James Bercovici - The Big Red Wine Company

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Robert Parker's replacement for Rhone reviews, Jeb Dunnuck has given a stunning reappraisal of many wines from the 2011 vintage. First a word about 2012 which he describes as "a great vintage for the whites". I could have told him that in April when I first tasted the white wines from Laurent Brusset , Domaine des Anges and Raymond Usseglio whose new Cotes du Rhone Blanc scores an outstanding 90 points. That seems fair to me; it is a truly superb white. Raymond Usseglio 's 2011 reds (in stock) all receive excellent reviews and, for me, it is about time his Part des Anges  cuvee got the top score (not that I have any problems with the delicious 2011  Imperiale - I just think Stephane should be rewarded for his efforts and successes with this fairly new wine). This is a sensationally black-fruited wine that just goes on and on. I had a bottle of the 2007 with a friend a couple of weeks ago - he had not tasted this cuvee before and was completely bowled over. Yes,...

December's issue, out now (as a subscriber, I received my copy before the end of October! I will never understand this) features the results of a tasting of Gigondas 2010/11. The UK's leading Rhone specialist, John Livingstone-Learmonth, advises that the levels of ripeness in 2010 were excellent whereas there was more unevenness in 2011 which means, of course, caveat emptor  (or, at least, buy a wine you either know or from a merchant you trust). He describes 2010 as a "more complete vintage" although the panel certainly does not write off the 2011 vintage at all. A criticism that was levied against a few of the wines was heavy handed use of oak. When I first got to know Gigondas, it was a time of experimenting with new oak in the top cuvees (started, I believe, at Domaine les Gouberts) and it was fun for a while but Grenache doesn't always react well to the gentle oxidation that inevitably takes place in the barrel and, frankly, if you want an "internati...

The annual tasting of French wines selected by 50 UK wine critics - three wines each so 150 altogether - took place a few weeks ago in London and today has been written up in the Ham & High by Liz Sagues who points out that "unlike just about every other trade wine tasting in the UK, the bottles are there because people who know and love wine want to drink them, not because they’re the choice of a wine-promoting organisation of whatever kind." Event founder, Andrew Jefford had already reviewed  Domaine Joblot   Givry 1er Cru 'Clos du Cellier aux Moines' 2010 :  “Precise, fresh scents of mingled red and black cherries, with poised and  vivacious fruit flavours which warm, fill and fatten on the palate.” Liz Sagues agreed with the emphasis on this wine in her column; this was the one wine she highlighted from the tasting: "For a single recommendation, rather than one of my own choices, here’s a memorable wine – a perfumed, elegant and warmly fruited red ...

A couple of days after the fact but my memory is probably better today than yesterday (after the lunch I went to Uppingham to present a selection of Rhone wines). Before the eagerly awaited lunch (I had enjoyed a similar starter at the Manzone meal in March), a tasting of 2010 Barbaresco and 2009 Barolo. Fortunately I was one of the first to arrive but within minutes there were 25 people, mostly male, crowding round a small table with a dozen or so wines to try before we sat down around 12.30. Not much time to savour the subtle nuances of a dozen young Nebbiolos.  Indeed, one seasoned Nebbophile later commented that it was, perhaps, too much even for him - his actual comment was "I must admit to being a bit overwhelmed by the volume of wines - for all my love of Nebbiolo, in the end I felt myself craving for some variety, even though interestingly clear differences were visible. I think I'm a wimp!" For some reason a Roero had been allowed to slip through, the incre...

Off to meet the good people of Uppingham on Wednesday evening. They have asked me to present a selection of wines from the Southern Rhone. Here is what I am proposing: White wines 1.       Domaine Brusset, Cairanne-Côtes du Rhône Villages 2012 "Travers" 2.       Raymond Usseglio, Côtes du Rhône 2012 “Les Claux Red wines 3.       Domaine de la Charité, Côtes du Rhône Villages 2010 4.       Domaine Grand Veneur, Lirac 2010 5.       Domaine Brusset, Gigondas 2009 “Le Grand Montmirail” 6.       Xavier Vignon, “Début” 7.       Raymond Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007 8.       Domaine de Cristia, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2004 Fortified wines 9a.   Domaine des Côteaux des Travers, Rasteau 2007 9b.     Domaine Bressy-Masson, Rasteau Rancio ...

Italy has two leading wine guides: Gambero Rosso (which I know better as there is an English translation) and Veronelli. This latter publication has just published its list of 3 Star wines (the best) for 2014 and there in the Piedmont section is Nada Giuseppe 's  Barbaresco Riserva Casot 2008 . Fantastic news for Enrico and the family. Well done! I have been enjoying the 2007 - I am trying to hold back my last few bottles of the stunning 2006 - and have pulled a couple of corks from 2008s which looks to me more a re-run of 2008 so expect me to be reticent about letting you have any!