'Comparisons' night at our Theale store

A couple of weeks ago, Jean-Marc and I did a tasting for customers of the New Aquitaine House, Theale shop. J-MS – usual dramatic entrance "just flown in from Rioja" – where he has his own 'little' winery (10x bigger than my little winery!)It was a 'Comparisons' night.

I opened with my Laithwaites Champagne which I've been getting from the same cellar in Avize since the '70's when J-MS was still at school. This chardonnay-rich, creamy Premier Cru delight has won many, many friends. And did again. (There is now also the Blanc de Blancs available (poured at Henry's wedding last weekend!). You should also try the pink version and the überclassy Extra Brut which pulls off the difficult stunt of being drier but still smooth and delicious. Greatest of all apéritifs).

Jean Marc then had to follow with his sparkling creation; our 'PS'; Petillant de Syrah, pink semi-sparkler from Brignolles in Provence. Thinks; "Not a chance"! But, well, must admit it stood up very well indeed to the champagne despite being a fraction of the Champagne price. Its a classy drink ... several in the audience admitted to being dedicated fans. It is VERY popular which explains its unfortunate tendency to run out every time the sun shines! Goes well with a deckchair.

Then two Sauvignons to compare; the Laithwaites versus the new 'JMS'.

Jean-Marc makes both of course, and the Laithwaites Sauvignon is our best-selling white. So it should win. It’s a wine that loves its new screw-cap; extra flavour-retention and a touch of "pssst" when opened. 2007; best Laithwaites Sauvignon for about 4 years, I'd say. The perfect apéritif.

But I thought it only fair, as Jean-Marc has made this wine for about 14 years whilst I have taken all the credit, to let him get his name on a bottle. So he has now made, and offered for comparison his 'JMS' Sauvignon. As he explained, it’s made from the same grapes, from the same fields and in the same cellar; our 'Chai au Quai'.

But manages to be totally different. For 'JMS' he leaves the grapes longer on the vine for a less zingy, riper, mellower style. He ferments it very slowly, not in steel tanks but in oak barriques – some new – and on its 'lees' (fine sediment) which he stirs up all the time so its yeasty flavours get added to the basic fruit flavours. (Our barrels are stacked on racking called 'oxoline'. The barrels rest on castors and can easily be rotated. That's how he keeps the wine and sediment mixing – like stirring the teapot for a stronger brew). The net result is a wine more like a big Chablis than Sauvignon. A weightier, more 'serieux' food wine for, say, roast chicken or pork.

The vote went 50/50 but everyone agreed it would be 'horses for courses' except our Frenchman who was perplexed by this expression. Then we compared two further creations from 'Le Chai'. Two 'Unmentionables'. This term always gets a laugh from those over 50 and puzzlement from those under. We use the term, not in its pre-1960's lingerie sense but for wines which we cannot name! Not on the label anyway. They are wines we really want to make, but which Appellation Controlée rules forbid.

'V.C.' is a super white, made by combining very aromatic Viognier from the cool vineyards of the Ardèche where this grape has always been successful, with some big, fat Chardonnay from down on the Aude. It’s such a logical blend. But French rules mean if you blend regions you lose the right to put any information on the label. (They have announced a change to the rules which WILL allow it – whenever the bureaucrats get round to it).

Lined up against 'V.C.' was 'G.G.' (an excellent wine for Ascot Week as one wag could not help saying).This is Grenache Gris; a rare – almost extinct – varietal I mentioned last Diary piece, which is only to be found scattered around old vineyards of the much more common Grenache Noir down near the Med. It’s a pinky sort of grape, makes a 'dark-white' wine which is very Mediterranean in style; quite severe at first. Mellowing quickly to flavours of minerals, thyme, rosemary and – over time – lots of other things too. It’s a big wine. The voting was split but I think the VC had it. Be other way round in a year, I reckon.

After rapidly shovelling down the nibbly things we resumed with the reds. My 'Presbytere' from very old vines around and the tiny winery in, our French house, and his Pomerol made at Le Chai from fruit sourced right in the heart of that most prized of all Bordeaux regions. Again a fairly even split on the votes, maybe the Presby won, but again, next year I would guess the Pomerol would have grown more in power and interest.

Finally the 'sweeties' came out.

The excellent Sauternes that J-MS blends most years and raises at Le Chai, was trumped by La Font del Bosc – a Vin Doux from Maury (see last diary). Both in half bottles only. Both due to do very well this Christmas, judging by their reception.

Great night, great wines, lovely customers and ... for the first time filmed ... so click on any of the links above and see it all happening!

PS We really missed Mr Hammersley at the tasting. He's never missed one before. That Brummie accent very noticeably absent at the event. Get well soon.