Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Saturday 2 May 2015

Bottles from the Circle of Wine Writers BYOB @Lahore Kebab House 27.4.2015 + Alex Dowsett Record


The Circle of Wine Writers held a BYOB at the Lahore Kebab House in East London on Monday 27th April. As usual at the Lahore the food was good as well as copious and as you might expect there were some very interesting bottles to try.   

 Laura Semeria: 2010 Cour-Cheverny, Domaine de Montcy


I took along a couple of Loire wines that proved to be popular. Firstly the 2010 Cour-Cheverny from Laura Semeria's Domaine de Montcy. The appellation has to be 100% Romorantin and this is just really getting into its stride. Romorantin, like Hunter Valley Semillon, can often be quite bland and uninteresting in when young but with bottle age becomes complexity and interesting. The 2010 had a fine balance of rich, honeyed fruit and acidity making it a delicious way to start the evening.



2012 Charlouise, Sancerre Rouge from Vincent Pinard was my second wine. With its wonderfully vibrant and silky red fruits this proved to be one of the stars of the evening – surprising some by the quality of Pinot Noir now comimng out of Sancerre and other Central Vineyard appellations like Menetou-Salon and Reuilly.

 2009 Moulin à Vent, Domaine Benoit Trichard 
2009 was a very good vintage in Beaujolais
This showed why some are now reassessing Beaujolais
The back label below



 Line-up of a few of the wines – including 2002 Brokenwood Shiraz, 
which was their first screwcapped vintage. It has aged well and is still quite youthful

 The sole example of a Chenin Blanc: 
the fine 2012 from Doran Vineyards, South Africa

 2008 Riesling from Château des Charmes (Canada)


 Scenes from the evening



 2010 Dry Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand


 Stunningly good Palo Cortado from Fernando de Castilla


••••

Many congratulations to Alex Dowsett on breaking the hour record today. See the brief highlights here. Will Bradley Wiggins break this new record and if so by how much when he tries in June in London.



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