Christmas wines, part 3

Chateau Reynon, Premier cotes de Bordeaux, 2006.
Not a patch on it's Christmas day partner - Raats' Cabernet Franc. OK, it was 2 per bottle cheaper but no contest in terms of character. Bland and inoffensive. Rather insipid really. I was hoping to recapture some of the quality of the fabled Gand-Mouyes - also a lowly 'Superior' - but this didn't have anything to separate it from its rivals.
The worry here is that Bordeaux has forgotten how to satisfy below £15. Even allowing for inflation etc, this wasn't the case even £10 years ago.

Christmas wines, part 2

Raats, Cabernet Franc, 2008. Superb depth of flavour.  Of particular interest was whether this was measurably different from Loire reds. I think it may be but either way, it is a cracking wine. At £15 a bottle (WS) this fantastic value for money. I feel like it is the Cabernet Franc component of Claret that might be what makes it so appealing: dry, fruity and cedary in equal measure.

Christmas wines, part 1

The Morgon was part of the contraband case. The Montus was part of a in bond case. The later is still not ready. I shall leave the remainder for at least a couple of years if possible. Perhaps it was just the contrast with the Morgon but the tannins felt furry and somewhat ragged. The Morgon itself was much thinner than I'd expected, agreeable though.

Salice Salentino

We drained two bottles of this at Salvo's Cafe on Dec 23rd.

Total ignorance about Puglia. Very earthy. Dark,  bramble edge to the fruit but not overpowering. Great partner to the food there. Best Italian food I've had outstanding of Italy.

Clos de la Roilette, Flurie, 2010

A birthday wine from MC. This forms the first 2010 cru Beaujolais out of the traps.
Very fine indeed. Has all the sappy juicy-ness I like in a Beaujolais but also a pleasing savoury edge. It's interesting that I often don't associate these wines with any obviously discernable fruit (appart from the occasional black cherry).
Very solid, well rounded wine that is great without overtly trying to be so.
I wonder where it came from?