We are fortunate to have several members who have excellent cellars, and occasionally they are prepared to offer us some bottles for a tasting. Richard had very kindly supplied some
bottles which were tasted by our members last September, and we were delighted to have another batch from his cellar in May 2025.
We started with 2 bottles which he was a bit concerned about due to their age. There was no cause for concern, the Ch Anseillan 1966 was a most interesting wine and in very reasonable condition despite being 60 years old. This was a wine which was made from grapes collected from the park area at the top of the Lafite hill which was usually not for sale and used for domestic consumption. It had retained plenty of colour and had plenty of ‘clarety’ flavour.
The Ch.Cantemerle 1966 had less colour , was lightweight in the mouth yet had retained plenty of lovely flavour with allied richness.
We then progressed to 2 Hermitages made by Paul Jaboulet Aine, the first was 1983 which is in outstanding condition, ripe and full bodied yet totally smoothed out and drinking very well. The second wine was the fabled 1978 which was the wine which reinvigorated the previously dormant Rhone market. This was in slightly better shape than the 1983, bigger and more concentrated and a joy to drink.
We progressed to a pair of 2005 Cotes de Nuits red burgundies, both from the stable of Gros Frere et Soeur . The plain Vosne Romanee was outstanding, a perfect example of what can be made in a good vintage by experienced vintners, it was ripe, loaded with sweet Pinot flavoured fruit and long in the mouth. Surprisingly the other wine from Grands Echezeux was not nearly as good as the preceding wine although big in structure, full bodied yet rather raw. This was considered to be needing a few more years to ripen and mature.
Next were a pair of Amarone della Valpolicella, the 1997 made by Righetti was a typical ripe yet balanced wine, pleasant on the palate and not overblown. The second 2006 wine made by Casa Givelli was also a pleasure to drink .slightly riper and concentrated with higher viscosity.
The tasting finished with a pair of sweet white wines, although the first example no longer belonged to the colour white having morphed into a dark brown wine, a fine example of a 1971 Trockenbeerenauslese made by Alex Senfter in 1971 from the Orbel vineyard overlooking the Rhine in Rheinhessen. It was extremely sweet and intense having Bovril and malt flavours.
The final wine of the evening brought us back to reality, a classic wine from Vouvray made by Foreau at the Domaine du Clos Naudin in 1989 which is a famous estate noted for its sweet wines which are only made in special years when the grapes are affected by botrytis and the weather is settled. The classification of the wines made by Foreau are a bit complicated and this had Reserve on its label suggesting that it was one of the very special wines and certainly it lived up to its reputation being very sweet, elegant full of lovely ripe Chenin Blanc flavours.
We are really grateful to Richard for treating us to such a wonderful evening.
Chris Davenport Jones
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