Tasting 38 white, red, sweet and fortified wines

1. Cotes de Marmandais Cuvee Millennium, vintage 1998. Aged; ripe; not much fruit; tertiary. Some complexities from blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Light. 13%. South West fruit. Too old. Not OK.

2. Dame de Lussac 2004. Dry fruited: cherries, long-an, Lo-han and small plums. Some ripeness. Deep in palate; melted tannis, spice and minerals. Really good for this aged. A Michel Rolland wine and a second wine from Lussac. Cotes wine. 13%. Not stable enough, though it's well made.

3. Chateau Roulet 2006. Classic Canon Fronsac. Tannins much rounded. Medium ruby with medium rim showing quite some maturity. Dry fruited, grassy, old leathery with a plummy finish. Lack fruit. Merlot 80% with Cabernet Sauvignon 20%. A daily wine. Quite powerful though. Food wine. 13.5%. One step up from Fronsacs. Unless you like rustic wines......

4. Chateau Lacoste 2007. Reserved and refined strawberry, dried plum and vanilla aromas. Easy, Lifted acidities. Merlot majority, small pinches of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5%. Satellite St. Emilion. Recommended for the price.

5. Chevalier Beaurignac 2007. Soft St. Emilion with medium tannins. Stilted structure. Easy though. Palate reflect nose: cool blackberries, plums, tobacco, mineral. Merlot based, with Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5%. AC St. Emilion. Recommended for the price.

6. Chateau Vieux Moulin 2008. Deep ruby. Ripe. Unyielding tannins. Palate reflect nose: cool blackberries, plums, tobacco, mineral. Merlot based, with Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite Long palated. 13.5%. AC Satellite Emilion. A bit strong. Recommended.

7. Mayne Olivier 2008. Deep ruby colour. Cherries, Plums and bubblegum. Soft and easy. Some structure. 13.5%. Cotes wine; special cuvee; non Chateau wine but bottled by owner. Fruit from Chateaux and own field. Pretty easy. Recommended for the price.

8. Chateau Bellevue 2011. Fresh notes. Deep tones. Definitely a red for the more experienced customer who may want more rustic and power dark fruit. Easier than wine number 10. Soft tannins. Quite long. 13.5%... A Bergerac wine. Unless you like the more rustice style.

9. Chateau Fontesteau 2012. CB Gold Medal from prestigious competition. Classic Medoc Structured, simple, soft and fruity. A bit hot, despite its mere 13% abv. Some complexities from mix of 4 grapes 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot noir, 10% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot) planted on sandy-gravelly soil on limestone slab. The 12-month aging is done in barrels of French oak. Renewal of 25% new barrels per year. Can age for 2 years, though it will not improve much. Recommended.

10. Chateau Bellevue 2014. Fresh notes. Deep tones. Definitely a red for the more experienced customer who may want more rustic and power dark fruit. Tannic. Quite long. 13.5%... A Bergerac wine. If you like rustic and fresh wines....

11. Domaine Castens 2000. Round, flat. Ripe, dry fruit. Secondary tones. Soft and easy by now. Short. 13%. A Cote du Rhone wine. Aged..

12. Domaine de Capoulade 2000. Soft, with slight dark fruit. Simple wine, with tertiary tones, rustic finish. Meaty, spicy. Partial new oak. Carignan. 13.5%. Corbieres wine. Aged.

13. Domaine de Capoulade 2001. Even softer than 2000 with more dark fruit. Simple wine, with tertiary tones.Ristic finish. Meaty, spicy. Partial new oak. Carignan. 13.5%. Corbieres wine.

14. Domaine Tour Trencavel 2003. Cool dark fruit. Lack fruit though. Lifter acidities. GSM compositions. Some complexities. Not too commercial. Minervois wine-southwest wine. 13.5%. Aged.

15. Granges de papes 2011. Reasonably quality. Dry black fruit. Peppery and savoury. GSM classic. Medium lengthen. Sweetish finish. 13.5%. Costieres de Nimes. Southwest wine. OK.

16. Terre Ardente Fitou 2005. More bodied. Mixed dry dark fruit. Not too much impression. GSm composition. A Fitou wine. Not commercial.

17. Plan de Dieu 2012. Intense. Dark cherry tones. Soft tannins. Alcoholic and broad taste. Pretty good. 13.5%. Rhone wine. Recomended for the price.

18. Domaine Dubois 1998. Not much fruit. Mineral and leathery. More a fruit wine for stewed, pot dishes. Savigny les Beaune wine. 12.5%. Not Recommended.

19. Domaine Dubois 1999. Lightish. Animal tones. Leathery. Simple. Lack fruit. Chorey les Beaune. 12.5%. Not recommended.

20. Domaine Mont Rome Bourgogne Red 2003. Soft. Dry fruit. Meaty. Licoriced. Lack fruit. AC Bourgogne. 12.5%. Not Recommended.

21. Domaine Dubois 2011. Still fresh. Violets. Simple red cherries and currants. Mineral in finish. Intense palate. Moulin a Vent Cru type; gamay grape. 12.5%. OK.

22. Domaine Dubois 2012. Fresh. Mass wine. Simple and easy on plate. Floral tones. Easy palate. Brouilly Cru type; gamay grape. Recommended.

23. Domaine Dubois 2012, Beaujolais Villages. Fine cherry fruit, bubblegum. Violets and dry flowers. Simple palate. Village quality; gamay. Recommended.

24. ISOPLI, Chianti classico 2013. Fresh sour cherries. Meaty, salami tones. Linear acidities. Food wine. Sangiovese; big barrels. OK.

25. ISOPLI Rosso di Toscana 2014. Sweetish and ripe cherry nose. Simple nose and palate. Clean finish. No oak. OK.

26. ISOPLI Merlot di Toscana 2014. Tin fruit: plums and cherries. Soft palate. Clean finish. No oak. OK.

27. Chateau Clos du Roy 1995 Sauternes. Simple candied apricot, honey and almonds. Round and creamy. Excellent value. A second wine. True Sauterne a la riper, Barsac style. 12%. Recommende For the price.

28. Domaine la Combe Die 2000. VDN. Plum fruit. Elements of caramel, coffee and walnut tones. Oxidative. 17% ABV. Rasteau wine. REcommended.

29. Domaine Semper 2002. Oxidative style. Per fumy, intense nose and palate. Honey, yellow flowers. 17% abv. Muscat de Riversaltes wine. Only if you know and appreciate this style.....

30. Chateau Belleuve 2009. Bontritised. Intense. Almost like a sauterne with simple and direct fruit. Simple lemon, honey and mixed, ripe tropical fruit. White fungus; white sugar and creamy finish. Quite nice. A Monbazaillac wine. very recommended.

31. German Schlink Riesling 2014. Simple lemon, sweetish mixed tinned stone fruit. Medium sweetness. Short. Not bad though.OK.

32. German Spaetlaese 2014. Ripe tinned ripe fruit. Medium sweetness. Short. OK.

33. Domaine Dubost viognier 2011. Floral, orange flowers. Honey suckled. Soft and sweetish. 13%. OK.

34. Domaine Dubost Beaujolais Blanc 2012. Bright and limpid, white flower aromas including hawthorn, honeysuckle and acacia. The flavours that come through are of grapefruit, white peach and pear, with sometimes a touch of apricot. Over time it takes on honeyed notes. Rare. 13%. Receommended. Special.

35. Chateau les Merles Reserve 2010. One of the favourite. Intense citrus fruit, clothed by oaky nose with gingery finish. Long spice. A little hot. 14%. Bergerac wine, 100% oaked aged; new oak. Very recommended.

36. Chateau Pingou 2012. Simple citrus fruit with mineral finish. Savoury. Food wine. Pretty decent. Graves white. 13%. Recommended.

37. Alsace Chateau Klinggefus 2011 Riesling. Lime, pomelo nose. Green tones. Linear acidities. Intense and savoury. Northern Alsace on flatter land. Recommended.

38. Meditation Gourjo 2012. Floral tones clothed by creamy oak. Round finish with mixed tropical and stone fruit. Simple. 13%. OK.