Autumn Reds
... plus a Petit Chablis ...
With the clock hands having been shifted backwards, momentarily lighter mornings, and teatime dusk, then autumn has definitely arrived. The smell of chimneys whisking out their wood-burning residue, the accumulation of leaves covering lanes and footpaths, and a brisk bite of a chilly wind, all point firmly to a change of season.
So the need for a Cabernet-based red to accompany recently acquired pheasants; the arrival of steak and kidney needing a robust and rich Rhône-style solution for supper; and perhaps a straightforward white to sit alongside the spicy soups that lift lunch into another league now that salad recipes have been put away until next year.
This missive looks at new vintages from two old favourites, assesses a new agency that Yapp Brothers has acquired, and an absolute bargain of a Petit Chablis from Waitrose.
1 - Moss Wood Amy’s Blend 2022, Margaret River, Australia.
This iconic and internationally renowned winery produces an array of wines from consistently reliable entry-level creations to top flight Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons. This wine at less than £20 is delivering a very refined, subtle and superbly balanced wine. 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 7% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. The light fragrance of blackcurrants on the nose is accompanied with a delicate and refined offering with fruit, tannins and acidity all in balance. Blueberries and blackcurrants settle on the palate with a touch of oak, and a medium finish. It is a very well-made package.
£18.50 - Waitrose - link
2 - Rustenberg John X Merriman 2022, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
I’ve recommended this wine many times the past and the 2022 vintage is now on the shelves. It delivers in spades and at this price it is always exceptional value for money. Richer, fruiter with a bit more bite than Amy’s Blend. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Classic blackberries on the nose and palate, with very well integrated tannins, good length and very, very easy to drink. Also, it ages surprisingly well. I recently found a few bottles of the 2016 hiding in part of the cellar: the fruit had dropped a few degrees, but it was still a highly drinkable and enjoyable wine.
£18.00 - Waitrose - link
Yapp Brothers built their formidable reputation on finding wines from the Rhône and Southern France. That has not stopped as this new agency - Clos Constantin - is a great find. Based in the French wine appellation of Terrasses du Larzac - given AOC status in 2014 - the region sits to the northwest of Montpellier. Vines are planted on limestone-clay soils with a good diurnal range as the height of 230m: provides perfect daytime Mediterranean heat with the evening coolness of altitude. The winery was established in 2017 by Pierre Halley and Samuel Durand.
Both wines are made from combinations of the classic Southern Rhône varietals: Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Ten years ago value from these varietals lay in the satellite villages of Gigondas and Vacqueyras that sat along the road from their more illustrious cousin, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Today, you have to head a tad further south to find wines that are excellent but sit under the £30-mark. If you like that pronounced spiciness of the Grenache, that works to perfection alongside the other varietals listed above, then search no further than these two from Larzac.
Think of a Nigella beef stew with port and chestnuts; a cassoulet brimming with deeply rich pork; or Yorkshires laden with horseradish and gravy alongside a few slices of a perfectly cooked roast.
3 - Clos Constantin ‘Euziéra’ 2023, AOP Terrasses du Larzac, Languedoc.
Nose is exquisite: an enticing combination of concentrated red fruits with hints of violets. It grabs your attention and prepares you for the delights that sing when you taste this excellent wine. 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 25% Cinsault. Fresh, slightly left-of-field, unexpected but superbly delicious. There is an abundance of deep red fruits, with smooth tannins, a well defined structure, and excellent length. I could drink this all autumn and winter. Also, it will age. Five years from now, perhaps even ten, it will still be delivering a special and very memorable wine. However, it is just great today.
£24.00 - Yapp Brothers - link
4 - Clos Constantin ‘Arjiès’ 2023, AOP Terrasses du Larzac, Languedoc.
Same varieties, older vines, a touch of oak rather than just concrete eggs. Darker with more concentration and extraction. Just as sensational but if one drinks ‘Euziéra’ today, then this ‘Arjiès’ needs a couple of years in the cellar. Although serving them side-by-side, was a rather enjoyable experience as they both evolved and changed in the glass over supper. Generously laden with plums, berries, silky tannins with a large notice saying ‘drink me’. Stunning. Buy today and drink from 2028. If you do buy them both, then do open one of each over lunch or supper with a few friends. They will be very impressed and one bottle of each might not be enough.
£29.00 - Yapp Brothers - link
5 - Domaine Seguinot-Bordet Petit Chablis 2022, Burgundy, France.
At sub-£20, this is not a show-stopper, but it is a very honest Chablis. Light, good refreshing acidity, distinct fruit, medium length. If lunch is a bowl of pumpkin soup, elaborate sandwich, or a touch of smoked trout, then this really works very well.
£15.50 - Waitrose until 28-Oct-25 - link - then back to £18.50.
