Gerard Bertrand Coteaux de Languedoc Montpeyroux Grand Terroir 2008

From Majestic, £6.99.

Deep purple. Forward nose with blackberry and cherry. Sweet blackberries followed by liquorice. Good. 15/20.

Spy Mountain Pinot Noir 2008

Enjoyed with a cracking bit of free range roast chicken.

C: Cherry.
N: Musty and mushroomy.
T: Light and delicate. Redcurrant and strawberries.
Good balance, long. 16.5

Chateau Musar, 2002

Tasted 9/10/10, with dinner at Bedruthan Steps Hotel.

Had to do some work to persuade my sceptical half-French dining companion that we should drink a wine from the Lebanon, but succeeded. I'd heard a lot about this wine, particularly in Wine Society mailings, but had never tried it before.

C: Deep purple/ruby
N: Initially damp earth, mushroomy aromas, but these blew off after a while to reveal deep cassis/blackcurrant.
T: Big with plummy or mulberry jam flavour. Great balance, excellent grip mid- to end-palate giving a prolonged finish.

Sadly our waiter didn't decant, and I didn't ask - foolish! The fruit flavours that were coming out by the time we were finishing the bottle were really intriguing, although it was a great wine from the off. 18.5/20.

My table were converted, including the sceptical demi-Francais!

E. Guigal Gigondas 2006

Tasted 7/10/10. £9 from Majestic.
C: Deep purple, brownish tinge
N: Jammy, loganberry and cassis
T: Cherry initially, but fruit fades to leave high acid, and grippy tannins with decent length. With food, softens and peppery/spice character brought out.
Good, 15.5/20

Refreshing the palate

Popped into the Post Office Tavern, Westbury-on-Trym
Good beer guide listed pub.
Great local feel, but let down by big screen TV with some music channel going on. Managed to use Douglas Adams' H2G2 to divert attention.
Otter Bitter (3.6%) - beautifully fresh, if a little cold. Lovely bitterness, refreshing and 2nd pint was tempting until phone call from SWMBO.....

Alain Grignon, Carignan Vielles Vignes 2009

Bought from Majestic, £7.
C: Pale crimson
N: Red fruit - strawberry/raspberry
T: Light and floral, drying later with reasonable length
Drinks well, 15.5/20

Dom Notre Dame des Pallieres, Gigondas, 2007

Bought from Majestic, about a tenner IIRC
Tasted 28/9/10
C: Plummy red
N: Sweet, blackcurrant
T: Somewhat lacking initially, then greenish with a sour note. Pretty average but ?oxidized.
Have done better with this wine before - 2006 was ok, will re-try.

Dom La Metairie, Pecharmant, 2005

Bought from local merchants while on holiday in Dordogne.
Tasted 26/9/10.
C: Deep red, russet edge
N: Pepper/spice, damp earth
T: Dry, with red fruit and lots of tannin
Very good, will keep for another 5-10 years. 17/20.