This was £9.99 then Less £1.00 in store, then less 25% = £6.74 per bottle for a multi buy of 4 or 8 or 12 etcetera.

This is what Waitrose have said:
This is an approachable southern Rhône red made from 80% Grenache and 20 % Syrah. Unoaked, it shows fresh and juicy raspberry fruit followed by spice and cloves. Cairanne is one of the 18 Côtes du Rhône Communaux that are allowed to attach their name to the appellation Côtes du Rhône Villages.

Made or supervised by Perrin & Fils - of Chateau Beaucastle CNdP renown, good till 2011 they say and unoaked.

This is very well made and ripe concentrated wine - It is a good example of the lush harvest in Southern Rhone and is 14.5% Alc by volume because the fruit was extra ripe. If the fermentation was stopped at !3% the wine would have been demi-sec. It is a little spirity on the nose which is quite faint.
The fruit is superb and there are * Garrigue herby Mediteranean shrubland notes as claimed, which are very nice indeed. Colour is bright and deep, lovely to view, and the mouth feel is very smooth with very ripe tannins. Lovely primary feel and long finish for the price.

There is just one strong note that for my palate, prevents me from giving it a very £ Good value, and good wine:

* I can't get my head, my taste buds accustomed to / around the "Pomander" clove and cinammon that is quite prevalent. If I could be sure that this pomandery spicy secondary would dissipate by half, over the next 12 to 18 months, I'd snap up a load for 2010 quaffing.

Those who want this 'pomandery' Grenache style, which does not show it's full face in good Rioja (apart from mature Castillo San Lorenzo as IMHO moth balls + mouldy old prunes and nout much else) with really like this.

Does anyone know if this *note sudsides with time for a good Cairanne ?


Garrigue Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrigue

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Duncan

Hmmnn - open and sucked out for 24 hours, and a rendevous to the wine, shows that it now has a fuller nose. Also that wretched clove / cinammon note is subsiding. Lovely fruit, perhaps the Syrah is coming up with some wet tar pavement notes.

Hmnnn - decision time for a CDR quaffer in the sub £8 range - I should try this next:
http://www.majestic.co.uk/find/category-is-Wine/category-is-France/product-is-06533

GK - Have you tried the big T's vintage 2007 CDR at 50% off ? 50% off what ? - Selling price for 1 day in the Outer Hebrides ! It's a bit like those leather sofas at the bl**dy Sofaland Plc. They always advertise those huge things in a warehouse sized sitting room ! I quite like the 2007 Cairanne.

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Duncan

I’ve not tried that one Dunc.

I have taken the decision to not buy any more wine this year.

Why? Two reasons-
1. I am cutting back on the drinking a little, less drinking in the week.
2. I did a quick count up of stock and discovered I have close to 250 bottles in the racks. Plus around 50 bottles of various homebrew, elderberry, blackberry and whites (most of which I give away, I enjoy the making process but rarely drink the stuff, except the cider).

Some of the stock needs drinking now before it begins its inevitable decline (if it hasn’t already).

There needs to be a cull, a clearing of the decks, out with the old etc.

Yeah, 21 rows of a dozen

Your stocks are quite high, not counted here, similar levels to mine - but then again, I'm an old git, I'm allowed to hoard. I may have one or two more......

I have very few that are over the hill, I'd say that 90% of mine were improving to my taste buds, and 65% need time per the book. Yeah, I know, too much dosh tied-up in there - but then again, I major on sharing an elegant beauty with good friends

Why do I do it ? Because many will perform ahead of their current class, and price positioning when ready.

The only stuff that is over the hill, are a few of my Misses's Lamberti Pinot Grigio - but then again, I shall chill it to minus death, or on the rocks.....It is vinous dead anyway ! Then serve it to the older teenagers in the garden this Summer. They will find it probably more than OK.

Ha ha - But then again, there is stuff in there that is 'A Point' in 2015 so no probs Hope I don't get done-in.

A case in pont - I enjoyed a 1999 Gevrey Chambertin last week with a neighbour under the old pear tree in my garden - It cost about £13 way back when - he was zonked by the finesse and delicacy, it was a light and fragrant one.

GK - Please keep us posted on the matured stuff that you're culling, nah, or rather, that you are enjoying. You are allowed to report mistakes !

Totally agree with you GK, it is unwise to over indulge in the week. Enjoy your own brew as well.

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Duncan