From the cellar recently 13/06/2011 (TNB)

• Champagne 1er cru BdB NV (Larmandier-Bernier) Lovely, having been in cellar for around 2 years. Very dry, but the fruit quality means it doesn't seem at all harsh. Lovely. Top
• Barolo Riserva Vigneto Rocchette 1996 (Accomasso) Meaty wine, bags of tannins still. I believe this will resolve and the slight clumsyness will be less apparent.
• Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1986 Absolutely gorgeous mature Sauternes - the sort that makes me wonder why I drink it infrequently. Sweet yet savoury and long. From a half. Is the quality from this estate still high? If it is, then it's a bargain at current prices. A strong

Small dinner with DL and NT 08/06/2011 (TNB)

• Bollinger NV An odd bottle that's been sitting in my cellar since around 1990. This is now a rather splendid mature fizz, gracefully maderised but very much alive. Top at least
• Gran Coronas 1980 (Torres) This is from back in the days when Torres was famous. It's the ordinary wine and not the "black label", but it is completely fresh with resolved fruit. Graceful and thoroughly drinkable.
• Chateau Poujeaux 1970 A bit on the ungenerous side like a lot of this vintage, and it was probably better a while ago. But still an attractive mature Claret. Bare

05/06/2011 (TNB)

• Mullineux white 2009 I tasted this outh African wine at "The Sampler" and liked it. Drinking a couple of glasses now confirms the quality and complexity of the fruit (mainly Chenin with some clairette and Viognier). Off-dry to my palate and lowish acidity - nice, but it lacks a certain something to give it some zing or grip to make it really moreish. Nice wine though, particularly to have a single glass with the right food. Bare perhaps.

In London 04/06/2011 (TNB)

• Morgon Cotes du Py 2009 (J. Foillard)) Very "natural" apparently, and I can believe it. Tremendous pure rapberry and blackberry fruit with a touch of backbone. Delicious.