Another Great Tasting at Majestic

I popped in to Majestic Wine (Sonning) today. I had a voucher for a free bottle of champagne after recommending someone to join the mailing list and start shopping there. While I was there I looked over the tasting counter (....it's rude not to!) The in store tasting tasting today was fantastic. They had so much stuff on offer to taste; not just quantity but variety. As always in this branch the staff were very friendly and always on hand to discuss what you were drinking and offer further recommendations. (It's worth shopping in the Sonning branch just for the staff!).

Here is some of what I tasted today.

Bollinger - Special Cuvee - This was fresh and yeasty with soft doughy aromas on the nose. The palate was vibrant with more appley flavours. This was a very good champagne.

Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, New Zealand - The has a really zesty, vibrant nose full of tropical fruit, freshly cut lime and bell peppers.

Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion, 2004, Bordeaux, France - Good clarity of fruit, nice complexity and structure. This still has a few years. I have a bottle of the 1998 which I will be having on Christmas day - I can't wait to find out how it will taste.

Manzanilla Pasada - This was amazing stuff. The nose was soft and enticing. The palate is a complete contrast. The palate is so salty. You could get flavours of ready salted puffs (type of crisp) and olives. This is something to add to my next Majestic shopping list!

Bodegas Hidalgo, Pedro Ximenez, Triana - Lovely sweet, concentrated, juicy raisins, Christmas cake. Great stuff.

Buller, Fine Old Muscat - Nice, fresh sweet palate. This was fragrant and concentrated. A good muscat.

Delaforce, Corte, 1991 Vintage Port - Good clarity. You could get hints of caramel but this was going slightly towards a more savoury side. This had nice complexity and length.

All in all it was a great tasting at Majestic. The range at Majestic keeps getting better and the results from the press tastings suggest that things are only going to improve in 2010.