The Wine List

3. L'Orangerie de Carignan, Ch Carignan, 2005, £26
Investment, meticulous attention to detail and rigorous selection are giving rise to a growing reputation for fine wines. This second wine of Ch. Carignan is an excellent illustration of good claret.

4. Chateau Cailleton Bergeron Premières Côtes de Blaye 2006, £28
Young winemakers forging a great reputation. Fruit-driven, with plenty of depth, hints of cinnamon and toast - good stuff!

5 Chateau La Courolle, Montagne St Emilion 2006, £33

5a. Chateau Barrail du Blanc, Grand Cru St Emilion 2005, £38
Spicy, fruity, heady aroma followed by a first taste of everything a Grand Cru Emilion should be. Silky, velvety and a good find at under £40.

6. Chateau Moulin Pey Labrie, Canon Fronsac 2001, £42

6a Chateau de Lamarque Cru Bourgeois Superieur Haut Medoc 2001, £42
Haven't tried it as Corney and Barrow haven't yet delivered a sample nor has a guest yet offered. I'm told it's respectable and so it should be for the price.

7. Chateau Ferrand, Graves 2005, £40
From a distant familial branch of Muckrach co-owner Rebecca, this mid range
Graves delivers style, elegance and value, just as she does!

8. Chateau Kirwan Margaux 2001, £60
Deep, deep solid blood red claret colour gives off aromas of liquorice, spiced cinnamon fruit and hints at a complexity that is delivered beautifully on the tongue. Rich, plummy spiced oak, liquorice and a hint of dark chocolate, a hint of those old leather armchairs again and tannins softened to a silky smoothness. Yum.

9. Ch. Lafon-Rochet St Estephe, 1995, £75
Made from 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with the remaining 5% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are harvested by hand. The nose is classic although quite dense. It starts off with a touch of sweet fruits and some notes of oak, but opens out to reveal vegetal notes of arriving maturity. On the palate it is rounded, a touch grippy, with a little unresolved tannin, although overall it has a loose, open-knit feel to it.

10. Chateau L'Evangile, Pomerol 1997, £100
From very low yields this has a deep, black ruby colour. It has an elegant, perfumed and richly fruited, nose, leathery and spicy with a gentle, sweet balance of fruit on the palate and succulence and generosity to the finish.

BURGUNDY - WHITE

11. Chablis Domaine Dampt 2007, £29
A fresh, clean Chablis backed by 150 years of family business. Not too much oak.

12. Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre Domain Servin 2006, £38
Classic Premier Cru from the heart of the region this really is a white wine with great finesse.

13. Bourgogne, Les Setilles, Olivier Leflaive 2007, £30
A stunning white with some charming citrus fruit and great mouth-feel that is complimented by some well integrated acidity.

14. Montagny 1er Cru, Les Bonneveaux , Olivier Leflaive, 2006, £33
Fully-ripened fruit from the Côte Challonaise - balanced with an elegant, poised structure.

14a Auxey Duresses La Macabree, Olivier Leflaive 2006, £36
Right next door to the much more expensive Mersault region, this Leflaive burgundy delivers a lovely balance of minerals and deep fruit, all bound together with a wonderful, almost chewy, vanilla custard.

15. Pouilly Fuissé, Moulin du Pont, 2006, £38
At the southern end of the Maconnais is the beautiful village of Pouilly Fuisse, where the poor limestone soils are perfect for the chardonnay grape. This wine is full and minerally with a lovely stony freshness complemented by a delicious citrus lift.

16. St. Aubin, 1er Cru, Les Frionnes, Prunier 2004, £40
Vincent Prunier makes a delicious St Aubin, which has always been one of our favourites. This has a lovely nose, it is crisp and fresh, with minerals, almonds and spice, buttered toast and a long finish.

17. Rully, Les Saint-Jacques, A. and P. de Villaine, 2007, £40
Aubert de Villaine is co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the world's most famous Burgundy estate. That focus on quality provides here a delicious glass of wine with fine depth and intensity.

18. Chassagne - Montrachet, Bachelet Ramoenet, 2004, £53

18a. Puligny - Montrachet, Henri Darnat, 2005, £65

19. Meursault, Premier Cru Blagny Domaine Matrot, 2001, £78

BURGUNDY - RED

20. Beaujolais Villages 2006, £25

21. Fleurie, Vieilles Vignes, Sarl Joubert, 2007, £32
Fleurie is one of the best Crus Beaujolais. This delivers good fruit, a hint of pepper, freshness, elegance and charm.

22. Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Domaine des Echards, Delagrange, 2005, £32
Delicious Pinot made from the younger Volnay vines of Didier Delagrange. Bursting with red fruits, the wine has ripe tannins and a spicy finish. Delicious!

22a Savigny-les-Beaune, Les Grands Liards, Patrick Javillier 2006, £38
Thin yet rich Burgundy colour. On the nose stewed fruits and flint. First sip reveals a rounded, light and smooth wine, a touch flinty, a hint of spice and caramel. Beautiful preserved raspberries on the finish. An excellent traditional Savigny.

23. Mercurey Les Montots Aubert de Villiane 2006, £39
Vigorous, charming and firmly structured Pinot Noir.

24. Chorey-les-Beaune, Antonin Guyon, 2003, £40
A classy Burgundy, elegant and balanced, with a delicate mineral streak, silky tannins and a hint of crushed strawberries.

24a. Volnay Marquis D'Angerville 2004, £48

25. Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Marchais, Faiveley, 2001, £65
Now drinking beautifully, this is a very fine big Burgundy.

26. Aloxe Corton Domaine Patrick Javillier 2005, £76
Still quite young but already beautiful.

27. Charmes-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Taupenot - Merme 1999, £99
Heavy, full spice, flint, cherries, cinnamon on nose and palate, serious concentration; you know this is a major burgundy the second it hits your nose, a beautiful wine. Both 1999 and 2002 were classic years for red Burgundies, each scoring 96 in Parker's guide.

RHONE - RED

30. Côtes du Rhône, Réserve, Perrin, 2006, £27
Excellent wine from the makers of the famous Château de Beaucastel of Châteauneuf du Pape.

31. Ch. Beauchene, Les Sens de Syrah, 2005, £30
A traditional French light style Shiraz, more delicate than the big gun Aussies.

32. Gigondas, Grand Montmirail, Yves Chéron, 2006, £38
Once considered the poor relation of Châteauneuf, well-made Gigondas is now rightly recognised as great stuff in its own right. This has a huge bouquet of smokey, gamey herbs and black fruit.

33. Crozes Hermitage le Millertuis , Maison Guyot 2006, £34
Vanilla and liquorice nose and then fruity spice on the palate with depth and character backed by a hint of oak and tobbacco.

33a. Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Moulin Teyrond, £40

34. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grande Reserve Ch. Beauchene 2006, £48
Old fashioned classic - a big and punchy wine - and all the better for it.

35. Cote Rotie Tardieu Laurent 2002, £65
From the northernmost part of the region comes this massive and elegant red.

SOUTHERN FRANCE - RED

43. Faugeres, Domaine St Antonin 2003, £28

44. Corbieres, Ch Haut Gleon Cuvee Claude Viallat 2003, £44
Intense, rich, plummy oak that glides like rollercoaster velvet to a soft finish. Outstanding.

LOIRE - WHITE

46. Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine, Chateau du Cleray 2006, £28
In the '70s, this was the height of fashion. It was harsh, dry as a bone, but at least it wasn't Black Tower. Now - wow! Modern techniques have lifted this one close to the crisp elegance of a Sancerre, with a touch of oakiness, a complex, summer fruitiness, perfectly combined in, unusually, a claret bottle.

47. Vouvray Cuvee des Fondraux, Didier Champalou 2005, £29

48. Sancerre, Domaine de la Villaudière, 2005, £31
Excellent Sancerre: refreshing, crisp acidity, with complexity and depth.

49. Pouilly Fume Les Chaumiennes 2007, A&E Figeat, £34
This single vineyard wine from the superb Figeat brothers displays all the subtle differences to its neighbour across the Loire river, Sancerre. Similar clean, crisp and leafy sauvignon fruit here is augmented by a distinct minerality and a whiff of gunsmoke, derived from the flinty soil prevalent in Pouilly Fume.

SPANISH - WHITE & ROSÉ

52. White Rioja, Marqués de Murrieta, Capellanía, 2002, £30
A unique and complex dry Spanish wine, rich, fruity and essentially Castillian.

52a Campillo Rioja Rosé, £33
Delicious, plummy fruit with a hint of Rioja body makes this a very superior rosé.

SPANISH - RED

53. Valvadiero Toro Roble Oak Aged, 2005, £33
The Toro wine region is north of Madrid in the heart of Castille-Leon, and this wine is a fine entry level example, oaky, peachy and vanilla spices on the nose, then cask oak, spice, tannin and cranberries on the palate.

54. Rioja, Marques Riscal, Reserva 2004, £35
As Spanish as an angry charging bull, the nose is full of chocolate, spice, body, leather and blazing summer sun. Sip it and you enjoy olives, oakiness of course, a nice depth and a plummy, prune like finish.

55. Rioja Marques de Murrietta, Y'Gay Gran Reserva 2001, £42
Dark, fruity vanilla, overripe blueberries with typical Rioja oakiness develops on the palate to an almost sherry like richness that is beautifully counterpointed by the mellow tannins. '01 was a great Rioja year, and this is a premium maker in the traditional style.

55a. Rioja Berberana Vina Alarde, Gran Reserva 2000, £44

56. Valduero Reserva, Ribera del Duero, 1999, £48
Rich, dark and plummy, this big Spaniard offers up a nose of oaky vanilla, cinnamon and leather, the burst of plum jam, forest fruits and wet wood. On the palate it caresses with soft velvet and complex layers of fruits marinaded in syrup, oak, and spice, all beautifully balanced with the sharp acid of an unripe nectarine. It's almost a meal in itself!

LEBANON

56a. Chateau Musar 1999, £46
This wine is unique. Made in the Be'eka Valley since 1930 by the Hochar family, it is a wonder this wine is produced at all. Yet what a fantastic wine this is. The colour is deep ruby, but not as dark as previous years. The nose is of cypress, dark peach, oily chocolate leather armchairs and a hint of wet wool.. On the palate its weight and body surrounds the tongue with an intense caress. It is as if the molecular memory of thousands of years of wine making has instilled itself in your glass and is now released within the confines of your mouth. It is very special and we are lucky to have some.

ITALIAN - WHITE

57. Gavi di Gavi la Meirana, Bruno Broglia, 2006, £28
Delicious Northern Italian white from the Cortese grape, fresh and lively with apple, citrus and mineral character.

58. Roero Arneis, Prunotto, 2004, £28
Now owned by Italy's famous Antinori family, Prunotto produces wines of exemplary quality. This is a full, rounded white, dry and flavoursome in style.
BIN END TO CLEAR £20

58a. Roero Arneis, Gianni Vaerzio 2003, £32
BIN END TO CLEAR £24

ITALIAN - RED

59. Chianti Passolini dall'Ondo 2005, £27
This is well-made Chianti. Red fruits on the nose followed by earthy, red cherries and balanced tannins and acidity: a delicious wine for food.

59a. Chianti Classico,Terre di Prenzano, Vignamaggio 2006, £33
A big, fruity and spicy nose with a hint of chocolate gives way to chunky, complex layers of raspberry, apricot and peach blended with vanilla and a creamy, full finish. Excellent.

60. Chianti Classico Bibbiano 2006, £33
BIN END TO CLEAR £24

61. Bolgheri, Poggio Al Moro, Enrico Santini, 2005, £33
Santini works his vineyards single-handedly and following the discipline of biodynamics. This is intense, concentrated and vigorous, with impressive vitality.

62. Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso, Corte Sant' Alda, 2004, £32
This is super-rich, long and elegant. Dark cherries over-lie spice and leather, with silky tannins and a lingering finish. Very fine wine.

63. Amarone Classico, Terre di Cariano, Cecilia Beretta, 2004, £52
This is the Cistine Chapel of Italian wine. It's big, structured and complex; packed with intense concentrations of ripe fruit, darkly spice and a smoky, super long finish. Wonderful with game, red meat or cheese. Strong too, at 15%ABV

63A. Barolo Josetta Saffirio 2004, £52
Award-winning and sought-after, this is fine and elegant: complex violet notes, big flavours but not massive in body.

SOUTH AFRICAN - WHITE

65. Chenin Blanc, Old Vines, Françoise Botha, Stellenbosch, 2004, £25
Rich, elegant wine: citrus, stone-fruits and quince, minerality and spice intermingled in a plump, ripe structure.

SOUTH AFRICAN - RED

66. Nelson Estate Shiraz, 2002, £33

68. Cloof Pinotage, Darling, 2003, £28
A deep burgundy colour in the glass gives a wonderful nose of oaky, oily chocolate and dark berries. On the palate comes an affirmation of the nose together with a little spice and acid to balance. This is a big smoothie at an excellent price.

69. Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, Klein Gustrouw, Stellenbosch, 2005, £32
Hand-picked grapes, rigorously-sorted, carefully vinified and then matured in medium-toasted French oak barrels, only one third of which are new, delivers a well-integrated wine combining vanilla, cream and powerful, sweet fruit.

69a Mont du Toit 2003, £38
Traditional methods and oak barrel maturation turns this blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc and Syrah into a classic, full bodied, fruit packed and leather balanced red wine.

70. Cabernet Sauvignon, Meerlust, Rubicon, Stellenbosch, 2004, £46
This classic Bordeaux blend (predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc) has long been at the pinnacle of the South African red wine hierarchy. Carefully made by the Myburgh family, the wine has two years in French oak, then two years further cellaring before release. Classic cedar, black fruits and tobacco scents with a deep ruby colour. A great wine!

NEW ZEALAND - WHITE

71. Chardonnay, Marlborough, Mount Vernon, 2004, £28
Very attractive fruit, a delicate, subtle touch of oak and a long finish.

72. Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, Nautilus Estate, 2006, £29
A textbook Marlborough Sauvignon; fantastic concentration of passion fruit, lime and gooseberry fruit, with a lifted, refreshing finish.

74. Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay 2007, £40
To be honest I'm not really sure what the fuss is about. A perfectly pleasant SVB though this is, so are all the others in the list. Yes, this has a touch more body about it than perhaps the Nautilus above, but is it eight quids' worth more body? You be the judge.

75. Chardonnay, Cloudy Bay, 2005, £38
Cult offering from a famed producer. Once gone there will be no more.

NEW ZEALAND - RED

77. Eradus Estate Pinot Noir 2006, £28
The wine world has acknowledged the tremendous strides forward by New Zealand Pinot Noir wines. This is richly-scented and very fine, from one of the best winemakers in new Zealand.

77a. Muddy Water, Waipara Pinot Noir 2007, £48
Famous and delicious, like a fine Burgundy at two thirds of the price.

AUSTRALIAN - WHITE

78. Semillon/Chardonnay, Eden Valley, Tilly's Vineyard, Henschke, 2003, £25
Delicious honey, herbal, citrus and vanilla notes, with weight and length.

79. Sauvignon blanc, Coonawarra, Rymill, 2004, £33
Delicious wine with a superb nose, balanced crispness and good depth. Long-lasting and very classy.

80. Riesling, Lenswood, Julius, Henschke, 2004, £32

Henschke is held in the highest regard among Australian winemakers. This lovely wine exhibits orange blossom, citrus and zesty lime aromas, developing well on the palate to a full and crisp finish.

81. Chardonnay, Eden Valley, Heggies Vineyard, 2004, £26
"When it smells and tastes as good as this, you know that the Chardonnay boredom syndrome will never happen," so wrote a reliable critic. We agree! This is made with Burgundy clones, and is a class act.

AUSTRALIAN - RED

84. Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia, Eagle Vale, 2003, £30
Excellent fruit, balance and length - a delicious glass!

85. Shiraz, The Lodge Hill, Clare Valley, South Australia, Barry, 2004, £27
Very good value Oz Shiraz from the famous winery of the late, great Jim Barry.

85a. Shiraz, McRae Wood, Clare Valley, South Australia, Barry, 2003, £38
One of the talisman Australian wines, The McRae Wood shows characteristic Shiraz aromas of sweet black fruits, mocha and liquorice, with fine tannins and a long, elegant finish.

85b. Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, £69
Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated with a touch of Merlot in the blend, its deep, opaque dense purple color is followed by gorgeous aromas of vanilla, intense cherry, blackberries, liquorice and a library full of old leather bound books above which sing ultra subltle high notes of cinammon. The first sip is of chocolate and cherry as if from an oaken bowl, followed by rich, dark complex depths of complexity that layer towards a mellow tannic finish which enfolds your tongue in a genuflective plea for another mouthful.

SOUTH AMERICA - RED

86. Merlot, Reserva, Santa Ema, Chile 2003, £25
A wine of great distinction from a small, highly-respected winery. Delicious fruit with a real chocolate-like flavours and a lovely mouth feel.

87. Malbec, Bodega Ruca Malen, Mendoza, Argentina 2004, £27
Malbec has become Argentina's best-known grape variety. This is rich, intense, ripe
and generously spiced. Very good indeed.

88. Cabernet Sauvignon, Ruca Malen, Mendoza, Argentina 2005, £28

89. Carmenere Barrel Select Santa Ema, Chile 2003, £29
This grape variety was common in France until the decimation of Bordeax vines in the 19th century.

90. Terraza Reserva, Malbec 2006, £32
Malbec grapes thrive in Argentina, and this example has a deep, ruby cherry colour that promises a heavyweight tongue smacking on the palate. The nose reinforces this, with intense spice, heavy fruit and a touch of oak. The first sip is indeed a big bodied assault on the senses. The alcohol cuts through bitter chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and dark cherry to reveal top notes of raspberry. Great with lamb.

91. Achaval Ferrer Quimera, Mendoza, Argentina 2006, £49
Dark purple with lots of currant and fig flavors layered with coffee and dark chocolate bark notes. Toasty finish, with touches of stewed fruits and and a lamb like meatiness. Nice acid at the end.A very superior South American blending Malbec Merlot, Cab Sauv and Cab Franc. Big, earthy and excellent.

HALF BOTTLES - WHITE

93. Chablis, Dampt 2006, £18

94. Sancerre Domaine de la Villaudiere 2005, £16

HALF BOTTLES - RED

95. Côtes du Rhône, Réserve, Dom. Perrin, 2005, £15

96. Fleurie, Vielles Vignes, 2006, £16

97. Chateau La Courolle St Emillion 2004, £18

CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINE

98. Delamotte, Brut, n.v., £46
This is a non-vintage Salon, the grapes being identical and used in those n.v. years when Salon is not produced. Great champagne and great value! Available by the glass at £9.

98A. Champagne Esterlin, Brut, n.v., £36
Sprightly and dry champagne. Good value for the money.

99. Billecarte-Salmon, Brut, n.v., £58

100. Billecarte-Salmon, Brut Rosé, n.v., £75
A really fine champagne.

102. Deutz Vintage Champagne 1996, £95

103. Delamotte, Brut n.v. Half bottle, £24

104. Billecarte-Salmon, Brut, n.v. Half bottle, £30 

105. Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry Col de' Salici, £30
Fragrant and elegant with a pleasing nose of almonds and lemons. Crisp, bright and medium bodied with flavours of apples and freshly baked bread. Clean and very pleasing.

106. Corney & Barrow Blanc des Blancs, £23
Stylish and crisp with a hint of biscuit, this is a traditional, French Methode Champenoise sparkler. Excellent as a Kir Royale and available by the glass at £6.

DESSERT WINES (half bottles)

107. Dom. de Durban, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Rhone, 2003, £25
Classic and well structured Muscat.

108. Meleo, Vriesenhof South Africa, 2005, £19
Quirky and unusual - one of the few wines to go perfectly with chocolate.

109 Ch. Rieussec Sauternes, 1999, £44
At the top is d'Yquem. Next comes Rieussac. Fantastic.

110 Rivesaltes Ambre Hors d'Age Vin Doux 1982 (full bottle), £48
A rare find at a wine tasting last year, this elegant barrel aged, distilled pudding wine will amaze you with its glorious complexity best described as a liquid essence of a palm fronded Christmas, mixing exotic spice with traditional fruits, layered with marzipan and finished with a demand for more. Very, very yummy. 16%ABV.

THE MUSCAT, VIN DOUX AND MELEO ARE AVAILABLE BY THE GLASS (100ML SERVING) AT £10, £10 AND £7 RESPECTIVELY

All prices are inclusive of VAT at the standard rate. Alcohol content of table wines varies between 9% and 15%. Stated vintages are correct at the time of printing. Where one vintage ceases to be available the next one will be offered. The listed price applies to the specific wine from the specified vineyard, producer or shipper. It does NOT apply to the vintage except where different vintages are separately listed. Table wines sold by the glass are in measures of 175 ml or 250 ml, unless otherwise stated.

Grahams 2000 Vintage Port, £7 per 100ml glass

Grahams 20 year old Tawny port, £10 per 100ml glass

Taylors 1998 Vintage Quinta, £10 per 100ml glass

Warres 1977, £21 per 100ml glass

MALT WHISKIES, COGNACS AND LIQUEURS