James Bercovici - The Big Red Wine Company

It's always a wonderful thing to open cases from the new vintages of any wine so when twenty of so different new wines arrive together it's rather like being a kid with a key to the candy store. Actually, this surprises me as I always rebuff any notion that the pleasure in wine has anything to do with anything other than what is inside the bottle yet I  seem to be saying that the aesthetics of the packaging, and in particular the label, brings something to the table. Yes, I was interested to see that the 2010 Broccardo is in a sloping 'Burgundy' bottle in contrast to the square-shouldered 'Bordeaux' bottle of the 2009 vintage and I noted the new look label which I admired for its more traditional look than the more modernist 2009 but what of it? I know the real enjoyment will come when, all too prematurely, literally, I crack open the first bottle for my first tasting of this magnificent vintage since I was at the winery back in April.  One of the other wond...

What a great name for a wine! The back story is a little tricky to tell but only because of archaic French wine laws which designate this a mere vin de France  The problem is that this is a blend of the two main grapes from the region where Xavier Vignon is based (I don't know if I am allowed to give any more detail than this!), one of which is allowed to declassify the wines from the prestigious AOC to the generic, regional one, the other of which isn't. Confused? OK, I will delve into the hypothetical. Let's say the region is the Rhone Valley in France and the two grapes are Syrah (the king of the north) and Grenache (the powerhouse of the south). In the north, there are appellations such as Cote Rotie and Hermitage  which produce, most would agree, the world's greatest Syrah wines but if, for any reason, a producer wishes to declassify the wine, he can release it as a mere Cotes du Rhone . In the south, this is possible in appellations such as Gigondas but not...

Did the monks have this in mind when they walled this vineyard? Presumably so; why wouldn't they want a fabulous wine like this? After all, they had a pretty good life compared with many at that time. What is fascinating is how different this cuvee is to others in the range, all from the same Pinot clones, of similar age, and all from Givry vineyards. This wine is more Chambolle than Gevrey but actually it's a Givry so a fraction of the price of either. Its intense red fruits with violet combine in a palate that's oh so smooth and delicate but not without substance. What a mass of wonderful contradictions! Hints of underbrush and more to come but, for now, there is a silkiness coating my mouth and some perky acidity dripping from the sides of my tongue that makes me want to come back for more. I have been tasting a lot of Burgundies recently at all price points and there are many over-extracted disasters or weedy wines out there, even now. Not this one though. And it...

First of all, a huge apology to anyone who bothers to check in from time to time. My long silence was caused by a family matter which has distracted me somewhat. Anyway, enough of that. What have I been up to wine-wise? Easter saw my annual trip to the Rhone and Piedmont, now firmly part of the routine. The Rhone was all about the 2012 vintage which is an extremely attractive and quite user-friendly year with wines offering attractive fruit that is a joy to let pass one's lips. More about this here . Italy provided a much needed break but it was still very busy and, at times, hard work. We arrived on the Saturday evening at our accommodation and had clearly been forgotten. After going out for a simple dinner, we managed to get into the apartment we had arranged, overlooking the valley towards Alba and hilltop villages including Barbaresco in the distance. The following day had us back in the car again to meet with the Ghio family who have spent the last decade or so planting an...

Some good reviews in this month's Decanter, starting with Steven Spurrier's reflections on Mas de Daumas Gassac 's current release, the 2011: 'An elegant concentration produced from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1973 blended with 15 other grapes. Midi warmth softens the Cabernet austerity to give vigorous individuality. A brilliant wine.' I rather like that last sentence, I must admit. However, I slightly disagree with Steven over the wine's drinking dates: he suggests it can be broached this year which is, of course, true but, as with all vintages of this wine, it will be so much improved with time. I wouldn't touch it until 2018 at least. I also note that he cites the price as £30; I must be undercharging! A few pages on in the same issue sees a review of the 2011 vintage in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. After 2010, this was never going to wow anyone but there are some superb wines nonetheless. It is a shame that none of Raymond Usseglio 's wines we...

'The Porker has grunted' was the headline of an email received today from Domaine des Anges boss, Gay McGuinness. Perhaps the citation in Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate will be short-lived for DDA given this but the reviews are well merited and, frankly, long overdue. I know Ciaran spent many hours in frustration that, without a reputable American importer, it was seemingly impossible to get the team at the wine world's most influential publication to look at his wines. Now, fate has played a cruel hand: just as Ciaran has moved on to vineyards new, Parker has handed over the tasting of Rhone wines to Jeb Dunnock who has reviewed the current crop of 2011s from what must rank as the Ventoux' highest vineyard. First, though, the 2012 Ventoux Blanc, a perennial favourite for its easy fruit and crisp structure. This was awarded 87 points which is really quite remarkable for a Ventoux Blanc: 'Offering up notions of mulled pears, citrus  rind and subt...

Time to celebrate (well, perhaps not at 7.30 in the morning) as I have completed 31 consecutive days without a drop. I don't see that happening again for a while! However, a huge thanks to everyone who has supported me in this - so far we have raised just under £1100 and there is more to come in (if promises are kept - I know who you are!!!). Off to London now then back home to pull some corks. My Just Giving page