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WINE tasting, so the experts say, should be carried out in a white-painted, north-facing room, with diffused light, free from sources of distraction, writes Neville Smith.
It is mark of Private Cellar’s laid-back approach that our conference table swiftly becomes a tasting table, spittoons and all. When we are done, it returns to its day job in marketing manager Laura Taylor’s kitchen.
The wines selected for me to taste come from Private Cellar’s heartland but there are surprises too, with the team keen to show that while they can sell claret and Burgundy all day, there is plenty of interest elsewhere within the compact list.
Villa Wolf Pinot Gris, Pfalz 2006 (£7.90) is a good opener; a light style, a little spice and tingling acidity combine to make it a perfect aperitif.
The presence of Pinot Grigio Gregoris, Fattori 2007 (£8.71) is testament to the grape’s sometimes puzzling popularity but this is a good example; appley and soft, but gently persistent too.
Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet, Isabelle & Denis Pommier 2006 (£16.94) is a little more serious — a classic, clean and fresh chardonnay, with a blend of stainless steel and barrel fermentation adding extra depth and mineral complexity.
Marsanne Côtes du Rhône Château Beauchêne 2006 (£10.86) as well as Terroir Selection Chenin Blanc, Springfontein 2007 (£11.35), are more challenging. The marsanne is a small batch wine with a distinctive nose, rich with honey and flowers. It’s heady stuff, and a food wine for all but the committed.
The chenin comes on almost like Burgundy; fat, fleshy and full bodied thanks to barrel fermentation and ageing, but chenin can take it and produce a wine that is still fresh on the finish.
Right on cue for summer, Château de Sours Rosé 2007 (£8.46) is one of the bargains of the season. A lovely colour, its creamy merlot fruit is smooth — never sour — finishing dry with just a whiff of minerality.
Moving into reds, Bordeaux Superieur Ets JP Moueix 2005 (£8.89) makes a fine introduction to a much-heralded vintage, with ripe fruit and toasty oak combined in a great package from one of the region’s premier winemakers.
Château Beaulieu 2004 (£10.96) is a step along the same path. More intense and with punchier tannins, it’s a welcome reminder of the quality of the under-rated 2004 vintage.
A pair of Burgundies are an equally ample demonstration of what can be achieved without breaking the bank. Neither Frédérick Magnien’s Bourgogne Rouge 2005 (£12.53) or Anne-Sophie Debavelaere’s Beaune les Sceaux 2005 (£15.75) is cheap, but both represent a good-value entry point to an over-priced region.
Magnien’s wine is marked by clean and pure fruit style with a gently spicy, wiry pinot noir finish. Its counterpart is lighter in approach but still shows plenty of ripe red fruit with a whiff of smokiness. It’s a classic take on Beaune.
Another fine summer red, Morellino di Scansano, Podere 414 Simone Castelli 2005 (£11.55) issues from grapes grown on sandy soil and yields bright cherry fruit with firm acidity in a package that soothes rather than overwhelms. It’s terribly moreish.
Private Cellar might prefer to sell on the regions it knows, but it is a sucker for sweeties too, to judge by the seven on the list.
New addition Château Laurette, Sainte Croix du Mont 2005 (£9.98) hails from close by Sauternes and shares all its advantages: the nose is lemon fruit and fresh flowers, while the palate is more intense, honeyed and lingering.
Ending with a bang, Champagne Chauvet Brut Blanc de Noirs (£17.43) is a non-vintage bubbly at a price that puts the multiples on notice; lovely biscuity style from the red fruit, gently raisined into complexity. Wonderfully easy to drink, perfect for contemplation whatever the weather.
www.privatecellar.co.uk
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