Private Cellar thinks big by being small
"A small range and a personal touch are doing the business for a small wine merchant with big ideas..."
At the begining of the summer we met with Neville Smith of Lloyd's List. Sitting around Laura's kitchen table, we talked about the philosophy behind Private Cellar and our plans for the future before tasting through a range of our wines and Neville's views on Private Cellar and our wines have just been published as his Focus piece in Lloyds List.
The list of wines that he reviewed is below and to read the article, simply click on the icon or, if you prefer to read on-line, please follow the links.
Lloyds List July 2008 Lloyds List July 2008 196.05 Kb
Private Cellar thinks big by being small
Forget formalities, just taste the wine
Villa Wolf Pinot Gris, Pfalz 2006 is a good opener; a light style, a little spice and tingling acidity combine to make it a perfect aperitif.
The presence of Pinot Grigio Gregoris, Fattori 2007 is testament to the grape's sometimes puzzling popularity but this is a good example; appley and soft, but gently persistent too.
Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet, Isabelle & Denis Pommier 2006 is a little more serious - a classic, clean and fresh chardonnay, with a blend of stainless steel and barrel fermentation adding extra depth and mineral complexity.
Marsanne Côtes du Rhône Château Beauchêne 2006 as well as Terroir Selection Chenin Blanc, Springfontein 2007 are more challenging. The marsanne is a small batch wine wint a distinctive nose, rich with honey and flowers. It's heady stuff, and a food wine for all but the committed.
The chenin comes on almost like Burgundy; fat, fleshy and full bodied thanks to barrel fermentation and ageing, but chenin can take it and produce a wine that is still fresh on the finish.
Right on cue for summer, Château de Sours Rosé 2007 is one of the bargains of the season. A lovely colour, its creamy merlot fruit is smooth - never sour - finishing dry with just a whiff of minerality.
Moving into reds, Bordeaux Supérieur Ets J P Moueix 2005 makes a fine introduction to a much-heralded vintage, with ripe fruit and toasty oak combined in a great package from one of the region's premier winemakers.
Château Beaulieu 2004 is a step along the same path. More intense and with punchier tannins, it's a welcome reminder of the quality of the under-rated 2004 vintage.
A pair of Burgundies are an equally ample demonstration of what can be achieved without breaking the bank. Neither Frédérick Magnien's Bourgogne Rouge 2005 or Anne-Sophie Debavelaere's Beaune les Sceaux 2005 is cheap, but both represent a good-value entry point to an over-priced region.
Magnien's wine is marked by clean and pure fruit style with a gently spicy, wiry pinot noir finish. Its counterpart is lighter in approach but still shows plenty of ripe red fruit with a whiff of smokiness. It's a classic take on Beaune.
Another fine summer red, Morellino di Scansano, Podere 414 Simone Castelli 2005 issues from grapes grown on sandy soil and yields bright cherry fruit with firm acidity in a package that soothes rather than overwhelms. It's terribly moreish.
Private Cellar might prefer to sell on the regions it knows, but it is a sucker for sweeties too, to judge by the seven on the list.
New addition Château Laurette, Sainte Croix du Mont 2005 hails from close by Sauternes and shares all its advantages: the nose is lemon fruit and fresh flowers, while the palate is more intense, honeyed and lingering.
Ending with a bang, Champagne Chauvet Brut Blanc de Noirs is a non-vintage bubbly at a price that puts the multiples on notice; lovely biscuity style from the red fruit, gently raisined into complexity. Wonderfully easy to drink, perfect for contemplation whatever the weather.
