Duval-Leroy Brut NV

This Champagne is far too cheap. It's only 2/3 the price of Moet and yet its better - well, it is for those who like a richer style of fizz anyway. It's a very complex champagne, and delivers all round. Nose is almonds, apples and honey. Front palate bursts with red delicious and burnt sugar, middle palate is toasty with hints of redcurrant and gorgeously round. The finish is long, and spicy like a figgy pudding. It's a fantastic aperetif, being a meal in itself, yet its fullness means it will even deliver with a fruit and pastry based dessert like tarte tartin. Bargain Champagne. Also comes in 3 x 200ml packs at Dubai duty free for emergency Oh-God-I need-a-good-wine-in-my-lonliness moments.


Drink now or for 2 years
145AED + Tax (purchased at a duty free outlet)
16.5/20


PS - pronunciation is doo val lair hwah

Domaine Cordier Pouilly Fuisse 2010

For those that don't know the region, Pouilly Fuisse is a Chardonnay from Burgundy, but it's just south of the golden strip (Cote d'Or), and in the cheaper, warmer region of Mâconnais. It is however the shining star of the region, and many would say that you'd be better off buying a good brand Pouilly Fuisse than a super brand of Bourgogne Blanc, and I'd tend to agree. It does of course come down to style, and being a small vineyard area it has a distinct character and changes dramatically over vintages. So, the rule goes - buy Pouilly Fuisse in the good vintages, and Bourgogne blanc in the poor (because it can be blended over a larger area, and it's even possible that some grapes usually used for better wines will be declassified and added into the blend).

So - this wine. 2010 was a super vintage - low yeilding, good concentration, great acid, and yet still showing some lovely ripe flavours. It's a keeper. This wine is toasty and creamy on the nose with toasted almonds. Fruit is concentrated but not sweet - pineapple/citrus and slightly grapey (yes, I know, wine is made from grapes, but this

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz

Australia is famous for its Barossa Shiraz, and it's famous for Penfolds. After all, our most well respected wine, Grange, is a Barossa Shiraz made by Penfolds. When most people go to the shelf and pick up a Shiraz (Syrah to the rest of the world) from this region, they are expecting something intense, full of blackberry jam and chocolate. But the Kalimna is not quite that wine. Sure, it's intense, but not like the bounty bar of sweet oak and syrupy fruit that many might expect. You pay more, you get more. So, in addition to your cheap chocolate bar and jar of preserve, expect to find some black olives, vanilla, briary blackberries and pepper. Maybe even a little iron-like minerality, just ever so slightly bloody. Not the best Kalimna, but as always, a pretty damn good one.

Drink 1-7 years
130AED
14.5/20

Kientzheim-Kaysersberg Anne Boecklin Pinot Gris Schlossberg 2009

Wow - that name's a mouthful. And this is a whole mouthful of Pinot Gris. It's dessert style, rich and viscous with a lovely hint of botrytis (noble rot). This translates as a forward palate of crunchy nashi pears, a little toasted almond and a nectar finish that's 10% apricot, 90% jasmine. Not only to be drunk during dessert - it's not at the syrup end of the scale, but just sweet enough to also cut through something rich and fatty - like foie gras or a rendang curry.

Drink now or over 5 years
$28 US (duty free)
15/20