Grand Vin de Glenelly 2008

£14 (Wine Society). Heady, powerful mixture of what looks like classic bordeaux blend but is in fact 40% shiraz, 39% cabernet sauvignon, 14% petit verdot and 7% merlot.

Classy structured fruit. Hard to imagine getting anything else as fruity, savoury, cedary and satisfying at this price outside Stellenboch. I shall return for more of this. It would be good on Christmas day.

Jordan, 2010 Stellenbosch

Parkin or ginger on the nose? An earthy, satisfying offering. Held up very well after being opened 4 days ago. Dry, leathery fruit. £8 (majestic) represents good value and further proof that this region is performing for better than bordeaux using the same varietal blends at much cheaper prices.

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.

Stellenbosch, Rustenberg 2006

Cracking flavour here. Earthy, cigar box nose. Soil-like edge to the fruit. £13 at Majestic but I'd go back for more. The blend is very claret-like. Perhaps more cabernet sauvignon dominated? If so, would we find a left bank wine of this calibre at this price? You suspect not. Must make greater effort with Stellenbosch, it does look like it avoids some of the cloying issues I (perhaps unfairly) associate with new world reds.

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