette, well integrated flavours dark fruits, chocolate, mocha and hints of vanilla. Wonderful sweet spice lingering on the end! For me this wine was quite approachable now, as were a number of the 2009’s. What a stunning vintage!

The story behind the “Palma” name on the labels is based on the fact that González-Byass cellar masters have used the palma mark in chalk on barrels containing very old or rare fino sherry. The greater the number of palmas appearing on the barrel, the older the sherry contained within. Therefore, the Finca Una Palma is just six years old; the Finca Cuatro Palmas is 40 years old.

We tasted the wines in the office last week and were blown away by the quality and complexity across the range , even starting with the extremely reasonably priced Una Palma.  The Cuatro Palmas is a unique and extraordinary sherry, showing intriguing savoury and sweet-natured characters; bold, yet elegant, expressive, yet refined.

The wines, tasting notes and offer can be viewed online here.

The wines are available only in small volumes and are designed to be consumed within 6 months of being bottled.

We are therefore offering these now for immediate delivery upon shipment. FREE delivery is included in the price of each wine, which will be delivered to your chosen address as soon as it arrives in the UK in November.

UnlikeBurgundy, the producers from whom we buy allow us to cherry-pick wines from their very best vineyards. The majority of their sales are still to the domestic market and so their prices remain sensible and stable, making this a great time to buy some of the finest wines inEurope.

The vintage

A cool and wet flowering suppressed yields, but it was these reduced yields that paid great dividends at harvest as  a dry and warm autumn with cool nights produced concentrated, well-balanced wines with huge potential.

The 2010 vintage was overall more successful for Grüner than the later-ripening Riesling. The Grüners have the same density and weight as 2009, without quite the same richness, but feel better balanced due to a wonderful, lace-like acidity. To make great Riesling in 2010 a producer had to wait or be making wine from one of the well-exposed vineyards such as Kellerberg – as ever though, we have bought only those most successful wines. All the wines will benefit from a couple of years in the bottle, but the Rieslings should really blossom after four or five.

To see the wines from the Austrian offer, please visit our website.

A common feature to the overwhelming majority of French wine labels is an absence of the grape varieties, in contrast to new world wines where the grape variety features prominently on the label. At the heart of the European wine ideal is the belief that the most important factors influencing a wine’s character are the soil, climate and culture of the area where the grape is grown. The idea is that Sancerre is more than just sauvignon blanc and the wines are imparted with a unique and distinctive character. This is especially important to single-vineyard wines in capturing the essence of a specific patch of land.

The featured Sancerre is a reflection of a single vineyard – ‘Les Monts Damnés’ from a single year’s growing season. Furthermore, note the differing font size of “Sancerre” and “Chavignol” on the label, and how the vigneron, François Cotat attaches greater emphasis the name of his local commune (Chavignol) within the Sancerre appellation. This is a man who has very well sited vineyards, and it shows in the excellence of his wines.

Sancerre typically starts at around £10 per bottle, so what does this £26 wine deliver? The expectation is often one of ‘much more of everything’, ‘bigger with more force’, which is not necessarily the case. It is increased intensity of flavour, complexity and in particular, it is the persistence of flavour which lingers on the palate which is a key quality factor. This is a wine which reveals subtleties and nuances over the course of the bottle rather than delivering an immediate upfront burst of flavour which then briskly fades away.

François Cotat’s style is a very restrained, reserved and mineral expression of Sauvignon Blanc. This is a Sancerre with depth, complexity, great texture and power, notable for its pin-point, focused purity of fruit flavour and perfumed aromas.

The “secret” is steep-sided vineyards, old vines, and years of experience. François adopts a very traditional, non-interventionist approach, barrel-fermenting the juice in old demi-muids using natural yeasts.

This wine is most definitely Chavignol first, Sancerre second and Sauvignon Blanc a distant third!

2010 Sancerre ‘Les Monts Damnés’ Domaine François Cotat £20 per bottle in bond.

In the wave of young, pioneering Spanish winemakers that have come to the fore over the last decade, Alvaro Palacios is arguably one of the most exciting. While a native of Rioja, he studied oenology in Bordeaux under the tutelage of Jean-Pierre Moueix, returning to Spain in 1990 to put his experience to good use. Choosing to settle in the great pre-Phylloxera vineyards of Priorat, he initially purchased the Finca Dofí vineyard, later adding the iconic L’Ermita.

An enthusiastic exponent of his art, he believes firmly in the power of terroir and chose his vineyards based on ancient Roman and later monastic sites, stating that “history has chosen the best”. He farms both Finca Dofi and L’Ermita biodynamically and bottles without filtration, allowing the vines to express their natural characters.

It is a philosophy that has garnered him great praise from critics and consumers alike, with his top wines amongst the most sought-after Spanish wines in any vintage.

Our offer of his 2010 wines can be seen here.

In 1888, Ferrucio Biondi-Santi identified a superior clone of Sangiovese, known locally as Brunello (also Sangiovese Grosso), and vinified it into a dense, muscular wine that he labelled Brunello di Montalcino. As such, he is rightly considered the father of this great Italian wine.

In the first 57 years of production of this prestigious wine, only four vintages were declared, which led to a reputation for rarity, prestige and high prices. In addition to that, ancient vintages were very impressive and encouraged new producers to get established in the area in the 1980s, followed by much-increased international interest. As a result, a region that boasted 150 acres and 11 bottlers in 1960 developed to over 3,700 acres and 175 producers by 2005.

Ferrucio’s role in Brunello di Montalcino’s genesis means it is perhaps not entirely surprising that when Italy’s wine authorities decided to create regulations for the production of Brunello di Montalcino in 1968, they followed his specific methods, rather than basing the rulebook on widespread customs and habits. This is the reason why Brunello is a single-varietal wine (and should continue to be for the foreseeable future, local producers having overwhelmingly voted against a move to allow international grape varieties in the blend in September 2011).

Historically, very long ageing periods used to prevail in the production of this very ambitious wine. 42 months in Slavonian oak was the legal minimum in 1968, and it was confirmed in a revision of the regulations in 1980. It was only in 1990 that this legal minimum was brought down to 36 months, then to 24 months in 1998. The main reason for this change is most likely to have been the inconsistent quality caused by old casks of sometimes dubious state and vintage variation (with fruit that was not necessarily rich enough to stand up to the oak). Since 1998, the minimum ageing is 48 months: at least 24 in oak, and the balance in bottle (at least 4 months).

One of the most important factors that explains the quality and style of Brunelllo di Montalcino is the climate enjoyed by the area around the town of Montalcino, 70 miles south of Florence. With annual rainfall of around 700mm, it is the driest Tuscan DOCG zone and also much warmer than any part of the Chianti area. Add the cool breeze coming from the Mediterranean (which helps lengthen the ripening process and keep rot at bay), and we can understand why the Sangiovese grapes here fully ripen much more consistently than their Chianti counterparts, and are generally healthy and packed full of flavour.

Whilst 120-odd years is not a long enough period to be able to draw up a precise classification of sub-sites within the region, we do know that there are two main parts of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG with noticeable differences: on the one hand, the northern part of the zone, with Galestro soils (marl-like) and higher altitude, which produces more aromatic wines. On the other hand, the area around Sant’ Angelo in Colle, with more clay in the soil and a higher average temperature. The harvest is usually a week earlier and the wines fuller and more forward. Some producers choose to blend both sub-zones to achieve a balanced style.

Another driver for quality in the region is the fact that it was the first DOCG to be graced with a “second-wine DOC”, Rosso di Montalcino, the (relatively) lighter wines which can be released at only 1 year old. This cash-flow-friendly wine allows producers to counteract the financial burden of lengthy ageing rules for Brunello and find a route to market for the grapes that, whilst perfectly good, are perhaps not concentrated and powerful enough for their top wine. The result is a higher density and higher quality for the Brunello. Meanwhile, the Sant’ Antimo DOC uses the same boundaries as Brunello but allows the use of the many international grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) that are still planted in the area.

Our Brunello 2006 offer can be seen here.