Preamble Tasting October 2000
Febvre
Gregory Alken
1. Conde de Caralt, Xarel.lo
Pale, nose a bit closed. Dry. Unwooded.
£5.90
2. Podium Verdicchio dei Castelli de Jesi, Casa Vinicola Gioacchino
Garofoli, Marches 
Yellow green, a big floral nose. Very dry, big, fruity, buttery, well-structured
wine with a little burn. Unwooded. Excellent.
£10.50
3. Pinot Blanc Reserve Domaine Weinbach, Mme. Theo Faller et ses
Filles
Golden metallic glint. Nose not pronounced. Smooth and soft on the palate
but with a good backbone that kicks in to stop it being flabby. Very pleasant,
clean, unwooded but a bit dear at...
£16.00
4. Conde de Valdemar Rioja Blanco, Bodegas Martinez Bujanda, Oyon
From the Viura grape, aka Maccabeo. Light straw, nose of acid drops, pzazz,
oak - wow! Perhaps too buzzy on the palate. Not entirely together, but
light, clean, pleasant. Again, a bit pricey but worth a try.
£11.50
5. Chateau La Bastide Corbieres, Guilhelm Durand, Escales, 1998 
Light cherry red, no noticeable nose, pleasnat boot polish in the
mouth; red berry fruit. Light and pleasant, a little tart, good grip.
Nice. Syrah 70%, Grenache 10%, Carignan 20%, mainly a restaurant wine.
£6.70-7.20
6. Ladero Barrel Aged, Bodegas Centro Espanolas
Light blacky red, big nose: you'd swear it was from Oz. Lots of forest
fruit. Not as big a mouthful as expected, quite a lot of grip. Tempranillo
with some Cab, short barrel aging.
£7.90
7. Allozo Gran Reserva, Bodegas Ventro Espanolas, 1992
Lovely deep brilliant red. Sweet, restrained nose. Tannins and fruit in
the mouth. Liked by others more than me. Nice aftertaste, though. 100%
Tempranillo (Cencibel).
£11.90
8. Chateau Mas Neuf Prestige Costiere de Nimes, O. Gibelin, 1998
Beautiful cherry colour. A bit cool so nose less than apparent (Greg likes
them a bit cool but this was perhaps too cold). Ever so slightly watery
impresion up front, followed by fruit, good acid, well balanced wine.
Chocolate taste from the Mourvedre. Beautiful. 50 km from Chateauneuf
du Pape.
£10.90
9. Gigondas Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Boissan, Sablet
Pinky red. Very acetone/ketone nose. Quite pleasant on the palate, but
a bit "synthetic" sweet, probaly from the aforementioned ketones.
Lots pf aromatics hanging around. It grew on me; many thought it smashing.
£13.50
10. Rosso Conero DOC 'Agontano', Casa Vinicola Gioacchino Garafoli,
Marches, 1996
Beautiful orangey red. Distinctly Italian, a hint of bitterness. Elegant,
young, fruity, with tannins. Will age (says 3 years). 12.5% Very nice.
£14.50
11. Conte Federico, Azienda Conti Bossi Fedrigotti
Orange edges on a dark red. Very non-Italian nose. Nice mouthful;
warm, smooth. Needs some more backbone. Some bitter cherry taste, though.
From Trentino, which is purported to give good acidity with hot days and
cold n ights. Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Merlot. Went off it a bit when
I heard the price. But it's a very unusual wine.
£23.00
12. Vina El Pison Reserva, DOCa, Cosecheros Alaveses-Artadi, Rioja
-Alavesa
Dark cherry, beginning to get a light rim. Fine elegant nose, no off
smells of any kind. Lovely, fruity, good grip; a teensy hint of metallic
taste. Said too be new technology and old style. Way too young, and unfortunately
way too dear.
£55-£60