Posh Wines from Waitrose

A couple of impressions from some posh bottles bought this year, didn't take notes at the time.

Larrivet Haut Brion 2004. A truly spectacular Graves, and just what the Graves is all about. Cigar box, immaculate purity and balance. This makes up for all of the Graves wannabees I've drunk recently which don't do the cigar-box. In case I am not making myself clear - here is my individual view of what the Graves terroir has to offer:

GRAVES IS A CIGAR BOX

GRAVES IS A CIGAR BOX

GRAVES IS A CIGAR BOX

GRAVES IS A CIGAR BOX

GRAVES IS A CIGAR BOX

IF IT DOESN'T DO THE CIGAR BOX THING, THEN IT'S NOT GRAVES AT ALL, ACTUALLY IT'S NO BETTER THAN IF SOMEONE JUST PISSED IN A WINE BOTTLE.

Glad I got that off my chest. Anyway, moving on, this is not cheap by supermarket standards at £25.99 but I have to say enjoyed this a lot more than many Bordeaux I've paid the wrong side of £50 for. It's a bit of a conundrum, because structurally this is old-school, non of your overdone alcoholic spoofulation here, but perfect weight, and spectacular balance and class.

However, there are subtle hints of coffee and chocolate, so some aspects of a modern flavour profile a la St Emilion, but without any of the other bad stuff that we usually associate with ultra-modern St Emilion or 'Parkerized' stuff. (not that that adjective has anything to do with Parker himself...)

Now then, make no mistake, this one is up there, I'm thinking second growth quality. There really are very few Bordeaux wines I have ever enjoyed as much as I enjoyed my first bottle of this, it fucking rocks.

To sum up, £25.99 Waitrose, 9+/10 and for once, worth every penny.

Cune Reserva Rioja 2006. A lovely vintage of this wine. Purity and balance, nothing rustic about this shit, and far more ready-to-drink than the 2004 previously stocked, which was brilliant but very tight. This is really really good. £11.99 Waitrose, 8.5/10

La Rioja Alta 2001 Vina Arana. Now you're talking, this is the real shit. If you like La Rioja Alta then you know that this winery manufactures wines with a very singular personality, and it does so within the context of a very recognisable house style. And so you know what to expect.

But this, for me, is one of their very best ever., this is what La Rioja Alta are all about. La Rioja Alta are old-school Rioja, light to medium-bodied, heavy on the oak (beautiful oak in perfect balance with vanilla in excelsis, nothing to do with over-oaked modern shit...) and with terrific aromatics. This has really good acidity and is a food wine. It has a fantastic cherry/red fruit profile and is somewhat Burgundian but with a real acidity and style which sets it apart.

I've had more than my share of Vina Ardanza, 904 and 890 Gran Reservas. But I enjoyed this 2001 Vina Arana more than any of them I think.... £19.95, 9/10.

So well done Waitrose. When I buy posh wine from supermarkets, I usually expect to pay over-inflated prices for off-vintage shit. But you turned the tables with these 3, this is what I drink wine for.